Miazma: physics edutainment through a computer game

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fülöp, Zs.; Biri, S.; Lévai, G.

2017-11-01

The beginning of the 21st century is characterised by several contradictions and challenges. One of them is that scientific and technological development has never been as important for the well-being of humankind as today. Nevertheless, these fields seem to lose the attention of talented and interested youngsters.

Transgenic horticultural crops: challenges and opportunities

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

At the dawn of the twenty-first century, food insecurity and malnutrition continue to plague humankind, especially in third-world countries. It has been estimated that world food supplies must increase by up to 50% over the next 20 years due to population growth, even while farming land is being ra...

Leading Sustainability in Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carr, Katie

2016-01-01

What is the role of schools, and more specifically school leadership, in the transition to a sustainable future for humankind? What different forms of leadership are needed to enable this role? The challenges are huge and complex and for those of us engaged in promoting sustainability learning, it is clear that the issue has never been more…

ENHANCED SUSTAINABILITY THROUGH STRAW-BALE CONSTRUCTION: EDUCATION-RESEARCH BUILDING DEMONSTRATING HOW TO LIVE SUSTAINABLY IN THE MIDWEST

EPA Science Inventory

The greatest roadblock to a shift to sustainability is the false assumption that humankind is disconnected from the laws of nature and local limits. The greatest challenge is the inability to understand the true relationship among people, prosperity, and planet. This project...

Learning by Doing: Preparation of Baha'i Nonformal Tutors

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Closson, Rosemary B.; Kaye, Sylvia B.

2012-01-01

The Baha'i Faith, which was founded in 1863, holds as its purpose the awakening of humanity to invisible possibilities, providing humankind with conscious direction and hope vis-a-vis the challenges and perplexities of time (Rosen, 2010). The Baha'i writings explain that spiritual forces are the foundation of reality and that the Word of God is…

NASA Ames 2016 Highlights

NASA Image and Video Library

2016-12-28

2016 presented the opportunity for NASA's Ames Research Center to meet its challenges and opportunities head on. Projects ranged from testing the next generation of air traffic control software to studying the stars of our galaxy. From developing life science experiments that flew aboard the International Space Station to helping protect our planet through airborne Earth observation campaigns. NASA's missions and programs are challenging and the people at NASA Ames Research Center continue to reach new heights and reveal the unknown for the benefit of all humankind!

Challenges in regulation of biomedical research: The case of Kenya.

PubMed

Wekesa, M

2015-12-01

Unregulated biomedical research has previously caused untold suffering to humankind. History is full of examples of abuse of animal and human subjects for research. Several codes and instruments have been formulated to regulate biomedical research. In Kenya, the Science, Technology and Innovation Act, 2014, together with the Constitution of Kenya, 2010, provide a fairly robust legal framework. Possible challenges include capacity building, overlap of functions of institutions, monitoring and evaluation, scientific/technological advances, intellectual property rights, funding for research, and dispute resolution. It is hoped that the new legislation will adequately address these challenges.

KSC-01pp1551

NASA Image and Video Library

2001-08-31

JOHNSON SPACE CENTER, HOUSTON, TEXAS -- EXPEDITION FOUR INSIGNIA -- The International Space Station (ISS) Expedition Four crew patch has an overall diamond shape, showing the "diamond in the rough" configuration of the Station during expedition four. The red hexagonal shape with stylized American and Russian flags represents the cross-sectional view of the S0 truss segment, which the crew will attach to the U.S. Lab Destiny. The persistent Sun shining on the Earth and Station represents the constant challenges that the crew and ground support team will face every day while operating the International Space Station, while shedding new light through daily research. The green portion of the Earth represents the fourth color in the visible spectrum and the black void of space represents humankind's constant quest to explore the unknown. The NASA insignia design for Shuttle flights ts is reserved for use by the astronauts and for other official use as the NASA Administrator may authorize. Public availability has been approved only in the forms of illustrations by the various news media. When and if there is any change in this policy, which we do not anticipate, it will be publicly announced

Expedition 4 crew insignia

NASA Image and Video Library

2001-08-01

ISS004-S-001 (August 2001) --- The International Space Station (ISS) Expedition 4 crew patch has an overall diamond shape, showing the “diamond in the rough” configuration of the Station during expedition 4. The red hexagonal shape with stylized American and Russian flags represents the cross-sectional view of the S0 truss segment, which the crew will attach to the U.S. Lab Destiny. The persistent Sun shining on the Earth and Station represents the constant challenges that the crew and ground support team will face every day while operating the International Space Station, while shedding new light through daily research. The green portion of the Earth represents the fourth color in the visible spectrum and the black void of space represents humankind’s constant quest to explore the unknown. The NASA insignia design for Shuttle flights is reserved for use by the astronauts and for other official use as the NASA Administrator may authorize. Public availability has been approved only in the forms of illustrations by the various news media. When and if there is any change in this policy, which is not anticipated, the change will be publicly announced.

HIV, international travel and tourism: global issues and Pacific perspectives.

PubMed

Lewis, N D; Bailey, J

AIDS, like plagues throughout human history, has been blamed repeatedly on foreigners. This has heightened ramifications, from the personal to the geopolitical, in an era of escalating population movement and rapid international travel. By the end of 1990, the World Health Organization had estimated that the total number of AIDS cases worldwide was close to 1.3 million. Recent estimates suggest that by the year 2000, 38-100 million adults and over 10 million children will have been infected with HIV. Seventy-five to eighty-five percent of that number will be from the developing world. AIDS has rapidly become pandemic, with wide-ranging consequences for humankind. Human population movement is an important component in the natural history of AIDS. With respect to this, a central consideration is the relationship between AIDS and international travel, especially tourism. In this paper, after reviewing HIV in the Asia-Pacific region, we present the epidemiology of HIV in the Pacific Islands, discuss its impact with particular reference to population movement, and explore some of the specific challenges that the Pacific Island region faces.

3...2...1...Liftoff!--An Educator's Guide with Activities in Science, Mathematics, Technology, and Language Arts. EG-2002-02-001-JSC

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), 2002

2002-01-01

The construction of the International Space Station (ISS) is one of humankind's most exciting and challenging endeavors. Numerous rocket launches are required to build this orbiting science laboratory. The purpose of this curriculum supplement is to introduce students in the Early Childhood classroom to the International Space Station and the role…

Food security: crops for people not for cars.

PubMed

Kullander, Sven

2010-05-01

Humankind is currently faced with the huge challenge of securing a sustainable energy supply and biofuels constitute one of the major options. However, the commercially traded edible crops are barely sufficient to meet food demand of the present world population. Certain regions, for example EU-27, do not even have a sufficient indigenous crop production. Of this follows that motor biofuels based on edible crops should be avoided. To replace more than some percent of the fossil motor fuels, non-edible biomass-rest products and wastes-should instead be considered for conversion to biofuels. In this way, about 10% of the current fossil fuels can be replaced. Feeding a world population expected to grow by some 50% during the next 50 years will be a major challenge. For environmental reasons it seems that agricultural land cannot be expanded very much, maybe not at all. The solution to the increasing food demand seems therefore to be using the present crop production more efficiently and increasing output from present agricultural land, maintaining biodiversity and climate stability within reasonable limits. In the future, agriculture will need more energy and more water irrigation. Food production is, however, already very energy demanding, requiring several times more externally provided energy than the energy content of the food itself. A sufficient energy supply will be a key issue for the future farming!

Impact of the macroeconomic factors on university budgeting the US and Russia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bogomolova, Arina; Balk, Igor; Ivachenko, Natalya; Temkin, Anatoly

2017-10-01

This paper discuses impact of macroeconomics factor on the university budgeting. Modern developments in the area of data science and machine learning made it possible to utilise automated techniques to address several problems of humankind ranging from genetic engineering and particle physics to sociology and economics. This paper is the first step to create a robust toolkit which will help universities sustain macroeconomic challenges utilising modern predictive analytics techniques.

The Anthropocene and the international law of the sea.

PubMed

Vidas, Davor

2011-03-13

The current law of the sea provides a framework for various specific issues, but is incapable of responding adequately to the overall challenges facing humankind, now conceivably already living in the Anthropocene. The linkages between the development of the law of the sea and the current process towards formal recognition of an Anthropocene epoch are twofold. First, there is a linkage of origin. The ideological foundations of the law of the sea facilitated the emergence of forces that were to lead to the Industrial Revolution and, eventually, to levels of development entailing ever-greater human impacts on the Earth System. Second, there are linkages in interaction. Geological information has prompted key developments in the law of the sea since the introduction of the continental shelf concept in the mid-twentieth century. With the formalization of the Anthropocene epoch, geology might again act as a trigger for new developments needed in the law of the sea. This article explores those two aspects of linkages and examines prospects for further development of the law of the sea framework, through concepts such as the responsibility for the seas as well as those related to new approaches to global sustainability such as the 'planetary boundaries'.

Global bioethics: a suggested distinction between ethics and morality.

PubMed

Chiarelli, B

2000-01-01

At the beginning of the new century Humankind is facing a new Era. It has to face the effects of a dramatic and accelerated population growth. Human population size increased from one billion in 1835, to six billion by the end of this century. This unprecedented increase in number, affecting specific geographical areas, has augmented the deterioration of the natural environment caused by the misuse of natural resources and the depletion of fertile soils due to climatic changes and pollution. The quality of life is now diminished by the "greenhouse effect" which is the direct result of industrialisation. Ecological integrity is a concept that has to be advanced in order to facilitate the protection of biological and ecological resources against the threat of human survival. Global Bioethics as a discipline of interaction of health professionals with the present endangered environment, the limited global resources and the new biotechnologies is needed in any Biomedical School.

Synthetic biology: a Jewish view.

PubMed

Glick, Shimon

2012-01-01

The discipline of synthetic biology may be one of the most dramatic advances of the past few decades. It represents a radical upgrading of humankind's ability to manipulate the world in which we live. The potential for benefits to society is enormous, but the risks for deliberate abuse or dangerous miscalculations are no less great. There are serious ethical issues, legitimate concerns for biosafety, and fears of bioterrorism. The ethical dilemmas posed are new and challenging and are being addressed by various groups and commissions. The present paper presents a Jewish approach to some of the ethical issues posed by this new technology. Judaism traditionally looks favorably on man as a co-creator with God and encourages research for the benefit of humankind. Thus it would have a positive attitude towards the current goals of synthetic biology. But in the Jewish tradition man is also charged with stewardship over nature and is admonished to preserve and nurture, not just to exploit and destroy. In line with the Presidential Commission on Bioethics, it would support a carefully weighed balance between the precautionary and the "proactionary" approaches.

Limiting and facilitating access to innovations in medicine and agriculture: a brief exposition of the ethical arguments.

PubMed

Timmermann, Cristian

2014-12-01

Taking people's longevity as a measure of good life, humankind can proudly say that the average person is living a much longer life than ever before. The AIDS epidemic has however for the first time in decades stalled and in some cases even reverted this trend in a number of countries. Climate change is increasingly becoming a major challenge for food security and we can anticipate that hunger caused by crop damages will become much more common.Since many of the challenges humanity faced in the past were overcome by inventive solutions coming from the life sciences, we are compelled to reconsider how we incentivize science and technology development so that those in need can benefit more broadly from scientific research. There is a huge portion of the world population that is in urgent need for medicines to combat diseases that are currently neglected by the scientific community and could immensely benefit from agricultural research that specifically targets their environmental conditions. At the same time efforts have to be made to make the fruits of current and future research more widely accessible. These changes would have to be backed by a range of moral arguments to attract people with diverging notions of global justice. This article explores the main ethical theories used to demand a greater share in the benefits from scientific progress for the poor. Since life sciences bring about a number of special concerns, a short list of conflictive issues is also offered.

Historical floods in the Dutch Rhine Delta

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Glaser, R.; Stangl, H.

Historical records provide direct information about the climatic impact on society. Especially great natural disasters such as river floods have been for long attracting the attention of humankind. Time series for flood development on the Rhine branches Waal, Nederrijn/Lek and IJssel in the Dutch Rhine Delta are presented in this paper. In the case of the Waal it is even possible to compare historical flood frequencies based on documentary data with the recent development reconstructed from standardized instrumental measurements. In brief, we will also discuss various parameters concerning the structure of the flood series and the "human dimension" of natural disaster, i.e. the vulnerability of society when facing natural disasters.

Soil degradation: Will humankind ever learn?

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Soil degradation is a global problem caused by many factors including excessive tillage, inappropriate crop rotations, excessive grazing or crop residue removal, deforestation, mining, construction and urban sprawl. To meet the needs of an expanding global population, it is essential for humankind t...

Using Climate Change for Teaching Experimental Sciences in Teacher Education through Research Projects on Recycling at the University of Lleida (Western Catalonia)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sebastia, M. T.; Verdú, N.

2016-12-01

Although climate change is one of the most pressing challenges faced by humankind, climate change illiteracy is frequent among primary school teacher college students reaching the second school year at the University of Lleida (UdL). Climate change was chosen to structure the course on Experimental Sciences of the bilingual group because this topic involves all sciences, and because of the importance of the subject for future educators. In the bilingual group of the Education Faculty, Experimental Sciences is taught in English, and there are usually 1-2 international students in addition to around 20 local students. To increase the awareness about climate change and make this topic closer to the students' daily experience, a research project on recycling at the University of Lleida was assigned per groups of 4 students. The assignment was semi-structured, the students received a reduced set of instructions and large freedom to focus their particular projects. Additional instructions were provided along the way. We present results from the comparisons among faculties at UdL, and among the different users: students, professors and researchers, and administration staff. We also discuss the impact that this project had in the learning ability of the students and their awareness about climate change.

Neem (Azadirachta indica): Prehistory to contemporary medicinal uses to humankind

PubMed Central

Kumar, Venugopalan Santhosh; Navaratnam, Visweswaran

2013-01-01

The divine tree neem (Azadirachta indica) is mainly cultivated in the Indian subcontinent. Neem has been used extensively by humankind to treat various ailments before the availability of written records which recorded the beginning of history. The world health organization estimates that 80% of the population living in the developing countries relies exclusively on traditional medicine for their primary health care. More than half of the world's population still relies entirely on plants for medicines, and plants supply the active ingredients of most traditional medical products. The review shows the neem has been used by humankind to treat various ailments from prehistory to contemporary. PMID:23835719

Neem (Azadirachta indica): prehistory to contemporary medicinal uses to humankind.

PubMed

Kumar, Venugopalan Santhosh; Navaratnam, Visweswaran

2013-07-01

The divine tree neem (Azadirachta indica) is mainly cultivated in the Indian subcontinent. Neem has been used extensively by humankind to treat various ailments before the availability of written records which recorded the beginning of history. The world health organization estimates that 80% of the population living in the developing countries relies exclusively on traditional medicine for their primary health care. More than half of the world's population still relies entirely on plants for medicines, and plants supply the active ingredients of most traditional medical products. The review shows the neem has been used by humankind to treat various ailments from prehistory to contemporary.

Ethical Concerns About Human Genetic Enhancement in the Malay Science Fiction Novels.

PubMed

Isa, Noor Munirah; Hj Safian Shuri, Muhammad Fakhruddin

2018-02-01

Advancements in science and technology have not only brought hope to humankind to produce disease-free offspring, but also offer possibilities to genetically enhance the next generation's traits and capacities. Human genetic enhancement, however, raises complex ethical questions, such as to what extent should it be allowed? It has been a great challenge for humankind to develop robust ethical guidelines for human genetic enhancement that address both public concerns and needs. We believe that research about public concerns is necessary prior to developing such guidelines, yet the issues have not been thoroughly investigated in many countries, including Malaysia. Since the novel often functions as a medium for the public to express their concerns, this paper explores ethical concerns about human genetic enhancement expressed in four Malay science fiction novels namely Klon, Leksikon Ledang, Transgenesis Bisikan Rimba and Transgenik Sifar. Religion has a strong influence on the worldview of the Malays therefore some concerns such as playing God are obviously religious. Association of the negative image of scientists as well as the private research companies with the research on human genetic enhancement reflects the authors' concerns about the main motivations for conducting such research and the extent to which such research will benefit society.

Triggering Events for the First Space Settlement

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gale, Anita E.; Edwards, Richard P.

2003-01-01

We know where humankind is now in its limited ability to venture into space, and we can envision technologies that include routine space flight and large human populations in space; the challenge is to figure out how to get from where we are now to what we can envision. Although the technical challenges of space infrastructure development will be significant, the factors most responsible for preventing us from surmounting those challenges are politics and economics. Various rationales have been proposed by other authors and are summarized, with assessments of the hurdles involved in each. In an effort to make Space Settlement Design Competitions for high school students as realistic as possible, the co-authors developed a compelling rationale for building the first community in space and the infrastructure required to support it, which passes the tests of economic necessity and political appeal.

Humankind's Three Major Language Topics Today and the State of China's Linguistic Life

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yuming, Li

2008-01-01

In the domain of language planning, humankind has since ancient times discussed three main topics: language problems, linguistic resources, and language rights. On the basis of the state of linguistic life in the world and China today, this article expounds on these three major topics and raises issues about China conducting a general survey of…

Genome elimination: translating basic research into a future tool for plant breeding.

PubMed

Comai, Luca

2014-06-01

During the course of our history, humankind has been through different periods of agricultural improvement aimed at enhancing our food supply and the performance of food crops. In recent years, it has become apparent that future crop improvement efforts will require new approaches to address the local challenges of farmers while empowering discovery across industry and academia. New plant breeding approaches are needed to meet this challenge to help feed a growing world population. Here I discuss how a basic research discovery is being translated into a potential future tool for plant breeding, and share the story of researcher Simon Chan, who recognized the potential application of this new approach--genome elimination--for the breeding of staple food crops in Africa and South America.

Fusion energy science: Clean, safe, and abundant energy through innovative science and technology

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

None

Fusion energy science combines the study of the behavior of plasmas--the state of matter that forms 99% of the visible universe--with a vision of using fusion--the energy source of the stars--to create an affordable, plentiful, and environmentally benign energy source for humankind. The dual nature of fusion energy science provides an unfolding panorama of exciting intellectual challenge and a promise of an attractive energy source for generations to come. The goal of this report is a comprehensive understanding of plasma behavior leading to an affordable and attractive fusion energy source.

Radiation Effects on Emerging Technologies: Implications of Space Weather Risk Management

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

LaBel, Kenneth A.; Barth, Janet L.

2000-01-01

As NASA and its space partners endeavor to develop a network of satellites capable of supporting humankind's needs for advanced space weather prediction and understanding, one of the key challenges is to design a space system to operate in the natural space radiation environment In this paper, we present a description of the natural space radiation environment, the effects of interest to electronic or photonic systems, and a sample of emerging technologies and their specific issues. We conclude with a discussion of operations in the space radiation hazard and considerations for risk management.

Our Space Future: A Challenge to the Conceptual Artist Concept Art for Presentation and Education

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bangs, Mary C.

2003-01-01

The history of visual representation is as old as the history of humankind. The Paleolithic drawings that are found in caves present our collective need for recording our dependence on the life-sustaining animal populations. Our wishes for their fertility (and for our own) comprise much of the art we find in these prehistoric drawings. As well, the cycles of the Moon are recorded in Paleolithic art relating to women's estrus cycles that link the perpetuation of our species with the cosmos. Art became our initial way of description and a way of envisioning our future goals. At the time when pictograms began to form humanity s first written languages, we also started to use art to invoke favorable forces and ward off devastation. Another important application of visual art became the conceptualization of tools, buildings and ideas that were impossible to describe by other means. Humans have a historical tradition of considering visual images as vehicles to inspire us to pursue a different way of thinking through our ability of envisioning. Complex concepts can be described visually and have the ability to convey information on many different levels. Conceptual art is a tool that can describe wide-ranging ideas from religious insights to currently unfeasible engineering projects and visionary dreams for humankind.

Servant Leadership: How does NASA Serve the Interests of Humankind in Aerospace Exploration and the Role STEM Plays in it?

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Miranda, Felix A.

2013-01-01

This presentation provides a description of technology efforts illustrative of NASA Glenn Research Center Core competencies and which exemplifies how NASA serves the interest of humankind in aerospace exploration. Examples are provided as talking points to illustrate the role that career paths in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) plays in the aforementioned endeavor.

Representing culture in interstellar messages

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vakoch, Douglas A.

2008-09-01

As scholars involved with the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence (SETI) have contemplated how we might portray humankind in any messages sent to civilizations beyond Earth, one of the challenges they face is adequately representing the diversity of human cultures. For example, in a 2003 workshop in Paris sponsored by the SETI Institute, the International Academy of Astronautics (IAA) SETI Permanent Study Group, the International Society for the Arts, Sciences and Technology (ISAST), and the John Templeton Foundation, a varied group of artists, scientists, and scholars from the humanities considered how to encode notions of altruism in interstellar messages . Though the group represented 10 countries, most were from Europe and North America, leading to the group's recommendation that subsequent discussions on the topic should include more globally representative perspectives. As a result, the IAA Study Group on Interstellar Message Construction and the SETI Institute sponsored a follow-up workshop in Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA in February 2005. The Santa Fe workshop brought together scholars from a range of disciplines including anthropology, archaeology, chemistry, communication science, philosophy, and psychology. Participants included scholars familiar with interstellar message design as well as specialists in cross-cultural research who had participated in the Symposium on Altruism in Cross-cultural Perspective, held just prior to the workshop during the annual conference of the Society for Cross-cultural Research . The workshop included discussion of how cultural understandings of altruism can complement and critique the more biologically based models of altruism proposed for interstellar messages at the 2003 Paris workshop. This paper, written by the chair of both the Paris and Santa Fe workshops, will explore the challenges of communicating concepts of altruism that draw on both biological and cultural models.

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

Johnson, Terry Alan; Hogan, Roy E., Jr.; McDaniel, Anthony H.

Two of the most daunting problems facing humankind in the twenty-first century are energy security and climate change. This report summarizes work accomplished towards addressing these problems through the execution of a Grand Challenge LDRD project (FY09-11). The vision of Sunshine to Petrol is captured in one deceptively simple chemical equation: Solar Energy + xCO{sub 2} + (x+1)H{sub 2}O {yields} C{sub x}H{sub 2x+2}(liquid fuel) + (1.5x+.5)O{sub 2} Practical implementation of this equation may seem far-fetched, since it effectively describes the use of solar energy to reverse combustion. However, it is also representative of the photosynthetic processes responsible for much ofmore » life on earth and, as such, summarizes the biomass approach to fuels production. It is our contention that an alternative approach, one that is not limited by efficiency of photosynthesis and more directly leads to a liquid fuel, is desirable. The development of a process that efficiently, cost effectively, and sustainably reenergizes thermodynamically spent feedstocks to create reactive fuel intermediates would be an unparalleled achievement and is the key challenge that must be surmounted to solve the intertwined problems of accelerating energy demand and climate change. We proposed that the direct thermochemical conversion of CO{sub 2} and H{sub 2}O to CO and H{sub 2}, which are the universal building blocks for synthetic fuels, serve as the basis for this revolutionary process. To realize this concept, we addressed complex chemical, materials science, and engineering problems associated with thermochemical heat engines and the crucial metal-oxide working-materials deployed therein. By project's end, we had demonstrated solar-driven conversion of CO{sub 2} to CO, a key energetic synthetic fuel intermediate, at 1.7% efficiency.« less

Science and the Energy Security Challenge: The Example of Solid-State Lighting

ScienceCinema

Philips, Julia [Sandia

2017-12-09

Securing a viable, carbon neutral energy future for humankind will require an effort of gargantuan proportions. As outlined clearly in a series of workshops sponsored by the DOE Office of Basic Energy Sciences (http://www.sc.doe.gov/bes/reports/list.html), fundamental advances in scientific understanding are needed to broadly implement many of the technologies that are held out as promising options to meet future energy needs, ranging from solar energy, to nuclear energy, to approaches to clean combustion. Using solid state lighting based on inorganic materials as an example, I will discuss some recent results and new directions, emphasizing the multidisciplinary, team nature of the endeavor. I will also offer some thoughts about how to encourage translation of the science into attractive, widely available products – a significant challenge that cannot be ignored. This case study offers insight into approaches that are likely to be beneficial for addressing other aspects of the energy security challenge.

A Systematic Study of Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) Interactions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pradhan, Prajal; Costa, Luís.; Rybski, Diego; Lucht, Wolfgang; Kropp, Jürgen P.

2017-11-01

Sustainable development goals (SDGs) have set the 2030 agenda to transform our world by tackling multiple challenges humankind is facing to ensure well-being, economic prosperity, and environmental protection. In contrast to conventional development agendas focusing on a restricted set of dimensions, the SDGs provide a holistic and multidimensional view on development. Hence, interactions among the SDGs may cause diverging results. To analyze the SDG interactions we systematize the identification of synergies and trade-offs using official SDG indicator data for 227 countries. A significant positive correlation between a pair of SDG indicators is classified as a synergy while a significant negative correlation is classified as a trade-off. We rank synergies and trade-offs between SDGs pairs on global and country scales in order to identify the most frequent SDG interactions. For a given SDG, positive correlations between indicator pairs were found to outweigh the negative ones in most countries. Among SDGs the positive and negative correlations between indicator pairs allowed for the identification of particular global patterns. SDG 1 (No poverty) has synergetic relationship with most of the other goals, whereas SDG 12 (Responsible consumption and production) is the goal most commonly associated with trade-offs. The attainment of the SDG agenda will greatly depend on whether the identified synergies among the goals can be leveraged. In addition, the highlighted trade-offs, which constitute obstacles in achieving the SDGs, need to be negotiated and made structurally nonobstructive by deeper changes in the current strategies.

SESAME and beyond

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

Mtingwa, Sekazi K.; Winick, Herman

Last week, Cyprus, Egypt, Iran, Israel, Jordan, Pakistan, the Palestinian Authority, and Turkey, as well as other nations and international organizations, gathered in Jordan to inaugurate the Synchrotron-light for Experimental Science and Applications in the Middle East (SESAME) project. Having persevered through two decades of political and financial challenges, this complex machine is poised to run its first experiments this year. Indeed, SESAME represents the power of science in bringing together countries—even those with frayed relations—under a common goal of advancing knowledge for the benefit of all humankind. The triumph of SESAME, and the outpouring of research results from othermore » light sources around the world, have spurred interest in building synchrotrons in developing countries.« less

Experiencing Body Worlds: voyeurism, education, or enlightenment?

PubMed

Moore, Charleen M; Brown, C Mackenzie

2007-12-01

Until the advent of plastinated cadavers, few outside the medical professions have had firsthand experience with human corpses. Such opportunities are now available at the Body Worlds exhibits of Gunther von Hagens. After an overview of these exhibits, we explore visitor responses as revealed in comment books available upon exiting the exhibit. Cultural, philosophical, and religious issues raised in the comments serve as a microcosm of society at large. The conclusion considers the challenge of such exhibits in introducing the public to science education, notes the image of the body as machine-so prevalent in the West-reflected in visitor comments, and finds hope that the exhibits promote, for many visitors, a sense of community among all humankind.

SESAME and beyond

DOE PAGES

Mtingwa, Sekazi K.; Winick, Herman

2017-05-26

Last week, Cyprus, Egypt, Iran, Israel, Jordan, Pakistan, the Palestinian Authority, and Turkey, as well as other nations and international organizations, gathered in Jordan to inaugurate the Synchrotron-light for Experimental Science and Applications in the Middle East (SESAME) project. Having persevered through two decades of political and financial challenges, this complex machine is poised to run its first experiments this year. Indeed, SESAME represents the power of science in bringing together countries—even those with frayed relations—under a common goal of advancing knowledge for the benefit of all humankind. The triumph of SESAME, and the outpouring of research results from othermore » light sources around the world, have spurred interest in building synchrotrons in developing countries.« less

A future of living machines?: International trends and prospects in biomimetic and biohybrid systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Prescott, Tony J.; Lepora, Nathan; Vershure, Paul F. M. J.

2014-03-01

Research in the fields of biomimetic and biohybrid systems is developing at an accelerating rate. Biomimetics can be understood as the development of new technologies using principles abstracted from the study of biological systems, however, biomimetics can also be viewed from an alternate perspective as an important methodology for improving our understanding of the world we live in and of ourselves as biological organisms. A biohybrid entity comprises at least one artificial (engineered) component combined with a biological one. With technologies such as microscale mobile computing, prosthetics and implants, humankind is moving towards a more biohybrid future in which biomimetics helps us to engineer biocompatible technologies. This paper reviews recent progress in the development of biomimetic and biohybrid systems focusing particularly on technologies that emulate living organisms—living machines. Based on our recent bibliographic analysis [1] we examine how biomimetics is already creating life-like robots and identify some key unresolved challenges that constitute bottlenecks for the field. Drawing on our recent research in biomimetic mammalian robots, including humanoids, we review the future prospects for such machines and consider some of their likely impacts on society, including the existential risk of creating artifacts with significant autonomy that could come to match or exceed humankind in intelligence. We conclude that living machines are more likely to be a benefit than a threat but that we should also ensure that progress in biomimetics and biohybrid systems is made with broad societal consent.

Green ergonomics: challenges and opportunities.

PubMed

Hanson, Margaret A

2013-01-01

Addressing the causes and consequences of environmental degradation presents significant challenges for humankind. This paper considers what ergonomics/human factors (E/HF) professionals can contribute to understanding and tackling some of the issues that arise through the movement towards a more environmentally sustainable economy. These issues are considered in relation to work in green industries (specifically, sustainable energy production, recycling and organic food production), and there is a need to ensure that these jobs are safe and healthy; the design of products and systems that are 'environmentally friendly' to facilitate their acceptability and use and how E/HF professionals can contribute to understanding and promoting behavioural change relating to environmental choices. The activities of some international organisations in this area are identified and the potential for E/HF involvement is considered. The implications for the E/HF profession are discussed. This paper considers how ergonomics/human factors professionals can contribute to the movement towards more sustainable and 'environmentally friendly' design and work. Potential challenges and opportunities are discussed in relation to jobs in green industries, products and systems and behaviour change.

Diabetes Dictating Policy: An Editorial Commemorating World Health Day 2016.

PubMed

Takian, Amirhossein; Kazempour-Ardebili, Sara

2016-06-18

The 21st century is an era of great challenge for humankind; we are combating terrorism, climate change, poverty, human rights issues and last but not least non-communicable diseases (NCDs). The burden of the latter has become so large that it is being recognized by world leaders globally as an area that it is in need of much greater attention. In light of this concern, the World Health Organization (WHO) dedicated this year's World Health Day (held on April 7, 2016) to raising international awareness on diabetes, the fastest growing NCD in the world. This editorial is an account of the macro politics in place for fighting diabetes, both internationally and nationally. © 2016 by Kerman University of Medical Sciences.

Environmental Behavior's Dirty Secret: The Prevalence of Waste Management in Discussions of Environmental Concern and Action

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gould, Rachelle K.; Ardoin, Nicole M.; Biggar, Matt; Cravens, Amanda E.; Wojcik, Deb

2016-08-01

Humankind and the planet face many thorny environmentally related challenges that require a range of responses, including changing behaviors related to transportation, eating habits, purchasing, and myriad other aspects of life. Using data from a 1201-person survey and 14 Community Listening Sessions (CLSs), we explore people's perceptions of and actions taken to protect the environment. Our data indicate a striking prevalence of waste management-related actions. Survey respondents described actions and concerns related to trash, recycling, and composting as the most common environmental behaviors; similarly, participants in CLSs discussed waste-related topics, for which we did not prompt, as frequently as those topics for which we specifically prompted. Explanations for this prevalence emerging from the data include (1) the nature of waste-related behaviors (concrete, supported by infrastructure, simple, compatible with lifestyle); (2) norms and social dynamics (family interactions, feelings of belonging/participation, government policy); and (3) internal psychological processes (internalized norms and environmental concern). We also found that many waste-related discussions were relatively superficial, focusing on immediate waste-related issues (e.g., litter or recycling) rather than larger issues such as consumption. Our results may provide insight into future efforts to encourage pro-environmental behavior. Given that most pro-environmental behavior involves tasks more complex and lifestyle-changing than those related to simple aspects of waste management, we suggest focusing on the latter two intertwined categories that our data suggest are important: encouraging social dynamics and related development of norms concerning environmental behavior (category 2), and fostering internalized norms and environmental concern (category 3).

Environmental Behavior's Dirty Secret: The Prevalence of Waste Management in Discussions of Environmental Concern and Action.

PubMed

Gould, Rachelle K; Ardoin, Nicole M; Biggar, Matt; Cravens, Amanda E; Wojcik, Deb

2016-08-01

Humankind and the planet face many thorny environmentally related challenges that require a range of responses, including changing behaviors related to transportation, eating habits, purchasing, and myriad other aspects of life. Using data from a 1201-person survey and 14 Community Listening Sessions (CLSs), we explore people's perceptions of and actions taken to protect the environment. Our data indicate a striking prevalence of waste management-related actions. Survey respondents described actions and concerns related to trash, recycling, and composting as the most common environmental behaviors; similarly, participants in CLSs discussed waste-related topics, for which we did not prompt, as frequently as those topics for which we specifically prompted. Explanations for this prevalence emerging from the data include (1) the nature of waste-related behaviors (concrete, supported by infrastructure, simple, compatible with lifestyle); (2) norms and social dynamics (family interactions, feelings of belonging/participation, government policy); and (3) internal psychological processes (internalized norms and environmental concern). We also found that many waste-related discussions were relatively superficial, focusing on immediate waste-related issues (e.g., litter or recycling) rather than larger issues such as consumption. Our results may provide insight into future efforts to encourage pro-environmental behavior. Given that most pro-environmental behavior involves tasks more complex and lifestyle-changing than those related to simple aspects of waste management, we suggest focusing on the latter two intertwined categories that our data suggest are important: encouraging social dynamics and related development of norms concerning environmental behavior (category 2), and fostering internalized norms and environmental concern (category 3).

48 CFR 1480.903 - Award in the face of challenge.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 5 2014-10-01 2014-10-01 false Award in the face of challenge. 1480.903 Section 1480.903 Federal Acquisition Regulations System DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR... Award in the face of challenge. (a) Award of a contract in the face of challenge may be made on the...

48 CFR 1480.903 - Award in the face of challenge.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 5 2013-10-01 2013-10-01 false Award in the face of challenge. 1480.903 Section 1480.903 Federal Acquisition Regulations System DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR... Award in the face of challenge. (a) Award of a contract in the face of challenge may be made on the...

Endosperm: food for humankind and fodder for scientific discoveries.

PubMed

Li, Jing; Berger, Frédéric

2012-07-01

The endosperm is an essential constituent of seeds in flowering plants. It originates from a fertilization event parallel to the fertilization that gives rise to the embryo. The endosperm nurtures embryo development and, in some species including cereals, stores the seed reserves and represents a major source of food for humankind. Endosperm biology is characterized by specific features, including idiosyncratic cellular controls of cell division and epigenetic controls associated with parental genomic imprinting. This review attempts a comprehensive summary of our current knowledge of endosperm development and highlights recent advances in this field. © 2012 The Authors. New Phytologist © 2012 New Phytologist Trust.

Extraterrestrial Life in the Microbial Age

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gronstal, Aaron L.

Humankind has long been fascinated with the potential for alien civilizations within the Solar System and beyond (e.g., Crowe and Dowd 2013; Sullivan 2013). Despite the early optimism for life beyond Earth, humankind has yet to make first contact with an alien race. Historical discourse on the topic of alien life can provide some useful input into questions about how the people of Earth today might respond to contact with alien life (e.g., Dick 2013). However, this discourse is primarily devoted to understanding humankind's response to intelligent life. We must recognize that the search for life's potential beyond Earth has dramatically changed since the dawn of the Space Age. We now know that advanced civilizations are not common on planets in our solar system. The search for life on nearby worlds is now limited to non-intelligent, microbial life. Any chance we have of contacting intelligent life lies in receiving transmissions from distant worlds, and contact with such cultures would be greatly limited by the vast expanse of space. This chapter discusses the need for more attention paid to the possible social, economic, and legal ramifications that the discovery of non-intelligent, alien microbial life might bring.

Responsibility, capability, and Active SETI: Policy, law, ethics, and communication with extraterrestrial intelligence

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vakoch, Douglas A.

2011-02-01

With recently growing interest in the Active Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence (SETI), in which humankind would send intentional signals to extraterrestrial civilizations, there have been increased concerns about appropriate policy, as well as the role of space law and ethics in guiding such activities. Implicit in these discussions are notions of responsibility and capability that affect judgments about whether humans or other civilizations should initiate transmissions. Existing protocols that guide SETI research address transmissions from Earth, but there is debate over whether these guidelines should inform de novo transmissions as well. Relevant responsibilities to address include (1) looking out for the interests of humankind as a whole, (2) being truthful in interstellar messages, and (3) benefiting extraterrestrial civilizations. Our capabilities as a species and a civilization affect how well we can fulfill responsibilities, as seen when we consider whether we will be able to reach consensus about message contents (and whether that would be desirable), and whether we have the capacity to decode messages from beings that rely on different sensory modalities. The interplay of these responsibilities and capabilities suggests that humankind should place increased emphasis on Active SETI.

From Online Student to Online Instructor: Assistive Strategies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McKnight, Jodi

2012-01-01

With the influx of online learning opportunities, online students and instructors are faced with a variety of challenges. Online students face the same challenges as do face-to-face learners, but by facing them in an online context, the interpretations of those challenges can lead to the success or failure of their overall educational experience.…

Instrumentation and Controls Division Overview: Sensors Development for Harsh Environments at Glenn Research Center

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zeller, Mary V.; Lei, Jih-Fen

2002-01-01

The Instrumentation and Controls Division is responsible for planning, conducting and directing basic and applied research on advanced instrumentation and controls technologies for aerospace propulsion and power applications. The Division's advanced research in harsh environment sensors, high temperature high power electronics, MEMS (microelectromechanical systems), nanotechnology, high data rate optical instrumentation, active and intelligent controls, and health monitoring and management will enable self-feeling, self-thinking, self-reconfiguring and self-healing Aerospace Propulsion Systems. These research areas address Agency challenges to deliver aerospace systems with reduced size and weight, and increased functionality and intelligence for future NASA missions in advanced aeronautics, economical space transportation, and pioneering space exploration. The Division also actively supports educational and technology transfer activities aimed at benefiting all humankind.

Robots and people with dementia: Unintended consequences and moral hazard.

PubMed

O'Brolcháin, Fiachra

2017-01-01

The use of social robots in elder care is entering the mainstream as robots become more sophisticated and populations age. While there are many potential benefits to the use of social robots in care for the older people, there are ethical challenges as well. This article focuses on the societal consequences of the adoption of social robots in care for people with dementia. Making extensive use of Alasdair MacIntyre's Dependent Rational Animals to discuss issues of unintended consequences and moral hazard, we contend that in choosing to avoid the vulnerability and dependency of human existence, a society blinds itself from the animal reality of humankind. The consequence of this is that a flourishing society, in which each individual is helped to develop the virtues essential to her flourishing, becomes harder to achieve.

Challenges and opportunities for improving food quality and nutrition through plant biotechnology.

PubMed

Francis, David; Finer, John J; Grotewold, Erich

2017-04-01

Plant biotechnology has been around since the advent of humankind, resulting in tremendous improvements in plant cultivation through crop domestication, breeding and selection. The emergence of transgenic approaches involving the introduction of defined DNA sequences into plants by humans has rapidly changed the surface of our planet by further expanding the gene pool used by plant breeders for plant improvement. Transgenic approaches in food plants have raised concerns on the merits, social implications, ecological risks and true benefits of plant biotechnology. The recently acquired ability to precisely edit plant genomes by modifying native genes without introducing new genetic material offers new opportunities to rapidly exploit natural variation, create new variation and incorporate changes with the goal to generate more productive and nutritious plants. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Bioastronautics: The Influence of Microgravity on Astronaut Health

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Blaber, Elizabeth; Marçal, Helder; Burns, Brendan P.

2010-06-01

For thousands of years different cultures around the world have assigned their own meaning to the Universe. Through research and technology, we have begun to understand the nature and mysteries of the Cosmos. Last year marked the 40th anniversary of our first steps on the Moon, and within two decades it is hoped that humankind will have established a settlement on Mars. Space is a harsh environment, and technological advancements in material science, robotics, power generation, and medical equipment will be required to ensure that astronauts survive interplanetary journeys and settlements. The innovative field of bioastronautics aims to address some of the medical issues astronauts encounter during space travel. Astronauts are faced with several health risks during both short- and long-duration spaceflight due to the hostile environment presented in space. Some of these health problems include bone loss, muscle atrophy, cardiac dysrhythmias, and altered orientation. This review discusses the effects of spaceflight on living organisms, in particular, the specific effects of microgravity on the human body and possible countermeasures to these effects.

Bioastronautics: the influence of microgravity on astronaut health.

PubMed

Blaber, Elizabeth; Marçal, Helder; Burns, Brendan P

2010-06-01

For thousands of years different cultures around the world have assigned their own meaning to the Universe. Through research and technology, we have begun to understand the nature and mysteries of the Cosmos. Last year marked the 40(th) anniversary of our first steps on the Moon, and within two decades it is hoped that humankind will have established a settlement on Mars. Space is a harsh environment, and technological advancements in material science, robotics, power generation, and medical equipment will be required to ensure that astronauts survive interplanetary journeys and settlements. The innovative field of bioastronautics aims to address some of the medical issues astronauts encounter during space travel. Astronauts are faced with several health risks during both short- and long-duration spaceflight due to the hostile environment presented in space. Some of these health problems include bone loss, muscle atrophy, cardiac dysrhythmias, and altered orientation. This review discusses the effects of spaceflight on living organisms, in particular, the specific effects of microgravity on the human body and possible countermeasures to these effects.

The nuclear lion: What every citizen should know about nuclear power and nuclear war

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

Jagger, J.

1991-01-01

The stupendous energy in the atomic nucleus can be used to advance human welfare, and it has been so used ever since we learned how to release it. Nuclear medicine has revolutionized medical diagnosis and treatment, notably in dealing with cancer. Nuclear reactors have provided us with valuable radioactive atoms (radioisotopes) for use in research and industry, and they have given us cheap, clean power, which can drive a ship around the world on a tiny charge of fuel. On the other hand, we have unleashed the awesome power of nuclear weapons, and we must now face the almost incomprehensiblemore » devastation that awaits the world as it contemplates nuclear war. An all-out nuclear war would end modern civilization, and might well end humankind, to say nothing of countless other species of plants and animals. It would be, without question the greatest disaster of the last million years of the history of the Earth.« less

Assessment of Institutional and Personnel-Related Challenges Facing Educational Programme for the Mentally Challenged Persons at Kaimosi Special School, Kenya

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mmbwanga, Daniel M.; Matemba, Collins K.; Bota, Kennedy N.

2015-01-01

The mentally challenged child (MC) can achieve a lot if the right environment and curriculum are designed for him/her. However, the realization of the desirable outcomes faces many challenges. The objective of the study was to examine institutional and personnel-related challenges facing education programs for the MC persons at Kaimosi Special…

Planting seeds for the future of food.

PubMed

Green, Hilary; Broun, Pierre; Cakmak, Ismail; Condon, Liam; Fedoroff, Nina; Gonzalez-Valero, Juan; Graham, Ian; Lewis, Josette; Moloney, Maurice; Oniang'o, Ruth K; Sanginga, Nteranya; Shewry, Peter; Roulin, Anne

2016-03-30

The health and wellbeing of future generations will depend on humankind's ability to deliver sufficient nutritious food to a world population in excess of 9 billion. Feeding this many people by 2050 will require science-based solutions that address sustainable agricultural productivity and enable healthful dietary patterns in a more globally equitable way. This topic was the focus of a multi-disciplinary international conference hosted by Nestlé in June 2015, and provides the inspiration for the present article. The conference brought together a diverse range of expertise and organisations from the developing and industrialised world, all with a common interest in safeguarding the future of food. This article provides a snapshot of three of the recurring topics that were discussed during this conference: soil health, plant science and the future of farming practice. Crop plants and their cultivation are the fundamental building blocks for a food secure world. Whether these are grown for food or feed for livestock, they are the foundation of food and nutrient security. Many of the challenges for the future of food will be faced where the crops are grown: on the farm. Farmers need to plant the right crops and create the right conditions to maximise productivity (yield) and quality (e.g. nutritional content), whilst maintaining the environment, and earning a living. New advances in science and technology can provide the tools and know-how that will, together with a more entrepreneurial approach, help farmers to meet the inexorable demand for the sustainable production of nutritious foods for future generations. © 2015 The Authors. Journal of The Science of Food and Agriculture published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.

The World Meteorological Organization Focus on Urban Issues

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Terblanche, D. E.

2015-12-01

Many of the milestones of human development can be traced back to people assembled in urban settings where economies of scale, competition and social interaction stimulated innovation. Considering that more than half the global pollution now lives in cities and towns and that most of the growth in the global pollution in the remainder of this century will continue to take place in the urban environment, the question could be asked whether humankind will continue to capitalize on the traditional benefits of city life to find solutions for growing environmental challenges? In the past cities developed organically. They evolved through trial and error into livable environments. Things have now changed. The global population is larger, urbanization is rapid, pressure on Earth's limited resources is constraining and we are faced with a changing climate. If cities are now allowed to develop in a haphazard manner, the fight for survival in the city will overshadow its entrepreneurial spirit. It is for this reason that the 11th Sustainable Development Goal will focus on: 'Making cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable'. There is now a window of opportunity for weather, climate, water and environmental scientists to contribute towards a more sustainable urban future by ensuring that science based services form an integrated part of urban planning, development and management. WMO recognizes that rapid urbanization will require new types of new and enhanced services. Such integrated urban weather, environment and climate services will assist cities to deal better with hazards such as storm surge, flooding, heat waves, and air pollution episodes, especially in a changing climate. From a research perspective the World Climate Research Programme, the World Weather Research Programme and the Global Atmosphere Watch Programme all have a unique contribution to make in this regard.

The Urban melting pot: A recipe for sustainable living?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Terblanche, Deon

2015-04-01

Many of the milestones of human development can be traced back to people assembled in groups where economies of scale, competition and social interaction stimulated innovation. Considering that more than half the global pollution now lives in cities and towns and that most of the growth in the global pollution in the remainder of this century will continue to take place in the urban environment, the question could be asked whether humankind will continue to capitalize on the traditional benefits of city life to find solutions for growing environmental challenges? By ensuring that cities are planned and operated to make best use of the prevailing climate, resources and in a manner in which its inhabitants are safe from extreme weather and environmental events there is a good chance that cities will continue to contribute to solutions. However, if cities are allowed to developed in a haphazard manner with poorly managed infrastructure which expose citizens to the dangers of a changing climate and environmental degradation, the fight for survival will overshadow the entrepreneurial spirit. There is now a window of opportunity for weather, climate, water and environmental scientists to contribute towards a more sustainable urban future by ensuring that services based on these sciences from an integrated part of urban development and management. WMO recognizes that the rapid urbanization will require new types of services making best use of science and technology and considers this problem as one of the main priorities. Such Integrated Urban Weather, Environment and Climate Services should assist cities in facing hazards such as storm surge, flooding, heat waves, and air pollution episodes, especially in changing climates. The talk will highlight some of the opportunities that exist in this regard.

Planting seeds for the future of food

PubMed Central

Broun, Pierre; Cakmak, Ismail; Condon, Liam; Fedoroff, Nina; Gonzalez‐Valero, Juan; Graham, Ian; Lewis, Josette; Moloney, Maurice; Oniang'o, Ruth K; Sanginga, Nteranya; Shewry, Peter; Roulin, Anne

2016-01-01

Abstract The health and wellbeing of future generations will depend on humankind's ability to deliver sufficient nutritious food to a world population in excess of 9 billion. Feeding this many people by 2050 will require science‐based solutions that address sustainable agricultural productivity and enable healthful dietary patterns in a more globally equitable way. This topic was the focus of a multi‐disciplinary international conference hosted by Nestlé in June 2015, and provides the inspiration for the present article. The conference brought together a diverse range of expertise and organisations from the developing and industrialised world, all with a common interest in safeguarding the future of food. This article provides a snapshot of three of the recurring topics that were discussed during this conference: soil health, plant science and the future of farming practice. Crop plants and their cultivation are the fundamental building blocks for a food secure world. Whether these are grown for food or feed for livestock, they are the foundation of food and nutrient security. Many of the challenges for the future of food will be faced where the crops are grown: on the farm. Farmers need to plant the right crops and create the right conditions to maximise productivity (yield) and quality (e.g. nutritional content), whilst maintaining the environment, and earning a living. New advances in science and technology can provide the tools and know‐how that will, together with a more entrepreneurial approach, help farmers to meet the inexorable demand for the sustainable production of nutritious foods for future generations. © 2015 The Authors. Journal of The Science of Food and Agriculture published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry. PMID:26619956

Understanding Leadership in Schools Facing Challenging Circumstances: A Chilean Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ahumada, Luis; Galdames, Sergio; Clarke, Simon

2016-01-01

During the last 10 years, research into schools facing challenging circumstances has attracted the attention of researchers around the world. The aim of this study was to understand the challenges that school leaders face as they per form their work, the nature of the context in which these challenges arise, the strategies school leaders adopt to…

Challenges Facing a Deaf Family Member Concerning a Loved One’s Dying

PubMed Central

Kehl, Karen A.; Gartner, Constance M.

2010-01-01

Individuals who are Deaf face challenges both similar and unique from those faced by hearing individuals when a family member is dying. This study was guided by the question “What are the challenges faced by a Deaf family member when a loved one is dying?” Methods - This qualitative study is guided by critical theory and an interpretive perspective. Robert, a college-educated older adult who has been Deaf from birth was interviewed in American Sign Language using a death history format. Results – There are challenges for Deaf family members that affect communication with both the dying person and health care professionals. Patient-family communication issues included physical challenges and financial challenges. Lack of cultural competence concerning the Deaf community created challenges communicating with professionals. Decision-making was also a challenge. Conclusions These findings provide a framework for future research concerning the needs of Deaf individuals facing the end of life and provide guidance for clinicians. PMID:19910395

The advances and perspectives of recombinant protein production in the silk gland of silkworm Bombyx mori.

PubMed

Xu, Hanfu

2014-10-01

The silk gland of silkworm Bombyx mori, is one of the most important organs that has been fully studied and utilized so far. It contributes finest silk fibers to humankind. The silk gland has excellent ability of synthesizing silk proteins and is a kind tool to produce some useful recombinant proteins, which can be widely used in the biological, biotechnical and pharmaceutical application fields. It's a very active area to express recombinant proteins using the silk gland as a bioreactor, and great progress has been achieved recently. This review recapitulates the progress of producing recombinant proteins and silk-based biomaterials in the silk gland of silkworm in addition to the construction of expression systems. Current challenges and future trends in the production of valuable recombinant proteins using transgenic silkworms are also discussed.

Effects of Spaceflight on Cells of Bone Marrow Origin

PubMed Central

Özçivici, Engin

2013-01-01

Once only a subject for science fiction novels, plans for establishing habitation on space stations, the Moon, and distant planets now appear among the short-term goals of space agencies. This article reviews studies that present biomedical issues that appear to challenge humankind for long-term spaceflights. With particularly focus on cells of bone marrow origin, studies involving changes in bone, immune, and red blood cell populations and their functions due to extended weightlessness were reviewed. Furthermore, effects of mechanical disuse on primitive stem cells that reside in the bone marrow were also included in this review. Novel biomedical solutions using space biotechnology will be required in order to achieve the goal of space exploration without compromising the functions of bone marrow, as spaceflight appears to disrupt homeostasis for all given cell types. Conflict of interest:None declared. PMID:24385745

Climate, ecosystems, and planetary futures: The challenge to predict life in Earth system models.

PubMed

Bonan, Gordon B; Doney, Scott C

2018-02-02

Many global change stresses on terrestrial and marine ecosystems affect not only ecosystem services that are essential to humankind, but also the trajectory of future climate by altering energy and mass exchanges with the atmosphere. Earth system models, which simulate terrestrial and marine ecosystems and biogeochemical cycles, offer a common framework for ecological research related to climate processes; analyses of vulnerability, impacts, and adaptation; and climate change mitigation. They provide an opportunity to move beyond physical descriptors of atmospheric and oceanic states to societally relevant quantities such as wildfire risk, habitat loss, water availability, and crop, fishery, and timber yields. To achieve this, the science of climate prediction must be extended to a more multifaceted Earth system prediction that includes the biosphere and its resources. Copyright © 2018, American Association for the Advancement of Science.

Homeland Security. Management Challenges Facing Federal Leadership

DTIC Science & Technology

2002-12-01

Security Management Challenges Facing Federal Leadership 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER 5b. GRANT NUMBER 5c. PROGRAM ELEMENT NUMBER 6. AUTHOR(S) 5d. PROJECT...including attention to management practices and key success factors. HOMELAND SECURITY Management Challenges Facing Federal Leadership www.gao.gov/cgi...significant management and coordination challenges if it is to provide this leadership and be successful in preventing and responding to any future

E-Mentoring the Online Doctoral Student from the Dissertation Prospectus through Dissertation Completion

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Black, Ronald

2017-01-01

Faculty who mentor online doctoral candidates face many of the same challenges and opportunities as those mentoring doctoral candidates in traditional, face-to-face modalities. The main difference is that E-Mentoring is based on interacting in the online space rather than interacting face-to-face, which may present challenges for both the…

The Vulnerability of Earth Systems to Human-Induced Global Change and Strategies for Mitigation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Watson, R. T.

2002-12-01

Since the IGY, there has been growing evidence that climate is changing in response to human activities. The overwhelming majority of scientific experts, whilst recognizing that scientific uncertainties exist, nonetheless believe that human-induced climate change is inevitable. Indeed, during the last few years, many parts of the world have suffered major heat waves, floods, droughts, fires and extreme weather events leading to significant economic losses and loss of life. While individual events cannot be directly linked to human-induced climate change, the frequency and magnitude of these types of events are predicted to increase in a warmer world. The question is not whether climate will change, but rather how much (magnitude), how fast (the rate of change) and where (regional patterns). It is also clear that climate change and other human-induced modifications to the environment will, in many parts of the world, adversely affect socio-economic sectors, including water resources, agriculture, forestry, fisheries and human settlements, ecological systems (particularly forests and coral reefs), and human health (particularly diseases spread by insects), with developing countries being the most vulnerable. Environmental degradation of all types (i.e., climate change, loss of biodiversity, land degradation, air and water quality) all undermine the challenge of poverty alleviation and sustainable economic growth. One of the major challenges facing humankind is to provide an equitable standard of living for this and future generations: adequate food, water and energy, safe shelter and a healthy environment (e.g., clean air and water). Unfortunately, human-induced climate change, as well as other global environmental issues such as land degradation, loss of biological diversity and stratospheric ozone depletion, threatens our ability to meet these basic human needs. The good news is, however, that the majority of experts believe that significant reductions in net greenhouse gas emissions are technically feasible due to an extensive array of technologies and policy measures in the energy supply, energy demand and agricultural and forestry sectors. In addition, the projected adverse effects of climate change on socio-economic and ecological systems can, to some degree, be reduced through proactive adaptation measures.

But I Don't Understand You: One Faculty's Observations of the Challenges Facing International Healthcare Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

DuBose, Cheryl O.

2017-01-01

International students face many challenges when pursuing a degree in higher education. Communication and cultural differences are typically cited as the most challenging aspects of any study abroad program. Students attempting to complete a healthcare program face sometimes insurmountable issues, as communication, cultural differences, and…

The Sisters of Mercy in the Crimean War: Lessons for Catholic health care

PubMed Central

Paradis, Mary Raphael; Hart, Edith Mary; O’Brien, Mary Judith

2017-01-01

In 1856, an appeal went out to nurses in both England and Ireland, and especially to religious nurses, to care for the troops fighting in the Crimean War. The Sisters of Mercy, founded in 1831 by Venerable Catherine McAuley, answered that call. This article describes the enormous challenges the Sisters faced in that mission, which was a test of their nursing skills, flexibility, organizational ability, and their spirit of mercy. The challenges they faced professionally and as religious Sisters, the manner in which they faced those challenges, and their spiritual lives as religious women shaped their ability to give comprehensive care. Some applications are made to the challenges which religious communities and organizations working in health care face in our country at this time. Summary: This article describes the challenges faced by a group of Sisters of Mercy from England and Ireland who volunteered to serve as nurses in the Crimean War from 1856 to 1858. Applications are made to challenges which are faced by religious communities and organizations in the current secular healthcare environment. PMID:28392597

The Sisters of Mercy in the Crimean War: Lessons for Catholic health care.

PubMed

Paradis, Mary Raphael; Hart, Edith Mary; O'Brien, Mary Judith

2017-02-01

In 1856, an appeal went out to nurses in both England and Ireland, and especially to religious nurses, to care for the troops fighting in the Crimean War. The Sisters of Mercy, founded in 1831 by Venerable Catherine McAuley, answered that call. This article describes the enormous challenges the Sisters faced in that mission, which was a test of their nursing skills, flexibility, organizational ability, and their spirit of mercy. The challenges they faced professionally and as religious Sisters, the manner in which they faced those challenges, and their spiritual lives as religious women shaped their ability to give comprehensive care. Some applications are made to the challenges which religious communities and organizations working in health care face in our country at this time. Summary: This article describes the challenges faced by a group of Sisters of Mercy from England and Ireland who volunteered to serve as nurses in the Crimean War from 1856 to 1858. Applications are made to challenges which are faced by religious communities and organizations in the current secular healthcare environment.

Community in Online Higher Education: Challenges and Opportunities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Arasaratnam-Smith, Lily A.; Northcote, Maria

2017-01-01

Exploring the challenges and opportunities associated with the concepts of community and communication in online higher education, this paper reconsiders the intention to replicate face-to-face learning and teaching strategies in online learning environments. Rather than beginning with the assumption that face-to-face education is the prototype…

The clinical consequences of an ageing world and preventive strategies.

PubMed

Lunenfeld, Bruno; Stratton, Pamela

2013-10-01

Over the past century, the world has seen unprecedented declines in mortality rates, leading to an accelerated increase in the world population. This century will realise falling fertility rates alongside ageing populations. The 20th century was the century of population growth; the 21st century will be remembered as the century of ageing. Increase in life expectancy is one of the highest achievements of humankind; however, ageing and age-related disease is a mounting challenge for individuals, families, and for social, economic, and healthcare systems. Since healthy life expectancy has lagged behind the increase in life expectancy, the rise in morbidity will increase the burden on healthcare systems. Implementation of preventive health strategies to decrease, delay or prevent frailty, lung, breast and colon cancer, cardiovascular disease, metabolic syndrome, osteoporosis and osteopaenia, may increase health expectancy, and permit women to age gracefully and maintain independent living, without disability, for as long as possible. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Crossing the Boundaries in Planetary Atmospheres - From Earth to Exoplanets

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Simon-Miller, Amy A.; Genio, Anthony Del

2013-01-01

The past decade has been an especially exciting time to study atmospheres, with a renaissance in fundamental studies of Earths general circulation and hydrological cycle, stimulated by questions about past climates and the urgency of projecting the future impacts of humankinds activities. Long-term spacecraft and Earth-based observation of solar system planets have now reinvigorated the study of comparative planetary climatology. The explosion in discoveries of planets outside our solar system has made atmospheric science integral to understanding the diversity of our solar system and the potential habitability of planets outside it. Thus, the AGU Chapman Conference Crossing the Boundaries in Planetary Atmospheres From Earth to Exoplanets, held in Annapolis, MD from June 24-27, 2013 gathered Earth, solar system, and exoplanet scientists to share experiences, insights, and challenges from their individual disciplines, and discuss areas in which thinking broadly might enhance our fundamental understanding of how atmospheres work.

[ETHICS, MORALS AND SOCIETY IN PERSONALIZED MEDICINE].

PubMed

Flugelman, Anath

2015-09-01

Following the completion of the human genome project, genomic medicine including personalized medicine, widely based on pharmacogenetics and pharmacogenomics, is rapidly developing. This breakthrough should benefit humankind thanks to tailoring the most appropriate prevention, interventions and therapies to each individual, minimizing adverse side effects, based on inter-personal genetic variety and polymorphism. Yet wide spectrum ethical, legal and social issues carry significant implications regarding individuals, families, society and public health. The main issues concern genomic information and autonomy, justice and equity, resources allocation and solidarity, challenging the traditional role of medicine and dealing with unlimited boundaries of knowledge. Those issues are not new nor exceptional to genomic medicine, yet their wide unlimited scope and implications on many aspects of life renders them crucial. These aspects will be discussed in light of Beauchamp and Childress' four principles: non-maleficence, beneficence, autonomy and justice, and main moral philosophies, Kant's autonomy, Utilitarianism which promotes the common good, and Rawls' Theory of Justice.

Challenges of Virtual School Leadership

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Richardson, Jayson W.; LaFrance, Jason; Beck, Dennis

2015-01-01

The purpose of this case study was to examine challenges faced by virtual school leaders in the United States. Through semistructured interviews, the researchers explored challenges faced by eighteen leaders of fully online or blended online programs. Analysis revealed six main challenges: funding, staff, accountability, time, parents, and…

Challenges Faced by Female-Students in Engineering-Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Madara, Diana Starovoytova; Cherotich, Sharon

2016-01-01

Gender-related challenges in learning technical courses are universal phenomenon. These challenges could restrain female students from achieving their fullest potential. The main focus of this study, therefore, is to examine self-recognized challenges faced by undergraduate female students in pursuing engineering at the School of Engineering…

How To Create A Spacefaring Civilization (And Why Spacelaw Must Go Ahead!)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fernandez, M.

2002-01-01

The human settlement of Mars is not so far away, and it is necessary to transform our current situation into a spacefaring civilization. But, how can we do it? First of all, we have to batter down the political, financial and engineer obstacles that have thus far obstructed humanity from entering the real space age. Then, we have to discuss the possibilities inherent in human activity for peering out into the universe and to explore the resources that will guarantee humankind's future existence. Finally, we have to solve technological and scientific problems associated with interstellar travels and the detection of other intelligent species in space. That's why spacelaw must go ahead. Space is the new face of industry and commerce, because it is plenty of resources for doing business. Matters such as space property and insurance; urban planning; space-business opportunities (space tourism, establishment of worldwide communication satellite networks, export of satellites for launch, exploitation of natural resources...); military uses of outer space; or national licensing for satellite services must be solve by spacelaw before they crop up.

Challenges Faced by Maine School Districts in Providing High Quality Public Education. Research Brief

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Silvernail, David L.; Linet, Sarah R.

2014-01-01

The goal of this study was to: (1) identify challenges faced by Maine school districts in providing high quality public education; (2) describe the magnitude of the challenges; and (3) identify areas where school districts were experiencing some success in meeting these challenges. The School Districts Challenge Survey was distributed online to…

SCIENCE AND LAW IN SUSTAINABILITY

EPA Science Inventory

Understanding sustainability depends in large part on research in science and technology, subjects that provide basic knowledge about humankind's interaction with the natural environment and how much impact and development the environment can sustain without suffering irreparable...

Fostering Scientific Literacy: Establishing Social Relevance via the Grand Challenges

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lyford, M. E.; Myers, J. D.; Buss, A.

2010-12-01

Numerous studies and polls suggest the general public’s understanding of science and scientific literacy remain woefully inadequate despite repeated calls for improvement over the last 150 years. This inability to improve scientific literacy significantly is a complex problem likely driven by a number of factors. However, we argue that past calls and efforts for improving scientific literacy have failed to: 1) articulate a truly meaningful justification for society to foster a scientifically literate public; 2) provide a rationale that motivates individuals of diverse backgrounds to become scientifically literate; 3) consider the impact of personal perspective, e.g. values, beliefs, attitudes, etc., on learning; and 4) offer a relevant and manageable framework in which to define scientific literacy. For instance, past calls for improving scientific literacy, e.g. the U.S. is behind the Soviets in the space race, U.S students rank below country X in math and science, etc., have lacked justification, personal motivation and a comprehensive framework for defining scientific literacy. In these cases, the primary justification for improving science education and scientific literacy was to regain international dominance in the space race or to advance global standing according to test results. These types of calls also articulate short-term goals that are rendered moot once they have been achieved. At the same time, teaching practices have commonly failed to consider the perspectives students bring to the classroom. Many STEM faculty do not address issues of personal perspective through ignorance or the desire to avoid controversial subjects, e g. evolution, climate change. We propose that the ‘grand challenges’ (e.g., energy, climate change, antibacterial resistance, water, etc.) humankind currently faces provides a compelling framework for developing courses and curricula well-suited for improving scientific literacy. A grand challenge paradigm offers four distinct advantages. First, it defines an enduring and meaningful rationale for society to invest resources in educational programs that promote scientific literacy. Second, it provides an educational context designed to engage individuals and motivate them to learn. Third, the nature of grand challenges provides mechanisms for addressing other affective barriers to individual learning that are commonly associated with controversial science-societal issues. Fourth, a grand challenge approach provides a framework to identify the concepts and processes of science a scientifically literate person should understand. Based on our experiences, we propose grand challenge science literacy (GCSL) courses or curricula are based on two primary foundations: the nature of science and the unifying concepts of science. Complementing this foundation is the science necessary to understand the grand challenge. To illustrate how science can contribute to crafting a just, equitable and sustainable solution, a GCSL course must also incorporate non-STEM perspectives, e.g. economics, politics. Finally, the personal perspectives learners bring to the classroom must be explicitly considered throughout the course.

Challenges Facing Teachers New to Working in Schools Overseas

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Halicioglu, Margaret L.

2015-01-01

This article considers the potential challenges facing teachers moving abroad for the first time, both professional challenges in their school and personal challenges in their private life. It suggests that such teachers embarking on a professional adventure overseas would benefit from careful consideration of the kind of school they will thrive…

An Exploration of Challenges Facing Division III Athletic Directors

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Engbers, Jeffrey L.

2011-01-01

The purpose of this study was to establish a basic understanding of the challenges associated with directing athletic programs at NCAA Division III Institutions. Specifically, this study identified the frequency, intensity, and time allocated to common challenges facing the position of the NCAA Division III AD. The challenges were examined using…

The Challenges Facing School Governing Bodies in England: A "Perfect Storm"?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

James, Chris; Brammer, Steve; Connolly, Michael; Spicer, David Eddy; James, Jane; Jones, Jeff

2013-01-01

The governing bodies of publicly funded schools in England are currently facing a number of substantive challenges of various kinds. Many of the challenges are long-standing, while others relate to the current context for governing wrought by recent education policy developments initiated by central government. A number of the challenges are…

Challenges of International Students in a Japanese University: Ethnographic Perspectives

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lee, Ju Seong

2017-01-01

The author investigates what challenges four international students (Vietnamese, Filipino, Brazilian, and Chinese) faced and how they coped with these dilemmas in a Japanese language program during the first semester in 2014. Multiple apparatuses (e.g., field notes, face-to-face oral interviews, focal group conversations, and semi-structured…

Earth Observations taken by Expedition 47 Crewmember.

NASA Image and Video Library

2016-03-27

ISS047e021368 (03/27/2016) --- As morning comes the crew of the International Space Station are surrounded by the beauty of our blue planet while they pursue the science experiments that will will aid humankind.

Introduction to the session on `Human Space Exploration'

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Messidoro, P.

When Schiaparelli tried to interpret the surface of Mars as it appeared from his telescope, in particular with reference to the famous "channels", he formulated the hypothesis that they would have been the product of some intelligent Mars population. Today we know that this interpretation was not correct, but we would like to consider his idea as a sort of vision for a future when the humankind will export our civilization on Mars. In fact the objective of the international plans of "Space Exploration" is exactly to land the humans on Mars to start its colonization. Although a new approach is proposed which includes International Space Station, Moon, Asteroids, etc. in a sort of "flexible path" to look for "new worlds in the Solar System where is possible for the humankind to live and operate", it is confirmed that the "final destination" is Mars.

Nuclear War. The moral dimension

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

Child, J.W.

1985-01-01

U.S. nuclear policy has become the target of increasing criticism during the past decade. Critics often argue that the use of nuclear weapons would be irrational, would destroy humankind, and thus could not serve any rational policy goal. Other critics point to the immortality of the use of nuclear weapons. Both groups condemn U.S. military policy. In Nuclear War, James Child considers and rejects both these lines of criticism. He argues that a policy of deterrence can be both rational and moral; that U.S. nuclear policy is, on balance, based on rational and moral foundations. Child examines near-term consequences ofmore » a nuclear war and finds them ghastly but not unthinkable or incomparable to the havoc produced by previous wars. He also analyzes long-term consequences, such as those proposed by the ''nuclear winter'' theory, and finds the fear of total annihilation of humankind to be unfounded.« less

The Great Copernican Cliché

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Danielson, D. R.

2000-12-01

Almost all the school science texts say what Britain's Astronomer Royal also recently reasserted: ``Copernicus dethroned the Earth from the privileged position that Ptolemy's cosmology accorded it." This non-scientific equation of geocentrism with anthropocentrism does an injustice to medieval cosmology, obscures some genuinely anthropocentric aspects of Copernican theory, and impedes a critical evaluation of what modern cosmology does and does not actually impy concerning the ``place" of humankind in the cosmos. By means of a cheerful but serious guided tour of Aristotelian cosmological physics and of Copernican enthusiasm at humankind's *exaltation* to the dance of the stars--with brief visits to Chalcidius, Martianus Capella, Moses Maimonides, and the poet Dante, as well as to Copernicus himself, Digges, Galileo, Kepler, le Bouvier de Fontenelle, and Huygens--this lecture will dismantle the Great Copernican Cliché and show how much richer our account of Copernicanism can be without it.

The role of clouds and oceans in global greenhouse warming. Final report

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

Hoffert, M.I.

1996-10-01

This research focuses on assessing connections between anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions and global climatic change. it has been supported since the early 1990s in part by the DOE ``Quantitative Links`` Program (QLP). A three-year effort was originally proposed to the QLP to investigate effects f global cloudiness on global climate and its implications for cloud feedback; and to continue the development and application of climate/ocean models, with emphasis on coupled effects of greenhouse warming and feedbacks by clouds and oceans. It is well-known that cloud and ocean processes are major sources of uncertainty in the ability to predict climatic changemore » from humankind`s greenhouse gas and aerosol emissions. And it has always been the objective to develop timely and useful analytical tools for addressing real world policy issues stemming from anthropogenic climate change.« less

A reply from earth? - A proposed approach to developing a message from humankind to extraterrestrial intelligence after we detect them

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Michaud, Michael; Billingham, John; Tarter, Jill

1990-01-01

The question of the formulation of a proper response to the detection of an extraterrestrial civilization is considered. It is proposed that an international agreement or declaration of principles establishing procedures enabling international participation in the making of such decisions be developed and that the SETI Committee of the International Academy of Aeronautics, in cooperation with other interested bodies, draft an agreement or declaration of principles that would set up these procedures; and that the draft be presented to the United Nations for consideration through the Committee on Peaceful Uses of Outer Space. A suggested outline of the agreement or declaration is presented and proposes that a response to the detection of extraterrestrial intelligence should be on behalf of all humankind; that this decision should be made by an appropriately representative international body; and that the content of the reply should reflect an international consensus.

Muslims in America: Identity, Diversity and the Challenge of Understanding. 2001 Carnegie Challenge.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Afridi, Sam

This paper discusses challenges and opportunities facing Muslims in the United States, where between 5 to 8 million Muslims live (the fastest growing religion in the country). American Muslims face many challenges, and the public has little understanding of the teachings and practice of Islam. Muslims are prone to negative stereotypes, ethnic…

'Everyone has a secret they keep close to their hearts': challenges faced by adolescents living with HIV infection at the Kenyan coast.

PubMed

Abubakar, Amina; Van de Vijver, Fons J R; Fischer, Ronald; Hassan, Amin S; K Gona, Joseph; Dzombo, Judith Tumaini; Bomu, Grace; Katana, Khamis; Newton, Charles R

2016-02-29

The upsurge in the uptake of antiretroviral therapy (ART) has led to a significant increase in the survival of vertically acquired HIV infected children, many of whom are currently living into adolescence and early adulthood. However little if anything is known of the lived experiences and the challenges faced by HIV positive adolescents in the African context. We set out to investigate psychosocial challenges faced by HIV infected adolescents on the Kenyan coast. A total of 44 participants (12 HIV-infected adolescents, 7 HIV uninfected adolescents, and 25 key informants) took part in this qualitative study, using individually administered in-depth interviews. A framework approach was used to analyze the data using NVIVO software. We observed that the challenges faced by adolescents in rural Kenya could be placed into six major themes: poverty, poor mental and physical health, the lack of a school system that is responsive to their needs, challenges in how to disclose to peers and family members, high levels of stigma in its various forms, and challenges of medical adherence leading to the need for close monitoring. In this African community, vertically acquired HIV-infected adolescents face a complex set of social, economic and medical challenges. Our study points to the urgent need to develop multisectorial intervention support programmes to fully address these challenges.

Army Communicator. Volume 32, Number 3, Summer 2007

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-01-01

goal of bringing people from across the Army together to talk about the issues and challenges they are experiencing in the field and try to work out...actually facing the challenges . Each work- shop had a mediator who collected information on issues being faced and suggested solutions to these problems...these possible items that Signal Center actions may be put forth to bring about resolutions to the challenges facing the warfighter in the field. “I

Exploring the challenges faced by polytechnic students

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Matore, Mohd Effendi @ Ewan Mohd; Khairani, Ahmad Zamri

2015-02-01

This study aims to identify other challenges besides those already faced by students, in seven polytechnics in Malaysia as a continuation to the previous research that had identified 52 main challenges faced by students using the Rasch Model. The explorative study focuses on the challenges that are not included in the Mooney Problem Checklist (MPCL). A total of 121 polytechnic students submitted 183 written responses through the open questions provided. Two hundred fifty two students had responded from a students' perspective on the dichotomous questions regarding their view on the challenges faced. The data was analysed qualitatively using the NVivo 8.0. The findings showed that students from Politeknik Seberang Perai (PSP) gave the highest response, which was 56 (30.6%) and Politeknik Metro Kuala Lumpur (PMKL) had the lowest response of 2 (1.09%). Five dominant challenges were identified, which were the English language (32, 17.5%), learning (14, 7.7%), vehicles (13, 7.1%), information technology and communication (ICT) (13, 7.1%), and peers (11, 6.0%). This article, however, focus on three apparent challenges, namely, English language, vehicles, as well as computer and ICT, as the challenges of learning and peers had been analysed in the previous MPCL. The challenge of English language that had been raised was regarding the weakness in commanding the aspects of speech and fluency. The computer and ICT challenge covered the weakness in mastering ICT and computers, as well as computer breakdowns and low-performance computers. The challenge of vehicles emphasized the unavailability of vehicles to attend lectures and go elsewhere, lack of transportation service in the polytechnic and not having a valid driving license. These challenges are very relevant and need to be discussed in an effort to prepare polytechnics in facing the transformational process of polytechnics.

Benefit sharing: an exploration on the contextual discourse of a changing concept

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background The concept of benefit sharing has been a topical issue on the international stage for more than two decades, gaining prominence in international law, research ethics and political philosophy. In spite of this prominence, the concept of benefit sharing is not devoid of controversies related to its definition and justification. This article examines the discourses and justifications of benefit sharing concept. Discussion We examine the discourse on benefit sharing within three main spheres; namely: common heritage of humankind, access and use of genetic resources according to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), and international clinical research. Benefit sharing has change from a concept that is enshrined in a legally binding regulation in the contexts of common heritage of humankind and CBD to a non-binding regulation in international clinical research. Nonetheless, there are more ethical justifications that accentuate benefit sharing in international clinical research than in the contexts of common heritage of humankind and the CBD. Summary There is a need to develop a legal framework in order to strengthen the advocacy and decisiveness of benefit sharing practice in international health research. Based on this legal framework, research sponsors would be required to provide a minimum set of possible benefits to participants and communities in research. Such legal framework on benefit sharing will encourage research collaboration with local communities; and dispel mistrust between research sponsors and host communities. However, more research is needed—drawing from other international legal frameworks, to understand how such a legal framework on benefit sharing can be successfully formulated in international health research. PMID:24028325

Challenges and Changes Faced by Rural Superintendents

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lamkin, Marcia L.

2006-01-01

This research study was designed to build grounded theory about the challenges faced by rural superintendents. Participating rural superintendents identified five areas that presented a challenge but that also applied to superintendents in other settings: school law, finance, personnel, government mandates, and district or board policies. Further,…

Finding a Trans-Affirmative Provider: Challenges Faced by Trans and Gender Diverse Psychologists and Psychology Trainees.

PubMed

Dickey, Lore M; Singh, Anneliese A

2017-08-01

This article explores some of the challenges faced by trans and gender diverse (TGD) individuals who not only are attempting to access trans-affirmative care, but who are also members of the very profession from which they are seeking services. The authors explore challenges related to finding supervision, accessing care for assessment services, and finding a provider for personal counseling. With each example, the authors unpack the challenges and also address the implications for training for all involved. Based on these challenges that TGD psychologists and trainees face in attempting to access care, the authors provide recommendations related to trans-affirmative training for psychologists. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

The Invisible Army

PubMed Central

2017-01-01

ABSTRACT The “invisible army” of clinical microbiologists is facing major changes and challenges. The rate of change in both the science and technology is accelerating with no end in sight, putting pressure on our army to learn and adapt as never before. Health care funding in the United States is undergoing dramatic change which will require a new set of assumptions about how clinical microbiology is practiced here. A major challenge facing the discipline is the replacement of a generation of clinical microbiologists. In my opinion, it is incumbent on us in the invisible army to continue to work with the American Society for Microbiology (ASM) in meeting the future challenges faced by our discipline. In this commentary, I will first discuss some recent history of clinical microbiology within ASM and then some current challenges we face. PMID:28659316

Children at Risk: Global Views on Challenges Facing Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Neugebauer, Roger

2011-01-01

Members of the World Forum community were invited to respond to the question: "What is the most urgent challenge facing young children in your country?" Here are some of their responses. Jamils Richard Achunji Anguaseh mentions that in Cameroon, young children face lots of insecurity, both from health hazards and poor parenting practices. There…

Challenges in the management of community pharmacies in Malaysia

PubMed Central

2017-01-01

Background: The provision of professional pharmacy services by community pharmacists continues to be limited, particularly in low and middle income countries. It was postulated that multiple management challenges faced by community pharmacists contribute to this situation. Objective: The primary aim of the research was to determine the challenges faced in the management of community pharmacies in Sarawak (the largest state in Malaysia), and practical strategies to cope and overcome the challenges. Methods: Semi-structured interviews were carried out with community pharmacists practising in Sarawak. Purposive and snowball sampling were employed to ensure a diverse group of informants. The interviews were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim, with the resultant data analysed using thematic analysis. Data collection, coding, interpretation were carried out iteratively until theoretical saturation. Results: Twenty respondents from different demographic characteristics were recruited. Six major themes were identified. Management challenges faced by community pharmacists traverse five major domains: market competition, legislative issues, customers’ knowledge and expectations, macroeconomic impacts and operational challenges. Most of these challenges require government intervention to be resolved. In the meantime, improving customer service and expanding the range of professional services were seen as the most viable strategies to cope with existing challenges. The main concern is that current legislative and economic landscape may hinder these strategies. Enactment of dispensing separation and more protective measures against market competition were suggested to alleviate the challenges faced. Conclusion: Numerous management challenges faced by community pharmacists that distract them from delivering professional pharmacy services have been highlighted. Urgent affirmative actions by the government are warranted in supporting community pharmacists to realise and maximise their potentials. PMID:28690697

A Case for Self-Transcendence as a Purpose of Adult Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wacks, V. Quinton, Jr.

1987-01-01

Reviews the purposes of adult education and the history of transcendentalism. Argues that the transcendent nature and needs of humankind are not addressed by adult education theory or practice. Provides implications for adult educators. (CH)

Challenges When Introducing Electronic Exam

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kuikka, Matti; Kitola, Markus; Laakso, Mikko-Jussi

2014-01-01

Time pressures often necessitate the use of more efficient exam tools, such as electronic exams (e-exams), instead of traditional paper exams. However, teachers may face challenges when introducing e-exams in a higher education context. This paper describes what kinds of challenges teachers may face when introducing e-exams, based on experiences…

Bridging the Gap: The Challenges of Employing Entrepreneurial Processes within University Settings

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wardale, Dorothy; Lord, Linley

2016-01-01

In Australia and elsewhere, universities face increasing pressure to improve research output and quality, particularly through partnerships with industry. This raises interesting challenges for academic staff with considerable industry experience who are "new" to academe. Some of these challenges were faced by the authors who have been…

Confronting Unsuccessful Practices: Repositioning Teacher Identities in English Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vetter, Amy; Hartman, Shana V.; Reynolds, Jeanie M.

2016-01-01

Teacher education programs attempt to prepare preservice teachers for the various challenges faced in the classroom. One particular challenge new teachers face is how to handle unsuccessful practices. This paper argues that confronting ineffective practices require that teachers respond to complex and dynamic challenges, making change difficult…

Challenges Faced by Project Competition Participants and Recommended Solutions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Demirel, Turgay; Baydas, Ozlem; Yilmaz, Rabia M.; Goktas, Yuksel

2013-01-01

The numbers of project competitions and interest in this kind of competition have been steadily increasing in Turkey. Accordingly, it is important to determine what challenges teachers and students may face while preparing themselves for project competitions, so that recommendations may be made to overcome these challenges. This study investigated…

Uncovering the Mechanisms Responsible for Why Language Learning May Promote Healthy Cognitive Aging

PubMed Central

Antoniou, Mark; Wright, Sarah M.

2017-01-01

One of the great challenges facing humankind in the 21st century is preserving healthy brain function in our aging population. Individuals over 60 are the fastest growing age group in the world, and by 2050, it is estimated that the number of people over the age of 60 will triple. The typical aging process involves cognitive decline related to brain atrophy, especially in frontal brain areas and regions that subserve declarative memory, loss of synaptic connections, and the emergence of neuropathological symptoms associated with dementia. The disease-state of this age-related cognitive decline is Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias, which may cause older adults to lose their independence and rely on others to live safely, burdening family members and health care systems in the process. However, there are two lines of research that offer hope to those seeking to promote healthy cognitive aging. First, it has been observed that lifestyle variables such as cognitive leisure activities can moderate the risk of Alzheimer’s disease, which has led to the development of plasticity-based interventions for older adults designed to protect against the adverse effects of cognitive decline. Second, there is evidence that lifelong bilingualism acts as a safeguard in preserving healthy brain function, possibly delaying the incidence of dementia by several years. In previous work, we have suggested that foreign language learning programs aimed at older populations are an optimal solution for building cognitive reserve because language learning engages an extensive brain network that is known to overlap with the regions negatively affected by the aging process. Here, we will outline potential future lines of research that may uncover the mechanism responsible for the emergence of language learning related brain advantages, such as language typology, bi- vs. multi-lingualism, age of acquisition, and the elements that are likely to result in the largest gains. PMID:29326636

Uncovering the Mechanisms Responsible for Why Language Learning May Promote Healthy Cognitive Aging.

PubMed

Antoniou, Mark; Wright, Sarah M

2017-01-01

One of the great challenges facing humankind in the 21st century is preserving healthy brain function in our aging population. Individuals over 60 are the fastest growing age group in the world, and by 2050, it is estimated that the number of people over the age of 60 will triple. The typical aging process involves cognitive decline related to brain atrophy, especially in frontal brain areas and regions that subserve declarative memory, loss of synaptic connections, and the emergence of neuropathological symptoms associated with dementia. The disease-state of this age-related cognitive decline is Alzheimer's disease and other dementias, which may cause older adults to lose their independence and rely on others to live safely, burdening family members and health care systems in the process. However, there are two lines of research that offer hope to those seeking to promote healthy cognitive aging. First, it has been observed that lifestyle variables such as cognitive leisure activities can moderate the risk of Alzheimer's disease, which has led to the development of plasticity-based interventions for older adults designed to protect against the adverse effects of cognitive decline. Second, there is evidence that lifelong bilingualism acts as a safeguard in preserving healthy brain function, possibly delaying the incidence of dementia by several years. In previous work, we have suggested that foreign language learning programs aimed at older populations are an optimal solution for building cognitive reserve because language learning engages an extensive brain network that is known to overlap with the regions negatively affected by the aging process. Here, we will outline potential future lines of research that may uncover the mechanism responsible for the emergence of language learning related brain advantages, such as language typology, bi- vs. multi-lingualism, age of acquisition, and the elements that are likely to result in the largest gains.

Virtual Academic Community: Online Education Instructors' Social Presence in Association with Freshman Composition Students' Critical Thinking and Argumentation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Paquette, Paige Fuller

2009-01-01

There is much literature addressing challenges face-to-face freshman composition instructors encounter in developing college courses that foster critical thinking skills crucial to developing written argument. Composition instructors may face challenges in teaching students that writing is a means of making meaning, there are many different…

The Challenges of Adopting the Learning Organisation Philosophy in a Singapore School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Retna, Kala S.; Tee, Ng Pak

2006-01-01

Purpose: To report on a case study that examines how the Learning Organisation (LO) concept can be applied in a Singapore school and the challenges that the school faces in the process. Design/methodology/approach: A qualitative research inquiry was adopted using ethnographic methods. Data includes in-depth face-to-face interviews, observation of…

Challenges Faced by Undergraduate Military Students at American Public University System

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Machuca, Ana; Torres, Karin; Morris, Pamela; Whitley, William

2014-01-01

This paper will summarize some of challenges faced by military students enrolled in an associate and bachelors online program at American Public University System (APUS). The survey results on which the study is based exposed the following problems faced by military personnel: 48.7% had difficulties working around military obligations, 33.3%…

Applying the Rasch Model to Measure Acculturation Challenges Faced by Saudi Female Students in the United States

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hakami, Samah Mohammed

2012-01-01

The purpose of this study was to explore the major acculturation challenges faced by Saudi female students who study in the U.S. and to develop a scale to measure potential acculturation challenges. The construction of the scale was based on a table of specification that included nine domains of possible acculturation challenges: (a)…

Challenges for Novice School Leaders: Facing Today's Issues in School Administration

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Beam, Andrea P.; Claxton, Russell L.; Smith, Samuel J.

2016-01-01

Challenges for novice school leaders evolve as information is managed differently and as societal and regulatory expectations change. This study addresses unique challenges faced by practicing school administrators (n = 159) during their first three years in a school leadership position. It focuses on their perceptions, how perceptions of present…

Leading Schools Facing Challenging Circumstances: Some Insights from Western Australia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gillett, Jonathan; Clarke, Simon; O'Donoghue, Tom

2016-01-01

This paper examines leadership strategies that are most likely to engender success in schools that may be defined as facing challenging circumstances. First, it presents an overview of the relevant literature in order to illustrate distinctive challenges that tend to be encountered in these environments, as well as strategies that are adopted for…

The Value of Conceptual Models in Coping with Complexity and Interdisciplinarity in Environmental Sciences Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fortuin, Karen P. J.; van Koppen, C. S. A.; Leemans, Rik

2011-01-01

Conceptual models are useful for facing the challenges of environmental sciences curriculum and course developers and students. These challenges are inherent to the interdisciplinary and problem-oriented character of environmental sciences curricula. In this article, we review the merits of conceptual models in facing these challenges. These…

CAEP Challenges for a Mid-South U.S. College Teacher Education Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moffett, David W.

2016-01-01

What are the challenges faced by a mid-south liberal arts college teacher education program, in its attempt to successfully meet the new Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) accreditation requirements? The Investigator studied the Educator Program Provider (EPP) during academic year 2015-2016. The challenges faced by the…

Challenges of Attending E-Learning Studies in Nigeria

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bugi, Stephan Z.

2012-01-01

This study set out to find out what challenges the E-leaner faces in the Nigerian environment. Survey research design was used to obtain the opinion of 200 randomly selected E-learners in Kaduna metropolis. Their responses revealed that the most prominent challenges they face are, Inadequate Power supply, Internet connectivity problems, Efficacy…

Challenges and Instructional Approaches Impacting the Literacy Performance of English Language Learners

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Markham, Paul L.; Gordon, Karen E.

2007-01-01

For English Language Learners (ELLs), the process of becoming literate in English is daunting. Not only are these students faced with the same literacy challenges faced by native English-speaking students, but they are also challenged with extensive diversity issues relating to substantial differences in linguistic, cultural, and academic…

Young persons with visual impairment: challenges of participation.

PubMed

Salminen, Anna-Liisa; Karhula, Maarit E

2014-07-01

To describe the challenges to activity and participation faced by young people with visual impairment within the framework of the International Classification of Functioning (ICF). 14 young persons (aged 16-22 years) with visual impairment and their parents (n = 22) participated in the study. The Canadian Occupational Performance Measure (COPM) was used to describe challenges of participation as perceived by the young persons themselves. Individual interviews with the young persons and their parents were used to investigate in more depth the challenges the young persons face with regard to participation. Young persons with visual impairment face challenges to participation most frequently with regard to mobility, domestic life, interpersonal interaction and relationships, major life areas, and leisure activities. The environment in which they live has a central role as a barrier or facilitator of participation. The challenges related to activities and participation that young persons with visual impairment face are diverse. It is important that these challenges are assessed individually and with the help of subjective measures. Serving as a broad framework for classifying the data, the ICF proved to be a useful tool, but used strictly at category level it may limit the coding of data and narrow interpretation.

Becoming a nurse faculty leader: facing challenges through reflecting, persevering and relating in new ways.

PubMed

Horton-Deutsch, Sara; Young, Patricia K; Nelson, Kristine A

2010-05-01

The aim of the present study was to explore the experience of becoming a nurse faculty leader. In a recent interpretation of 23 interviews conducted with nurse faculty leaders from across the United States about their experiences of becoming a leader three themes were identified: being thrust into leadership, taking risks and facing challenges. This interpretive phenomenological study further explicates three aspects of how nurse educators faced challenges in becoming and serving as a leader. Facing challenges meant reflecting, persevering through difficulties and learning to relate to others in new ways. Exemplars of participant experiences are provided for concreteness, to assist readers in determining how findings resonate with their own experience and how they can actualize this resonance in their own leadership practice. In the present study, reflecting, persevering through difficulties and learning to relate with others in a new way was how leaders faced challenges. Leadership development opportunities that facilitate self-exploration, caring and thoughtful interactions with others and values clarification serve as the foundation for becoming a nurse faculty leader who is, in turn, able to build leadership capacity in other individuals and organizations.

Focusing a Transition: Challenges Facing the New Administration

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-09-01

FOCUSING A TRANSITION Challenges Facing the New Administration A Report by the Defense Business Board 2016 This report, DBB Report FY16-5, is a ...Facing the New Administration A Report by the Defense Business Board 5 Table of Contents INTRODUCTION...While reviewing the budget, the team should develop a list of items to propose for immediate termination. The Board offers the following

Defense Infrastructure: Challenges Increase Risks for Providing Timely Infrastructure Support for Army Installations Expecting Substantial Personnel Growth

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-09-01

Office Why GAO Did This Study Highlights Accountability Integrity Reliability September 2007 DEFENSE INFRASTRUCTURE Challenges Increase Risks for...authority to conduct evaluations on his own initiative. It addresses (1) the challenges and associated risks the Army faces in providing for timely...but it faces several complex implementation challenges that risk late provision of needed infrastructure to adequately support incoming personnel

Biology Teachers and Peace.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Whitney, L. Jack

1981-01-01

Suggests that biology teachers can serve an important role in turning humankind from nuclear warfare to peaceful cooperation. Argues that the school should lead the world in teaching about the universal will to live exhibited by all organisms and about the insanity of nuclear armament. (DC)

Connecting the Dots: Hydrologic Connectivity Between Wetlands and Other Wetlands and Waterbodies

EPA Science Inventory

Wetlands perform numerous ecosystem functions that in turn provide abundant ecosystem services beneficial to humankind. These may include, but are not limited to, flood water storage and release, nutrient transformations, carbon sequestration, and the provision of habitat or ref...

A qualitative exploration of the major challenges facing pharmacovigilance in Saudi Arabia.

PubMed

Aljadhey, Hisham; Mahmoud, Mansour A; Alshammari, Thamir M; Al-Dhaeefi, Mohammed; Le Louet, Herve; Perez-Gutthann, Susana; Pitts, Peter J

2015-09-01

To explore the challenges facing pharmacovigilance in Saudi Arabia and formulate recommendations to improve it from the perspective of healthcare professionals in Saudi Arabia. This was a qualitative study of 4 focus group discussions with pharmacists, physicians, and academicians held under the auspices of the King Saud University School of Pharmacy and the Center for Medicine in the Public Interest, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. A total of 29 eligible healthcare professionals were invited to participate in the discussion. The predefined themes of the study were the current practice and major challenges facing pharmacovigilance in regulatory bodies, hospitals, the community, and academia, as well as recommendations to improve pharmacovigilance practice.  Of the 29 participants invited, 27 attended the discussion. Challenges facing regulatory bodies included complicated adverse drug reactions (ADR) reporting forms, lack of feedback on ADRs submitted to the Saudi Food and Drug Authority, lack of decisions from the local authority to withdraw medications, and lack of data on pharmacovigilance. The challenges to pharmacovigilance in hospitals included the lack of knowledge of the significance of ADR reporting, workload, blaming culture, and lack of collaboration between regulatory bodies and hospitals. However, challenges facing pharmaceutical industries included the lack of drug manufacturers in Saudi Arabia and lack of interest in pharmacovigilance. Recommendations to improve pharmacovigilance included the need for communication, stronger regulatory requirements, the need for research, the need for unified ADRs reporting, and continuous education and training.  The study has identified the challenges facing pharmacovigilance in Saudi Arabia and made certain recommendations to overcome them. These recommendations might be helpful for regulatory bodies to enhance spontaneous reporting and promote pharmacovigilance.

Plants, diet, and health.

PubMed

Martin, Cathie; Zhang, Yang; Tonelli, Chiara; Petroni, Katia

2013-01-01

Chronic disease is a major social challenge of the twenty-first century. In this review, we examine the evidence for discordance between modern diets and those on which humankind evolved as the cause of the increasing incidence of chronic diseases, and the evidence supporting consumption of plant foods as a way to reduce the risk of chronic disease. We also examine the evidence for avoiding certain components of plant-based foods that are enriched in Western diets, and review the mechanisms by which different phytonutrients are thought to reduce the risk of chronic disease. This body of evidence strongly suggests that consuming more fruits and vegetables could contribute both to medical nutrition therapies, as part of a package of treatments for conditions like type 2 diabetes, heart disease, cancer, and obesity, and to the prevention of these diseases. Plant science should be directed toward improving the quality of plant-based foods by building on our improved understanding of the complex relationships between plants, our diet, and our health.

Precambrian Time - The Story of the Early Earth

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lindsey, D.A.

2007-01-01

The Precambrian is the least-understood part of Earth history, yet it is arguably the most important. Precambrian time spans almost nine-tenths of Earth history, from the formation of the Earth to the dawn of the Cambrian Period. It represents time so vast and long ago that it challenges all comprehension. The Precambrian is the time of big questions. How old is the Earth? How old are the oldest rocks and continents? What was the early Earth like? What was the early atmosphere like? When did life appear, and what did it look like? And, how do we know this? In recent years, remarkable progress has been made in understanding the early evolution of the Earth and life itself. Yet, the scientific story of the early Earth is still a work in progress, humankind's latest attempt to understand the planet. Like previous attempts, it too will change as we learn more about the Earth. Read on to discover what we know now, in the early 21st century.

The next generation of scenarios for climate change research and assessment.

PubMed

Moss, Richard H; Edmonds, Jae A; Hibbard, Kathy A; Manning, Martin R; Rose, Steven K; van Vuuren, Detlef P; Carter, Timothy R; Emori, Seita; Kainuma, Mikiko; Kram, Tom; Meehl, Gerald A; Mitchell, John F B; Nakicenovic, Nebojsa; Riahi, Keywan; Smith, Steven J; Stouffer, Ronald J; Thomson, Allison M; Weyant, John P; Wilbanks, Thomas J

2010-02-11

Advances in the science and observation of climate change are providing a clearer understanding of the inherent variability of Earth's climate system and its likely response to human and natural influences. The implications of climate change for the environment and society will depend not only on the response of the Earth system to changes in radiative forcings, but also on how humankind responds through changes in technology, economies, lifestyle and policy. Extensive uncertainties exist in future forcings of and responses to climate change, necessitating the use of scenarios of the future to explore the potential consequences of different response options. To date, such scenarios have not adequately examined crucial possibilities, such as climate change mitigation and adaptation, and have relied on research processes that slowed the exchange of information among physical, biological and social scientists. Here we describe a new process for creating plausible scenarios to investigate some of the most challenging and important questions about climate change confronting the global community.

Finding Erich Jantsch's Five Crucial Innovations: A Study of Four Small Colleges

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

MacVie, Leah

2017-01-01

Institutions of higher education have faced many challenges over the last few decades. Though many large institutions have the resources needed to respond to these challenges, small institutions have had to be innovative in the ways in which they are adapting. There are similarities between the external challenges that institutions face today and…

The Challenges Faced by Chinese Higher Education as It Expands in Scale

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Xiaohao, Ding

2004-01-01

This article reports the challenges faced by Chinese higher education as it expands in scale. The scale of China's higher education has seen unprecedented expansion in recent years. This article explores the new opportunities and challenges that such expansion brings to China's higher education. The author states that, aside from the many…

Reflecting on the Challenges of Applied Theatre in Kenya

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Okuto, Maxwel; Smith, Bobby

2017-01-01

In this article the authors draw on their own experience and research in applied theatre in Kenya in order to reflect on challenges currently facing practitioners working in the country. In order to outline the range of challenges faced by practitioners, issues related to the wider landscapes of government and politics in Kenya are explored,…

Special Education in Rural Schools: Why Less Takes More

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bouck, Emily C.; Albaugh, Diane; Bouck, Mary K.

2005-01-01

Everyone can understand the challenges teachers face in organizing and supervising field trips, challenges that are even greater when the students have special needs and live in poverty. But how daunting, the authors ask, are the challenges these students face every day? Very few people who have never tried it are truly aware of all the…

International Graduate Students' Academic Writing Practices in Malaysia: Challenges and Solutions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Singh, Manjet Kaur Mehar

2015-01-01

This article focuses on the challenges faced by non-native English speaking international graduate students in their academic writing practices while they studied at a university in Malaysia as well as the solutions they employed when faced with the challenges. Academic Literacies Questionnaire was used to collect data. Based on 131 participants,…

A Content Analysis Concerning the Studies on Challenges Faced by Novice Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kozikoglu, Ishak

2017-01-01

The purpose of this research is to analyze the studies concerning challenges faced by novice teachers in terms of various aspects and compare challenges according to location of the studies conducted in Turkey and abroad. A total of 30 research studies were included in detailed analysis. This is a descriptive study based on qualitative research…

Mentoring Matters: The Challenge for Teacher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McCann, Thomas M.; Ed.; Johannessen, Larry, Ed.

2009-01-01

Beginning teachers face many challenges and difficulties; as a result, one-third will leave the profession in the first three years and nearly half will be gone within their first five years in the profession. The challenge facing university teacher education programs is to fix the hole in the bottom of the bucket and find strategic new ways to…

Cross-disciplinarity in the advance of Antarctic ecosystem research.

PubMed

Gutt, J; Isla, E; Bertler, A N; Bodeker, G E; Bracegirdle, T J; Cavanagh, R D; Comiso, J C; Convey, P; Cummings, V; De Conto, R; De Master, D; di Prisco, G; d'Ovidio, F; Griffiths, H J; Khan, A L; López-Martínez, J; Murray, A E; Nielsen, U N; Ott, S; Post, A; Ropert-Coudert, Y; Saucède, T; Scherer, R; Schiaparelli, S; Schloss, I R; Smith, C R; Stefels, J; Stevens, C; Strugnell, J M; Trimborn, S; Verde, C; Verleyen, E; Wall, D H; Wilson, N G; Xavier, J C

2018-02-01

The biodiversity, ecosystem services and climate variability of the Antarctic continent and the Southern Ocean are major components of the whole Earth system. Antarctic ecosystems are driven more strongly by the physical environment than many other marine and terrestrial ecosystems. As a consequence, to understand ecological functioning, cross-disciplinary studies are especially important in Antarctic research. The conceptual study presented here is based on a workshop initiated by the Research Programme Antarctic Thresholds - Ecosystem Resilience and Adaptation of the Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research, which focussed on challenges in identifying and applying cross-disciplinary approaches in the Antarctic. Novel ideas and first steps in their implementation were clustered into eight themes. These ranged from scale problems, through risk maps, and organism/ecosystem responses to multiple environmental changes and evolutionary processes. Scaling models and data across different spatial and temporal scales were identified as an overarching challenge. Approaches to bridge gaps in Antarctic research programmes included multi-disciplinary monitoring, linking biomolecular findings and simulated physical environments, as well as integrative ecological modelling. The results of advanced cross-disciplinary approaches can contribute significantly to our knowledge of Antarctic and global ecosystem functioning, the consequences of climate change, and to global assessments that ultimately benefit humankind. Crown Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

New Ethical Challenges within Environmental and Sustainability Education: A Response

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Todd, Sharon

2016-01-01

One of the major points to grow out of the four papers presented in this issue is how to think of education in relation to the various challenges facing the biosphere, facing the future of human and other than human life forms, and facing the sheer difficulties of planning what to do about them. The differences in the role of education, of course,…

Performance and accountability : challenges facing the Department of Transportation

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2001-02-14

For surface transportation safety, DOT continues to face challenges in improving the safety of highways and pipelines. While the Department of Transportation appears to be making progress on some initiatives to reduce the number of large truck crashe...

Toward a Social Psychophysics of Face Communication.

PubMed

Jack, Rachael E; Schyns, Philippe G

2017-01-03

As a highly social species, humans are equipped with a powerful tool for social communication-the face. Although seemingly simple, the human face can elicit multiple social perceptions due to the rich variations of its movements, morphology, and complexion. Consequently, identifying precisely what face information elicits different social perceptions is a complex empirical challenge that has largely remained beyond the reach of traditional methods. In the past decade, the emerging field of social psychophysics has developed new methods to address this challenge, with the potential to transfer psychophysical laws of social perception to the digital economy via avatars and social robots. At this exciting juncture, it is timely to review these new methodological developments. In this article, we introduce and review the foundational methodological developments of social psychophysics, present work done in the past decade that has advanced understanding of the face as a tool for social communication, and discuss the major challenges that lie ahead.

Rethinking Humane Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Horsthemke, Kai

2009-01-01

The increase in violence in South African schools, as elsewhere, has been associated with a general "decline in moral values". There have been three different responses that emphasise the decline in religious teaching at schools, the loss of traditional values like "ubuntu," communalism and the like; and humankind's increasing…

On viruses, discovery, and recognition.

PubMed

Weiss, Robin A

2008-12-12

This year's Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine rewards the discoverers of two viruses that cause major afflictions of humankind. Identifying human papilloma virus (HPV) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) might now appear to have been simple, but the way forward was far from obvious at the time.

Earth Observations taken by Expedition 47 Crewmember

NASA Image and Video Library

2016-03-25

ISS047e020123 (03/25/2016) --- A golden reflection of the rising sun on the Earths oceans greets the crew of Expedition 47 on board the International Space station. Another day begins for the crew in their pursuit of science that will aid humankind.

Social Studies in the Nuclear Age: The Doomsday Issue.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kahn, Andrew Lerner

1984-01-01

A major nuclear exchange between America and the Soviet Union would probably result in the total annihilation of humankind. Social studies educators have a special responsibility to their students to search out all viable alternatives to nuclear deterrence and to make them known. (RM)

Earth Trek...Explore Your Environment.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, DC. Office of Public Affairs.

This booklet for children emphasizes the exploration and protection of the environment. An introduction discusses the interaction between humankind and the environment, emphasizing that the earth is a closed system. Chapter 1, "Mission: Protect the Water," addresses human dependence on water, water pollution, and water treatment. Chapter…

Pose-Invariant Face Recognition via RGB-D Images.

PubMed

Sang, Gaoli; Li, Jing; Zhao, Qijun

2016-01-01

Three-dimensional (3D) face models can intrinsically handle large pose face recognition problem. In this paper, we propose a novel pose-invariant face recognition method via RGB-D images. By employing depth, our method is able to handle self-occlusion and deformation, both of which are challenging problems in two-dimensional (2D) face recognition. Texture images in the gallery can be rendered to the same view as the probe via depth. Meanwhile, depth is also used for similarity measure via frontalization and symmetric filling. Finally, both texture and depth contribute to the final identity estimation. Experiments on Bosphorus, CurtinFaces, Eurecom, and Kiwi databases demonstrate that the additional depth information has improved the performance of face recognition with large pose variations and under even more challenging conditions.

Facilitating the High School-to-College Transition for Students with Psychiatric Disabilities: Information and Strategies for School Counselors

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fier, Sara M.; Brzezinski, Lynda G.

2010-01-01

The transition from high school to college is challenging for many students. In addition to the typical challenges faced by students starting college, students with previously diagnosed psychiatric disabilities have illness-related challenges to face as they transition to college. This article provides information on the current state of concerns…

College Students with High-Functioning Autism Spectrum Disorder: Best Practices for Successful Transition to the World of Work

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dipeolu, Abiola O.; Storlie, Cassandra; Johnson, Carol

2015-01-01

The transition from college to work is a challenging time for students with autism spectrum disorder. College counselors who understand the challenges students face adjusting to the world of work can position themselves to be change agents for this population. This article illuminates the challenges facing these students to help close the…

Challenges Faced by Pre-Service Chemistry Teachers Teaching in a Laboratory and Their Solution Proposals

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yalcin-Celik, Ayse; Kadayifci, Hakki; Uner, Sinem; Turan-Oluk, Nurcan

2017-01-01

This study examines the challenges faced by pre-service chemistry teachers teaching in a laboratory and their proposed solutions to these challenges. The study was conducted in a 13-week-long methodology course. Written statements from participants and observations from researchers were used as data sources. From these data, it was found that the…

Investigation of the Challenges, Mentoring Needs, and Support for Business and Marketing Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yohon, Teresa

2005-01-01

The purpose of this study was to determine the challenges that new business/marketing teachers face as well as the current support structures available to them and to determine experienced business/marketing teachers perceptions of the challenges faced by new teachers as well as the types of support that they were willing to provide to new…

Challenges Faced by a Faith-Based School in a Rural, Predominantly Secular Setting: Implications

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Evangelinou-Yiannakis, Angela

2016-01-01

A new, independent Catholic school in rural Australia has had to face significant challenges in relation to its distinct Catholic ethos and curriculum. The challenges have included resistance from parents of the School with regard to the weekly time allocation for Religious Education, the nature of the faith-based curriculum, and the way in which…

Challenges for nurses who work in community mental health centres in the West Bank, Palestine.

PubMed

Marie, Mohammad; Hannigan, Ben; Jones, Aled

2017-01-01

Nurses in Palestine (occupied Palestinian territory) work in a significantly challenging environment. The mental health care system is underdeveloped and under-resourced. For example, the total number of nurses who work in community mental health centres in the West Bank is seventeen, clearly insufficient in a total population of approximately three million. This research explored daily challenges that Palestinian community mental health nurses (CMHNs) face within and outside their demanding workplaces. An interpretive qualitative design was chosen. Face-to-face interviews were completed with fifteen participants. Thirty-two hours of observations of the day-to-day working environment and workplace routines were conducted in two communities' mental health centres. Written documents relating to practical job-related policies were also collected from various workplaces. Thematic analysis was used across all data sources resulting in four main themes, which describe the challenges faced by CMHNs. These themes consist of the context of unrest, stigma, lack of resources, and organisational or mental health system challenges. The study concludes with a better understanding of challenges in nursing which draws on wider cultural contexts and resilience. The outcomes from this study can be used to decrease the challenges for health professionals and enhance the mental health care system in Palestine.

On Teaching Energy: Preparing Students Better for their Role as Citizens

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Myers, J. D.; Lyford, M. E.; Buss, A.

2009-12-01

Supplying energy to an expanding population with a rising standard of living and maintaining human and natural systems is an increasingly difficult task. Thus, energy is often listed as one of the grand challenges facing humankind. Energy‘s grand challenges are many, complex, multifaceted and of variable scale. It is not surprising then that their solutions must be multi-dimensional as well. Historically, energy solutions have focused on energy science (a multidisciplinary topic spanning biology, chemistry, Earth science, physics, and math), technology or economics. In the real world, focusing solely on these aspects of energy has rarely produced energy projects that are just and fair. Sustainable, equitable and effective energy projects are only created when additional perspectives are considered, e.g. environment, culture, social institutions, politics, etc. The natures of these other perspectives are determined largely by the social context of any particular energy issue. For example, petroleum production has had vastly different impacts in Norway than it does in Nigeria. Thus, solutions to energy issues are, in fact, multidimensional functions. Given this complexity, preparing students to deal with the energy issues they will face in the future requires an instructional approach that integrates a multidisciplinary science approach with technology and social context. Yet this alone will not ensure that students leave the classroom with the skills necessary to equitably, effectively and logically deal with energy issues. Rather, teaching energy also requires sound pedagogy. Effective pedagogy ensures student success in the classroom and facilitates transfer of classroom knowledge to real world situations. It includes, but also goes beyond, employing classroom strategies that promote deep and lasting learning. In this arena, it fosters the development of a skill set that enables students to transfer classroom knowledge to real world issues. It prepares students to handle the uncertainty and ambiguity of the real world while promoting critical thinking and problem solving. Fundamental literacies, a type of QR, prepare students to handle data, perform simple calculations and evaluate critically quantitative claims. They are crucial to working in the real world as well as the scientific realm. Understanding and using scientific content also requires mastering a series of technical literacies. Although they may vary between scientific disciplines, some technical literacies are shared by a number of sciences. Although most science courses assume students can transfer what they have learned to societal applications without further assistance, this is rare, even for the best students. Rather, this classroom-to-real world transfer skill set, i.e. citizenship literacies, must be explicitly taught and practiced. Mastering critical thinking, understanding social context and practicing informed engagement provides students the skills to use their scientific understanding to address energy problems in meaningful and effective ways while enabling them to communicate effectively their ideas to others and work co-operatively with stakeholders with different views.

Wheat breeding for quality: an historical review

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Wheat (Triticum spp. L.) is a leading cereal contributing to the nourishment of humankind. Since its domestication ca. 12 000 years ago, humans have profoundly influenced its evolution. In the more recent past, breeding via cross-hybridization and the selection of progeny with superior end-use quali...

Healing, health, and horticulture: introduction to the workshop

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The present-day emphasis of horticulture and health is an extension of ancient and medieval traditions. The relationship of healing and the horticultural arts predates written history and relates to ancient wisdom, custom, and folklore. Plants and health have been of great concern for humankind cons...

The human factor in ecological research: an annotated bibliography.

Treesearch

Carol Eckhardt

1998-01-01

As a bibliography of annotated references addressing interdisciplinary environmental research, the collection reviews a broad spectrum of literature to illustrate the breadth of issues that bear on the role of humankind in environmental context. Categories of culture, environmental law, public policy, environmental valuation strategies, philosophy, interdisciplinary...

Introduction to China's Environmental Protection Laws

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kuntao, Li; Wenzeng, Li

2004-01-01

This article deals with China's environmental protection laws. In order to coordinate the relationship between humankind and the environment, protect and improve the environment, protect people's health, and safeguard sustainable and steady economic and social development, the Chinese government has formulated a series of laws and regulations in…

Introduction to SmartBooks. Report 23-93.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kopec, Danny; Wood, Carol

Humankind has become accustomed to reading and learning from printed books. The computer offers us the possibility to exploit another medium whose key advantage is flexibility through extensive memory, computational speed, and versatile representational means. Specifically, we have the hypercard application, an integrated piece of software, with…

Understanding and enhancing soil health: the solution for reversing soil degradation

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

This special issue of Sustainability documents both the magnitude and global prevalence of soil degradation and helps illustrate (1) various factors contributing to the problem, (2) its past and current impacts, and (3) projected consequences to humankind if degradation of our fragile soil resource...

Astrobiology Courses--A Useful Framework for Teaching Interdisciplinary Science.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sauterer, Roger

2000-01-01

Explains astrobiology and indicates the possibility of life on other planets and the interest of humankind in this possibility. Defines topics open to public misconception and their primary reinforcements by television shows. Expresses the need for students to learn the connections between different science majors. (YDS)

Understanding Materials

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Katsioloudis, Petros J.

2010-01-01

Almost everything people have ever done has involved materials. Historical evidence indicates that "engineered materials" have been available and utilized for the benefit of humankind since the Neolithic period, beginning about 10,000 BC. Some of these materials have been in existence for thousands of years. At first, materials consisted of wood,…

A Historical Twist on Problems of the Week

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

King, Alessandra

2015-01-01

"Mathematics is one of the greatest cultural and intellectual achievements of humankind, and citizens should develop an appreciation and understanding of that achievement, including its aesthetic and even recreational aspects" (NCTM 2000, p. 4). In addition to NCTM, many professional organizations such as the National Research Council…

Examining the Roles of the Facilitator in Online and Face-to-Face PD Contexts

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Park, Gina; Johnson, Heather; Vath, Richard; Kubitskey, Beth; Fishman, Barry

2013-01-01

Online teacher professional development has become an alternative to face-to-face professional development. Such a shift from face-to-face to online professional development, however, brings new challenges for professional development facilitators, whose roles are crucial in orchestrating teacher learning. This paper is motivated by the need to…

Challenges and strategies for coping with scleroderma: implications for a scleroderma-specific self-management program.

PubMed

Milette, Katherine; Thombs, Brett D; Maiorino, Kristina; Nielson, Warren R; Körner, Annett; Peláez, Sandra

2018-05-09

The purpose of this study was to explore challenges faced by patients with systemic sclerosis, also called scleroderma, in coping with their disease and the strategies they used to face those challenges. Five focus groups were held with scleroderma patients (4 groups, n = 34) and health care professionals who have experience treating scleroderma (1 group, n = 8). Participants' discussions were recorded, transcribed and analyzed using thematic analysis. Participants reported challenges accessing information (e.g., knowledgeable specialists), dealing with negative emotions (e.g., stress due to misunderstandings with loved ones), and accessing resources (e.g., helpful products or devices). Strategies for overcoming challenges were also discussed (e.g., advocating for own needs). When faced with significant challenges while coping with scleroderma, patients develop strategies to manage better and improve their quality of life. To help them cope, patients would benefit from easier access to supportive interventions, including tailored scleroderma self-management programs. Although the challenges experienced by patients with scleroderma are unique, findings from this study might help better understand patients' perspectives regarding coping and disease management for other chronic diseases as well. Implications for Rehabilitation People living with rare diseases, including the rare autoimmune disease scleroderma, face unique challenges and often do not have access to disease-specific educational or other support resources. People with scleroderma report that they face challenges in accessing information, including knowledgeable healthcare providers; managing difficult social interactions and negative emotions; and accessing resources. Strategies employed by scleroderma patients to overcome these challenges include seeking connections to other people with scleroderma or scleroderma patient organizations, actively seeking out local resources, and learning to communicate and advocate more effectively. Rehabilitation professionals can support people with scleroderma by providing them with information on connecting with scleroderma patient organizations or by facilitating local patient support networks.

Challenges newly-arrived migrant women in Montreal face when needing maternity care: Health care professionals' perspectives.

PubMed

Peláez, Sandra; Hendricks, Kristin N; Merry, Lisa A; Gagnon, Anita J

2017-01-25

People who leave their country of origin, or the country of habitual residence, to establish themselves permanently in another country are usually referred to as migrants. Over half of all births in Montreal, Canada are to migrant women. To understand healthcare professionals' attitudes towards migrants that could influence their delivery of care, our objective was to explore their perspectives of challenges newly-arrived migrant women from non-Western countries face when needing maternity care. In this qualitative multiple case study, we conducted face-to-face interviews with 63 health care professionals from four teaching hospitals in Montreal, known for providing maternity care to a high volume of migrant women. Interviews were transcribed and thematically analysed. Physicians, nurses, social workers, and therapists participated; 90% were female; and 17% were themselves migrants from non-Western countries. According to participants, newly-arrived migrant women face challenges at two levels: (a) direct care (e.g., understanding Canadian health care professionals' expectations, communicating effectively with health care professionals), and (b) organizational (e.g., access to appropriate health care). Challenges women face are strongly influenced by the migrant woman's background as well as social position (e.g., general education, health literacy, socio-cultural integration) and by how health care professionals balance women's needs with perceived requirement to adhere to standard procedures and regulations. Health care professionals across institutions agreed that maternity care-related challenges faced by newly-arrived migrant women often are complex in that they are simultaneously driven by conflicting values: those based on migrant women's sociocultural backgrounds versus those related to the implementation of Canadian guidelines for maternity care in which consideration of migrant women's particular needs are not priority.

Scotland: Education, Curriculum and Learning. the Strengths, Challenges and Solutions in Lifelong Learning. IBE Working Papers on Curriculum Issues No. 13

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Armstrong, Alan

2014-01-01

This paper brings together the main strengths and challenges currently facing Scottish education and outlines approaches to the ways forward. Knowledge about how to improve education systems has grown rapidly over the last two decades. One key challenge facing Scotland, and no doubt many other countries, is in ensuring a smooth "learner…

Threat Control through Arms Control. Report to Congress 1994

DTIC Science & Technology

1994-07-13

reduction, chemical weapons’ elimination, or any of the other growing arms control and nonproliferation challenges America faces, ACDA is an essential...nuclear missile reduction, chemical weapons elimination, or any of. the other growing arms control and nonproliferation challenges America faces... challenging . Nonprolif eration agreements are our first line of defense against the creation of a far more unstable and hazardous world than we have ever

School Supplies on a Budget

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dyrli, Kurt O.

2008-01-01

This article reports on the challenge that parents, teachers, and district administrators face in continuing to provide essential school supplies to their students despite budget cuts. At the Verona Area (Wisconsin) School District, administrators, teachers, and parents have recently faced this common challenge. Increasingly dependent on funding…

Challenges and Concerns Faced by Doctoral Candidates Seeking Academic Positions.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Porter, Dion; Donnell, Chandra; Buck, Tina; Edwards, Yolanda

A panel discussion offered suggestions and recommendations for faculty and institutions of rehabilitation counseling education on more effective recruitment methods. Strategies were also considered for potential faculty members. Candidates seeking academic positions in rehabilitation counseling education face many challenges. Location of program;…

Geoethics in communication of science: the relationship between media and geoscientists

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Foresta Martin, Franco; Peppoloni, Silvia

2015-04-01

In the urgency to reconsider the relationship between humankind and planet Earth, in the light of the issues of a sustainable economic and technological development, the defence against natural risks and climate change, the themes addressed by Geoethics are becoming central to the scientific debate. A growing number of scientists begins to consider this discipline as an effective tool to increase, in the scientific community and society as a whole, the awareness of local and global environmental problems that humanity is facing. Geoethics deals with the ethical, social and cultural aspects related to geosciences. It was born with the goal of orienting humankind toward a balanced relationship with the planet and providing references and guidelines to find socio-economic solutions compatible both with the respect for the environment and the protection of nature and land. Geoethics addresses fundamental issues such as the exploitation of geo-resources, the management of natural hazards, the defence of the geoheritage as a common value to be protected and enhanced. But above all geoethics aims at raising in the community of geoscientists the awareness of their responsibilities in conducting the scientific and professional activity. In order to extend this awareness to the whole civil society and also to foster the recognition of the usefulness of geosciences in daily life, it is important to develop a proper communication of the geological knowledge, that is capable to contribute substantially to the construction of the social knowledge of human communities. But nowadays what is the role played by geosciences in the scientific mass culture? Are geosciences part of the collective cultural heritage? Do the publishing world and media in general offer an adequate space to geosciences? Through the analysis of case studies, the authors will highlight the critical features of the relationship between geoscientists and the media system, their different languages, times and perspectives that characterize the geological community and the media world, as well as the most common mistakes made in the communication of geosciences. And as far as the authors are concerned, they will try to suggest some actions, useful to make more functional the relationship between these two separate fields, with the goal of bringing citizens closer to geosciences and increasing the awareness of the individual and collective responsibility towards the planet Earth.

A Graphical Introduction to the Derivative

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Samuels, Jason

2017-01-01

Calculus has frequently been called one the greatest intellectual achievements of humankind. As a key transitional course to college mathematics, it combines such elementary ideas as rate with new abstract ideas--such as infinity, instantaneous change, and limit--to formulate the derivative and the integral. Most calculus texts begin with the…

Basic Realities of Global Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Johnson, Judith A.

1987-01-01

States the need for global education and suggests ways in which it might be accomplished most effectively. Suggestions include focusing on (1) the oneness of humankind; (2) the innate goodness of human beings; (3) equality between men and women; (4) the right to education; and (5) the necessity of ecological harmony. (BSR)

Can Empathy Be Taught?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Monroe, Kristen Renwick

2006-01-01

Prejudice and discrimination are ugly cousins, haunting humankind like the evil fairy who appears unbidden to curse the young princess. Is education the good fairy, bestowing tools to overcome this curse? A course the author taught in winter 2006 at the University of California, Irvine--one of the most ethnically diverse campuses in the United…

Enrichment and Strengthening of Indian Biotechnology Industry along with Academic Interface

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Singh, Shalini

2014-01-01

For many years, humankind has been incorporating biosciences in different places--from agriculture to food and medicine. Today, the nomenclature of biology has been recoined as Biotechnology, a technological science with a perfect blend of sophisticated techniques, manuals and application of fast delivery equipment and vehicles. It encompasses…

A Longitudinal Study of Students' Conceptualization of Ecological Processes.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hellden, Gustav F.

During the last decades, an increasing awareness has developed that humankind will have to make important decisions about the environment which will demand substantive knowledge of critical ecological phenomena such as the production and decomposition of biomass (World Commission on Environment and Development, 1987). As a biology teacher the…

Valuing preservation and restoration alternatives for ecosystem services in the southwestern U.S.

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Conservation of freshwater systems in the semi-arid southwestern U.S. is a critical issue as these systems support habitat for wildlife and provide for consumptive use for humankind. Economists have utilized stated preference techniques to value non-marketed goods and services such as freshwater sy...

Pre-Incan Archeology of Peru: Paleo-Indians in the Paleo-Climate

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alibrandi, Marsha

2011-01-01

Peru's prehistory, climate, and terrain are the landscape upon which one of humankind's longest migrations occurred. When the glacial period ended, a geographic and cultural transition began when the meltwaters carved river valleys across the South American continent. Culture-rich communities of fishers, miners, artisans, and morticians populated…

Transpersonal Psychology: Guiding Image for the Advancement of International Adult Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Boucouvalas, Marcie

1984-01-01

The importance of guiding images is examined, along with analyses of the images of humankind and worldviews previously offered by psychology and adopted by society-at-large. The article focuses on the contribution of transpersonal psychology, the discipline's fourth force, which integrates and extends prior guiding images. (CT)

The Magic of Myth

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brown, Louisa

2004-01-01

Almost all early civilizations had mythological stories. From the great cradles of civilization--Egypt, Mesopotamia, Greece, and Rome--to the Mother Earth and Father Sky of the early Native Americans, myths have been part of the civilization of humankind. Typically, in this teachers' ninth-grade painting class, the students paint landscapes in…

Global Perspectives: Some Questions and Answers.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Center for Global Perspectives, New York, NY.

To enlighten the reader on the status, objectives, and needs of global education, this paper poses and answers questions related to global perspectives. A global perspective is interpreted to include heightened awareness and understanding of the global system as well as increased consciousness of the intimate relationship of self, humankind, and…

Using International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health to understand challenges in community reintegration of injured veterans.

PubMed

Resnik, Linda J; Allen, Susan M

2007-01-01

This pilot study used the framework of the World Health Organization's International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) to understand the challenges faced by Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) and Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) veterans as they reintegrate into the community. We conducted semistructured interviews with 14 injured veterans, 12 caregivers, and 14 clinicians. We used ICF taxonomy to code data and identify issues. We identified challenges in the following ICF domains: learning and applying knowledge; general tasks and demands; communication; mobility; self-care; domestic life; interpersonal interactions, major life areas; and community, social, and civic life. We found many similarities between the challenges faced by veterans with and without polytraumatic injuries, although veterans with polytraumatic injuries faced challenges of greater magnitude. Identifying community reintegration challenges early and promoting reintegration are important mandates for the Department of Veterans Affairs. The findings of this study are useful in understanding the needs of OEF/OIF veterans.

Ethical challenges facing veterinary professionals in Ireland: results from Policy Delphi with vignette methodology

PubMed Central

Magalhães-Sant'Ana, M.; More, S. J.; Morton, D. B.; Hanlon, A.

2016-01-01

Ethics is key to the integrity of the veterinary profession. Despite its importance, there is a lack of applied research on the range of ethical challenges faced by veterinarians. A three round Policy Delphi with vignette methodology was used to record the diversity of views on ethical challenges faced by veterinary professionals in Ireland. Forty experts, comprising veterinary practitioners, inspectors and nurses, accepted to participate. In round 1, twenty vignettes describing a variety of ethically challenging veterinary scenarios were ranked in terms of ethical acceptability, reputational risk and perceived standards of practice. Round 2 aimed at characterising challenges where future policy development or professional guidance was deemed to be needed. In round 3, possible solutions to key challenges were explored. Results suggest that current rules and regulations are insufficient to ensure best veterinary practices and that a collective approach is needed to harness workable solutions for the identified ethical challenges. Challenges pertaining mostly to the food chain seem to require enforcement measures whereas softer measures that promote professional discretion were preferred to address challenges dealing with veterinary clinical services. These findings can support veterinary representative bodies, advisory committees and regulatory authorities in their decision making, policy and regulation. PMID:27613779

Examining the Challenging Hindrances facing in the Construction Projects: South India’s Perspective

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Subramanyam, K.; Haridharan, M. K.

2017-07-01

Developing countries like India require a huge infrastructure to facilitate needs of the people. Construction industry provides several opportunities to the individuals. Construction manager work is to supervise and organize the construction activities in construction projects. Now a day construction manager facing challenges. This paper aimed to study the challenges facing by the construction manager in the perception of construction professionals. 39 variables were taken from the literature review which found to be severe impact on construction managers’ performance. Construction manager, project manager and site engineers are the respondents for this survey. Using SPSS, regression analysis was done and recognized significant challenges. These challenges were classified into 5 domains. In management challenges, resource availability and allocation, risks and uncertainties existing in the project onsite, top management support and cost constraints are the most significant variables. In skills requirement of a construction manager challenges, technical skills required to learn and adapt new technology in the project, decision making and planning according to the situation in site are the most significant variables. In performance challenges, implementation of tasks according to the plan is the important variable whereas in onsite challenges, manage project risks, develop project policies and procedures are the most important.

Ethical challenges facing veterinary professionals in Ireland: results from Policy Delphi with vignette methodology.

PubMed

Magalhães-Sant'Ana, M; More, S J; Morton, D B; Hanlon, A

2016-10-29

Ethics is key to the integrity of the veterinary profession. Despite its importance, there is a lack of applied research on the range of ethical challenges faced by veterinarians. A three round Policy Delphi with vignette methodology was used to record the diversity of views on ethical challenges faced by veterinary professionals in Ireland. Forty experts, comprising veterinary practitioners, inspectors and nurses, accepted to participate. In round 1, twenty vignettes describing a variety of ethically challenging veterinary scenarios were ranked in terms of ethical acceptability, reputational risk and perceived standards of practice. Round 2 aimed at characterising challenges where future policy development or professional guidance was deemed to be needed. In round 3, possible solutions to key challenges were explored. Results suggest that current rules and regulations are insufficient to ensure best veterinary practices and that a collective approach is needed to harness workable solutions for the identified ethical challenges. Challenges pertaining mostly to the food chain seem to require enforcement measures whereas softer measures that promote professional discretion were preferred to address challenges dealing with veterinary clinical services. These findings can support veterinary representative bodies, advisory committees and regulatory authorities in their decision making, policy and regulation. British Veterinary Association.

Challenges facing developers of CAD/CAM models that seek to predict human working postures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wiker, Steven F.

2005-11-01

This paper outlines the need for development of human posture prediction models for Computer Aided Design (CAD) and Computer Aided Manufacturing (CAM) design applications in product, facility and work design. Challenges facing developers of posture prediction algorithms are presented and discussed.

Challenges Facing Early Childhood Programs Worldwide

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Neugebauer, Roger

2008-01-01

In this article, the author presents the challenges faced by early childhood education in 29 countries, according to the World Forum National Representatives and Global Leaders for Young Children. The countries represented in these responses include: Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Bolivia, Brazil, Canada, Denmark, Egypt, Fiji, India, Iran, Iraq, Japan,…

Exploring Biotechnology Using Case-Based Multimedia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bergland, Mark; Lundeberg, Mary; Klyczek, Karen; Sweet, Jennifer; Emmons, Jean; Martin, Christine; Marsh, Katherine; Werner, Joy; Jarvis-Uetz, Michelle

2006-01-01

Today, teachers face more challenges than ever, and biology teachers face a special challenge. As technology continues to expand, biology teachers have a responsibility to keep students informed of technological and scientific advances. Biology teachers must also address ethical issues associated with these advances. In this paper, the authors…

Development of Critical Thinking Skills through Writing Tasks: Challenges Facing Maritime English Students at Aqaba College, AlBalqa Applied University, Jordan

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alidmat, Ali Odeh Hammoud; Ayassrah, Mohamed Ayed

2017-01-01

Teaching English for Special Purposes (ESP) in a context where English is taught as a Foreign Language (EFL) is no easy task. There is in fact extensive research reporting on challenges facing both teacher and student in the Foreign Language classroom where language skills must be learnt outside their usual context. Even more challenging is…

Exploring strategies to overcome extra-organisational challenges faced by community pharmacies in Sarawak, Malaysia.

PubMed

Kho, Boon Phiaw; Hassali, Mohamed Azmi; Lim, Ching Jou; Saleem, Fahad

2018-03-15

The aims of this research were to determine extra-organisational challenges (e.g. market competition, governing policies) faced by community pharmacies in Sarawak, the coping strategies employed to deal with these challenges and explore potential legislative changes that can attenuate the intensity of these challenges. Survey questionnaires (n = 184) were posted to all eligible community pharmacies in Sarawak, Malaysia. The questionnaire included sections on participants' demographic data, extra-organisational challenges faced, coping strategies employed and proposals to improve community pharmacy legislations. Items were constructed based on the findings of a prior qualitative research supplemented with relevant literature about these issues. High levels of homogeneity in responses were recorded on various extra-organisational challenges faced, particularly those economy-oriented. Strategic changes to counter these challenges were focused on pricing and product stocked, rather than services provision. Highly rated strategies included increasing discounts for customers (n = 54; 68%) and finding cheaper suppliers (n = 70; 88%). Legislative changes proposed that might increase their share of the pharmaceutical market were strongly supported by respondents, particularly about making it compulsory for general practitioners to provide patients the option to have their medicines dispensed in community pharmacies (n = 72; 90%). Current legislative conditions and Malaysian consumer mindset may have constrained the strategic choices of community pharmacies to deal with the strong extra-organisational challenges. A long-term multipronged approach to address these issues and increased involvement of community pharmacists themselves in this agenda are required to influence practice change. © 2018 Royal Pharmaceutical Society.

Multi-Institution Research Centers: Planning and Management Challenges

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Spooner, Catherine; Lavey, Lisa; Mukuka, Chilandu; Eames-Brown, Rosslyn

2016-01-01

Funding multi-institution centers of research excellence (CREs) has become a common means of supporting collaborative partnerships to address specific research topics. However, there is little guidance for those planning or managing a multi-institution CRE, which faces specific challenges not faced by single-institution research centers. We…

Internationalising Teacher Education for a "Glocal" Curriculum: South Koreans Learning to Teach Hong Kong Liberal Studies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jackson, Liz; Han, Ana Yoon Jin

2016-01-01

Internationalisation in education facilitates student and teacher mobility. Though Hong Kong has embraced internationalisation in education, international university students can face challenges related to cultural difference. In teacher education, these challenges can be amplified, as student-teachers face expectations to teach schoolchildren…

Anger and Globalization among Young People in India

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Suchday, Sonia

2015-01-01

This article addresses the challenges faced by youth in developing countries. Using India as an example of a fast-globalizing country, this article highlights the experience and challenges faced by adolescents and emerging adults as they search for their interpersonal and professional identities. The difficulties of defining identity in the…

The Challenges Facing Catholic Education in France Today

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moog, François

2016-01-01

The effects of secularisation on society demand a rethinking of the identity and mission of Catholic schools in France. In 2013, the French bishops published a new directory which offers new approaches, described here, based on the three challenges facing Catholic education in France: linking social responsibility and evangelisation, setting up…

An Inventory and Use Analysis of Information Systems on Small Farms in Pennsylvania

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Adams, Jean S.

2007-01-01

Across the United States, today's farm operators face continuing challenges from global competition, increasing production costs, changing technology, increased regulations, scarce resources, and lower profit margins. To face these challenges, farm operators need to gather and utilize information allowing them to make informed decisions. Several…

Anatomy Education Faces Challenges in Pakistan

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Memon, Ismail K.

2009-01-01

Anatomy education in Pakistan is facing many of the same challenges as in other parts of the world. Roughly, a decade ago, all medical and dental colleges in Pakistan emphasized anatomy as a core basic discipline within a traditional medical science curriculum. Now institutions are adopting problem based learning (PBL) teaching philosophies, and…

Many Faces Have I.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zilliox, Joseph T.; Lowery, Shannon G.

1997-01-01

Describes an extended investigation of polygons and polyhedra which was conducted in response to a challenge posed in Focus, a newsletter from the Mathematical Association of America (MAA). Students were challenged to construct a polyhedron with faces that measure more than 13 inches to a side. Outlines the process, including the questions posed…

Women Superintendents in Illinois: Gender Barriers and Challenges

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

VanTuyle, Vicki; Watkins, Sandra G.

2009-01-01

Women face unique challenges as superintendents. This study determined barriers women face as superintendents and elicited reasons why these women would consider leaving the superintendent's position. Thirty-nine PreK-12 women superintendents in Illinois participated in a web-based survey in January 2008. Survey items included information…

Plural Societies and the Possibility of Shared Citizenship

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Merry, Michael S.

2012-01-01

As civilization pushes headlong into the twenty-first century, increasingly stringent demands for citizenship issue forth from governments around the world faced with a formidable assortment of challenges. Faced with these challenges, states are exploring ways to elicit civic attachments from their heterogeneous populations, but doing so is…

Challenges Facing Principals in the First Year at Their Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bayar, Adem

2016-01-01

The aim of this study is to identify key challenges of practice that principals face. In line with this purpose, the researcher has employed a qualitative research methodology, interviewing principals working in Amasya district, over and above doing document analysis to collect detailed information concerning leadership and administration…

Perspectives on Urban Geography in Advanced Placement® Human Geography

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Benton-Short, Lisa; Monk, Liliana

2016-01-01

"Perspectives on Urban Geography" constitutes a major part of the AP Human Geography course outline. In this article, urban core revitalization and rising suburban poverty are considered as two challenges facing cities in developed countries; and industrialization and the growth of megacities as two challenges facing cities in developing…

Homeless Children: Meeting the Educational Challenges. ERIC Digest.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Goins, Brad; Cesarone, Bernard

Difficulties faced by homeless children include depression, low self-esteem, lack of sleep and nutrition, and feelings of shame and embarrassment. Challenges faced by schools in providing education to homeless children include: (1) keeping children in one school despite frequent family moves; (2) ensuring that children's health records are…

The Big Picture and Specifics of College General Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gan, Yang

2018-01-01

In recent years, general education has developed considerably in Chinese universities, but it still faces many challenges and problems. Among the various negative factors, four problems may be the greatest challenges currently faced by Chinese university general education and ordinary undergraduate education: (1) In the era of massified higher…

Autism and Reading: Teaching a Sudanese Refugee Boy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Walker-Dalhouse, Doris; Dalhouse, A. Derick

2015-01-01

Refugee families in the United States face numerous challenges in becoming acculturated. School-age children of refugees face the additional challenges of acquiring academic language and meeting school expectations for behavior and social interactions while attempting to navigate the school curriculum. This case study examines the school and home…

Missed Opportunities for Science Learning: Unacknowledged Unscientific Arguments in Asynchronous Online and Face-to-Face Discussions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Callis-Duehl, Kristine; Idsardi, Robert; Humphrey, Eve A.; Gougis, Rebekka Darner

2018-02-01

We explored the scientific argumentation that occurs among university biology students during an argumentation task implemented in two environments: face-to-face in a classroom and online in an asynchronous discussion. We observed 10 student groups, each composed of three students. Our analysis focused on how students respond to their peers' unscientific arguments, which we define as assertions, hypotheses, propositions, or explanations that are inaccurate or incomplete from a scientific perspective. Unscientific arguments provide opportunities for productive dissent, scientific argumentation, and conceptual development of scientifically desirable conceptions. We found that students did not respond to the majority of unscientific arguments in both environments. Challenges to unscientific arguments were expressed as a question or through explanation, although the latter was more common online than face-to-face. Students demonstrated significantly more epistemic distancing in the face-to-face environment than the online environment. We discuss the differences in discourse observed in both environments and teaching implications. We also provide direction for future research seeking to address the challenges of engaging students in productive scientific argumentation in both face-to-face and online environments.

The Language Problem in Tourism. Esperanto Documents No. 34A.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Universal Esperanto Association, Rotterdam (Netherlands).

Esperanto can remove the language problem from tourism and bring major moral, economic, and practical advantages for all of humankind. Officials of national and local tourism organizations and companies should encourage its application in various ways, for example, by using it for: publication of publicity materials destined for use abroad; public…

Q&A: Space-time visionary

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thorne, Kip

2014-11-01

Thanks to theoretical physicist Kip Thorne, real science is embedded in Christopher Nolan's film Interstellar, in which explorers seek a new home for humankind. Thorne talks about what he learned from the film's unprecedented visualizations of black holes and wormholes, what it and his accompanying book can teach, and the likelihood of humans escaping the Solar System.

The Power of Nature. World's Largest Math Event 5.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, Inc., Reston, VA.

The theme of the fifth annual World's Largest Math Event (WLME 5) is "The Power of Nature." This theme encourages students to explore natural forces that affect humankind, including phenomena such as hurricanes, earthquakes, and snowstorms, and the mathematics that underlies their study. The 15 activities for WLMES have been grouped into five…

New Age Ethics: Ethical Implications on Critical Future Issues.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Anderson, Patricia W.

Twentieth century scientific advancement has produced a "New Age" requiring a new ethics. The nature of human action has been profoundly and irrevocably modified. Theoretically, an ethics for the New Age must take into account humankind's new relationships to human interaction and to the natural world. New issues requiring important ethical…

Wilderness, biodiversity, and human health

Treesearch

Daniel L. Dustin; Keri A. Schwab; Kelly S. Bricker

2015-01-01

This paper illustrates how wilderness, biodiversity, and human health are intertwined. Proceeding from the assumption that humankind is part of, rather than apart from, nature, health is re-imagined as a dynamic relationship that can best be conceived in broad ecological terms. Health, from an ecological perspective, is a measure of the wellness of the individual and...

Teaching about Climate Change: Cool Schools Tackle Global Warming.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Grant, Tim, Ed.; Littlejohn, Gail, Ed.

Within the last couple of decades, the concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere has increased significantly due to human activities. Today climate change is an important issue for humankind. This book provides a starting point for educators to teach about climate change, although there are obstacles caused by the industrialized…

World History and Geography: Ancient Civilizations. Course Models for the History-Social Science Framework: Grade 6.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hanson, Ralph, Ed.; Brooks, Diane

This document outlines ancient civilization teaching models for California sixth graders. It is another response to teachers' requests for practical assistance in implementing the "History-Social Science Framework." Units include: (1) Early Humankind and the Development of Human Societies; (2) The Beginnings of Civilization in the Near…

Integrated studies of Azraq Basin in Jordan

Treesearch

Mohammed Shahbaz; B. Sunna

2000-01-01

Many historical indications of the eastern Mediterranean Basin exhibit climatic changes or alterations effecting the status of water resources, hence, effecting human-kind and the quality of life. It is essential to deeply understand the nature of climates and geological structures employing state of the art techniques to assess rainfall, runoff, and floods that...

MODIS-derived terrestrial primary production [chapter 28

Treesearch

Maosheng Zhao; Steven Running; Faith Ann Heinsch; Ramakrishna Nemani

2011-01-01

Temporal and spatial changes in terrestrial biological productivity have a large impact on humankind because terrestrial ecosystems not only create environments suitable for human habitation, but also provide materials essential for survival, such as food, fiber and fuel. A recent study estimated that consumption of terrestrial net primary production (NPP; a list of...

"Learn by Doing" Research: Introduction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moye, Johnny J.; Dugger, William E., Jr.; Starkweather, Kendall N.

2014-01-01

The research in this "Learning by Doing" study focuses on a special type of doing that applies to science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education. In the early stages of humankind, the act of doing was essential for survival and drove the evolution of technology. As was true in ancient times, knowledge and the ability…

Science for Society: A Bibliography, Sixth Edition.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dasbach, Joseph M.

Presented is an annotated bibliography of selected books published from 1972-75 and articles appearing from July 1974 to July 1975 with topics focusing on the interrelationship of humankind, the environment, science, and technology. For students and teachers in the natural and social sciences at both secondary and college levels, the listings are…

A New Way to Demonstrate the Rainbow

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ivanov, Dragia Trifonov; Nikolov, Stefan Nikolaev

2016-01-01

The rainbow is a beautiful optical phenomenon that has fascinated humankind since antiquity. It is caused by a huge number of water droplets in the atmosphere illuminated by the Sun. Many noted physicists have contributed to the explanation of the rainbow. The wave theory of the rainbow was developed by George Airy, and modern descriptions are…

Modern Times: The Industrial Revolution and the Concept of Time.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Doppen, Frans H.

1999-01-01

Discusses the role the Industrial Revolution had in changing humankind's perception of time and recommends using the flashback approach in order to encourage students to think about how the process of industrialization still affects their lives. Provides activities that address the concept of time caused by the Industrial Revolution. (CMK)

Instrumentalism in the Field of Music Education? Are We All Humanists?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Varkoy, Oivind

2007-01-01

Oivind Varkoy discusses instrumentalism as a trend in educational politics and pedagogical thinking. Instrumentalism implies looking upon both school subjects and humans as instruments, as tools or means for reaching another goal or end. The discussion is related to philosophy of music education by focusing on aspects of philosophies of humankind,…

Racial Reconciliation and Inclusive Excellence at Church-Related Colleges and Universities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Allen, Todd; Custer, Dan

2018-01-01

In recent years, the topic of multiculturalism has often been a divisive issue. Although some argue that highlighting particularities allows for richer and more productive dialogue across differences, others choose to emphasize humankind's similarities with the belief that this focus on commonalities will create a greater sense of unity. This…

Alaska's Copper River: humankind in a changing world.

Treesearch

Harriet H. Christensen; J. Louise Mastrantonio; John C. Gordon; Bernard T. Bormann

2000-01-01

Opportunities for natural and social science research were assessed in the Copper River ecosystem including long-term, integrated studies of ecosystem structure and function. The ecosystem is one where change, often rapid, cataclysmic change, is the rule rather than the exception. The ecosystem also contains a variety of people pursuing various human purposes. Although...

Thinking, Teaching, and Learning Science outside the Boxes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McComas, William F., Ed.

2009-01-01

In both universities and K-12 schools, students leave one world and enter another as they attend classes in discipline-specific domains. But how can students gain the experiences necessary to make discoveries--for personal satisfaction, for academic enlightenment, and perhaps even for the betterment of humankind--without educators who see the…

Exploration of Praxis through Personal and Professional Journey: Implications

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Singh, Navin Kumar

2012-01-01

This paper explores the meaning of praxis through the personal and professional journey of the author, emphasizing the thoughts of major proponents of praxis and their contributions in the field. What emerges through this exploration is that praxis is not knowing but putting the knowing into action for the betterment of all humankind through…

Systemic Crisis of Civilization: In Search for Adequate Solution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Khozin, Grigori

In December 1972 a jumbo jet crashed in the Florida Everglades with the loss of 101 lives. The pilot, distracted by a minor malfunction, failed to note until too late the warning signal that - correctly - indicated an impending disaster. His sudden, astonished cry of Hey, what happening here? were his last words 1. Three decades after this tragic episode, as the Humankind approaches the threshold of the third Millennium, the problem of adequate reaction to warning signals of different nature and of distinguishing minor malfunctions in everyday life of society, in economy and technology as well as in evolution of biosphere from grave threats to the world community and the phenomenon of life on our planet remains crucial to human survival and the future of Civilization. Rational use of knowledge and technology available to the world community remains in this context the corner stone of discussions on the destiny of the intelligent life both on the planet Earth and in the Universe (the fact of intelligent life in the Universe is to be detected by the Humankind)…

Voicing the Challenges Faced by an Innovative Teacher Community

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moate, Josephine

2011-01-01

This research draws on sociocultural theories of learning and activity theory to explore the challenges faced by an innovative community of teachers in Central Finland. The aim of the teacher community was to develop a stream of foreign-language (FL)-mediated teaching and learning in the locality from kindergarten to upper secondary level. To…

Oral Academic Discourse Socialisation: Challenges Faced by International Undergraduate Students in a Malaysian Public University

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mahfoodh, Omer Hassan Ali

2014-01-01

This paper reports a qualitative study which examines the challenges faced by six international undergraduate students in their socialisation of oral academic discourse in a Malaysian public university. Data were collected employing interviews. Students' presentations were also collected. Semi-structured interviews were transcribed verbatim and…

Connecting Pre-Service Teachers with Contemporary Mathematics Practices: Selecting and Sequencing Students' Work Samples

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Livy, Sharyn; Muir, Tracey; Downton, Ann

2017-01-01

One of the challenges facing teacher educators is providing our pre-service teachers (PSTs) with authentic experiences that cross the boundaries between Initial Teacher Education (ITE) and the classroom. An additional challenge facing the mathematics teacher educator, is addressing and deepening PSTs' mathematical content knowledge (MCK), which…

Information Technology Challenges Facing the Strategic Leaders of Homeland Security in the 21st Century

DTIC Science & Technology

2004-05-03

A special thanks to all of these folks (Glenn Starnes, Lee Gutierrez, Bill Rapp, Joel Hillison, Carlos Gomez, Steve Fraunfelter, Janie Hopkins, Dave ...DiClemente, Joe Nunez, John Bonin , and Steve Nerheim). viii INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY CHALLENGES FACING THE STRATEGIC LEADERS OF HOMELAND SECURITY IN THE 21ST

Strategies for the Challenges Facing Women in Higher Education Administration.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rehnke, Mary Ann

Women administrators in higher education must deal not only with the usual challenges facing administrators (decision-making, resolving conflict, and advancing professionally), but also with the effects of sex stereotyping. Women are not seen as decision-makers, nor as conflict-resolvers, and are often viewed as supporting personnel rather than…

Tenured Women Counselor Educators at Research Universities: Navigating Multiple Roles and Personal Well-Being

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rosenberg, Melissa A.

2013-01-01

Women in academia navigate multiple professional and personal roles, and may face unique challenges to integrate their intellectual, emotional, physical, and spiritual selves. The narrative of constraint underscores the disadvantages, challenges, and inequities that women who are mothers and academics face in their lives. This lack of privilege…

Integration and Career Challenges of Newcomer Youth in Newfoundland in Canada

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Li, Xuemei; Que, Hua

2016-01-01

Faced with a labor shortage and low profile of diversity, the province of Newfoundland and Labrador in Canada has been making an effort to attract and retain newcomers. Guided by Bronfenbrenner's (1979) ecological systems theory, this qualitative study investigates the challenges faced by newcomer youth, including permanent residents coming as…

"Accounting Education at a Crossroad in 2010" and "Challenges Facing Accounting Education in Australia"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

de Lange, Paul; Watty, Kim

2011-01-01

Of the various reports released in 2010, two purport to examine the state of accounting education in Australia. These are "Accounting Education at a Crossroad in 2010" and "Challenges Facing Accounting Education in Australia". Both were released as collaborations of the leading academic organisation, the Accounting and Finance…

A Business Intelligence Framework for Sustainability Information Management in Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Scholtz, Brenda; Calitz, Andre; Haupt, Ross

2018-01-01

Purpose: Higher education institutions (HEIs) face a number of challenges in effectively managing and reporting on sustainability information, such as siloes of data and a limited distribution of information. Business intelligence (BI) can assist in addressing the challenges faced by organisations. The purpose of this study was to propose a BI…

Active Learning: Engaging Students to Maximize Learning in an Online Course

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Khan, Arshia; Egbue, Ona; Palkie, Brooke; Madden, Janna

2017-01-01

Student engagement is key to successful teaching and learning, irrespective of the content and format of the content delivery mechanism. However, engaging students presents a particular challenge in online learning environments. Unlike face-to-face courses, online courses present a unique challenge as the only social presence between the faculty…

Can Free-Range Students Save Some Schools? A Case Study on a Hybrid Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

White, Christopher Francis

2013-01-01

In the face of budgetary constraints, new marketplace competition, digital innovation and an emerging generation of students with new demands and new needs, higher education in America is challenged as never before. This paper reviews the various challenges facing traditional non-profit educational institutions, considers the potential of an…

Calculus Challenges: An Active Learning Approach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Crawford, Pam; Moseley, Daniel; Nancarrow, Mike; Ward, Erika

2018-01-01

One of the greatest challenges facing students new to calculus is the ability to persevere in the face of failure. Whether the student is choosing an integration technique or a series test, calculus is often the first course in mathematics where the path to the solution is not prescribed in an algorithmic way. At Jacksonville University we…

Challenges Faced by Institutions of Higher Education in Migrating to Distance Learning.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Broskoske, Stephen L.; Harvey, Francis A.

This paper presents the results of a research study conducted in fall 1999 to examine the challenges facing higher educational institutions in migrating to distance learning. The study consisted of five case studies conducted at higher educational institutions in Pennsylvania. At each institution the researchers interviewed the president and other…

The Complexity of Substantive Reform: A Call for Interdependence among Key Stakeholders.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Young, Michelle D.; Petersen, George J.; Short, Paula M.

The field of educational leadership faces serious challenges in the 21st century, such as the shortage of principals and superintendents, the growing demands for leadership positions, and the struggle for adequate resources. This paper explores the challenges facing this field from the position of university educational leadership preparation. The…

Meeting the Needs of Children and Families: Opportunities and Challenges for School Psychology Training Programs.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Curtis, Michael J.; Batsche, George M.

1991-01-01

Notes that graduate training programs face challenges, as well as opportunities, in fulfillment of their responsibilities to prepare school psychologists for entry into professional practice. Examines nature and origins of potential changes facing school psychology and discusses adequacy of current training programs. Discusses future implications…

Community Violence Exposure of Southeast Asian American Adolescents

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ho, Joyce

2008-01-01

Southeast Asian adolescents in the United States face the daily challenge of adjusting to the American culture and their culture of origin. However, little is known about how the patterns of their bicultural adjustment influence psychological symptoms, especially when faced with other challenges such as community violence and negative life events.…

Preserving Guam's Culture with Culturally Responsive Children's Stories

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jackson, Marilyn Malloy; Heath, Melissa Allen

2017-01-01

Regardless of where schools are located, teachers face the challenge of teaching and mentoring children, not only in academic achievement but in social emotional development. When faced with challenges, young children are especially vulnerable because they lack the life experience and developmental maturity to adequately cope. Relying on the lead…

New Challenges Facing Universities in the Internet-Driven Global Environment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rajasingham, Lalita

2011-01-01

This paper explores some new challenges facing universities in a global multimediated Internet-based environment, as they seek alternative paradigms and options to remain true to their core business. At a time of rapid technological change, and contested, complex concepts associated with globalisation, knowledge is becoming a primary factor of…

Curricular Integration and Measurement of Cultural Competence Development in a Group of Physical Therapy Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Palombaro, Kerstin M.; Dole, Robin L.; Black, Jill D.

2015-01-01

Introduction and Background: The link between cultural competence and effective physical therapy encounters is established. Physical therapist educational programs face the challenge of fostering the cultural competence of students in effective and meaningful ways within the curriculum. They also face the challenge of measuring the development of…

Career Development with Transgender College Students: Implications for Career and Employment Counselors

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Scott, David A.; Belke, Stephanie L.; Barfield, Hannah G.

2011-01-01

The number of transgender college students continues to increase every year. These students face unique challenges that many college and university career centers are not prepared to handle. This article describes some of the challenges facing transgender students and college career centers. A professional development design is proposed to assist…

Quality Assurance Challenges and Opportunities Faced by Private Universities in Zimbabwe

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Garwe, Evelyn Chiyevo

2014-01-01

The study sought to provide an understanding of the quality assurance challenges and opportunities faced by private universities in Zimbabwe. The study analyzed the factors determining provision of quality higher education in private universities and the resultant effects of failing to achieve the minimum acceptable standards. The author employed…

Challenges and Opportunities Facing Technology Education in Taiwan

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lee, Lung-Sheng Steven

2009-01-01

The technology education in Taiwan is prescribed in the national curriculum and provided to all students in grades 1-12. However, it faces the following challenges: (1) Lack of worthy image, (2) Inadequate teachers in elementary schools, (3) Deficient teaching vitality in secondary schools, and (4) Diluted technology teacher education programs. In…

Challenges Faced by Teachers Implementing Socio-Scientific Issues as Core Elements in Their Classroom Practices

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bossér, Ulrika; Lundin, Mattias; Lindahl, Mats; Linder, Cedric

2015-01-01

Teachers may face considerable challenges when implementing socio-scientific issues (SSI) in their classroom practices, such as incorporating student-centred teaching practices and exploring knowledge and values in the context of socioscientific issues. This year-long study explores teachers' reflections on the process of developing their…

Challenges Facing Women Academic Leadership in Secondary Schools of Irbid Educational Area

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Al-Jaradat, Mahmoud Khaled Mohammad

2014-01-01

This study aimed at identifying the challenges facing women academic leadership in secondary schools of Irbid Educational Area. A random sample of 187 female leaders were chosen. They responded to a 49-item questionnaire prepared by the researcher. The items were distributed into four domains: organizational, personal, social and physical…

Executive Leadership: Another Lever in the System?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Harris, Alma; Brown, David; Abbott, Ian

2006-01-01

The leadership challenges facing most head teachers can at times be daunting but for those leading schools in difficulty, the challenges are acute. This article draws upon the personal experience of an executive leader in a school facing difficult circumstances. It will firstly, outline and analyse this model of leadership and secondly, look at…

TQM in a Multi-Campus Public University.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zargar, Ali M.

Running a university is fast becoming more challenging than managing a large corporation, in part due to greater quality demands by more groups in the face of shrinking resources and budget cuts. This paper argues against universities conducting business as usual in the face of societal change and increasingly greater challenges, and presents…

Challenges in healthcare delivery in an economic downturn, in the Republic of Ireland.

PubMed

Carney, Marie

2010-07-01

The purpose of the present study was to discuss some of effects of the downturn in the Irish economy and to demonstrate that in the face of economic difficulties innovation in health care is still occurring. Staff that are managing and delivering healthcare need to know the challenges facing them and have an awareness of the importance of maintaining interest in innovative practice in turbulent times. Information obtained from several sources including government papers, the nursing regulatory board and quality authority documents and current best practice articles. Information was evaluated based on the study's aim. Issues emerging were that current challenges facing Irish health care delivery relate mainly to economic, clinical management, education and information technology factors and further reductions in the cost base of health care delivery remains focused on value for money. In the face of the economic downturn Ireland is achieving health targets and is now sitting in 13th place on the European health index, down from number 28 in 2008. This improvement in position has resulted from several new innovative work practices. As a result of cost reduction measures in place nurse managers will face greater challenges than ever before in meeting the objectives of the healthcare transformation programme.

Web-Based vs. Face-to-Face MBA Classes: A Comparative Assessment Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brownstein, Barry; Brownstein, Deborah; Gerlowski, Daniel A.

2008-01-01

The challenges of online learning include ensuring that the learning outcomes are at least as robust as in the face-to-face sections of the same course. At the University of Baltimore, both online sections and face-to-face sections of core MBA courses are offered. Once admitted to the MBA, students are free to enroll in any combination of…

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

Shen, Yichen, E-mail: ycshen@mit.edu; Joannopoulos, John D.; Soljačić, Marin

Humankind has long endeavored to control the propagation direction of light. Since time immemorial, shades, lenses, and mirrors have been used to control the flow of light. In modern society, with the rapid development of nanotechnology, the control of light is moving toward devices at micrometer and even nanometer scales. At such scales, traditional devices based on geometrical optics reach their fundamental diffraction limits and cease to work. Nano-photonics, on the other hand, has attracted wide attention from researchers, especially in the last decade, due to its ability to manipulate light at the nanoscale. This review focuses on the nano-photonicsmore » systems that aim to select light based on its propagation direction. In the first half of this review, we survey the literature and the current state of the art focused on enabling optical broadband angular selectivity. The mechanisms we review can be classified into three main categories: (i) microscale geometrical optics, (ii) multilayer birefringent materials, and (iii) Brewster modes in plasmonic systems, photonic crystals, and metamaterials. In the second half, we present two categories of potential applications for broadband angularly selective systems. The first category aims at enhancing the efficiency of solar energy harvesting, through photovoltaic process or solar thermal process. The second category aims at enhancing light extracting efficiency and detection sensitivity. Finally, we discuss the most prominent challenges in broadband angular selectivity and some prospects on how to solve these challenges.« less

Game Face

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Weiner, Jill

2005-01-01

In this article, the author discusses "Game Face: Life Lessons Across the Curriculum", a teaching kit that challenges assumptions and builds confidence. Game Face, which is derived from a book and art exhibition, "Game Face: What Does a Female Athlete Look Like?", uses layered and powerful images of women and girls participating in sports to teach…

Story-telling, Earth-Sciences and Geoethics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bohle, Martin; Sibilla, Anna; Graells, Robert Casals i.

2015-04-01

People are engineers, even the artist. People like stories, even the engineers. Engineering shapes the intersections of humans and their environments including with the geosphere. Geoethics considers values upon which to base practices how to intersect the geosphere. Story-telling is a skilful human practice to describe perception of values in different contexts to influence their application. Traditional earth-centric narrations of rural communities have been lost in the global urbanisation process. These former-time narrations related to the "sacrum" - matters not possible to be explained with reasoning. Science and technology, industrialisation and global urbanisation require an other kind of earth-centric story-telling. Now at the fringe of the Anthropocene, humans can base their earth-centricity on knowledge and scientific thinking. We argue that modern story-telling about the functioning of Earth's systems and the impact of humankind's activities on these systems is needed, also in particular because citizens rarely can notice how the geosphere intersects with their daily dealings; putting weather and disasters aside. Modern earth-centric story-telling would offer citizens opportunities to develop informed position towards humankind's place within earth-systems. We argue that such "earth-science story-lines" should be part of the public discourse to engage citizens who have more or less "expert-knowledge". Understanding the functioning of the Earth is needed for economy and values suitable for an anthropophil society. Multi-faceted discussion of anthropogenic global change and geoengineering took off recently; emerging from discussions about weather and hazard mitigation. Going beyond that example; we illustrate opportunities for rich story-telling on intersections of humans' activities and the geosphere. These 'modern narrations' can weave science, demographics, linguistics and cultural histories into earth-centric stories around daily dealings of citizens. Such earth-science narrations could convene value statements on how humankind activities intersect the geosphere; and thus, they are narrations on geoethics.

Quantifying variabilty of the solar resource using the Kriging method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Monger, Samuel Haze

Energy consumption will steadily rise in coming years and if fossil fuels, particularly coal, continue to be the primary resource for electricity generation our planet is going to face many hardships. Solar energy is the most abundant resource available to humankind, and although solar generated power is still expensive, the technology is in a state of rapid development as governments strive to meet renewable energy goals as part of the effort to slow climate change and become less dependent on finite resources. However there are many valid concerns associated with integrating high levels of solar energy with the transmission grid due to the rapid changes in power output and voltage from photovoltaic generated electricity due to drops in the solar resource. Therefore, a study was conducted to address issues in this field of research by attempting to quantify the variability of solar irradiance at a specific area using a uniform grid of 45 irradiance sensors. Another goal of this study was to determine if fewer measurement stations could be used in the quantification of variability. This thesis addresses these issues by using the Sandia Variability Index and the dead band ramp algorithm in a statistical analysis on irradiance fluctuations in the regulation and sub-regulation time frames. A kriging method will be introduced which accurately predicts variability using only four stations.

HIV/AIDS through the lens of Christianity: perspectives from a South African urban support group.

PubMed

Hlongwana, K; Mkhize, S

2007-05-01

HIV is one of the most obscure viruses that humankind has had to face in recent times. Compounding this obscurity are often contesting perspectives on what it means to be HIV infected, and these perspectives are largely constituted by people's rationalisation of complex situations or experiences. Using qualitative research methods and ethnography in particular, this paper reflects on a broad understanding of what it means to live with HIV in the context of Christianity, using research participants' perspectives in an urban support group setting. Two fundamental patterns are evident in this paper: (1) as support group members rationalise their HIV infection, they continuously construct and reconstruct their identities; and (2) support group members rationalise their HIV infection to enhance their coping abilities, using Christianity and the Bible in particular, as a reference. Whilst rationalising HIV infection, three viewpoints emerge. The first viewpoint perceives HIV infection as an affliction by Satan; the second viewpoint sees it as originating from God; while the last viewpoint interprets HIV infection as a negotiated settlement between God and Satan. The paper is intended to trigger debate, and hopefully also to seek and provide answers from various sectors of society, and religious communities in particular, in order to help other HIV positive people in similar situations better manage their HIV condition.

Thermal-to-visible face recognition using partial least squares.

PubMed

Hu, Shuowen; Choi, Jonghyun; Chan, Alex L; Schwartz, William Robson

2015-03-01

Although visible face recognition has been an active area of research for several decades, cross-modal face recognition has only been explored by the biometrics community relatively recently. Thermal-to-visible face recognition is one of the most difficult cross-modal face recognition challenges, because of the difference in phenomenology between the thermal and visible imaging modalities. We address the cross-modal recognition problem using a partial least squares (PLS) regression-based approach consisting of preprocessing, feature extraction, and PLS model building. The preprocessing and feature extraction stages are designed to reduce the modality gap between the thermal and visible facial signatures, and facilitate the subsequent one-vs-all PLS-based model building. We incorporate multi-modal information into the PLS model building stage to enhance cross-modal recognition. The performance of the proposed recognition algorithm is evaluated on three challenging datasets containing visible and thermal imagery acquired under different experimental scenarios: time-lapse, physical tasks, mental tasks, and subject-to-camera range. These scenarios represent difficult challenges relevant to real-world applications. We demonstrate that the proposed method performs robustly for the examined scenarios.

2014 Summer Series - J. Craig Venter - Life at the Speed of Light

NASA Image and Video Library

2014-06-24

In 2010, J. Craig Venter and his team at the Venter Institute became the first to successfully construct synthetic life, putting humankind at the threshold of the most important and exciting phase of biological research, one that will enable us to actually write the genetic code for designing new species that can be used in many ways for the betterment of mankind. The science of synthetic genomics will have a profound impact on human existence, including new chemical and energy generation, human health and medical advances, clean water and food production, positive environmental impact, and possibly even our evolution. In Life at the Speed of Light, Venter presents a fascinating and authoritative study of this emerging field from the inside, detailing its origins, current challenges and controversies, and projected effects on our lives. This scientific frontier provides an opportunity to ponder anew the age-old question: What is life? Life at the Speed of Light is a landmark work, written by a visionary at the dawn of a new era of biological engineering.

Forum: The challenge of global change

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Roederer, Juan G.

1990-09-01

How can we sustain a public sense of the common danger of global change while remaining honest in view of the realities of scientific uncertainty? How can we nurture this sense of common danger without making statements based on half-baked ideas, statistically unreliable results, or oversimplified models? How can we strike a balance between the need to overstate a case to attract the attention of the media and the obligation to adhere strictly to the ethos of science?The task of achieving a scientific understanding of the inner workings of the terrestrial environment is one of the most difficult and ambitious endeavors of humankind. It is full of traps, temptations and deceptions for the participating scientists. We are dealing with a horrendously complex, strongly interactive, highly non-linear system. Lessons learned from disciplines such as plasma physics and solid state physics which have been dealing with complex non-linear systems for decades, are not very encouraging. The first thing one learns is that there are intrinsic, physical limits to the quantitative predictability of a complex system that have nothing to do with the particular techniques employed to model it.

Spatio-Temporal Pattern Analysis for Regional Climate Change Using Mathematical Morphology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Das, M.; Ghosh, S. K.

2015-07-01

Of late, significant changes in climate with their grave consequences have posed great challenges on humankind. Thus, the detection and assessment of climatic changes on a regional scale is gaining importance, since it helps to adopt adequate mitigation and adaptation measures. In this paper, we have presented a novel approach for detecting spatio-temporal pattern of regional climate change by exploiting the theory of mathematical morphology. At first, the various climatic zones in the region have been identified by using multifractal cross-correlation analysis (MF-DXA) of different climate variables of interest. Then, the directional granulometry with four different structuring elements has been studied to detect the temporal changes in spatial distribution of the identified climatic zones in the region and further insights have been drawn with respect to morphological uncertainty index and Hurst exponent. The approach has been evaluated with the daily time series data of land surface temperature (LST) and precipitation rate, collected from Microsoft Research - Fetch Climate Explorer, to analyze the spatio-temporal climatic pattern-change in the Eastern and North-Eastern regions of India throughout four quarters of the 20th century.

The light of a new age

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Goldin, Daniel S.

1992-01-01

Given here is the address of NASA Administrator Daniel S. Goldin to the Association of Space Explorers. Mr. Goldin's remarks are on the topic of why we should go to Mars, a subject he approaches by first answering the question, What would it mean if we decided today not to go to Mars? After a discussion of the meaning of Columbus' voyage to America, he answers the question by saying that if we decide not to go to Mars, our generation will truly achieve a first in human history - we will be the first to stop at a frontier. After noting that the need to explore is intrinsic to life itself, Mr. Goldin presents several reasons why we should go to the Moon and go to Mars. One reason is economic, another is to increase our scientific knowledge, and yet another is to further the political evolution of humankind through the international cooperation required for building settlements on the Moon and Mars. He concludes by expanding upon the idea that this nation has never been one to shrink from a challenge.

Antimicrobial Resistance Expressed by Neisseria gonorrhoeae: A Major Global Public Health Problem in the 21st Century.

PubMed

Unemo, Magnus; Del Rio, Carlos; Shafer, William M

2016-06-01

Neisseria gonorrhoeae is a strictly human pathogen that is typically transmitted by sexual contact. The associated disease gonorrhea has plagued humankind for thousands of years, with a current estimated incidence of 78 million cases per year. Advances in antimicrobial discovery in the 1920s and 1930s leading to the discovery of sulfonamides and penicillin begun the era of effective antimicrobial treatment of gonorrhea. Unfortunately, the gonococcus developed decreased susceptibility or even resistance to these initially employed antibiotics, a trend that continued over subsequent decades with each new antibiotic that was brought into clinical practice. As this pattern of resistance has continued into the 21st century, there is now reason for great concern, especially in an era when few new antibiotics have prospects for use as treatment of gonorrhea. Here, we review the history of gonorrhea treatment regimens and gonococcal resistance to antibiotics, the mechanisms of resistance, resistance monitoring schemes that exist in different international settings, global responses to the challenge of resistance, and prospects for future treatment regimens in the 21st century.

Threats to family planning services in Michigan: organizational responses to economic and political challenges.

PubMed

Dalton, Vanessa K; Jacobson, Peter D; Berson-Grand, Julie; Weisman, Carol S

2005-01-01

Title X is the only federal funding specifically for contraception and family planning services. This study identifies the threats and challenges Title X family planning organizations face in Michigan, and examines organizational responses to these challenges. We hypothesized that organizational responses to current challenges, including recent legislation, would differ between organizational types. We used a multiple case study design to examine safety net providers that received Title X funding in 2001. Cases were selected to represent economic and geographic diversity and included a mix of population densities. Key informants at each organization participated in face-to-face, semistructured interviews. Interviews collected data on current challenges, organizational planning processes, and organizational responses. All Title X organizations reported significant challenges, including rising costs, increasing need, and inadequate funding. Private organizations were more concerned about political challenges, especially recent Michigan legislation, than health departments. Organizational type was associated with the type of response. Health departments tended to close clinics or cut services, whereas private organizations recruited insured populations and increased patient fees. Based on these findings, the family planning safety net in Michigan appears to be undergoing significant change. These changes may decrease the availability of affordable family planning services in Michigan.

The organisational and human resource challenges facing primary care trusts: protocol of a multiple case study

PubMed Central

2001-01-01

Background The study is designed to assess the organisational and human resource challenges faced by Primary Care Trusts (PCTs). Its objectives are to: specify the organisational and human resources challenges faced by PCTs in fulfilling the roles envisaged in government and local policy; examine how PCTs are addressing these challenges, in particular, to describe the organisational forms they have adopted, and the OD/HR strategies and initiatives they have planned or in place; assess how effective these structures, strategies and initiatives have been in enabling the PCTs to meet the organisational and human resources challenges they face; identify the factors, both internal to the PCT and in the wider health community, which have contributed to the success or failure of different structures, strategies and initiatives. Methods The study will be undertaken in three stages. In Stage 1 the key literature on public sector and NHS organisational development and human resources management will be reviewed, and discussions will be held with key researchers and policy makers working in this area. Stage 2 will focus on detailed case studies in six PCTs designed to examine the organisational and human resources challenges they face. Data will be collected using semi-structured interviews, group discussion, site visits, observation of key meetings and examination of local documentation. The findings from the case study PCTs will be cross checked with a Reference Group of up to 20 other PCG/Ts, and key officers working in organisational development or primary care at local, regional and national level. In Stage 3 analysis of findings from the preparatory work, the case studies and the feedback from the Reference Group will be used to identify practical lessons for PCTs, key messages for policy makers, and contributions to further theoretical development. PMID:11737883

Reflections of Malaysian parents of children with developmental disabilities on their experiences with AAC.

PubMed

Joginder Singh, Susheel; Hussein, Nur Hazirah; Mustaffa Kamal, Rahayu; Hassan, Fatimah Hani

2017-06-01

Parents play an important role in the successful implementation of AAC. Previous research has indicated that parents in different countries have varying perceptions about the use of AAC and face different challenges in its implementation. To date, there is limited information about the use of AAC by children in Malaysia or parents' views about its use. The aim of this study was to explore Malaysian parents' perception of AAC and their experience when supporting their children who use AAC. For this study, 12 parents of children with autism spectrum disorder and cerebral palsy were involved in semi-structured individual interviews. Qualitative content analysis was used to analyze interview data. Following analysis, three themes were identified: (a) impact of the use of AAC, (b) challenges faced, and (c) hopes and expectations. Participants reported that the use of AAC had a positive impact on their children, but that they faced challenges related to the child, the settings, and the system itself, as well as a lack of time and support. Findings from this study provide an insight for Malaysian speech therapists about the challenges faced by parents when supporting their children who use AAC, and how important it is to overcome these challenges to ensure successful implementation of AAC.

Discovery of innovative therapeutics: today's realities and tomorrow's vision. 1. Criticisms faced by the pharmaceutical industry.

PubMed

Abou-Gharbia, Magid; Childers, Wayne E

2013-07-25

The pharmaceutical industry is facing enormous challenges, including reduced efficiency, declining innovation, key patent expirations, fierce price competition from generics, high regulatory hurdles, and a tarnished image. There is a clear need for change in the paradigms designed to address these challenges. Pharma has responded by embarking on a range of initiatives. However, along the way the industry has accrued critics whose accusations have tainted its reputation. The first part of this two-part series will discuss the criticisms that have been leveled at the pharmaceutical industry and summarize the supporting data for and against these criticisms. The second installment will focus on the current challenges facing the pharmaceutical industry and Pharma's responses to address these challenges. It will describe the industry's changing perspective and new business models for coping with the recent loss of talent and declining clinical pipelines as well as present some examples of recent drug discovery successes.

Aging and Cognitive Performance: Challenges and Implications for Physicians Practicing in the 21st Century

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Durning, Steven J.; Artino, Anthony R.; Holmboe, Eric; Beckman, Thomas J.; van der Vleuten, Cees; Schuwirth, Lambert

2010-01-01

The demands of physician practice are growing. Some specialties face critical shortages and a significant percentage of physicians are aging. To improve health care it is paramount to understand and address challenges, including cognitive issues, facing aging physicians. In this article, we outline several issues related to cognitive performance…

Raising the Cash: A Study of the Role of Leadership in a Capital Campaign

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Diaz, Sandra L.

2013-01-01

Institutions of higher education are facing a number of challenges as they compete in the new global economy. Many of these institutions face increasing internal and external challenges, all of which involve additional expenses at a time when resources are diminishing. With growing financial uncertainties caused by fluctuating financial markets…

Current Challenges Facing the Future of Secondary Education and Transition Services for Youth with Disabilities in the United States. Discussion Paper

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Center on Secondary Education and Transition (NCSET), University of Minnesota, 2004

2004-01-01

This paper is intended to promote discussion among professionals, policymakers, employers, parents, and individuals with disabilities concerning current and future challenges facing secondary education and transition services nationally. The issues identified and discussed should not, however, be viewed as inclusive of the full range of possible…

Challenges Faced by Development Partners in Supporting the Growth and Development of Commercial Enterprises in Lira District, Northern Uganda

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Eton, Marus; Mwirumubi, Richard; Edaku, Charles

2017-01-01

Entrepreneurship is defined as the process where an individual discovers, evaluates and exploit opportunities independently. Most countries have embraced entrepreneurship development as ways of creating employment and economic growth and development. The objective of the study was to examine the challenges faced by commercial enterprises in Lira…

On-Line Literature: The Challenge of Integrating Web-Based Materials

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ruzich, Constance M.

2012-01-01

This classroom research discusses the challenges of integrating face-to-face interactions with the use of on-line resources in secondary English classrooms. Examining the lesson plans of pre-service and early career teachers in the US, I found that the uses of on-line resources were frequently neither coherent nor consistent with the goals and…

The Resonance Factor: Probing the Impact of Video on Student Retention in Distance Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Geri, Nitza

2012-01-01

Teaching and instructing is one of the challenging manifestations of informing, within which distance learning is considered harder than face-to-face instruction. Student retention is one of the major challenges of distance learning. Current innovative technologies enable widespread use of video lectures that may ease the loneliness of the…

Rural Teachers' Views: What Are Gender-Based Challenges Facing Free Primary Education in Lesotho?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Morojele, Pholoho

2013-01-01

This paper gives prominence to rural teachers' accounts of gender-based challenges facing Free Primary Education in Lesotho. It draws on feminist interpretations of social constructionism to discuss factors within the Basotho communities that affect gender equality in the schools. The inductive analysis offered makes use of the data generated from…

Challenges Facing Canadian Federal Offenders Newly Released to the Community: A Concept Map

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brown, Jason D.

2004-01-01

The purpose of the study was to describe the needs of newly released Canadian federal offenders as perceived by community parole supervisors. Seventy-four Canadian parole supervisors were asked to answer the following question: "What challenges do parolees face in the first 90 days after release?" The data were analyzed using…

Children at Risk of Neglect: Challenges Faced by Child Protection Practitioners in Guatemala City

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Coope, Caroline M.; Theobald, Sally

2006-01-01

Objectives: The objectives were to (1) delineate the definition, common forms, and perceived risk factors contributing to child neglect in Guatemala from the perspective of different stakeholders and (2) identify the challenges faced by child protection practitioners in identifying children at risk of neglect within the context of Guatemala.…

Madrasa Education in South Asia and Southeast Asia: Current Issues and Debates

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Park, Jaddon; Niyozov, Sarfaroz

2008-01-01

Madaris (plural of madrasa) face a multitude of challenges in preparing students for life in rapidly modernising societies and emerging globalised knowledge economies. The complexity of the role and tasks of madaris, which are caught in the interface of modernity and tradition, the challenges they face, and the strategies they develop to address…

Facing the Challenges of Today and the Future: Ensuring Successful Outcomes for Students from Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Backgrounds

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bullock, Lyndal M.; Gable, Robert A.; Carrero, Kelly; Lewis, Calli; Collins, Emerald; Zolkowski, Staci; Lusk, Mandy

2014-01-01

American schools are witnessing the increasing cultural heterogeneity of our nation's population. Educators are faced with the challenge of ensuring positive educational outcomes for all students, despite the lack of empirical understanding of how to effectively educate culturally and linguistically diverse learners. The purpose of this paper is…

Managing Digital Identity on Twitter: The Case of School Administrators

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cho, Vincent; Jimerson, Jo Beth

2017-01-01

What does it mean to be and to act like a school leader online? Although many school leaders might be comfortable navigating issues of identity in face-to-face environments, online environments may present new and unprecedented challenges. These challenges may range from concerns about privacy and surveillance to questions about how best to…

The Health Challenges of Urban Latino College Students as Revealed through Student Journaling

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rowland, Amy L.

2008-01-01

Because of the unique health risks faced by the Hispanic population and the notoriously poor health habits of college students, this study examines the health challenges faced by Latino college students enrolled at an urban commuter institution. A thematic analysis reveals the top themes for males and females as healthy eating, weight management,…

Using an Iterative Mixed-Methods Research Design to Investigate Schools Facing Exceptionally Challenging Circumstances within Trinidad and Tobago

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

De Lisle, Jerome; Seunarinesingh, Krishna; Mohammed, Rhoda; Lee-Piggott, Rinnelle

2017-01-01

In this study, methodology and theory were linked to explicate the nature of education practice within schools facing exceptionally challenging circumstances (SFECC) in Trinidad and Tobago. The research design was an iterative quan>QUAL-quan>qual multi-method research programme, consisting of 3 independent projects linked together by overall…

Challenges of Adopting the Use of Technology in Less Developed Countries: The Case of Cambodia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Richardson, Jayson W.

2011-01-01

Drawing on Everett Rogers's theory of the diffusion of innovations, this article identifies the barriers, challenges, and successes in the adoption of technology training by teacher trainers in Cambodia. The analysis was based on data collected from an open-ended survey, face-to-face interviews, and document analysis. Findings reveal that the…

Introducing Decision Making under Uncertainty and Strategic Considerations in Engineering Design

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kosmopoulou, Georgia; Jog, Chintamani; Freeman, Margaret; Papavassiliou, Dimitrios V.

2010-01-01

Chemical Engineering graduates will face challenges at the workplace that even their peers who graduated a few years ago were not expected to face. One such major challenge is the management and operation of companies and plants under conditions of uncertainty and the need to make decisions in competitive situations. Modern developments in…

Challenges Beginning Teachers Face in Hong Kong

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lam, Bick-Har

2014-01-01

By conducting in-depth interviews with new teachers who are about to become full-time teachers and then reinterviewing them two years later, the author of this article presents how beginning teachers think and feel about teaching and describes the challenges they face as beginning teachers in the context of Hong Kong. The stories of the teachers,…

Challenges Faced by Preceptors Serving in Dual Roles as Health Care Providers and Clinical Educators

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dodge, Thomas; Mazerolle, Stephanie M.; Bowman, Thomas G.

2014-01-01

Context: Preceptors play an integral role in training athletic training students (ATSs). Balancing roles as health care providers and educators can often be challenging. Role strain is a documented concern for the preceptor, yet limited information is available regarding other issues faced while supervising ATSs. Objective: To explore preceptor…

Transition Program: The Challenges Faced by Special Needs Students in Gaining Work Experience

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alias, Aliza

2014-01-01

Transition program for special needs students is known to open opportunities for students with learning disabilities to gain work experience in actual work environment. The program provides training activities and also an opportunity to go for internship to gain work experience. Therefore, this study is to identify the challenges faced by special…

Accommodating Extension Clients Who Face Language, Vision, or Hearing Challenges

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Angima, Sam; Etuk, Lena; Maddy, Deborah

2016-01-01

A survey-based study explored approaches used by one land-grant university to meet the needs of Extension clients who face language, vision, or hearing challenges. In attempts to serve such clients, the greatest gaps existed for clients whose main language was Spanish, followed by those who had vision impairments and then those who had hearing…

Single Black Working Mothers' Perceptions: The Journey to Achieve Leadership Positions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Raglin, Sherrell

2017-01-01

Single Black working mothers faced significant challenges in achieving high-level or senior-level leadership positions. The purpose of this qualitative narrative study was to collect, analyze and code the stories told by 10 participants to understand the perceptions and insights of the challenges and barriers single Black working mothers faced in…

Credible Leadership: Exploring Differences in Perception of the Credibility of the Senior Student Affairs Officer among CIC College Presidents and Their Senior Leadership Teams

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Powers, Wendy A.

2014-01-01

Modern higher education institutions face tremendous challenges, including dwindling financial resources, waning public support, demands for greater accountability, and daunting student needs and expectations. Campus presidents simply cannot face these challenges as isolated or solitary leaders. High functioning, inclusive, collaborative, and…

Lost in Translation: Adapting a Face-to-Face Course Into an Online Learning Experience.

PubMed

Kenzig, Melissa J

2015-09-01

Online education has grown dramatically over the past decade. Instructors who teach face-to-face courses are being called on to adapt their courses to the online environment. Many instructors do not have sufficient training to be able to effectively move courses to an online format. This commentary discusses the growth of online learning, common challenges faced by instructors adapting courses from face-to-face to online, and best practices for translating face-to-face courses into online learning opportunities. © 2015 Society for Public Health Education.

Assessing Student Performance and Perceptions in Lecture Capture vs. Face-to-Face Course Delivery

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Euzent, Patricia; Martin, Thomas; Moskal, Patrick; Moskal, Patsy

2011-01-01

Public universities are currently facing a challenge in determining how to deliver quality instruction in the face of severe fiscal constraints. With recent technological advances, courses streamed over the Internet (i.e., lecture capture) are now becoming common. However, little research has been published that specifically examines student…

The Challenges of Pharmacy Education in Yemen

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Pharmacy education in Yemen has faced many challenges since its introduction in the 1980s. Most Yemeni pharmacy schools, especially private ones, are experiencing difficulties in providing the right quality and quantity of clinical educational experiences. Most of these challenges are imbedded in a teaching style and curricula that have failed to respond to the needs of the community and country. The slow shift from traditional drug-dispensing to a patient-centered or focused approach in pharmacy practice requires a fundamental change in the roles and responsibilities of both policymakers and educators. The purpose of this paper is twofold: (1) to discuss the challenges facing the pharmacy education in Yemen; (2) to provided recommendations to overcome challenges. PMID:25386011

Wood and society

Treesearch

Christopher D. Risbrudt

2005-01-01

Forests, and the wood they produce, have played an important role in human activity since before recorded history. Indeed, one of the first major innovations of humankind was utilizing fire, fueled by wood, for cooking and heating. It is very likely that early hominids used wood fires for cooking as long as 1.5 million years ago (Clark and Harris 1985). Clear evidence...

Access to and Utilization of ICT as Predictors of Students' Performance and Sustainable Development in Nigerian Tertiary Institutions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Onuka, A. O. U.; Ajayi, Kassim O.; Lawani, Abisola O.

2014-01-01

Information Communication Technology (ICT) covers a wide range in our world today. This paper examined how students access and utilize information communication technology (ICT) for the betterment of their learning outcomes in Mathematics. This is because Mathematics is considered to be indispensable to humankind. The study adopted a survey…

Wood adhesives : vital for producing most wood products

Treesearch

Charles R. Frihart

2011-01-01

A main route for the efficient utilization of wood resources is to reduce wood to small pieces and then bond them together (Frihart and Hunt 2010). Although humankind has been bonding wood since early Egyptian civilizations, the quality and quantity of bonded wood products has increased dramatically over the past 100 years with the development of new adhesives and...

Humankind Takes up Environmental Ethics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Huiying, Xu

2004-01-01

Environmental ethics examines the relationship between human beings and nature from the moral perspective. It is also a kind of ethics arising from a concern with an earth which is on the verge of losing balance. Environmental ethics originated at the end of the 1940s. Since the 1970s, great progress has been made in environmental ethics. This…

From Romanticism to Deep Ecology: The Continuing Evolution in American Environmental Thought.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ackerson, David

2000-01-01

Describes the contributions to deep ecology of Henry Thoreau, who advocated acting upon strongly held convictions; John Muir, who adopted a biocentric view of nature; and Aldo Leopold, who formulated an egalitarian ecosystem ethic. While deep ecology is moving toward a new vision of humankind's relation to nature, it has yet to coalesce into a…

Toward a Communication Theory Focused on Humankind's Future.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ternent, William A.; Ternent, Janet A.

This speech presents a model of human communication which integrates the existential philosophy of Martin Buber with the communication views of Jonas Salk. In his book, "The Survival of the Wisest," Salk characterizes an "Epoch A" to describe the values and behaviors of the past and an "Epoch B" to describe the necessary values and behaviors for…

Recentering Pedagogy in an Age of Narcissism

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Watters, Ann O.

2013-01-01

One of the most enduring images from Wilson's "The Social Conquest of Earth" (2012) is the campfire, the place of warmth and community around which gathered early humankind. It seems an ideal metaphor for teaching and learning, with mentors and learners gathered around an enterprise of mutual society: No one at the core, but all warmed and…

Humankind is Totally Dependent on Nature - How Can We Define, Quantify, and Track Nature's Vital (and Some Not So Vital) Benefits to Inform Decision Making?

EPA Science Inventory

Ecosystem Services have received increased scientific attention for a decade, yet the natural and social scientists working on mainstreaming these concepts are still struggling with the task. FEGS (Final Ecosystem Goods and Services) are an informative and useful concept as they...

A "Race" between Education and Disaster: Curriculum for the Survival of the Species.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carson, Terrance R.

The world is in crisis, and the future survival of humankind is in question. Technology encourages communication in terms of speed and efficiency, and it is the task of educators to rediscover alternative languages. While the global crises of peace, the environment, the economy, and education are prominent, the opportunities are also great if…

Mapping the geography of hope

Treesearch

Daniel L. Dustin

2000-01-01

What is the nature of humankind’s relationship with the natural world? To what extent can social science shed light on this relationship? What are the most pressing research questions? What limitations present themselves? Drawing from the experiences of a 16th century cartographer, Fra Mauro, the author addresses the prospects for successfully mapping the meaning of...

Flares, Fears, and Forecasts: Public Misconceptions About the Sunspot Cycle

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Larsen, K.

2012-06-01

Among the disaster scenarios perpetrated by 2012 apocalypse aficionados is the destruction of humankind due to solar flares and coronal mass ejections (CMEs). These scenarios reflect common misconceptions regarding the solar cycle. This paper (based on an annual meeting poster) sheds light on those misconceptions and how the AAVSO Solar Section can address them.

Education and Economics in West Africa: From Unwritten Languages to the Internet

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alibrandi, Marsha; Bull, Prince Hycy

2005-01-01

Global distribution of West African goods--coffee, chocolate, gold, diamonds (and at one time, ivory)--has linked this region to the outside world for centuries, yet its development remains slow. Not simply the ancestral home of humankind, Africa's western legacies include colonization, partition, and loss of untold millions to slavery and wars of…

Young People and Alcohol, Drugs and Tobacco. WHO Regional Publications, European Series, No. 66.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Anderson, Kellie

History shows that humankind has always had an appetite for psychoactive substances. Since young people are especially vulnerable to drug abuse, the etiology, epidemiology, and prevention literature on substance use by school-aged children are examined in this booklet. It gives information on, and examples of, preventive approaches and programs in…

East Meets West: Cross-Cultural Perspectives on Wisdom and Adult Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yang, Shih-ying

2011-01-01

Wisdom enables people to lead a good life. The pursuit of wisdom is an important goal for adult education, and adult education is important for developing wisdom in individuals and communities. The good life for humankind is threatened by global warming, shortages of natural resources, cultural and religious conflicts, and financial crises, and…

Educating for and through Nature: A Merleau-Pontian Approach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hung, Ruyu

2008-01-01

This paper aims to explore the relationship between humans and nature and the implied intimacy, so-call "ecophilia," in light of the French philosopher Maurice Merleau-Ponty. It is revealed from the Merleau-Pontian view of body and nature that there may be a more harmonious relationship between humankind and nature than the commonly assumed, and…

Learning for Development: The Commonwealth of Learning and the Millennium Development Goals

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Commonwealth of Learning, 2011

2011-01-01

World leaders, meeting at the United Nations in 2000, set eight Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) that aim to transform the condition of humankind in the 21st century. These Goals now guide the policies of governments and the priorities of development agencies. These eight goals are: (1) Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger; (2) Achieve…

The Influence on American Parenting Styles of Puritanism, Rationalism and Romanticism.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Karson, Albert; Karson, Martha

This article discusses the influence of Puritanism, Romanticism, and Rationalism on parenting styles in the United States, outlining the basic tenets of these philosophical movements and how the authors believe these tenets relate to popular notions of parenting. The doctrine that humankind is of an evil nature is seen to be a fundamental tenet of…

P=fm: Fostering Innovative Teaching and Learning in a Digital Age

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fluellen, Jerry E., Jr.

2012-01-01

A larger scale context for power teaching includes ideas from Duane Elgin, Lester Brown, Al Gore and many others. Collectively, they say the convergence of systems level global problems without national borders place before humankind a choice the species has never encountered in 195,000 years of life on "Spaceship Earth." In Elgin's…

You and the Ocean.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ocean Education Project, Washington, DC.

This multidisciplinary unit of study introduces the law of the sea to students in grades one through six. The unit, which takes three weeks to complete can be taught in science and social studies courses. Concepts taught include the following: there are many things in the sea that are of value to humankind; people need products from the sea;…

Blacks in Science and Related Disciplines. LC Science Tracer Bullet.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sammons, Vivian O., Comp.; Dempsey, Denise P., Comp.

Humankind had its beginnings in Africa. Imhotep, the first scientist, was a man of color, an Egyptian. Africans made great strides in science and medicine prior to slavery. In the United States, blacks have contributed much to the advancement of science and invention; however, history for the most part has not given them credit for these…

Abnormal GABAergic function and face processing in schizophrenia: A pharmacologic-fMRI study.

PubMed

Tso, Ivy F; Fang, Yu; Phan, K Luan; Welsh, Robert C; Taylor, Stephan F

2015-10-01

The involvement of the gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) system in schizophrenia is suggested by postmortem studies and the common use of GABA receptor-potentiating agents in treatment. In a recent study, we used a benzodiazepine challenge to demonstrate abnormal GABAergic function during processing of negative visual stimuli in schizophrenia. This study extended this investigation by mapping GABAergic mechanisms associated with face processing and social appraisal in schizophrenia using a benzodiazepine challenge. Fourteen stable, medicated schizophrenia/schizoaffective patients (SZ) and 13 healthy controls (HC) underwent functional MRI using the blood oxygenation level-dependent (BOLD) technique while they performed the Socio-emotional Preference Task (SePT) on emotional face stimuli ("Do you like this face?"). Participants received single-blinded intravenous saline and lorazepam (LRZ) in two separate sessions separated by 1-3weeks. Both SZ and HC recruited medial prefrontal cortex/anterior cingulate during the SePT, relative to gender identification. A significant drug by group interaction was observed in the medial occipital cortex, such that SZ showed increased BOLD signal to LRZ challenge, while HC showed an expected decrease of signal; the interaction did not vary by task. The altered BOLD response to LRZ challenge in SZ was significantly correlated with increased negative affect across multiple measures. The altered response to LRZ challenge suggests that abnormal face processing and negative affect in SZ are associated with altered GABAergic function in the visual cortex, underscoring the role of impaired visual processing in socio-emotional deficits in schizophrenia. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Fifteen Challenges in Establishing a Multidisciplinary Research Program on eHealth Research in a University Setting: A Case Study

PubMed Central

Johansson, Birgitta; Held, Claes; Sjöström, Jonas; Lindahl Norberg, Annika; Hovén, Emma; Sanderman, Robbert; van Achterberg, Theo; von Essen, Louise

2017-01-01

Background U-CARE is a multidisciplinary eHealth research program that involves the disciplines of caring science, clinical psychology, health economics, information systems, and medical science. It was set up from scratch in a university setting in 2010, funded by a governmental initiative. While establishing the research program, many challenges were faced. Systematic documentation of experiences from establishing new research environments is scarce. Objective The aim of this paper was to describe the challenges of establishing a publicly funded multidisciplinary eHealth research environment. Methods Researchers involved in developing the research program U-CARE identified challenges in the formal documentation and by reflecting on their experience of developing the program. The authors discussed the content and organization of challenges into themes until consensus was reached. Results The authors identified 15 major challenges, some general to establishing a new research environment and some specific for multidisciplinary eHealth programs. The challenges were organized into 6 themes: Organization, Communication, Implementation, Legislation, Software development, and Multidisciplinarity. Conclusions Several challenges were faced during the development of the program and several accomplishments were made. By sharing our experience, we hope to help other research groups embarking on a similar journey to be prepared for some of the challenges they are likely to face on their way. PMID:28536090

Taxonomy of Challenges for Digital Forensics.

PubMed

Karie, Nickson M; Venter, Hein S

2015-07-01

Since its inception, over a decade ago, the field of digital forensics has faced numerous challenges. Despite different researchers and digital forensic practitioners having studied and analysed various known digital forensic challenges, as of 2013, there still exists a need for a formal classification of these challenges. This article therefore reviews existing research literature and highlights the various challenges that digital forensics has faced for the last 10 years. In conducting this research study, however, it was difficult for the authors to review all the existing research literature in the digital forensic domain; hence, sampling and randomization techniques were employed to facilitate the review of the gathered literature. Taxonomy of the various challenges is subsequently proposed in this paper based on our review of the literature. The taxonomy classifies the large number of digital forensic challenges into four well-defined and easily understood categories. The proposed taxonomy can be useful, for example, in future developments of automated digital forensic tools by explicitly describing processes and procedures that focus on addressing specific challenges identified in this paper. However, it should also be noted that the purpose of this paper was not to propose any solutions to the individual challenges that digital forensics face, but to serve as a survey of the state of the art of the research area. © 2015 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.

Hyperspectral face recognition with spatiospectral information fusion and PLS regression.

PubMed

Uzair, Muhammad; Mahmood, Arif; Mian, Ajmal

2015-03-01

Hyperspectral imaging offers new opportunities for face recognition via improved discrimination along the spectral dimension. However, it poses new challenges, including low signal-to-noise ratio, interband misalignment, and high data dimensionality. Due to these challenges, the literature on hyperspectral face recognition is not only sparse but is limited to ad hoc dimensionality reduction techniques and lacks comprehensive evaluation. We propose a hyperspectral face recognition algorithm using a spatiospectral covariance for band fusion and partial least square regression for classification. Moreover, we extend 13 existing face recognition techniques, for the first time, to perform hyperspectral face recognition.We formulate hyperspectral face recognition as an image-set classification problem and evaluate the performance of seven state-of-the-art image-set classification techniques. We also test six state-of-the-art grayscale and RGB (color) face recognition algorithms after applying fusion techniques on hyperspectral images. Comparison with the 13 extended and five existing hyperspectral face recognition techniques on three standard data sets show that the proposed algorithm outperforms all by a significant margin. Finally, we perform band selection experiments to find the most discriminative bands in the visible and near infrared response spectrum.

Advanced Nanomaterials for High-Efficiency Solar Cells

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

Chen, Junhong

2013-11-29

Energy supply has arguably become one of the most important problems facing humankind. The exponential demand for energy is evidenced by dwindling fossil fuel supplies and record-high oil and gas prices due to global population growth and economic development. This energy shortage has significant implications to the future of our society, in addition to the greenhouse gas emission burden due to consumption of fossil fuels. Solar energy seems to be the most viable choice to meet our clean energy demand given its large scale and clean/renewable nature. However, existing methods to convert sun light into electricity are not efficient enoughmore » to become a practical alternative to fossil fuels. This DOE project aims to develop advanced hybrid nanomaterials consisting of semiconductor nanoparticles (quantum dots or QDs) supported on graphene for cost-effective solar cells with improved conversion efficiency for harvesting abundant, renewable, clean solar energy to relieve our global energy challenge. Expected outcomes of the project include new methods for low-cost manufacturing of hybrid nanostructures, systematic understanding of their properties that can be tailored for desired applications, and novel photovoltaic cells. Through this project, we have successfully synthesized a number of novel nanomaterials, including vertically-oriented graphene (VG) sheets, three-dimensional (3D) carbon nanostructures comprising few-layer graphene (FLG) sheets inherently connected with CNTs through sp{sup 2} carbons, crumpled graphene (CG)-nanocrystal hybrids, CdSe nanoparticles (NPs), CdS NPs, nanohybrids of metal nitride decorated on nitrogen-doped graphene (NG), QD-carbon nanotube (CNT) and QD-VG-CNT structures, TiO{sub 2}-CdS NPs, and reduced graphene oxide (RGO)-SnO{sub 2} NPs. We further assembled CdSe NPs onto graphene sheets and investigated physical and electronic interactions between CdSe NPs and the graphene. Finally we have demonstrated various applications of these nanomaterials in solar cells (both as photoanodes and counter electrodes), gas sensors, and energy storage devices. This research is potentially transformative since the availability of affordable hybrid nanostructures and their fundamental properties will enable various innovative applications of the multifunctional hybrid nanostructures and thus will accelerate new discoveries and inventions in nanoscience and nanotechnology.« less

Changing course in ageing research: The healthy ageing phenotype.

PubMed

Franco, Oscar H; Karnik, Kavita; Osborne, Gabrielle; Ordovas, Jose M; Catt, Michael; van der Ouderaa, Frans

2009-05-20

Ageing is often associated with the aged and the diseased, nevertheless ageing is a process that starts in-uterus and is characterised by a progressive functional loss but not necessarily by the presence of disease and poor quality of life. How to meander through life without crossing the confines of major chronic disease and cognitive and physical impairment remains one of the most relevant challenges for science and humankind. Delimiting that 'immaculate' trajectory - that we dub as the 'Healthy Ageing Phenotype' - and exploring solutions to help the population to stay or return to this trajectory should constitute the core focus of scientific research. Nevertheless, current efforts on ageing research are mainly focused on developing animal models to disentangle the human ageing process, and on age-related disorders often providing merely palliative solutions. Therefore, to identify alternative perspectives in ageing research, Unilever and the Medical Research Council (MRC) UK convened a Spark workshop entitled 'The Healthy Ageing Phenotype'. In this meeting, international specialists from complementary areas related to ageing research, gathered to find clear attributes and definitions of the 'Healthy Ageing Phenotype', to identify potential mechanisms and interventions to improve healthy life expectancy of the population; and to highlight areas within ageing research that should be prioritised in the future. General agreement was reached in recognising ageing research as a disaggregated field with little communication between basic, epidemiological and clinical areas of research and limited translation to society. A more holistic, multi-disciplinary approach emanating from a better understanding of healthy ageing trajectories and centred along human biological resilience, its maintenance and the reversibility from early deviations into pathological trajectories, is urgently required. Future research should concentrate on understanding the mechanisms that permit individuals to maintain optimal health when facing pathological hazards and on developing and assessing potential interventions that could aid to re-establish resilience when lost or guarantee its integrity if present. Furthermore it is fundamental that scientific findings are translated incessantly into clear messages delivered to governmental institutions, the industry and society in general.

Synthetic predator cues impair immune function and make the biological pesticide Bti more lethal for vector mosquitoes.

PubMed

Op De Beeck, Lin; Janssens, Lizanne; Stoks, Robby

2016-03-01

The control of vector mosquitoes is one of the biggest challenges facing humankind with the use of chemical pesticides often leading to environmental impact and the evolution of resistance. Although to a lesser extent, this also holds for Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis (Bti), the most widely used biological pesticide to control mosquito populations. This raises the need for the development of integrated pest management strategies that allow the reduction of Bti concentrations without loss of the mosquito control efficiency. To this end, we tested in a laboratory experiment the combined effects of larval exposure to a sublethal Bti concentration and predation risk cues on life history and physiology of larval and adult Culex pipiens mosquitoes. Besides natural predator kairomones and prey alarm cues, we also tested synthetic kairomones of Notonecta predators. Neither Bti nor predation risk cues affected mortality, yet when both stressors were combined mortality increased on average by 133% compared to the treatment with only predation risk cues. This synergistic interaction was also present when Bti was combined with synthetic kairomones. This was further reflected in changes of the composite index of population performance, which suggested lowered per capita growth rates in mosquitoes exposed to Bti but only when Bti was combined with synthetic kairomones. Furthermore, predation risk cues shortened larval development time, reduced mass at metamorphosis in males, and had an immunosuppressive effect in larval and adult mosquitoes which may affect the mosquito vector competence. We provide the first demonstration that synthetic kairomones may generate similar effects on prey as natural kairomones. The identified immunosuppressive effect of synthetic kairomones and the novel lethal synergism type between a biological pesticide and synthetic predator kairomones provide an important proof of principle illustrating the potential of this combination for integrated mosquito control and should in a next step be evaluated under more natural conditions. It may guide novel integrated pest management programs with Bti that incorporate synthetic kairomones and thereby can reduce environmental impact and evolution of resistance creating more efficient and sustainable mosquito control.

Challenges Pre-Service Teachers Face When Implementing a 5E Inquiry Model of Instruction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Enugu, Ramya; Hokayem, Hayat

2017-01-01

This study examined the challenges that pre-service teachers faced when implementing inquiry and their perspective on how to overcome them. The data sample was 55 pre-service teachers (PSTs) enrolled into two sections of a science methods course in a private university in North Texas. The data sources consisted of inquiry-based lesson plans, PST…

Challenges Facing Higher Education at the Millennium. American Council on Education/Oryx Press Series on Higher Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hirsch, Werner Z., Ed.; Weber, Luc E., Ed.

This collection of 17 essays focuses on the major changes that higher education needs to make so that it can effectively pursue teaching and research and significantly contribute public service in a rapidly changing world. The essays include: (1) "Survey of the Main Challenges Facing Higher Education at the Millennium" (Luc E. Weber);…

Effects of School-Wide Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports and Fidelity of Implementation on Problem Behavior in High Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Flannery, K. B.; Fenning, P.; Kato, M. McGrath; McIntosh, K.

2014-01-01

High school is an important time in the educational career of students. It is also a time when adolescents face many behavioral, academic, and social-emotional challenges. Current statistics about the behavioral, academic, and social-emotional challenges faced by adolescents, and the impact on society through incarceration and dropout, have…

The Challenges Facing the Implementation of Early Childhood Development and Education Policy in Bungoma County, Kenya

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wangila, Violet Muyoka

2017-01-01

This paper scrutinises the challenges facing the implementation of Early Childhood Development and Education policy in Bungoma County, Kenya. The study used a mixed research design and study population comprised of the QASOs, the Head teachers, ECDE teachers and the non-teaching staff in respective ECDCs. The sample size of the study comprised of…

A Short Twenty Years: Meeting the Challenges Facing Teachers Who Bring Rwanda into the Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gudgel, Mark

2013-01-01

As the twentieth anniversary of the 1994 genocide in Rwanda approaches, Mark Gudgel argues that we should face the challenges posed by teaching about Rwanda. Drawing on his experience as a history teacher in the US, his experience researching and supporting others' classrooms in the US and UK, his training in Holocaust education and his knowledge…

Executive Programs for Brazilian Mid-Career Public Managers: Pitfalls and Challenges

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pacheco, Regina Silvia; Franzese, Cibele

2017-01-01

This paper discusses the challenges of professional education for mid-career public managers at graduate level, pointing out pitfalls to avoid and obstacles to face. Analyzing the Brazilian case, the goal is to raise issues that may also be present in other cases. The main argument developed here is that the puzzle faced by graduate programs on…

College Students with Children Are Common and Face Many Challenges in Completing Higher Education. Briefing Paper #C404

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nelson, Bethany; Froehner, Megan; Gault, Barbara

2013-01-01

This paper discusses the challenges college students with children face, as well as the steps colleges, universities, and the surrounding communities must take to help students succeed in their work as both students and parents. The role of parenthood in postsecondary settings needs greater focus from the higher education reform community. Unless…

National School Debate: Banning Cell Phones in Public Schools: Analyzing a National School and Community Relations Problem

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Johnson, Clarence; Kritsonis, William Allan

2007-01-01

School systems in America face many critical challenges pertaining to regulating cell phone use by students in today's schools. School executives and classroom teachers face challenges daily relative to how to effectively deal with student's using cell phones. There are many drawbacks and benefits for cell phone use by students. The authors…

Initiatives (Part 1): Keystone; Cycle Time Puzzle, A Full-Scale Challenge; Foot to Foot, Face to Face; Change Management; Multi-Element Team Challenge.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schoel, Jim; Butler, Steve; Murray, Mark; Gass, Mike; Carrick, Moe

2001-01-01

Presents five group problem-solving initiatives for use in adventure and experiential settings, focusing on conflict resolution, corporate workplace issues, or adjustment to change. Includes target group, group size, time and space needs, activity level, overview, goals, props, instructions, and suggestions for framing and debriefing the…

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…

Construction and Validation of a Survey Instrument to Determine the Gender-Related Challenges Faced by Pre-Service Male Primary Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cruickshank, Vaughan; Pedersen, Scott; Hill, Allen; Callingham, Rosemary

2015-01-01

The gender-related challenges facing males entering the primary-school teaching profession have been well documented in the academic literature over recent decades. The majority of these data have come about through qualitative reports. Whilst qualitative methods provide important perspectives into these issues, the use of valid and reliable…

The Culture Care Meaning of Comfort for Ethnically Diverse Pre-Licensure Baccalaureate Nursing Students in the Educational Setting

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zajac, Lynne K.

2010-01-01

The nursing profession is calling for enhanced diversity within the ranks of registered nurses to meet the health care needs of an increasingly diverse society. Nursing education is faced with the challenge of retaining ethnically diverse nursing students. Students who are ethnically diverse face unique challenges in addition to the universal…

Support and Defend: The K-12 Education of Military-Connected Children. White Paper No. 131

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wykes, Bruce L.

2015-01-01

Many policies and initiatives have been proposed or implemented to address the unique needs of military families who face special challenges while supporting the service of their military member(s). Some of those policies and initiatives have sought to focus on military-connected children (MCCs) and the particular academic challenges they face.…

Knowledge Sharing within Virtual Teams: A Qualitative Case Study of the Role Technology Plays in Team Sharing Practices

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Parker, Denise L.

2017-01-01

Virtual teams are comprised of members from various locations who use Information and Communication Technology (ICT) for member interaction. Many organizations have accepted virtual teams as an alternative to face-to-face teams. With the acceptance comes many challenges, one of those challenges is supporting team sharing in the virtual…

Pollution exposure on marine protected areas: A global assessment.

PubMed

Partelow, Stefan; von Wehrden, Henrik; Horn, Olga

2015-11-15

Marine protected areas (MPAs) face many challenges in their aim to effectively conserve marine ecosystems. In this study we analyze the extent of pollution exposure on the global fleet of MPAs. This includes indicators for current and future pollution and the implications for regionally clustered groups of MPAs with similar biophysical characteristics. To cluster MPAs into characteristic signature groups, their bathymetry, baseline biodiversity, distance from shore, mean sea surface temperature and mean sea surface salinity were used. We assess the extent at which each signature group is facing exposure from multiple pollution types. MPA groups experience similar pollution exposure on a regional level. We highlight how the challenges that MPAs face can be addressed through governance at the appropriate scale and design considerations for integrated terrestrial and marine management approaches within regional level networks. Furthermore, we present diagnostic social-ecological indicators for addressing the challenges facing unsuccessful MPAs with practical applications. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Adapting a Face-to-Face Role-Playing Simulation for Online Play

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bos, Nathan; Shami, N. Sadat

2006-01-01

The rapid acceleration of online course offerings presents a design challenge for instructors who want to take materials developed for face-to-face settings and adapt them for asynchronous online usage. Broadcast lectures are relatively easy to transfer, but adapting content is harder when classes use small-group discussions, as in role-playing or…

A Discussion Strategy for an Online Class

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Reese-Durham, Nancy Faith

2014-01-01

As a former teacher of face-to-face classes now assigned to teach only online classes, Nancy Reese Durham found herself challenged to change to accommodate online learners. She was determined to provide an environment in the online class where the high level of discussion she had provided in face-to-face classes could flourish as well. Here she…

Instructional Strategies and Course Design for Teaching Statistics Online: Perspectives from Online Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yang, Dazhi

2017-01-01

Background: Teaching online is a different experience from that of teaching in a face-to-face setting. Knowledge and skills developed for teaching face-to-face classes are not adequate preparation for teaching online. It is even more challenging to teach science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) courses completely online because these…

Managing childhood chronic illness: parent perspectives and implications for parent-provider relationships.

PubMed

Kratz, Lyn; Uding, Nancy; Trahms, Cristine M; Villareale, Nanci; Kieckhefer, Gail M

2009-12-01

When children have special health care needs, parents assume the roles of care coordinator, medical expert, and systems advocate as well as their typical parenting roles. They face many challenges in managing their child's chronic condition in the context of everyday life. Health care providers are uniquely positioned to assist parents in meeting those challenges and to promote parent competency and confidence in their child's care. The data for this analysis were collected during classes for parents of children with chronic conditions who took part in a randomized controlled study of a curriculum's effectiveness. During facilitated discussions, parents discussed challenges they faced and generated strategies they found helpful. Qualitative data analysis revealed dominant themes across subject areas. Challenges included social isolation, strained relationships and ongoing frustrations with health care and educational systems. Helpful strategies focused on being prepared, connecting with peers, becoming an advocate, developing partnerships and caring for one's self. Implications for health care providers include: understanding common challenges parents face; promoting parent-to-parent connections; and building partnerships with parents and their children with special needs.

Enhanced facial texture illumination normalization for face recognition.

PubMed

Luo, Yong; Guan, Ye-Peng

2015-08-01

An uncontrolled lighting condition is one of the most critical challenges for practical face recognition applications. An enhanced facial texture illumination normalization method is put forward to resolve this challenge. An adaptive relighting algorithm is developed to improve the brightness uniformity of face images. Facial texture is extracted by using an illumination estimation difference algorithm. An anisotropic histogram-stretching algorithm is proposed to minimize the intraclass distance of facial skin and maximize the dynamic range of facial texture distribution. Compared with the existing methods, the proposed method can more effectively eliminate the redundant information of facial skin and illumination. Extensive experiments show that the proposed method has superior performance in normalizing illumination variation and enhancing facial texture features for illumination-insensitive face recognition.

The Challenges of Plasma Material Interactions in Nuclear Fusion Devices and Potential Solutions

DOE PAGES

Rapp, J.

2017-07-12

Plasma Material Interactions in future fusion reactors have been identified as a knowledge gap to be dealt with before any next step device past ITER can be built. The challenges are manifold. They are related to power dissipation so that the heat fluxes to the plasma facing components can be kept at technologically feasible levels; maximization of the lifetime of divertor plasma facing components that allow for steady-state operation in a reactor to reach the neutron fluences required; the tritium inventory (storage) in the plasma facing components, which can lead to potential safety concerns and reduction in the fuel efficiency;more » and it is related to the technology of the plasma facing components itself, which should demonstrate structural integrity under the high temperatures and neutron fluence. This contribution will give an overview and summary of those challenges together with some discussion of potential solutions. New linear plasma devices are needed to investigate the PMI under fusion reactor conditions and test novel plasma facing components. The Material Plasma Exposure eXperiment MPEX will be introduced and a status of the current R&D towards MPEX will be summarized.« less

The Challenges of Plasma Material Interactions in Nuclear Fusion Devices and Potential Solutions

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

Rapp, J.

Plasma Material Interactions in future fusion reactors have been identified as a knowledge gap to be dealt with before any next step device past ITER can be built. The challenges are manifold. They are related to power dissipation so that the heat fluxes to the plasma facing components can be kept at technologically feasible levels; maximization of the lifetime of divertor plasma facing components that allow for steady-state operation in a reactor to reach the neutron fluences required; the tritium inventory (storage) in the plasma facing components, which can lead to potential safety concerns and reduction in the fuel efficiency;more » and it is related to the technology of the plasma facing components itself, which should demonstrate structural integrity under the high temperatures and neutron fluence. This contribution will give an overview and summary of those challenges together with some discussion of potential solutions. New linear plasma devices are needed to investigate the PMI under fusion reactor conditions and test novel plasma facing components. The Material Plasma Exposure eXperiment MPEX will be introduced and a status of the current R&D towards MPEX will be summarized.« less

NASA's TReK Project: A Case Study in Using the Spiral Model of Software Development

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hendrix, T. Dean; Schneider, Michelle P.

1998-01-01

Software development projects face numerous challenges that threaten their successful completion. Whether it is not enough money, too little time, or a case of "requirements creep" that has turned into a full sprint, projects must meet these challenges or face possible disastrous consequences. A robust, yet flexible process model can provide a mechanism through which software development teams can meet these challenges head on and win. This article describes how the spiral model has been successfully tailored to a specific project and relates some notable results to date.

Grand challenges in bioengineered nanorobotics for cancer therapy.

PubMed

Lenaghan, Scott C; Wang, Yongzhong; Xi, Ning; Fukuda, Toshio; Tarn, Tzyhjong; Hamel, William R; Zhang, Mingjun

2013-03-01

One of the grand challenges currently facing engineering, life sciences, and medicine is the development of fully functional nanorobots capable of sensing, decision making, and actuation. These nanorobots may aid in cancer therapy, site-specific drug delivery, circulating diagnostics, advanced surgery, and tissue repair. In this paper, we will discuss, from a bioinspired perspective, the challenges currently facing nanorobotics, including core design, propulsion and power generation, sensing, actuation, control, decision making, and system integration. Using strategies inspired from microorganisms, we will discuss a potential bioengineered nanorobot for cancer therapy.

Bringing nanomedicines to market: regulatory challenges, opportunities, and uncertainties.

PubMed

Nijhara, Ruchika; Balakrishnan, Krishna

2006-06-01

Scientists and entrepreneurs who contemplate developing nanomedicine products face several unique challenges in addition to many of the traditional hurdles of product development. In this review we analyze the major physicochemical, biologic and functional characteristics of several nanomedicine products on the market and explore the question of what made them unique. What made them successful? We also focus on the regulatory challenges faced by nanomedicine product developers. Based on these analyses, we propose the factors that are most likely to contribute to the success of nanomedicine products.

Face identification with frequency domain matched filtering in mobile environments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Dong-Su; Woo, Yong-Hyun; Yeom, Seokwon; Kim, Shin-Hwan

2012-06-01

Face identification at a distance is very challenging since captured images are often degraded by blur and noise. Furthermore, the computational resources and memory are often limited in the mobile environments. Thus, it is very challenging to develop a real-time face identification system on the mobile device. This paper discusses face identification based on frequency domain matched filtering in the mobile environments. Face identification is performed by the linear or phase-only matched filter and sequential verification stages. The candidate window regions are decided by the major peaks of the linear or phase-only matched filtering outputs. The sequential stages comprise a skin-color test and an edge mask filtering test, which verify color and shape information of the candidate regions in order to remove false alarms. All algorithms are built on the mobile device using Android platform. The preliminary results show that face identification of East Asian people can be performed successfully in the mobile environments.

Challenges Facing Managers in Managing Conflict in Schools in the South and South Central Regions of Botswana

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Morake, Nnior Machomi; Monobe, Ratau John; Dingwe, Stephonia

2011-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine the challenges facing managers in managing conflict in schools of South and South Central Regions of Botswana. In this study, the schedule of interview was used to collect empirical data. A random sample of 50 school managers and deputy school managers was selected for interviews. Major findings of the…

Knowledge Production and Transmission in a Changing Society: Challenges Facing Law Lecturers in a Distance Education Environment in South Africa

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Scott, Susan

2006-01-01

In this article I highlight the challenges facing a law lecturer in a multicultural society in transformation where the student is being prepared to serve society in different occupational fields as a professional person. I indicate that the law itself cannot effect change. For this we need properly trained lawyers. For an effective transformation…

The Education Challenges Facing Small Nation States in the Increasingly Competitive Global Economy of the Twenty-First Century

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bacchus, Mohammed Kazim

2008-01-01

Publication of this piece is intended as a tribute to the late Professor M. Kazim Bacchus who passed away in March 2007. The paper provides a general discussion concerning the social and educational challenges faced by small nation states in an age characterised by globalisation. The analysis first identifies some of the basic features of small…

"It's Intense, to an Extent": A Qualitative Study of the Emotional Challenges Faced by Staff Working on a Treatment Programme for Intellectually Disabled Sex Offenders

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sandhu, Daljit K.; Rose, John; Rostill-Brookes, Helen J.; Thrift, Su

2012-01-01

Background: This study explores the emotional challenges faced by staff working on a sex offender treatment programme for people with an intellectual disability. Methods: Semi-structured interviews were carried out with eight participants working on a treatment programme for sex offenders with an intellectual disability. Interviews were analysed…

Military Veterans Face Challenges in Accessing Educational Benefits at Florida Community Colleges

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Spiro, Rivka; Hill, Robert

2010-01-01

Florida's community colleges are seeing an influx of students who face unique challenges. They are the men and women who served in the military after the attacks of September 11, 2001, and who are now attending college on the new Post-9/11 GI Bill, with its greatly enhanced educational benefits, and on the expanded, old Montgomery GI Bill, which…

An Investigation into Challenges Faced by Secondary School Teachers and Pupils in Algebraic Linear Equations: A Case of Mufulira District, Zambia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Samuel, Koji; Mulenga, H. M.; Angel, Mukuka

2016-01-01

This paper investigates the challenges faced by secondary school teachers and pupils in the teaching and learning of algebraic linear equations. The study involved 80 grade 11 pupils and 15 teachers of mathematics, drawn from 4 selected secondary schools in Mufulira district, Zambia in Central Africa. A descriptive survey method was employed to…

When Worlds Collide--Examining the Challenges Faced by Teacher Education Programmes Combining Professional Vocational Competence with Academic Study, Lessons from Further Education to Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shaw, Angela

2016-01-01

This paper examines the challenges faced by higher education institutions in designing, teaching and quality assuring programmes of study which, of necessity, must combine the gaining of professional vocational competence with academic study. The paper gives recognition to the policy framework in which these programmes fit--with particular…

China in International Institutions: Challenges and Opportunities for Singapore

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-12-16

Thornton points out that the Chinese civil service is facing increasing competition from the private sector in attracting top graduates. 78 In...demographics and education system, Thornton highlights that China’s civil service faces challenges from the private sector in recruiting and retaining the... private and unofficial” 25 visit to Taiwan, China “expressed strong dissatisfaction with and protest against the visit” and threatened that

Teacher Recruitment and Retention: A Study of Why Teachers Stay in a Suburban School District in the Southeastern United States

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Williams, Fabby Terry

2017-01-01

One of the major challenges currently facing public school systems and administrators around the country is the shortage of certified teachers in classrooms. In addition, when school systems are able to find and hire properly certified teachers, school administrators face an even greater challenge in terms of keeping or retaining them. In the…

Does virtual intimacy exist? A brief exploration into reported levels of intimacy in online relationships.

PubMed

Scott, Veronica M; Mottarella, Karen E; Lavooy, Maria J

2006-12-01

This study examined the levels of intimacy reported by individuals in face-to-face and computer-mediated (or "virtual") romantic relationships. As suggested by the media and promised by online dating services, some degree of intimacy was reported in computer-mediated relationships, but stronger intimacy was reported in all participants' face-to-face relationships. Results also indicated that individuals who had online, virtual relationships reported less intimacy in their own face-to-face relationships compared to individuals who had engaged exclusively in face-to-face relationships, suggesting that people may turn to virtual relating after challenges in their face-to-face experiences.

Education as an intergenerational process of human learning, teaching, and development.

PubMed

Cole, Michael

2010-11-01

In this article I argue that the future of psychological research on educational processes would benefit from an interdisciplinary approach that enables psychologists to locate their objects of study within the cultural, social, and historical contexts of their research. To make this argument, I begin by examining anthropological accounts of the characteristics of education in small, face-to-face, preindustrial societies. I then turn to a sample of contemporary psychoeducational research that seeks to implement major, qualitative changes in modern educational practices by transforming them to have the properties of education in those self-same face-to-face societies. Next I examine the challenges faced by these modern approaches and briefly describe a multi-institutional, multidisciplinary system of education that responds to these challenges while offering a model for educating psychology students in a multigenerational system of activities with potential widespread benefits. PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved.

The Adventures of the Gray Whale: An Integrated Approach to Learning about the Long Migration

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Britton, Stacey; Tippins, Deborah; Cajigal, Aris; Cox, Melissa; Cole, Gerri; Vazquez, Max; Trejo, Martha Cabrera; Guzman, Amelia

2010-01-01

Using migration as a springboard, students can begin to understand patterns of survival and interdependence that exist within nature, as well as humankind's role in modifying these patterns. This mini-unit involves a series of integrated activities designed to take middle school students (fifth through eighth grades) on a journey of the eastern…

And the 2011 Nobel Prize in Physics Goes to ...The Accelerating Universe!

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hobson, Art

2012-01-01

The 5000-year-old remains of Stonehenge, in England, testify to humankind's reverence for the stars. Humans hauled four-ton stones from as far away as 240 km to make these monuments. They are the remains of a larger structure used for religious purposes and to predict astronomical events such as solstices, equinoxes, and perhaps even eclipses, an…

Professionalization and the Null Curriculum: The Case of the Popular Eugenics Movement and American Educational Studies.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Selden, Steven

1987-01-01

Presents an essay review of three recent books on eugenics, a once popular quasiscientific and politically conservative social movement devoted to the improvement of humankind through programs of selective breeding and marriage restriction. States that educators must study and come to grips with the meaning of this movement in order to appreciate…

From Generation to Generation: Oral Histories of Scientific Innovations from the 20th Century

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bedrossian, Mindy J.

2010-01-01

The 20th century saw some of the most important technological and scientific discoveries in the history of humankind. The space shuttle, the internet, and other modern advances changed society forever, and yet many students cannot imagine what life was like before these technologies existed. In the project described here, students take a firsthand…

The Discovery of the Future: The Ways Science Fiction Developed. Miscellaneous Publication 13.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gunn, James

This booklet discusses the development of science fiction, tracing its origins to the time of the industrial revolution. Many of the people of this time realized that life was changing and would continue to change, that there were new forces at work in the world, and that humankind should exercise some forethought about the direction in which…

History and legacy of fire effects in the South Carolina piedmont and coastal regions

Treesearch

Lindsay H. Fairchilds; Carl C. Trettin

2006-01-01

Agriculture, fire suppression, and urbanization have drastically altered natural forest processes and conditions since humankind settled in the Southeastern United States. Today, many of South Carolina’s forests are dense and overstocked, with high fuel loads. These conditions increase the susceptibility of forests to southern pine beetle attack and wildfire. These...

The Educational Ideas of Pedro Arrupe, SJ: A Valuable Resource for All Catholic Educators

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Meyo, Obwanda Stephen

2014-01-01

Pedro Arrupe was concerned about the growing attitude in which the vocation of humankind is understood as making oneself the centre of the universe, fearing that it has infiltrated into education and schools. Consequently, he set out to counteract this egoistic mindset by propounding an approach to education rooted in justice tempered with faith,…

Apocalyptic Fiction: Dealing with the End of the World in the Classroom.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Compora, Daniel P.

The end of the world, or civilization, is probably one of humankind's most horrifying fears. The apocalypse has been explored by many writers, and the decision to include this type of literature in a curriculum depends on how the situation is presented and resolved. The work should offer some solution and hope. Two recent works of apocalyptic…

Map-based analysis of the tenacious glume gene Tg-B1 of wild emmer and its role in wheat domestication

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The domestication of wheat was instrumental in spawning the civilization of humankind, and it occurred through genetic mutations that gave rise to types with non-fragile rachises, soft glumes, and free-threshing seed. The Tg-D1 gene on chromosome 2D of Aegilops tauschii, the D-genome progenitor of ...

Building Franklin's Truly Democratic, Engaged University: Twenty Years of Practice at the University of Pennsylvania

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hartley, Matthew; Harkavy, Ira; Benson, Lee

2006-01-01

Benjamin Franklin founded the University of Pennsylvania as a secular institution with the pragmatic aim of instilling in its students the inclination and ability to serve humankind in both the civic and mercantile realms. On this, the three hundredth anniversary of his birth (1706-2006), Franklin's ideal of a democratic, engaged university has…

Openness--A Way Forward: Development Education Research Centre

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hare-Heremia, Mahora

2014-01-01

Education is a vital aspect in the lives of humankind. It contributes and shapes our future as citizens of the world. To understand it is to discover the many hidden talents the world has in store for all. The Development Education Research Centre (DERC) holds many resources that aid in the development of education at a global level. With the…

Ancient and Medieval Earth in Armenia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Farmanyan, S. V.

2015-07-01

Humankind has always sought to recognize the nature of various sky related phenomena and tried to give them explanations. The purpose of this study is to identify ancient Armenians' pantheistic and cosmological perceptions, world view, notions and beliefs related to the Earth. The paper focuses on the structure of the Earth and many other phenomena of nature that have always been on a major influence on ancient Armenians thinking. In this paper we have compared the term Earth in 31 languages. By discussing and comparing Universe structure in various regional traditions, myths, folk songs and phraseological units we very often came across to "Seven Heavens" (Seven heavens is a part of religious cosmology found in many major religions such as Islam, Judaism, Hinduism and Christianity (namely Catholicism) and "Seven Earths". Armenians in their turn divided Earth and Heavens into seven layers. And in science too, both the Earth and the Heavens have 7 layers. The Seven Heavens refer to the layers of our atmosphere. The Seven Earths refer to the layers of the Earth (from core to crust), as well as seven continents. We conclude that the perception of celestial objects varies from culture to culture and preastronomy had a significant impact on humankind, particularly on cultural diversities.

Medicine and the space odyssey.

PubMed

Charlton, Bruce G

2006-01-01

Up to the mid-1960s, science and technology (including medicine) were generally regarded as exciting, beautiful and spiritually enthralling; and the space odyssey seemed a symbol of the optimistic future of humankind. The early seventies saw a growing disillusionment with space travel as part of a mood of cultural pessimism and anti-modernization - and this combined with a resurgence of therapeutic nihilism in medicine. But recent discussions of renewed space exploration and a Mars mission may be evidence of a changing zeitgeist, with Western culture moving towards a bolder and more optimistic attitude. The adventure of space travel, exploration and colonization could be seen as both a barometer of cultural optimism, and an enterprise which would feed-back into cultural optimism for many decades to come. Medical science could also be a beneficiary; since greater boldness and optimism would be likely to renew the goals of medicine to do positive good - as contrasted with the necessary, but relatively uninspiring, requirement to minimize risk and harm. In a modernizing society humankind needs to look outward as well as inward: we need a frontier, and we need to grow. A resurgent space odyssey may be the best way that this can be enacted.

Industrial Development and Challenges of Water Pollution in Coastal Areas: The Case of Surat, India

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bansal, Neeru

2018-03-01

Industrialisation plays an important role in the economic development of a country, however, pollution is the inevitable price paid for this development. Surat, a major industrial hub in western India, is located on the bank of the river Tapi and extends up to the Arabian Sea. The city is characterised by the presence of a number of creeks (known as ‘khadis’ in local language). This paper focusses on the industrial development in Surat and the challenges faced by the city due to water pollution. A constant deterioration in the quality of surface water resources has been observed due to discharge of treated or partially treated effluents from the industries. The problem of water pollution becomes critical due to increase in frequency of flooding, risks faced by the city due to climate change and the ineffective environmental governance. The paper provides insights into the challenges faced by the city and the learnings can lead to adoption of policy initiatives and other measures which can effectively address these challenges.

USGS Science: Addressing Our Nation's Challenges

USGS Publications Warehouse

Larson, Tania M.

2009-01-01

With 6.6 billion people already living on Earth, and that number increasing every day, human influence on our planet is ever more apparent. Changes to the natural world combined with increasing human demands threaten our health and safety, our national security, our economy, and our quality of life. As a planet and a Nation, we face unprecedented challenges: loss of critical and unique ecosystems, the effects of climate change, increasing demand for limited energy and mineral resources, increasing vulnerability to natural hazards, the effects of emerging diseases on wildlife and human health, and growing needs for clean water. The time to respond to these challenges is now, but policymakers and decisionmakers face difficult choices. With competing priorities to balance, and potentially serious - perhaps irreversible - consequences at stake, our leaders need reliable scientific information to guide their decisions. As the Nation's earth and natural science agency, the USGS monitors and conducts scientific research on natural hazards and resources and how these elements and human activities influence our environment. Because the challenges we face are complex, the science needed to better understand and deal with these challenges must reflect the complex interplay among natural and human systems. With world-class expertise in biology, geology, geography, hydrology, geospatial information, and remote sensing, the USGS is uniquely capable of conducting the comprehensive scientific research needed to better understand the interdependent interactions of Earth's systems. Every day, the USGS helps decisionmakers to minimize loss of life and property, manage our natural resources, and protect and enhance our quality of life. This brochure provides examples of the challenges we face and how USGS science helps decisionmakers to address these challenges.

In Pursuit of Ethical Research: Studying Hybrid Communities Using Online and Face-to-Face Communications

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Busher, Hugh; James, Nalita

2015-01-01

Hybrid communities using online and face-to-face communications to construct their practices are increasingly part of everyday life amongst people who have easy access to the internet. Researching these communities raises a number of challenges for researchers in the pursuit of ethical research. The paper begins by exploring what is understood by…

Post-Adoption Face-to-Face Contact with Birth Parents: Prospective Adopters' Views

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Turkington, Selina; Taylor, Brian J.

2009-01-01

The trend in adoption since the 1960s has been away from secrecy and towards greater openness; contact through an intermediary, and direct contact by letter, is now widely accepted. More controversial is the challenge of face-to-face contact with birth parents, and social workers involved in the decision-making process find themselves having to…

Evaluation of the Progress and Challenges facing the Ponseti Method Program in Vietnam

PubMed Central

Wu, Vincent; Nguyen, Michelle; Nhi, Huynh Manh; Thanh, Do Van; Oprescu, Florin; Cook, Thomas; Morcuende, Jose A.

2012-01-01

Introduction In 2003, an ICRC-SFD Ponseti program was introduced in southern Vietnam. Additional programs were introduced by the Prosthetics Outreach Foundation and independently by physicians trained at our center. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact, progress and challenges facing Ponseti practitioners and patients' family members in Vietnam. In addition, web-conferencing (Ponseti Virtual Forum) for continued medical education in the method was also assessed. Methods Multiple questionnaires were developed to conduct face-to-face practitioner interviews, focus group interviews, and parental interviews. Observation was done at multiple site clinics to determine or confirm additional challenges faced by practitioners. Web conferencing was introduced to sites in Ho Chi Minh City and Da Nang City. Results The number of clubfoot patients treated with the Ponseti method has increased over time with approximately 1,252 infants treated between 2003 and 2010. Specific challenges were identified relating to communication, networking, distance and transportation, and finances for both practitioners and parents. The PVF was not only found to facilitate rapid, relevant dissemination of medical knowledge – thus increasing physician and patient satisfaction – but it may also be found to act as an interface in which medical culture, insight, and compassion are shared benefiting all virtual forum participants. Conclusion The identified progress and challenges mirrored that of similar studies done in other countries with several factors affecting progress. Focusing on improving communication channels and networking while working with the ministry of health may improve the facilitation of the Ponseti method in Vietnam. Further implementation and evaluation of the PVF may act as a guide for current and future programs in Vietnam or other countries. PMID:23576933

Recommendations on Arresting Global Health Challenges Facing Adolescents and Young Adults.

PubMed

Lassi, Zohra S; Salam, Rehana A; Bhutta, Zulfiqar A

The health challenges faced by young people are more complex than adults and can compromise their full growth and development. Attention must be paid to the health of this age group, yet adolescents and youth remain largely invisible and often disappear from the major global datasets. The aim of this paper is to discuss the global health challenges faced by adolescents and youth, global legislations and guidelines pertaining to this particular age group, recommendations to arrest these challenges, and research priorities. Major direct and indirect global health risks faced by adolescents include early pregnancy and childbirth, femicide, honor killing, female genital mutilation, nutritional habits and choices, social media, and peer pressure. There are no standard legal age cut-offs for adulthood; rather, the age varies for different activities, such as age of consent or the minimum age that young people can legally work, leave school, drive, buy alcohol, marry, be held accountable for criminal action, and make medical decisions. This reflects the fact that the existing systems and structures are focused on either children or adults, with very few investments and interventions directed specifically to young people. Existing legislation and guidelines need transformation to bring about a specific focus on adolescents in the domains of substance use and sexual behaviors, and the capacity for adolescent learning should be exploited through graduated legal and policy frameworks. Sustainable development goals provide an opportunity to target this neglected and vulnerable age group. A multisectoral approach is needed to bring about healthy change and address the challenges faced by adolescents and youth, from modifications at a broader legislative and policy level to ground-level (community-level) implementations. Copyright © 2017 Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Doing qualitative research on suicide in a developing country: practical and ethical challenges.

PubMed

Mugisha, James; Knizek, Birthe Loa; Kinyanda, Eugene; Hjelmeland, Heidi

2011-01-01

This article describes and discusses the challenges faced by researchers who conducted a qualitative interview study on attitudes toward suicide among the Baganda, Uganda. Many of the challenges addressed in this article have not been described earlier in suicide research conducted in the developing world. The aim of this study was to explore attitudes and cultural responses toward suicide among the Baganda, Uganda. Data were collected and analyzed using grounded theory. A total of 28 focus group discussions and 30 key informant interviews were conducted. The findings of this study are organized under two broad categories: community access challenges and expectation challenges. Community access challenges entailed cultural, legal, rapport, informed consent, language, and other research process related issues that could hinder effective access to the study respondents. Expectation challenges concerned how to deal with the immediate and strategic needs of the study communities. This study demonstrates that culturally sensitive approaches to data collection can reduce ethical challenges and, through innovative approaches, practical challenges faced during data collection can be minimized.

Common Challenges Faced by Women of Color in Physics, and Actions Faculty Can Take to Minimize Those Challenges

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Johnson, Angela; Ong, Maria; Ko, Lily T.; Smith, Janet; Hodari, Apriel

2017-09-01

Women of color are deeply underrepresented in physics. Between 2002 and 2012, only 1% of graduating physics majors were Black women and another 1% were Latinas; only 61 American Indian women total completed degrees in physics in those years (out of 48,000 physics majors). This isolation can lead to additional obstacles that women of color majoring in physics must face above and beyond the challenging material. In this article we draw on qualitative findings to describe common obstacles women of color face. However, departments can take deliberate steps so that underrepresentation need not turn into loneliness and isolation. We describe the characteristics of a department where women of color report that they are thriving. We end with concrete steps physics faculty can take to support women physics majors of color.

Not-for-profit hospitals fight tax-exempt challenges.

PubMed

Hudson, T

1990-10-20

The message being sent by local tax boards, state agencies, and the Internal Revenue Service is clear: Not-for-profit hospitals will have to justify their tax-exempt status. But complying with this demand can be a costly administrative burden. Just ask the executives who have been through the experience. CEO Richard Anderson, of St. Luke's Hospital, Bethlehem, PA, is luckier than some executives who have faced tax-exempt challenges. He won his hospital's case. But he still faces a yearly battle: The hospital must prove its compliance annually to the county board of assessors. Other executives report similar experiences. Our cover story takes an in-depth look at how administrators faced challenges to their hospital's tax status and what they learned about their relationship with their communities, as well as a complete state and federal legislative outlook for future developments.

RRR for NNN-a rapid research response for the Neglected Tropical Disease NGDO Network: a novel framework to challenges faced by the global programs targeting neglected tropical diseases.

PubMed

Toledo, Chelsea E; Jacobson, Julie; Wainwright, Emily C; Ottesen, Eric A; Lammie, Patrick J

2016-03-01

While global programs targeting the control or elimination of five of the neglected tropical diseases (NTDs)-lymphatic filariasis, onchocerciasis, soil-transmitted helminthiasis, schistosomiasis and trachoma-are well underway, they still face many operational challenges. Because of the urgency of 2020 program targets, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the U.S. Agency for International Development devised a novel rapid research response (RRR) framework to engage national programs, researchers, implementers and WHO in a Coalition for Operational Research on NTDs. After 2 years, this effort has succeeded as an important basis for the research response to programmatic challenges facing NTD programs. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene.

Tracking and recognition face in videos with incremental local sparse representation model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Chao; Wang, Yunhong; Zhang, Zhaoxiang

2013-10-01

This paper addresses the problem of tracking and recognizing faces via incremental local sparse representation. First a robust face tracking algorithm is proposed via employing local sparse appearance and covariance pooling method. In the following face recognition stage, with the employment of a novel template update strategy, which combines incremental subspace learning, our recognition algorithm adapts the template to appearance changes and reduces the influence of occlusion and illumination variation. This leads to a robust video-based face tracking and recognition with desirable performance. In the experiments, we test the quality of face recognition in real-world noisy videos on YouTube database, which includes 47 celebrities. Our proposed method produces a high face recognition rate at 95% of all videos. The proposed face tracking and recognition algorithms are also tested on a set of noisy videos under heavy occlusion and illumination variation. The tracking results on challenging benchmark videos demonstrate that the proposed tracking algorithm performs favorably against several state-of-the-art methods. In the case of the challenging dataset in which faces undergo occlusion and illumination variation, and tracking and recognition experiments under significant pose variation on the University of California, San Diego (Honda/UCSD) database, our proposed method also consistently demonstrates a high recognition rate.

Russian Military Reform: Problems and Challenges

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-03-25

RUSSIAN MILITARY REFORM : PROBLEMS AND CHALLENGES BY LIEUTENANT COLONEL ZURAB AGLADZE Georgian Army...USAWC STRATEGIC REASERCH PROJECT RUSSIAN MILITARY REFORM : PROBLEMS AND CHALLENGES by Lieutenant Colonel...noncommissioned officers still continue to be unsolved. Despite some successes, Russian military reform still faces many challenges that will

Inventory of college challenges for ethnic minority students: psychometric properties of a new instrument in Chinese Americans.

PubMed

Ying, Yu-Wen; Lee, Peter Allen; Tsai, Jeanne L

2004-11-01

The Inventory of College Challenges for Ethnic Minority Students (ICCEMS) is a newly developed instrument that assesses challenges faced by ethnic minority college students across a range of cultural, academic, social, and practical domains. The present study tested the ICCEMS among Chinese American students in an attempt to identify its factor structure and assess its psychometric properties. A total of 13 factor domains emerged. The Cronbach's alpha and 1-month test-retest reliability of the subscales and the overall scale supported their reliability. Both criterion and construct validities were also demonstrated. Chinese American college students faced the greatest challenges in terms of unclear career direction and academic demands. 2004 APA

[Brazilian Army nurses and transportation of the wounded: a challenge faced during World War II].

PubMed

Bernardes, Margarida Maria Rocha; Lopes, Gertrudes Teixeira

2007-01-01

This historic-sociologic study aims to analyse the challenges faced by the Brazilian Expeditionary Force's Air Transportation Nurses of the Army with the Theatre of Operations on the course of World War II. The primary source was comprised of a photograph from this time period and oral testimonies of those who participated in the conflict. Ideas by sociologist Pierre Bourdieu support the discussion. Results suggest that Brazilian nurses were challenged to transport the wounded without medical advice. We conclude that the challenge to fulfill the task imposed, which led to independent decision-making, gave confidence and autonomy to the ones already responsible for the transportation of the wounded.

Solutions to Challenges Facing a University Digital Library and Press

PubMed Central

D'Alessandro, Michael P.; Galvin, Jeffrey R.; Colbert, Stephana I.; D'Alessandro, Donna M.; Choi, Teresa A.; Aker, Brian D.; Carlson, William S.; Pelzer, Gay D.

2000-01-01

During the creation of a university digital library and press intended to serve as a medical reference and education tool for health care providers and their patients, six distinct and complex digital publishing challenges were encountered. Over nine years, through a multidisciplinary approach, solutions were devised to the challenges of digital content ownership, management, mirroring, translation, interactions with users, and archiving. The result is a unique, author-owned, internationally mirrored, university digital library and press that serves as an authoritative medical reference and education tool for users around the world. The purpose of this paper is to share the valuable digital publishing lessons learned and outline the challenges facing university digital libraries and presses. PMID:10833161

Cross-cultural healthcare challenges: an insight into small American community hospitals.

PubMed

Kothari, M P; Kothari, V

1997-01-01

The healthcare industry in the United States is faced with many strategic challenges, because of the nation's growing culturally diverse population. Growing cultural diversity now calls for better trained medical staff that is capable of handling language, religious and cultural differences. In the rural communities, where cultural diversity is rapidly becoming a demographic fact, small hospitals with limited resources are especially confronted with medical challenges for which they seem to be least prepared. Based on an exploratory research that includes a study of small town hospitals, this paper provides insights into cross-cultural problems facing healthcare professionals in small communities. The paper highlights also the ways in which hospitals are responding to such challenges.

Obstacles facing Africa's young climate scientists

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dike, Victor Nnamdi; Addi, Martin; Andang'o, Hezron Awiti; Attig, Bahar Faten; Barimalala, Rondrotiana; Diasso, Ulrich Jacques; Du Plessis, Marcel; Lamine, Salim; Mongwe, Precious N.; Zaroug, Modathir; Ochanda, Valentine Khasenye

2018-06-01

Current and future climate change poses a substantial threat to the African continent. Young scientists are needed to advance Earth systems science on the continent, but they face significant challenges.

Veterans and Military Family Health

MedlinePlus

Service members and veterans face some different health issues from civilians. Their families also face some unique challenges. Families may have to cope with Separation from their loved ones Anxiety over ...

Teaching Improvisation in Elementary General Music: Facing Fears and Fostering Creativity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Whitcomb, Rachel

2013-01-01

Improvisation is a vital part of an elementary general music education. While some music teachers successfully include improvisation in music instruction, others have fears and face challenges when attempting improvisational activities in the classroom. This article acknowledges obstacles facing music educators when attempting to incorporate…

Student Equity: Discouraging Cheating in Online Courses

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Michael, Timothy B.; Williams, Melissa A.

2013-01-01

As online programs at conventional universities continue to expand, administrators and faculty face new challenges. Academic dishonesty is nothing new, but an online testing environment requires different strategies and tactics from what we have had to consider in the past. Our university has recently adapted successful face-to-face programs in…

Energy in the urban environment. Proceedings of the 22. annual Illinois energy conference

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

NONE

1994-12-31

The conference addressed the energy and environmental challenges facing large metropolitan areas. The topics included a comparison of the environmental status of cities twenty years ago with the challenges facing today`s large cities, sustainable economic development, improving the energy and environmental infrastructure, and the changing urban transportation sector. Selected papers are indexed separately for inclusion in the Energy Science and Technology Database.

Investigating the Attitudes of Elementary School Teachers, School Psychologists and Guidance Research Center Personnel on the Process of Preparing the Individualized Educational Program and Challenges Faced during the Related Process

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tike Bafra, Leyla; Kargin, Tevhide

2009-01-01

This study aims to analyze the attitudes of elementary school teachers, school psychologists and guidance research center personnel regarding developing an individualized educational program (IEP) process as well as challenges faced during the related process, according to several variables. The study included 201 participants who were working in…

District of Columbia: D.C. Public Schools' Modernization Program Faces Major Challenges. Testimony before the Subcommittee on the District of Columbia, Committee on Appropriations, House of Representatives.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cooper, David E.

This Congressional testimony focuses on the challenges faced by the District of Columbia in modernizing its public schools. Specifically, it addresses: (1) increases in the cost of modernizing the schools; (2) delays in completing the schools; (3) quality inspection problems; and (4) concerns about managing asbestos hazards. The testimony…

Challenges Facing Amateur Athletics. Hearing before the Subcommittee on Commerce, Trade, and Consumer Protection of the Committee on Energy and Commerce. House of Representatives, One Hundred Seventh Congress, Second Session.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Congress of the U.S., Washington, DC. House Committee on Energy and Commerce.

This hearing examined challenges facing amateur athletics, focusing on several topics identified as relevant to the issue. Witnesses addressed the commercialization of collegiate sports and its impact. They also discussed how gambling affects amateur sports and looked at overall student athlete welfare. Testimony was presented by Michael Aguirre,…

To Grow or Not to Grow? A Post-Great Recession Synopsis of the Political, Financial, and Social Contract Challenges Facing the University of California. Research & Occasional Paper Series: CSHE.15.13

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Douglass, John Aubrey

2013-01-01

After more than two decades of state disinvestment, the University of California faces significant challenges and misunderstandings regarding its operating costs, its wide array of activities, and its mission. Reduced funding from the state for public higher education, including UC, has essentially severed the historic link between state…

Tolerance to spatial-relational transformations in unfamiliar faces: A further challenge to a configural processing account of identity recognition.

PubMed

Lorenzino, Martina; Caminati, Martina; Caudek, Corrado

2018-05-25

One of the most important questions in face perception research is to understand what information is extracted from a face in order to recognize its identity. Recognition of facial identity has been attributed to a special sensitivity to "configural" information. However, recent studies have challenged the configural account by showing that participants are poor in discriminating variations of metric distances among facial features, especially for familiar as opposed to unfamiliar faces, whereas a configural account predicts the opposite. We aimed to extend these previous results by examining classes of unfamiliar faces with which we have different levels of expertise. We hypothesized an inverse relation between sensitivity to configural information and expertise with a given class of faces, but only for neutral expressions. By first matching perceptual discriminability, we measured tolerance to subtle configural transformations with same-race (SR) versus other-race (OR) faces, and with upright versus upside-down faces. Consistently with our predictions, we found a lower sensitivity to at-threshold configural changes for SR compared to OR faces. We also found that, for our stimuli, the face inversion effect disappeared for neutral but not for emotional faces - a result that can also be attributed to a lower sensitivity to configural transformations for faces presented in a more familiar orientation. The present findings question a purely configural account of face processing and suggest that the role of spatial-relational information in face processing varies according to the functional demands of the task and to the characteristics of the stimuli. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Policy and data-intensive scientific discovery in the beginning of the 21st century.

PubMed

Ozdemir, Vural; Smith, Charles; Bongiovanni, Kathleen; Cullen, David; Knoppers, Bartha M; Lowe, Andrew; Peters, Mette; Robbins, Robert; Stewart, Elizabeth; Yee, Gene; Yu, Yi-Kuo; Kolker, Eugene

2011-04-01

Recent developments in our ability to capture, curate, and analyze data, the field of data-intensive science (DIS), have indeed made these interesting and challenging times for scientific practice as well as policy making in real time. We are confronted with immense datasets that challenge our ability to pool, transfer, analyze, or interpret scientific observations. We have more data available than ever before, yet more questions to be answered as well, and no clear path to answer them. We are excited by the potential for science-based solutions to humankind's problems, yet stymied by the limitations of our current cyberinfrastructure and existing public policies. Importantly, DIS signals a transformation of the hypothesis-driven tradition of science ("first hypothesize, then experiment") to one that is typified by "first experiment, then hypothesize" mode of discovery. Another hallmark of DIS is that it amasses data that are public goods (i.e., creates a "commons") that can further be creatively mined for various applications in different sectors. As such, this calls for a science policy vision that is long term. We herein reflect on how best to approach to policy making at this critical inflection point when DIS applications are being diversified in agriculture, ecology, marine biology, and environmental research internationally. This article outlines the key policy issues and gaps that emerged from the multidisciplinary discussions at the NSF-funded DIS workshop held at the Seattle Children's Research Institute in Seattle, on September 19-20, 2010. © Mary Ann Liebert, Inc.

Challenges in the surgical management of ectopic pregnancy in a low-resource setting: Mpilo Central Hospital, Bulawayo, Zimbabwe.

PubMed

Ngwenya, Solwayo

2017-10-01

Background Ectopic pregnancy contributes to maternal morbidity and mortality, especially in low-resourced countries with limited facilities for early diagnosis and treatment. It is a very challenging condition to diagnose. Patients may collapse and die while undergoing investigation. Aims To assess surgical treatment given to patients presenting at Mpilo Central Hospital, the challenges that are faced and the outcomes; and also to document how women survive this dangerous condition in a setting challenged by low resources. Results All the patients had prompt life-saving surgery within 48 h of admission despite the challenges faced. The survival rate was 100% during the period of the study. Conclusion It is possible to prevent maternal mortality in low-resource countries by maintaining basic clinical and surgical skills.

Major Management Challenges and Program Risks: Department of Transportation

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2001-01-01

This report is part of a special series entitled the Performance and Accountability Series: Major Management Challenges and Program Risks. This report addresses the major performance and accountability challenges facing the Department of Transportati...

Firefighter Training in Sweden: From Face-to-Face Learning in Training Grounds to Distance Learning--A Challenge for Exercise Instructors?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Holmgren, Robert

2016-01-01

When distance learning supported by digital technologies was introduced in firefighter training in Sweden some years ago, training exercise instructors accustomed to face-to-face teaching in the field had to adapt their professional roles to an electronic landscape with a number of new opportunities and constraints. Based on activity theory and…

Harmonizing professional, personal, and social responsibilities: Indian women dentists' perspectives.

PubMed

Nagda, Suhasini Jayantilal

2015-05-01

Women in Indian culture have a paradoxical status: on the one hand, goddesses are worshipped for power and prosperity; on the other hand, working women face challenges due to age-old beliefs and sociocultural norms. With 60% of the students enrolled in undergraduate dental education currently being women, there is a need to study the challenges these women are facing and how they tackle them. The aim of this survey study was to assess the barriers women dentists face in career advancement and how successfully they balance the personal, professional, and social aspects of their lives. Questionnaires, consisting of four qualitative and 24 quantitative items, were distributed to 500 women dentists: postgraduate residents and faculty members in dental colleges of Mumbai and Navi Mumbai, as well as private dental practitioners. Of the 500 women, 210 returned the survey, for an overall response rate of 42%. The results showed that 95% of the respondents believed they successfully balance the various spheres of their lives, but the most common challenges they faced continued to be traditional gender bias, dual professional and home responsibilities, and preconceived ideas about women.

Challenges faced by women with disabilities in accessing sexual and reproductive health in Zimbabwe: The case of Chitungwiza town

PubMed Central

Maphosa, France

2017-01-01

Background Women with disabilities in Zimbabwe face numerous challenges in accessing sexual and reproductive health. Cultural belief still regards them as not sexually active. The government has also failed to promote policies that facilitate access to sexual and reproductive services by women with disabilities. Objectives The reseach objectives were to explore the challenges faced by women with disabilities in accessing sexual and reproductive health in Zimbabwe. Method The data were gathered using in-depth interviews with 23 purposively selected respondents. Thirteen women had physical disabilities, five were visually impaired, three were deaf and two were stammering. The respondents with physical disabilities were using wheelchairs, walking frames, prosthesis, crutches and caliper shoes. The participants’ ages ranged from 18 to 45 years. All interviews were transcribed and translated verbatim into English, and passages were extracted from the transcripts. Key themes and concepts were identified and coded to offer a rich framework for analysis, comparisons and presentation of the data. Results Negative perceptions of health personnel towards people with disabilities, disability-unfriendly infrastructure at health facilities and absence of trained personnel for people with disabilities (sign language) are some of the challenges involved. Conclusion The government, in partnership with other stakeholders, should address challenges faced by women with disabilities when accessing sexual and reproductive health services. Non-government, private hospitals and profit-making organisations should join hands with government in funding health requirements for women with disabilities. PMID:28730062

Challenges for Professional Organizations: Lessons from the Past

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

O'Neil, Sharon Lund; Willis, Cheryl L.

2005-01-01

Many challenges face professional organizations. This study focused on the contributions, challenges, and trends in business education professional organizations over the years. Data was gathered from formal and informal sources associated with 17 business education professional organizations. The study showed that primary challenges were…

Reviewing education challenges and solutions for health professionals in community care.

PubMed

Kirk, Mary

2015-10-01

The biggest asset of the NHS is its staff. Health professionals working in the community are faced with a number of challenges to maintain and develop their knowledge and skills in their clinical practice. NHS England's Five Year Forward View describes the need for change, identifying the necessity to reshape care delivery, harnessing technology, and driving down variations in quality and safety of care. This article explores some of the challenges faced by community health-care providers and reviews possible solutions to meet community health-care needs for now as well as the future.

Talking about epilepsy: Challenges parents face when communicating with their child about epilepsy and epilepsy-related issues.

PubMed

O'Toole, Stephanie; Lambert, Veronica; Gallagher, Pamela; Shahwan, Amre; Austin, Joan K

2016-04-01

The aim of this qualitative study was to explore the challenges that parents of children with epilepsy experienced when engaging in dialog with their child about epilepsy and epilepsy-related issues. Using a qualitative exploratory approach, interviews were conducted with 34 parents of children with epilepsy (aged 6-16 years), consisting of 27 mothers and 7 fathers. Data were transcribed verbatim and thematically analyzed. Findings revealed five main themes: normalizing epilepsy, the invisibility of epilepsy, information concealment, fear of misinforming the child, and difficulty in discussing particular epilepsy-related issues. Many of the communicative challenges experienced by parents impacted on their ability to engage openly in parent-child dialog about epilepsy in the home. Parents face specific challenges when choosing to communicate with their child about epilepsy, relating to creating a sense of normality, reducing fear of causing their child worry, and having a lack of epilepsy-related knowledge. Healthcare professionals who work closely with families living with epilepsy should remain mindful of the importance of discussing family communication surrounding epilepsy and the challenges parents of children with epilepsy face when talking about epilepsy within the home. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Linguistics, Cognitive Science and Liberal Education. Linguistics in the Undergraduate Curriculum, Appendix 4-H.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Heny, Frank

The goals of liberal education are to deepen the understanding of the nature of humankind and of the human condition. In the last half century, fundamental changes have occurred in perceptions of how the human species relates to the rest of the universe, due to developments in science and the creation of the cognitive sciences. There is now the…

Community Involvement and Perceptions on Land Use and Utilization Practices for Sustainable Forest Management in the Nandi Hills Forests, Kenya

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tanui, Julius Gordon; Chepkuto, Paul K.

2015-01-01

To ensure the existence of humankind and the sustainable utilization of the earth's resources, deliberate action needs to be channelled towards the conservation of the vital support systems of the entire Earth ecosystems. Forests in this case form quite a crucial part of this wider arrangement that if man does not deliberately conserve and…

Changes in sediment yield and stream morphology in an actively managed forested watershed due to upstream disturbances

Treesearch

Ilkim Cavus; Latif Kalin; Ferhat Kara

2016-01-01

Attaining high quality water has always been a big concern for humankind. Forested watersheds are known to provide the cleanest form of water. However, conversion of forested lands to agricultural and/or urban use, as well as disturbances created in forested watersheds lead to degradation and deterioration of our water resources.

The Role of Gestures in the Mathematical Practices of Those Who Do Not See with Their Eyes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Healy, Lulu; Fernandes, Solange Hassan Ahmad Ali

2011-01-01

In this paper, we aim to contribute to the discussion of the role of the human body and of the concrete artefacts and signs created by humankind in the constitution of meanings for mathematical practices. We argue that cognition is both embodied and situated in the activities through which it occurs and that mathematics learning involves the…

An integrated model of human-wildlife interdependence

USGS Publications Warehouse

John, Kun H.; Walsh, Richard G.; Johnson, R.L.

1994-01-01

This paper attempts to integrate wildlife-related ecologic and economic variables into an econometric model. The model reveals empirical evidence of the presumed interdependence of human-wildlife and the holistic nature of humanity's relationship to the ecosystem. Human use of biologic resources varies not only with income, education, and population, but also with sustainability of humankind's action relative to the quality and quantity of the supporting ecological base.

World economics for mankind's frontier

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Finch, Edward R.

2007-04-01

In Acta Astronautica, Vol. 56, No. 5, March 2006, at ISSN0094-5765 there appears the article entitled “Will space actually be the Final Frontier of humankind?” written by Giancarlo Genta, and Michael Rycroft. This Acta Astronautica article requires amplification on the economic side. The writer of this article was personally present at the Apollo 11th launchings for the first landing on the Moon, by Buzz Aldrin and others. The Apollo 11 take off to the Moon, from Cape Carnival, did not leave the situation “so humankind seems forever to be bound to its own planet!” There was nothing pessimistic about the launch of Apollo 11. It is written that there was a lack of vision at that time, which is also not correct. The ‘Final Frontier’ myth was never mentioned on that occasion. At Apollo 11 we did take planet earth's “first faltering step for mankind” on the path towards a space faring civilization, exactly as these two authors later correctly mention. Now with the US Presidential initiatives “Moon, Mars and Beyond,” the authors suggested that it “will depend on social, political and economic issues rather than technological and scientific ones.” This Academy Note respectfully submits that all of these factors social, political and economic issues, plus psychological and scientific ones, instead of, “rather than technical and scientific ones” are going to be the determining factors of the speed of progress of the exploration of the entire universe, and particularly the sun in our Milky Way Galaxy. Russia and Ukraine are now on same, deep-space policy directions. The attention of the readers of this Academy Note is called to the current “Cosmic Collision” excellent presentation at the Hayden Planetarium, located at the Museum of National History in the City of New York. It shows the past, the present and the future of international humankind in exploring space and the creation of the universe, with particular reference to the protons of our sun, for our Milky Way Galaxy.

Weather, knowledge base and life-style

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bohle, Martin

2015-04-01

Why to main-stream curiosity for earth-science topics, thus to appraise these topics as of public interest? Namely, to influence practices how humankind's activities intersect the geosphere. How to main-stream that curiosity for earth-science topics? Namely, by weaving diverse concerns into common threads drawing on a wide range of perspectives: be it beauty or particularity of ordinary or special phenomena, evaluating hazards for or from mundane environments, or connecting the scholarly investigation with concerns of citizens at large; applying for threading traditional or modern media, arts or story-telling. Three examples: First "weather"; weather is a topic of primordial interest for most people: weather impacts on humans lives, be it for settlement, for food, for mobility, for hunting, for fishing, or for battle. It is the single earth-science topic that went "prime-time" since in the early 1950-ties the broadcasting of weather forecasts started and meteorologists present their work to the public, daily. Second "knowledge base"; earth-sciences are a relevant for modern societies' economy and value setting: earth-sciences provide insights into the evolution of live-bearing planets, the functioning of Earth's systems and the impact of humankind's activities on biogeochemical systems on Earth. These insights bear on production of goods, living conditions and individual well-being. Third "life-style"; citizen's urban culture prejudice their experiential connections: earth-sciences related phenomena are witnessed rarely, even most weather phenomena. In the past, traditional rural communities mediated their rich experiences through earth-centric story-telling. In course of the global urbanisation process this culture has given place to society-centric story-telling. Only recently anthropogenic global change triggered discussions on geoengineering, hazard mitigation, demographics, which interwoven with arts, linguistics and cultural histories offer a rich narrative of humankind's intersections with the geosphere. To gain public's curiosity for earth-science topics, thus to gain attention of various social groups that all have access to a high density of information, digestible rich messages are needed: earth-science story-telling has to weaves earth-science topics into culturally rich narrations of multiple forms offering a wide range of perspectives to which people can connect.

Science Education and the Challenges Facing Its Integration into the 21st Century School System in a Globalized World: A Case of Igbo Nation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ezeudu, F. O.; Nkokelonye, C. U.; Ezeudu, S. A.

2013-01-01

This paper is a study of historical foundations of science education in Igboland, its nature and scope as well as the challenges facing its integration into the 21st century school system in a globalized world. The authors found that there were many scientific activities in Igbo culture, but many problems hinder their integration into the basic…

[Challenge and opportunity of entry to WTO brings to scientific and technological periodical].

PubMed

Tian, Yun-Mei

2004-11-01

After our country enters WTO, confronted with the direct influence in big international market opening, editorial department will face fierce competition. Selecting the superior and eliminate the inferior will test every publishing house and every magazine directly. In order to improve the competition level, author has analyzed the current situation of China's periodical development, and then explored the scientific and technological periodical opportunity and challenge faced under the new situation.

Challenges faced in long term ventricular assist device support.

PubMed

Ikegami, Hirohisa; Kurlansky, Paul; Takeda, Koji; Naka, Yoshifumi

2016-08-01

The development of ventricular assist device (VAD) has been one of the revolutionary advancements in end-stage heart failure management. Although the device has developed and improved significantly over the last few decades, we still face multiple challenges. This review will discuss quality of life, survival, and clinically encountered complications in patients with VAD support. The literature was extensively reviewed for studies describing the above topic area. We describe the impact of major challenges faced in VAD support and discuss their future and expectations. Expert commentary: The technological advancement of VADs has contributed to major improvement of overall survival, enhancement of quality of life and decrease of incidence of complications. It is expected that technologies will continue to evolve. At the same time, the indications for and timing of device implantation, and selection of device type are continuously important in clinical practice setting.

Challenges and opportunities in clinical translation of biomedical optical spectroscopy and imaging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wilson, Brian C.; Jermyn, Michael; Leblond, Frederic

2018-03-01

Medical devices face many hurdles before they enter routine clinical practice to address unmet clinical needs. This is also the case for biomedical optical spectroscopy and imaging systems that are used here to illustrate the opportunities and challenges involved. Following initial concept, stages in clinical translation include instrument development, preclinical testing, clinical prototyping, clinical trials, prototype-to-product conversion, regulatory approval, commercialization, and finally clinical adoption and dissemination, all in the face of potentially competing technologies. Optical technologies face additional challenges from their being extremely diverse, often targeting entirely different diseases and having orders-of-magnitude differences in resolution and tissue penetration. However, these technologies can potentially address a wide variety of unmet clinical needs since they provide rich intrinsic biochemical and structural information, have high sensitivity and specificity for disease detection and localization, and are practical, safe (minimally invasive, nonionizing), and relatively affordable.

Closing the Gap: Supporting Patients’ Transition to Self-Management after Hospitalization

PubMed Central

Pollack, Ari H; Backonja, Uba; Miller, Andrew D.; Mishra, Sonali R.; Khelifi, Maher; Kendall, Logan; Pratt, Wanda

2016-01-01

Patients going home after a hospitalization face many challenges. This transition period exposes patients to unnecessary risks related to inadequate preparation prior to leaving the hospital, potentially leading to errors and patient harm. Although patients engaging in self-management have better health outcomes and increased self-efficacy, little is known about the processes in place to support and develop these skills for patients leaving the hospital. Through qualitative interviews and observations of 28 patients during and after their hospitalizations, we explore the challenges they face transitioning from hospital care to self-management. We identify three key elements in this process: knowledge, resources, and self-efficacy. We describe how both system and individual factors contribute to breakdowns leading to ineffective patient management. This work expands our understanding of the unique challenges faced by patients during this difficult transition and uncovers important design opportunities for supporting crucial yet unmet patient needs. PMID:27500285

International Students in Western Developed Countries: History, Challenges, and Prospects

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Akanwa, Emmanuel E.

2015-01-01

Many scholars have described the various challenges international students face in Western developed countries including the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Some of the challenges include differences in culture, language barriers, adjustment problems, medical concerns, pedagogical challenges, housing issues, lack of support…

Functional Amnesia: Clinical Description and Neuropsychological Profile of 10 Cases

PubMed Central

Kritchevsky, Mark; Chang, Judy; Squire, Larry R.

2004-01-01

We carried out the first neuropsychological study of a series of patients with functional amnesia. We evaluated 10 patients, first with a neurological examination and then with three tests of anterograde amnesia and four tests of retrograde amnesia. Excluding one patient who later admitted to malingering, all patients had a significant premorbid psychiatric history and one or more possible precipitating factors for their amnesia. Eight of the 10 patients still had persistent retrograde amnesia at our last contact with them (median = 14 mo after the onset of amnesia). On tests of anterograde amnesia, the patients performed normally as a group, though some patients scored poorly on tests of verbal memory. On tests of retrograde amnesia, all patients had difficulty recollecting well-formed autobiographical memories of specific events from their past. In contrast, patients performed as well as controls at distinguishing the names of cities from fictitious city names. On remote memory tests for past public events and famous faces, different patients exhibited different but internally consistent patterns of impaired and spared performance. The variability in the clinical and neuropsychological findings among our patients may be understood by supposing that memory performance is poor in proportion to how directly a test appears to assess a patient's commonsense concept of memory. The presentation of patients with functional amnesia is as variable as humankind's concept of what memory is and how it works. PMID:15054137

A survey of real face modeling methods

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Xiaoyue; Dai, Yugang; He, Xiangzhen; Wan, Fucheng

2017-09-01

The face model has always been a research challenge in computer graphics, which involves the coordination of multiple organs in faces. This article explained two kinds of face modeling method which is based on the data driven and based on parameter control, analyzed its content and background, summarized their advantages and disadvantages, and concluded muscle model which is based on the anatomy of the principle has higher veracity and easy to drive.

Fifteen Challenges in Establishing a Multidisciplinary Research Program on eHealth Research in a University Setting: A Case Study.

PubMed

Grönqvist, Helena; Olsson, Erik Martin Gustaf; Johansson, Birgitta; Held, Claes; Sjöström, Jonas; Lindahl Norberg, Annika; Hovén, Emma; Sanderman, Robbert; van Achterberg, Theo; von Essen, Louise

2017-05-23

U-CARE is a multidisciplinary eHealth research program that involves the disciplines of caring science, clinical psychology, health economics, information systems, and medical science. It was set up from scratch in a university setting in 2010, funded by a governmental initiative. While establishing the research program, many challenges were faced. Systematic documentation of experiences from establishing new research environments is scarce. The aim of this paper was to describe the challenges of establishing a publicly funded multidisciplinary eHealth research environment. Researchers involved in developing the research program U-CARE identified challenges in the formal documentation and by reflecting on their experience of developing the program. The authors discussed the content and organization of challenges into themes until consensus was reached. The authors identified 15 major challenges, some general to establishing a new research environment and some specific for multidisciplinary eHealth programs. The challenges were organized into 6 themes: Organization, Communication, Implementation, Legislation, Software development, and Multidisciplinarity. Several challenges were faced during the development of the program and several accomplishments were made. By sharing our experience, we hope to help other research groups embarking on a similar journey to be prepared for some of the challenges they are likely to face on their way. ©Helena Grönqvist, Erik Martin Gustaf Olsson, Birgitta Johansson, Claes Held, Jonas Sjöström, Annika Lindahl Norberg, Emma Hovén, Robbert Sanderman, Theo van Achterberg, Louise von Essen. Originally published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research (http://www.jmir.org), 23.05.2017.

Implementing three evidence-based program models: early lessons from the Teen Pregnancy Prevention Replication Study.

PubMed

Kelsey, Meredith; Layzer, Jean

2014-03-01

This article describes some of the early implementation challenges faced by nine grantees participating in the Teen Pregnancy Prevention Replication Study and their response to them. The article draws on information collected as part of a comprehensive implementation study. Sources include site and program documents; program officer reports; notes from site investigation, selection and negotiation; ongoing communications with grantees as part of putting the study into place; and semi-structured interviews with program staff. The issues faced by grantees in implementing evidence-based programs designed to prevent teen pregnancy varied by program model. Grantees implementing a classroom-based curriculum faced challenges in delivering the curriculum within the constraints of school schedules and calendars (program length and size of class). Grantees implementing a culturally tailored curriculum faced a series of challenges, including implementing the intervention as part of the regular school curriculum in schools with diverse populations; low attendance when delivered as an after-school program; and resistance on the part of schools to specific curriculum content. The third set of grantees, implementing a program in clinics, faced challenges in identifying and recruiting young women into the program and in retaining young women once they were in the program. The experiences of these grantees reflect some of the complexities that should be carefully considered when choosing to replicate evidence-based programs. The Teen Pregnancy Prevention replication study will provide important context for assessing the effectiveness of some of the more widely replicated evidence-based programs. Copyright © 2014 Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine. All rights reserved.

Participant Anonymity in the Internet Age: From Theory to Practice

PubMed Central

Saunders, Benjamin; Kitzinger, Jenny; Kitzinger, Celia

2015-01-01

Qualitative researchers attempting to protect the identities of their research participants now face a multitude of new challenges due to the wealth of information once considered private but now readily accessible online. We will draw on our research with family members of people with severe brain injury to discuss these challenges in relation to three areas: participant engagement with the mass media, the availability of court transcripts online, and participants’ use of social media. We suggest strategies for managing these challenges via disguise, refining informed consent, and discussion with interviewees. In the context of a largely theoretical literature on anonymization, this article offers concrete examples of the dilemmas we faced and will be of illustrative use to other researchers confronting similar challenges. PMID:25866484

Challenges and opportunities for minority owned trucking firms under affirmative actions : a case study.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2012-01-01

Despite the steady growth and the introduction of "set-aside" programs/Affirmative Actions, minority owned firms often faced stiff business challenges. These challenges include a lack of business networking opportunities, limited financial resources,...

Is in vitro meat the solution for the future?

PubMed

Hocquette, Jean-François

2016-10-01

The production of in vitro meat regularly generates media interest because of the contribution it could, at first glance, make to the issue of feeding humankind while also protecting the environment and respecting animals. However, the majority of experts considers that there are still numerous technological obstacles that have to be overcome to produce in vitro meat. In addition, even if in vitro meat could eliminate the supposed lack of well-being of livestock and has the potential to free up cultivable land, other supposed advantages are questionable and not always agreed upon by the scientific community. However, another major problem for the commercialisation of in vitro meat would be its acceptance by consumers, even if some consumers are ready to taste it at least once. In particular, the artificial nature of the product goes against the growing demand for natural products in many countries. The consumption of in vitro meat will depend on a conflict of values at an individual or collective level. The reality is that a range of other complementary solutions already exist which meet the challenges of food supply in our society, but which are less saleable to the media. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A Variety of Diversity: Facing Higher Education's Educational Challenges

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dey, Eric L.

2008-10-01

First among the many important challenges facing American higher education is the need to improve the effectiveness of our educational programs. Public concern has heightened the sense of urgency for colleges and universities to make progress on improving and measuring educational outcomes, which is made more challenging by the varieties of diversity facing us. Diversity is not just an issue related to student recruitment or experience, but rather it is one that also relates to institutions and their faculties. New educational methods must address such diversity to be effective, and one possible example can be found in ongoing research at the University of Michigan that explores the educational implications of implementing a web-based lecture capture system in large lecture courses. Student use of and reactions to such systems is important, as is the potential to influence course performance for students in general, but also for underrepresented and at-risk student subpopulations. In addition to helping bring our current landscape into focus, this paper will identify effective practices as well as continuing challenges to improving educational practice for undergraduate students.

Challenges and issues facing the future of nursing education: implications for ethnic minority faculty and students.

PubMed

Davis, Sheila P; Davis, Danyetta D

2010-01-01

Current trends in higher education in the United States demand that nursing take stock of how it is prepared or being prepared to face challenges and issues impacting on its future. The intense effort made to attract students to pursue advanced training in science and engineering in the United States pales in comparison to the numbers of science and engineering majors produced yearly in international schools. As a result, more and more jobs are being outsourced to international markets. Could international outsourcing become a method of nursing education? Authors submit that to remain competitive, the nursing profession must attract a younger cohort of technologically savvy students and faculty reflective of the growing diverse population in the United States. Additionally, nursing programs in research universities face even more daunting challenges as it relates to mandates for funded research programs of educational units. This article offers suggestions and recommendations for nursing programs in higher education institutions on ways to attract and retain ethnic minorities and of how to harness the power of research to address burgeoning societal health challenges.

Perceptions of family caregivers of cancer patients about the challenges of caregiving: a qualitative study.

PubMed

Nemati, Shahnaz; Rassouli, Maryam; Ilkhani, Mahnaz; Baghestani, Ahmad Reza

2018-03-01

The experience of caring for a family member with cancer is associated with several care-related problems and challenges for the caregiver. The comprehensive and in-depth understanding of the trials and tribulations of caregiving can be a step towards resolving the problems faced by family caregivers of these patients. The present study aimed to explore challenges faced by Iranian family caregivers of cancer patients. The present qualitative study was conducted through in-depth semi-structured interviews held with 21 family caregivers of cancer patients selected through purposive sampling. Interviews continued until saturation of data. All interviews were recorded, transcribed and analysed through conventional content analysis. The codes extracted from interviews produced four main themes, including 'confusion', 'uncertainty', 'disintegration' and 'setback', which collectively caused suffering for family caregivers. Care provided in an atmosphere of suffering and discontent diminishes caregiver's quality of life and quality of patient care. Health planners should therefore consider the challenges and sufferings faced by family caregivers and should seek to obviate them through appropriate plans. © 2017 Nordic College of Caring Science.

Big Data and Analytics in Higher Education: Opportunities and Challenges

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Daniel, Ben

2015-01-01

Institutions of higher education are operating in an increasingly complex and competitive environment. This paper identifies contemporary challenges facing institutions of higher education worldwide and explores the potential of Big Data in addressing these challenges. The paper then outlines a number of opportunities and challenges associated…

Understanding and Facing Discipline-Related Challenges in the English as a Foreign Language Classroom at Public Schools (Comprensión y tratamiento de los retos asociados a la disciplina en el aula de lengua extranjera en escuelas públicas)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Quintero Corzo, Josefina; Ramírez Contreras, Odilia

2011-01-01

Complying with school regulations and teachers' instructions is a basic principle of an excellent class; both novice and experienced teachers face challenging situations when getting into real classrooms, especially those related to classroom management. There are various reasons that explain discipline problems in public schools, as well as…

Education in the Nation: Examining the Challenges and Opportunities Facing America's Classrooms. Hearing before the Committee on Education and the Workforce. U.S. House of Representatives, One Hundred Twelfth Congress, First Session (February 10, 2011). Serial Number 112-3

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

US House of Representatives, 2011

2011-01-01

This paper presents the Committee on Education and the Workforce's hearing on the challenges and opportunities facing America's classrooms. Members testifying before the committee were: Honorable John Kline, Chairman, Committee on Education and the Workforce; and Honorable George Miller, senior Democratic member, Committee on Education and the…

Challenges of Working in a Multicultural Environment.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Howland, Joan S.

2001-01-01

Addresses challenges faced when working in a multicultural library setting and discusses the need for library administration to create supportive environments. Highlights include fluctuating power dynamics; merging diverse opinions and approaches; overcoming perceived lack of empathy; tokenism; accountability; and transforming challenges into…

Implementing Mobile Phone Solutions for Health in Resource Constrained Areas: Understanding the Opportunities and Challenges

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Manda, Tiwonge Davis; Herstad, Jo

This paper presents results from a study on mobile phone use to connect two rural hospitals in Malawi with community health workers (CHWs), the hospitals work with. Mobile phone use at the hospitals has helped reduce the need for face-to-face communication to permit patient information exchange, meetings and appointments scheduling, as well as work coordination. On the other hand mobile phone use has proved paradoxical as it has introduced users to challenges, like recharging of phone batteries, they did not anticipate. The paper highlights use context-centric and solution based opportunities and challenges associated with mobile phone use in rural settings.

Meeting the challenges of case management with remote patient monitoring technology.

PubMed

Cherry, J C; Colliflower, S J; Tsiperfal, A

2000-01-01

The article presents an overview of some of the current trends in health care and the challenges faced by nurse case managers who are providing disease management services. It discusses some of the emerging technologies available today for innovative case management. In particular, this article describes a program run by a healthcare system in Sacramento, California that uses an Internet-based technology to enhance their nurse case management model. The article demonstrates how the Health Hero platform enables interactive communication between nurse case managers and their patients, thereby meeting some of the challenges the nurse case managers are faced with in the modern disease-management world.

Challenges Faced by Graduate Business Education in Southern Africa: Perceptions of MBA Participants

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Temtime, Zelealem T.; Mmereki, Rebana N.

2011-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to examine the degree of satisfaction and perceived relevance of the Graduate Business Education (GBE) programme at the University of Botswana. Design/methodology/approach: A self-administered questionnaire and face to face interviews were used to collect data from Master of Business Administration (MBA)…

Resilience in the Face of Cyberbullying: An Ecological Perspective on Young People's Experiences of Online Adversity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Papatraianou, Lisa H.; Levine, Diane; West, Dean

2014-01-01

Adolescents experience a variety of biological, psychological and social changes. While some adolescents face significant risk, the majority of young people are able to successfully navigate their way through to maintaining resilience, that is, the ability to cope and overcome adversity despite facing challenges. However, exposure to acts of…

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy: From Face to Face Interaction to a Broader Contextual Understanding of Change

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jahoda, A.; Dagnan, D.; Kroese, B. Stenfert; Pert, C.; Trower, P.

2009-01-01

Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) is increasingly used to address the emotional and interpersonal problems of people with ID. There is a limited but promising evidence base supporting this activity. However, these individuals face real and continuing challenges in their lives that have implications for their self and interpersonal perceptions.…

Missile Defense: European Phased Adaptive Approach Acquisitions Face Synchronization, Transparency, and Accountability Challenges

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-12-21

House of Representatives Subject: Missile Defense: European Phased Adaptive Approach Acquisitions Face Synchronization , Transparency, and...TITLE AND SUBTITLE Missile Defense: European Phased Adaptive Approach Acquisitions Face Synchronization , Transparency, and Accountability...However, we found that DOD has not fully implemented a management process that synchronizes EPAA acquisition activities and ensures transparency and

The Experiences of Blacks Who Obtained Doctorates from Predominantly White Institutions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nickelberry, Tressie A.

2012-01-01

Being in a doctoral program requires a substantial amount of one's time, energy, and commitment. Doctoral students face many challenges while pursuing their degrees. For example, some may be on financial aid, work full-time, and/or have a family. While doctoral students face many hurdles, Black doctoral students face additional barriers. The…

Exploring the Williams Syndrome Face-Processing Debate: The Importance of Building Developmental Trajectories

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Karmiloff-Smith, Annette; Thomas, Michael; Annaz, Dagmara; Humphreys, Kate; Ewing, Sandra; Brace, Nicola; Van Duuren, Mike; Pike, Graham; Grice, Sarah; Campbell, Ruth

2004-01-01

Background: Face processing in Williams syndrome (WS) has been a topic of heated debate over the past decade. Initial claims about a normally developing ("intact") face-processing module were challenged by data suggesting that individuals with WS used a different balance of cognitive processes from controls, even when their behavioural scores fell…

A Case Study of American and Chinese College Students' Motivation Differences in Online Learning Environment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zhao, Chunjuan; Mei, Zongxiang

2016-01-01

Motivating students has been a key challenge facing instructors in non-face-to-face instructional contexts. Existing researches into motivation in online learning environment have revealed that there are learning motivation differences among students from different cultural backgrounds. The purpose of this study is to identify whether American and…

Identity Implications of Influence Goals: A Revised Analysis of Face-Threatening Acts and Application to Seeking Compliance with Same-Sex Friends.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wilson, Steven R.; Aleman, Carlos G.; Leatham, Geoff B.

1998-01-01

Challenges and revises politeness theory by analyzing potential implications for both parties' face when the logical preconditions for seeking compliance are framed by specific influence goals. Tests undergraduate students' imagining asking favors, giving advice, and enforcing obligations with same-sex friends. Finds perceived face threats varied…

Challenges in international medicine: ethical dilemmas, unanticipated consequences, and accepting limitations.

PubMed

Iserson, Kenneth V; Biros, Michelle H; James Holliman, C

2012-06-01

While personal and organizational challenges occur in every area of health care, practitioners of international medicine face unique problems and dilemmas that are rarely discussed in training programs. Health professions schools, residency and fellowship programs, nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), and government programs have a responsibility to make those new to international medicine aware of the special circumstances that they may face and to provide methods for understanding and dealing with these circumstances. Standard "domestic" approaches to such challenges may not work in international medicine, even though these challenges may appear to be similar to those faced in other clinical settings. How should organizations ensure that well-meaning health intervention efforts do not cause adverse unintended sequelae? How should an individual balance respect for cultural uniqueness and local mores that may profoundly differ from his or her own beliefs, with the need to remain a moral agent true to one's self? When is acceptance the appropriate response to situations in which limitations of resources seem to preclude any good solution? Using a case-based approach, the authors discuss issues related to the four major international medicine domains: clinical practice (postdisaster response, resource limitations, standards of care), medical systems and systems development (prehospital care, wartime casualties, sustainable change, cultural awareness), teaching (instruction and local resources, professional preparation), and research (questionable funded studies, clinical trials, observational studies). It is hoped that this overview may help prepare those involved with international medicine for the challenges and dilemmas they may face and help frame their responses to these situations. © 2012 by the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine.

Challenges in accessing sexual and reproductive health services by people with physical disabilities in Kampala, Uganda

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Introduction Despite the universal right to access the same range, quality and standard of free or affordable health care and programs as provided to other persons, people with physical disabilities (PWPDs) continue to experience challenges in accessing these services. This article presents the challenges faced by PWPDs in accessing sexual and reproductive health (SRH) services in Kampala, Uganda. Methods This was a qualitative study that was conducted with male and female PWPDs in Kampala in 2007. Data on the challenges experienced by PWPDs in accessing SRH services were collected using in-depth interviews with 40 PWPDs and key informant interviews with 10 PWPDs’ representatives, staff of agencies supporting PWPDs and health workers. All data were captured verbatim using an audio-tape recorder, entered into a Microsoft Word computer program and analyzed manually following a content thematic approach. Results The study findings show that PWPDs face a multitude of challenges in accessing SRH services including negative attitudes of service providers, long queues at health facilities, distant health facilities, high costs of services involved, unfriendly physical structures and the perception from able-bodied people that PWPDs should be asexual. Conclusion People with physical disabilities (PWPDs) face health facility-related (service provider and facility-related challenges), economic and societal challenges in accessing SRH services. These findings call for a need to sensitize service providers on SRH needs of PWPDs for better support and for the government to enforce the provision of PWPD-friendly services in all health facilities. PMID:25086444

Challenges in accessing sexual and reproductive health services by people with physical disabilities in Kampala, Uganda.

PubMed

Ahumuza, Sharon Eva; Matovu, Joseph K B; Ddamulira, John Bosco; Muhanguzi, Florence Kyoheirwe

2014-08-02

Despite the universal right to access the same range, quality and standard of free or affordable health care and programs as provided to other persons, people with physical disabilities (PWPDs) continue to experience challenges in accessing these services. This article presents the challenges faced by PWPDs in accessing sexual and reproductive health (SRH) services in Kampala, Uganda. This was a qualitative study that was conducted with male and female PWPDs in Kampala in 2007. Data on the challenges experienced by PWPDs in accessing SRH services were collected using in-depth interviews with 40 PWPDs and key informant interviews with 10 PWPDs' representatives, staff of agencies supporting PWPDs and health workers. All data were captured verbatim using an audio-tape recorder, entered into a Microsoft Word computer program and analyzed manually following a content thematic approach. The study findings show that PWPDs face a multitude of challenges in accessing SRH services including negative attitudes of service providers, long queues at health facilities, distant health facilities, high costs of services involved, unfriendly physical structures and the perception from able-bodied people that PWPDs should be asexual. People with physical disabilities (PWPDs) face health facility-related (service provider and facility-related challenges), economic and societal challenges in accessing SRH services. These findings call for a need to sensitize service providers on SRH needs of PWPDs for better support and for the government to enforce the provision of PWPD-friendly services in all health facilities.

Challenges and motivators to physical activity faced by retired men when ageing: a qualitative study.

PubMed

Bredland, Ebba Langum; Söderström, Sylvia; Vik, Kjersti

2018-05-15

Active ageing reflects the message from World Health Organisation about addressing the challenge faced by the rapidly ageing population. Knowledge about barriers and facilitators to an active lifestyle must be given more attention. In addition, men seem to participate less in cultural activities and less in fall-prevention groups than women do. When mostly women work with the elderly in primary care, one might question whether the activities offered to older men meet their activity preferences. The aim of this study is to provide new knowledge about challenges and motivators encountered by retired men in maintaining physical activity when ageing. Nine retired men, aged between 66 and 83, wrote a Time Geographic Diary for 7 days each. Two focus group discussions with the men were held. A Systemic Text Condensation was used to analyse the data. The analyses identified three categories to describe challenges in being physical active: differences between men and women; meaningful physical activity; and environmental - especially socio-cultural - constraints. Motivating conditions were seen as: new activities to get younger friends, and more information about how to cope. To achieve the aim of active ageing, service providers as well as local authorities need to have a better understanding of the challenges retired men encounter when ageing. This study highlights vital aspects of the challenges faced by retired men in maintaining their physical activity level.

Human Genome Editing and Ethical Considerations.

PubMed

Krishan, Kewal; Kanchan, Tanuj; Singh, Bahadur

2016-04-01

Editing human germline genes may act as boon in some genetic and other disorders. Recent editing of the genome of the human embryo with the CRISPR/Cas9 editing tool generated a debate amongst top scientists of the world for the ethical considerations regarding its effect on the future generations. It needs to be seen as to what transformation human gene editing brings to humankind in the times to come.

Space Shuttle Projects

NASA Image and Video Library

1995-03-13

The STS-70 crew patch depicts the Space Shuttle Discovery orbiting Earth in the vast blackness of space. The primary mission of deploying a NASA Tracking and Data Relay Satellite (TDRS) is depicted by three gold stars. They represent the triad composed of spacecraft transmitting data to Earth through the TDRS system. The stylized red, white, and blue ribbon represents the American goal of linking space exploration to the advancement of all humankind.

The Spirit That Moves Us: Using Literature, Art, and Music To Teach about the Holocaust at the Secondary and College Level. Volume 3.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stillman, Lorry

For students, the study of the Holocaust encourages discussion about prejudice and justice, shame and dignity, hopelessness and faith, and engages them in debate about the moral and ethical behavior of humankind. Introducing students to the personal narrative, fiction, and poetry allows them to hear a narrative voice recount the facts of this…

The Religion/Science Controversy: The Use and Abuse of Science in the Defense of Religion. Proceedings of a Conference (Westville, Indiana, October 5, 1985).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kanagy, Sherman P., II, Ed.

Science and religion have been referred to as the two strongest general forces which influence humankind. This document contains the proceedings of a conference which was held to address some of the relationships and controversies surrounding these topics. Included are the texts of the major papers presented at the conference. These are: (1)…

It's Raining Cats and Dogs: Learning about the Role of Pets in Impressionist Art

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Turner, Dianne

2009-01-01

Animals have always been close to the heart of humankind. They appear in the earliest imagery as the very first subjects of art. Household pets are a fixture for many a family. This is true in art as well. In shifting the balance away from animals as pure symbols, the Impressionists identified them as members of the household. One of the most…

Challenges faced by parents of children with learning disabilities in Opuwo, Namibia.

PubMed

Taderera, Clever; Hall, Herna

2017-01-01

Parenting children with learning disabilities requires a high level of knowledge and access to resources, information and services. In developing countries, however, these resources and services are not always available. Parents in Namibia, a developing country, therefore face challenges addressing children's learning and other developmental disabilities, including challenges related to preventative and supportive interventions. This research focuses on challenges faced by parents as they parent children with learning disabilities in Opuwo, Namibia. In-depth interviews were conducted with eight parents regarding the challenges they face in parenting their children with learning disabilities. Thematic analysis enabled the researchers to identify, analyse and report on themes that emerged from the qualitative interview data. Analysis of the interviews indicated that some participants had only a vague understanding of learning disabilities, as they did not have access to essential knowledge about this phenomenon. They also lacked an awareness of the availability of programmes, services and policies meant to benefit their children with learning disabilities. Participants voiced that they, their children with learning disabilities and community members have stereotypes and prejudices regarding learning disabilities. In this study, most of the children with learning disabilities were raised by single, unemployed parents who seemed to have access to less support from external sources than married couples parenting children with learning disabilities. These single parents are usually not married and because of lack of financial support from the other parent, the majority of them indicated that they struggle to meet the financial and material needs of their children. The researchers concluded that the participants in this study experience a range of challenges in parenting their children with learning disabilities. The main challenges emanate from financial instability, as well as lack of knowledge regarding services and programmes for children with learning disabilities. This lack of knowledge on the part of participants could indicate poor policy education by policy implementers at grass-roots level.

Challenges faced by parents of children with learning disabilities in Opuwo, Namibia

PubMed Central

Taderera, Clever

2017-01-01

Background Parenting children with learning disabilities requires a high level of knowledge and access to resources, information and services. In developing countries, however, these resources and services are not always available. Parents in Namibia, a developing country, therefore face challenges addressing children’s learning and other developmental disabilities, including challenges related to preventative and supportive interventions. Objective This research focuses on challenges faced by parents as they parent children with learning disabilities in Opuwo, Namibia. Method In-depth interviews were conducted with eight parents regarding the challenges they face in parenting their children with learning disabilities. Thematic analysis enabled the researchers to identify, analyse and report on themes that emerged from the qualitative interview data. Results Analysis of the interviews indicated that some participants had only a vague understanding of learning disabilities, as they did not have access to essential knowledge about this phenomenon. They also lacked an awareness of the availability of programmes, services and policies meant to benefit their children with learning disabilities. Participants voiced that they, their children with learning disabilities and community members have stereotypes and prejudices regarding learning disabilities. In this study, most of the children with learning disabilities were raised by single, unemployed parents who seemed to have access to less support from external sources than married couples parenting children with learning disabilities. These single parents are usually not married and because of lack of financial support from the other parent, the majority of them indicated that they struggle to meet the financial and material needs of their children. Conclusion The researchers concluded that the participants in this study experience a range of challenges in parenting their children with learning disabilities. The main challenges emanate from financial instability, as well as lack of knowledge regarding services and programmes for children with learning disabilities. This lack of knowledge on the part of participants could indicate poor policy education by policy implementers at grass-roots level. PMID:28951851

The juxtaposition of ageing and nursing: the challenges and enablers of continuing to work in the latter stages of a nursing career.

PubMed

Clendon, Jill; Walker, Léonie

2016-05-01

To identify why some nurses cope well with continuing to work as they age and others struggle. There is a need to understand better the challenges older nurses face and how they manage them. Secondary analysis of existing data. Data collected in two separate studies were analysed. The first study (2012) was an online, anonymous survey that collected free text (qualitative) and categorical data (n = 3273, 57·6% response rate). The second (2014) was an explorative, descriptive study that collected data through focus groups and interviews (n = 46). Qualitative data from both studies were analysed using David Thomas' () general inductive approach. Research Ethics Committee approval was gained for the 2012 and 2014 studies. Data were categorised in two themes: the challenges of ageing and nursing; and factors that enable nurses to continue to practice. Physical challenges, fatigue, guilt, ageism and demands to complete continuing education were considered challenges. Maintaining personal fitness, self care, flexible working and a strong belief in their ability to contribute to the profession were present in older nurses who continued to practice. While older nurses face growing physical and cognitive challenges as they age, they demonstrate strong resilience in the face of these challenges. It is recommended nurses seek support from their workplaces early to address challenges. Organisations must address ageism in the workplace and provide practical interventions such as supporting changes to work hours, shifting nurses to less physical roles and providing career planning to support resilience in older workers. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Challenges facing translational research organizations in China: a qualitative multiple case study

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Translational medicine is attracting much attention worldwide and many translational research organizations (TROs) have been established. In China, translational medicine has developed rapidly, but faces many challenges. This study was aimed at exploring these challenges faced by emerging TROs in China. Method A qualitative, multiple case study approach was used to assess the challenges faced by TROs in China. Data were collected between May and August 2012. Results Eight cases were identified. Overall, four themes that characterized TROs in China emerged from analyses: 1. objectives, organizer, and funding resources, 2. participating partners and research teams, 3. management, and 4. achievements. All TROs had objectives related to translating basic discovery to clinic treatment and cultivating translational researchers. In terms of organizer and funding resources, 7 out of 8 TROs were launched only by universities and/or hospitals, and funded mostly through research grants. As for participating partners and multidisciplinary research teams, all but one of the TROs only involved biomedical research institutions who were interested in translational research, and characterized as clinical research centers; 7 out of 8 TROs involved only researchers from biomedicine and clinical disciplines and none involved disciplines related to education, ethnicity, and sociology, or engaged the community. Current management of the TROs were generally nested within the traditional research management paradigms, and failed to adapt to the tenets of translational research. Half of the TROs were at developmental stages defined as infrastructure construction and recruitment of translational researchers. Conclusions TROs in China face the challenge of attracting sustainable funding sources, widening multidisciplinary cooperation, cultivating multi-disciplinary translational researchers and adapting current research management to translational research. Greater emphasis should be placed on increasing multidisciplinary cooperation, and innovating in education programs to cultivate of translational researchers. Efforts should be made to reform research management in TROs, and establish sustainable funding resources. PMID:24119837

Managing the Mission: The Primary Challenge to Campus Child Care.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Townley, Kim F.; Zeece, Pauline Davey

1991-01-01

Examines complex issues and challenges faced by a comprehensive child care system in its efforts to meet its teaching, research, and service missions. These issues and challenges are examined in terms of an expanded, integrated model for comprehensive child care. (SH)

Overcoming Resistance to New Ideas

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Powell, William; Kusuma-Powell, Ochan

2015-01-01

There are two types of challenges that adults face in their professional learning: technical and adaptive. Technical challenges simply require informational learning while adaptive challenges require transformational learning, which requires us to rethink our deeply held values, beliefs, assumptions, and even our professional identity. Adaptive…

Challenges to Seventh-Day Adventist Tertiary Education in the Caribbean

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gardner, Trevor George

2010-01-01

The article briefly summarizes seven challenges that faces the Seventh Day Adventist (SDA) tertiary institutions in the Caribbean. There is no exhaustive discussion of the challenges but each is clearly articulated. There is no attempt to address solution but the discussion of each challenge, however, provides opportunity for several inferences…

Supporting Greenhouse Gas Management Strategies with Observations and Analysis - Challenges and Opportunities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Butler, J. H.; Tarasova, O. A.

2014-12-01

Climate-change challenges facing society in the 21st century require an improved understanding of the global carbon-cycle and of the impacts and feedbacks of past, present, and future emissions of carbon-cycle gases. Global society faces a major challenge of reducing greenhouse gas emissions to virtually zero, most notably those of CO2, while at the same time facing variable and potentially overwhelming Earth System feedbacks. How it goes about this will depend upon the nature of impending international agreements, national laws, regional strategies, and social and economic forces. The challenge to those making observations to support, inform, or verify these reduction efforts, or to address potential Earth System feedbacks, lies in harmonizing a diverse array of observations and observing systems. Doing so is not trivial. Providing coherent, regional-scale information from these observations also requires improved modelling and ensemble reanalysis, but in the end such information must be relevant and reasonably certain. The challenge to us is to ensure a globally coherent observing and analysis system to supply the information that society will need to succeed. Policy-makers, scientists, government agencies, and businesses will need the best information available for decision-making and any observing and analysis system ultimately must be able to provide a coherent story over decades.

Challenges faced by primary care physicians when prescribing for patients with chronic diseases in a teaching hospital in Malaysia: a qualitative study.

PubMed

Sellappans, Renukha; Lai, Pauline Siew Mei; Ng, Chirk Jenn

2015-08-27

The aim of this study was to identify the challenges faced by primary care physicians (PCPs) when prescribing medications for patients with chronic diseases in a teaching hospital in Malaysia. 3 focus group discussions were conducted between July and August 2012 in a teaching primary care clinic in Malaysia. A topic guide was used to facilitate the discussions which were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim and analysed using a thematic approach. PCPs affiliated to the primary care clinic were purposively sampled to include a range of clinical experience. Sample size was determined by thematic saturation of the data. 14 family medicine trainees and 5 service medical officers participated in this study. PCPs faced difficulties in prescribing for patients with chronic diseases due to a lack of communication among different healthcare providers. Medication changes made by hospital specialists, for example, were often not communicated to the PCPs leading to drug duplications and interactions. The use of paper-based medical records and electronic prescribing created a dual record system for patients' medications and became a problem when the 2 records did not tally. Patients sometimes visited different doctors and pharmacies for their medications and this resulted in the lack of continuity of care. PCPs also faced difficulties in addressing patients' concerns, and dealing with patients' medication requests and adherence issues. Some PCPs lacked time and knowledge to advise patients about their medications and faced difficulties in managing side effects caused by the patients' complex medication regimen. PCPs faced prescribing challenges related to patients, their own practice and the local health system when prescribing for patients with chronic diseases. These challenges must be addressed in order to improve chronic disease management in primary care and, more importantly, patient safety. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

Shaping a career trajectory in academic administration: leadership development for the deanship.

PubMed

Green, Alexia; Ridenour, Nancy

2004-11-01

The nursing profession continues to face many challenges, one of which is an insufficient number of aspiring leaders. The role of an academic leader, specifically that of dean, brings with it unique challenges and opportunities. Shaping a career in academic administration requires careful consideration of the leadership skills necessary to perform in this complex and challenging role. However, it is critical to the future of nursing as a profession that ample numbers of aspiring leaders can successfully make this transition. One can be better prepared to take on this exciting and rewarding leadership opportunity when one understands the challenges deans face, asks questions such as "Do I really want a deanship?," identifies the required leadership skills, defines a career trajectory and pathway, and develops the leadership skills necessary for deans.

Identifying the challenging factors in the transition from colleges of engineering to employment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baytiyeh, Hoda; Naja, Mohamad

2012-03-01

The transition from university to a career in engineering is a challenging process. This study examined the perceptions of engineering graduates regarding the difficulties they encountered in their transition from the university to the workplace. Lebanese practising engineers (n=217), living around the world, were surveyed to identify their current employment situations and their attitudes toward their academic preparation. Factor analysis revealed three main challenges facing engineering graduates: communication; responsibility; self-confidence. Seventeen interviews were conducted to gather information on ways to facilitate this transition. Comments reflected the need for better collaboration between engineering schools and engineering firms. The results will provide insight for engineering colleges, faculty members and administrators into the challenges faced by graduates and their aspirations for a smoother transition into employment.

Information technologies and the transformation of nursing education.

PubMed

Skiba, Diane J; Connors, Helen R; Jeffries, Pamela R

2008-01-01

Higher education is facing new challenges with the emergence of the Internet and other information and communication technologies. The call for the transformation of higher education is imperative. This article describes the transformation of higher education and its impact on nursing education. Nursing education, considered by many a pioneer in the use of educational technologies, still faces 3 major challenges. The first challenge is incorporation of the Institute of Medicine's recommendation of 5 core competencies for all health professionals. The second challenge focuses on the preparation of nurses to practice in informatics-intensive healthcare environments. The last challenge is the use of emerging technologies, such as Web 2.0 tools, that will help to bridge the gap between the next generation and faculty in nursing schools. Nurse educators need to understand and use the power of technologies to prepare the next generation of nurses.

Workplace Challenges: The Impact of Personal Beliefs and the Birth Environment.

PubMed

Adams, Ellise D

This article reviews 2 workplace challenges faced by the perinatal nurse: the impact of personal beliefs and issues within the birth environment. It also explores how these challenges inform the birth practices of the perinatal nurse. The methods employed for this review are focus groups and a concept analysis. Two focus groups (n = 14) and a concept analysis based on a process defined by Walker and Avant provided a set of birth practices performed by the perinatal nurse who facilitates normal birth. Assertiveness was identified as a primary attribute of the perinatal nurse and several suggestions are identified as empirical referents or methods of measuring the abstract concepts, to identify the workplace challenges of the perinatal nurse. Development of effective processes, designed to overcome the many challenges facing the perinatal nurse, will assist in improving perinatal care for women and newborns.

Visual Search Efficiency is Greater for Human Faces Compared to Animal Faces

PubMed Central

Simpson, Elizabeth A.; Mertins, Haley L.; Yee, Krysten; Fullerton, Alison; Jakobsen, Krisztina V.

2015-01-01

The Animate Monitoring Hypothesis proposes that humans and animals were the most important categories of visual stimuli for ancestral humans to monitor, as they presented important challenges and opportunities for survival and reproduction; however, it remains unknown whether animal faces are located as efficiently as human faces. We tested this hypothesis by examining whether human, primate, and mammal faces elicit similarly efficient searches, or whether human faces are privileged. In the first three experiments, participants located a target (human, primate, or mammal face) among distractors (non-face objects). We found fixations on human faces were faster and more accurate than primate faces, even when controlling for search category specificity. A final experiment revealed that, even when task-irrelevant, human faces slowed searches for non-faces, suggesting some bottom-up processing may be responsible for the human face search efficiency advantage. PMID:24962122

Employee vs independent contractor.

PubMed

Kolender, Ellen

2012-01-01

Finding qualified personnel for the cancer registry department has become increasingly difficult, as experienced abstractors retire and cancer diagnoses increase. Faced with hiring challenges, managers turn to teleworkers to fill positions and accomplish work in a timely manner. Suddenly, the hospital hires new legal staff and all telework agreements are disrupted. The question arises: Are teleworkers employees or independent contractors? Creating telework positions requires approval from the legal department and human resources. Caught off-guard in the last quarter of the year, I found myself again faced with hiring challenges.

Developing Academic Literacy and Voice: Challenges Faced by a Mature ESL Student and Her Instructors (Desarrollo del discurso académico y la voz: retos de una estudiante de inglés como segunda lengua y sus profesores)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Correa, Doris

2010-01-01

Drawing on critical, socio-cultural and sociolinguistic theories of writing, text and voice, this ethnographic study examines the challenges that a mature ESL student and her instructors in a university course on Spanish Language Media face as they co-construct a common understanding of academic literacy and voice in an undergraduate General…

Challenges facing the distribution of an artificial-intelligence-based system for nursing.

PubMed

Evans, S

1985-04-01

The marketing and successful distribution of artificial-intelligence-based decision-support systems for nursing face special barriers and challenges. Issues that must be confronted arise particularly from the present culture of the nursing profession as well as the typical organizational structures in which nurses predominantly work. Generalizations in the literature based on the limited experience of physician-oriented artificial intelligence applications (predominantly in diagnosis and pharmacologic treatment) must be modified for applicability to other health professions.

Ethical Issues in Providing Online Psychotherapeutic Interventions

PubMed Central

2000-01-01

The Internet offers psychotherapists a new communication medium through which they can deliver psychotherapeutic interventions that are appropriate to the medium. Yet online psychotherapy also offers new ethical challenges for therapists interested in providing online psychotherapeutic services. The differences between interactive text-based communication and in-person verbal communication create new ethical challenges not previously encountered in face-to-face therapy. This article will examine the Internet's potential for providing online psychotherapeutic interventions and will review the ethical issues involved with providing interactive text-based psychotherapy. PMID:11720924

Can we match ultraviolet face images against their visible counterparts?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Narang, Neeru; Bourlai, Thirimachos; Hornak, Lawrence A.

2015-05-01

In law enforcement and security applications, the acquisition of face images is critical in producing key trace evidence for the successful identification of potential threats. However, face recognition (FR) for face images captured using different camera sensors, and under variable illumination conditions, and expressions is very challenging. In this paper, we investigate the advantages and limitations of the heterogeneous problem of matching ultra violet (from 100 nm to 400 nm in wavelength) or UV, face images against their visible (VIS) counterparts, when all face images are captured under controlled conditions. The contributions of our work are three-fold; (i) We used a camera sensor designed with the capability to acquire UV images at short-ranges, and generated a dual-band (VIS and UV) database that is composed of multiple, full frontal, face images of 50 subjects. Two sessions were collected that span over the period of 2 months. (ii) For each dataset, we determined which set of face image pre-processing algorithms are more suitable for face matching, and, finally, (iii) we determined which FR algorithm better matches cross-band face images, resulting in high rank-1 identification rates. Experimental results show that our cross spectral matching (the heterogeneous problem, where gallery and probe sets consist of face images acquired in different spectral bands) algorithms achieve sufficient identification performance. However, we also conclude that the problem under study, is very challenging, and it requires further investigation to address real-world law enforcement or military applications. To the best of our knowledge, this is first time in the open literature the problem of cross-spectral matching of UV against VIS band face images is being investigated.

Web-based versus face-to-face interprofessional team encounters with standardized patients.

PubMed

Lempicki, Kelly A; Holland, Christine S

2018-03-01

Challenges exist in developing interprofessional education (IPE) activities including coordinating schedules and obtaining appropriate space for teams to work. Virtual worlds have been explored as a means to overcome some of these challenges. We sought to develop a web-based interprofessional team interaction with a standardized patient (SP), as compared to a face-to-face SP interaction, focusing on the competency area of interprofessional communication. Interprofessional teams of students were randomized to complete a web-based or face-to-face SP encounter. The web-based encounter was conducted via video conference that students accessed using their own electronic device. Interprofessional communication was evaluated by faculty observers and the SPs. Participants of the web-based encounter also completed a perceptions questionnaire. Interprofessional communication was rated as average/above average by the authors and SPs. Perceptions of the web-based encounter were mixed with not all students willing to complete such an encounter again despite finding it enjoyable and a positive learning experience. The need for adequate preparation was identified, including the opportunity to review the patient case before the encounter. The web-based SP encounter afforded students the opportunity to utilize communication technology to provide patient-centered care while collaborating as an interprofessional team. Video conferencing presents an opportunity to bypass some logistical challenges in scheduling IPE experiences and can be implemented as a co-curricular activity, avoiding course revisions. Additional studies are needed to further explore student and patient perspectives and clarify when, and with what level of trainees, the experiences are most valuable. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Kansas rail feasibility study

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2000-03-01

Intercity passenger transportation in Kansas, as in other Midwest states, is facing enormous : challenges resulting from rapidly changing market forces. These challenges include the : increasing environmental and capital costs of investment in highwa...

Challenge and Change

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mehaffy, George L.

2012-01-01

In the past twenty years, various industries have been forever altered by technology: newspapers, book publishing, the photography business, and many more. Higher education too faces unprecedented challenges primarily driven by rapid changes in technology. To meet these challenges and adapt to these changes, new models are needed. Six challenges…

Challenges and Roadblocks

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hargrove, Kathy

2011-01-01

Gifted education has many challenges, and gifted programs sometimes throw up significant roadblocks. But passionate teachers can still make a difference in developing the gifts of the children. In this article, the author summarizes the challenges teachers face in serving gifted students and the roadblocks preventing a strong, supportive gifted…

Challenges Facing Group Work Online

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chang, Bo; Kang, Haijun

2016-01-01

Online group work can be complicated because of its asynchronous characteristics and lack of physical presence, and its requirements for skills in handling technology, human relationships, and content-related tasks. This study focuses on the administrative, logistical and relationship-related challenges in online group work. Challenges in areas…

International Student Mental Health

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Prieto-Welch, Susan L.

2016-01-01

This chapter describes the mental health status of international students in institutions of higher education, unique challenges these students face and their impact on mental health, and suggestions for ways to address these challenges.

Mentoring and social skills training: ensuring better outcomes for youth in foster care.

PubMed

Williams, Charles A

2011-01-01

Youth in foster care face significant life challenges that make it more likely that they will face negative outcomes (i.e., school failure, homelessness, and incarceration). While the reason(s) for out-of-home placement (i.e., family violence, abuse, neglect and/or abandonment) provide some context for negative outcomes, such negative outcomes need not be a foregone conclusion. In fact, interventions created to serve at-risk youth could ostensibly address the needs of youth in foster care as well, given that they often face similar social, emotional, and other challenges. Specifically, the author posits that supporting foster care youth through the use ofmentoring and social skills training could reduce the negative outcomes far too common for many of these youth.

Community Connectedness, Challenges, and Resilience Among Gay Latino Immigrants

PubMed Central

Gray, Nicole N.; Mendelsohn, David M.; Omoto, Allen M.

2016-01-01

To date, relatively little psychological research has focused on the experiences of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) Latino/a immigrants to the United States. This qualitative study used face-to-face semi-structured interviews to explore the unique sources of stress, challenges, as well as opportunities and factors related to resilience among 13 gay Latino first- and second-generation immigrants. Iterative coding of interview transcripts revealed four key themes, each of which is illustrated with verbatim quotes: 1) feelings of connectedness to the LGBT community, 2) feelings of connectedness to the Latino/a community, 3) intersectional challenges and strategies, and 4) well-being, strength, and resilience. As suggested by these themes, gay Latino immigrants have distinct sources of stress and conflict, many of them associated with community memberships, but also draw on unique sources of support and adaptive thoughts and behaviors in facing stressors. Implications for studying risk and resilience factors among stigmatized populations, including LGBT individuals and immigrants, are discussed. PMID:25576015

Intersectionality at Work: South Asian Muslim Women's Experiences of Employment and Leadership in the United Kingdom.

PubMed

Tariq, Memoona; Syed, Jawad

2017-01-01

Drawing on qualitative interviews with 20 South Asian heritage, Muslim, female leaders, managers, and supervisors in the United Kingdom, we examine the multi-layered issues and challenges they face in pursuit of employment and leadership positions. The paper offers an intersectional perspective taking into account interconnected and overlapping factors (gender, ethnicity, religion, and family status) that affect not only the issues and challenges these women face in the labour market but also the individual agency and strategies they use to overcome any obstacles in the way of their employment and career. The results show that although Muslim women continue to face a myriad of challenges in the workplace, they are also able to tackle some of these issues through their individual strategies and networks, such as personal networks and further education. The study highlights the need for policymakers and employers to consider intersectionality to enable ethnic minority women's inclusion and leadership within and outside the workplace.

Feasibility of an online and a face-to-face version of a self-management program for young adults with a rheumatic disease: experiences of young adults and peer leaders

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Based on the self-efficacy theory, an online and a face-to-face self-management programs ‘Challenge your Arthritis’ for young adults with a rheumatic disease have recently been developed. These two courses are led by young peer leaders. The objective of this study was to test the feasibility of the online and face-to-face self-management program. Methods Feasibility was evaluated on items of perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, user-acceptance, and adherence to both programs in young adults and peer leaders. Additional analyses of interactions on the e-Health applications, discussion board and chat board, were conducted. Results Twenty-two young adults with a diagnosed rheumatic disease participated in the study: 12 young adults followed the online program and 10 followed the face-to-face program. Both programs appeared to be feasible, especially in dealing with problems in daily life, and the participants indicated the time investment as ‘worthwhile’. In using the online program, no technical problems occurred. Participants found the program easy to use, user friendly, and liked the ‘look and feel’ of the program. Conclusions Both the online and the face-to-face versions of a self-management program. ‘Challenge your arthritis’ were found to be feasible and well appreciated by young adults with a rheumatic disease. Because these programs are likely to be a practical aid to health practices, a randomized controlled study to investigate the effects on patient outcomes is planned. PMID:24666817

Feasibility of an online and a face-to-face version of a self-management program for young adults with a rheumatic disease: experiences of young adults and peer leaders.

PubMed

Ammerlaan, Judy; van Os-Medendorp, Harmieke; Scholtus, Lieske; de Vos, André; Zwier, Matthijs; Bijlsma, Hans; Kruize, Aike A

2014-03-25

Based on the self-efficacy theory, an online and a face-to-face self-management programs 'Challenge your Arthritis' for young adults with a rheumatic disease have recently been developed. These two courses are led by young peer leaders. The objective of this study was to test the feasibility of the online and face-to-face self-management program. Feasibility was evaluated on items of perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, user-acceptance, and adherence to both programs in young adults and peer leaders. Additional analyses of interactions on the e-Health applications, discussion board and chat board, were conducted. Twenty-two young adults with a diagnosed rheumatic disease participated in the study: 12 young adults followed the online program and 10 followed the face-to-face program. Both programs appeared to be feasible, especially in dealing with problems in daily life, and the participants indicated the time investment as 'worthwhile'. In using the online program, no technical problems occurred. Participants found the program easy to use, user friendly, and liked the 'look and feel' of the program. Both the online and the face-to-face versions of a self-management program. 'Challenge your arthritis' were found to be feasible and well appreciated by young adults with a rheumatic disease. Because these programs are likely to be a practical aid to health practices, a randomized controlled study to investigate the effects on patient outcomes is planned.

High precision automated face localization in thermal images: oral cancer dataset as test case

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chakraborty, M.; Raman, S. K.; Mukhopadhyay, S.; Patsa, S.; Anjum, N.; Ray, J. G.

2017-02-01

Automated face detection is the pivotal step in computer vision aided facial medical diagnosis and biometrics. This paper presents an automatic, subject adaptive framework for accurate face detection in the long infrared spectrum on our database for oral cancer detection consisting of malignant, precancerous and normal subjects of varied age group. Previous works on oral cancer detection using Digital Infrared Thermal Imaging(DITI) reveals that patients and normal subjects differ significantly in their facial thermal distribution. Therefore, it is a challenging task to formulate a completely adaptive framework to veraciously localize face from such a subject specific modality. Our model consists of first extracting the most probable facial regions by minimum error thresholding followed by ingenious adaptive methods to leverage the horizontal and vertical projections of the segmented thermal image. Additionally, the model incorporates our domain knowledge of exploiting temperature difference between strategic locations of the face. To our best knowledge, this is the pioneering work on detecting faces in thermal facial images comprising both patients and normal subjects. Previous works on face detection have not specifically targeted automated medical diagnosis; face bounding box returned by those algorithms are thus loose and not apt for further medical automation. Our algorithm significantly outperforms contemporary face detection algorithms in terms of commonly used metrics for evaluating face detection accuracy. Since our method has been tested on challenging dataset consisting of both patients and normal subjects of diverse age groups, it can be seamlessly adapted in any DITI guided facial healthcare or biometric applications.

Health care providers under pressure: making the most of challenging times.

PubMed

Davis, Scott B; Robinson, Phillip J

2010-01-01

Whether the slowing economic recovery, tight credit markets, increasing costs, or the uncertainty surrounding health care reform, the health care industry faces some sizeable challenges. These factors have put considerable strain on the industry's traditional financing options that the industry has relied on in the past--bonds, banks, finance companies, private equity, venture capital, real estate investment trusts, private philanthropy, and grants. At the same time, providers are dealing with rising costs, lower reimbursement rates, shrinking demand for elective procedures, higher levels of charitable care and bad debt, and increased scrutiny of tax-exempt hospitals. Providers face these challenges against a back ground of uncertainty created by health care reform.

Measurement in Service Businesses: Challenges and Future Directions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tyagi, Rajesh Kumar

This chapter presents challenges faced by service businesses while implementing a measurement system. A review of existing frameworks is presented and a new framework, the Service Scorecard, is introduced. The Service Scorecard is an adaptation of the Six Sigma Business Scorecard for the service sector. The framework has also been influenced by existing frameworks such as the Malcom Baldrige award criteria, the Balanced Scorecard, the European Quality award and the Service Profit Chain model. The seven elements of the Service Scorecard are Growth, Leadership, Acceleration, Collaboration, Innovation, Execution, and Retention. The examples of measurement systems are presented with concrete real-world case examples. Final thoughts and the challenges faced are also presented.