The lesbian corporate experience.

PubMed

Hall, M

1986-05-01

By means of semi-structured interviews, this study investigates the work experience of 13 lesbians employed by large corporations. The respondents, who were already discredited for being women, had to manage the further potentially discrediting information of their lesbianism. The author examines the strategies used to manage such information. Because these strategies frequently included deception, the respondents then had to design a series of counter-strategies to avoid seeing themselves as dishonest. Each woman's strategy was unique; nevertheless, certain perceptions and approaches were common to all the respondents.

Development of guidelines to assist organisations to support employees returning to work after an episode of anxiety, depression or a related disorder: a Delphi consensus study with Australian professionals and consumers

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Mental disorders are a significant cause of disability and loss of workplace productivity. The scientific evidence for how organisations should best support those returning to work after common mental disorders is relatively limited. Therefore a Delphi expert consensus study was carried out with professional and consumer experts. Methods A systematic review of websites, books and journal articles was conducted to develop a 387 item survey containing strategies that organisations might use to support those returning to work after common mental disorders. Three panels of Australian experts (66 health professionals, 30 employers and 80 consumers) were recruited and independently rated the items over three rounds, with strategies reaching consensus on importance written into the guidelines. Results The participation rate across all three rounds was 60.2% (57.6% health professionals, 76.7% employers, 56.3% consumers). 308 strategies were endorsed as essential or important by at least 80% of all three panels. The endorsed strategies provided information on policy and procedures, the roles of supervisors, employees and colleagues in managing absence and return to work, and provision of mental health information and training. Conclusions The guidelines outline strategies for organisations supporting those returning to work after common mental disorders. It is hoped that they may be used to inform policy and practice in a variety of workplaces. PMID:22943604

Predictive models to determine imagery strategies employed by children to judge hand laterality.

PubMed

Spruijt, Steffie; Jongsma, Marijtje L A; van der Kamp, John; Steenbergen, Bert

2015-01-01

A commonly used paradigm to study motor imagery is the hand laterality judgment task. The present study aimed to determine which strategies young children employ to successfully perform this task. Children of 5 to 8 years old (N = 92) judged laterality of back and palm view hand pictures in different rotation angles. Response accuracy and response duration were registered. Response durations of the trials with a correct judgment were fitted to a-priori defined predictive sinusoid models, representing different strategies to successfully perform the hand laterality judgment task. The first model predicted systematic changes in response duration as a function of rotation angle of the displayed hand. The second model predicted that response durations are affected by biomechanical constraints of hand rotation. If observed data could be best described by the first model, this would argue for a mental imagery strategy that does not involve motor processes to solve the task. The second model reflects a motor imagery strategy to solve the task. In line with previous research, we showed an age-related increase in response accuracy and decrease in response duration in children. Observed data for both back and palm view showed that motor imagery strategies were used to perform hand laterality judgments, but that not all the children use these strategies (appropriately) at all times. A direct comparison of response duration patterns across age sheds new light on age-related differences in the strategies employed to solve the task. Importantly, the employment of the motor imagery strategy for successful task performance did not change with age.

Self-employed individuals performing different types of work have different occupational safety and health problems.

PubMed

Park, Jungsun; Han, Boyoung; Kim, Yangho

2018-05-22

We assessed the occupational safety and health (OSH) issues of self-employed individuals in Korea. The working conditions and OSH issues in three groups were analyzed using the Korean Working Conditions Survey of 2014. Among self-employed individuals, "Physical work" was more common among males, whereas "Emotional work" was more common among females. Self-employed individuals performing "Mental work" had more education, higher incomes, and the lowest exposure to physical/chemical and ergonomic hazards in the workplace. In contrast, those performing "Physical work" were older, had less education, lower incomes, greater exposure to physical/chemical and ergonomic hazards in the workplace, and more health problems. Individuals performing "Physical work" were most vulnerable to OSH problems. The self-employed are a heterogeneous group of individuals. We suggest development of specific strategies that focus on workers performing "Physical work" to improve the health and safety of self-employed workers in Korea. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Supported employment and compensatory strategies for enhancing vocational outcome following traumatic brain injury.

PubMed

Kreutzer, J S; Wehman, P; Morton, M V; Stonnington, H H

1988-01-01

Epidemiological research clearly indicates that traumatic head injury has reached epidemic proportions. Incidence rates for head injury are greater than those for cerebral palsy, multiple sclerosis, and spinal cord injury combined. Many victims suffer from long-term impairments in functional, neurological, medical, neuropsychological and linguistic status. Emotional and behavioural problems are common as well. Additionally, family problems often ensue as a consequence of the victim's dependency and concomitant emotional changes. Investigations of post-injury vocational status indicate that unemployment rates within the first 7 years post-injury range as high as 70% for those with moderate and severe injuries. Researchers have demonstrated that the emotional and neuropsychological changes arising from injury are the greatest contributors to reduced employability. Relatively high unemployment rates strongly suggest that traditional approaches to physical and vocational rehabilitation have been entirely inadequate. To complement existing services and enhance employment outcome, two approaches have been developed and refined for use with victims of head injury. Supported employment is a unique approach which assists the client to select, obtain and maintain suitable employment on the basis of his/her interests and abilities. Compensatory strategies have been developed to help the individual offset intellectual problems which would otherwise interfere with learning job skills and maintaining production levels. Often, compensatory strategies are used in the context of a comprehensive supported employment programme. The greater use of supported employment and compensatory strategies is likely to enhance employment outcomes for those with traumatic head injury. Nevertheless, additional research is needed to more clearly identify the types of techniques which work best for each unique set of problems.

Applied Graph-Mining Algorithms to Study Biomolecular Interaction Networks

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Protein-protein interaction (PPI) networks carry vital information on the organization of molecular interactions in cellular systems. The identification of functionally relevant modules in PPI networks is one of the most important applications of biological network analysis. Computational analysis is becoming an indispensable tool to understand large-scale biomolecular interaction networks. Several types of computational methods have been developed and employed for the analysis of PPI networks. Of these computational methods, graph comparison and module detection are the two most commonly used strategies. This review summarizes current literature on graph kernel and graph alignment methods for graph comparison strategies, as well as module detection approaches including seed-and-extend, hierarchical clustering, optimization-based, probabilistic, and frequent subgraph methods. Herein, we provide a comprehensive review of the major algorithms employed under each theme, including our recently published frequent subgraph method, for detecting functional modules commonly shared across multiple cancer PPI networks. PMID:24800226

"Who Soy Yo?": The Creative Use of "Spanglish" to Express a Hybrid Identity in Chicana/o Heritage Language Learners of Spanish

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sanchez-Munoz, Ana

2013-01-01

This study explores various linguistic strategies that characterize what is commonly referred to as "Spanglish"; namely, code-switching, code-mixing, borrowings and other language contact phenomena commonly employed by Chicana/o bilinguals. The analysis of linguistic features is based on creative pieces of writing produced by Chicana/o…

Finite element modeling and analysis of reinforced-concrete bridge.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2000-09-01

Despite its long history, the finite element method continues to be the predominant strategy employed by engineers to conduct structural analysis. A reliable method is needed for analyzing structures made of reinforced concrete, a complex but common ...

Self-esteem at school and self-handicapping in childhood: comparison of groups with learning disabilities.

PubMed

Alesi, Marianna; Rappo, Gaetano; Pepi, Annamaria

2012-12-01

Recent research has focused on the role of self-esteem and self-handicapping strategies in the school domain. Self-handicapping refers to maladaptive strategies employed by adults and children for protection and maintenance of positive school self esteem. In this study the self-esteem and the self-handicapping strategies of children with dyslexia, reading comprehension disabilities, and mathematical disabilities were compared to a control group with normal learning. There were 56 children whose mean age was 8 (23 girls, 33 boys), attending Grade 3 of primary school. These pupils were selected by scores on a battery of learning tests commonly used in Italy for assessment of learning disabilities. Analyses suggested these children with dyslexia, reading comprehension disabilities, and mathematical disabilities had lower ratings of self-esteem at school and employed more self-handicapping strategies than did children whose learning was normal. More research is required to identify and examine in depth the factors that promote adaptive strategies to cope with children's reading difficulties.

Management strategies for promoting successful breastfeeding.

PubMed

Bear, K; Tigges, B B

1993-06-01

Clinicians can promote a successful breastfeeding experience by providing support, anticipatory guidance and practical information. This article presents the components of early follow-up and guidelines for assessment. Management strategies for common problems are discussed, such as nipple soreness, cracked nipples, plugged ducts and mastitis, insufficient infant weight gain, perceived inadequacy of milk supply, breast-milk jaundice, sexual adjustment and failure at breastfeeding. Breastfeeding guidelines for employed mothers and adoptive mothers are indicated.

Health and safety strategies in a changing Europe.

PubMed

Walters, D

1998-01-01

This article presents a synthesis of some of the more significant findings from two recent surveys on working conditions and national strategies for their improvement in the European Union in the 1990s. As patterns and organization of employment have changed in the past decade, the consequences for health and safety present new challenges for legislators, the social partners, the regulatory agencies, and the specialists. These challenges are only partially met in most European member states. Because of the continued deregulation of employment, reduced public expenditure, and reduced trade union presence, the operation of strategies to implement a common framework of E.U. legislation is limited and often incomplete. This issue must be confronted if systems for promoting the well-being of people at work in Europe are to keep up with the rapidly changing nature of the risks that they face.

Real-Time Adaptation of Decision Thresholds in Sensor Networks for Detection of Moving Targets (PREPRINT)

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-01-01

target kinematics for multiple sensor detections is referred to as the track - before - detect strategy, and is commonly adopted in multi-sensor surveillance...of moving targets. Wettergren [4] presented an application of track - before - detect strategies to undersea distributed sensor networks. In de- signing...the deployment of a distributed passive sensor network that employs this track - before - detect procedure, it is impera- tive that the placement of

Evaluation of creative problem-solving abilities in undergraduate structural engineers through interdisciplinary problem-based learning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McCrum, Daniel Patrick

2017-11-01

For a structural engineer, effective communication and interaction with architects cannot be underestimated as a key skill to success throughout their professional career. Structural engineers and architects have to share a common language and understanding of each other in order to achieve the most desirable architectural and structural designs. This interaction and engagement develops during their professional career but needs to be nurtured during their undergraduate studies. The objective of this paper is to present the strategies employed to engage higher order thinking in structural engineering students in order to help them solve complex problem-based learning (PBL) design scenarios presented by architecture students. The strategies employed were applied in the experimental setting of an undergraduate module in structural engineering at Queen's University Belfast in the UK. The strategies employed were active learning to engage with content knowledge, the use of physical conceptual structural models to reinforce key concepts and finally, reinforcing the need for hand sketching of ideas to promote higher order problem-solving. The strategies employed were evaluated through student survey, student feedback and module facilitator (this author) reflection. The strategies were qualitatively perceived by the tutor and quantitatively evaluated by students in a cross-sectional study to help interaction with the architecture students, aid interdisciplinary learning and help students creatively solve problems (through higher order thinking). The students clearly enjoyed this module and in particular interacting with structural engineering tutors and students from another discipline.

Factors promoting sustainable work in women with fibromyalgia.

PubMed

Palstam, Annie; Gard, Gunvor; Mannerkorpi, Kaisa

2013-09-01

To examine and describe the factors promoting sustainable work in women with fibromyalgia (FM). A qualitative interview study. Twenty-seven gainfully employed women with FM participated in five focus group interviews. Their median age was 52 years, ranging from 33 to 62. The interviews were recorded, transcribed verbatim and analysed by qualitative latent content analysis. Four categories were identified describing factors promoting sustainable work: the meaning of work and individual strategies were individual promoters while a favourable work environment and social support outside work were environmental promoters. The meaning of work included individual meaning and social meaning. The individual strategies included handling symptoms, the work day and long-term work life. A favourable work environment included the physical and psychosocial work environment. Social support outside work included societal and private social supports. Promoting factors for work were identified, involving individual and environmental factors. These working women with FM had developed advanced well-functioning strategies to enhance their work ability. The development of such strategies should be supported by health-care professionals as well as employers to promote sustainable work in women with FM. Work disability is a common consequence of fibromyalgia (FM). Working women with FM appear to have developed advanced well-functioning individual strategies to enhance their work ability. The development of individual strategies should be supported by health-care professionals as well as employers to promote sustainable work and health in women with FM.

Beyond the Myths about Disabilities and Risks.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Seidman, Anna; Tremper, Charles

This booklet presents risk management strategies for organizations employing people with disabilities. First, the booklet contrasts common beliefs (such as that disabilities are obvious) with actual facts and their implications for risk management. It then discusses several risk management related exceptions in the Americans with Disabilities Act…

What "Dr. Mom" ordered: a community-based exploratory study of parental self-care responses to children's ADHD symptoms.

PubMed

Bussing, Regina; E Koro-Ljungberg, Mirka; Williamson, Pamela; Gary, Faye A; Wilson Garvan, Cynthia

2006-08-01

Little is known about family initiated self-care interventions in response to symptoms of attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and how self-care may co-exist with professional treatments. This paper explores parental self-care strategies for children with hyperactivity or attention problems, and examines factors and domains that influence their use from the mixed method perspective. As part of a longitudinal cohort study of ADHD detection and service use, caregivers of a representative US community sample of 266 children at high risk for ADHD completed a questionnaire that assessed five self-care strategies (behavior modification, coping, diet, over-the-counter medication use and religious practices), and made open-ended inquiry about discipline changes in response to behavioral concerns. Questionnaire responses were analyzed using logistic regression approaches. Open-ended answers were open coded; secondary analysis followed Spradley's model of domain analysis. Quantitative findings showed that behavior modification was the most commonly tried self-care strategy, followed by coping, diet, and religious practices. Over-the-counter trial was least common. The parents of professionally treated children were more likely to have employed behavior modification, coping strategies and over-the-counter medications than the parents of untreated children. Two-thirds of parents had changed their disciplinary action within three domains that were identified through qualitative analysis, including changes related to (a) the prevention of disciplinary problems (e.g., sustain eye contact, activation, consistency, clear instructions), (b) the solution of disciplinary problems (e.g., time-outs; privilege removal), and (c) parental coping associated with disciplinary problems (e.g., control own emotions, become less judgmental and more tolerant, and develop more appropriate expectations). These findings suggest that self-care strategies are commonly employed and appear to co-exist with professional treatment. Therefore, healthcare providers should actively explore parents' use of such strategies as some of them may interfere with prescribed treatments (e.g., over-the-counter) or absorb parental resources without likely benefit (e.g., diet).

Use of listening strategies for the speech of individuals with dysarthria and cerebral palsy.

PubMed

Hustad, Katherine C; Dardis, Caitlin M; Kramper, Amy J

2011-03-01

This study examined listeners' endorsement of cognitive, linguistic, segmental, and suprasegmental strategies employed when listening to speakers with dysarthria. The study also examined whether strategy endorsement differed between listeners who earned the highest and lowest intelligibility scores. Speakers were eight individuals with dysarthria and cerebral palsy. Listeners were 80 individuals who transcribed speech stimuli and rated their use of each of 24 listening strategies on a 4-point scale. Results showed that cognitive and linguistic strategies were most highly endorsed. Use of listening strategies did not differ between listeners with the highest and lowest intelligibility scores. Results suggest that there may be a core of strategies common to listeners of speakers with dysarthria that may be supplemented by additional strategies, based on characteristics of the speaker and speech signal.

Antibiotic-non-antibiotic combinations for combating extremely drug-resistant Gram-negative 'superbugs'.

PubMed

Schneider, Elena K; Reyes-Ortega, Felisa; Velkov, Tony; Li, Jian

2017-02-28

The emergence of antimicrobial resistance of Gram-negative pathogens has become a worldwide crisis. The status quo for combating resistance is to employ synergistic combinations of antibiotics. Faced with this fast-approaching post-antibiotic era, it is critical that we devise strategies to prolong and maximize the clinical efficacy of existing antibiotics. Unfortunately, reports of extremely drug-resistant (XDR) Gram-negative pathogens have become more common. Combining antibiotics such as polymyxin B or the broad-spectrum tetracycline and minocycline with various FDA-approved non-antibiotic drugs have emerged as a novel combination strategy against otherwise untreatable XDR pathogens. This review surveys the available literature on the potential benefits of employing antibiotic-non-antibiotic drug combination therapy. The apex of this review highlights the clinical utility of this novel therapeutic strategy for combating infections caused by 'superbugs'. © 2017 The Author(s). Published by Portland Press Limited on behalf of the Biochemical Society.

Handling Heterogeneity in English Geography Textbooks 1850-2000

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Taylor, Liz

2017-01-01

Teaching demands engagement with a diverse world. When teaching about distant places, school textbooks commonly employ mediation devices of comparison, contrast and narratives of change. To what extent are such pedagogical strategies inherently othering? This question is addressed in the context of representations of Japan in English geography…

Building of Requirement: Liberating Academic Interior Architecture

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McLane, Yelena; Dawkins, Jim

2014-01-01

The authors focus on the strategies employed in the recent renovation of the William Johnston Building at Florida State University, in which the historical exterior was preserved, while the interiors were adapted to new functions as classrooms, study centers, and common spaces with intentionally undefined purposes. The building's various use…

Early Retirement Payoff

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fitzpatrick, Maria D.; Lovenheim, Michael F.

2014-01-01

As public budgets have grown tighter over the past decade, states and school districts have sought ways to control the growth of spending. One increasingly common strategy employed to rein in costs is to offer experienced teachers with high salaries financial incentives to retire early. Although early retirement incentive (ERI) programs have been…

Classroom Management for Early Childhood Music Settings

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Koops, Lisa Huisman

2018-01-01

Classroom management is a common concern for preservice teachers and can be a key to success for in-service teachers. In this article, I discuss six strategies for classroom management: design and lead engaging music activities, employ music-rich transitions, balance familiarity and novelty, plan for success, communicate clear expectations, and…

Preparing Principals for Social Justice Leadership

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Baker-Martinez, Darcy

2012-01-01

The purpose of this study is to examine the experiences of social justice leaders to uncover specific leadership competencies that may inform current principal preparation programs. This study employed a qualitative multiple case study design. The three participants all shared many common strategies on how they manage the multiple forms of…

The European Social Fund: The Commission, the Member State and Levels of Governance

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brine, Jacqueline

2004-01-01

The European Social Fund (ESF) is the European Union structural fund that redistributes funds to facilitate vocational education and training (VET). With the exception of the Common Agricultural Policy it is the EU's largest instrument for redistribution. Currently linked to the European Employment Strategy it match-funds, and through its…

Learning Locked down: Evaluating the Treatment of Students' Rights in High Security School Environments

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bracy, Nicole L.

2009-01-01

Public schools have transformed significantly over the past several decades in response to broad concerns about rising school violence. Today's public schools are high security environments employing tactics commonly found in jails and prisons such as police officers, security cameras, identification systems, and secure building strategies.…

Where's Your Partner? Pairing Bilingual Learners in Preschool and Primary Grade Dual Language Classrooms

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alanis, Iliana

2013-01-01

Children working alone is a common instructional strategy in some early childhood classrooms. According to foundational work by Johnson and Johnson (1986), however, cooperative teams employ higher levels of thought and retain information longer than children who work individually. Children engage in discussion, take responsibility for their…

Expert recommendations for implementing change (ERIC): protocol for a mixed methods study

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Identifying feasible and effective implementation strategies that are contextually appropriate is a challenge for researchers and implementers, exacerbated by the lack of conceptual clarity surrounding terms and definitions for implementation strategies, as well as a literature that provides imperfect guidance regarding how one might select strategies for a given healthcare quality improvement effort. In this study, we will engage an Expert Panel comprising implementation scientists and mental health clinical managers to: establish consensus on a common nomenclature for implementation strategy terms, definitions and categories; and develop recommendations to enhance the match between implementation strategies selected to facilitate the use of evidence-based programs and the context of certain service settings, in this case the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) mental health services. Methods/Design This study will use purposive sampling to recruit an Expert Panel comprising implementation science experts and VA mental health clinical managers. A novel, four-stage sequential mixed methods design will be employed. During Stage 1, the Expert Panel will participate in a modified Delphi process in which a published taxonomy of implementation strategies will be used to establish consensus on terms and definitions for implementation strategies. In Stage 2, the panelists will complete a concept mapping task, which will yield conceptually distinct categories of implementation strategies as well as ratings of the feasibility and effectiveness of each strategy. Utilizing the common nomenclature developed in Stages 1 and 2, panelists will complete an innovative menu-based choice task in Stage 3 that involves matching implementation strategies to hypothetical implementation scenarios with varying contexts. This allows for quantitative characterizations of the relative necessity of each implementation strategy for a given scenario. In Stage 4, a live web-based facilitated expert recommendation process will be employed to establish expert recommendations about which implementations strategies are essential for each phase of implementation in each scenario. Discussion Using a novel method of selecting implementation strategies for use within specific contexts, this study contributes to our understanding of implementation science and practice by sharpening conceptual distinctions among a comprehensive collection of implementation strategies. PMID:24669765

Eosinophilic esophagitis: dilate or medicate? A cost analysis model of the choice of initial therapy.

PubMed

Kavitt, R T; Penson, D F; Vaezi, M F

2014-07-01

Eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) is an increasingly recognized clinical entity. The optimal initial treatment strategy in adults with EoE remains controversial. The aim of this study was to employ a decision analysis model to determine the less costly option between the two most commonly employed treatment strategies in EoE. We constructed a model for an index case of a patient with biopsy-proven EoE who continues to be symptomatic despite proton-pump inhibitor therapy. The following treatment strategies were included: (i) swallowed fluticasone inhaler (followed by esophagogastroduodenoscopy [EGD] with dilation if ineffective); and (ii) EGD with dilation (followed by swallowed fluticasone inhaler if ineffective). The time horizon was 1 year. The model focused on cost analysis of initial treatment strategies. The perspective of the healthcare payer was used. Sensitivity analyses were performed to assess the robustness of the model. For every patient whose symptoms improved or resolved with the strategy of fluticasone first followed by EGD, if necessary, it cost an average of $1078. Similarly, it cost an average of $1171 per patient if EGD with dilation was employed first. Sensitivity analyses indicated that initial treatment with fluticasone was the less costly strategy to improve dysphagia symptoms as long as the effectiveness of fluticasone remains at or above 0.62. Swallowed fluticasone inhaler (followed by EGD with dilation if necessary) is the more economical initial strategy when compared with EGD with dilation first. © 2012 Copyright the Authors. Journal compilation © 2012, Wiley Periodicals, Inc. and the International Society for Diseases of the Esophagus.

Barriers and facilitators to recruitment of South Asians to health research: a scoping review.

PubMed

Quay, Teo Aw; Frimer, Leora; Janssen, Patricia A; Lamers, Yvonne

2017-06-01

People of South Asian ethnicity are under-represented in health research studies. The objectives of this scoping review were to examine the barriers and facilitators to recruitment of South Asians to health research studies and to describe strategies for improving recruitment. Scoping review METHODS: Using the Arksey and O'Malley framework for scoping reviews, we comprehensively searched electronic databases (MEDLINE via PubMed, Cochrane Library, CINAHL and PsycINFO). Studies that identified barriers and facilitators to recruitment, or recruitment strategies for South Asian populations were included. Recruitment barriers, facilitators and strategies were grouped thematically and summarised narratively. Of 1846 potentially relevant articles, 15 met the inclusion criteria and were included in the thematic synthesis. Multiple facilitators and barriers to enrolment of South Asians in health research studies were identified; these most commonly related to logistical challenges, language and cultural barriers, concerns about adverse consequences of participating and mistrust of research. Several actionable strategies were discussed, the most common being engagement of South Asian communities, demonstration of cultural competency, provision of incentives and benefits, language sensitivity through the use of translators and translated materials and the development of trust and personal relationships. There is a growing awareness of the barriers and facilitators to recruitment of South Asian participants to health research studies. Knowledge of effective recruitment strategies and implementation during the grant funding stages may reduce the risk of poor recruitment and representation of South Asians. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2017. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

Difficulties of care-work reconciliation: employed and nonemployed mothers of children with intellectual disability.

PubMed

Chou, Yueh-Ching; Fu, Li-Yeh; Pu, Cheng-Yun; Chang, Heng-Hao

2012-09-01

Whether employed and nonemployed mothers of children with intellectual disability (ID) have different experiences with reconciliation between care and work has rarely been explored. A survey was conducted in a county in Taiwan and 487 mothers aged younger than 65 and having a child with ID were interviewed face to face at their homes to explore whether there are different factors related to the reconciliation between care and work among employed and nonemployed mothers. Except for the common ground of mothers' health and care demands, logistic regression revealed work flexibility and care support were important for employed mothers. In contrast, the success of reconciliation for nonemployed mothers was determined by their individual characteristics (i.e., age, marital status, family income). Reconciliation policies for mothers with different employment statuses need to use different strategies.

The management of food cravings and thirst in hemodialysis patients: A qualitative study.

PubMed

Yu, Junhong; Ng, Hui J; Nandakumar, Mooppil; Griva, Konstadina

2016-02-01

This study set out to explore the experience of food cravings and thirst, and their management strategies in patients on hemodialysis. Semi-structured interviews with N = 32 hemodialysis patients were analyzed thematically. Findings indicated that food cravings and thirst were common in everyday life of patients and resulted in different emotional responses. A combination of cognitive and behavioral strategies was employed, including avoidance, controlled consumption, and substitution. Self-monitoring and compensatory strategies were also used to prevent or compensate for lapses. These findings lay the groundwork for future work aimed to improve adherence in end-stage renal disease patients. © The Author(s) 2014.

From Moves to Sequences: Expanding the Unit of Analysis in the Study of Classroom Discourse

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lefstein, Adam; Snell, Julia; Israeli, Mirit

2015-01-01

What is the appropriate unit of analysis for the study of classroom discourse? One common analytic strategy employs individual discourse moves, which are coded, counted and used as indicators of the quality of classroom talk. In this article we question this practice, arguing that discourse moves are positioned within sequences that critically…

Cooperative microbial tolerance behaviors in host-microbiota mutualism

PubMed Central

Ayres, Janelle S.

2016-01-01

Animal defense strategies against microbes are most often thought of as a function of the immune system, the primary function of which is to sense and kill microbes through the execution of resistance mechanisms. However, this antagonistic view creates complications for our understanding of beneficial host-microbe interactions. Pathogenic microbes are described as employing a few common behaviors that promote their fitness at the expense of host health and fitness. Here, a complementary framework is proposed to suggest that in addition to pathogens, beneficial microbes have evolved behaviors to manipulate host processes in order to promote their own fitness and do so through the promotion of host health and fitness. In this Perspective, I explore the idea that patterns or behaviors traditionally ascribed to pathogenic microbes are also employed by beneficial microbes to promote host tolerance defense strategies. Such strategies would promote host health without having a negative impact on microbial fitness and would thereby yield cooperative evolutionary dynamics that are likely required to drive mutualistic co-evolution of hosts and microbes. PMID:27259146

Comparison of indoor air quality management strategies between the school and district levels in New York State.

PubMed

Lin, Shao; Kielb, Christine L; Reddy, Amanda L; Chapman, Bonnie R; Hwang, Syni-An

2012-03-01

Good school indoor air quality (IAQ) can affect the health and functioning of school occupants. Thus, it is important to assess the degree to which schools and districts employ strategies to ensure good IAQ management. We examined and compared the patterns of IAQ management strategies between public elementary schools and their school districts in New York State. District-level information obtained from surveys of district facilities managers in 326 districts was described and stratified by district size and socioeconomic status. School-level information obtained from surveys of head custodians in 770 elementary schools was then compared with the district-level information in 241 districts. About 47% of participating school districts reported having a district-wide IAQ program, with a large range in the prevalence of specific IAQ management strategies. Airing out newly painted areas was the most commonly reported (92%) and having a classroom animal policy was the least commonly reported (29%). Larger districts and districts with a district-wide IAQ program were more likely to report certain IAQ strategies than other districts. Elementary schools and their districts were most likely to report airing out newly painted areas (76%). The most common area of disagreement was construction after hours (50%). The top strategy not reported at either level was having an IAQ coordinator (53%). Many school districts lack key IAQ management strategies, and differences exist between district-level policy and school-level practice. Districts and schools should work together to formalize and expand existing IAQ policies and inform stakeholders about these strategies. © 2012, American School Health Association.

Strategies for generating multiple instances of common and ad hoc categories.

PubMed

Vallée-Tourangeau, F; Anthony, S H; Austin, N G

1998-09-01

In a free-emission procedure participants were asked to generate instances of a given category and to report, retrospectively, the strategies that they were aware of using in retrieving instances. In two studies reported here, participants generated instances for common categories (e.g. fruit) and for ad hoc categories (e.g., things people keep in their pockets) for 90 seconds and for each category described how they had proceeded in doing so. Analysis of the protocols identified three broad classes of strategy: (1) experiential, where memories of specific or generic personal experiences involving interactions with the category instances acted as cues; (2) semantic, where a consideration of abstract conceptual characteristics of a category were employed to retrieve category exemplars; (3) unmediated, where instances were effortlessly retrieved without mediating cognitions of which subjects were aware. Experiential strategies outnumbered semantic strategies (on average 4 to 1) not only for ad hoc categories but also for common categories. This pattern was noticeably reversed for ad hoc categories that subjects were unlikely to have experienced personally (e.g. things sold on the black market in Russia). Whereas more traditional accounts of semantic memory have favoured decontextualised abstract representations of category knowledge, to the extent that mode of access informs us of knowledge structures, our data suggest that category knowledge is significantly grounded in terms of everyday contexts where category instances are encountered.

Perceptions of health stakeholders on task shifting and motivation of community health workers in different socio demographic contexts in Kenya (nomadic, peri-urban and rural agrarian).

PubMed

Ochieng, Beverly; Akunja, Edith; Edwards, Nancy; Mombo, Diana; Marende, Leah; Kaseje, Dan C O

2014-01-01

The shortage of health professionals in low income countries is recognized as a crisis. Community health workers are part of a "task-shift" strategy to address this crisis. Task shifting in this paper refers to the delegation of tasks from health professionals to lay, trained volunteers. In Kenya, there is a debate as to whether these volunteers should be compensated, and what motivation strategies would be effective in different socio-demographic contexts, based type of tasks shifted. The purpose of this study was to find out, from stakeholders' perspectives, the type of tasks to be shifted to community health workers and the appropriate strategies to motivate and retain them. This was an analytical comparative study employing qualitative methods: key informant interviews with health policy makers, managers, and service providers, and focus group discussions with community health workers and service consumers, to explore their perspectives on tasks to be shifted and appropriate motivation strategies. The study found that there were tasks to be shifted and motivation strategies that were common to all three contexts. Common tasks were promotive, preventive, and simple curative services. Common motivation strategies were supportive supervision, means of identification, equitable allocation of resources, training, compensation, recognition, and evidence based community dialogue. The study concluded that inclusion of curative tasks for community health workers, particularly in nomadic contexts, is inevitable but raises the need for accreditation of their training and regulation of their tasks.

First- and Second-Order Reactivity to Verbal Protocols: An Example from a Study on Strategy Variability

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jay, Tim

2012-01-01

Verbal reports are a common method of data collection in studies of mathematics learning, often in studies with a longitudinal component or those employing microgenetic methods where several observations of problem-solving are made over a short period of time. Whilst there is a fairly substantial literature on reactivity to verbal reports,…

"Turning the Tap on and Off": The Recruitment of Overseas Trained Teachers to the United Kingdom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McNamara, Olwen; Lewis, Sarah; Howson, John

2007-01-01

A common strategy employed by wealthy industrial nations for dealing with short-term skill deficits is to recruit internationally; such was the case, around the millennium, when a teacher supply crisis occurred in the United Kingdom (UK). That immediate crisis is now over; yet irrespective of peaks and troughs, international teacher migration is…

School Social Workers' Perceptions of School Safety and Security in Today's Schools: A Survey of Practitioners across the United States

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cuellar, Matthew J.; Elswick, Susan E.; Theriot, Matthew T.

2018-01-01

To understand the effects of school safety practices and strategies on the school environment, researchers have consistently investigated the perceptions of students and various school personnel concerning school safety. Yet school social workers, professionals commonly employed in today's schools to address the mental health needs of students,…

Using Eye-Tracking to Measure Lexical Inferences and Its Effects on Reading Rate during EFL Reading

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dolgunsöz, Emrah

2016-01-01

Inferring unknown word meanings by using contextual clues is a common strategy employed by EFL learners during reading. This study aims to (a) investigate the effect of familiarity on lexical inferences in EFL reading; (b) examine inference efficiency among EFL readers with different levels of vocabulary knowledge and reading proficiency; and (c)…

Functionalized ZnO nanowires for microcantilever biosensors with enhanced binding capability.

PubMed

Stassi, Stefano; Chiadò, Alessandro; Cauda, Valentina; Palmara, Gianluca; Canavese, Giancarlo; Laurenti, Marco; Ricciardi, Carlo

2017-04-01

An efficient way to increase the binding capability of microcantilever biosensors is here demonstrated by growing zinc oxide nanowires (ZnO NWs) on their active surface. A comprehensive evaluation of the chemical compatibility of ZnO NWs brought to the definition of an innovative functionalization method able to guarantee the proper immobilization of biomolecules on the nanostructured surface. A noteworthy higher amount of grafted molecules was evidenced with colorimetric assays on ZnO NWs-coated devices, in comparison with functionalized and activated silicon flat samples. ZnO NWs grown on silicon microcantilever arrays and activated with the proposed immobilization strategy enhanced the sensor binding capability (and thus the dynamic range) of nearly 1 order of magnitude, with respect to the commonly employed flat functionalized silicon devices. Graphical Abstract An efficient way to increase the binding capability of microcantilever biosensors is represented by growing zinc oxide nanowires (ZnO NWs) on their active surface. ZnO NWs grown on silicon microcantilever arrays and activated with an innovative immobilization strategy enhanced the sensor binding capability of nearly 1 order of magnitude, with respect to the commonly employed flat functionalized silicon devices.

Beating Cheaters at Their Own Game

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rauch, Joseph; Kondev, Jane; Sanchez, Alvaro

2014-03-01

Public goods games occur over many different scales in nature, from microbial biofilms to the human commons. On each scale stable populations of cooperators (members who invest into producing some good shared by the entire population) and cheaters (members who make no investment yet still share the common goods) has been observed. This observation raises interesting questions, like how do cooperators maintain their presence in a game that seems to heavily favor cheaters, and what strategies for cooperation could populations employ to increase their success? We propose a model of a public goods game with two different player populations, S and D, which employ two different strategies: the D population always cheats and the S population makes a stochastic decision whether to cooperate or not. We find that stochastic cooperation improves the success of the S population over the competing D population, but at a price. As the probability of cheating by the S players increases they outcompete the D players but the total population becomes more ecologically unstable (i.e., the likelihood of its extinction grows). We investigate this trade off between evolutionary success and ecological stability and propose experiments using populations of yeast cells to test our predictions.

Persistence and withdrawal by students in a preservice science and mathematics teacher education course

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tulip, David F.; Lucas, Keith B.

1991-12-01

At a time when recruitment into preservice teacher education courses in mathematics and science is difficult, one strategy to increase the number of graduates is to minimise the number of students who fail to complete their university courses. This study sought to determine factors which distinguish withdrawers from persisters in the first semester of a B.Ed course. Discriminant analysis was employed; a discriminant function employing seven factors resulted in correct classification in 81% of cases. Further analysis distinguishing between dropouts and transferees resulted in two discriminant functions with some common variables.

Nutra-ergonomics: influence of nutrition on physical employment standards and the health of workers.

PubMed

Shearer, Jane; Graham, Terry E; Skinner, Tina L

2016-06-01

The importance of ergonomics across several scientific domains, including biomechanics, psychology, sociology, and physiology, have been extensively explored. However, the role of other factors that may influence the health and productivity of workers, such as nutrition, is generally overlooked. Nutra-ergonomics describes the interface between workers, their work environment, and performance in relation to their nutritional status. It considers nutrition to be an integral part of a safe and productive workplace that encompasses physical and mental health as well as the long-term wellbeing of workers. This review explores the knowledge, awareness, and common practices of nutrition, hydration, stimulants, and fortified product use employed prior to physical employment standards testing and within the workplace. The influence of these nutra-ergonomic strategies on physical employment standards, worker safety, and performance will be examined. Further, the roles, responsibilities, and implications for the applicant, worker, and the employer will be discussed within the context of nutra-ergonomics, with reference to the provision and sustainability of an environment conducive to optimize worker health and wellbeing. Beyond physical employment standards, workplace productivity, and performance, the influence of extended or chronic desynchronization (irregular or shift work) in the work schedule on metabolism and long-term health, including risk of developing chronic and complex diseases, is discussed. Finally, practical nutra-ergonomic strategies and recommendations for the applicant, worker, and employer alike will be provided to enhance the short- and long-term safety, performance, health, and wellbeing of workers.

An Overview of State Policies Supporting Worksite Health Promotion Programs.

PubMed

VanderVeur, Jennifer; Gilchrist, Siobhan; Matson-Koffman, Dyann

2017-05-01

Worksite health promotion (WHP) programs can reduce the occurrence of cardiovascular disease risk factors. State law can encourage employers and employer-provided insurance companies to offer comprehensive WHP programs. This research examines state law authorizing WHP programs. Quantitative content analysis. Worksites or workplaces. United States (and the District of Columbia). State law in effect in 2013 authorizing WHP programs. Frequency and distribution of states with WHP laws. To determine the content of the laws for analysis and coding, we identified 18 policy elements, 12 from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Worksite Health ScoreCard (HSC) and 6 additional supportive WHP strategies. We used these strategies as key words to search for laws authorizing WHP programs or select WHP elements. We calculated the number and type of WHP elements for each state with WHP laws and selected two case examples from states with comprehensive WHP laws. Twenty-four states authorized onsite WHP programs, 29 authorized WHP through employer-provided insurance plans, and 18 authorized both. Seven states had a comprehensive WHP strategy, addressing 8 or more of 12 HSC elements. The most common HSC elements were weight management, tobacco cessation, and physical activity. Most states had laws encouraging the adoption of WHP programs. Massachusetts and Maine are implementing comprehensive WHP laws but studies evaluating their health impact are needed.

Oscillatory multiphase flow strategy for chemistry and biology.

PubMed

Abolhasani, Milad; Jensen, Klavs F

2016-07-19

Continuous multiphase flow strategies are commonly employed for high-throughput parameter screening of physical, chemical, and biological processes as well as continuous preparation of a wide range of fine chemicals and micro/nano particles with processing times up to 10 min. The inter-dependency of mixing and residence times, and their direct correlation with reactor length have limited the adaptation of multiphase flow strategies for studies of processes with relatively long processing times (0.5-24 h). In this frontier article, we describe an oscillatory multiphase flow strategy to decouple mixing and residence times and enable investigation of longer timescale experiments than typically feasible with conventional continuous multiphase flow approaches. We review current oscillatory multiphase flow technologies, provide an overview of the advancements of this relatively new strategy in chemistry and biology, and close with a perspective on future opportunities.

Perceived Drug Use Functions and Risk Reduction Practices Among High-Risk Nonmedical Users of Prescription Drugs

PubMed Central

Silva, Karol; Kecojevic, Aleksandar; Lankenau, Stephen E.

2014-01-01

Nonmedical use of prescription drugs has become the fastest growing drug problem in the United States, particularly among young adults. This study examines the reasons young polydrug users misuse prescription drugs, and explores how young users employ risk reduction strategies to minimize adverse consequences. The sample was recruited during 2008 and 2009 in Los Angeles and New York, and comprised 45 nonmedical users of prescription drugs, aged 16 to 25. Data from a semistructured interview were analyzed quantitatively and qualitatively. Participants reported nonmedical use of prescription drugs to change mood, to facilitate activity, and to monitor the intake of other substances. Commonly employed risk reduction strategies included calculating pill timing, dosage, and access, and monitoring frequency of use, particularly when combining different substances. Most study participants often planned drug use to occur within socially acceptable parameters, such that prescription drug misuse was a normalized feature of their everyday lives. PMID:25477621

Noninvasive Strategies to Promote Functional Recovery after Stroke

PubMed Central

Mauro, Alessandro; Rossi, Ferdinando; Carulli, Daniela

2013-01-01

Stroke is a common and disabling global health-care problem, which is the third most common cause of death and one of the main causes of acquired adult disability in many countries. Rehabilitation interventions are a major component of patient care. In the last few years, brain stimulation, mirror therapy, action observation, or mental practice with motor imagery has emerged as interesting options as add-on interventions to standard physical therapies. The neural bases for poststroke recovery rely on the concept of plasticity, namely, the ability of central nervous system cells to modify their structure and function in response to external stimuli. In this review, we will discuss recent noninvasive strategies employed to enhance functional recovery in stroke patients and we will provide an overview of neural plastic events associated with rehabilitation in preclinical models of stroke. PMID:23864962

Strategies to keep working among workers with common mental disorders - a grounded theory study.

PubMed

Danielsson, Louise; Elf, Mikael; Hensing, Gunnel

2017-11-28

Most people with common mental disorders (CMDs) are employed and working, but few studies have looked into how they manage their jobs while ill. This study explores workers' experiences of strategies to keep working while suffering from CMDs. In this grounded theory study, we interviewed 19 women and eight men with depression or anxiety disorders. They were 19-65 years old and had different occupations. Constant comparison method was used in the analysis. We identified a core pattern in the depressed and anxious workers' attempts to sustain their capacities, defined as Managing work space. The core pattern comprised four categories describing different cognitive, behavioral, and social strategies. The categories relate to a process of sustainability. Two categories reflected more reactive and temporary strategies, occurring mainly in the onset phase of illness: Forcing the work role and Warding off work strain. The third category, Recuperating from work, reflected strategies during both onset and recovery phases. The fourth category, Reflexive adaptation, was present mainly in the recovery phase and involved reflective strategies interpreted as more sustainable over time. The results can deepen understanding among rehabilitation professionals about different work-related strategies in depressed and anxious workers. Increased awareness of the meaning and characteristics of strategies can inform a person-oriented approach in rehabilitation. The knowledge can be used in clinical encounters to reflect together with the patient, exploring present options and introducing modifications to their particular work and life context. Implications for rehabilitation Self-managed work functioning in common mental disorders involves diverse strategies. Strategies interpreted as sustainable over time, seem to be reflective in the sense that the worker consciously applies and adapts the strategies. However, at the onset of illness, such reflection is difficult to develop as the worker might not want to realize their reduced functioning. Rehabilitation professionals' awareness of different strategies can facilitate a person-centered approach and understanding of the vocational rehabilitation process.

A systematic review of cost-sharing strategies used within publicly-funded drug plans in member countries of the organisation for economic co-operation and development.

PubMed

Barnieh, Lianne; Clement, Fiona; Harris, Anthony; Blom, Marja; Donaldson, Cam; Klarenbach, Scott; Husereau, Don; Lorenzetti, Diane; Manns, Braden

2014-01-01

Publicly-funded drug plans vary in strategies used and policies employed to reduce continually increasing pharmaceutical expenditures. We systematically reviewed the utilization of cost-sharing strategies and physician-directed prescribing regulations in publicly-funded formularies within member nations of the Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). Using the OECD nations as the sampling frame, a search for cost-sharing strategies and physician-directed prescribing regulations was done using published and grey literature. Collected data was verified by a system expert within the prescription drug insurance plan in each country, to ensure the accuracy of key data elements across plans. Significant variation in the use of cost-sharing mechanisms was seen. Copayments were the most commonly used cost-containment measure, though their use and amount varied for those with certain conditions, most often chronic diseases (in 17 countries), and by socio-economic status (either income or employment status), or with age (in 15 countries). Caps and deductibles were only used by five systems. Drug cost-containment strategies targeting physicians were also identified in 24 countries, including guideline-based prescribing, prescription monitoring and incentive structures. There was variable use of cost-containment strategies to limit pharmaceutical expenditures in publicly funded formularies within OECD countries. Further research is needed to determine the best approach to constrain costs while maintaining access to pharmaceutical drugs.

417th Brookhaven Lecture

ScienceCinema

Huilin Li

2017-12-09

Proteins that cleave other proteins using a molecule of water, protease complexes are exquisite macromolecular machines involved in a multitude of physiological and cellular reactions. Our structural studies shed light into the inner workings of multi-protein assemblies, and they reveal a surprisingly common strategy for controlled proteolysis employed by the two drastically different machines. Further research will facilitate rational design of drugs for treating Tb infection and Alzheimer's disease.

Fetal MRI: A Technical Update with Educational Aspirations

PubMed Central

Gholipour, Ali; Estroff, Judith A.; Barnewolt, Carol E.; Robertson, Richard L.; Grant, P. Ellen; Gagoski, Borjan; Warfield, Simon K.; Afacan, Onur; Connolly, Susan A.; Neil, Jeffrey J.; Wolfberg, Adam; Mulkern, Robert V.

2015-01-01

Fetal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) examinations have become well-established procedures at many institutions and can serve as useful adjuncts to ultrasound (US) exams when diagnostic doubts remain after US. Due to fetal motion, however, fetal MRI exams are challenging and require the MR scanner to be used in a somewhat different mode than that employed for more routine clinical studies. Herein we review the techniques most commonly used, and those that are available, for fetal MRI with an emphasis on the physics of the techniques and how to deploy them to improve success rates for fetal MRI exams. By far the most common technique employed is single-shot T2-weighted imaging due to its excellent tissue contrast and relative immunity to fetal motion. Despite the significant challenges involved, however, many of the other techniques commonly employed in conventional neuro- and body MRI such as T1 and T2*-weighted imaging, diffusion and perfusion weighted imaging, as well as spectroscopic methods remain of interest for fetal MR applications. An effort to understand the strengths and limitations of these basic methods within the context of fetal MRI is made in order to optimize their use and facilitate implementation of technical improvements for the further development of fetal MR imaging, both in acquisition and post-processing strategies. PMID:26225129

Sup-ER orthosis: an innovative treatment for infants with birth related brachial plexus injury.

PubMed

Durlacher, Kim M; Bellows, Doria; Verchere, Cynthia

2014-01-01

Impairments in active and passive range of upper extremity supination and shoulder external rotation are common sequelae for children with delayed recovery from birth related brachial plexus injury. Orthotic intervention may complement traditional treatment strategies commonly employed in the newborn period. These authors describe their custom fabricated orthosis designed to balance shoulder growth and muscular function, and improve prognosis of long term functional outcomes for children with birth related brachial plexus injury. - Victoria Priganc, PhD, OTR, CHT, CLT, Practice Forum Editor. Copyright © 2014 Hanley & Belfus. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Metacognitive Emotion Regulation: Children’s Awareness that Changing Thoughts and Goals Can Alleviate Negative Emotions

PubMed Central

Davis, Elizabeth L.; Levine, Linda J.; Lench, Heather C.; Quas, Jodi A.

2010-01-01

Metacognitive emotion regulation strategies involve deliberately changing thoughts or goals to alleviate negative emotions. Adults commonly engage in this type of emotion regulation, but little is known about the developmental roots of this ability. Two studies were designed to assess whether 5- and 6-year-old children can generate such strategies and, if so, the types of metacognitive strategies they employ. In Study 1, children described how story protagonists could alleviate negative emotions. In Study 2, children recalled times that they personally had felt sad, angry, and scared, and described how they had regulated their emotions. In contrast to research suggesting that young children cannot use metacognitive regulation strategies, the majority of children in both studies described such strategies. Children were surprisingly sophisticated in their suggestions for how to cope with negative emotions and tailored their regulatory responses to specific emotional situations. PMID:20677867

Asymmetric interaction paired with a super-rational strategy might resolve the tragedy of the commons without requiring recognition or negotiation.

PubMed

He, Jun-Zhou; Wang, Rui-Wu; Jensen, Christopher X J; Li, Yao-Tang

2015-01-14

Avoiding the tragedy of the commons requires that one or more individuals in a group or partnership "volunteer", benefiting the group at a cost to themselves. Recognition and negotiation with social partners can maintain cooperation, but are often not possible. If recognition and negotiation are not always the mechanism by which cooperative partnerships avoid collective tragedies, what might explain the diverse social cooperation observed in nature? Assuming that individuals interact asymmetrically and that both "weak" and "strong" players employ a super-rational strategy, we find that tragedy of the commons can be avoided without requiring either recognition or negotiation. Whereas in the volunteer's dilemma game a rational "strong" player is less likely to volunteer to provide a common good in larger groups, we show that under a wide range of conditions a super-rational "strong" player is more likely to provide a common good. These results imply that the integration of super-rationality and asymmetric interaction might have the potential to resolve the tragedy of the commons. By illuminating the conditions under which players are likely to volunteer, we shed light on the patterns of volunteerism observed in variety of well-studied cooperative social systems, and explore how societies might avert social tragedies.

Asymmetric interaction paired with a super-rational strategy might resolve the tragedy of the commons without requiring recognition or negotiation

PubMed Central

He, Jun-Zhou; Wang, Rui-Wu; Jensen, Christopher X. J.; Li, Yao-Tang

2015-01-01

Avoiding the tragedy of the commons requires that one or more individuals in a group or partnership “volunteer”, benefiting the group at a cost to themselves. Recognition and negotiation with social partners can maintain cooperation, but are often not possible. If recognition and negotiation are not always the mechanism by which cooperative partnerships avoid collective tragedies, what might explain the diverse social cooperation observed in nature? Assuming that individuals interact asymmetrically and that both “weak” and “strong” players employ a super-rational strategy, we find that tragedy of the commons can be avoided without requiring either recognition or negotiation. Whereas in the volunteer's dilemma game a rational “strong” player is less likely to volunteer to provide a common good in larger groups, we show that under a wide range of conditions a super-rational “strong” player is more likely to provide a common good. These results imply that the integration of super-rationality and asymmetric interaction might have the potential to resolve the tragedy of the commons. By illuminating the conditions under which players are likely to volunteer, we shed light on the patterns of volunteerism observed in variety of well-studied cooperative social systems, and explore how societies might avert social tragedies. PMID:25586876

Asymmetric interaction paired with a super-rational strategy might resolve the tragedy of the commons without requiring recognition or negotiation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

He, Jun-Zhou; Wang, Rui-Wu; Jensen, Christopher X. J.; Li, Yao-Tang

2015-01-01

Avoiding the tragedy of the commons requires that one or more individuals in a group or partnership ``volunteer'', benefiting the group at a cost to themselves. Recognition and negotiation with social partners can maintain cooperation, but are often not possible. If recognition and negotiation are not always the mechanism by which cooperative partnerships avoid collective tragedies, what might explain the diverse social cooperation observed in nature? Assuming that individuals interact asymmetrically and that both ``weak'' and ``strong'' players employ a super-rational strategy, we find that tragedy of the commons can be avoided without requiring either recognition or negotiation. Whereas in the volunteer's dilemma game a rational ``strong'' player is less likely to volunteer to provide a common good in larger groups, we show that under a wide range of conditions a super-rational ``strong'' player is more likely to provide a common good. These results imply that the integration of super-rationality and asymmetric interaction might have the potential to resolve the tragedy of the commons. By illuminating the conditions under which players are likely to volunteer, we shed light on the patterns of volunteerism observed in variety of well-studied cooperative social systems, and explore how societies might avert social tragedies.

Strategies for diversity: medical clowns in dementia care - an ethnographic study.

PubMed

Rämgård, Margareta; Carlson, Elisabeth; Mangrio, Elisabeth

2016-08-18

As nursing homes become increasingly diverse, dementia care needs a wider range of culturally responsive strategies for individual and collective social interactions. While previous studies conclude that medical clowns have positive effects on verbal and non verbal social interactions, research is lacking from the perspective of residents' cultural background. The aim of this study was to identify interaction strategies employed by medical clowns in culturally diverse dementia care settings. An ethnographic approach was used and data were collected through observation of interactions between medical clowns and residents with dementia in two nursing homes during a ten week period. The observations showed that the medical clowns interacted with residents by being tuned in and attentive to the residents as individuals with a unique life-history, confirming each person´s sense of self. The clowns used sensory triggers, encouragement and confirmation in culturally responsive ways to bond socially with the residents in their personal spaces. The clowns involved objects in the daily environment that were meaningful for the residents, and paid attention to significant places and habits in the past. The clowns further contributed to joint interaction in the common spaces in the nursing homes, using music and drama. The strategies employed by medical clowns in activities with older people with dementia appear to support social interaction. The medical clowns used the social and material environment in culturally responsive ways to strengthen individuals' sense of self, while contributing to a sense of togetherness and interaction among residents in the common spaces. Findings suggest that both verbal and non-verbal cultural content affected social interaction. The non-demanding encouraging way the clowns tuned in to the residents as individuals could help nurses and staff members improve ways of communication in social activities inside the nursing home.

Forming Effective Partnerships to Facilitate Inclusion of Students with Vision Impairments: Perceptions of a Regular Classroom Teacher and an Itinerant Teacher

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sharma, Umesh; Moore, Dennis; Furlonger, Brett; King, Brian Smyth; Kaye, Linda; Constantinou, Olga

2010-01-01

This qualitative study reports on the perceptions of a regular classroom teacher and an itinerant teacher about the challenges they faced in including a student with vision impairment in regular school in New South Wales, Australia. Some of the common strategies employed by both these teachers to address these challenges are discussed. (Contains 1…

How about Teaching Literacy with Science? Strategies Employing Whiteboards Can Be Used to Address "Common Core" Literacy Standards While Including Science Practices

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

West, Andrew; Sullivan, Kelsey; Kirchner, Jana

2016-01-01

To an outside observer, there is nothing really novel about whiteboarding. An observer passing a classroom would see students using dry-erase markers to write and sketch their ideas on large, dry-erase-type boards. However, like so many things in education, the subtleties that an outside observer might not notice are the precise things that make…

Cerebrospinal Fluid Shunting Complications in Children

PubMed Central

Hanak, Brian W.; Bonow, Robert H.; Harris, Carolyn A.; Browd, Samuel R.

2018-01-01

Although cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) shunt placement is the most common procedure performed by pediatric neurosurgeons, shunts remain among the most failure-prone life-sustaining medical devices implanted in modern medical practice. This article provides an overview of the mechanisms of CSF shunt failure for the 3 most commonly employed definitive CSF shunts in the practice of pediatric neurosurgery: ventriculoperitoneal, ventriculopleural, and ventriculoatrial. The text has been partitioned into the broad modes of shunt failure: obstruction, infection, mechanical shunt failure, overdrainage, and distal catheter site-specific failures. Clinical management strategies for the various modes of shunt failure are discussed as are research efforts directed towards reducing shunt complication rates. As it is unlikely that CSF shunting will become an obsolete procedure in the foreseeable future, it is incumbent on the pediatric neurosurgery community to maintain focused efforts to improve our understanding of and management strategies for shunt failure and shunt-related morbidity. PMID:28249297

Consequences and coping strategies six years after a subarachnoid hemorrhage – A qualitative study

PubMed Central

Törnbom, Karin; Sunnerhagen, Katharina S.; Törnbom, Marie

2017-01-01

Background After a subarachnoid haemorrhage (SAH), continuing impairment is common and may impact the person’s life. There is a lack of knowledge regarding long-term consequences experienced. Purpose To explore experiences of the care and rehabilitation as well as the consequences and strategies used to cope with everyday life six years post SAH. Methods An explorative interview study with a qualitative design. Individual interviews, with open ended questions, using an interview guide were performed with sixteen participants (mean age 63, 8 men, 8 women) six years post SAH. Data was analyzed according to a descriptive thematic analysis, and themes were discovered inductively. Results Two major themes from the analysis, both including four sub-themes, were identified; these themes were consequences of the SAH and coping strategies. Participants were grateful to have survived the SAH and most were satisfied with their acute medical care. If discharged directly from the neurosurgical unit participants can feel abandoned. In contrast, participants who were referred to a rehabilitation clinic felt supported and informed. Cognitive problems, such as impaired memory and mental fatigue, were reported as still present six years post SAH. Coping strategies were; receiving support from family, society, employers, or technical equipment. At work, talking to colleagues and to taking breaks were common. Participants described hiding their symptoms from employers and friends, as well as trying to continue doing tasks in the same manner as prior to the SAH. If this was not possible, some refrained from doing these tasks. They went through a mourning process, fear, and worries. Conclusions Participants reported several long-term consequences which impacted on their daily lives post SAH, and different coping strategies were used to cope with these problems. Participants reported lack of awareness regarding the consequences of SAH and stressed the importance of structured multidisciplinary follow-ups, which mostly is missing. PMID:28854198

A Systematic Review of Cost-Sharing Strategies Used within Publicly-Funded Drug Plans in Member Countries of the Organisation for Economic Co-Operation and Development

PubMed Central

Barnieh, Lianne; Clement, Fiona; Harris, Anthony; Blom, Marja; Donaldson, Cam; Klarenbach, Scott; Husereau, Don; Lorenzetti, Diane; Manns, Braden

2014-01-01

Background Publicly-funded drug plans vary in strategies used and policies employed to reduce continually increasing pharmaceutical expenditures. We systematically reviewed the utilization of cost-sharing strategies and physician-directed prescribing regulations in publicly-funded formularies within member nations of the Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). Methods & Findings Using the OECD nations as the sampling frame, a search for cost-sharing strategies and physician-directed prescribing regulations was done using published and grey literature. Collected data was verified by a system expert within the prescription drug insurance plan in each country, to ensure the accuracy of key data elements across plans. Significant variation in the use of cost-sharing mechanisms was seen. Copayments were the most commonly used cost-containment measure, though their use and amount varied for those with certain conditions, most often chronic diseases (in 17 countries), and by socio-economic status (either income or employment status), or with age (in 15 countries). Caps and deductibles were only used by five systems. Drug cost-containment strategies targeting physicians were also identified in 24 countries, including guideline-based prescribing, prescription monitoring and incentive structures. Conclusions There was variable use of cost-containment strategies to limit pharmaceutical expenditures in publicly funded formularies within OECD countries. Further research is needed to determine the best approach to constrain costs while maintaining access to pharmaceutical drugs. PMID:24618721

LIMITED GEOGRAPHIC VARIATION IN THE VOCALIZATIONS OF THE ENDANGERED THICK-BILLED PARROT: IMPLICATIONS FOR CONSERVATION STRATEGIES

PubMed Central

Guerra, Jaime E.; Cruz-Nieto, Javier; Ortiz-Maciel, Sonia Gabriela; Wright, Timothy F.

2012-01-01

The populations of many species are declining worldwide, and conservation efforts struggle to keep pace with extinction rates. Conservation biologists commonly employ strategies such as translocation and reintroduction, which move individuals of endangered species from one part of their range to another. Because individuals from endangered populations are nonexpendable, identifying any potential barriers to the establishment of viable populations prior to release of individuals should be a priority. This study evaluates the potential for learned communication signals to constrain conservation strategies such as reintroduction in an endangered species, the Thick-billed Parrot (Rhynchopsitta pachyrhyncha). We conducted vocal surveys at three geographically distinct breeding populations in the Sierra Madre Occidental of Chihuahua, Mexico. Acoustic analyses utilizing both spectrogram cross-correlations and parameter measurements from spectrograms revealed no significant differences among the three sites in two common call types. Calls did vary among individuals within a site. The apparent lack of significant geographic variation across sampled sites suggests that differences in learned communication signals are unlikely to pose a barrier to the integration of translocated individuals from different populations into newly established populations. PMID:22307993

Knowledge translation in job development: strategies for involving families.

PubMed

Hall, Allison; Bose, Jennifer; Winsor, Jean; Migliore, Alberto

2014-09-01

Although United States employment policies have increased support for people with disabilities working in community settings, the unemployment rate for this population remains very high, particularly for people with intellectual or developmental disabilities. Research shows that job developers (direct support professionals who assist people with disabilities to secure, maintain, and advance in employment) are critical to achieving quality employment outcomes. However, the extent to which job developers use practices that are considered promising in their field (such as engaging families) is not well known. This brief report summarizes findings from a qualitative study about the extent to which job developers use the recommended promising practices when working with individuals and family members. Qualitative analysis identified the following themes among job developers: factors affecting family involvement, perceptions of family involvement, and the influence of expectation on strategies. The field of job development faces a challenge common to many professions: translating research on best practices to those who need this knowledge the most and can use it to greatest effect. Future research should address how community rehabilitation providers (CRPs) communicate about and instill best practices, including effective family engagement, within their organizations. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Enforcement of alcohol-impaired driving laws in the United States: a national survey of state and local agencies.

PubMed

Erickson, Darin J; Farbakhsh, Kian; Toomey, Traci L; Lenk, Kathleen M; Jones-Webb, Rhonda; Nelson, Toben F

2015-01-01

Enforcement of alcohol-impaired driving laws is an important component of efforts to prevent alcohol-involved motor vehicle fatalities. Little is known about the use of drinking-driving enforcement strategies by state and local law enforcement agencies or whether the use of strategies differs by agency and jurisdiction characteristics. We conducted two national surveys, with state patrol agencies (n = 48) and with a sample of local law enforcement agencies (n = 1,082) selected according to state and jurisdiction population size. We examined 3 primary enforcement strategies (sobriety checkpoints, saturation patrols, and enforcement of open container laws) and tested whether use of these strategies differed by jurisdiction and agency characteristics across state and local law enforcement agencies Most state patrol agencies reported conducting sobriety checkpoints (72.9%) and saturation patrols (95.8%), whereas less than half (43.8%) reported enforcing open container laws. In contrast, a lower proportion of local law enforcement agencies reported using these alcohol-impaired driving enforcement strategies (41.5, 62.7, and 41.1%, respectively). Sobriety checkpoint enforcement was more common in states in the dry South region (vs. wet and moderate regions). Among local law enforcement agencies, agencies with a full-time alcohol enforcement officer and agencies located in areas where drinking-driving was perceived to be very common (vs. not/somewhat common) were more likely to conduct multiple types of impaired driving enforcement. Recommended enforcement strategies to detect and prevent alcohol-impaired driving are employed in some jurisdictions and underutilized in others. Future research should explore the relationship of enforcement with drinking and driving behavior and alcohol-involved motor vehicle fatalities.

Enforcement of alcohol-impaired driving laws in the United States: A national survey of state and local agencies

PubMed Central

Erickson, Darin J.; Farbakhsh, Kian; Toomey, Traci L.; Lenk, Kathleen M.; Jones-Webb, Rhonda; Nelson, Toben F.

2015-01-01

Objectives Enforcement of alcohol-impaired driving laws is an important component of efforts to prevent alcohol-involved motor-vehicle fatalities. Little is known about the use of drinking-driving enforcement strategies by state and local law enforcement agencies or whether the use of strategies differs by agency and jurisdiction characteristics. Methods We conducted two national surveys, with state patrol agencies (n=48) and with a sample of local law enforcement agencies (n=1,082) selected according to state and jurisdiction population size. We examined three primary enforcement strategies (sobriety checkpoints, saturation patrols, and enforcement of open container laws), and tested whether use of these strategies differed by jurisdiction and agency characteristics across state and local law enforcement agencies Results Most state patrol agencies reported conducting sobriety checkpoints (72.9%) and saturation patrols (95.8%), while less than half (43.8%) reported enforcing open container laws. In contrast, a lower proportion of local law enforcement agencies reported using these alcohol-impaired driving enforcement strategies (41.5%; 62.7%; 41.1% respectively). Sobriety checkpoint enforcement was more common in states in the dry South region (vs. wet and moderate regions). Among local law enforcement agencies, agencies with a full-time alcohol enforcement officer and agencies located in areas where drinking-driving was perceived to be very common (vs. not/somewhat common) were more likely to conduct multiple types of impaired driving enforcement. Conclusions Recommended enforcement strategies to detect and prevent alcohol-impaired driving are employed in some jurisdictions and underutilized in others. Future research should explore the relationship of enforcement with drinking and driving behavior and alcohol-involved motor-vehicle fatalities. PMID:25802970

Quartz Knapping Strategies in the Howiesons Poort at Sibudu (KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa)

PubMed Central

de la Peña, Paloma; Wadley, Lyn

2014-01-01

The variability associated with Sibudu's Howiesons Poort Industry highlights the unpredictable trajectory of technology in the Middle Stone Age. We reach this conclusion through a study of the technology on quartz from one of the Howiesons Poort layers (Grey Sand) from Sibudu rock shelter. Quartz bifacial technology has previously been described at the site, but this new in-depth study of the quartz technology reveals other strategies. First is the recurring employment of bipolar knapping, formerly considered as a defining feature of the Later Stone Age. Secondly, we highlight a laminar technology with emphasis on small quartz bladelets. Bipolar cores are most common, followed by prismatic cores. The knapping strategies in Grey Sand seem to involve systematic recycling and the deliberate production of microliths. PMID:25014352

Employers' use of value-based purchasing strategies.

PubMed

Rosenthal, Meredith B; Landon, Bruce E; Normand, Sharon-Lise T; Frank, Richard G; Ahmad, Thaniyyah S; Epstein, Arnold M

2007-11-21

Value-based purchasing by employers has often been portrayed as the lynchpin to quality improvement in a market-based health care system. Although a small group of the largest national employers has been actively engaged in promoting quality measurement, reporting, and pay for performance, it is unknown whether these ideas have significantly permeated employer-sponsored health benefit purchasing. To provide systematic descriptions and analyses of value-based purchasing and related efforts to improve quality of care by health care purchasers. We conducted telephone interviews with executives at 609 of the largest employers across 41 US markets between July 2005 and March 2006. The 41 randomly selected markets have at least 100,000 persons enrolled in health maintenance organizations, include approximately 91% of individuals enrolled in health maintenance organizations nationally, and represent roughly 78% of the US metropolitan population. Using the Dun & Bradstreet database of US employers, we identified the 26 largest firms in each market. Firms ranged in size from 60 to 250,000 employees. The degree to which value-based purchasing and related strategies are reported being used by employers. Percentages were weighted by number of employees. Of 1041 companies contacted, 609 employer representatives completed the survey (response rate, 64%). A large percentage of surveyed executives reported that they examine health plan quality data (269 respondents; 65% [95% confidence interval {CI}, 57%-74%]; P<.001), but few reported using it for performance rewards (49 respondents; 17% [95% CI, 7%-27%]; P=.008) or to influence employees (71 respondents; 23% [95% CI, 13%-33%]). Physician quality information is even less commonly examined (71 respondents; 16% [95% CI, 9%-23%]) or used by employers to reward performance (8 respondents; 2% [95% CI, 0%-3%]) or influence employee choice of providers (34 respondents; 8% [95% CI, 3%-12%]). Surveyed employers as a whole do not appear to be individually implementing incentives and programs in line with value-based purchasing ideals.

The Army Family Research Program: the Research Plan

DTIC Science & Technology

1990-09-01

scarcity of information on how to improve spouse employment and career success . There is also little information on how spouse employment status and job...and counseling strategies to influence soldier career decision- making; * Strategies to enhance spouse employment and career success ; 0 Strategies to...Employment Program involves the design and evaluation of a model intervention designed to increase employment and career success for Army spouses. Because

Isotopic fractionation studies of uranium and plutonium using porous ion emitters as thermal ionization mass spectrometry sources

DOE PAGES

Baruzzini, Matthew L.; Hall, Howard L.; Spencer, Khalil J.; ...

2018-04-22

Investigations of the isotope fractionation behaviors of plutonium and uranium reference standards were conducted employing platinum and rhenium (Pt/Re) porous ion emitter (PIE) sources, a relatively new thermal ionization mass spectrometry (TIMS) ion source strategy. The suitability of commonly employed, empirically developed mass bias correction laws (i.e., the Linear, Power, and Russell's laws) for correcting such isotope ratio data was also determined. Corrected plutonium isotope ratio data, regardless of mass bias correction strategy, were statistically identical to that of the certificate, however, the process of isotope fractionation behavior of plutonium using the adopted experimental conditions was determined to be bestmore » described by the Power law. Finally, the fractionation behavior of uranium, using the analytical conditions described herein, is also most suitably modeled using the Power law, though Russell's and the Linear law for mass bias correction rendered results that were identical, within uncertainty, to the certificate value.« less

Isotopic fractionation studies of uranium and plutonium using porous ion emitters as thermal ionization mass spectrometry sources

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

Baruzzini, Matthew L.; Hall, Howard L.; Spencer, Khalil J.

Investigations of the isotope fractionation behaviors of plutonium and uranium reference standards were conducted employing platinum and rhenium (Pt/Re) porous ion emitter (PIE) sources, a relatively new thermal ionization mass spectrometry (TIMS) ion source strategy. The suitability of commonly employed, empirically developed mass bias correction laws (i.e., the Linear, Power, and Russell's laws) for correcting such isotope ratio data was also determined. Corrected plutonium isotope ratio data, regardless of mass bias correction strategy, were statistically identical to that of the certificate, however, the process of isotope fractionation behavior of plutonium using the adopted experimental conditions was determined to be bestmore » described by the Power law. Finally, the fractionation behavior of uranium, using the analytical conditions described herein, is also most suitably modeled using the Power law, though Russell's and the Linear law for mass bias correction rendered results that were identical, within uncertainty, to the certificate value.« less

Strategies for fostering basic psychological needs support in high quality youth leadership programs.

PubMed

Bean, Corliss; Harlow, Meghan; Kendellen, Kelsey

2017-04-01

Youth leadership programming has become an increasingly common context to foster basic psychological needs and promote youth development. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore strategies involved in fostering youth needs support within six leadership programs. Two leaders and 30 youth participated in semi-structured interviews to better understand the strategies used to foster needs support. Findings revealed that leaders were able to foster a sense of relatedness among youth through building trusting adult-youth relationships and nurturing an inclusive environment. Maximizing choice and negotiating youth voice helped to foster youth's autonomy. Finally, creating a task-oriented climate and providing intentional opportunities for skill-building helped to foster youth's competence. Findings suggest that training for leaders is critical in understanding what, and how strategies should be employed to help foster youth needs support in leadership programming. Limitations and future directions are outlined. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Signal amplification strategies for DNA and protein detection based on polymeric nanocomposites and polymerization: A review.

PubMed

Zhou, Shaohong; Yuan, Liang; Hua, Xin; Xu, Lingling; Liu, Songqin

2015-06-02

Demand is increasing for ultrasensitive bioassays for disease diagnosis, environmental monitoring and other research areas. This requires novel signal amplification strategies to maximize the signal output. In this review, we focus on a series of significant signal amplification strategies based on polymeric nanocomposites and polymerization. Some common polymers are used as carriers to increase the local concentration of signal probes and/or biomolecules on their surfaces or in their interiors. Some polymers with special fluorescence and optical properties can efficiently transfer the excitation energy from a single site to the whole polymer backbone. This results in superior fluorescence signal amplification due to the resulting collective effort (integration of signal). Recent polymerization-based signal amplification strategies that employ atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) and photo-initiated polymerization are also summarized. Several distinctive applications of polymers in ultrasensitive bioanalysis are highlighted. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Low-resistive vibratory penetration in granular media.

PubMed

Darbois Texier, Baptiste; Ibarra, Alejandro; Melo, Francisco

2017-01-01

Non-cohesive materials such as sand, dry snow or cereals are encountered in various common circumstances, from everyday situations to industry. The process of digging into these materials remains a challenge to most animals and machines. Within the animal kingdom, different strategies are employed to overcome this issue, including excavation methods used by ants, the two-anchor strategy employed by soft burrowers such as razor-clams, and undulatory motions exhibited by sandfish lizards. Despite the development of technology to mimic these techniques in diggers and robots, the limitations of animals and machines may differ, and mimicry of natural processes is not necessarily the most efficient technological strategy. This study presents evidence that the resisting force for the penetration of an intruder into a dry granular media can be reduced by one order of magnitude with small amplitude (A ≃ 10 μm) and low frequency (f = 50 - 200 Hz) mechanical vibrations. This observed result is attributed to the local fluidization of the granular bed which induces the rupture of force chains. The drop in resistive force on entering dry granular materials may be relevant in technological development in order to increase the efficiency of diggers and robots.

Self-Generated Coping Strategies Among Muslim Athletes During Ramadan Fasting

PubMed Central

Roy, Jolly; Hwa, Ooi Cheong; Singh, Rabindarjeet; Aziz, Abdul Rashid; Jin, Chai Wen

2011-01-01

The study explored the self-generated coping strategies employed by Muslim athletes from South East Asian region during the Ramadan fasting month. Sixty-five National elite Muslim athletes responded to an open-ended question on coping strategies employed during Ramadan fasting. Inductive content analysis identified five general dimensions from 54 meaning units which were abstracted into 14 first-order themes and 10 second order themes. The general dimension included four problem-focused coping: training modifications, dietary habits, psychological, rest and recovery, and one emotion-focused coping i.e., self- control. The coping strategies employed were diverse and dynamic in nature and no specific pattern was evident. The most frequently employed strategies were associated with training and dietary habits. Emotion focused coping was the least frequently used by the athletes. Key points Muslim athletes employ diverse self -generated coping strategies during Ramadan fasting which can be categorized as anticipatory coping, preventative coping and proactive coping. Frequently employed coping strategies are task focused such as training modifications and adjustments in dietary habits. PMID:24149306

The experience of seeking, gaining and maintaining employment after traumatic spinal cord injury and the vocational pathways involved.

PubMed

Hilton, Gillean; Unsworth, Carolyn A; Stuckey, Ruth; Murphy, Gregory C

2018-01-01

Vocational potential in people with spinal cord injury (SCI) are unrealised with rates of employment substantially lower than in the labour force participation of the general population and the pre-injury employment rates. To understand the experience and pathway of people achieving employment outcome after traumatic spinal cord injury by; classifying participants into employment outcome groups of stable, unstable and without employment; identifying pre and post-injury pathways for participants in each group and, exploring the experiences of people of seeking, gaining and maintaining employment. Thirty-one participants were interviewed. Mixed methods approach including interpretive phenomenological analysis and vocational pathway mapping of quantitative data. The most common pathway identified was from study and work pre-injury to stable employment post-injury. Four super-ordinate themes were identified from the interpretive phenomenological analysis; expectations of work, system impacts, worker identity and social supports. Implications for clinical practice include fostering cultural change, strategies for system navigation, promotion of worker identity and optimal use of social supports. The findings increase insight and understanding of the complex experience of employment after spinal cord injury. There is opportunity to guide experimental research, policy development and education concerning the complexity of the return to work experience and factors that influence pathways.

Health promotion funding, workforce recruitment and turnover in New Zealand.

PubMed

Lovell, Sarah A; Egan, Richard; Robertson, Lindsay; Hicks, Karen

2015-06-01

Almost a decade on from the New Zealand Primary Health Care Strategy and amidst concerns about funding of health promotion, we undertook a nationwide survey of health promotion providers. To identify trends in recruitment and turnover in New Zealand's health promotion workforce. Surveys were sent to 160 organisations identified as having a health focus and employing one or more health promoter. Respondents, primarily health promotion managers, were asked to report budget, retention and hiring data for 1 July 2009 through 1 July 2010. Responses were received from 53% of organisations. Among respondents, government funding for health promotion declined by 6.3% in the year ended July 2010 and health promoter positions decreased by 7.5% (equalling 36.6 full-time equivalent positions). Among staff who left their roles, 79% also left the field of health promotion. Forty-two organisations (52%) reported employing health promoters on time-limited contracts of three years or less; this employment arrangement was particularly common in public health units (80%) and primary health organisations (57%). Among new hires, 46% (n=55) were identified as Maori. Low retention of health promoters may reflect the common use of limited-term employment contracts, which allow employers to alter staffing levels as funding changes. More than half the surveyed primary health organisations reported using fixed-term employment contracts. This may compromise health promotion understanding, culture and institutional memory in these organisations. New Zealand's commitment to addressing ethnic inequalities in health outcomes was evident in the high proportion of Maori who made up new hires.

Employer Service Strategies in Rehabilitation: New Approaches to Placement. Institute on Rehabilitation Issues. Report from the Study Group (18th, Memphis, Tennessee, October 1991).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Arkansas Univ., Fayetteville. Research and Training Center in Vocational Rehabilitation.

This resource/training document addresses innovative employment strategies for individuals with disabilities and their implications for rehabilitation, and provides information on model programs to assist state rehabilitation agencies, employers, and potential employers to identify effective strategies and networks to develop cooperative programs…

Youth Employment Strategy (YES) 1997-2002: Summary of Recent Summative Evaluation Results. Final Report

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Human Resources and Skills Development Canada, 2004

2004-01-01

This report provides a summary of six summative evaluation studies that were implemented and completed between 1999 and 2002. The evaluations were conducted on three different streams of Canada's Youth Employment Strategy (YES). The Youth Employment Strategy was introduced by the federal government in 1997 to address employment related challenges…

Coping with pediatric cancer: strategies employed by children and their parents to manage cancer-related stressors during treatment.

PubMed

Hildenbrand, Aimee K; Clawson, Kathleen J; Alderfer, Melissa A; Marsac, Meghan L

2011-01-01

Pediatric cancer patients and their families face significant physical, emotional, and psychosocial challenges. Few studies have investigated how children manage these challenges and how parents may help in the process. This qualitative study aimed to explore common cancer-related stressors for children and to examine child coping and parental assistance in coping with these stressors during treatment. Fifteen children undergoing cancer treatment and their parents participated in semistructured interviews. Four themes emerged capturing cancer-related stressors: cancer treatment/side effects, distressing emotions, disruption in daily routines, and social challenges. Six themes emerged regarding child coping strategies that were classified within an approach/avoidance coping framework. Approach coping strategies included the following: cognitive restructuring, relaxation, practical strategies, seeking social support, and emotional expression. Distraction was the only avoidant coping strategy. Parents tended to encourage approach coping strategies (eg, cognitive restructuring, social support). Within families, few coping strategies were reported (child: M = 1.47, SD = 0.99; parent: M = 3.33, SD = 1.18), suggesting that early family-based interventions teaching coping techniques for cancer-related stressors may be beneficial.

Methodology for Prioritization of Investments to Support the Army Energy Strategy for Installations

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-07-01

kind of energy source onto its own footprint. Whether this is a solar, wind, biomass, geothermal , or any other kind of renewable energy source, it...more common. Right now extortion and disgruntled employers are the attacked and not sophisticated enemies such as China . Our current nation power...users to: • Estimate the NPV cost of energy (COE) and levelized cost of energy (LCOE) from a range of solar, wind and geothermal electricity generation

Switch from sexual to parthenogenetic reproduction in a zebra shark.

PubMed

Dudgeon, Christine L; Coulton, Laura; Bone, Ren; Ovenden, Jennifer R; Thomas, Severine

2017-01-16

Parthenogenesis is a natural form of asexual reproduction in which embryos develop in the absence of fertilisation. Most commonly found in plants and invertebrate organisms, an increasing number of vertebrate species have recently been reported employing this reproductive strategy. Here we use DNA genotyping to report the first demonstration of an intra-individual switch from sexual to parthenogenetic reproduction in a shark species, the zebra shark Stegostoma fasciatum. A co-housed, sexually produced daughter zebra shark also commenced parthenogenetic reproduction at the onset of maturity without any prior mating. The demonstration of parthenogenesis in these two conspecific individuals with different sexual histories provides further support that elasmobranch fishes may flexibly adapt their reproductive strategy to environmental circumstances.

Measuring the effectiveness of earthquake forecasting in insurance strategies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mignan, A.; Muir-Wood, R.

2009-04-01

Given the difficulty of judging whether the skill of a particular methodology of earthquake forecasts is offset by the inevitable false alarms and missed predictions, it is important to find a means to weigh the successes and failures according to a common currency. Rather than judge subjectively the relative costs and benefits of predictions, we develop a simple method to determine if the use of earthquake forecasts can increase the profitability of active financial risk management strategies employed in standard insurance procedures. Three types of risk management transactions are employed: (1) insurance underwriting, (2) reinsurance purchasing and (3) investment in CAT bonds. For each case premiums are collected based on modelled technical risk costs and losses are modelled for the portfolio in force at the time of the earthquake. A set of predetermined actions follow from the announcement of any change in earthquake hazard, so that, for each earthquake forecaster, the financial performance of an active risk management strategy can be compared with the equivalent passive strategy in which no notice is taken of earthquake forecasts. Overall performance can be tracked through time to determine which strategy gives the best long term financial performance. This will be determined by whether the skill in forecasting the location and timing of a significant earthquake (where loss is avoided) is outweighed by false predictions (when no premium is collected). This methodology is to be tested in California, where catastrophe modeling is reasonably mature and where a number of researchers issue earthquake forecasts.

The Employers' perspective on barriers and facilitators to employment of people with intellectual disability: A differential mixed-method approach.

PubMed

Kocman, Andreas; Fischer, Linda; Weber, Germain

2018-01-01

Obtaining employment is among the most important ambitions of people with intellectual disability. Progress towards comprehensive inclusive employment is hampered by numerous barriers. Limited research is available on these barriers and strategies to overcome them. A mixed method approach in a sample of 30 HR-managers was used to assess (i) differences in perceived barriers for employment of people with specific disabilities and mental disorders; (ii) barriers specific to employing people with intellectual disability; (iii) strategies to overcome these barriers. Employers perceive more barriers for hiring people with intellectual disability and mental disorders than for physical disabilities. Employment for this population is hampered by a perceived lack of skills and legal issues. Strategies perceived as beneficial are supplying information, changes in organizational strategies and legal changes. Employers' differentiated expectations and reservations towards hiring individuals with specific disabilities need to be taken into account to increase employment for people with intellectual disability. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Exploring recruitment strategies to hire occupational therapists.

PubMed

Mulholland, Susan; Derdall, Michele

2005-02-01

Recruitment issues in occupational therapy have been a long-standing concern for the profession. This descriptive study explored the strategies currently being used by employers to recruit occupational therapists for employment purposes. An 18-item survey was mailed to 251 sites where occupational therapists work in Alberta and Saskatchewan. There was a 64% response rate and data from 130 surveys were analyzed. The results indicate that employers continue to rely on a wide variety of strategies for advertising and recruiting, the most prevalent being word of mouth, postings at universities, and providing student fieldwork placements. In turn, the most effective recruitment strategies were listed as word of mouth, advertising in the general media, and providing student fieldwork placements. Various examples of financial incentives offered by employers were also listed. Many participants identified recent changes in recruitment strategies such as making a move towards web site job postings. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS. The results suggest strategies for employers to target for recruiting occupational therapists and illustrate to both employers and students the importance of fieldwork in recruitment and hiring.

Strategies of employees in the construction industry to increase their sustainable employability.

PubMed

Tonnon, Susanne C; van der Veen, Rozan; de Kruif, Anja Th C M; Robroek, Suzan J W; van der Ploeg, Hidde P; Proper, Karin I; van der Beek, Allard J

2018-01-01

The aging work force makes sustainable employability (SE) of workers a priority. However, it is unknown to what extent employees use implemented SE measures. To determine the utilization of 1) SE measures offered by employers, 2) employee SE strategies, and 3) to identify barriers and facilitators of SE strategies. Survey data were collected among 731 blue collar and 879 white collar workers to determine the utilization of employer SE measures. Focus groups were held with 16 blue collar and 17 white collar workers to identify employee SE strategies and their barriers and facilitators. Utilization of employer SE measures was highest for personal development measures. Strategies applied by blue collar workers included using equipment, suggesting improvements of their working conditions, and seeking promotion to a less physically demanding job. White collar workers named engaging in leisure time physical activity and seeking an adequate work-life balance. Implementation of these strategies was influenced by employee awareness and self-efficacy, the accessibility and costs and benefits of the strategy, management support and company culture. Usage of employer SE measures was generally low and recommendations are given for both blue and white collar workers to improve SE strategies.

Catalyst-controlled oligomerization for the collective synthesis of polypyrroloindoline natural products.

PubMed

Jamison, Christopher R; Badillo, Joseph J; Lipshultz, Jeffrey M; Comito, Robert J; MacMillan, David W C

2017-12-01

In nature, many organisms generate large families of natural product metabolites that have related molecular structures as a means to increase functional diversity and gain an evolutionary advantage against competing systems within the same environment. One pathway commonly employed by living systems to generate these large classes of structurally related families is oligomerization, wherein a series of enzymatically catalysed reactions is employed to generate secondary metabolites by iteratively appending monomers to a growing serial oligomer chain. The polypyrroloindolines are an interesting class of oligomeric natural products that consist of multiple cyclotryptamine subunits. Herein we describe an iterative application of asymmetric copper catalysis towards the synthesis of six distinct oligomeric polypyrroloindoline natural products: hodgkinsine, hodgkinsine B, idiospermuline, quadrigemine H and isopsychotridine B and C. Given the customizable nature of the small-molecule catalysts employed, we demonstrate that this strategy is further amenable to the construction of quadrigemine H-type alkaloids not isolated previously from natural sources.

Catalyst-controlled oligomerization for the collective synthesis of polypyrroloindoline natural products

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jamison, Christopher R.; Badillo, Joseph J.; Lipshultz, Jeffrey M.; Comito, Robert J.; MacMillan, David W. C.

2017-12-01

In nature, many organisms generate large families of natural product metabolites that have related molecular structures as a means to increase functional diversity and gain an evolutionary advantage against competing systems within the same environment. One pathway commonly employed by living systems to generate these large classes of structurally related families is oligomerization, wherein a series of enzymatically catalysed reactions is employed to generate secondary metabolites by iteratively appending monomers to a growing serial oligomer chain. The polypyrroloindolines are an interesting class of oligomeric natural products that consist of multiple cyclotryptamine subunits. Herein we describe an iterative application of asymmetric copper catalysis towards the synthesis of six distinct oligomeric polypyrroloindoline natural products: hodgkinsine, hodgkinsine B, idiospermuline, quadrigemine H and isopsychotridine B and C. Given the customizable nature of the small-molecule catalysts employed, we demonstrate that this strategy is further amenable to the construction of quadrigemine H-type alkaloids not isolated previously from natural sources.

Seven rules to avoid the tragedy of the commons.

PubMed

Murase, Yohsuke; Baek, Seung Ki

2018-07-14

Cooperation among self-interested players in a social dilemma is fragile and easily interrupted by mistakes. In this work, we study the repeated n-person public-goods game and search for a strategy that forms a cooperative Nash equilibrium in the presence of implementation error with a guarantee that the resulting payoff will be no less than any of the co-players'. By enumerating strategic possibilities for n=3, we show that such a strategy indeed exists when its memory length m equals three. It means that a deterministic strategy can be publicly employed to stabilize cooperation against error with avoiding the risk of being exploited. We furthermore show that, for general n-person public-goods game, m ≥ n is necessary to satisfy the above criteria. Copyright © 2018 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Labor Market Leverage. Sectoral Employment Field Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Elliott, Mark; King, Elisabeth

This document explains the concept of sectoral employment strategies and profiles 13 successful work force development programs based on such strategies. The first half of the document examines the increasing need for sectoral employment strategies and their key characteristics, role in achieving systemic change in work organizations, and…

Neanderthal hunting strategies inferred from mortality profiles within the Abric Romaní sequence

PubMed Central

Carbonell, Eudald

2017-01-01

Ungulate mortality profiles are commonly used to study Neanderthal subsistence strategies. To assess the hunting strategies used by Neanderthals, we studied the ages at death of the cervids and equids found in levels E, H, I, Ja, Jb, K, L and M of the Abric Romaní sequence. These levels date between 43.2 ± 1.1 ka BP (14C AMS) and 54.5 ± 1.7 ka BP (U-series). The degree of eruption and development of the teeth and their wear stages were used to determine the ages of these animals at death, and mortality profiles were constructed using these data. The equids display prime dominated profiles in all of the analyzed levels, whereas the cervids display variable profiles. These results suggest that the Neanderthals of Abric Romaní employed both selective and non-selective hunting strategies. The selective strategy focused on the hunting of prime adults and generated prime dominated profiles. On the other hand, non-selective strategies, involved the consumption of animals of variable ages, resulting in catastrophic profiles. It is likely that in the selective hunting events were conducted using selective ambushes in which it was possible to select specific prey animals. On the other hand, encounter hunting or non-selective ambush hunting may have also been used at times, based on the abundances of prey animals and encounter rates. Specific hunting strategies would have been developed accordance with the taxa and the age of the individual to be hunted. The hunting groups most likely employed cooperative hunting techniques, especially in the capture of large animals. Thus, it is not possible to uniquely associate a single mortality profile with the predation tactics of Neanderthals at Abric Romaní. PMID:29166384

Neanderthal hunting strategies inferred from mortality profiles within the Abric Romaní sequence.

PubMed

Marín, Juan; Saladié, Palmira; Rodríguez-Hidalgo, Antonio; Carbonell, Eudald

2017-01-01

Ungulate mortality profiles are commonly used to study Neanderthal subsistence strategies. To assess the hunting strategies used by Neanderthals, we studied the ages at death of the cervids and equids found in levels E, H, I, Ja, Jb, K, L and M of the Abric Romaní sequence. These levels date between 43.2 ± 1.1 ka BP (14C AMS) and 54.5 ± 1.7 ka BP (U-series). The degree of eruption and development of the teeth and their wear stages were used to determine the ages of these animals at death, and mortality profiles were constructed using these data. The equids display prime dominated profiles in all of the analyzed levels, whereas the cervids display variable profiles. These results suggest that the Neanderthals of Abric Romaní employed both selective and non-selective hunting strategies. The selective strategy focused on the hunting of prime adults and generated prime dominated profiles. On the other hand, non-selective strategies, involved the consumption of animals of variable ages, resulting in catastrophic profiles. It is likely that in the selective hunting events were conducted using selective ambushes in which it was possible to select specific prey animals. On the other hand, encounter hunting or non-selective ambush hunting may have also been used at times, based on the abundances of prey animals and encounter rates. Specific hunting strategies would have been developed accordance with the taxa and the age of the individual to be hunted. The hunting groups most likely employed cooperative hunting techniques, especially in the capture of large animals. Thus, it is not possible to uniquely associate a single mortality profile with the predation tactics of Neanderthals at Abric Romaní.

Doing the math on physician employment.

PubMed

Harris, John M; Simmons, H J; Kierstead, Rudd

2009-12-01

When assessing the costs and benefits of a physician employment strategy, it's important to consider not only the direct costs and benefits of the strategy, but also its indirect benefits, such as increased revenue as a result of eliminating admission-splitting by employed physicians. The indirect risks of physician employment, such as eliminating independent physicians, can be minimized by adjusting timing to match the market's physician employment stage. The strategy will work if the combined direct and indirect benefits are significant enough to outweigh the direct costs.

[Association between anxiety and coping strategies employed by primary caregivers of bedridden patients].

PubMed

Cedillo-Torres, Arianna Gabriela; Grijalva, María Guadalupe; Santaella-Hidalgo, Guadalupe B; Cuevas-Abad, Martha; González Pedraza-Avilés, Alberto

2015-01-01

The primary caregiver faces a set of problems derived from the responsibility to provide care to his patient; this leads to the creation of complex psychological responses that act as a mechanism known as cognitive and behavioral coping. The objective was to determine if there was a correlation between the level of anxiety and the coping strategies used by primary caregivers of bedridden patients. Transversal, descriptive and correlational study. Beck Anxiety Inventory and the Coping Strategies Inventory were used. We used Spearman's rank correlation coefficient, a significance level of 0.05 and the statistical program SPSS, version 15. We included 60 primary caregivers. The most common score for anxiety was moderate (28 %). The most frequently used strategy was problem solving (average = 14.7). By relating the level of anxiety and coping strategies a significant correlation was obtained with problem solving: r = 0.260; self-criticism, r = 0.425; wishful thinking, r = 0.412; and social withdrawal, r = 0.453. The anxiety has an impact on the way caregivers cope; most of the population who have moderate to severe anxiety use desadaptive strategies focused on emotion.

It's all in the delivery! An analysis of instructional strategies from effective health education curricula.

PubMed

Herbert, Patrick C; Lohrmann, David K

2011-05-01

This study explores the relationship between instructional strategies and effective health education curricula. A content analysis of 10 health education curricula was conducted to determine if they include common instructional strategies for actively engaging students in acquisition of health skills. To be included, the curricula had to (1) be research-based and proven via empirical testing to positively influence the health behaviors and (2) address 1 of Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's 6 priority health risk behaviors. Content analysis revealed 5 active learning strategies incorporated to involve students in acquiring health skills. Role play, group cooperation, and small group discussion were found in all 10 curricula. To a lesser extent, interactive technology and team games were also included. When combined with previous research regarding the characteristics of effective teachers, it becomes clear that effective health education is delivered by teachers who employ a wide repertoire of active learning strategies while devoting substantial instructional time to those specific strategies that involve students in skills practice. © 2011, American School Health Association.

77 FR 41387 - Applications for New Awards; Rehabilitation Research and Training Center on Vocational...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-07-13

... Center (RRTCs) on Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) and Developing Strategies to Meet Employer Needs in... Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) and Developing Strategies to Meet Employer Needs in Changing Economic... application for the RRTC on VR and Developing Strategies to Meet Employer Needs in Changing Economic...

Common student misconceptions in exercise physiology and biochemistry.

PubMed

Morton, James P; Doran, Dominic A; Maclaren, Don P M

2008-06-01

The present study represents a preliminary investigation designed to identify common misconceptions in students' understanding of physiological and biochemical topics within the academic domain of sport and exercise sciences. A specifically designed misconception inventory (consisting of 10 multiple-choice questions) was administered to a cohort of level 1, 2, and 3 undergraduate students enrolled in physiology and biochemistry-related modules of the BSc Sport Science degree at the authors' institute. Of the 10 misconceptions proposed by the authors, 9 misconceptions were confirmed. Of these nine misconceptions, only one misconception appeared to have been alleviated by the current teaching strategy employed during the progression from level 1 to 3 study. The remaining eight misconceptions prevailed throughout the course of the degree program, suggesting that students enter and leave university with the same misconceptions in certain areas of exercise physiology and biochemistry. The possible origins of these misconceptions are discussed, as are potential teaching strategies to prevent and/or remediate them for future years.

Syphilis testing practices in the Americas.

PubMed

Trinh, Thuy T; Kamb, Mary L; Luu, Minh; Ham, D Cal; Perez, Freddy

2017-09-01

To present the findings of the Pan American Health Organization's 2014 survey on syphilis testing policies and practices in the Americas. Representatives of national/regional reference and large, lower-level laboratories from 35 member states were invited to participate. A semi-structured, electronically administered questionnaire collected data on syphilis tests, algorithms, equipment/commodities, challenges faced and basic quality assurance (QA) strategies employed (i.e. daily controls, standard operating procedures, technician training, participating in external QA programmes, on-site evaluations). The 69 participating laboratories from 30 (86%) member states included 41 (59%) national/regional reference and 28 (41%) lower-level laboratories. Common syphilis tests conducted were the rapid plasma reagin (RPR) (62% of surveyed laboratories), venereal disease research laboratory (VDRL) (54%), fluorescent treponemal antibody absorption (FTA-ABS) (41%) and Treponema pallidum haemagglutination assay (TPHA) (32%). Only three facilities reported using direct detection methods, and 28 (41% overall, 32% of lower-level facilities) used rapid tests. Most laboratories (62%) used only traditional testing algorithms (non-treponemal screening and treponemal confirmatory testing); however, 12% used only a reverse sequence algorithm (treponemal test first), and 14% employed both algorithms. Another nine (12%) laboratories conducted only one type of serologic test. Although most reference (97%) and lower-level (89%) laboratories used at least one QA strategy, only 16% reported using all five basic strategies. Commonly reported challenges were stock-outs of essential reagents or commodities (46%), limited staff training (73%) and insufficient equipment (39%). Many reference and clinical laboratories in the Americas face challenges in conducting appropriate syphilis testing and in ensuring quality of testing. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd The Pan-American Health Organization retains copyright and all other rights in the manuscript of this article as submitted for publication.

Multiple stakeholders in multi-criteria decision-making in the context of Municipal Solid Waste Management: A review.

PubMed

Soltani, Atousa; Hewage, Kasun; Reza, Bahareh; Sadiq, Rehan

2015-01-01

Municipal Solid Waste Management (MSWM) is a complicated process that involves multiple environmental and socio-economic criteria. Decision-makers look for decision support frameworks that can guide in defining alternatives, relevant criteria and their weights, and finding a suitable solution. In addition, decision-making in MSWM problems such as finding proper waste treatment locations or strategies often requires multiple stakeholders such as government, municipalities, industries, experts, and/or general public to get involved. Multi-criteria Decision Analysis (MCDA) is the most popular framework employed in previous studies on MSWM; MCDA methods help multiple stakeholders evaluate the often conflicting criteria, communicate their different preferences, and rank or prioritize MSWM strategies to finally agree on some elements of these strategies and make an applicable decision. This paper reviews and brings together research on the application of MCDA for solving MSWM problems with more focus on the studies that have considered multiple stakeholders and offers solutions for such problems. Results of this study show that AHP is the most common approach in consideration of multiple stakeholders and experts and governments/municipalities are the most common participants in these studies. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

EUV tools: hydrogen gas purification and recovery strategies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Landoni, Cristian; Succi, Marco; Applegarth, Chuck; Riddle Vogt, Sarah

2015-03-01

The technological challenges that have been overcome to make extreme ultraviolet lithography (EUV) a reality have been enormous1. This vacuum driven technology poses significant purity challenges for the gases employed for purging and cleaning the scanner EUV chamber and source. Hydrogen, nitrogen, argon and ultra-high purity compressed dry air (UHPCDA) are the most common gases utilized at the scanner and source level. Purity requirements are tighter than for previous technology node tools. In addition, specifically for hydrogen, EUV tool users are facing not only gas purity challenges but also the need for safe disposal of the hydrogen at the tool outlet. Recovery, reuse or recycling strategies could mitigate the disposal process and reduce the overall tool cost of operation. This paper will review the types of purification technologies that are currently available to generate high purity hydrogen suitable for EUV applications. Advantages and disadvantages of each purification technology will be presented. Guidelines on how to select the most appropriate technology for each application and experimental conditions will be presented. A discussion of the most common approaches utilized at the facility level to operate EUV tools along with possible hydrogen recovery strategies will also be reported.

Physicians' fear of legal action becoming "pervasive," lawyer tells Ottawa conference.

PubMed Central

Rafuse, J

1995-01-01

Medical malpractice claims may be more common in the US than Canada, but that does not diminish the negative emotional, physical and professional consequences of legal action, delegates to the recent International Conference on Physician Health in Ottawa were told. Several US speakers described how physicians should employ risk-management strategies to avoid malpractice suits. They were also warned about what to expect during a legal action and the likelihood of facing subsequent suits alleging substandard care. PMID:7859204

Algorithm 782 : codes for rank-revealing QR factorizations of dense matrices.

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

Bischof, C. H.; Quintana-Orti, G.; Mathematics and Computer Science

1998-06-01

This article describes a suite of codes as well as associated testing and timing drivers for computing rank-revealing QR (RRQR) factorizations of dense matrices. The main contribution is an efficient block algorithm for approximating an RRQR factorization, employing a windowed version of the commonly used Golub pivoting strategy and improved versions of the RRQR algorithms for triangular matrices originally suggested by Chandrasekaran and Ipsen and by Pan and Tang, respectively, We highlight usage and features of these codes.

Consumer and Employer Strategies for Overcoming Employment Barriers. Technical Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Crudden, Adele; Williams, Wendy; McBroom, Lynn W.; Moore, J. Elton

This report on strategies for overcoming employment barriers for persons with visual impairments summarizes comments and suggestions of 7 focus groups comprised of either consumers (n=49) or employers (n=19). The report first reviews the literature concerning employment barriers and how consumers in previous studies suggested these barriers be…

The Role of Labour Inspectorates in Tackling the Psychosocial Risks at Work in Europe: Problems and Perspectives

PubMed Central

Toukas, Dimitrios; Delichas, Miltiadis; Toufekoula, Chryssoula; Spyrouli, Anastasia

2015-01-01

Significant changes in the past year have taken place in the world of work that are bringing new challenges with regard to employee safety and health. These changes have led to emerging psychosocial risks (PSRs) at work. The risks are primarily linked to how work is designed, organized, and managed, and to the economic and social frame of work. These factors have increased the level of work-related stress and can lead to serious deterioration in mental and physical health. In tackling PSRs, the European labor inspectorates can have an important role by enforcing preventive and/or corrective interventions in the content and context of work. However, to improve working conditions, unilateral interventions in the context and content of work are insufficient and require adopting a common strategy to tackle PSRs, based on a holistic approach. The implementation of a common strategy by the European Labor Inspectorate for tackling PSRs is restricted by the lack of a common legislative frame with regard to PSR evaluation and management, the different levels of labor inspectors' training, and the different levels of employees' and employers' health and safety culture. PMID:26929837

Three Empirical Strategies for Teaching Statistics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Marson, Stephen M.

2007-01-01

This paper employs a three-step process to analyze three empirically supported strategies for teaching statistics to BSW students. The strategies included: repetition, immediate feedback, and use of original data. First, each strategy is addressed through the literature. Second, the application of employing each of the strategies over the period…

Multiplexed MRM-Based Protein Quantitation Using Two Different Stable Isotope-Labeled Peptide Isotopologues for Calibration.

PubMed

LeBlanc, André; Michaud, Sarah A; Percy, Andrew J; Hardie, Darryl B; Yang, Juncong; Sinclair, Nicholas J; Proudfoot, Jillaine I; Pistawka, Adam; Smith, Derek S; Borchers, Christoph H

2017-07-07

When quantifying endogenous plasma proteins for fundamental and biomedical research - as well as for clinical applications - precise, reproducible, and robust assays are required. Targeted detection of peptides in a bottom-up strategy is the most common and precise mass spectrometry-based quantitation approach when combined with the use of stable isotope-labeled peptides. However, when measuring protein in plasma, the unknown endogenous levels prevent the implementation of the best calibration strategies, since no blank matrix is available. Consequently, several alternative calibration strategies are employed by different laboratories. In this study, these methods were compared to a new approach using two different stable isotope-labeled standard (SIS) peptide isotopologues for each endogenous peptide to be quantified, enabling an external calibration curve as well as the quality control samples to be prepared in pooled human plasma without interference from endogenous peptides. This strategy improves the analytical performance of the assay and enables the accuracy of the assay to be monitored, which can also facilitate method development and validation.

Switch from sexual to parthenogenetic reproduction in a zebra shark

PubMed Central

Dudgeon, Christine L.; Coulton, Laura; Bone, Ren; Ovenden, Jennifer R.; Thomas, Severine

2017-01-01

Parthenogenesis is a natural form of asexual reproduction in which embryos develop in the absence of fertilisation. Most commonly found in plants and invertebrate organisms, an increasing number of vertebrate species have recently been reported employing this reproductive strategy. Here we use DNA genotyping to report the first demonstration of an intra-individual switch from sexual to parthenogenetic reproduction in a shark species, the zebra shark Stegostoma fasciatum. A co-housed, sexually produced daughter zebra shark also commenced parthenogenetic reproduction at the onset of maturity without any prior mating. The demonstration of parthenogenesis in these two conspecific individuals with different sexual histories provides further support that elasmobranch fishes may flexibly adapt their reproductive strategy to environmental circumstances. PMID:28091617

Interventions with men who are violent to their partners: strategies for early engagement.

PubMed

Adams, Peter J

2012-07-01

Practitioners who view intimate partner violence as a set of strategies aimed at maintaining positions of power and privilege often face an engagement dilemma when men at their first contact talk of themselves as disempowered by circumstances such as separation, loss of access to children, legal problems, substance abuse issues, and their own history of being abused. This paper explores how a language-oriented approach to violence can assist practitioners in responding to abuser's current perceptions while avoiding collusion with justifications for violence. It examines common ways of speaking that men will employ to justify their violence then explores practical ways to identify and neutralized these messages before exploring personal opportunities for change. © 2012 American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy.

Modeling the cost-benefit of nerve conduction studies in pre-employment screening for carpal tunnel syndrome.

PubMed

Evanoff, Bradley; Kymes, Steve

2010-06-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate the costs associated with pre-employment nerve conduction testing as a screening tool for carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) in the workplace. We used a Markov decision analysis model to compare the costs associated with a strategy of screening all prospective employees for CTS and not hiring those with abnormal nerve conduction, versus a strategy of not screening for CTS. The variables included in our model included employee turnover rate, the incidence of CTS, the prevalence of median nerve conduction abnormalities, the relative risk of developing CTS conferred by abnormal nerve conduction screening, the costs of pre-employment screening, and the worker's compensation costs to the employer for each case of CTS. In our base case, total employer costs for CTS from the perspective of the employer (cost of screening plus costs for workers' compensation associated with CTS) were higher when screening was used. Median costs per employee position over five years were US$503 for the screening strategy versus US$200 for a no-screening strategy. A sensitivity analysis showed that a strategy of screening was cost-beneficial from the perspective of the employer only under a few circumstances. Using Monte Carlo simulation varying all parameters, we found a 30% probability that screening would be cost-beneficial. A strategy of pre-employment screening for CTS should be carefully evaluated for yield and social consequences before being implemented. Our model suggests such screening is not appropriate for most employers.

Adaptive Treatment Strategies in Youth Mental Health: A Commentary on Advantages, Challenges, and Potential Directions.

PubMed

Sherrill, Joel T

2016-01-01

This commentary underscores the importance and potential of the research approaches and intervention strategies described in the JCCAP special issue on the Science of Adaptive Treatment Strategies in Child and Adolescent Mental Health for addressing the widely observed heterogeneity in response to even our most promising research-informed interventions. First, the commentary briefly summarizes the advantages of these approaches and highlights how these programs of research are responsive to widely agreed-upon calls for more personalized, prescriptive interventions. Next, the commentary briefly discusses key common challenges and gaps in our knowledge that might be addressed to advance the development, testing, and implementation of adaptive intervention strategies. For example, research to identify robust moderators that might serve as potential tailoring variables for initial assignment and sequencing of interventions, efforts to operationalize surrogate endpoints for early identification of individuals who are unlikely to respond to first-line interventions, and research that helps define what constitutes an adequate exposure (i.e., dose) or response threshold (e.g., response that suggests the need to intensify, switch, or augment interventions) would inform decision rules for adaptive algorithms. The commentary concludes with a discussion of potential strategies and current initiatives that might ultimately help facilitate research on more targeted, prescriptive approaches to intervening, including efforts to encourage investigators to use common data elements, to share and integrate data across trials, and to employ a more mechanism-based approach to intervention development and testing.

"And let me see them damn papers!" The role of STI/AIDS screening among urban African American and Puerto Rican youth in the transition to sex without a condom.

PubMed

Abraham, Traci; Macauda, Mark; Erickson, Pamela; Singer, Merrill

2011-10-01

Common strategies employed in preventing STI/AIDS transmission among young adults in America include abstinence, monogamy and safer sex. These strategies require a high level of vigilance and responsibility and, according to inner city participants in Project PHRESH.comm, neither option is always desirable, available, or rational in the context of their lived experiences. This article reports findings from Project PHRESH.comm, a mixed-method, ethnographic study incorporating data from focus group discussions, semi-structured interviews, coital diaries, systematic cultural assessments and a structured survey designed to explore concepts of risk and decision making about condom use among at risk African American and Puerto Rican young adults aged 18-25 years in Hartford, CT. We found that many young adults from our study population rely on a strategy of using clinic-sponsored STI/AIDS screening when wanting to discontinue condom use with a partner. While our data suggest that screening is a common strategy used by many couples to transition to having sex without a condom, the data also show that most youth do not maintain monogamy even in long-term, serious relationships. Thus, sharing test results may provide a false sense of security in the sexual culture of inner city, minority youth.

Injunctive social norms primacy over descriptive social norms in retirement savings decisions.

PubMed

Croy, Gerry; Gerrans, Paul; Speelman, Craig

2010-01-01

Consistent with the global trend to shift responsibility for retirement income provision from the public purse to individuals has been encouragement to save more and to manage investment strategy. Analyzing data from 2,300 respondents to a randomly distributed questionnaire, this article focuses on the motivational importance of social norms. The study finds injunctive social norms (what is commonly approved or disapproved of) exert greater influence than descriptive social norms (what is commonly done) in predicting retirement savings intentions. Modeling employs the theory of planned behavior, and also finds injunctive social norm has predictive primacy over attitude and perceived behavioral control. Discussion advocates a balanced approach to intervention design, and identifies opportunities for the further study of normative message framing.

Discrepant Stakeholder Perspectives on Graduate Employability Strategies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kinash, Shelley; Crane, Linda; Judd, Madelaine-Marie; Knight, Cecily

2016-01-01

A literature review identified 12 strategies that have been empirically linked to improvements in graduate employability. A survey methodology was used to investigate self-reported use and/or perspectives on these strategies among four stakeholder groups. The following questions were asked: to students--What strategies are you using to improve…

An exploration of the role of employment as a coping resource for women experiencing intimate partner abuse.

PubMed

Beecham, David

2014-01-01

There has been a growing interest amongst researchers and practitioners regarding the various coping strategies adopted by women experiencing intimate partner abuse (IPA). These studies have tended to adopt and adapt the stress-coping model developed by Lazarus and Folkman (1984) and thus make the distinction between emotion and problem-solving coping strategies and the resources available for women to cope. Even though, contemporary coping scholars acknowledge the role of employment and coping, it is still unclear as to how employment facilitates women's coping strategies. Drawing on findings from a qualitative study, this article explores how employment and workplace environments provide survivors of IPA with resources that allow them to cope with the abuse. By incorporating theoretical insights developed in the field of organizational studies, namely boundary work and organizational identities, these findings develop our understanding of the role of employment in survivors' coping strategies. Finally, the findings demonstrate the valuable contribution of interdisciplinarity in furthering our knowledge of coping strategies and the positive aspects of employment for survivors of IPA.

[Nosocomial pneumonia].

PubMed

Díaz, Emili; Martín-Loeches, Ignacio; Vallés, Jordi

2013-12-01

The hospital acquired pneumonia (HAP) is one of the most common infections acquired among hospitalised patients. Within the HAP, the ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) is the most common nosocomial infection complication among patients with acute respiratory failure. The VAP and HAP are associated with increased mortality and increased hospital costs. The rise in HAP due to antibiotic-resistant bacteria also causes an increase in the incidence of inappropriate empirical antibiotic therapy, with an associated increased risk of hospital mortality. It is very important to know the most common organisms responsible for these infections in each hospital and each Intensive Care Unit, as well as their antimicrobial susceptibility patterns, in order to reduce the incidence of inappropriate antibiotic therapy and improve the prognosis of patients. Additionally, clinical strategies aimed at the prevention of HAP and VAP should be employed in hospital settings caring for patients at risk for these infections. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier España, S.L. All rights reserved.

Educational and evaluation strategies in the training of physician specialists

PubMed

Gaona-Flores, Verónica Alejandra; Campos-Navarro, Luz Arcelia; Arenas-Osuna, Jesús; Alcalá-Martínez, Enrique

2017-01-01

Teaching strategies have been defined as procedures, means or resources that teachers used to promote meaningful learning. Identify teaching strategies and evaluation used by the professor with residents in tertiary hospitals health care. This is a cross-sectional study conducted with full, associate and assistant professors of various medical specialties. A questionnaire was applied to evaluate the strategies used by professors to teach and evaluate students. We included a sample of 90 professors in 35 medical specialties. The most frequent teaching activities were: organizing students to develop presentations on specific subjects, followed by asking questions on previously reviewed subjects, In terms of the strategies employed, the most frequent "always" option was applied to case analyses. The most frequent methods used for the evaluation of theoretical knowledge were: participation in class, topic presentation and exams. Teaching activities were primarily based on the presentation of specific topics by the residents. The most commonly used educational strategies were clinical case analyses followed by problem-based learning and the use of illustrations. Evaluation of the residents' performance in theory knowledge, hinged on class participation, presentation of assigned topics and exams. Copyright: © 2017 SecretarÍa de Salud

Corner Store Inventories, Purchases, and Strategies for Intervention: A Review of the Literature.

PubMed

Langellier, Brent A; Garza, Jeremiah R; Prelip, Michael L; Glik, Deborah; Brookmeyer, Ron; Ortega, Alexander N

2013-01-01

An increasingly popular strategy to improving the food retail environment and promoting healthy eating in low-income and minority communities is the corner store conversion. This approach involves partnering with small 'corner' food stores to expand access to high-quality fruits, vegetables, and other healthy foods. We conducted a structured review of the literature to assess inventories and sales in corner stores, as well as to identify intervention strategies employed by corner store conversions. Our review returned eight descriptive studies that discussed corner store inventories and sales, as well as ten intervention studies discussing six unique corner store conversion interventions in the United States, the Marshall Islands, and Canada. Common intervention strategies included: 1) partnering with an existing store, 2) stocking healthy foods, and 3) social marketing and nutrition education. We summarize each strategy and review the effectiveness of overall corner store conversions at changing peoples' food purchasing, preparation, and consumption behaviors. Consumption of fresh, healthy, affordable foods could be improved by supporting existing retailers to expand their selection of healthy foods and promoting healthy eating at the neighborhood level. Additional corner store conversions should be conducted to determine the effectiveness and importance of specific intervention strategies.

Homosexuality in Turkey: strategies for managing heterosexism.

PubMed

Bakacak, Ayça Gelgeç; Oktem, Pinar

2014-01-01

The goal of this study was to identify the strategies used by young homosexuals to manage their sexual minority status in Turkey. In-depth interviews were conducted with 15 self-identified homosexual university students. The data on the strategies employed by homosexuals suggested a categorization of these strategies into four interrelated areas: strategies employed in the process of self-acceptance; strategies to manage sexual stigma and prejudice; strategies specific to the coming-out process; and the strategies used while openly expressing their sexual identities.

Validation and application of a quantitative real-time PCR assay to detect common wheat adulteration of durum wheat for pasta production.

PubMed

Carloni, Elisa; Amagliani, Giulia; Omiccioli, Enrica; Ceppetelli, Veronica; Del Mastro, Michele; Rotundo, Luca; Brandi, Giorgio; Magnani, Mauro

2017-06-01

Pasta is the Italian product par excellence and it is now popular worldwide. Pasta of a superior quality is made with pure durum wheat. In Italy, addition of Triticum aestivum (common wheat) during manufacturing is not allowed and, without adequate labeling, its presence is considered an adulteration. PCR-related techniques can be employed for the detection of common wheat contaminations. In this work, we demonstrated that a previously published method for the detection of T. aestivum, based on the gliadin gene, is inadequate. Moreover, a new molecular method, based on DNA extraction from semolina and real-time PCR determination of T. aestivum in Triticum spp., was validated. This multiplex real-time PCR, based on the dual-labeled probe strategy, guarantees target detection specificity and sensitivity in a short period of time. Moreover, the molecular analysis of common wheat contamination in commercial wheat and flours is described for the first time. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Diabetes education for Chinese adults with type 2 diabetes: A systematic review and meta-analysis of the effect on glycemic control.

PubMed

Choi, Tammie S T; Davidson, Zoe E; Walker, Karen Z; Lee, Jia Hwa; Palermo, Claire

2016-06-01

The purpose of this study is to systematically review evidence in English and Chinese publications to determine the size of glycemic effect of different diabetes education approaches for Chinese patients. CINAHL Plus, Embase, Ovid Medline, Scopus and the China National Knowledge Infrastructure database were searched. Studies were included if they were randomised controlled trials with a detailed description of education approach, with more than 50 Chinese-adult participants, reporting actual glycemic outcome and with at least 3-month follow-up. Data was systematically extracted and cross-checked by the authors. Methodological quality was assessed. Fifty-three studies, including five English and 48 Chinese publications, were included. The overall weighted mean difference (WMD) in glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) was -1.19% (-13mmol/mol). Ongoing regular education was most-commonly employed, with a reported WMD of -2.02% (-22mmol/mol). Glycemic control was further enhanced in studies using information reinforcement strategies. Diabetes education in any format generates glycemic improvement for Chinese patients, but is particularly effective when an ongoing regular education is employed. Innovative strategies aligned with cultural concepts, such as employing patient examination to reinforce diabetes management knowledge and/or involving family in patient care deserve further trial to determine whether they enhance glycemic control in this group. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

20 CFR 664.600 - Are Local Boards required to offer summer employment opportunities in the local youth program?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... INVESTMENT ACT Summer Employment Opportunities § 664.600 Are Local Boards required to offer summer employment..., and may provide other elements and strategies as appropriate to serve the needs and goals of the... into a comprehensive strategy for addressing the youth's employment and training needs. Youths who...

Health Resources and Strategies among Employed Women in Norway during Pregnancy and Early Motherhood

PubMed Central

Alstveit, Marit; Karlsen, Bjørg

2015-01-01

The number of women in paid employment is increasing. However, when becoming a mother for the first time, many seem unprepared for the challenge of balancing motherhood and work as well as for the impact on their health. The aim of this study was to investigate the health resources and strategies of employed women in Norway during pregnancy and early motherhood by means of salutogenic theory. A hypothetical-deductive interpretive approach based on Antonovsky's salutogenic theory was applied in a secondary analysis. A total of six themes were identified; three were classified as health resources when experiencing tension and three as health strategies. Salutogenic theory seems to be a useful framework for illuminating the health resources and strategies adopted by employed women who become mothers. The identified health resources when experiencing tension and the health strategies applied may have implications for maternity care professionals and employers in promoting the health of such women and supporting them to combine work and family life. PMID:25945258

The Impact of Specialized Telephonic Guides on Employee Engagement in Corporate Well-Being Programs

PubMed Central

Barleen, Nathan A.; Marzec, Mary L.; Moloney, Daniel P.; Dobro, Jeff

2018-01-01

Abstract Employer-sponsored well-being programs have been growing in popularity as a means to control rising health care costs and increase workplace productivity. Engagement by employees is necessary for these programs to achieve their desired effects. Extrinsic motivators in the form of incentives and surcharges are commonly introduced by employer program sponsors to promote meaningful engagement. Although these may be successful in achieving a degree of engagement, individuals benefit by being intrinsically motivated as they modify behaviors and improve short- and long-term well-being. Telephonic guides equipped with motivational interviewing and other behavioral strategies to improve engagement may bridge the gap between extrinsic and intrinsic motivation. The objectives of this study are to determine characteristics associated with employee utilization of these guides when offered and to compare subsequent program engagement rates between utilizers to a propensity score matched group of employees who were not offered the service. The data were retrieved from a well-being program provider's database. The study examined 166,258 employees across 35 employers. It found utilizers were older, proportionally more female, in the manufacturing industry, incented to use the guide service, offered a larger incentive for program participation, had healthier self-reported behaviors, and had a higher perception of their employer's focus on well-being. The study found that guide utilizers were significantly more likely to engage in telephonic coaching, digital coaching, and activity tracking up to 6 months. The study's findings suggest telephonic guides using a range of behavioral techniques are an effective strategy to drive well-being program engagement. PMID:28586257

The Impact of Specialized Telephonic Guides on Employee Engagement in Corporate Well-Being Programs.

PubMed

Boerger, Nicholas L; Barleen, Nathan A; Marzec, Mary L; Moloney, Daniel P; Dobro, Jeff

2018-02-01

Employer-sponsored well-being programs have been growing in popularity as a means to control rising health care costs and increase workplace productivity. Engagement by employees is necessary for these programs to achieve their desired effects. Extrinsic motivators in the form of incentives and surcharges are commonly introduced by employer program sponsors to promote meaningful engagement. Although these may be successful in achieving a degree of engagement, individuals benefit by being intrinsically motivated as they modify behaviors and improve short- and long-term well-being. Telephonic guides equipped with motivational interviewing and other behavioral strategies to improve engagement may bridge the gap between extrinsic and intrinsic motivation. The objectives of this study are to determine characteristics associated with employee utilization of these guides when offered and to compare subsequent program engagement rates between utilizers to a propensity score matched group of employees who were not offered the service. The data were retrieved from a well-being program provider's database. The study examined 166,258 employees across 35 employers. It found utilizers were older, proportionally more female, in the manufacturing industry, incented to use the guide service, offered a larger incentive for program participation, had healthier self-reported behaviors, and had a higher perception of their employer's focus on well-being. The study found that guide utilizers were significantly more likely to engage in telephonic coaching, digital coaching, and activity tracking up to 6 months. The study's findings suggest telephonic guides using a range of behavioral techniques are an effective strategy to drive well-being program engagement.

Funding formulas for public health allocations: federal and state strategies.

PubMed

Ogden, Lydia L; Sellers, Katie; Sammartino, Cara; Buehler, James W; Bernet, Patrick M

2012-01-01

Public health funding formulas have received less scrutiny than those used in other government sectors, particularly health services and public health insurance. We surveyed states about their use of funding formulas for specific public health activities; sources of funding; formula attributes; formula development; and assessments of political and policy considerations. Results show that the use of funding formulas is positively correlated with the number of local health departments and with the percentage of public health funding provided by the federal government. States use a variety of allocative strategies but most commonly employ a "base-plus" distribution. Resulting distributions are more disproportionate than per capita or per-person-in-poverty allotments, an effect that increases as the proportion of total funding dedicated to equal minimum allotments increases.

Practical strategies for becoming a successful medical book author.

PubMed

Hales, Robert E; McDuffie, John J; Gabbard, Glen O; Phillips, Katharine; Oldham, John; Stewart, Donna E

2008-01-01

The authors, all senior editors in the Books Division of American Psychiatric Publishing, Inc., provide practical advice to authors who may be considering writing or editing a medical book. The authors summarize strategies for developing a book proposal and outline an approach to developing a focus for a book. They also list a number of common errors that authors frequently make when they develop a book proposal. The authors provide guidance on publishing research and discuss how authors can collaborate with a publisher's marketing department to publicize their book. By employing a systematic and well-considered approach to preparing a book proposal and writing or editing a book, authors may achieve professional success and personal satisfaction. Writing or editing a medical book requires a different series of steps than authoring a journal article.

Phosphoketolase pathway engineering for carbon-efficient biocatalysis

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

Henard, Calvin Andrew; Freed, Emily Frances; Guarnieri, Michael Thomas

2015-12-01

Recent advances in metabolic engineering have facilitated the development of microbial biocatalysts capable of producing an array of bio-products, ranging from fuels to drug molecules. These bio-products are commonly generated through an acetyl-CoA intermediate, which serves as a key precursor in the biological conversion of carbon substrates. Moreover, conventional biocatalytic upgrading strategies proceeding through this route are limited by low carbon efficiencies, in large part due to carbon losses associated with pyruvate decarboxylation to acetyl-CoA. Bypass of pyruvate decarboxylation offers a means to dramatically enhance carbon yields and, in turn, bioprocess economics. Here, we discuss recent advances and prospects formore » employing the phosphoketolase pathway for direct biosynthesis of acetyl-CoA from carbon substrates, and phosphoketolase-based metabolic engineering strategies for carbon efficient biocatalysis.« less

[Professional stressors and common mental health disorders: Causal links?

PubMed

Nicolas, C; Chawky, N; Jourdan-Ionescu, C; Drouin, M-S; Page, C; Houlfort, N; Beauchamp, G; Séguin, M

2018-06-01

According to the World Health Organization, depression has become the leading cause of disability in the world, contributing significantly to the burden of health issues especially in the industrialized countries. This is a major public health problem, with potential impact on work climates, productivity at work and the continued existence of the organizations. Some recent studies have examined potential links between professional factors and common mental health disorders, but none have demonstrated a direct causal link. In the present study, we explored possible links between work-related stressors and common mental health disorders, with the objective of determining priority mental health prevention axes. The study used a life trajectory method. We compared professional stressors and difficulties present in other spheres of life in the last five years between two groups: a group of 29 participants with common mental health disorders during the last five years (depression, anxiety disorders, eating disorders, substance use disorders, pathological gambling), and a group of 29 participants who have not experienced a mental health disorder in the last five years. Data were collected from semi-structured interviews with the participants using a life course analysis method. Each participant was interviewed during two or three meetings of two to three hour duration. Questions regarding difficulties in different spheres of life and mental health were asked. More precisely, data were collected with regards to the presence or absence of mental health disorders in the last five years and the nature of mental health disorders and difficulties. Moreover, we collected data pertaining to the most important positive and negative events in different spheres of life that were present in the last five years, including family life, romantic relationships, social life, academic difficulties, losses and separations, episodes of personal difficulties, financial difficulties as well as protective factors. Regarding professional difficulties present in the last five years, data were collected on different kinds of adversities such as difficulties in finding a job, periods of unemployment, frequent job changes, difficult working conditions, discrimination, difficult working relationships with colleagues and with employers, moral harassment and family-work conflicts. Participants with common mental health disorders are more concerned about having general professional difficulties at work and about having difficult working relationships with employers. However, difficulties related to other spheres of life do not differentiate the two groups. It is possible that the work environment is linked to common mental health disorders. In particular, having general professional stressors at the work place and having difficult relationships with employers can impact the occurrence of common mental health disorders. Inversely, these stressors at work can be the consequence of a common mental health disorder. Complementary studies are of interest. Professional stressors can constitute an essential part in the occurrence of common mental health disorders. Thus, the workplace seems a priority environment for deploying effective mental health prevention strategies. Moreover, this can be a strategy for organizations to improve the work climate and to increase productivity. Copyright © 2017 L'Encéphale, Paris. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Disability rights advocacy and employment: a qualitative study of the National Centre for the Employment of Disabled People (NCPEDP) in India.

PubMed

Benshoff, Laura; Barrera, Magda; Heymann, Jody

2014-01-01

In India, the low rate of employment of people with disabilities is a large problem in the growing economy. Looking at one advocacy group's strategies for influencing the private sector and lobbying the Indian government for more responsive employment policies, this article focuses on NCPEDP's holistic approach to increasing employment of people with disabilities as an example of notable, innovative practice. The article examines NCPEDP's strategies towards the private sector, public policy, and civil society, including its Disability Awards (highlighting inclusive workplaces), the 2001 and 2011 Census campaigns' efforts for people with disabilities to become accurately counted, and its networks of disability organizations that disseminate relevant information and campaign for greater equality across the nation. The benefits and limitations of these strategies are then assessed for lessons regarding the strategies available to small nongovernmental organizations seeking to influence employment, the private sector and public policy in other settings.

Convergent adaptive evolution in marginal environments: unloading transposable elements as a common strategy among mangrove genomes.

PubMed

Lyu, Haomin; He, Ziwen; Wu, Chung-I; Shi, Suhua

2018-01-01

Several clades of mangrove trees independently invade the interface between land and sea at the margin of woody plant distribution. As phenotypic convergence among mangroves is common, the possibility of convergent adaptation in their genomes is quite intriguing. To study this molecular convergence, we sequenced multiple mangrove genomes. In this study, we focused on the evolution of transposable elements (TEs) in relation to the genome size evolution. TEs, generally considered genomic parasites, are the most common components of woody plant genomes. Analyzing the long terminal repeat-retrotransposon (LTR-RT) type of TE, we estimated their death rates by counting solo-LTRs and truncated elements. We found that all lineages of mangroves massively and convergently reduce TE loads in comparison to their nonmangrove relatives; as a consequence, genome size reduction happens independently in all six mangrove lineages; TE load reduction in mangroves can be attributed to the paucity of young elements; the rarity of young LTR-RTs is a consequence of fewer births rather than access death. In conclusion, mangrove genomes employ a convergent strategy of TE load reduction by suppressing element origination in their independent adaptation to a new environment. © 2017 The Authors. New Phytologist © 2017 New Phytologist Trust.

Computers in the clinical encounter: a scoping review and thematic analysis.

PubMed

Crampton, Noah H; Reis, Shmuel; Shachak, Aviv

2016-05-01

Patient-clinician communication has been associated with increased patient satisfaction, trust in the clinician, adherence to prescribed therapy, and various health outcomes. The impact of health information technology (HIT) on the clinical encounter in general and patient-clinician communication in particular is a growing concern. The purpose of this study was to review the current literature on HIT use during the clinical encounter to update best practices and inform the continuous development of HIT policies and educational interventions. We conducted a literature search of four databases. After removing duplicates, reviewing titles and abstracts, performing a full-text review, and snowballing from references and citations, 51 articles were included in the analysis. We employed a qualitative thematic analysis to compare and contrast the findings across studies. Our analysis revealed that the use of HIT affects consultations in complex ways, impacting eye contact and gaze, information sharing, building relationships, and pauses in the conversation. Whether these impacts are positive or negative largely depends on the combination of consultation room layout, patient and clinician styles of interaction with HIT as well as each other, and the strategies and techniques employed by clinicians to integrate HIT into consultations. The in-depth insights into the impact of HIT on the clinical encounter, especially the strategies and techniques employed by clinicians to adapt to using HIT in consultations, can inform policies, educational interventions, and research. In contrast to the common negative views of HIT, it affects the clinical encounter in multiple ways. By applying identified strategies and best practices, HIT can support patient-clinician interactions rather than interfering with them. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the American Medical Informatics Association. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Hearing loss and disability exit: Measurement issues and coping strategies.

PubMed

Christensen, Vibeke Tornhøj; Datta Gupta, Nabanita

2017-02-01

Hearing loss is one of the most common conditions related to aging, and previous descriptive evidence links it to early exit from the labor market. These studies are usually based on self-reported hearing difficulties, which are potentially endogenous to labor supply. We use unique representative data collected in the spring of 2005 through in-home interviews. The data contains self-reported functional and clinically-measured hearing ability for a representative sample of the Danish population aged 50-64. We estimate the causal effect of hearing loss on early retirement via disability benefits, taking into account the endogeneity of functional hearing. Our identification strategy involves the simultaneous estimation of labor supply, functional hearing, and coping strategies (i.e. accessing assistive devices at work or informing one's employer about the problem). We use hearing aids as an instrument for functional hearing. Our main empirical findings are that endogeneity bias is more severe for men than women and that functional hearing problems significantly increase the likelihood of receiving disability benefits for both men and women. However, relative to the baseline the effect is larger for men (47% vs. 20%, respectively). Availability of assistive devices in the workplace decreases the likelihood of receiving disability benefits, whereas informing an employer about hearing problems increases this likelihood. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Food-coping strategy index applied to a community of farm-worker households in South Africa.

PubMed

Kruger, Rozanne; Schönfeldt, Hettie Carina; Owen, Johanna Hendriena

2008-03-01

In South Africa, households living in informal urban settlements, in rural areas, and on commercial farms experience various levels of dietary variety, food intake, and household hunger. Low incomes, poor food production and availability, and low spending power characterize these households. Households employ various food-coping strategies to alleviate food stress or poor food availability. To apply an existing food-coping strategy (FCS) index to assess household hunger and its usefulness in identifying the level of food stress and the patterns of food coping in farm-worker households. A cross-sectional survey was conducted. Data were gathered from women (18 to 57 years of age) responsible for food provision in a small farm-worker community in Fouriesburg, South Africa. A structured food-coping questionnaire and a standardized FCS index were used to gather data. The two most common FCS used were relying on cheaper food (chicken feet, diluted soya-mince soup) or less preferred food (meat bones) and employing food-seeking strategies (gathering wild foods), followed by consumption of seed stock (maize) and reduced portion sizes (protein foods and side dishes), resulting in starch-based diets of poor variety. Seasonal strategies varied according to the level of food stress experienced. Patterns of food coping were identified. Negative FCS (limiting food choices, only consuming starchy staples) may cause poor health status. The FCS index was effectively used to assess farm-worker household food-coping behavior (early, clear signals of the level of food distress). These results could be used to allocate appropriate food aid (type of food) and to design nutrition education programs focused on positive FCS (food gathering or bartering) in a particular community to prevent suboptimal nutritional status.

Self-Care Strategies among Chinese Adolescent Girls with Dysmenorrhea: A Qualitative Study.

PubMed

Wong, Cho Lee; Ip, Wan Yim; Lam, Lai Wah

2016-08-01

Little is known about how Chinese adolescent girls manage dysmenorrhea. This study aims to explore self-care strategies among Chinese adolescent girls with dysmenorrhea. The study uses a mixed methods design with two phases: a cross-sectional survey in phase I and semistructured interviews in phase II. This paper reports phase II. In line with the phase I findings, 28 adolescent girls with different characteristics (high or low levels of self-care behavior and pain intensity, who did or did not self-medicate, and who had or had not received menstrual education) were recruited for interviews. Content analysis was used for data analysis. Four categories emerged from the data: lifestyle changes, symptom management, communicating dysmenorrhea with others, and seeking medical advice. Girls selected their diets carefully and reduced physical activity during menstruation to avoid aggravating symptoms. Heat therapy commonly was employed for symptom management. A few girls self-medicated to obtain immediate relief from pain, but the majority expressed reservations about using medication because they worried about dependence and side effects. Some girls communicated dysmenorrhea with their family and friends, but the majority did not seek medical advice. The present study showed that girls employed various self-care strategies for dysmenorrhea, including some strategies stemming from traditional Chinese medicine. The findings revealed menstrual etiquette among Chinese adolescent girls with dysmenorrhea, and demonstrated that self-medication was not part of most girls' self-care. Understanding the self-care strategies of these girls is important, as it can help nurses develop a culturally-specific intervention to promote self-care among adolescent girls with dysmenorrhea. Copyright © 2016 American Society for Pain Management Nursing. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Secretary Marshall's Employment Strategies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stevenson, Gloria

1977-01-01

A review of proposed employment strategies and priorities of Ray Marshall, Secretary of Labor, with regard to training programs, governmental subsidy programs, apprenticeships, private sector jobs, etc. (WL)

Gender Differences in Drug Resistance Skills of Youth in Guanajuato, Mexico

PubMed Central

Marsiglia, Flavio F.; Ayers, Stephanie L.; Calderón-Tena, Carlos O.; Nuño-Gutiérrez, Bertha L.

2011-01-01

Research is limited or absent on Mexican adolescents’ exposure to substance offers, ways of dealing with these offers, and possible gender differences in responses to offers. Extending U.S.-based research, this study examines how youth living in the Mexican state of Guanajuato employ the four drug resistance strategies—refuse, explain, avoid, and leave—that are part of the Keepin’ It REAL evidence-based drug prevention intervention. The analysis uses cross-sectional survey data from 702 students enrolled in eight alternative secondary education sites in 2007. Participants reported the drug resistance behaviors they used to deal with offers of alcohol, cigarettes, and marijuana. Using multivariate regression, findings indicate most youth had developed repertoires of drug resistance strategies that involved multiple REAL strategies and some other strategy as well. For those receiving offers, the most common strategy was to refuse the offer with a simple ‘‘no.’’ However, males used all the strategies significantly more often than females for situations involving cigarettes and marijuana as well as when using refuse and non-REAL strategies for alcohol. Possible reasons for the gender difference in use of strategies are discussed. The findings can help inform effective prevention programs based on teaching culturally appropriate drug resistance and communication skills. PMID:21424398

Stand by Me: Qualitative Insights into the Ease of Use of Adjustable Workstations

PubMed Central

Leavy, Justine; Jancey, Jonine

2016-01-01

Background Office workers sit for more than 80% of the work day making them an important target for work site health promotion interventions to break up prolonged sitting time. Adjustable workstations are one strategy used to reduce prolonged sitting time. This study provides both an employees' and employers' perspective into the advantages, disadvantages, practicality and convenience of adjustable workstations and how movement in the office can be further supported by organisations. Methods This qualitative study was part of the Uprising pilot study. Employees were from the intervention arm of a two group (intervention n = 18 and control n = 18) study. Employers were the immediate line-manager of the employee. Data were collected via employee focus groups (n = 17) and employer individual interviews (n = 12). The majority of participants were female (n = 18), had healthy weight, and had a post-graduate qualification. All focus group discussions and interviews were recorded, transcribed verbatim and the data coded according to the content. Qualitative content analysis was conducted. Results Employee data identified four concepts: enhanced general wellbeing; workability and practicality; disadvantages of the retro-fit; and triggers to stand. Most employees (n = 12) reported enhanced general well-being, workability and practicality included less email exchange and positive interaction (n = 5), while the instability of the keyboard a commonly cited disadvantage. Triggers to stand included time and task based prompts. Employer data concepts included: general health and wellbeing; work engagement; flexibility; employee morale; and injury prevention. Over half of the employers (n = 7) emphasised back care and occupational health considerations as important, as well as increased level of staff engagement and strategies to break up prolonged periods of sitting. Discussion The focus groups highlight the perceived general health benefits from this short intervention, including opportunity to sit less and interact in the workplace, creating an ‘energised’ work environment. The retro-fit workstation and keyboard platform provided challenges for some participants. Supervisors emphasised injury prevention and employee morale as two important by products of the adjustable workstation. These were not mentioned by employees. They called for champions to advocate for strategies to break up prolonged sitting. Implications The findings of this novel research from both the employee and employer perspective may support installation of adjustable workstations as one component of a comprehensive approach to improve the long term health of employees. PMID:29546187

Stand by Me: Qualitative Insights into the Ease of Use of Adjustable Workstations.

PubMed

Leavy, Justine; Jancey, Jonine

2016-01-01

Office workers sit for more than 80% of the work day making them an important target for work site health promotion interventions to break up prolonged sitting time. Adjustable workstations are one strategy used to reduce prolonged sitting time. This study provides both an employees' and employers' perspective into the advantages, disadvantages, practicality and convenience of adjustable workstations and how movement in the office can be further supported by organisations. This qualitative study was part of the Uprising pilot study. Employees were from the intervention arm of a two group (intervention n = 18 and control n = 18) study. Employers were the immediate line-manager of the employee. Data were collected via employee focus groups (n = 17) and employer individual interviews (n = 12). The majority of participants were female (n = 18), had healthy weight, and had a post-graduate qualification. All focus group discussions and interviews were recorded, transcribed verbatim and the data coded according to the content. Qualitative content analysis was conducted. Employee data identified four concepts: enhanced general wellbeing; workability and practicality; disadvantages of the retro-fit; and triggers to stand. Most employees (n = 12) reported enhanced general well-being, workability and practicality included less email exchange and positive interaction (n = 5), while the instability of the keyboard a commonly cited disadvantage. Triggers to stand included time and task based prompts. Employer data concepts included: general health and wellbeing; work engagement; flexibility; employee morale; and injury prevention. Over half of the employers (n = 7) emphasised back care and occupational health considerations as important, as well as increased level of staff engagement and strategies to break up prolonged periods of sitting. The focus groups highlight the perceived general health benefits from this short intervention, including opportunity to sit less and interact in the workplace, creating an 'energised' work environment. The retro-fit workstation and keyboard platform provided challenges for some participants. Supervisors emphasised injury prevention and employee morale as two important by products of the adjustable workstation. These were not mentioned by employees. They called for champions to advocate for strategies to break up prolonged sitting. The findings of this novel research from both the employee and employer perspective may support installation of adjustable workstations as one component of a comprehensive approach to improve the long term health of employees.

Barriers and facilitators related to implementation of regulated midwifery in Manitoba: a case study.

PubMed

Thiessen, Kellie; Heaman, Maureen; Mignone, Javier; Martens, Patricia; Robinson, Kristine

2016-03-15

In 2000, midwifery was regulated in the Canadian Province of Manitoba. Since the establishment of the midwifery program, little formal research has analyzed the utilization of regulated midwifery services. In Manitoba, the demand for midwifery services has exceeded the number of midwives in practice. The specific objective of this study was to explore factors influencing the implementation and utilization of regulated midwifery services in Manitoba. The case study design incorporated qualitative exploratory descriptive methods, using data derived from two sources: interviews and public documents. Twenty-four key informants were purposefully selected to participate in semi-structured in-depth interviews. All documents analyzed were in the public domain. Content analysis was employed to analyze the documents and transcripts of the interviews. The results of the study were informed by the Behavioral Model of Health Services Use. Three main topic areas were explored: facilitators, barriers, and future strategies and recommendations. The most common themes arising under facilitators were funding of midwifery services and strategies to integrate the profession. Power and conflict, and lack of a productive education program emerged as the most prominent themes under barriers. Finally, future strategies for sustaining the midwifery profession focused on ensuring avenues for registration and education, improving management strategies and accountability frameworks within the employment model, enhancing the work environment, and evaluating both the practice and employment models. Results of the document analysis supported the themes arising from the interviews. These findings on factors that influenced the implementation and integration of midwifery in Manitoba may provide useful information to key stakeholders in Manitoba, as well as other provinces as they work toward successful implementation of regulated midwifery practice. Funding for new positions and programs was consistently noted as a successful strategy. While barriers such as structures of power within Regional Health Authorities and inter and intra-professional conflict were identified, the lack of a productive midwifery education program emerged as the most prominent barrier. This new knowledge highlights issues that impact the ongoing growth and capacity of the midwifery profession and suggests directions for ensuring its sustainability.

Hospice Palliative Care Volunteers: A Review of Commonly Encountered Stressors, How They Cope With them, and Implications for Volunteer Training/Management.

PubMed

Claxton-Oldfield, Stephen

2016-03-01

Hospice palliative care volunteer work--being with dying persons and their often distraught family members--has the potential to take an emotional toll on volunteers. The aim of this review article is to examine the types of stressors hospice palliative care volunteers typically experience in their work and how they cope with them. The results of this literature review suggest that hospice palliative care volunteers do not generally perceive their volunteer work as highly stressful. Nonetheless, a number of potential stressors and challenges were identified in the literature, along with some strategies that volunteers commonly employ to cope with them. The implications for volunteers and volunteer training/management are discussed. © The Author(s) 2015.

An overview of the model integration process: From pre ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Integration of models requires linking models which can be developed using different tools, methodologies, and assumptions. We performed a literature review with the aim of improving our understanding of model integration process, and also presenting better strategies for building integrated modeling systems. We identified five different phases to characterize integration process: pre-integration assessment, preparation of models for integration, orchestration of models during simulation, data interoperability, and testing. Commonly, there is little reuse of existing frameworks beyond the development teams and not much sharing of science components across frameworks. We believe this must change to enable researchers and assessors to form complex workflows that leverage the current environmental science available. In this paper, we characterize the model integration process and compare integration practices of different groups. We highlight key strategies, features, standards, and practices that can be employed by developers to increase reuse and interoperability of science software components and systems. The paper provides a review of the literature regarding techniques and methods employed by various modeling system developers to facilitate science software interoperability. The intent of the paper is to illustrate the wide variation in methods and the limiting effect the variation has on inter-framework reuse and interoperability. A series of recommendation

Impacts of marine protected areas on fishing communities.

PubMed

Mascia, Michael B; Claus, C Anne; Naidoo, Robin

2010-10-01

Marine protected areas (MPAs) are a popular conservation strategy, but their impacts on human welfare are poorly understood. To inform future research and policy decisions, we reviewed the scientific literature to assess MPA impacts on five indicators of human welfare: food security, resource rights, employment, community organization, and income. Following MPA establishment, food security generally remained stable or increased in older and smaller MPAs. The ability of most fishing groups to govern MPA resources changed. Increased resource rights were positively correlated with MPA zoning and compliance with MPA regulations. Small sample sizes precluded statistical tests of the impacts of MPAs on employment, community organization, and income. Our results demonstrate that MPAs shape the social well-being and political power of fishing communities; impacts (positive and negative) vary within and among social groups; and social impacts are correlated with some--but not all--commonly hypothesized explanatory factors. Accordingly, MPAs may represent a viable strategy for enhancing food security and empowering local communities, but current practices negatively affect at least a minority of fishers. To inform policy making, further research must better document and explain variation in the positive and negative social impacts of MPAs. © 2010 Society for Conservation Biology.

Alternative Youth Employment Strategies Project: Final Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sadd, Susan; And Others

The Alternative Youth Employment Strategies (AYES) Project began as one of the demonstration projects funded under the Youth Employment and Demonstration Project Act in 1980. The program, which features three training models, is targeted toward high-risk, disadvantaged youth, especially minority youths from urban areas who had prior involvement…

Traditional coping strategies and disaster response: examples from the South Pacific region.

PubMed

Fletcher, Stephanie M; Thiessen, Jodi; Gero, Anna; Rumsey, Michele; Kuruppu, Natasha; Willetts, Juliet

2013-01-01

The Pacific Islands are vulnerable to climate change and increased risk of disasters not only because of their isolated and often low lying geographical setting but because of their economic status which renders them reliant on donor support. In a qualitative study exploring the adaptive capacity of Pacific Island Countries (PICs) across four countries, Cook Islands, Fiji, Samoa, and Vanuatu, it was clear that traditional coping strategies are consistently being applied as part of response to disasters and climate changes. This paper describes five common strategies employed in PICs as understood through this research: recognition of traditional methods; faith and religious beliefs; traditional governance and leadership; family and community involvement; and agriculture and food security. While this study does not trial the efficacy of these methods, it provides an indication of what methods are being used and therefore a starting point for further research into which of these traditional strategies are beneficial. These findings also provide important impetus for Pacific Island governments to recognise traditional approaches in their disaster preparedness and response processes.

Traditional Coping Strategies and Disaster Response: Examples from the South Pacific Region

PubMed Central

Fletcher, Stephanie M.; Kuruppu, Natasha

2013-01-01

The Pacific Islands are vulnerable to climate change and increased risk of disasters not only because of their isolated and often low lying geographical setting but because of their economic status which renders them reliant on donor support. In a qualitative study exploring the adaptive capacity of Pacific Island Countries (PICs) across four countries, Cook Islands, Fiji, Samoa, and Vanuatu, it was clear that traditional coping strategies are consistently being applied as part of response to disasters and climate changes. This paper describes five common strategies employed in PICs as understood through this research: recognition of traditional methods; faith and religious beliefs; traditional governance and leadership; family and community involvement; and agriculture and food security. While this study does not trial the efficacy of these methods, it provides an indication of what methods are being used and therefore a starting point for further research into which of these traditional strategies are beneficial. These findings also provide important impetus for Pacific Island governments to recognise traditional approaches in their disaster preparedness and response processes. PMID:24454413

Disclosure of disease status among employed multiple sclerosis patients: association with negative work events and accommodations.

PubMed

Frndak, Seth E; Kordovski, Victoria M; Cookfair, Diane; Rodgers, Jonathan D; Weinstock-Guttman, Bianca; Benedict, Ralph H B

2015-02-01

Unemployment is common in multiple sclerosis (MS) and detrimental to quality of life. Studies suggest disclosure of diagnosis is an adaptive strategy for patients. However, the role of cognitive deficits and psychiatric symptoms in disclosure are not well studied. The goals of this paper were to (a) determine clinical factors most predictive of disclosure, and (b) measure the effects of disclosure on workplace problems and accommodations in employed patients. We studied two overlapping cohorts: a cross-sectional sample (n = 143) to determine outcomes associated with disclosure, and a longitudinal sample (n = 103) compared at four time points over one year on reported problems and accommodations. A case study of six patients, disclosing during monitoring, was also included. Disclosure was associated with greater physical disability but not cognitive impairment. Logistic regression predicting disclosure status retained physical disability, accommodations and years of employment (p < 0.0001). Disclosed patients reported more work problems and accommodations over time. The case study revealed that reasons for disclosing are multifaceted, including connection to employer, decreased mobility and problems at work. Although cognitive impairment is linked to unemployment, it does not appear to inform disclosure decisions. Early disclosure may help maintain employment if followed by appropriate accommodations. © The Author(s), 2014.

20 CFR 404.1007 - Common-law employee.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... 20 Employees' Benefits 2 2012-04-01 2012-04-01 false Common-law employee. 404.1007 Section 404.1007 Employees' Benefits SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION FEDERAL OLD-AGE, SURVIVORS AND DISABILITY INSURANCE (1950- ) Employment, Wages, Self-Employment, and Self-Employment Income Employment § 404.1007...

20 CFR 404.1007 - Common-law employee.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... 20 Employees' Benefits 2 2014-04-01 2014-04-01 false Common-law employee. 404.1007 Section 404.1007 Employees' Benefits SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION FEDERAL OLD-AGE, SURVIVORS AND DISABILITY INSURANCE (1950- ) Employment, Wages, Self-Employment, and Self-Employment Income Employment § 404.1007...

20 CFR 404.1007 - Common-law employee.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... 20 Employees' Benefits 2 2013-04-01 2013-04-01 false Common-law employee. 404.1007 Section 404.1007 Employees' Benefits SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION FEDERAL OLD-AGE, SURVIVORS AND DISABILITY INSURANCE (1950- ) Employment, Wages, Self-Employment, and Self-Employment Income Employment § 404.1007...

Your Graduates and You: Effective Strategies for Graduate Recruitment and Development. IES Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Connor, H.; Hirsh, W.; Barber, L.

Many employing organizations in the United Kingdom and elsewhere are finding it increasingly important to have an effective strategy for recruiting and developing higher education graduates. Numerous external and internal factors affect employers' graduate recruitment and development strategies. The following main approaches to graduates' entry…

Building Employer Capacity to Support Meaningful Employment for Persons with Developmental Disabilities: A Grounded Theory Study of Employment Support Perspectives.

PubMed

Rashid, Marghalara; Hodgetts, Sandra; Nicholas, David

2017-11-01

To explore strategies to build employer capacity to support people with DD in meaningful employment from perspective of employment support workers. A grounded theory study was conducted with 34 employment support individuals. A theoretical sampling approach was used to identify and recruit participants from multiple sites in Ontario and Alberta. Three main themes, with seven sub-themes, emerged: (1) experiences of supporting employment finding for people with DD, (2) institutional influences on employee experiences, and (3) attitudes, assumptions and stigma. Several recommendations related to building employer capacity were offered. Our findings provide insight on specific elements and strategies that can support building employer capacity for persons with DD.

Calculating and Understanding: Formal Models and Causal Explanations in Science, Common Reasoning and Physics Teaching

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Besson, Ugo

2010-03-01

This paper presents an analysis of the different types of reasoning and physical explanation used in science, common thought, and physics teaching. It then reflects on the learning difficulties connected with these various approaches, and suggests some possible didactic strategies. Although causal reasoning occurs very frequently in common thought and daily life, it has long been the subject of debate and criticism among philosophers and scientists. In this paper, I begin by providing a description of some general tendencies of common reasoning that have been identified by didactic research. Thereafter, I briefly discuss the role of causality in science, as well as some different types of explanation employed in the field of physics. I then present some results of a study examining the causal reasoning used by students in solid and fluid mechanics. The differences found between the types of reasoning typical of common thought and those usually proposed during instruction can create learning difficulties and impede student motivation. Many students do not seem satisfied by the mere application of formal laws and functional relations. Instead, they express the need for a causal explanation, a mechanism that allows them to understand how a state of affairs has come about. I discuss few didactic strategies aimed at overcoming these problems, and describe, in general terms, two examples of mechanics teaching sequences which were developed and tested in different contexts. The paper ends with a reflection on the possible role to be played in physics learning by intuitive and imaginative thought, and the use of simple explanatory models based on physical analogies and causal mechanisms.

Conventional and nonconventional strategies for controlling bacterial contamination in fuel ethanol fermentations.

PubMed

Ceccato-Antonini, Sandra Regina

2018-05-25

Ethanol bio-production in Brazil has some unique characteristics that inevitably lead to bacterial contamination, which results in the production of organic acids and biofilms and flocculation that impair the fermentation yield by affecting yeast viability and diverting sugars to metabolites other than ethanol. The ethanol-producing units commonly give an acid treatment to the cells after each fermentative cycle to decrease the bacterial number, which is not always effective. An alternative strategy must be employed to avoid bacterial multiplication but must be compatible with economic, health and environmental aspects. This review analyzes the issue of bacterial contamination in sugarcane-based fuel ethanol fermentation, and the potential strategies that may be utilized to control bacterial growth besides acid treatment and antibiotics. We have emphasized the efficiency and suitability of chemical products other than acids and those derived from natural sources in industrial conditions. In addition, we have also presented bacteriocins, bacteriophages, and beneficial bacteria as non-conventional antimicrobial agents to mitigate bacterial contamination in the bioethanol industry.

The expansion and performance of national newborn screening programmes for cystic fibrosis in Europe.

PubMed

Barben, Jürg; Castellani, Carlo; Dankert-Roelse, Jeannette; Gartner, Silvia; Kashirskaya, Nataliya; Linnane, Barry; Mayell, Sarah; Munck, Anne; Sands, Dorota; Sommerburg, Olaf; Pybus, Simon; Winters, Victoria; Southern, Kevin W

2017-03-01

Newborn screening (NBS) for cystic fibrosis (CF) is a well-established public health strategy with international standards. The aim of this study was to provide an update on NBS for CF in Europe and assess performance against the standards. Questionnaires were sent to key workers in each European country. In 2016, there were 17 national programmes, 4 countries with regional programmes and 25 countries not screening in Europe. All national programmes employed different protocols, with IRT-DNA the most common strategy. Five countries were not using DNA analysis. In addition, the processing and structure of programmes varied considerably. Most programmes were achieving the ECFS standards with respect to timeliness, but were less successful with respect to sensitivity and specificity. There has been a steady increase in national CF NBS programmes across Europe with variable strategies and outcomes that reflect the different approaches. Copyright © 2016 European Cystic Fibrosis Society. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Perceived environmental and personal factors associated with walking and cycling for transportation in Taiwanese adults.

PubMed

Liao, Yung; Wang, I-Ting; Hsu, Hsiu-Hua; Chang, Shao-Hsi

2015-02-13

This study examined perceived environmental and personal factors associated with walking and cycling as means of transportation for Taiwanese adults. A random-digit-dialing telephone-based cross-sectional survey was conducted with Taiwanese adults aged 20 to 64 years. Data on time spent walking and cycling for transportation and perceptions of neighborhood environment and personal characteristics were obtained from 1065 adults by using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire-long version and its environmental module. Adjusted binary logistic regression was performed. The results showed that, after adjusting potential confounders, common and different personal and perceived environmental factors were associated with walking and cycling for transportation. For common personal factors, adults who had employment were less likely to engage in 150 min of walking per week (odds ratio [OR] = 0.41; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.27-0.62) and to use cycling as a means of transportation (OR = 0.51; 95% CI: 0.32-0.79). For common perceived environmental factors, adults who perceived good connectivity of streets were more likely to walk (OR = 1.95; 95% CI: 1.20-3.16) and cycle (OR = 2.02; 95% CI: 1.16-3.54) for transportation. Targeting employed adults and improving the connectivity of streets should be a priority for developing transport policies and intervention strategies to promote active transportation.

Perceived Environmental and Personal Factors Associated with Walking and Cycling for Transportation in Taiwanese Adults

PubMed Central

Liao, Yung; Wang, I-Ting; Hsu, Hsiu-Hua; Chang, Shao-Hsi

2015-01-01

This study examined perceived environmental and personal factors associated with walking and cycling as means of transportation for Taiwanese adults. A random-digit-dialing telephone-based cross-sectional survey was conducted with Taiwanese adults aged 20 to 64 years. Data on time spent walking and cycling for transportation and perceptions of neighborhood environment and personal characteristics were obtained from 1065 adults by using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire-long version and its environmental module. Adjusted binary logistic regression was performed. The results showed that, after adjusting potential confounders, common and different personal and perceived environmental factors were associated with walking and cycling for transportation. For common personal factors, adults who had employment were less likely to engage in 150 min of walking per week (odds ratio [OR] = 0.41; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.27–0.62) and to use cycling as a means of transportation (OR = 0.51; 95% CI: 0.32–0.79). For common perceived environmental factors, adults who perceived good connectivity of streets were more likely to walk (OR = 1.95; 95% CI: 1.20–3.16) and cycle (OR = 2.02; 95% CI: 1.16–3.54) for transportation. Targeting employed adults and improving the connectivity of streets should be a priority for developing transport policies and intervention strategies to promote active transportation. PMID:25689349

Supporting Second Chances: Education and Employment Strategies For People Returning from Correctional Facilities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jobs For the Future, 2015

2015-01-01

This brief highlights strategies for strengthening education and employment pathways for youth and adults returning from correctional facilities and notes key questions that new research should answer. It also explores barriers to employment for people with criminal records--whether or not they have been incarcerated--and potential policy…

American Poverty: The Role of Education, Training and Employment Strategies in the New Anti-Poverty Struggle.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Evaluation Forum, 1994

1994-01-01

This document, which is directed toward employment and training professionals analyzing/researching policies and issues in education, occupational training, work and welfare, and economic development, contains feature articles, commentary, interviews, and other information on the role of education, training, and employment strategies in reducing…

A Qualitative Study of Characteristics, Competencies, and Strategies of Transition Staff Working with Urban Latino

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Munoz-Lorenzo, Omayra

2012-01-01

The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore characteristics, competencies, and strategies of transition program employment representatives who attain successful employment outcomes for urban Latino/a youths with disabilities. This study employed in-depth interviewing as a method of data collection. The central research question guiding…

What Searches Do Users Run on PEDro? An Analysis of 893,971 Search Commands Over a 6-Month Period.

PubMed

Stevens, Matthew L; Moseley, Anne; Elkins, Mark R; Lin, Christine C-W; Maher, Chris G

2016-08-05

Clinicians must be able to search effectively for relevant research if they are to provide evidence-based healthcare. It is therefore relevant to consider how users search databases of evidence in healthcare, including what information users look for and what search strategies they employ. To date such analyses have been restricted to the PubMed database. Although the Physiotherapy Evidence Database (PEDro) is searched millions of times each year, no studies have investigated how users search PEDro. To assess the content and quality of searches conducted on PEDro. Searches conducted on the PEDro website over 6 months were downloaded and the 'get' commands and page-views extracted. The following data were tabulated: the 25 most common searches; the number of search terms used; the frequency of use of simple and advanced searches, including the use of each advanced search field; and the frequency of use of various search strategies. Between August 2014 and January 2015, 893,971 search commands were entered on PEDro. Fewer than 18 % of these searches used the advanced search features of PEDro. 'Musculoskeletal' was the most common subdiscipline searched, while 'low back pain' was the most common individual search. Around 20 % of all searches contained errors. PEDro is a commonly used evidence resource, but searching appears to be sub-optimal in many cases. The effectiveness of searches conducted by users needs to improve, which could be facilitated by methods such as targeted training and amending the search interface.

The role of cognitive style in the stress and coping of black South African adolescents.

PubMed

van Rooyen, Melinda; Naude, Luzelle; Nel, Lindi; Esterhuyse, Karel

2014-12-01

Although stress is a common phenomenon in all phases of life, it can be said that adolescence is a particularly stressful life stage. In South Africa, black adolescents are faced with many stressors and challenges which are placing demands on their emotional and cognitive resources. The aim of this study was to determine whether black South African adolescents with different cognitive styles (i.e. rational or experiential) differ in their levels of stress and coping. Furthermore, the common stressors that black adolescents experience and the coping styles predominantly used by black adolescents could be determined. One hundred and eighty-seven participants (88 males and 99 females) completed the Rational Experiential, the Coping Reponses and the Adolescent Stress Inventory. Adolescents operating from an experiential cognitive style experienced more stress regarding school performance, school attendance, financial pressure and emerging adult responsibility than adolescents operating from a rational cognitive style. Adolescents employing a rational style sought more alternative rewards as a coping strategy, whereas adolescents employing an experiential style relied more on emotional discharge. The findings of this study concur with previous research, but provide a unique perspective on adolescents' stress and coping in this South African context.

PFN2 and GAMT as common molecular determinants of axonal Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease.

PubMed

Juneja, Manisha; Azmi, Abdelkrim; Baets, Jonathan; Roos, Andreas; Jennings, Matthew J; Saveri, Paola; Pisciotta, Chiara; Bernard-Marissal, Nathalie; Schneider, Bernard L; Verfaillie, Catherine; Chrast, Roman; Seeman, Pavel; Hahn, Angelika F; de Jonghe, Peter; Maudsley, Stuart; Horvath, Rita; Pareyson, Davide; Timmerman, Vincent

2018-02-15

Charcot-Marie-Tooth type 2 (CMT2) neuropathy is characterised by a vast clinical and genetic heterogeneity complicating its diagnosis and therapeutic intervention. Identification of molecular signatures that are common to multiple CMT2 subtypes can aid in developing therapeutic strategies and measuring disease outcomes. A proteomics-based approach was performed on lymphoblasts from CMT2 patients genetically diagnosed with different gene mutations to identify differentially regulated proteins. The candidate proteins were validated through real-time quantitative PCR and western blotting on lymphoblast samples of patients and controls, motor neurons differentiated from patient-derived induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) and sciatic nerves of CMT2 mouse models. Proteomic profiling of patient lymphoblasts resulted in the identification of profilin 2 (PFN2) and guanidinoacetate methyltransferase (GAMT) as commonly downregulated proteins in different genotypes compared with healthy controls. This decrease was also observed at the transcriptional level on screening 43 CMT2 patients and 22 controls, respectively. A progressive decrease in PFN2 expression with age was observed in patients, while in healthy controls its expression increased with age. Reduced PFN2 expression was also observed in motor neurons differentiated from CMT2 patient-derived iPSCs and sciatic nerves of CMT2 mice when compared with controls. However, no change in GAMT levels was observed in motor neurons and CMT2 mouse-derived sciatic nerves. We unveil PFN2 and GAMT as molecular determinants of CMT2 with possible indications of the role of PFN2 in the pathogenesis and disease progression. This is the first study describing biomarkers that can boost the development of therapeutic strategies targeting a wider spectrum of CMT2 patients. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2018. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

Unicameral (simple) bone cysts.

PubMed

Baig, Rafath; Eady, John L

2006-09-01

Since their original description by Virchow, simple bone cysts have been studied repeatedly. Although these defects are not true neoplasms, simple bone cysts may create major structural defects of the humerus, femur, and os calcis. They are commonly discovered incidentally when x-rays are taken for other reasons or on presentation due to a pathologic fracture. Various treatment strategies have been employed, but the only reliable predictor of success of any treatment strategy is the age of the patient; those being older than 10 years of age heal their cysts at a higher rate than those under age 10. The goal of management is the formation of a bone that can withstand the stresses of use by the patient without evidence of continued bone destruction as determined by serial radiographic follow-up. The goal is not a normal-appearing x-ray, but a functionally stable bone.

Defect engineered oxides for enhanced mechanochemical destruction of halogenated organic pollutants.

PubMed

Cagnetta, Giovanni; Huang, Jun; Lu, Mengnan; Wang, Bin; Wang, Yujue; Deng, Shubo; Yu, Gang

2017-10-01

Mechanochemical activation of metal oxides is studied by a novel methodology based on solid state reaction with a stable radical specie. Such approach corroborates that vacancy formation by high energy ball milling, also in nonreducible oxides, is responsible for electron release on particles' surfaces. This finding suggests a new defect engineering strategy to improve effectiveness of metal oxides as co-milling reagent for halogenated organic pollutant destruction. Results prove that high valent metal doping of a commonly employed co-milling reagent such as CaO determines 2.5 times faster pollutant degradation rate. This enhancement is due to electron-rich defects generated by the dopant; electrons are transferred to the organic pollutant thus causing its mineralization. The proposed strategy can be easily applied to other reagents. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Thinking strategically about capitation.

PubMed

Boland, P

1997-05-01

All managed care stakeholders--health plan members, employers, providers, community organizations, and government entitites--share a common interest in reducing healthcare costs while improving the quality of care health plan members receive. Although capitation is a usually thought of primarily as a payment mechanism, it can be a powerful tool providers and health plans can use to accomplish these strategic objectives and others, such as restoring and maintaining the health of plan members or improving a community's health status. For capitation to work effectively as a strategic tool, its use must be tied to a corporate agenda of partnering with stakeholders to achieve broader strategic goals. Health plans and providers must develop a partnership strategy in which each stakeholder has well-defined roles and responsibilities. The capitation structure must reinforce interdependence, shift focus from meeting organizational needs to meeting customer needs, and develop risk-driven care strategies.

Corner Store Inventories, Purchases, and Strategies for Intervention: A Review of the Literature

PubMed Central

Langellier, Brent A; Garza, Jeremiah R; Prelip, Michael L; Glik, Deborah; Brookmeyer, Ron; Ortega, Alexander N

2014-01-01

Introduction An increasingly popular strategy to improving the food retail environment and promoting healthy eating in low-income and minority communities is the corner store conversion. This approach involves partnering with small ‘corner’ food stores to expand access to high-quality fruits, vegetables, and other healthy foods. Methods We conducted a structured review of the literature to assess inventories and sales in corner stores, as well as to identify intervention strategies employed by corner store conversions. Results Our review returned eight descriptive studies that discussed corner store inventories and sales, as well as ten intervention studies discussing six unique corner store conversion interventions in the United States, the Marshall Islands, and Canada. Common intervention strategies included: 1) partnering with an existing store, 2) stocking healthy foods, and 3) social marketing and nutrition education. We summarize each strategy and review the effectiveness of overall corner store conversions at changing peoples’ food purchasing, preparation, and consumption behaviors. Conclusions Consumption of fresh, healthy, affordable foods could be improved by supporting existing retailers to expand their selection of healthy foods and promoting healthy eating at the neighborhood level. Additional corner store conversions should be conducted to determine the effectiveness and importance of specific intervention strategies. PMID:25374481

Managing pain in the workplace: a focus group study of challenges, strategies and what matters most to workers with low back pain.

PubMed

Tveito, Torill Helene; Shaw, William S; Huang, Yueng-Hsiang; Nicholas, Michael; Wagner, Gregory

2010-01-01

Most working adults with low back pain (LBP) continue to work despite pain, but few studies have assessed self-management strategies in this at-work population. The purpose of this study was to identify workplace challenges and self-management strategies reported by workers remaining at work despite recurrent or persistent LBP, to be used as a framework for the development of a workplace group intervention to prevent back disability. Workers with LBP (n = 38) participated in five focus groups, and audio recordings of sessions were analysed to assemble lists of common challenges and coping strategies. A separate analysis provided a general categorisation of major themes. Workplace pain challenges fell within four domains: activity interference, negative self-perceptions, interpersonal challenges and inflexibility of work. Self-management strategies consisted of modifying work activities and routines, reducing pain symptoms, using cognitive strategies and communicating pain effectively. Theme extraction identified six predominant themes: knowing your work setting, talking about pain, being prepared for a bad day, thoughts and emotions, keeping moving and finding leeway. To retain workers with LBP, this qualitative investigation suggests future intervention efforts should focus on worker communication and cognitions related to pain, pacing of work and employer efforts to provide leeway for altered job routines.

Job Strategies for Professionals. A Survival Guide for Experienced White-Collar Workers.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Farr, J. Michael, Ed.

This book, aimed at college-educated professional people, contains nine chapters covering job loss and strategies for finding new employment. Originally published by the U.S. Employment Service under the title "Job Search Guide: Strategies for Professionals," the guide presents an overview of the job search, including handling job loss, managing…

Conflict Resolution in Marriage: Toward a Theory of Spousal Strategies and Marital Dissolution Rates.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chafetz, Janet Saltzman

1980-01-01

There are four strategies spouses may attempt to employ in cases of conflict: authority, control, influence, and manipulation. Rates of marital dissolution are a function of the relative equality between spouses in terms of the types of conflict-resolution strategies they are able to employ. (Author)

Changing Norms to Change Behavior.

PubMed

Miller, Dale T; Prentice, Deborah A

2016-01-01

Providing people with information about the behavior and attitudes of their peers is a strategy commonly employed by those seeking to reduce behavior deemed harmful either to individuals (e.g., high alcohol consumption) or the collective (e.g., high energy consumption). We review norm-based interventions, detailing the logic behind them and the various forms they can take. We give special attention to interventions designed to decrease college students' drinking and increase environment-friendly behaviors. We identify the conditions under which norm information has the highest likelihood of changing the targeted behavior and discuss why this is the case.

Common themes in microbial pathogenicity revisited.

PubMed Central

Finlay, B B; Falkow, S

1997-01-01

Bacterial pathogens employ a number of genetic strategies to cause infection and, occasionally, disease in their hosts. Many of these virulence factors and their regulatory elements can be divided into a smaller number of groups based on the conservation of similar mechanisms. These common themes are found throughout bacterial virulence factors. For example, there are only a few general types of toxins, despite a large number of host targets. Similarly, there are only a few conserved ways to build the bacterial pilus and nonpilus adhesins used by pathogens to adhere to host substrates. Bacterial entry into host cells (invasion) is a complex mechanism. However, several common invasion themes exist in diverse microorganisms. Similarly, once inside a host cell, pathogens have a limited number of ways to ensure their survival, whether remaining within a host vacuole or by escaping into the cytoplasm. Avoidance of the host immune defenses is key to the success of a pathogen. Several common themes again are employed, including antigenic variation, camouflage by binding host molecules, and enzymatic degradation of host immune components. Most virulence factors are found on the bacterial surface or secreted into their immediate environment, yet virulence factors operate through a relatively small number of microbial secretion systems. The expression of bacterial pathogenicity is dependent upon complex regulatory circuits. However, pathogens use only a small number of biochemical families to express distinct functional factors at the appropriate time that causes infection. Finally, virulence factors maintained on mobile genetic elements and pathogenicity islands ensure that new strains of pathogens evolve constantly. Comprehension of these common themes in microbial pathogenicity is critical to the understanding and study of bacterial virulence mechanisms and to the development of new "anti-virulence" agents, which are so desperately needed to replace antibiotics. PMID:9184008

New Strategies To Promote Stable Employment and Career Progression: An Introduction to the Employment Retention and Advancement Project.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bloom, Dan; Anderson, Jacquelyn; Wavelet, Melissa; Gardiner, Karen N.; Fishman, Michael E.

The Employment Retention and Advancement (ERA) project was undertaken to identify effective strategies for helping low-income parents work more steadily and advance in the labor market. The 15 ERA demonstration projects that were operating in nine states (California, Florida, Illinois, Minnesota, New York, Oregon, South Carolina; Tennessee, and…

Analyzing the Heterogeneous Hierarchy of Cultural Heritage Materials: Analytical Imaging.

PubMed

Trentelman, Karen

2017-06-12

Objects of cultural heritage significance are created using a wide variety of materials, or mixtures of materials, and often exhibit heterogeneity on multiple length scales. The effective study of these complex constructions thus requires the use of a suite of complementary analytical technologies. Moreover, because of the importance and irreplaceability of most cultural heritage objects, researchers favor analytical techniques that can be employed noninvasively, i.e., without having to remove any material for analysis. As such, analytical imaging has emerged as an important approach for the study of cultural heritage. Imaging technologies commonly employed, from the macroscale through the micro- to nanoscale, are discussed with respect to how the information obtained helps us understand artists' materials and methods, the cultures in which the objects were created, how the objects may have changed over time, and importantly, how we may develop strategies for their preservation.

Multiparametric MRI of Prostate Cancer: An Update on State-of-the-Art Techniques and Their Performance in Detecting and Localizing Prostate Cancer

PubMed Central

Hegde, John V.; Mulkern, Robert V.; Panych, Lawrence P.; Fennessy, Fiona M.; Fedorov, Andriy; Maier, Stephan E.; Tempany, Clare M.C.

2013-01-01

Magnetic resonance (MR) examinations of men with prostate cancer are most commonly performed for detecting, characterizing, and staging the extent of disease to best determine diagnostic or treatment strategies, which range from biopsy guidance to active surveillance to radical prostatectomy. Given both the exam's importance to individual treatment plans and the time constraints present for its operation at most institutions, it is essential to perform the study effectively and efficiently. This article reviews the most commonly employed modern techniques for prostate cancer MR examinations, exploring the relevant signal characteristics from the different methods discussed and relating them to intrinsic prostate tissue properties. Also, a review of recent articles using these methods to enhance clinical interpretation and assess clinical performance is provided. PMID:23606141

Walking and talking the tree of life: Why and how to teach about biodiversity.

PubMed

Ballen, Cissy J; Greene, Harry W

2017-03-01

Taxonomic details of diversity are an essential scaffolding for biology education, yet outdated methods for teaching the tree of life (TOL), as implied by textbook content and usage, are still commonly employed. Here, we show that the traditional approach only vaguely represents evolutionary relationships, fails to denote major events in the history of life, and relies heavily on memorizing near-meaningless taxonomic ranks. Conversely, a clade-based strategy-focused on common ancestry, monophyletic groups, and derived functional traits-is explicitly based on Darwin's "descent with modification," provides students with a rational system for organizing the details of biodiversity, and readily lends itself to active learning techniques. We advocate for a phylogenetic classification that mirrors the TOL, a pedagogical format of increasingly complex but always hierarchical presentations, and the adoption of active learning technologies and tactics.

TRMM Common Microphysics Products: A Tool for Evaluating Spaceborne Precipitation Retrieval Algorithms

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kingsmill, David E.; Yuter, Sandra E.; Hobbs, Peter V.; Rangno, Arthur L.; Heymsfield, Andrew J.; Stith, Jeffrey L.; Bansemer, Aaron; Haggerty, Julie A.; Korolev, Alexei V.

2004-01-01

A customized product for analysis of microphysics data collected from aircraft during field campaigns in support of the TRMM program is described. These Common Microphysics Products (CMP's) are designed to aid in evaluation of TRMM spaceborne precipitation retrieval algorithms. Information needed for this purpose (e.g., particle size spectra and habit, liquid and ice water content) was derived using a common processing strategy on the wide variety of microphysical instruments and raw native data formats employed in the field campaigns. The CMP's are organized into an ASCII structure to allow easy access to the data for those less familiar with and without the tools to accomplish microphysical data processing. Detailed examples of the CMP show its potential and some of its limitations. This approach may be a first step toward developing a generalized microphysics format and an associated community-oriented, non-proprietary software package for microphysics data processing, initiatives that would likely broaden community access to and use of microphysics datasets.

Genetic programming assisted stochastic optimization strategies for optimization of glucose to gluconic acid fermentation.

PubMed

Cheema, Jitender Jit Singh; Sankpal, Narendra V; Tambe, Sanjeev S; Kulkarni, Bhaskar D

2002-01-01

This article presents two hybrid strategies for the modeling and optimization of the glucose to gluconic acid batch bioprocess. In the hybrid approaches, first a novel artificial intelligence formalism, namely, genetic programming (GP), is used to develop a process model solely from the historic process input-output data. In the next step, the input space of the GP-based model, representing process operating conditions, is optimized using two stochastic optimization (SO) formalisms, viz., genetic algorithms (GAs) and simultaneous perturbation stochastic approximation (SPSA). These SO formalisms possess certain unique advantages over the commonly used gradient-based optimization techniques. The principal advantage of the GP-GA and GP-SPSA hybrid techniques is that process modeling and optimization can be performed exclusively from the process input-output data without invoking the detailed knowledge of the process phenomenology. The GP-GA and GP-SPSA techniques have been employed for modeling and optimization of the glucose to gluconic acid bioprocess, and the optimized process operating conditions obtained thereby have been compared with those obtained using two other hybrid modeling-optimization paradigms integrating artificial neural networks (ANNs) and GA/SPSA formalisms. Finally, the overall optimized operating conditions given by the GP-GA method, when verified experimentally resulted in a significant improvement in the gluconic acid yield. The hybrid strategies presented here are generic in nature and can be employed for modeling and optimization of a wide variety of batch and continuous bioprocesses.

Parental Decisions regarding pre-hospital therapy and costing of the Emergency Department Visit.

PubMed

McGovern, M; Kernan, R; O'Neill, M B

2017-02-10

Paediatric patients represent a large percentage of Emergency Department (ED) visits and there is often a perception that the acuity of these presentations is low. The decision-making process that results in parents attending the ED is poorly understood. We designed a cross-sectional cohort study to explore the reasons for attendance, the treatment initiated at home and to assess parental perception of the economic cost of attendance. Data was collected on 200 patients using a survey administered to parents in ED with a follow-up phone call 4-6 weeks later. Our results suggest that attendances are often prompted by parental anxiety rather than clinical deterioration and that prior ED usage is common among those presenting for assessment. Many parents had attempted community therapy with 128/200 patients (64%) having been referred by a healthcare professional and medical therapy at home having been employed by 114/200 (57%) parents before attendance. Parental knowledge of the safety of over-the-counter medications was variable the economic cost of an ED visit was poorly understood by participants. The results of our study suggest that parental desire for control over worrisome symptoms drives much of their management strategy prior to hospital attendance. Strategies in the ED may need to focus more on managing parental expectations than on managing the illness itself and management strategies employed should focus not only on medical therapy of the child's illness but on educating and empowering the parent.

Memory and Cognitive Strategies of High Ability Students in a Rural Secondary School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ali, Fuziana; Yunus, Melor Md

2013-01-01

This study was conducted to examine language learning strategies employed by the high ability students in a rural secondary school. Memory and cognitive strategies employed by the high ability students were the main focus in this study. A survey design was used and data was collected using Oxford's questionnaires. Findings reveal that the high…

Self-Regulated Strategies Chinese Graduate Students Employ to Learn English at Three American Universities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ma, Wen; Wang, Chuang

2012-01-01

International students in the United States often employ culture-specific learning strategies to help them improve their proficiency in English. This study explored the use of self-regulated strategies by 49 Chinese graduate students from 24 fields of study at three universities in the Northeast. The research used the mixed survey method to…

The Effect of Employing Self-Explanation Strategy with Worked Examples on Acquiring Computer Programing Skills

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alhassan, Riyadh

2017-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of employing self-explanation learning strategy supported with Worked Examples on acquiring computer programing skills among freshmen high school students. The study adopted a quasi-experimental method, where an experimental group (n = 33) used the self-explanation strategy supported with worked…

New Business Structures Creating Organizational Opportunities and Challenges for Work Disability Prevention.

PubMed

Ekberg, Kerstin; Pransky, Glenn S; Besen, Elyssa; Fassier, Jean-Baptise; Feuerstein, Michael; Munir, Fehmidah; Blanck, Peter

2016-12-01

Purpose Flexible work arrangements are growing in order to develop resource-efficient production and because of advanced technologies, new societal values, changing demographics, and globalization. The article aims to illustrate the emerging challenges and opportunities for work disability prevention efforts among workers in alternate work arrangements. Methods The authors participated in a year-long collaboration that ultimately led to an invited 3-day conference, "Improving Research of Employer Practices to Prevent Disability," held October 14-16, 2015, in Hopkinton, Massachusetts, USA. The collaboration included a topical review of the literature, group conference calls to identify key areas and challenges, drafting of initial documents, review of industry publications, and a conference presentation that included feedback from peer researchers and a roundtable discussion with experts having direct employer experience. Results Both worker and employer perspectives were considered, and four common alternate work arrangements were identified: (a) temporary and contingent employment; (b) small workplaces; (c) virtual work/telework; and (d) lone workers. There was sparse available research of return-to-work (RTW) and workplace disability management strategies with regard to alternate work patterns. Limited research findings and a review of the grey literature suggested that regulations and guidelines concerning disabled workers are often ambiguous, leading to unsatisfactory protection. At the workplace level, there was a lack of research evidence on how flexible work arrangements could be handled or leveraged to support RTW and prevent disability. Potential negative consequences of this lack of organizational guidance and information are higher costs for employers and insurers and feelings of job insecurity, lack of social support and integration, or work intensification for disabled workers. Conclusions Future studies of RTW and workplace disability prevention strategies should be designed to reflect the multiple work patterns that currently exist across many working populations, and in particular, flexible work arrangements should be explored in more detail as a possible mechanism for preventing disability. Labor laws and policies need to be developed to fit flexible work arrangements.

Impression Management in the Job Interview: An Effective Way of Mitigating Discrimination against Older Applicants?

PubMed

Gioaba, Irina; Krings, Franciska

2017-01-01

The increasingly aging population in most industrialized societies, coupled with the rather age-diverse current workforce makes discrimination against older employees a prevalent issue, especially in employment contexts. This renders research on ways for reducing this type of discrimination a particularly pressing concern. Drawing on theories of social identity and impression management, our research examines the role of impression management, aimed at refuting common older worker stereotypes, in diminishing bias against older job applicants during the job interview. The study consisted in an experimental hiring simulation conducted on a sample of 515 undergraduate students. Results show that older applicants who used impression management to contradict common older worker stereotypes were perceived as more hirable than those who did not. However, despite this positive effect, discrimination persisted: older applicants were consistently rated as less hirable than their younger counterparts when displaying the same IM behavior. Taken together, this research demonstrates that older job seekers can indeed ameliorate biased interview outcomes by engaging in impression management targeting common age stereotypes; however, it also shows that this strategy is insufficient for overcoming age discrimination entirely. The current study has important implications for theory, by expanding research on the use of impression management in mitigating age discrimination, as well as for practice, by offering older employees a hands-on strategy to reduce bias and stereotyping against them.

Impression Management in the Job Interview: An Effective Way of Mitigating Discrimination against Older Applicants?

PubMed Central

Gioaba, Irina; Krings, Franciska

2017-01-01

The increasingly aging population in most industrialized societies, coupled with the rather age-diverse current workforce makes discrimination against older employees a prevalent issue, especially in employment contexts. This renders research on ways for reducing this type of discrimination a particularly pressing concern. Drawing on theories of social identity and impression management, our research examines the role of impression management, aimed at refuting common older worker stereotypes, in diminishing bias against older job applicants during the job interview. The study consisted in an experimental hiring simulation conducted on a sample of 515 undergraduate students. Results show that older applicants who used impression management to contradict common older worker stereotypes were perceived as more hirable than those who did not. However, despite this positive effect, discrimination persisted: older applicants were consistently rated as less hirable than their younger counterparts when displaying the same IM behavior. Taken together, this research demonstrates that older job seekers can indeed ameliorate biased interview outcomes by engaging in impression management targeting common age stereotypes; however, it also shows that this strategy is insufficient for overcoming age discrimination entirely. The current study has important implications for theory, by expanding research on the use of impression management in mitigating age discrimination, as well as for practice, by offering older employees a hands-on strategy to reduce bias and stereotyping against them. PMID:28559869

Glycolytic strategy as a tradeoff between energy yield and protein cost

PubMed Central

Flamholz, Avi; Noor, Elad; Bar-Even, Arren; Liebermeister, Wolfram; Milo, Ron

2013-01-01

Contrary to the textbook portrayal of glycolysis as a single pathway conserved across all domains of life, not all sugar-consuming organisms use the canonical Embden–Meyerhoff–Parnass (EMP) glycolytic pathway. Prokaryotic glucose metabolism is particularly diverse, including several alternative glycolytic pathways, the most common of which is the Entner–Doudoroff (ED) pathway. The prevalence of the ED pathway is puzzling as it produces only one ATP per glucose—half as much as the EMP pathway. We argue that the diversity of prokaryotic glucose metabolism may reflect a tradeoff between a pathway’s energy (ATP) yield and the amount of enzymatic protein required to catalyze pathway flux. We introduce methods for analyzing pathways in terms of thermodynamics and kinetics and show that the ED pathway is expected to require several-fold less enzymatic protein to achieve the same glucose conversion rate as the EMP pathway. Through genomic analysis, we further show that prokaryotes use different glycolytic pathways depending on their energy supply. Specifically, energy-deprived anaerobes overwhelmingly rely upon the higher ATP yield of the EMP pathway, whereas the ED pathway is common among facultative anaerobes and even more common among aerobes. In addition to demonstrating how protein costs can explain the use of alternative metabolic strategies, this study illustrates a direct connection between an organism’s environment and the thermodynamic and biochemical properties of the metabolic pathways it employs. PMID:23630264

Regulatory principles governing Salmonella and Yersinia virulence

PubMed Central

Erhardt, Marc; Dersch, Petra

2015-01-01

Enteric pathogens such as Salmonella and Yersinia evolved numerous strategies to survive and proliferate in different environmental reservoirs and mammalian hosts. Deciphering common and pathogen-specific principles for how these bacteria adjust and coordinate spatiotemporal expression of virulence determinants, stress adaptation, and metabolic functions is fundamental to understand microbial pathogenesis. In order to manage sudden environmental changes, attacks by the host immune systems and microbial competition, the pathogens employ a plethora of transcriptional and post-transcriptional control elements, including transcription factors, sensory and regulatory RNAs, RNAses, and proteases, to fine-tune and control complex gene regulatory networks. Many of the contributing global regulators and the molecular mechanisms of regulation are frequently conserved between Yersinia and Salmonella. However, the interplay, arrangement, and composition of the control elements vary between these closely related enteric pathogens, which generate phenotypic differences leading to distinct pathogenic properties. In this overview we present common and different regulatory networks used by Salmonella and Yersinia to coordinate the expression of crucial motility, cell adhesion and invasion determinants, immune defense strategies, and metabolic adaptation processes. We highlight evolutionary changes of the gene regulatory circuits that result in different properties of the regulatory elements and how this influences the overall outcome of the infection process. PMID:26441883

Comparing Recruitment and Retention Strategies for Rehabilitation Professionals among Hospital and Home Care Employers

PubMed Central

Tran, Diem; Davis, Aileen; McGillis Hall, Linda

2012-01-01

ABSTRACT Purpose: The objective of this study was to compare hospital and home care employers' rankings of both the importance and the feasibility of workforce strategies for recruiting and retaining rehabilitation professionals. Methods: An online self-administered questionnaire was distributed to all employers of rehabilitation professionals in Ontario hospitals (n=144) and Community Care Access Centre home care providers (n=34). Importance and feasibility rankings were based on the percentage of high ratings; 95% CIs were used to determine significant differences between hospital and home care rankings of recruitment and retention strategies. Results: The response rate was 50% (72/144) from hospitals and 73.5% (25/34) from home-care settings. The recruitment and retention strategies considered most important and feasible for rehabilitation therapists, regardless of setting, were communication between employer and worker, compensation packages, access to research, and professional development in budget planning. Tangible resources, support personnel, work safety, and marketing rehabilitation careers to high school students were ranked significantly higher by hospitals than by home care providers. Conclusions: Similarities exist between hospital and home care employers in terms of the importance and feasibility of recruitment and retention strategies for rehabilitation professionals. However, when developing a rehabilitation health human resources plan, the strategies identified as different between hospital and home care settings should be taken into account. PMID:23277683

Perceptions of health stakeholders on task shifting and motivation of community health workers in different socio demographic contexts in Kenya (nomadic, peri-urban and rural agrarian)

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background The shortage of health professionals in low income countries is recognized as a crisis. Community health workers are part of a “task-shift” strategy to address this crisis. Task shifting in this paper refers to the delegation of tasks from health professionals to lay, trained volunteers. In Kenya, there is a debate as to whether these volunteers should be compensated, and what motivation strategies would be effective in different socio-demographic contexts, based type of tasks shifted. The purpose of this study was to find out, from stakeholders’ perspectives, the type of tasks to be shifted to community health workers and the appropriate strategies to motivate and retain them. Methods This was an analytical comparative study employing qualitative methods: key informant interviews with health policy makers, managers, and service providers, and focus group discussions with community health workers and service consumers, to explore their perspectives on tasks to be shifted and appropriate motivation strategies. Results The study found that there were tasks to be shifted and motivation strategies that were common to all three contexts. Common tasks were promotive, preventive, and simple curative services. Common motivation strategies were supportive supervision, means of identification, equitable allocation of resources, training, compensation, recognition, and evidence based community dialogue. Further, in the nomadic and peri-urban sites, community health workers had assumed curative services beyond the range provided for in the Kenyan task shifting policy. This was explained to be influenced by lack of access to care due to distance to health facilities, population movement, and scarcity of health providers in the nomadic setting and the harsh economic realities in peri-urban set up. Therefore, their motivation strategies included training on curative skills, technical support, and resources for curative care. Data collection was viewed as an important task in the rural site, but was not recognized as priority in nomadic and peri-urban sites, where they sought monetary compensation for data collection. Conclusions The study concluded that inclusion of curative tasks for community health workers, particularly in nomadic contexts, is inevitable but raises the need for accreditation of their training and regulation of their tasks. PMID:25079588

Extensive testing or focused testing of patients with elevated liver enzymes.

PubMed

Tapper, Elliot B; Saini, Sameer D; Sengupta, Neil

2017-02-01

Many patients have elevated serum aminotransferases reflecting many underlying conditions, both common and rare. Clinicians generally apply one of two evaluative strategies: testing for all diseases at once (extensive) or just common diseases first (focused). We simulated the evaluation of 10,000 adult outpatients with elevated with alanine aminotransferase to compare both testing strategies. Model inputs employed population-based data from the US (National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey) and Britain (Birmingham and Lambeth Liver Evaluation Testing Strategies). Patients were followed until a diagnosis was provided or a diagnostic liver biopsy was considered. The primary outcome was US dollars per diagnosis. Secondary outcomes included doctor visits per diagnosis, false-positives per diagnosis and confirmatory liver biopsies ordered. The extensive testing strategy required the lowest monetary cost, yielding diagnoses for 54% of patients at $448/patient compared to 53% for $502 under the focused strategy. The extensive strategy also required fewer doctor visits (1.35 vs. 1.61 visits/patient). However, the focused strategy generated fewer false-positives (0.1 vs. 0.19/patient) and more biopsies (0.04 vs. 0.08/patient). Focused testing becomes the most cost-effective strategy when accounting for pre-test probabilities and prior evaluations performed. This includes when the respective prevalence of alcoholic, non-alcoholic and drug-induced liver disease exceeds 51.1%, 53.0% and 13.0%. Focused testing is also the most cost-effective strategy in the referral setting where assessments for viral hepatitis, alcoholic and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease have already been performed. Testing for elevated liver enzymes should be deliberate and focused to account for pre-test probabilities if possible. Many patients have elevated liver enzymes reflecting one of many possible liver diseases, some of which are very common and some of which are rare. Tests are widely available for most causes but it is unclear whether clinicians should order them all at once or direct testing based on how likely a given disease may be given the patient's history and physical exam. The tradeoffs of both approaches involve the money spent on testing, number of office visits needed, and false positive results generated. This study shows that if there are no clues available at the time of evaluation, testing all at once saves time and money while causing more false positives. However, if there are strong clues regarding the likelihood of a particular disease, limited testing saves time, money and prevents false positives. Copyright © 2016 European Association for the Study of the Liver. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

21 CFR 801.62 - Declaration of net quantity of contents.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... paragraph (p) of this section. (c) The declaration may contain common or decimal fractions. A common... there exists a firmly established, general consumer usage and trade custom of employing different common fractions in the net quantity declaration of a particular commodity, they may be employed. A common fraction...

21 CFR 201.62 - Declaration of net quantity of contents.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... this section. (c) The declaration may contain common or decimal fractions. A common fraction shall be... firmly established, general consumer usage and trade custom of employing different common fractions in the net quantity declaration of a particular commodity, they may be employed. A common fraction shall...

21 CFR 201.62 - Declaration of net quantity of contents.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... this section. (c) The declaration may contain common or decimal fractions. A common fraction shall be... firmly established, general consumer usage and trade custom of employing different common fractions in the net quantity declaration of a particular commodity, they may be employed. A common fraction shall...

21 CFR 701.13 - Declaration of net quantity of contents.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... will give such information. (d) The declaration may contain common or decimal fractions. A common... there exists a firmly established, general consumer usage and trade custom of employing different common fractions in the net quantity declaration of a particular commodity they may be employed. A common fraction...

Strategies Pregnant Rural Women Employ to Deal with Intimate Partner Violence

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bhandari, Shreya; Bullock, Linda F. C.; Sharps, Phyllis W.

2013-01-01

This study explored strategies from the Intimate Partner Violence Strategy Index (IPVSI) that a sub-set of 20 rural, low-income, abused women of a larger, multi-site, mixed-method study employed to deal with Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) during the perinatal period. We conducted 32 in-depth interviews with women who were pregnant (N = 12) and/or…

A Qualitative Account of the Nature and Use of Self-Regulated Learning (SRL) Strategies Employed by University Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alvi, Effat; Iqbal, Zafar; Masood, Fatima; Batool, Tooba

2016-01-01

Students' conceptions of how they initiate, plan, implement and monitor self-regulated learning (SRL) strategies have practical implications for teaching and learning. This study explores the nature and use of SRL strategies employed by university students as it occurs in naturalistic settings, for example, studying in non-classroom environments.…

Coping strategies and learned helplessness of employed and nonemployed educated married women from India.

PubMed

Li, Manyu; Mardhekar, Vaishali; Wadkar, Alka

2012-01-01

In the present study, we compare three types of coping strategies (cognitive, physical, and social coping) and learned helplessness between married women who are either employed or nonemployed in Pune, India. A total of 100 employed women and 100 nonemployed women were surveyed. Employed women were found to have significantly higher cognitive, physical, and social coping, as well as lower learned helplessness than nonemployed women. Multiple roles of employed women and sense of control theories were used to explain the differences. We have found significant implications for the development of intervention programs for empowering women.

Strategies in treatment of suicidality: identification of common and treatment-specific interventions in empirically supported treatment manuals.

PubMed

Weinberg, Igor; Ronningstam, Elsa; Goldblatt, Mark J; Schechter, Mark; Wheelis, Joan; Maltsberger, John T

2010-06-01

Many reports of treatments for suicidal patients claim effectiveness in reducing suicidal behavior but fail to demonstrate which treatment interventions, or combinations thereof, diminish suicidality. In this study, treatment manuals for empirically supported psychological treatments for suicidal patients were examined to identify which interventions they had in common and which interventions were treatment-specific. Empirically supported treatments for suicidality were identified through a literature search of PsychLit and MEDLINE for the years 1970-2007, employing the following search strategy: [suicide OR parasuicide] AND [therapy OR psychotherapy OR treatment] AND [random OR randomized]. After identifying the reports on randomized controlled studies that tested effectiveness of different treatments, the reference list of each report was searched for further studies. Only reports published in English were included. To ensure that rated manuals actually correspond to the delivered and tested treatments, we included only treatment interventions with explicit adherence rating and scoring and with adequate adherence ratings in the published studies. Five manualized treatments demonstrating efficacy in reducing suicide risk were identified and were independently evaluated by raters using a list of treatment interventions. The common interventions included a clear treatment framework; a defined strategy for managing suicide crises; close attention to affect; an active, participatory therapist style; and use of exploratory and change-oriented interventions. Some treatments encouraged a multimodal approach and identification of suicidality as an explicit target behavior, and some concentrated on the patient-therapist relationship. Emphasis on interpretation and supportive interventions varied. Not all methods encouraged systematic support for therapists. This study identified candidate interventions for possible effectiveness in reducing suicidality. These interventions seem to address central characteristics of suicidal patients. Further studies are needed to confirm which interventions and which combinations thereof are most effective. 2010 Physicians Postgraduate Press, Inc.

Developing Soft Power Using Afloat Medical Capability

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-03-02

the National Security Strategy. Depending on its program employment , it has the capability to effectively combine the other elements of national power...Strategy through the employment of combatant commanders’ Theater Security Cooperation (TSC) Program in their area of responsibility. The TSC program is...In the final phases of Pacific campaign during World War II, tactical doctrine for employment of Navy hospital vessels changed, allowing them to

Well-being improvement in a midsize employer: changes in well-being, productivity, health risk, and perceived employer support after implementation of a well-being improvement strategy.

PubMed

Hamar, Brent; Coberley, Carter; Pope, James E; Rula, Elizabeth Y

2015-04-01

To evaluate employee well-being change and associated change in productivity, health risk including biometrics, and workplace support over 2 years after implementation of a well-being improvement strategy. This was an employer case study evaluation of well-being, productivity (presenteeism, absenteeism, and job performance), health risk, and employer support across three employee assessment spanning 2 years. Employee well-being was compared with an independent sample of workers in the community. Well-being and job performance increased and presenteeism and health risk decreased significantly over the 2 years. Employee well-being started lower and increased to exceed community worker averages, approaching significance. Well-being improvement was associated with higher productivity across all measures. Increases in employer support for well-being were associated with improved well-being and productivity. This employer's well-being strategy, including a culture supporting well-being, was associated with improved health and productivity.

Biogenetically inspired synthesis and skeletal diversification of indole alkaloids.

PubMed

Mizoguchi, Haruki; Oikawa, Hideaki; Oguri, Hiroki

2014-01-01

To access architecturally complex natural products, chemists usually devise a customized synthetic strategy for constructing a single target skeleton. In contrast, biosynthetic assembly lines often employ divergent intramolecular cyclizations of a polyunsaturated common intermediate to produce diverse arrays of scaffolds. With the aim of integrating such biogenetic strategies, we show the development of an artificial divergent assembly line generating unprecedented numbers of scaffold variations of terpenoid indole alkaloids. This approach not only allows practical access to multipotent intermediates, but also enables systematic diversification of skeletal, stereochemical and functional group properties without structural simplification of naturally occurring alkaloids. Three distinct modes of [4+2] cyclizations and two types of redox-mediated annulations provided divergent access to five skeletally distinct scaffolds involving iboga-, aspidosperma-, andranginine- and ngouniensine-type skeletons and a non-natural variant within six to nine steps from tryptamine. The efficiency of our approach was demonstrated by successful total syntheses of (±)-vincadifformine, (±)-andranginine and (-)-catharanthine.

Robustness and strategies of adaptation among farmer varieties of African Rice (Oryza glaberrima) and Asian Rice (Oryza sativa) across West Africa.

PubMed

Mokuwa, Alfred; Nuijten, Edwin; Okry, Florent; Teeken, Béla; Maat, Harro; Richards, Paul; Struik, Paul C

2013-01-01

This study offers evidence of the robustness of farmer rice varieties (Oryza glaberrima and O. sativa) in West Africa. Our experiments in five West African countries showed that farmer varieties were tolerant of sub-optimal conditions, but employed a range of strategies to cope with stress. Varieties belonging to the species Oryza glaberrima - solely the product of farmer agency - were the most successful in adapting to a range of adverse conditions. Some of the farmer selections from within the indica and japonica subspecies of O. sativa also performed well in a range of conditions, but other farmer selections from within these two subspecies were mainly limited to more specific niches. The results contradict the rather common belief that farmer varieties are only of local value. Farmer varieties should be considered by breeding programmes and used (alongside improved varieties) in dissemination projects for rural food security.

Checkpoint-based forward recovery using lookahead execution and rollback validation in parallel and distributed systems. Ph.D. Thesis, 1992

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Long, Junsheng

1994-01-01

This thesis studies a forward recovery strategy using checkpointing and optimistic execution in parallel and distributed systems. The approach uses replicated tasks executing on different processors for forwared recovery and checkpoint comparison for error detection. To reduce overall redundancy, this approach employs a lower static redundancy in the common error-free situation to detect error than the standard N Module Redundancy scheme (NMR) does to mask off errors. For the rare occurrence of an error, this approach uses some extra redundancy for recovery. To reduce the run-time recovery overhead, look-ahead processes are used to advance computation speculatively and a rollback process is used to produce a diagnosis for correct look-ahead processes without rollback of the whole system. Both analytical and experimental evaluation have shown that this strategy can provide a nearly error-free execution time even under faults with a lower average redundancy than NMR.

Exploring the impacts of personal factors on self-leadership in a hospital setting.

PubMed

Ugurluoglu, Ozgur; Saygılı, Meltem; Ozer, Ozlem; Santas, Fatih

2015-01-01

Self-leadership may be defined as a self-effecting process that individuals experience by maintaining the motivation they require for fulfilling their roles and duties. The self-leadership process comprises three key strategies: behaviour-oriented strategies, natural reward strategies and constructive thought pattern strategies. What is intended herein is to inquire about the implementation of self-leadership within organisations and to examine the effects of such variables as age, gender, total terms of employment, marital status and education on self-leadership strategies. The primary data collection instrument was a survey distributed to 450 personnel working at a state hospital in Kırıkkale, Turkey, and feedback thereto was received from 308 (68.4%) of those surveyed. As a result of the findings taken from the analyses, age, total terms of employment and receipt of education in leadership affect the use of self-leadership strategies. Although age and total terms of employment display a negative-directional correlation with the self-leadership strategies, female employees and those who receive education in leadership are more inclined towards self-leadership strategies. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

A recurrent neural-network-based sensor and actuator fault detection and isolation for nonlinear systems with application to the satellite's attitude control subsystem.

PubMed

Talebi, H A; Khorasani, K; Tafazoli, S

2009-01-01

This paper presents a robust fault detection and isolation (FDI) scheme for a general class of nonlinear systems using a neural-network-based observer strategy. Both actuator and sensor faults are considered. The nonlinear system considered is subject to both state and sensor uncertainties and disturbances. Two recurrent neural networks are employed to identify general unknown actuator and sensor faults, respectively. The neural network weights are updated according to a modified backpropagation scheme. Unlike many previous methods developed in the literature, our proposed FDI scheme does not rely on availability of full state measurements. The stability of the overall FDI scheme in presence of unknown sensor and actuator faults as well as plant and sensor noise and uncertainties is shown by using the Lyapunov's direct method. The stability analysis developed requires no restrictive assumptions on the system and/or the FDI algorithm. Magnetorquer-type actuators and magnetometer-type sensors that are commonly employed in the attitude control subsystem (ACS) of low-Earth orbit (LEO) satellites for attitude determination and control are considered in our case studies. The effectiveness and capabilities of our proposed fault diagnosis strategy are demonstrated and validated through extensive simulation studies.

Study of rat hypothalamic proteome by HPLC/ESI ion trap and HPLC/ESI-Q-TOF MS.

PubMed

Iqbal, Javed; Li, Wang; Ullah, Kaleem; Hasan, Murtaza; Linna, Guo; Awan, Umer; Zhang, Yongqian; Batool, Sajida; Qing, Hong; Deng, Yulin

2013-08-01

The proteomic profile of hypothalamus, a key organ of CNS, is explored here by employing two widely used MS techniques, i.e. HPLC/ESI-ion trap and HPLC/ESI-quadrupole-TOF MS. Strong cation exchange is used for the fractionation of peptides and protein search engine MASCOT is employed for data query. One hundred and thirty six proteins with 10 973 peptides were identified by HPLC/ESI-ion trap MS, while 140 proteins with 32 183 peptides were characterized by HPLC/ESI-quadrupole-TOF MS. Among the total 198 proteins identified in both experiments, 78 proteins were common in both sets of conditions. The rest of the 120 proteins were identified distinctly in both MS strategies, i.e. 58 unique proteins were found using the quadrupole-TOF while 62 were found with the HPLC/ESI-ion trap. Moreover, these proteins were classified into groups based on their functions performed in the body. Results presented here identified some important signal and cellular defense proteins inevitable for survival in stressed conditions. Additionally, it is also shown that any single MS strategy is not reliable for good results due to loss of data depending on sensitivity of the instrument used. © 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Motivating students to read the textbook before class

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pepper, Rachel E.

2016-11-01

Many faculty in STEM courses assign textbook reading in advance of lecture, yet evidence shows few students actually read the textbook. Those students that do read often do so only after the material has been presented in class. Preparing for class by reading the textbook beforehand improves student learning and is particularly critical for classes that employ active engagement strategies. Here I present strategies I have used to successfully motivate my students to read the textbook before class in physics classes ranging from introductory algebra-based physics to advanced courses for physics majors. In the introductory course, I used pre-class reading quizzes, a common strategy that has been shown effective in previous studies, but one that is somewhat time-consuming to implement. In my more advanced courses I used reading reflections, which required considerably less time. While it was typical for less than 25% of students to read the textbook before I implemented reading quizzes or reflections, after implementing these strategies 70-90% of students reported reading the textbook before class most of the time. Students also report finding both the readings themselves and the quizzes and reflections valuable for their learning.

Racial discrimination as race-based trauma, coping strategies, and dissociative symptoms among emerging adults.

PubMed

Polanco-Roman, Lillian; Danies, Ashley; Anglin, Deidre M

2016-09-01

The race-based traumatic stress theory (Carter, 2007) suggests that some racial- and ethnic-minority individuals experience racial discrimination as psychological trauma, as it may elicit a response comparable to posttraumatic stress. In the present study, we examined this further by determining the relation between racial discrimination and dissociation, a common response to trauma exposure. Further, we examined whether active coping strategies specifically employed to cope with racial discrimination related to less dissociative symptomatology. The predominant racial- and ethnic-minority sample (N = 743) of emerging adults, ages 18-29, recruited from a public university in northeastern United States completed a battery of self-report measures on racial discrimination, responses to racial discrimination, traumatic life events, and dissociative symptoms. Frequency of racial discrimination was positively associated with dissociative symptoms in regression analyses adjusted for demographics and other traumatic life events. In addition, more active coping strategies in response to racial discrimination were negatively associated with dissociative symptoms. Racial- and ethnic-minority emerging adults who experience racial discrimination, possibly as traumatic, may be more vulnerable to dissociative symptoms. However, different strategies of coping with racial discrimination may differentially impact risk for dissociation. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

Demand management and case management: a conservation strategy.

PubMed

Bryant, C D R Anna K

2007-01-01

This article reviews the history and development of managed competition, and explores the possibilities of a new demand management strategy in the context of nurse case management to offer less costly, higher quality care for a greater number of patients. The article examines the history and principles of healthcare demand management, its implementation in the hospital and clinical practices of nurse case managers, and its impacts in reducing costs while maintaining care levels. The article develops and analyzes the conflicts and common ground between demand management and case management. First, demand-side strategies can be effective in reducing costs while maintaining quality of nursing care; second, nurse case managers should employ patient education, self-care, and staffing solutions to manage demand. Nurse case managers must apply demand management principles carefully. Their goal is not to restrict care, but to maintain the highest levels of care possible within the limits of their practice's resources and staffing. Two critical themes emerge: (1) demand management is a potential alternative to market-driven managed competition and (2) nursing case management can affect an effective form of demand management. However, the long-term implications of these nursing case management strategies on healthcare staffing need further exploration.

Family child care providers' self-perceived role in obesity prevention: working with children, parents, and external influences.

PubMed

Rosenthal, Marjorie S; Crowley, Angela A; Curry, Leslie

2013-01-01

To describe the perspective and strategies of family child care providers (FCCPs) to reduce children's suboptimal weight trajectories. In-person, in-depth interviews with FCCPs. Family child care homes. Seventeen FCCPs caring for children 6 weeks to 9 years old; 94% caring for children paying with a state subsidy. Strategies of FCCP to reduce children's suboptimal weight trajectories. Constant comparative method of qualitative data analysis. Family child care providers described 3 core strategies: (1) improving children's behavior, (2) engaging and educating parents, and (3) leveraging influences external to their relationship with parents to effect positive change and to avoid parental conflict. These strategies were framed within their knowledge of child development, parental communication, and community services. The findings suggest that FCCPs' role in obesity prevention may be framed within knowledge that may be commonly expected of a child care provider. Partnerships between public health policy makers and FCCP may reduce obesigenic environments by employing training and resources that link obesity prevention and child care provider expertise. Copyright © 2013 Society for Nutrition Education and Behavior. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Racial discrimination as race-based trauma, coping strategies and dissociative symptoms among emerging adults

PubMed Central

Polanco-Roman, Lillian; Danies, Ashley; Anglin, Deidre M.

2016-01-01

Objective The race-based traumatic stress theory (Carter, 2007) suggests that some racial and ethnic minority individuals may experience racial discrimination as a psychological trauma, as it may elicit a response comparable to posttraumatic stress. The present study examined this further by determining the relation between racial discrimination and dissociation, a common response to trauma exposure. Further, we examined whether active coping strategies specifically employed to cope with racial discrimination related to less dissociative symptomatology. Methods The predominant racial and ethnic minority sample (N=743) of emerging adults (i.e., ages 18-29) recruited from a public university in Northeastern U.S. completed a battery of self-report measures on racial discrimination, responses to racial discrimination, traumatic life events and dissociative symptoms. Results Frequency of racial discrimination was positively associated with dissociative symptoms in regression analyses adjusted for demographics and other traumatic life events. Additionally, more active coping strategies in response to racial discrimination were negatively associated with dissociative symptoms. Conclusion Racial and ethnic minority emerging adults who experience racial discrimination, possibly as traumatic, may be more vulnerable to dissociative symptoms. However, different strategies of coping with racial discrimination may differentially impact risk for dissociation. PMID:26963957

Challenges to collaboration in school mental health and strategies for overcoming them.

PubMed

Weist, Mark D; Mellin, Elizabeth A; Chambers, Kerri L; Lever, Nancy A; Haber, Deborah; Blaber, Christine

2012-02-01

This article reviews challenges to collaboration in school mental health (SMH) and presents practical strategies for overcoming them. The importance of collaboration to the success of SMH programs is reviewed, with a particular focus on collaboration between school- and community-employed professionals. Challenges to effective collaboration between school- and community-employed professionals in SMH are considered. Strategies for overcoming challenges to effective collaboration are presented. Marginalization of the SMH agenda, limited interdisciplinary teamwork, restricted coordination mechanisms, confidentiality concerns, and resource and funding issues are key challenges to collaboration. Strategies targeted toward each of these challenges may help improve the effectiveness of SMH programs and ultimately student outcomes. Collaboration between school- and community-employed professionals is critical to the success of SMH programs. Despite its promise, the success of SMH programs can be jeopardized by ineffective collaboration between school- and community-employed professionals. Strategies to overcome marginalization, promote authentic interdisciplinary teamwork, build effective coordination mechanisms, protect student and family confidentiality, and promote policy change and resource enhancements should be addressed in SMH improvement planning. © 2012, American School Health Association.

Coping Work Strategies and Job Satisfaction Among Iranian Nurses

PubMed Central

Ghiyasvandian, Shahrzad; Adera Gebra, Addis

2014-01-01

Context: Nursing is a stressful job that could create physical and psychological disorders. Many studies presented information on stress, effects of coping strategies, and job satisfaction of nurses within health setting. We aimed to identify and describe nursing stresses, coping strategies and job satisfaction of Iranian nurses who are working or worked in different wards. Evidence Acquisition: In this review, we studied peer-reviewed journal articles on the field of stress, coping strategies and job satisfaction in nursing practice, especially Iranian nurses, which were published between 2000 and 2013. In this regard, we searched databases of PubMed, Elsevier, Google, BMJ, PMC, and MEDLINE. Results: The majority of the studies (60%) had analyzed the effect of coping strategies, experiences and perception of job-related stresses in Iranian nurses working in hospitals. In some of the reviewed studies (60%), the majority of the samples enrolled Iranian nurses. Forty percent of studies selected a maximum sample size of 565 (44%) participants in 2011. Nursing stress scale employed at 30% of the studies was the most commonly used strategy. This reviewed studies also revealed a combined measurement (60% of studies), based on categorical stress measurement, effects of coping strategies, and job satisfaction methods. Three studies explored the relationship between job stress and job satisfaction. For instance, the majority (74.4%) of nurses reported job satisfaction. Conclusions: Effect of coping strategies and job satisfaction on Iranian nurses is a well-accepted issue and has important positive outcomes on several areas of health discipline. PMID:25068050

Use of employer administrative databases to identify systematic causes of injury in aluminum manufacturing.

PubMed

Pollack, Keshia M; Agnew, Jacqueline; Slade, Martin D; Cantley, Linda; Taiwo, Oyebode; Vegso, Sally; Sircar, Kanta; Cullen, Mark R

2007-09-01

Employer administrative files are an underutilized source of data in epidemiologic studies of occupational injuries. Personnel files, occupational health surveillance data, industrial hygiene data, and a real-time incident and injury management system from a large multi-site aluminum manufacturer were linked deterministically. An ecological-level measure of physical job demand was also linked. This method successfully created a database containing over 100 variables for 9,101 hourly employees from eight geographically dispersed U.S. plants. Between 2002 and 2004, there were 3,563 traumatic injuries to 2,495 employees. The most common injuries were sprain/strains (32%), contusions (24%), and lacerations (14%). A multivariable logistic regression model revealed that physical job demand was the strongest predictor of injury risk, in a dose dependent fashion. Other strong predictors of injury included female gender, young age, short company tenure and short time on current job. Employer administrative files are a useful source of data, as they permit the exploration of risk factors and potential confounders that are not included in many population-based surveys. The ability to link employer administrative files with injury surveillance data is a valuable analysis strategy for comprehensively studying workplace injuries, identifying salient risk factors, and targeting workforce populations disproportionately affected. (c) 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Does Training Matter? Comparing the Behaviour Management Strategies of Pre-Service Teachers in a Four-Year Program and Those in a One-Year Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Woodcock, Stuart; Reupert, Andrea

2013-01-01

Survey-based research was conducted with Australian pre-service teachers to identify the classroom management strategies that they would employ, their confidence in employing them, and the effectiveness of the strategies. Furthermore, the study aimed to identify significant differences in these variables between pre-service teachers in the final…

Language Learning Strategies Employed by Chinese English-Major Pre-Service Teachers in Relation to Gender and Personality Types

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zhou, Chaoying; Intaraprasert, Channarong

2015-01-01

This study was intended to investigate the use of language learning strategy employed by English-major pre-service teachers in Midwest China in relation to their gender and personality types. The modified Strategy Inventory for Language Learning (SILL) and adopted personality type inventory were used to collect the data. ANOVA and Chi-square tests…

Overcoming barriers to recruiting ethnic minorities to mental health research: a typology of recruitment strategies.

PubMed

Waheed, Waquas; Hughes-Morley, Adwoa; Woodham, Adrine; Allen, Gill; Bower, Peter

2015-05-02

The ethnic minority population in developed countries is increasing over time. These groups are at higher risk of mental illness and demonstrate lower participation in research. Published evidence suggests that multiple factors like stigma, lack of trust, differences in explanatory models, logistical issues and lack of culturally aware researchers act as barriers to ethnic minority recruitment into mental health research. To reduce inequalities in participation, there is a need to devise innovative and culturally sensitive recruitment strategies. It is important that researchers share their experience of employing these strategies so that ethnic minority participation can be facilitated. We previously published a systematic review of barriers to recruiting ethnic minority participants into mental health research. The nine papers included in our prior review formed the basis for developing a typology of barriers to recruiting ethnic minorities into mental health research. This typology identified 33 barriers, described under five themes. We further extracted data on the strategies used to overcome these recruitment barriers, as described in the included studies. The strategies employed by the authors could be matched to all but two barriers (psychopathology/substance misuse and limited resource availability). There was evidence that multiple strategies were employed, and that these depended upon the population, clinical set-up and resources available. This typology of strategies to overcome barriers to recruiting ethnic minorities provides guidance on achieving higher rates of recruitment. It is important that researchers plan to deploy these strategies well in advance of initiating recruitment. Whilst adopting these strategies, the authors have not been able to quantify the positive impact of these strategies on recruitment. The typology should encourage researchers to employ these strategies in future research, refine them further and quantitatively evaluate their impact.

Health care consumerism: engaging the real buyers--employees.

PubMed

Terry, Martha

2005-01-01

Many employers have begun moving toward health care consumerism strategies designed to encourage employees to take more responsibility for their health care and the cost of that care. Recent surveys suggest ways employers can ensure their consumerism strategies succeed in engaging employees and, ultimately, encourage employees to change their behavior. This article describes what those surveys reveal about employer and employee perspectives on consumerism and suggests steps employers can take to align their interests with those of their employees in order to manage the demand for and use of health care.

Models for Models: An Introduction to Polymer Models Employing Simple Analogies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tarazona, M. Pilar; Saiz, Enrique

1998-11-01

An introduction to the most common models used in the calculations of conformational properties of polymers, ranging from the freely jointed chain approximation to Monte Carlo or molecular dynamics methods, is presented. Mathematical formalism is avoided and simple analogies, such as human chains, gases, opinion polls, or marketing strategies, are used to explain the different models presented. A second goal of the paper is to teach students how models required for the interpretation of a system can be elaborated, starting with the simplest model and introducing successive improvements until the refinements become so sophisticated that it is much better to use an alternative approach.

Dominant resistance against plant viruses

PubMed Central

de Ronde, Dryas; Butterbach, Patrick; Kormelink, Richard

2014-01-01

To establish a successful infection plant viruses have to overcome a defense system composed of several layers. This review will overview the various strategies plants employ to combat viral infections with main emphasis on the current status of single dominant resistance (R) genes identified against plant viruses and the corresponding avirulence (Avr) genes identified so far. The most common models to explain the mode of action of dominant R genes will be presented. Finally, in brief the hypersensitive response (HR) and extreme resistance (ER), and the functional and structural similarity of R genes to sensors of innate immunity in mammalian cell systems will be described. PMID:25018765

Retention in the allied health workforce: boomers, generation X, and generation Y.

PubMed

Dodd, Jenny; Saggers, Sherry; Wildy, Helen

2009-01-01

The recruitment and retention of allied health workers present challenges for organizations in Australia and internationally. Australia, in common with other developed countries, faces the prospect of a rapidly aging population and the high turnover of younger allied health workers (the majority of whom are female) from employing organizations. Emphases on the individual characteristics of Boomer, Generation X, and Generation Y workers may provide a useful starting base for recruitment and retention strategies, but our study shows that these need to be contextualized within broader political, social, and structural factors that take account of gender and the changing needs of workers over their life span.

Essays in financial transmission rights pricing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Posner, Barry

This work examines issues in the pricing of financial transmission rights in the PJM market region. The US federal government is advocating the creation of large-scale, not-for-profit regional transmission organizations to increase the efficiency of the transmission of electricity. As a non-profit entity, PJM needs to allocate excess revenues collected as congestion rents, and the participants in the transmission markets need to be able to hedge their exposure to congestion rents. For these purposes, PJM has developed an instrument known as the financial transmission right (FTR). This research, utilizing a new data set assembled by the author, looks at two aspects of the FTR market. The first chapter examines the problem of forecasting congestion in a transmission grid. In the PJM FTR system firms bid in a competitive auction for FTRs that cover a period of one month. The auctions take place in the middle of the previous month; therefore firms have to forecast congestion rents for the period two to six weeks after the auction. The common methods of forecasting congestion are either time-series models or full-information engineering studies. In this research, the author develops a forecasting system that is more economically grounded than a simple time-series model, but requires less information than an engineering model. This method is based upon the arbitrage-cost methodology, whereby congesting is calculated as the difference of two non-observable variables: the transmission price difference that would exist in the total absence of transmission capacity between two nodes, and the ability of the existing transmission to reduced that price difference. If the ability to reduce the price difference is greater than the price difference, then the cost of electricity at each node will be the same, and congestion rent will be zero. If transmission capacity limits are binding on the flow of power, then a price difference persists and congestion rents exist. Three transmission paths in the Delmarva Peninsula were examined. The maximum-likelihood two-way Tobit model developed in Chapter One consistently predicts the expected responses to the independent variables that have employed, but the model as defined here does a poor job of predicting prices. This is likely due to the inability to include system outages (i.e., short-term changes in the structure of the transmission grid) as variables in the estimation model. The second chapter addresses the behavior of firms in the monthly auctions for FTRs. FTRs are a claim to congestion rent revenues along a certain path within the PJM grid, and are awarded in a uniform-price divisible-goods auction. Firms typically submit a schedule of bids for different amounts of FTR at different prices, akin to a demand curve. A firm bidding too high a price may cause the clearing price of the FTR to be higher than the realized value of the FTR, creating a loss from ownership of the FTR. A firm bidding too low means that it wins no FTRs, depriving itself of the ability to profit from ownership or to hedge against congestion. Several questions concerning firm behavior are addressed in this study. It is found that firms adjust their bids in response to new information that is obtained from past auctions: they raise or lower bids in accordance with changes in recent FTR prices and payoffs. Firms consistently bid below the value of the FTR (i.e., shade their bids). This adds empirical evidence to the theoretically-posited notion that uniform-price auctions are not truth-telling, unlike the second-price auction for a non-divisible good. Firms employ greater bid-shading in response to increases in the volatility of both FTR clearing prices and realized FTR values. This validates the notion that firms are risk-averse. It is discovered that better-informed "insider" firms employ structurally different bidding strategies, but these differences do not lead to greater profits. However, profits do increase as firms gain more experience in these markets, lending credence to the notion that firms learn over time and that markets discipline poorly performing firms by either educating them or driving them out of the market. It is also found that firms that employ complicated bidding strategies enjoy greater profitability than firms which employ simple bidding strategies. A surprising corollary finding is that firm strategies do not converge to a common form, but that different firms continue to employ different strategies, and often move away from the seemingly dominant strategy. Firms can enter this market as either long-buyers or short-sellers, and it is discovered that long and short players display structurally divergent bidding strategies. This is perhaps unsurprising, given that long players can be either hedgers or speculators, but short players are overwhelmingly speculators.

Intervention of Phytohormone Pathways by Pathogen Effectors[OPEN

PubMed Central

Kazan, Kemal; Lyons, Rebecca

2014-01-01

The constant struggle between plants and microbes has driven the evolution of multiple defense strategies in the host as well as offense strategies in the pathogen. To defend themselves from pathogen attack, plants often rely on elaborate signaling networks regulated by phytohormones. In turn, pathogens have adopted innovative strategies to manipulate phytohormone-regulated defenses. Tactics frequently employed by plant pathogens involve hijacking, evading, or disrupting hormone signaling pathways and/or crosstalk. As reviewed here, this is achieved mechanistically via pathogen-derived molecules known as effectors, which target phytohormone receptors, transcriptional activators and repressors, and other components of phytohormone signaling in the host plant. Herbivores and sap-sucking insects employ obligate pathogens such as viruses, phytoplasma, or symbiotic bacteria to intervene with phytohormone-regulated defenses. Overall, an improved understanding of phytohormone intervention strategies employed by pests and pathogens during their interactions with plants will ultimately lead to the development of new crop protection strategies. PMID:24920334

Marketing strategies nurses can employ to promote health.

PubMed

McCormack, D

1994-01-01

Marketing strategies are employed to ensure the success of new products, services or programs. Both profit and non-profit organizations have used social marketing strategies to inform, to motivate interest, and to engage the involvement of the consumer. A client-dependent health care system did not find it necessary to market services, but a health care system that encourages clients to choose the most appropriate health promotion service available must market services. Nurses are in the business of promoting the health of clients. Therefore, it is essential that nurses become familiar with, and involved in, the development of marketing plans and strategies. The connection between the four variables of the marketing mix (product, promotion, place, and price) and promoting the health of clients is described. A case example recapitulating the marketing strategies employed to raise public awareness of a self-help group for family caregivers is related, the marketing response is evaluated, and future recommendations are proposed.

Employer Health and Productivity Roadmap™ strategy.

PubMed

Parkinson, Michael D

2013-12-01

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health Total Worker Health™ Program defines essential elements of an integrated health protection and health promotion model to improve the health, safety, and performance of employers and employees. The lack of a clear strategy to address the core drivers of poor health, excessive medical costs, and lost productivity has deterred a comprehensive, integrated, and proactive approach to meet these challenges. The Employer Health and Productivity Roadmap™, comprising six interrelated and integrated core elements, creates a framework of shared accountability for both employers and their health and productivity partners to implement and monitor actionable measures that improve health, maximize productivity, and reduce excessive costs. The strategy is most effective when linked to a financially incentivized health management program or consumer-directed health plan insurance benefit design.

Spiritual Care in the Intensive Care Unit: A Narrative Review.

PubMed

Ho, Jim Q; Nguyen, Christopher D; Lopes, Richard; Ezeji-Okoye, Stephen C; Kuschner, Ware G

2018-05-01

Spiritual care is an important component of high-quality health care, especially for critically ill patients and their families. Despite evidence of benefits from spiritual care, physicians and other health-care providers commonly fail to assess and address their patients' spiritual care needs in the intensive care unit (ICU). In addition, it is common that spiritual care resources that can improve both patient outcomes and family member experiences are underutilized. In this review, we provide an overview of spiritual care and its role in the ICU. We review evidence demonstrating the benefits of, and persistent unmet needs for, spiritual care services, as well as the current state of spiritual care delivery in the ICU setting. Furthermore, we outline tools and strategies intensivists and other critical care medicine health-care professionals can employ to support the spiritual well-being of patients and families, with a special focus on chaplaincy services.

Choice and explanation in medical management: a multiattribute model of artificial intelligence approaches.

PubMed

Rennels, G D; Shortliffe, E H; Miller, P L

1987-01-01

This paper explores a model of choice and explanation in medical management and makes clear its advantages and limitations. The model is based on multiattribute decision making (MADM) and consists of four distinct strategies for choice and explanation, plus combinations of these four. Each strategy is a restricted form of the general MADM approach, and each makes restrictive assumptions about the nature of the domain. The advantage of tailoring a restricted form of a general technique to a particular domain is that such efforts may better capture the character of the domain and allow choice and explanation to be more naturally modelled. The uses of the strategies for both choice and explanation are illustrated with analyses of several existing medical management artificial intelligence (AI) systems, and also with examples from the management of primary breast cancer. Using the model it is possible to identify common underlying features of these AI systems, since each employs portions of this model in different ways. Thus the model enables better understanding and characterization of the seemingly ad hoc decision making of previous systems.

Toxicological challenges to microbial bioethanol production and strategies for improved tolerance

DOE PAGES

Akinsho, Hannah; Rydzak, Thomas; Borole, Abhijeet P.; ...

2015-09-30

Bioethanol production output has increased steadily over the last two decades and is now beginning to become competitive with traditional liquid transportation fuels due to advances in engineering, the identification of new production host organisms, and the development of novel biodesign strategies. A significant portion of these efforts has been dedicated to mitigating the toxicological challenges encountered across the bioethanol production process. From the release of potentially cytotoxic or inhibitory compounds from input feedstocks, through the metabolic co-synthesis of ethanol and potentially detrimental byproducts, and to the potential cytotoxicity of ethanol itself, each stage of bioethanol production requires the applicationmore » of genetic or engineering controls that ensure the host organisms remain healthy and productive to meet the necessary economies required for large scale production. In addition, as production levels continue to increase, there is an escalating focus on the detoxification of the resulting waste streams to minimize their environmental impact. Thus, this review will present the major toxicological challenges encountered throughout each stage of the bioethanol production process and the commonly employed strategies for reducing or eliminating potential toxic effects.« less

Psychosocial experiences and needs of Australian caregivers of people with stroke: prognosis messages, caregiver resilience, and relationships.

PubMed

El Masry, Yasmeen; Mullan, Barbara; Hackett, Maree

2013-01-01

Despite stroke being the most common form of cerebrovascular disease, there has been relatively little attention paid to the psychosocial experiences and needs of Australian caregivers of people who have had a stroke. Twenty Australian informal caregivers and 10 stroke survivors participated in individual semi-structured qualitative interviews covering all aspects of caregiving, including stroke survivors' views on their caregiver's experiences. The 5 interrelated topics most discussed were changes in relationships and support services, including being told to expect a poor outcome; caregiver attributes and coping strategies; stroke survivor limitations; external employment and financial stressors; and unexpected positive changes in relationships and priorities. Caring for a stroke survivor involves a complex interaction of these factors that appear to be moderated by the quality of the pre-existing stroke survivor-caregiver relationship and the poststroke coping strategies used. Particular attention should be paid to how prognosis is conveyed and whether appropriate outpatient services are available. Clinicians should also consider discussing appropriate caregiver coping strategies and the quality of the relationship between the stroke survivor and caregiver.

A biopolymer-like metal enabled hybrid material with exceptional mechanical prowess

DOE PAGES

Zhang, Junsong; Cui, Lishan; Jiang, Daqiang; ...

2015-02-10

In this study, the design principles for naturally occurring biological materials have inspired us to develop next-generation engineering materials with remarkable performance. Nacre, commonly referred to as nature's armor, is renowned for its unusual combination of strength and toughness. Nature's wisdom in nacre resides in its elaborate structural design and the judicious placement of a unique organic biopolymer with intelligent deformation features. However, up to now, it is still a challenge to transcribe the biopolymer's deformation attributes into a stronger substitute in the design of new materials. In this study, we propose a new design strategy that employs shape memorymore » alloy to transcribe the "J-curve'' mechanical response and uniform molecular/atomic level deformation of the organic biopolymer in the design of high-performance hybrid materials. This design strategy is verified in a TiNi-Ti 3Sn model material system. The model material demonstrates an exceptional combination of mechanical properties that are superior to other high-performance metal-based lamellar composites known to date. Our design strategy creates new opportunities for the development of high-performance bio-inspired materials.« less

Acoustic noise and functional magnetic resonance imaging: current strategies and future prospects.

PubMed

Amaro, Edson; Williams, Steve C R; Shergill, Sukhi S; Fu, Cynthia H Y; MacSweeney, Mairead; Picchioni, Marco M; Brammer, Michael J; McGuire, Philip K

2002-11-01

Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) has become the method of choice for studying the neural correlates of cognitive tasks. Nevertheless, the scanner produces acoustic noise during the image acquisition process, which is a problem in the study of auditory pathway and language generally. The scanner acoustic noise not only produces activation in brain regions involved in auditory processing, but also interferes with the stimulus presentation. Several strategies can be used to address this problem, including modifications of hardware and software. Although reduction of the source of the acoustic noise would be ideal, substantial hardware modifications to the current base of installed MRI systems would be required. Therefore, the most common strategy employed to minimize the problem involves software modifications. In this work we consider three main types of acquisitions: compressed, partially silent, and silent. For each implementation, paradigms using block and event-related designs are assessed. We also provide new data, using a silent event-related (SER) design, which demonstrate higher blood oxygen level-dependent (BOLD) response to a simple auditory cue when compared to a conventional image acquisition. Copyright 2002 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

A biopolymer-like metal enabled hybrid material with exceptional mechanical prowess

PubMed Central

Zhang, Junsong; Cui, Lishan; Jiang, Daqiang; Liu, Yinong; Hao, Shijie; Ren, Yang; Han, Xiaodong; Liu, Zhenyang; Wang, Yunzhi; Yu, Cun; Huan, Yong; Zhao, Xinqing; Zheng, Yanjun; Xu, Huibin; Ren, Xiaobing; Li, Xiaodong

2015-01-01

The design principles for naturally occurring biological materials have inspired us to develop next-generation engineering materials with remarkable performance. Nacre, commonly referred to as nature's armor, is renowned for its unusual combination of strength and toughness. Nature's wisdom in nacre resides in its elaborate structural design and the judicious placement of a unique organic biopolymer with intelligent deformation features. However, up to now, it is still a challenge to transcribe the biopolymer's deformation attributes into a stronger substitute in the design of new materials. In this study, we propose a new design strategy that employs shape memory alloy to transcribe the “J-curve” mechanical response and uniform molecular/atomic level deformation of the organic biopolymer in the design of high-performance hybrid materials. This design strategy is verified in a TiNi-Ti3Sn model material system. The model material demonstrates an exceptional combination of mechanical properties that are superior to other high-performance metal-based lamellar composites known to date. Our design strategy creates new opportunities for the development of high-performance bio-inspired materials. PMID:25665501

A biopolymer-like metal enabled hybrid material with exceptional mechanical prowess.

PubMed

Zhang, Junsong; Cui, Lishan; Jiang, Daqiang; Liu, Yinong; Hao, Shijie; Ren, Yang; Han, Xiaodong; Liu, Zhenyang; Wang, Yunzhi; Yu, Cun; Huan, Yong; Zhao, Xinqing; Zheng, Yanjun; Xu, Huibin; Ren, Xiaobing; Li, Xiaodong

2015-02-10

The design principles for naturally occurring biological materials have inspired us to develop next-generation engineering materials with remarkable performance. Nacre, commonly referred to as nature's armor, is renowned for its unusual combination of strength and toughness. Nature's wisdom in nacre resides in its elaborate structural design and the judicious placement of a unique organic biopolymer with intelligent deformation features. However, up to now, it is still a challenge to transcribe the biopolymer's deformation attributes into a stronger substitute in the design of new materials. In this study, we propose a new design strategy that employs shape memory alloy to transcribe the "J-curve" mechanical response and uniform molecular/atomic level deformation of the organic biopolymer in the design of high-performance hybrid materials. This design strategy is verified in a TiNi-Ti3Sn model material system. The model material demonstrates an exceptional combination of mechanical properties that are superior to other high-performance metal-based lamellar composites known to date. Our design strategy creates new opportunities for the development of high-performance bio-inspired materials.

A review of gene delivery and stem cell based therapies for regenerating inner ear hair cells.

PubMed

Devarajan, Keerthana; Staecker, Hinrich; Detamore, Michael S

2011-09-13

Sensory neural hearing loss and vestibular dysfunction have become the most common forms of sensory defects, affecting millions of people worldwide. Developing effective therapies to restore hearing loss is challenging, owing to the limited regenerative capacity of the inner ear hair cells. With recent advances in understanding the developmental biology of mammalian and non-mammalian hair cells a variety of strategies have emerged to restore lost hair cells are being developed. Two predominant strategies have developed to restore hair cells: transfer of genes responsible for hair cell genesis and replacement of missing cells via transfer of stem cells. In this review article, we evaluate the use of several genes involved in hair cell regeneration, the advantages and disadvantages of the different viral vectors employed in inner ear gene delivery and the insights gained from the use of embryonic, adult and induced pluripotent stem cells in generating inner ear hair cells. Understanding the role of genes, vectors and stem cells in therapeutic strategies led us to explore potential solutions to overcome the limitations associated with their use in hair cell regeneration.

Engaging Communities in Identifying Local Strategies for Expanding Integrated Employment During and After High School.

PubMed

Carter, Erik W; Blustein, Carly L; Bumble, Jennifer L; Harvey, Sarah; Henderson, Lynnette M; McMillan, Elise D

2016-09-01

Amidst decades of attention directed toward improving employment outcomes for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD), few efforts have been made to engage communities in identifying local solutions for expanding integrated employment opportunities. We examined the implementation and outcomes of "community conversation" events held in 6 geographically and economically diverse locales. Each event used an asset-based dialogue approach called the World Café ( Brown & Isaacs, 2005 ) to solicit ideas from a broad cross-section of community members on improving integrated employment that reflect local priorities and possibilities. Six key themes encapsulated the 1,556 strategies generated by the almost 400 attendees. Although considerable consistency was found among the categories of strategies raised across events, the manner in which those individual strategies would be implemented locally reflected the unique accent of each community. Attendees also viewed these events as promising and productive pathways for identifying next steps for their community. We offer recommendations for community-level intervention efforts and suggest directions for future research.

Information Foraging in Nuclear Power Plant Control Rooms

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

R.L. Boring

2011-09-01

nformation foraging theory articulates the role of the human as an 'informavore' that seeks information and follows optimal foraging strategies (i.e., the 'information scent') to find meaningful information. This paper briefly reviews the findings from information foraging theory outside the nuclear domain and then discusses the types of information foraging strategies operators employ for normal and off-normal operations in the control room. For example, operators may employ a predatory 'wolf' strategy of hunting for information in the face of a plant upset. However, during routine operations, the operators may employ a trapping 'spider' strategy of waiting for relevant indicators tomore » appear. This delineation corresponds to information pull and push strategies, respectively. No studies have been conducted to determine explicitly the characteristics of a control room interface that is optimized for both push and pull information foraging strategies, nor has there been empirical work to validate operator performance when transitioning between push and pull strategies. This paper explores examples of control room operators as wolves vs. spiders and con- cludes by proposing a set of research questions to investigate information foraging in control room settings.« less

Consumer-driven health care: tangible employer actions.

PubMed

Beauregard, Thomas R

2004-01-01

In response to double-digit health care cost increases, leading employers are aiming aggressive strategies at changing participant and provider behaviors--strategies that go well beyond the narrow idea of a new cost-sharing design. This article describes the elements of a comprehensive consumer-driven health care strategy and provides examples of tangible consumer-driven health care initiatives in the areas of design, pricing, contracting, support and public policy.

Use of Evidence-Based Interventions and Implementation Strategies to Increase Colorectal Cancer Screening in Federally Qualified Health Centers.

PubMed

Adams, Swann Arp; Rohweder, Catherine L; Leeman, Jennifer; Friedman, Daniela B; Gizlice, Ziya; Vanderpool, Robin C; Askelson, Natoshia; Best, Alicia; Flocke, Susan A; Glanz, Karen; Ko, Linda K; Kegler, Michelle

2018-05-16

While colorectal cancer (CRC) screening rates have been increasing in the general population, rates are considerably lower in Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs), which serve a large proportion of uninsured and medically vulnerable patients. Efforts to screen eligible patients must be accelerated if we are to reach the national screening goal of 80% by 2018 and beyond. To inform this work, we conducted a survey of key informants at FQHCs in eight states to determine which evidence-based interventions (EBIs) to promote CRC screening are currently being used, and which implementation strategies are being employed to ensure that the interventions are executed as intended. One hundred and forty-eight FQHCs were invited to participate in the study, and 56 completed surveys were received for a response rate of 38%. Results demonstrated that provider reminder and recall systems were the most commonly used EBIs (44.6%) while the most commonly used implementation strategy was the identification of barriers (84.0%). The mean number of EBIs that were fully implemented at the centers was 2.4 (range 0-7) out of seven. Almost one-quarter of respondents indicated that their FQHCs were not using any EBIs to increase CRC screening. Full implementation of EBIs was correlated with higher CRC screening rates. These findings identify gaps as well as the preferences and needs of FQHCs in selecting and implementing EBIs for CRC screening.

Defining adherence to therapeutic exercise for musculoskeletal pain: a systematic review.

PubMed

Bailey, Daniel L; Holden, Melanie A; Foster, Nadine E; Quicke, Jonathan G; Haywood, Kirstie L; Bishop, Annette

2018-06-06

To establish the meaning of the term 'adherence' (including conceptual and measurement definitions) in the context of therapeutic exercise (TE) for musculoskeletal (MSK) pain. Systematic review using a search strategy including terms for: adherence, TE and MSK pain. Identified studies were independently screened for inclusion by two researchers. Two independent researchers extracted data on: study type; MSK pain population; type of TE used; definitions, parameters, measurement methods and values of adherence. Seven electronic databases were searched from inception to December 2016. Any study type featuring TE for adults with MSK pain and containing a definition of adherence, or a description of how adherence was measured. 459 studies were identified and 86 were included in the review. Most were prospective cohort studies and featured back and/or neck pain. Strengthening and stretching were the most common types of TE. A clearly identifiable definition of adherence was provided in 40% of the studies, with 12% using the same definition. Exercise frequency was the most commonly measured parameter of adherence, with self-report logs the most common measurement method. The most common value range used to determine satisfactory adherence was 80%-99% of the recommended exercise dose. No single definition of adherence to TE was apparent. We found no definition of adherence that specifically related to TE for MSK pain or described the dimensions of TE that should be measured. We recommend conceptualising adherence to TE for MSK pain from the perspective of all relevant stakeholders. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2018. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

The power of integrating consumerism and wellness.

PubMed

William, C Sharon; Tacker, Linh

2010-01-01

One aspect in our troubling economy that seems to be flourishing is the growing number of employers implementing consumer-driven health (CDH) plans and wellness programs. This article describes the primary areas of participant behavior that consumerism seeks to change and the fundamental factors a "consumer-focused" health care strategy must include. The authors outline issues employers must address when designing a successful incentive program and its accompanying communications strategy. A case study of a company that has a 70% enrollment rate in its CDH plans shows how an integrated consumerism and wellness strategy can slow the rate of health care cost increases for both the employee and employer.

Drug Resistance Strategies of Early Adolescents in Mexico: Gender Differences in the Influence of Drug Offers and Relationship to the Offeror

PubMed Central

Booth, Jaime Michelle; Bercerra, David

2016-01-01

To address increases in substance use among Mexican adolescents, particularly females, US prevention programs are being adapted to the Mexican cultural context. Understanding how responses to substance offers by Mexican adolescents are shaped by gender and relationships to those making offers is an important step in the adaptation process. Using data from Guadalajara, Mexico middle schools (N=431), this pilot study tested for gender differences in the use of several drug resistance strategies commonly taught in US substance abuse prevention interventions. Results indicated that the drug resistance strategies of Mexican early adolescents differ by gender, type of substance offered, and the youth’s relationship to the offeror. Contrary to previous research on older Mexican adolescents, in this sample females received more substance offers from age peers than males did, and employed a wider repertoire of drug resistance strategies, including active strategies such as direct refusals. Gender differences in use of the strategies persisted after controlling for number of offers received. There were gender differences in the conditional effects of greater exposure to offers. A larger volume of alcohol and cigarette offers predicted females’ use of direct strategies more strongly than for males, but less strongly than males for marijuana offers. Females’ use of drug resistance strategies was more strongly associated with offers from family adults, siblings and cousins, while males’ use of strategies was predicted more strongly by offers from non-family adults. Interpretations and prevention implications are discussed in light of changing gender norms in Mexico and gendered patterns of substance use. PMID:26886157

Helping veterans achieve work: A Veterans Health Administration nationwide survey examining effective job development practices in the community.

PubMed

Kukla, Marina; McGuire, Alan B; Strasburger, Amy M; Belanger, Elizabeth; Bakken, Shana K

2018-06-01

Veterans Health Administration vocational services assist veterans with mental illness to acquire jobs; one major component of these services is job development. The purpose of this study was to characterize the nature of effective job development practices and to examine perceptions and intensity of job development services. A national mixed-methods online survey of 233 Veterans Health Administration vocational providers collected data regarding frequency of employer contacts, perceptions of job development ease/difficulty, and effective job development practices when dealing with employers. Qualitative responses elucidating effective practices were analyzed using content analysis. Vocational providers had a modest number of job development employer contacts across 2 weeks (M = 11.0, SD = 10.6) and fewer were face-to-face (M = 7.6, SD = 8.4). Over 70% of participants perceived job development to be difficult. Six major themes emerged regarding effective job development practices with employers: using an employer-focused approach; utilizing a targeted marketing strategy; engaging in preparation and follow-up; going about the employer interaction with genuineness, resilience, and a strong interpersonal orientation; serving as an advocate for veterans and educator of employers; utilizing specific employer-tailored strategies, such as arranging a one-on-one meeting with a decision maker and touring the business, individualizing a prescripted sales pitch, connecting on a personal level, and engaging in ongoing communication to solidify the working relationship. Respondents highlight several potentially effective job development strategies; tools and resources may be developed around these strategies to bolster job development implementation and allow opportunities for fruitful employer interactions. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved).

Deconstructing "Aspiration": UK Policy Debates and European Policy Trends

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Spohrer, Konstanze

2011-01-01

Strategies of "employability" and "activation" are increasingly favoured in the European Union policy context. These strategies are aimed at fostering inclusion by stressing the responsibility of the individual to participate in education and employment. Similar tendencies can be observed in the United Kingdom (UK) over the…

Examining Lateralized Semantic Access Using Pictures

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lovseth, Kyle; Atchley, Ruth Ann

2010-01-01

A divided visual field (DVF) experiment examined the semantic processing strategies employed by the cerebral hemispheres to determine if strategies observed with written word stimuli generalize to other media for communicating semantic information. We employed picture stimuli and vary the degree of semantic relatedness between the picture pairs.…

Systematic Review of Interventions to Reduce Urinary Tract Infection in Nursing Home Residents

PubMed Central

Meddings, Jennifer; Saint, Sanjay; Krein, Sarah L.; Gaies, Elissa; Reichert, Heidi; Hickner, Andrew; McNamara, Sara; Mann, Jason D.; Mody, Lona

2017-01-01

BACKGROUND Urinary tract infections (UTIs) in nursing homes are common, costly, and morbid. PURPOSE Systematic literature review of strategies to reduce UTIs in nursing home residents DATA SOURCES Ovid MEDLINE, Cochrane Library, CINAHL, Web of Science and Embase through June 22, 2015. STUDY SELECTION Interventional studies with a comparison group reporting at least one outcome for: catheter-associated UTI (CAUTI), UTIs not identified as catheter-associated, bacteriuria, or urinary catheter use. DATA EXTRACTION Two authors abstracted study design, participant and intervention details, outcomes, and quality measures. DATA SYNTHESIS Of 5,794 records retrieved, 20 records describing 19 interventions were included: 8 randomized controlled trials, 10 pre-post non-randomized interventions, and 1 non-randomized intervention with concurrent controls. Quality (range 8-25, median 15) and outcome definitions varied greatly. Thirteen studies employed strategies to reduce catheter use or improve catheter care; nine studies employed general infection prevention strategies (e.g., improving hand hygiene, surveillance, contact precautions, reducing antibiotics). The nineteen studies reported 12 UTI outcomes, 9 CAUTI outcomes, 4 bacteriuria outcomes, and 5 catheter use outcomes. Five studies showed CAUTI reduction (1 significantly); nine studies showed UTI reduction (none significantly); 2 studies showed bacteriuria reduction (none significantly). Four studies showed reduced catheter use (1 significantly). LIMITATIONS Studies were often underpowered to assess statistical significance; none were pooled given variety of interventions and outcomes. CONCLUSIONS Several practices, often implemented in bundles, appear to reduce UTI or CAUTI in nursing home residents such as improving hand hygiene, reducing and improving catheter use, managing incontinence without catheters, and enhanced barrier precautions. PMID:28459908

Systematic Review of Interventions to Reduce Urinary Tract Infection in Nursing Home Residents.

PubMed

Meddings, Jennifer; Saint, Sanjay; Krein, Sarah L; Gaies, Elissa; Reichert, Heidi; Hickner, Andrew; McNamara, Sara; Mann, Jason D; Mody, Lona

2017-05-01

Urinary tract infections (UTIs) in nursing homes are common, costly, and morbid. Systematic literature review of strategies to reduce UTIs in nursing home residents. Ovid MEDLINE, Cochrane Library, CINAHL, Web of Science and Embase through June 22, 2015. Interventional studies with a comparison group reporting at least 1 outcome for: catheter-associated UTI (CAUTI), UTIs not identified as catheter-associated, bacteriuria, or urinary catheter use. Two authors abstracted study design, participant and intervention details, outcomes, and quality measures. Of 5794 records retrieved, 20 records describing 19 interventions were included: 8 randomized controlled trials, 10 pre-post nonrandomized interventions, and 1 nonrandomized intervention with concurrent controls. Quality (range, 8-25; median, 15) and outcome definitions varied greatly. Thirteen studies employed strategies to reduce catheter use or improve catheter care; 9 studies employed general infection prevention strategies (eg, improving hand hygiene, surveillance, contact precautions, reducing antibiotics). The 19 studies reported 12 UTI outcomes, 9 CAUTI outcomes, 4 bacteriuria outcomes, and 5 catheter use outcomes. Five studies showed CAUTI reduction (1 significantly); 9 studies showed UTI reduction (none significantly); 2 studies showed bacteriuria reduction (none significantly). Four studies showed reduced catheter use (1 significantly). Studies were often underpowered to assess statistical significance; none were pooled given variety of interventions and outcomes. Several practices, often implemented in bundles, such as improving hand hygiene, reducing and improving catheter use, managing incontinence without catheters, and enhanced barrier precautions, appear to reduce UTI or CAUTI in nursing home residents. Journal of Hospital Medicine 2017;12:356-368. © 2017 Society of Hospital Medicine

The status of marine and coastal EBM among a large sample of U.S. federal programs: a social network approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dell'Apa, A.; Fullerton, A.; Schwing, F. B.; Brady, M.

2016-12-01

Ecosystem-based management (EBM) is an integrated management approach that considers the entire ecosystem, including humans, across multiple sectors, with the goal to collectively manage natural resources, habitat, and species in a sustainable manner while maintaining ecosystem services to humans on the long-term. In the United States, the National Ocean Council (NOC) established a federal interagency subgroup (National Ocean Policy EBM-Subgroup) to provide policy advice on EBM strategies and technical representation from the federal agencies that are part of the NOC. As part of the NOP EBM-Subgroup effort, this study summarizes the status of EBM for several federal programs within the NOC agencies that implement or support marine and coastal EBM activities. Our objective was to provide an overview of the current state of practice among the many and varied U.S. federal programs employing EBM approaches in the ocean, coastal zone, and the Great Lakes. We used social network analysis techniques to explore similarities among programs in different topic areas (e.g., type of audience, partners, training, EBM best management practices and principles). Results highlight substantial differences in perceived and effective performances across programs, with Management programs showing a higher level of integration of EBM approaches than Non-Management programs. The use of EBM best management practices and principles among programs is unbalanced, with some key elements of EBM strategies less commonly employed in the management planning. This analysis identified gaps in the implementation of EBM strategies that can inform natural resource managers and planners

The status of marine and coastal EBM among a large sample of U.S. federal programs: a social network approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dell'Apa, A.; Fullerton, A.; Schwing, F. B.; Brady, M.

2016-02-01

Ecosystem-based management (EBM) is an integrated management approach that considers the entire ecosystem, including humans, across multiple sectors, with the goal to collectively manage natural resources, habitat, and species in a sustainable manner while maintaining ecosystem services to humans on the long-term. In the United States, the National Ocean Council (NOC) established a federal interagency subgroup (National Ocean Policy EBM-Subgroup) to provide policy advice on EBM strategies and technical representation from the federal agencies that are part of the NOC. As part of the NOP EBM-Subgroup effort, this study summarizes the status of EBM for several federal programs within the NOC agencies that implement or support marine and coastal EBM activities. Our objective was to provide an overview of the current state of practice among the many and varied U.S. federal programs employing EBM approaches in the ocean, coastal zone, and the Great Lakes. We used social network analysis techniques to explore similarities among programs in different topic areas (e.g., type of audience, partners, training, EBM best management practices and principles). Results highlight substantial differences in perceived and effective performances across programs, with Management programs showing a higher level of integration of EBM approaches than Non-Management programs. The use of EBM best management practices and principles among programs is unbalanced, with some key elements of EBM strategies less commonly employed in the management planning. This analysis identified gaps in the implementation of EBM strategies that can inform natural resource managers and planners

Sepsis and Critical Illness Research Center investigators: protocols and standard operating procedures for a prospective cohort study of sepsis in critically ill surgical patients.

PubMed

Loftus, Tyler J; Mira, Juan C; Ozrazgat-Baslanti, Tezcan; Ghita, Gabriella L; Wang, Zhongkai; Stortz, Julie A; Brumback, Babette A; Bihorac, Azra; Segal, Mark S; Anton, Stephen D; Leeuwenburgh, Christiaan; Mohr, Alicia M; Efron, Philip A; Moldawer, Lyle L; Moore, Frederick A; Brakenridge, Scott C

2017-08-01

Sepsis is a common, costly and morbid cause of critical illness in trauma and surgical patients. Ongoing advances in sepsis resuscitation and critical care support strategies have led to improved in-hospital mortality. However, these patients now survive to enter state of chronic critical illness (CCI), persistent low-grade organ dysfunction and poor long-term outcomes driven by the persistent inflammation, immunosuppression and catabolism syndrome (PICS). The Sepsis and Critical Illness Research Center (SCIRC) was created to provide a platform by which the prevalence and pathogenesis of CCI and PICS may be understood at a mechanistic level across multiple medical disciplines, leading to the development of novel management strategies and targeted therapies. Here, we describe the design, study cohort and standard operating procedures used in the prospective study of human sepsis at a level 1 trauma centre and tertiary care hospital providing care for over 2600 critically ill patients annually. These procedures include implementation of an automated sepsis surveillance initiative, augmentation of clinical decisions with a computerised sepsis protocol, strategies for direct exportation of quality-filtered data from the electronic medical record to a research database and robust long-term follow-up. This study has been registered at ClinicalTrials.gov, approved by the University of Florida Institutional Review Board and is actively enrolling subjects. Dissemination of results is forthcoming. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2017. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

A common anchor facilitated GO-DNA nano-system for multiplex microRNA analysis in live cells.

PubMed

Yu, Jiantao; He, Sihui; Shao, Chen; Zhao, Haoran; Li, Jing; Tian, Leilei

2018-04-19

The design of a nano-system for the detection of intracellular microRNAs is challenging as it must fulfill complex requirements, i.e., it must have a high sensitivity to determine the dynamic expression level, a good reliability for multiplex and simultaneous detection, and a satisfactory biostability to work in biological environments. Instead of employing a commonly used physisorption or a full-conjugation strategy, here, a GO-DNA nano-system was developed under graft/base-pairing construction. The common anchor sequence was chemically grafted to GO to base-pair with various microRNA probes; and the hybridization with miRNAs drives the dyes on the probes to leave away from GO, resulting in "turned-on" fluorescence. This strategy not only simplifies the synthesis but also efficiently balances the loading yields of different probes. Moreover, the conjugation yield of GO with a base-paired hybrid has been improved by more than two-fold compared to that of the conjugation with a single strand. We demonstrated that base-paired DNA probes could be efficiently delivered into cells along with GO and are properly stabilized by the conjugated anchor sequence. The resultant GO-DNA nano-system exhibited high stability in a complex biological environment and good resistance to nucleases, and was able to accurately discriminate various miRNAs without cross-reaction. With all of these positive features, the GO-DNA nano-system can simultaneously detect three miRNAs and monitor their dynamic expression levels.

Metabolic adaptations of overwintering European common lizards (Lacerta vivipara).

PubMed

Voituron, Y; Hérold, J P; Grenot, C

2000-01-01

The European common lizard Lacerta vivipara, a reptile of cold-temperate climates, provides us an interesting model of low-temperature adaptation. Indeed its unique cold-hardiness strategy, which employs both freeze tolerance and freeze avoidance, may be seen as the primary reason for its large distribution, which extends from Spain to beyond the Arctic circle. To study the metabolism supporting this capacity, we used three techniques: two techniques of calorimetry (oxygen consumption and thermogenesis) and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. These techniques were used to examine the metabolic balance and the different molecular pathways used between three different periods through the year (September, January, and May). The results show a significant 20% augmentation of winter anaerobic metabolism compared to other periods of the year. This is mainly because of an activation of the lactic fermentation pathway leading to an increase of lactate concentration (>34% in winter). Furthermore, glucose, which increases some 245% in winter, is used as antifreeze and metabolic substrate. Furthermore, this study provides evidence that the physiological adaptations of the common lizard differ from those of other ectotherms such as Rana sylvatica. Concentrations of alanine and glycerol, commonly used as antifreeze by many overwintering ectotherms, do not increase during winter.

Work Conditions and the Food Choice Coping Strategies of Employed Parents

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Devine, Carol M.; Farrell, Tracy J.; Blake, Christine E.; Jastran, Margaret; Wethington, Elaine; Bisogni, Carole A.

2009-01-01

Objective: How work conditions relate to parents' food choice coping strategies. Design: Pilot telephone survey. Setting: City in the northeastern United States (US). Participants: Black, white, and Hispanic employed mothers (25) and fathers (25) randomly recruited from low-/moderate-income zip codes; 78% of those reached and eligible…

Recruitment. Getting Customers for Employment and Training Programs.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Newton, Greg

This workbook presents the essential principles of successful marketing and applies the proven strategies used by the private sector to attract customers for their products to the recruitment of clients for employment and training programs. It also provides the tools and how-to's to develop recruitment strategies. Informative materials, lists of…

The Labor Market and Strategies in Seeking Work

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Toreev, V. B.

2014-01-01

Unemployment among young people in Russia remains a serious problem, and educational qualifications continue to be a deciding factor in the labor market. Creative strategies for escaping from unemployment are frequently used, but outside of self-employment education remains the path to successful employment. [This article was translated by Kim…

The Employer Connection: State Strategies for Building School-to-Work Partnerships.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Governors' Association, Washington, DC.

Employer involvement is a crucial element in the success of school-to-work initiatives. To reach out to employers, states can do the following: target key employers and industries; foster employer ownership; give employers opportunities to recruit their peers; create or collaborate with intermediary organizations; establish partnerships with labor…

Barriers and facilitators to enrollment and re-enrollment into the community health funds/Tiba Kwa Kadi (CHF/TIKA) in Tanzania: a cross-sectional inquiry on the effects of socio-demographic factors and social marketing strategies.

PubMed

Kapologwe, Ntuli A; Kagaruki, Gibson B; Kalolo, Albino; Ally, Mariam; Shao, Amani; Meshack, Manoris; Stoermer, Manfred; Briet, Amena; Wiedenmayer, Karin; Hoffman, Axel

2017-04-27

Introduction of a health insurance scheme is one of the ways to enhance access to health care services and to protect individuals from catastrophic health expenditures. Little is known on the influence of socio-demographic and social marketing strategies on enrollment and re-enrollment in the Community Health Fund/Tiba Kwa Kadi (CHF/TIKA) in Tanzania. This cross-sectional study employed quantitative methods for data collection between November 2014 and March 2015 in Singida and Shinyanga regions. Relationship between variables was obtained through Chi-square test and multivariate logistic regression. We recruited 496 participants in the study. Majority (92.7%) of participants consented to participate, with 229 (49.8%) and 231 (50.2%) members and non members of CHF/TIKA respectively. Majority (90.9%) were aware of CHF/TIKA. Majority of CHF/TIKA members and non-members (90% and 68.3% respectively) reported health facility-based sensitization as the most common social marketing approach employed to market the CHF/TIKA. The most popular marketing strategies in the country including traditional dances, football games, radio, television, news papers, and mosques/church were reported by few CHF and non CHF members. Multivariate Logistic regression models revealed no significant association between social marketing strategies and enrollment, but only socio-demographics; including marital status (AOR = 2.0, 95% CI 1.1-3.8) and family size (household with ≥ 6 members) (AOR = 1.5, 95% CI 1.0-2.5), were significant factors associated with enrollment/re-enrollment rate. This study indicated that low level of utilization of available social marketing strategies and socio-demographic factors are the barriers for attracting members to join the schemes. There is a need for applying various social marketing strategies and considering different facilitating and impending socio-demographic factors for the growth and sustainability of the scheme as we move towards universal health coverage.

Communication Strategies in the Written Medium

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Xhaferi, Brikena

2012-01-01

The field of second language acquisition has distinguished between two types of strategies: learning strategies and communication strategies. Learning strategies deal with the receptive domain of intake, memory, storage, and recall. Communication strategies pertain to the employment of verbal and nonverbal mechanisms for the productive…

An investigation into the immediate effects of pelvic taping on hamstring eccentric force in an elite male sprinter - A case report.

PubMed

Macdonald, Ben

2017-11-01

Hamstring Injuries commonly cause missed training and competition time in elite sports. Injury surveillance studies have demonstrated high injury and re-injury rates, which have not improved across sports despite screening and prevention programmes being commonplace. The most commonly suggested intervention for hamstring prevention and rehabilitation is eccentric strength assessment and training. This case study describes the management of an elite sprinter with a history of hamstring injury. A multi-variate screening process based around lumbar-pelvic dysfunction and hamstring strength assessment using the Nordbord is employed. The effect of external pelvic compression using a taping technique, on eccentric hamstring strength is evaluated. A persistent eccentric strength asymmetry of 17% was recorded as well as lumbar-pelvic control deficits. Pelvic taping appears to improve load transfer capability across the pelvis, resulting in correction of eccentric strength asymmetry. Screening strategies and interventions to prevent hamstring injury have failed to consistently improve injury rates across various sports. In this case study external pelvic compression resulted in normalising eccentric strength deficits assessed using the Nordbord. The inclusion of lumbar-pelvic motor control assessment, in relation to hamstring strength and function, as part of a multi-variate screening strategy requires further research. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Professional competencies in health promotion and public health: what is common and what is specific? Review of the European debate and perspectives for professional development.

PubMed

Mereu, Alessandra; Sotgiu, Alessandra; Buja, Alessandra; Casuccio, Alessandra; Cecconi, Rosaria; Fabiani, Leila; Guberti, Emilia; Lorini, Chiara; Minelli, Liliana; Pocetta, Giancarlo; Contu, Paolo

2015-01-01

According to the Nairobi Call to Action, the growth of practitioners' skills can be favoured by setting accreditation standards and by reorienting professional competencies of current and future health workers. This will make it possible to develop a critical mass of competent practitioners, foster training, and increase visibility of the professional field. Through a review of the literature, the authors offer an overview of competency-based strategies for professional development in health promotion. The main research questions discussed were as follows: Is there a shared definition of public health?; Is there a shared definition of health promotion?; Who are the main stakeholders for public health and health promotion in Europe?; What is the meaning of professional competencies in education and practice for public health and health promotion?; Is there a shared system of professional core competencies in public health and health promotion?;What is common and what is specific between the two systems of professional competencies?; Is it useful and feasible to create specific strategies of professional development for public health and health promotion? A transformative use of competencies makes it possible to inform students, professionals, employers, and political decision-makers about what is expected from a specific profession and its values.

Convergent molecular defects underpin diverse neurodegenerative diseases.

PubMed

Tofaris, George K; Buckley, Noel J

2018-02-19

In our ageing population, neurodegenerative disorders carry an enormous personal, societal and economic burden. Although neurodegenerative diseases are often thought of as clinicopathological entities, increasing evidence suggests a considerable overlap in the molecular underpinnings of their pathogenesis. Such overlapping biological processes include the handling of misfolded proteins, defective organelle trafficking, RNA processing, synaptic health and neuroinflammation. Collectively but in different proportions, these biological processes in neurons or non-neuronal cells lead to regionally distinct patterns of neuronal vulnerability and progression of pathology that could explain the disease symptomology. With the advent of patient-derived cellular models and novel genetic manipulation tools, we are now able to interrogate this commonality despite the cellular complexity of the brain in order to develop novel therapeutic strategies to prevent or arrest neurodegeneration. Here, we describe broadly these concepts and their relevance across neurodegenerative diseases. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2018. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

Recent advances in integrated photonic sensors.

PubMed

Passaro, Vittorio M N; de Tullio, Corrado; Troia, Benedetto; La Notte, Mario; Giannoccaro, Giovanni; De Leonardis, Francesco

2012-11-09

Nowadays, optical devices and circuits are becoming fundamental components in several application fields such as medicine, biotechnology, automotive, aerospace, food quality control, chemistry, to name a few. In this context, we propose a complete review on integrated photonic sensors, with specific attention to materials, technologies, architectures and optical sensing principles. To this aim, sensing principles commonly used in optical detection are presented, focusing on sensor performance features such as sensitivity, selectivity and rangeability. Since photonic sensors provide substantial benefits regarding compatibility with CMOS technology and integration on chips characterized by micrometric footprints, design and optimization strategies of photonic devices are widely discussed for sensing applications. In addition, several numerical methods employed in photonic circuits and devices, simulations and design are presented, focusing on their advantages and drawbacks. Finally, recent developments in the field of photonic sensing are reviewed, considering advanced photonic sensor architectures based on linear and non-linear optical effects and to be employed in chemical/biochemical sensing, angular velocity and electric field detection.

Controlling optics contamination at the PolLux STXM

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Watts, B.; Pilet, N.; Sarafimov, B.; Witte, K.; Raabe, J.

2018-04-01

Contamination of X-ray mirror surfaces by carbon is a common issue that can significantly degrade the optical performance of the instrument. The effects can be severe at photon energies near the carbon K-edge (ca. 300 eV), where the X-rays are strongly attenuated, but also significant at higher photon energies where the carbon coating affects the reflectivity and surface shape of the mirrors. [1] The Swiss Light Source has typically relied on in-situ plasma cleaning to control mirror contamination and the PolLux scanning transmission X-ray microscopy (STXM) beamline has also been employing further contamination reduction strategies in recent years. In particular, in 2014 we installed a 1×10‑8 mbar background pressure of O2 on the PolLux first mirror chamber. We present a history of efforts to control optical contamination at the PolLux beamline and report on the observed efficiencies of the different processes employed both for the in-vacuum optics and critical components of the frequently vented STXM experiment chamber.

Recent Advances in Integrated Photonic Sensors

PubMed Central

Passaro, Vittorio M. N.; de Tullio, Corrado; Troia, Benedetto; La Notte, Mario; Giannoccaro, Giovanni; De Leonardis, Francesco

2012-01-01

Nowadays, optical devices and circuits are becoming fundamental components in several application fields such as medicine, biotechnology, automotive, aerospace, food quality control, chemistry, to name a few. In this context, we propose a complete review on integrated photonic sensors, with specific attention to materials, technologies, architectures and optical sensing principles. To this aim, sensing principles commonly used in optical detection are presented, focusing on sensor performance features such as sensitivity, selectivity and rangeability. Since photonic sensors provide substantial benefits regarding compatibility with CMOS technology and integration on chips characterized by micrometric footprints, design and optimization strategies of photonic devices are widely discussed for sensing applications. In addition, several numerical methods employed in photonic circuits and devices, simulations and design are presented, focusing on their advantages and drawbacks. Finally, recent developments in the field of photonic sensing are reviewed, considering advanced photonic sensor architectures based on linear and non-linear optical effects and to be employed in chemical/biochemical sensing, angular velocity and electric field detection. PMID:23202223

Employment of electrodonating capacity as an index of reactive modulation by substituent effects: application for electron-transfer-controlled hydrogen bonding.

PubMed

Martínez-González, Eduardo; Frontana, Carlos

2014-02-07

Evaluation of the substituent effect in reaction series is an issue of interest, as it is fundamental for controlling chemical reactivity in molecules. Within the framework of density functional theory, employment of the chemical potential, μ, and the chemical hardness, η, leads to the calculation of properties of common use, such as the electrodonating (ω(-)) and electroaccepting (ω(+)) powers, in many chemical systems. In order to examine the predictive character of the substituent effect by these indexes, a comparison between these and experimental binding constants (Kb) for binding of a series of radical anions from para- and ortho-substituted nitrobenzenes with 1,3-diethylurea in acetonitrile was performed, and fair correlations were obtained; furthermore, this strategy was suitable for all of the studied compounds, even those for which empirical approximations, such as Hammett's model, are not valid. Visual representations of substituent effects are presented by considering the local electrodonating power ω(-)(r).

Achieving professional success in US government, academia, and industry: an EMGS commentary.

PubMed

Poirier, Miriam C; Schwartz, Jeffrey L; Aardema, Marilyn J

2014-08-01

One of the goals of the EMGS is to help members achieve professional success in the fields they have trained in. Today, there is greater competition for jobs in genetic toxicology, genomics, and basic research than ever before. In addition, job security and the ability to advance in one's career is challenging, regardless of whether one works in a regulatory, academic, or industry environment. At the EMGS Annual Meeting in Monterey, CA (September, 2013), the Women in EMGS Special Interest Group held a workshop to discuss strategies for achieving professional success. Presentations were given by three speakers, each representing a different employment environment: Government (Miriam C. Poirier), Academia (Jeffrey L. Schwartz), and Industry (Marilyn J. Aardema). Although some differences in factors or traits affecting success in the three employment sectors were noted by each of the speakers, common factors considered important for advancement included networking, seeking out mentors, and developing exceptional communication skills. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Pathophysiological Responses in Rat and Mouse Models of Radiation-Induced Brain Injury.

PubMed

Yang, Lianhong; Yang, Jianhua; Li, Guoqian; Li, Yi; Wu, Rong; Cheng, Jinping; Tang, Yamei

2017-03-01

The brain is the major dose-limiting organ in patients undergoing radiotherapy for assorted conditions. Radiation-induced brain injury is common and mainly occurs in patients receiving radiotherapy for malignant head and neck tumors, arteriovenous malformations, or lung cancer-derived brain metastases. Nevertheless, the underlying mechanisms of radiation-induced brain injury are largely unknown. Although many treatment strategies are employed for affected individuals, the effects remain suboptimal. Accordingly, animal models are extremely important for elucidating pathogenic radiation-associated mechanisms and for developing more efficacious therapies. So far, models employing various animal species with different radiation dosages and fractions have been introduced to investigate the prevention, mechanisms, early detection, and management of radiation-induced brain injury. However, these models all have limitations, and none are widely accepted. This review summarizes the animal models currently set forth for studies of radiation-induced brain injury, especially rat and mouse, as well as radiation dosages, dose fractionation, and secondary pathophysiological responses.

Diagnosis of schistosomiasis japonica with interfacial co-assembly-based multi-channel electrochemical immunosensor arrays

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Deng, Wangping; Xu, Bin; Hu, Haiyan; Li, Jianyong; Hu, Wei; Song, Shiping; Feng, Zheng; Fan, Chunhai

2013-05-01

Schistosomiasis control remains to be an important and challenging task in the world. However, lack of quick, simple, sensitive and specific sero-diagnostic test is still a hurdle in the control practice. The commonly employed enzyme-linked immuno-sorbent assay (ELISA) relies on the native soluble egg antigen (SEA) that is limited in supply. Here we developed an electrochemical immunosensor array (ECISA) assay with an interfacial co-assembly strategy. A recombinant Schistosoma japonicum (Sj) calcium-binding protein (SjE16) was used as a principal antigen, while the SEA as a minor, co-assembling agent, with a ratio of 8:1 (SjE16: SEA, Sj16EA), which was co-immobilized on a disposable 16-channel screen-printed carbon electrode array. A portable electrochemical detector was employed to detect antibodies in serum samples. The sensitivity of ECISA reached 100% with minimal cross-reactions. Therefore, we have demonstrated that this rapid, sensitive and specific ECISA technique has the potential to perform large-scale on-site screening of Sj infection.

A novel dietary improvement strategy: examining the potential impact of community-supported agriculture membership.

PubMed

Vasquez, Angie; Sherwood, Nancy E; Larson, Nicole; Story, Mary

2016-10-01

To investigate the use of community-supported agriculture (CSA) as an employer-based health promotion intervention. Quasi-experimental study using a convenience sample of employees at three employers. Participants and controls from three Minnesota employers completed baseline and follow-up health assessments and surveys about their experiences with CSA. A total of 324 participants purchased a CSA share and were eligible for study inclusion. Study participants were matched by age, sex, employer and occupation to a non-randomized control group of individuals who did not purchase a CSA share but completed health assessments during the same time frame as the study participants. The majority of participants were female, white, middle-aged and highly educated. The most common reason for purchasing a CSA share was a desire for fresh food, and the majority of participants were satisfied with their experience. Participants reported a significant increase in the number of vegetables present in the household and the frequency of family meals. The frequency of eating out decreased significantly, especially at fast-food restaurants. Participants also reported an increase in the amount and variety of produce consumed. However, health assessment data did not show significant changes in dietary intake, health status or BMI. CSA participation was associated with improvement in some aspects of the household environment and dietary behaviours. Further research is needed to determine whether employer-based CSA interventions may also lead to improvements in dietary intake and health.

A Tale of Two Temporal Coding Strategies: Common and Dissociable Brain Regions Involved in Recency versus Associative Temporal Order Retrieval Strategies.

PubMed

Lieberman, Jennifer S; Kyle, Colin T; Schedlbauer, Amber; Stokes, Jared; Ekstrom, Arne D

2017-04-01

Numerous studies indicate the importance of the hippocampus to temporal order retrieval. However, behavioral studies suggest that there are different ways to retrieve temporal order information from encoded sequences, one involving an associative strategy (retrieving associations using neighboring items in a list) and another involving a recency strategy (determining which of two items came first). It remains unresolved, however, whether both strategies recruit the hippocampus or only associative strategies, consistent with the hippocampus's role in relational processing. To address this, we developed a paradigm in which we dissociated associative versus recency-based retrieval, involving the same stimulus presentation during retrieval. Associative retrieval involved an increase in RT (and decrease in performance) with greater distances between intervals, consistent with the need to retrieve intervening associations. Recency-based retrieval involved an increase in RT (and decrease in performance) with shorter distances between intervals, suggesting the use of a strength-based coding mechanism to retrieve information. We employed fMRI to determine the neural basis of the different strategies. Both strategies showed significant levels of hippocampal activation and connectivity that did not differ between tasks. In contrast, both univariate and connectivity pattern analyses revealed differences in extrahippocampal areas such as parietal and frontal cortices. A covariate analysis suggested that differences could not be explained by task difficulty alone. Together, these findings suggest that the hippocampus plays a role in both forms of temporal order retrieval, with neocortical networks mediating the different cognitive demands for associative versus recency-based temporal order retrieval.

Stressful events and coping related to acute and sub-acute whiplash-associated disorders.

PubMed

Pettersson, Susanne; Bring, Annika; Åsenlöf, Pernilla

2017-03-01

Purpose To describe daily stressors affecting and coping strategies employed by individuals with whiplash-associated disorders (WAD) immediately to one month (acute) and three to four months (sub-acute) after injury events using a daily coping assessment. Levels of pain, anxiety, depressed mood and activity are also compared between phases. Method A descriptive prospective design with a content analysis approach was used. Participants completed daily coping assessments for one week during both acute and sub-acute phases. Main measure was whiplash-associated disorders-daily coping assessment (WAD-DCA). Results Nine participants used words describing recovery in the sub-acute phase; 31 described stressful events during both phases. Most frequently reported stressors were related to "symptoms", "emotions" and "occupations/studies". These were equally reported during both phases. Cognitive coping strategies were employed more often during the sub-acute phase (p = 0.008). The only behavioral strategy that increased in prevalence over time was the "relaxed" strategy (p = 0.001). Anxiety levels declined over time (p = 0.022). Conclusion The reported stressors were largely uniform across both acute and sub-acute phases; however, the use of cognitive coping strategies increased over time. The WAD-DCA captures individual stressors and coping strategies employed during a vulnerable phase of rehabilitation and can thus provide information that is useful to clinical practice. Implications for rehabilitation The WAD-DCA provides valuable information for clinical practice when employed during early phases of whiplash-associated disorder development. Reported stressors during the acute and sub-acute phases are essentially the same, whereas cognitive coping strategies grow in prevalence over time. Tailored treatments in early phases of whip-lash associated disorders may benefit from strategies aimed at matching patient-specific stressors with contextually adapted coping strategies.

Building Employer Capacity to Support Meaningful Employment for Persons with Developmental Disabilities: A Grounded Theory Study of Employment Support Perspectives

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rashid, Marghalara; Hodgetts, Sandra; Nicholas, David

2017-01-01

To explore strategies to build employer capacity to support people with DD in meaningful employment from perspective of employment support workers. A grounded theory study was conducted with 34 employment support individuals. A theoretical sampling approach was used to identify and recruit participants from multiple sites in Ontario and Alberta.…

The effect of hospital control strategies on physician satisfaction and physician-hospital conflict.

PubMed Central

Burns, L R; Andersen, R M; Shortell, S M

1990-01-01

This article examines several strategies that hospitals use to control their medical staffs. Such strategies include placing physicians on salary, developing exclusive hospital affiliations with physicians, and involving physicians in decision-making bodies. Using regression techniques, we investigate which hospitals are more likely to utilize these strategies and whether such strategies are effective in promoting physician-hospital integration. Contrary to our expectations, corporate hospital structures (e.g., for-profit hospitals, membership in multihospital systems) generally do not employ these strategies more often and oftentimes employ them less. There is also little evidence that control strategies are effective levers for increasing physician satisfaction or decreasing physician-hospital conflict. We suggest that control strategies are useful for purposes other than promoting physician-hospital integration. Finally, hospital ownership appears to exert the biggest effect on physician satisfaction and conflict. PMID:2380074

Work Values, Cognitive Strategies, and Applicant Reactions in a Structured Pre-Employment Interview for Ethical Integrity.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pawlowski, Donna R.; Hollwitz, John

2000-01-01

Notes that companies emphasize ethical behavior, and schools and professional groups devote many resources to applied ethics training. Describes initial construct validation of a structured ethical integrity pre-employment interview. Reviews evidence relating to cognitive and impression management strategies used when college students encounter an…

Welfare and Work: Complementary Strategies for Low-Income Women?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smith, Judith R.; Brooks-Gunn, Jeane; Klebanov, Pamela K.; Lee, Kyunghee

2000-01-01

Examines the effects of mothers' strategies of combining employment and welfare receipt during the first three years of their child's life on the child's cognitive development, behavior problems, and home learning environment at ages five and six. No negative association was found on most child outcomes with a mother's employment whether or not it…

Reading Strategies among ESL Malaysian Secondary School Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Semtin, Semry Anak; Maniam, Mahendran

2015-01-01

This study aimed to investigate the types of cognitive and metacognitive reading strategies employed by secondary school students in Malaysia to improve their comprehension. The study employed a mixed-method approach which involves the instruments of a questionnaire and an interview. This study was conducted at SMK Kapit, involving ninety Form 4…

An Employment Service Research and Development Strategy.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Aller, Curtis C.; And Others

The report presents a strategy developed by an outside research group for the manpower administration which would: (1) identify and organize the questions facing the U.S. Employment Service (ES), (2) set priorities among the questions, and (3) outline alternative approaches for answering the questions. The study was undertaken in order to clarify…

Enabling university teaching for Canadian academics with multiple sclerosis through problem-focused coping.

PubMed

Crooks, Valorie A; Stone, Sharon Dale; Owen, Michelle

2011-02-01

Research shows that sustained employment contributes to a higher quality of life for those with multiple sclerosis (MS). Occupational therapists can work to create therapeutic interventions that assist people with MS with maintaining employment. To detail the problem-focused coping strategies that academics with MS employ to enable them to teach in universities. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 45 Canadian academics with MS. Thematic analysis was used to generate findings. While there is flexibility in research and service work tasks, teaching tasks are the most seemingly inflexible. This necessitated the development of problem-focused coping strategies to enable teaching. Three categories of strategies were employed: (1) organizational; (2) before/after teaching; and (3) during teaching. This brief report is intended to serve as a resource for occupational therapists and others wanting to gain a better understanding of the types of therapeutic interventions useful to those teaching in universities.

Preparing Future Geoscience Professionals: Needs, Strategies, Programs, and Online Resources

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Macdonald, H.; Manduca, C. A.; Ormand, C. J.; Dunbar, R. W.; Beane, R. J.; Bruckner, M.; Bralower, T. J.; Feiss, P. G.; Tewksbury, B. J.; Wiese, K.

2011-12-01

Geoscience faculty, departments, and programs play an important role in preparing future geoscience professionals. One challenge is supporting the diversity of student goals for future employment and the needs of a wide range of potential employers. Students in geoscience degree programs pursue careers in traditional geoscience industries; in geoscience education and research (including K-12 teaching); and opportunities at the intersection of geoscience and other fields (e.g., policy, law, business). The Building Strong Geoscience Departments project has documented a range of approaches that departments use to support the development of geoscience majors as professionals (serc.carleton.edu/departments). On the Cutting Edge, a professional development program, supports graduate students and post-doctoral fellows interested in pursuing an academic career through workshops, webinars, and online resources (serc.carleton.edu/NAGTWorkshops/careerprep). Geoscience departments work at the intersection of student interests and employer needs. Commonly cited program goals that align with employer needs include mastery of geoscience content; field experience; skill in problem solving, quantitative reasoning, communication, and collaboration; and the ability to learn independently and take a project from start to finish. Departments and faculty can address workforce issues by 1) implementing of degree programs that develop the knowledge, skills, and attitudes that students need, while recognizing that students have a diversity of career goals; 2) introducing career options to majors and potential majors and encouraging exploration of options; 3) advising students on how to prepare for specific career paths; 4) helping students develop into professionals, and 5) supporting students in the job search. It is valuable to build connections with geoscience employers, work with alumni and foster connections between students and alumni with similar career interests, collaborate with campus career centers, incorporate career advising and mentoring throughout the degree program, and recognize that co-curricular experiences are also important avenues through which students can also develop as professionals. Graduate students and post-doctoral fellows have many questions about academic jobs and the academic job search process and many are uncertain about the nature of academic positions at different kinds of educational institutions (two-year colleges, primarily undergraduate institutions, and research universities). On the Cutting Edge workshops and webinars provide insights into academic careers in different institutional settings, various teaching strategies and course design, strategies for moving research forward, effective teaching and research statements, the job search process, and negotiation. The website provides resources on these topics as well as others and includes screen casts of the webinar sessions, making these resources available to all.

Combinatorial drug delivery strategy employing nano-curcumin and nano-MiADMSA for the treatment of arsenic intoxication in mouse.

PubMed

Kushwaha, Pramod; Yadav, Abhishek; Samim, M; Flora, S J S

2018-04-25

Chelation therapy is the mainstream treatment for heavy metal poisoning. Apart from this, therapy using antioxidant/herbal extracts are the other strategies now commonly being tried for the treatment. We have previously reported individual beneficial efficacy of nanoparticle mediated administration of an antioxidant like 'curcumin' and an arsenic chelator 'monoisoamyl 2,3-dimercaptosuccinic acid (MiADMSA)' for the treatment of arsenic toxicity compared to bulk drugs. The present paper investigates our hypothesis that a combination drug delivery therapy employing two nanosystems, a chelator and a strong antioxidant, may produce more pronounced therapeutic effects compared to individual effects in the treatment of arsenic toxicity. An in-vivo study was conducted wherein arsenic as sodium arsenite (100 ppm) was administered in drinking water for 5 months to Swiss albino mice. This was followed by a treatment protocol comprising of curcumin encapsulated chitosan nanoparticles (nano-curcumin, 15 mg/kg, orally for 1 month) either alone or in combination with MiADMSA encapsulated polymeric nanoparticles (nano-MiADMSA, 50 mg/kg for last 5 days) to evaluate the therapeutic potential of the combination treatment. Our results demonstrated that co-treatment with nano-curcumin and nano-MiADMSA provided beneficial effects in a synergistic way on the adverse changes in oxidative stress parameters and metal status induced by arsenic. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Design and Hospital-Wide Implementation of a Standardized Discharge Summary in an Electronic Health Record

PubMed Central

Dean, Shannon M; Gilmore-Bykovskyi, Andrea; Buchanan, Joel; Ehlenfeldt, Brad; Kind, Amy JH

2016-01-01

Background The hospital discharge summary is the primary method used to communicate a patient's plan of care to the next provider(s). Despite the existence of regulations and guidelines outlining the optimal content for the discharge summary and its importance in facilitating an effective transition to post-hospital care, incomplete discharge summaries remain a common problem that may contribute to poor post-hospital outcomes. Electronic health records (EHRs) are regularly used as a platform upon which standardization of content and format can be implemented. Objective We describe here the design and hospital-wide implementation of a standardized discharge summary using an EHR. Methods We employed the evidence-based Replicating Effective Programs implementation strategy to guide the development and implementation during this large-scale project. Results Within 18 months, 90% of all hospital discharge summaries were written using the standardized format. Hospital providers found the template helpful and easy to use, and recipient providers perceived an improvement in the quality of discharge summaries compared to those sent from our hospital previously. Conclusions Discharge summaries can be standardized and implemented hospital-wide with both author and recipient provider satisfaction, especially if evidence-based implementation strategies are employed. The use of EHR tools to guide clinicians in writing comprehensive discharge summaries holds promise in improving the existing deficits in communication at transitions of care. PMID:28334559

The value of self-medication: summary of existing evidence.

PubMed

Noone, Joshua; Blanchette, Christopher M

2018-02-01

The aim of this review was to identify the international evidence that is currently available on the economic value of self-care through responsible self-medication, in terms of the measures related to access to treatment, time, and productivity. A targeted literature search was conducted for 1990-2016, including data gathered from members of the World Self-Medication Industry and searches on PubMed, EBSCOHost, and Google Scholar. Specific searches of individual drug classes known to be switched to non-prescription status in this period were also conducted. A total of 71 articles were identified, of which 17 (11 modeling studies, six retrospective analyses) were included in the review. Evidence from modeling studies and retrospective analyses of grouped data across a range of common conditions for which non-prescription medications are available in different countries/regions showed that the use of non-prescription products for the treatment of common conditions or for symptom management (e.g. allergies, chronic pain, migraine, vaginitis, gastrointestinal symptoms, or common cold symptoms) had considerable value to patients, payers, and employers alike in terms of cost savings and improved productivity. Potential benefits of self-medication were also identified in preventative healthcare strategies, such as those for cardiovascular health and osteoporosis. This review was limited by a targeted, but non-systematic approach to literature retrieval, as well as the inclusion of unpublished reports/white papers and patient self-reported data. The evidence identified in this literature review shows that responsible, appropriate self-medication with non-prescription products can provide significant economic benefits for patients, employers, and healthcare systems worldwide.

Multimodal Sensing Strategy Using pH Dependent Fluorescence Switchable System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Muthurasu, A.; Ganesh, V.

2016-12-01

Biomolecules assisted preparation of fluorescent gold nanoparticles (FL-Au NPs) has been reported in this work using glucose oxidase enzyme as both reducing and stabilizing agent and demonstrated their application through multimodal sensing strategy for selective detection of cysteine (Cys). Three different methods namely fluorescence turn OFF-ON strategy, naked eye detection and electrochemical methods are used for Cys detection by employing FL-Au NPs as a common probe. In case of fluorescence turn-OFF method a strong interaction between Au NPs and thiol results in quenching of fluorescence due to replacement of glucose oxidase by Cys at neutral pH. Second mode is based on fluorescence switch-ON strategy where initial fluorescence is significantly quenched by either excess acid or base and further addition of Cys results in appearance of rosy-red and green fluorescence respectively. Visual colour change and fluorescence emission arises due to etching of Au atoms on the surface by thiol leading to formation of Au nanoclusters. Finally, electrochemical sensing of Cys is also carried out using cyclic voltammetry in 0.1 M PBS solution. These findings provide a suitable platform for Cys detection over a wide range of pH and concentration levels and hence the sensitivity can also be tuned accordingly.

Cognitive training approaches to remediate attention and executive dysfunction after traumatic brain injury: A single-case series.

PubMed

Dymowski, Alicia Rhian; Ponsford, Jennie Louise; Willmott, Catherine

2016-10-01

Attentional deficits are common following traumatic brain injury (TBI) and interfere with daily functioning. This study employed a single-case design to examine the effects of individualised strategy training on attention beyond the effects of computerised training using Attention Process Training 3 (APT-3), and to examine the participants' subjective experience of these approaches. An ABCA (baseline, APT-3, strategy training, follow-up) design was repeated across three participants with severe TBI. Outcomes were measured on alternate versions of the oral Symbol Digit Modalities Test (SDMT) and cancellation tasks; generalisation with the Test of Everyday Attention (TEA) and self and significant other (SO) ratings on the Rating Scale of Attentional Behaviour (RSAB); and participant experiences with semi-structured interviews. Planned Tau-U analyses revealed improvements in speed of processing on the SDMT and the automatic condition of the cancellation task after APT-3 and at follow-up, but with most improvement after strategy training. Limited generalisation was evident on TEA subtests and self-RSAB ratings. SO-RSAB ratings were mixed after APT-3, but demonstrated improvement after strategy training. Variability in attentional deficits and everyday attentional requirements between patients required individualised goals and approaches to rehabilitation. This study highlights the need for individualised rehabilitation of attention to improve everyday functioning after TBI.

How do Student Clients of a University-based Food Bank Cope with Food Insecurity?

PubMed

Farahbakhsh, Jasmine; Ball, Geoff D C; Farmer, Anna P; Maximova, Katerina; Hanbazaza, Mahitab; Willows, Noreen D

2015-12-01

To describe the food security status, food insecurity coping strategies, characteristics, and experiences of student clients of the Campus Food Bank (CFB) at the University of Alberta in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. A convenience sample of 58 students completed a survey from April 2013 to April 2014. Food security status was determined using the "Adult Food Security Survey Module". Ninety percent of CFB student clients who participated in this study were food insecure, which included both moderately and severely food insecure groups. The most prevalent coping strategies for food insecurity included applying for a loan or bursary (86.2%), seeking employment or working more hours (84.5%), and purchasing food using a credit card (77.6%). Participants were a diverse mix of students, including graduate students (50.0%), international students (46.6%), and caregivers of children (24.1%). The most common primary sources of income were government student loans (29.3%) and research assistantships (20.7%). Most participants (82.8%) liked the food they received from the food bank. Food insecurity is highly prevalent among student clients of this university-based food bank. Students used a variety of coping strategies to increase their disposable income, highlighting the need for additional strategies to alleviate food insecurity among vulnerable students.

Strategy selection in cue-based decision making.

PubMed

Bryant, David J

2014-06-01

People can make use of a range of heuristic and rational, compensatory strategies to perform a multiple-cue judgment task. It has been proposed that people are sensitive to the amount of cognitive effort required to employ decision strategies. Experiment 1 employed a dual-task methodology to investigate whether participants' preference for heuristic versus compensatory decision strategies can be altered by increasing the cognitive demands of the task. As indicated by participants' decision times, a secondary task interfered more with the performance of a heuristic than compensatory decision strategy but did not affect the proportions of participants using either type of strategy. A stimulus set effect suggested that the conjunction of cue salience and cue validity might play a determining role in strategy selection. The results of Experiment 2 indicated that when a perceptually salient cue was also the most valid, the majority of participants preferred a single-cue heuristic strategy. Overall, the results contradict the view that heuristics are more likely to be adopted when a task is made more cognitively demanding. It is argued that people employ 2 learning processes during training, one an associative learning process in which cue-outcome associations are developed by sampling multiple cues, and another that involves the sequential examination of single cues to serve as a basis for a single-cue heuristic.

Demystifying the Search Button

PubMed Central

McKeever, Liam; Nguyen, Van; Peterson, Sarah J.; Gomez-Perez, Sandra

2015-01-01

A thorough review of the literature is the basis of all research and evidence-based practice. A gold-standard efficient and exhaustive search strategy is needed to ensure all relevant citations have been captured and that the search performed is reproducible. The PubMed database comprises both the MEDLINE and non-MEDLINE databases. MEDLINE-based search strategies are robust but capture only 89% of the total available citations in PubMed. The remaining 11% include the most recent and possibly relevant citations but are only searchable through less efficient techniques. An effective search strategy must employ both the MEDLINE and the non-MEDLINE portion of PubMed to ensure all studies have been identified. The robust MEDLINE search strategies are used for the MEDLINE portion of the search. Usage of the less robust strategies is then efficiently confined to search only the remaining 11% of PubMed citations that have not been indexed for MEDLINE. The current article offers step-by-step instructions for building such a search exploring methods for the discovery of medical subject heading (MeSH) terms to search MEDLINE, text-based methods for exploring the non-MEDLINE database, information on the limitations of convenience algorithms such as the “related citations feature,” the strengths and pitfalls associated with commonly used filters, the proper usage of Boolean operators to organize a master search strategy, and instructions for automating that search through “MyNCBI” to receive search query updates by email as new citations become available. PMID:26129895

Magnetite-doped polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) for phosphopeptide enrichment.

PubMed

Sandison, Mairi E; Jensen, K Tveen; Gesellchen, F; Cooper, J M; Pitt, A R

2014-10-07

Reversible phosphorylation plays a key role in numerous biological processes. Mass spectrometry-based approaches are commonly used to analyze protein phosphorylation, but such analysis is challenging, largely due to the low phosphorylation stoichiometry. Hence, a number of phosphopeptide enrichment strategies have been developed, including metal oxide affinity chromatography (MOAC). Here, we describe a new material for performing MOAC that employs a magnetite-doped polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS), that is suitable for the creation of microwell array and microfluidic systems to enable low volume, high throughput analysis. Incubation time and sample loading were explored and optimized and demonstrate that the embedded magnetite is able to enrich phosphopeptides. This substrate-based approach is rapid, straightforward and suitable for simultaneously performing multiple, low volume enrichments.

Assessing university students' self-efficacy to employ alcohol-related harm reduction strategies.

PubMed

Rosenberg, Harold; Bonar, Erin E; Hoffmann, Erica; Kryszak, Elizabeth; Young, Kathleen M; Kraus, Shane W; Ashrafioun, Lisham; Bannon, Erin E; Pavlick, Michelle

2011-01-01

Develop and evaluate key psychometric properties of a self-report questionnaire specifically designed to assess student drinkers' self-confidence to employ a variety of strategies intended to reduce unhealthy consequences of high-risk drinking. Four hundred ninety-eight participants rated their confidence (from "not at all confident" to "completely confident") to employ 17 harm reduction strategies when drinking. Factor analysis and internal consistency reliability analyses indicated that the 17 items constitute a single scale with good test-retest reliability. Consistent with other research examining previous use of such strategies, women in our sample reported significantly higher harm reduction self-efficacy than did men. Harm reduction self-efficacy was also associated with reported number of high-risk drinking episodes in the previous 2 weeks. This brief and easily administered questionnaire holds promise as a clinical tool to identify individuals with low harm reduction self-efficacy and as an outcome measure for health promotion and educational interventions.

Assessment of self-efficacy to employ self-initiated pornography use-reduction strategies.

PubMed

Kraus, Shane W; Rosenberg, Harold; Tompsett, Carolyn J

2015-01-01

This study evaluated several psychometric properties of a newly developed questionnaire designed to assess individuals' self-efficacy (from 0% to 100%) to employ self-initiated cognitive-behavioral strategies intended to reduce the frequency and duration of their pornography use. Using a web-based data collection procedure, we recruited 1298 male users of pornography to complete questionnaires assessing hypersexuality, pornography use history, and general self-efficacy. Based on a principal component analysis and examination of inter-item correlations, we deleted 13 items from the initial pool of 21 strategies. The resulting 8-item questionnaire had excellent internal consistency reliability, and a moderate mean inter-item correlation considered indicative of unidimensionality. In support of criterion validity, self-efficacy to employ use-reduction strategies was significantly associated with the frequency with which participants used pornography, with scores on a measure of hypersexuality, and with the number of times one had attempted to cut back using pornography. In support of discriminant validity, we found that pornography use-reduction self-efficacy scores were not strongly correlated with general self-efficacy. Both researchers and clinicians could use this questionnaire to assess pornography users' confidence to employ self-initiated strategies intended to reduce the duration and frequency with which they use pornography. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

The case for exploring the usage of employee wellness programs for pediatric asthma control.

PubMed

Jassal, Mandeep S; Butz, Arlene

2018-01-18

The multiple socioecological determinants of asthma mandate that pediatricians develop a treatment strategy beyond the practice-based setting. To expand to a more impactful community-based role, pediatricians must look to form partnerships with groups that are capable of promoting social and environmental change. Traditionally, these groups have included schools, governmental agencies, and child care establishments. One group that is not actively being availed of are employers who have shown success in improving adult-based outcomes through wellness programs. Employers are stakeholders in pediatric asthma care through its impact on reduced worker productivity and higher health insurance premiums. An employer's focus on pediatric asthma will be a collective win for the employer and employee. The article herein describes the rationale for the focus of employers on pediatric asthma care and potential incorporation within employer-based wellness strategies.

Gender and Rural Employment: A View from Latin America

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ballara, Marcela

2007-01-01

The paper focuses on women employment in rural areas and its impacts in food security. The presentation includes data on rural women employment and its different labour strategies: temporary work, non agriculture rural employment and permanent rural employment. Poverty alleviation and its impact on families as well as implications in the economic…

A Strategy of Assumed Incumbency: A Case Study.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Powell, Larry; Shelby, Annette

1981-01-01

Outlines a political campaign strategy employed by incumbents using three stages of development: legitimacy, identification, and reinforcement. A case study demonstrates the effectiveness of the strategy. (JMF)

Investigating Learning Strategies for Vocabulary Development: A Comparative Study of Two Universities of Quetta, Pakistan

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fatima, Irum; Pathan, Zahid Hussain

2016-01-01

The primary purpose of this research is to investigate the vocabulary learning strategies employed by the undergraduate students of Sardar Bahadur Khan Women's University (SBKWU) and University of Balochistan (UOB), Quetta, Pakistan. A quantitative design was employed in this study to answer the two research questions of the present study. The…

Job Search Strategies of Recent University Graduates in Poland: Plans and Effectiveness

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Piróg, Danuta

2016-01-01

The objective of this article was to highlight plans versus actual actions of university graduates in Poland aimed at finding employment. The paper also empirically verifies the impact of chosen job-seeking strategies on the success or failure of their transition to employment. The study was Polish-wide and included graduates of geography. It…

Strategies Employed by Iranian EFL Freshman University Students in Extensive Listening: A Qualitative Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bidabadi, Farinaz Shirani; Yamat, Hamidah

2014-01-01

This paper discusses the findings of a qualitative study on the strategies employed by Iranian freshmen in extensive listening. A group of 12 freshman university students were purposefully selected based on their scores in the Oxford Placement Test administered. Four learners were identified as advanced, four as intermediate, and four as lower…

Research and Development Strategy on Employment-Related Problems of Older Workers. Final Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sheppard, Harold L.; And Others

The study reported here examines the employment-related problems of older workers and develops a research and development strategy for future federally funded projects. Following an introductory section, the content is in fifteen chapters. The first chapter covers a number of critical policy issues and the second concentrates on job-related…

Proficiency as a Variable in Gulf EFL Students' Employment of Reading Strategies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Endley, Martin J.

2016-01-01

This paper reports a study of the reading strategies used by twelve Arabic-speaking undergraduates at a major Gulf university when reading texts in English. The procedure employed was a think-aloud protocol followed by a semi-structured interview. Three research questions were addressed: (a) What are the primary comprehension problems encountered…

Beaten Into Submissiveness? An Investigation Into the Protective Strategies Used by Survivors of Domestic Abuse.

PubMed

Irving, Laura; Liu, Ben Chi-Pun

2016-12-01

The aim of the study was to identify the prevalence and perceived helpfulness of a variety of protective strategies that were used by female survivors of domestic abuse and to explore factors that may have influenced strategy usage. Forty participants were recruited from a voluntary sector domestic abuse service, commissioned by an outer London local authority in the United Kingdom, in early 2014. The measurement tools used were the Intimate Partner Violence Strategies Index (IPVSI) and the Coordinated Action Against Domestic Abuse (CAADA) Domestic Abuse, Stalking and "Honour"-Based Violence (DASH) Risk Assessment Checklist. The average age was 33 years ( SD = 7.9, range = 20-57); half reported to be of Asian ethnicity, 37.5% White, and 12.5% Black or Mixed ethnicity. The average DASH score was 9.8 ( SD = 13.2, range = 0-18), and an average of 18 ( SD = 6.7, range = 1-29) protective strategies were utilized by each participant. All of the most commonly used strategies were from the placating category. Although safety planning strategies were rated as the most helpful by all participants, placating strategies were also rated as helpful by two thirds of participants. Stepwise multiple regression showed that placating was the only significant predictor of DASH score (β = .375, p < .05) and accounted for 14% of the variance of DASH score. Findings showed that women utilized a diverse range of protective strategies with placating strategies being most intensely used and rated as helpful. However, placating strategy usage could be a risk factor as opposed to a protective factor. This study has also demonstrated that greater placating strategies were used by White than South Asian women, and women who were employed used more formal strategies. This research has extended the knowledge base of protective strategies that professionals can draw from to underpin decisions and interventions when working with domestic abuse survivors.

20 CFR 655.715 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... Employment Standards Administration, DOL. Employed, employed by the employer, or employment relationship means the employment relationship as determined under the common law, under which the key determinant is... * * *. [A]ll of the incidents of the relationship must be assessed and weighed with no one factor being...

Exploring Different Strategies for Efficient Delivery of Colorectal Cancer Therapy

PubMed Central

Lin, Congcong; Ng, Huei Leng Helena; Pan, Weisan; Chen, Hubiao; Zhang, Ge; Bian, Zhaoxiang; Lu, Aiping; Yang, Zhijun

2015-01-01

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most common cancer and the fourth leading cause of cancer death in the world. Currently available chemotherapy of CRC usually delivers the drug to both normal as well as cancerous tissues, thus leading to numerous undesirable effects. Much emphasis is being laid on the development of effective drug delivery systems for achieving selective delivery of the active moiety at the anticipated site of action with minimized unwanted side effects. Researchers have employed various techniques (dependent on pH, time, pressure and/or bacteria) for targeting drugs directly to the colonic region. On the other hand, systemic drug delivery strategies to specific molecular targets (such as FGFR, EGFR, CD44, EpCAM, CA IX, PPARγ and COX-2) overexpressed by cancerous cells have also been shown to be effective. This review aims to put forth an overview of drug delivery technologies that have been, and may be developed, for the treatment of CRC. PMID:26569228

A simple and efficient alternative to implementing systematic random sampling in stereological designs without a motorized microscope stage.

PubMed

Melvin, Neal R; Poda, Daniel; Sutherland, Robert J

2007-10-01

When properly applied, stereology is a very robust and efficient method to quantify a variety of parameters from biological material. A common sampling strategy in stereology is systematic random sampling, which involves choosing a random sampling [corrected] start point outside the structure of interest, and sampling relevant objects at [corrected] sites that are placed at pre-determined, equidistant intervals. This has proven to be a very efficient sampling strategy, and is used widely in stereological designs. At the microscopic level, this is most often achieved through the use of a motorized stage that facilitates the systematic random stepping across the structure of interest. Here, we report a simple, precise and cost-effective software-based alternative to accomplishing systematic random sampling under the microscope. We believe that this approach will facilitate the use of stereological designs that employ systematic random sampling in laboratories that lack the resources to acquire costly, fully automated systems.

Seeing in 3-D: examining the reach of diabetes self-management support strategies in a public health care system.

PubMed

Schillinger, Dean; Hammer, Hali; Wang, Frances; Palacios, Jorge; McLean, Ivonne; Tang, Audrey; Youmans, Sharon; Handley, Margaret

2008-10-01

The authors examined whether tailored self-management support (SMS) strategies reach patients in a safety net system and explored variation by language, literacy, and insurance. English-, Spanish-, and Cantonese-speaking diabetes patients were randomized to weekly automated telephone disease management (ATDM) or monthly group medical visits. The SMS programs employ distinct communication methods but share common objectives, including behavioral "action plans." Reach was measured using three complementary dimensions: (a) participation among clinics, clinicians, and patients; (b) patient representativeness; and (c) patient engagement with SMS. Participation rates were high across all levels and preferentially attracted Spanish-language speakers, uninsured, and Medicaid recipients. Although both programs engaged a significant proportion in action planning, ATDM yielded higher engagement, especially among those with limited English proficiency and limited literacy. These results provide important insights for health communication and translational research with respect to realizing the public health benefits of SMS and can inform system-level planning to reduce health disparities.

Robustness and Strategies of Adaptation among Farmer Varieties of African Rice (Oryza glaberrima) and Asian Rice (Oryza sativa) across West Africa

PubMed Central

Maat, Harro; Richards, Paul; Struik, Paul C.

2013-01-01

This study offers evidence of the robustness of farmer rice varieties (Oryza glaberrima and O. sativa) in West Africa. Our experiments in five West African countries showed that farmer varieties were tolerant of sub-optimal conditions, but employed a range of strategies to cope with stress. Varieties belonging to the species Oryza glaberrima – solely the product of farmer agency – were the most successful in adapting to a range of adverse conditions. Some of the farmer selections from within the indica and japonica subspecies of O. sativa also performed well in a range of conditions, but other farmer selections from within these two subspecies were mainly limited to more specific niches. The results contradict the rather common belief that farmer varieties are only of local value. Farmer varieties should be considered by breeding programmes and used (alongside improved varieties) in dissemination projects for rural food security. PMID:23536754

On the impact of water activity on reversal tolerant fuel cell anode performance and durability

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hong, Bo Ki; Mandal, Pratiti; Oh, Jong-Gil; Litster, Shawn

2016-10-01

Durability of polymer electrolyte fuel cells in automotive applications can be severely affected by hydrogen starvation arising due to transients during the drive-cycle. It causes individual cell voltage reversal, yielding water electrolysis and carbon corrosion reactions at the anode, ultimately leading to catastrophic cell failure. A popular material-based mitigation strategy is to employ a reversal tolerant anode (RTA) that includes oxygen evolution reaction (OER) catalyst (e.g., IrO2) to promote water electrolysis over carbon corrosion. Here we report that RTA performance surprisingly drops under not only water-deficient but also water-excess conditions. This presents a significant technical challenge since the most common triggers for cell reversal involve excess liquid water. Our findings from detailed electrochemical diagnostics and nano-scale X-ray computed tomography provide insight into how automotive fuel cells can overcome critical vulnerabilities using material-based solutions. Our work also highlights the need for improved materials, electrode designs, and operation strategies for robust RTAs.

Calibration Errors in Interferometric Radio Polarimetry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hales, Christopher A.

2017-08-01

Residual calibration errors are difficult to predict in interferometric radio polarimetry because they depend on the observational calibration strategy employed, encompassing the Stokes vector of the calibrator and parallactic angle coverage. This work presents analytic derivations and simulations that enable examination of residual on-axis instrumental leakage and position-angle errors for a suite of calibration strategies. The focus is on arrays comprising alt-azimuth antennas with common feeds over which parallactic angle is approximately uniform. The results indicate that calibration schemes requiring parallactic angle coverage in the linear feed basis (e.g., the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array) need only observe over 30°, beyond which no significant improvements in calibration accuracy are obtained. In the circular feed basis (e.g., the Very Large Array above 1 GHz), 30° is also appropriate when the Stokes vector of the leakage calibrator is known a priori, but this rises to 90° when the Stokes vector is unknown. These findings illustrate and quantify concepts that were previously obscure rules of thumb.

Pathway engineering strategies for production of beneficial carotenoids in microbial hosts.

PubMed

Ye, Victor M; Bhatia, Sujata K

2012-08-01

Carotenoids, such as lycopene, β-carotene, zeaxanthin, canthaxanthin and astaxanthin have many benefits for human health. In addition to the functional role of carotenoids as vitamin A precursors, adequate consumption of carotenoids prevents the development of a variety of serious diseases. Biosynthesis of carotenoids is a complex process and it starts with the common isoprene precursors. Condensation of these precursors and subsequent modifications, by introducing hydroxyl- and keto-groups, leads to the generation of diversified carotenoid structures. To improve carotenoid production, metabolic engineering has been explored in bacteria, yeast, and algae. The success of the pathway engineering effort depends on the host metabolism, specific enzymes used, the enzyme expression levels, and the strategies employed. Despite the difficulty of pathway engineering for carotenoid production, great progress has been made over the past decade. We review metabolic engineering approaches used in a variety of microbial hosts for carotenoid biosynthesis. These advances will greatly expedite our efforts to bring the health benefits of carotenoids and other nutritional compounds to our diet.

20 CFR 663.245 - What is the individual employment plan?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... ADULT AND DISLOCATED WORKER ACTIVITIES UNDER TITLE I OF THE WORKFORCE INVESTMENT ACT Intensive Services § 663.245 What is the individual employment plan? The individual employment plan is an ongoing strategy...

Employer retention strategies and their effect on nurses' job satisfaction and intent to stay.

PubMed

Ellenbecker, Carol Hall; Samia, Linda; Cushman, Margaret J; Porell, Frank W

2007-01-01

Faced with a nursing shortage and anticipated increase in demand, home care agencies are implementing retention strategies with little knowledge of their effectiveness. The purpose of this study is to describe the strategies implemented and their effect on nurse job satisfaction and intention to leave. Data were collected from a random sample of 123 New England agencies during in-person interviews. Most agencies reported implementing multiple recruitment and retention strategies. Regression results suggest that the effects of employer retention strategy on nurses' intent to stay are the indirect result of its effects on job satisfaction. The only retention intervention that made a statistically significant difference in job satisfaction was shared governance, and no retention strategy directly affected nurses' intention to stay in their jobs.

The performance of differential VLBI delay during interplanetary cruise

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Moultrie, B.; Wolff, P. J.; Taylor, T. H.

1984-01-01

Project Voyager radio metric data are used to evaluate the orbit determination abilities of several data strategies during spacecraft interplanetary cruise. Benchmark performance is established with an operational data strategy of conventional coherent doppler, coherent range, and explicitly differenced range data from two intercontinental baselines to ameliorate the low declination singularity of the doppler data. Employing a Voyager operations trajectory as a reference, the performance of the operational data strategy is compared to the performances of data strategies using differential VLBI delay data (spacecraft delay minus quasar delay) in combinations with the aforementioned conventional data types. The comparison of strategy performances indicates that high accuracy cruise orbit determination can be achieved with a data strategy employing differential VLBI delay data, where the quantity of coherent radio metric data has been greatly reduced.

Multiple stakeholders in multi-criteria decision-making in the context of Municipal Solid Waste Management: A review

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

Soltani, Atousa; Hewage, Kasun; Reza, Bahareh

2015-01-15

Highlights: • We review Municipal Solid Waste Management studies with focus on multiple stakeholders. • We focus on studies with multi-criteria decision analysis methods and discover their trends. • Most studies do not offer solutions for situations where stakeholders compete for more benefits or have unequal voting powers. • Governments and experts are the most participated stakeholders and AHP is the most dominant method. - Abstract: Municipal Solid Waste Management (MSWM) is a complicated process that involves multiple environmental and socio-economic criteria. Decision-makers look for decision support frameworks that can guide in defining alternatives, relevant criteria and their weights, andmore » finding a suitable solution. In addition, decision-making in MSWM problems such as finding proper waste treatment locations or strategies often requires multiple stakeholders such as government, municipalities, industries, experts, and/or general public to get involved. Multi-criteria Decision Analysis (MCDA) is the most popular framework employed in previous studies on MSWM; MCDA methods help multiple stakeholders evaluate the often conflicting criteria, communicate their different preferences, and rank or prioritize MSWM strategies to finally agree on some elements of these strategies and make an applicable decision. This paper reviews and brings together research on the application of MCDA for solving MSWM problems with more focus on the studies that have considered multiple stakeholders and offers solutions for such problems. Results of this study show that AHP is the most common approach in consideration of multiple stakeholders and experts and governments/municipalities are the most common participants in these studies.« less

Redefining cancer: a new paradigm for better and faster treatment innovation.

PubMed

Stewart, David J; Batist, Gerald

2014-01-01

Common cancers may arise from several different mutations, and each causative mutation may require different treatment approaches. There are also several mechanisms by which malignancies may become resistant to therapy, and each mechanism will also require a different therapeutic strategy. Hence, the paradigm of devising therapies based on tumor type is suboptimal. Each common malignancy may now be regarded as a collection of morphologically similar but molecularly distinct orphan diseases, each requiring unique approaches. Current strategies that employ randomized clinical trials (RCTs) in unselected patients carry a high risk of misleading results. Available data suggest that it is reasonable to grant marketing approval for new anticancer agents based solely on high single-agent response rates in small phase I-II studies involving molecularly-defined patient groups where benefit from other therapies is unlikely. This could markedly speed patient access to important therapies while reducing health care costs by slashing drug development costs. Feasible post-approval surveillance procedures could provide ongoing monitoring of drug safety. While assessment of drug combinations would be more complex due to variable contributions of each component, new strategies have been proposed. In addition to savings from more efficient clinical trials methods, it is essential that we also markedly reduce costs of complying with clinical research regulations. Compliance is too cumbersome and expensive, and current regulatory inflexibility markedly slows progress while escalating health care costs. This requires urgent attention. Regulatory approaches intended to enhance safety may instead potentially cost far more life-years than they save by delaying approval of effective therapies. 

How do physicians and their partners coordinate their careers and private lives?

PubMed

Stamm, Martina; Buddeberg-Fischer, Barbara

2011-03-25

Over the past few years, there has been increasing interest in the question of how couples coordinate their careers and private lives. The aim of this study was to investigate the career arrangements of physicians and their partners according to gender and parenthood status, and to compare dual-physician couples with other types of couples. Data pertaining to 414 physicians (214 females, 51.7%; 200 males, 48.3%) from a cohort of medical school graduates participating in the SwissMedCareer Study was analysed according to socio-demographic variables, employment status and career prioritisation of the physicians and their partners. Differences in terms of gender, parenthood status and type of couple were investigated with Chi-square tests. The most prevalent career arrangement for a male physician with young children was that of full-time employment for the physician himself with a partner not in employment or working less than 50%-time. By contrast, the most common arrangement for a female physician with young children was that of 50-69% part-time employment with a partner working full-time. For couples without children, the most common arrangement was full-time employment for both partners. Dual-physician couples differed significantly from other types of couples in terms of how they rated career priority, with male physicians with physician partners more likely than male physicians with partners holding another academic degree or with non-academic partners to regard both careers as equally important (p ≤0.001). Female physicians with physician partners were more likely to consider their partners' careers as of prime importance than those with academic or non-academic partners (p ≤0.001). The priority given by couples to the man's career reflects traditional gender-role attitudes in male and female physicians. Starting a family slows down the career progress of female physicians but not of male physicians. Providing more childcare facilities in hospitals and flexible working hours to meet the needs of physician parents with young children could encourage a higher work participation of physician-mothers and might constitute an effective strategy for combating the shortage of physicians in Switzerland.

Neural Correlates of the Use of Psychological Distancing to Regulate Responses to Negative Social Cues: A Study of Patients with Borderline Personality Disorder

PubMed Central

Koenigsberg, Harold W.; Fan, Jin; Ochsner, Kevin; Liu, Xun; Guise, Kevin G.; Pizzarello, Scott; Dorantes, Christine; Guerreri, Stephanie; Tecuta, Lucia; Goodman, Marianne; New, Antonia; Siever, Larry J

2009-01-01

Background Emotional instability is a defining feature of borderline personality disorder (BPD), yet little is understood about its underlying neural correlates. One possible contributing factor to emotional instability is a failure to adequately employ adaptive cognitive regulatory strategies such as psychological distancing. Method To determine whether there are differences in neural dynamics underlying this control strategy, between BPD patients and healthy volunteers (HC’s), BOLD fMRI signals were acquired as 18 BPD and 16 HC subjects distanced from or simply looked at negative and neutral pictures depicting social interactions. Contrasts in signal between distance and look condition were compared between groups to identify commonalities and differences in regional activation. Results BPD patients show a different pattern of activation compared to HC subjects when looking at negative vs. neutral pictures. When distancing vs. looking at negative pictures, both groups showed decreased negative affect in rating and increased activation of the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, areas near/along the intraparietal sulcus (IPS), ventrolateral prefrontal cortex and posterior cingulate/precuneus regions. However, the BPD group showed less BOLD signal change in dorsal anterior cingulate cortex and IPS, less deactivation in the amygdala and greater activation in the superior temporal sulcus and superior frontal gyrus. Conclusion BPD and HC subjects display different neural dynamics while passively viewing social emotional stimuli. In addition, BPD patients do not engage the cognitive control regions to the extent that HC’s do when employing a distancing strategy to regulate emotional reactions, which may be a factor contributing to the affective instability of BPD. PMID:19651401

Quality assurance strategies for investigating IAQ problems

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

Collett, C.W.; Ross, J.A.; Sterling, E.M.

Thousands of buildings have now been investigated throughout North America and western Europe. The evaluative strategies and protocols used by various investigators have been described in the scientific and protocols used by various investigators have been described in the scientific and technical literature, including those used by government agencies, private consultants, researchers, and physicians. Review of these strategies shows a consistency and commonly in approach, despite differences in terminology and organization. Most of the published protocols recognize the need to employ a multidisciplinary approach to the evaluation of indoor environmental problems, an approach that views buildings as complex, dynamic systems.more » The multidisciplinary approaches advocated by investigators gather information about the physical building (architectural), the mechanical systems that control indoor environmental conditions (engineering), the type and extent of occupant health and comfort concerns (medical), the objective quality of the air (industrial hygiene) and the occupants subjective perceptions of conditions in their work environment (social science). These components have generally been organized into a series of steps or phases, with each phase extending the information gathered from the preceding phase until a point when the causes of problems may be identified.« less

Health circles for teleworkers: selective results on stress, strain and coping styles.

PubMed

Konradt, U; Schmook, R; Wilm, A; Hertel, G

2000-06-01

Telework is decentralized computer-mediated performance of work activities at a location distant from the employing organization. In order to improve well-being at such remote workplaces, we developed a health circle (HC) concept for teleworkers. Three HC sessions were conducted with a total of 17 teleworkers from diverse organizations and branches. The sessions were moderated by a professional facilitator, while the participants selected the discussion issues. Typical issues were technical problems at the home-based computer, time management, communication with supervisors, colleagues and customers, and feelings of isolation from the main company. Besides discussing these stress factors, participants developed concrete coping strategies based on the exchange of experiences and additional informational input by external experts. Process evaluation at the end of each meeting revealed that participants found the exchange of personal experiences and the informational input during the HCs very helpful, as well as the common development of coping strategies. Moreover, a questionnaire 2 months after the last HC session revealed that participants reported significantly more positive changes in typical stress factors than teleworkers in a control group. The implications of these results for preventive and corrective strategies of telework design are discussed.

Characterization of occupational exposures to cleaning products used for common cleaning tasks--a pilot study of hospital cleaners.

PubMed

Bello, Anila; Quinn, Margaret M; Perry, Melissa J; Milton, Donald K

2009-03-27

In recent years, cleaning has been identified as an occupational risk because of an increased incidence of reported respiratory effects, such as asthma and asthma-like symptoms among cleaning workers. Due to the lack of systematic occupational hygiene analyses and workplace exposure data, it is not clear which cleaning-related exposures induce or aggravate asthma and other respiratory effects. Currently, there is a need for systematic evaluation of cleaning products ingredients and their exposures in the workplace. The objectives of this work were to: a) identify cleaning products' ingredients of concern with respect to respiratory and skin irritation and sensitization; and b) assess the potential for inhalation and dermal exposures to these ingredients during common cleaning tasks. We prioritized ingredients of concern in cleaning products commonly used in several hospitals in Massachusetts. Methods included workplace interviews, reviews of product Materials Safety Data Sheets and the scientific literature on adverse health effects to humans, reviews of physico-chemical properties of cleaning ingredients, and occupational hygiene observational analyses. Furthermore, the potential for exposure in the workplace was assessed by conducting qualitative assessment of airborne exposures and semi-quantitative assessment of dermal exposures. Cleaning products used for common cleaning tasks were mixtures of many chemicals, including respiratory and dermal irritants and sensitizers. Examples of ingredients of concern include quaternary ammonium compounds, 2-butoxyethanol, and ethanolamines. Cleaning workers are at risk of acute and chronic inhalation exposures to volatile organic compounds (VOC) vapors and aerosols generated from product spraying, and dermal exposures mostly through hands. Cleaning products are mixtures of many chemical ingredients that may impact workers' health through air and dermal exposures. Because cleaning exposures are a function of product formulations and product application procedures, a combination of product evaluation with workplace exposure assessment is critical in developing strategies for protecting workers from cleaning hazards. Our task based assessment methods allowed classification of tasks in different exposure categories, a strategy that can be employed by epidemiological investigations related to cleaning. The methods presented here can be used by occupational and environmental health practitioners to identify intervention strategies.

Characterization of occupational exposures to cleaning products used for common cleaning tasks-a pilot study of hospital cleaners

PubMed Central

2009-01-01

Background In recent years, cleaning has been identified as an occupational risk because of an increased incidence of reported respiratory effects, such as asthma and asthma-like symptoms among cleaning workers. Due to the lack of systematic occupational hygiene analyses and workplace exposure data, it is not clear which cleaning-related exposures induce or aggravate asthma and other respiratory effects. Currently, there is a need for systematic evaluation of cleaning products ingredients and their exposures in the workplace. The objectives of this work were to: a) identify cleaning products' ingredients of concern with respect to respiratory and skin irritation and sensitization; and b) assess the potential for inhalation and dermal exposures to these ingredients during common cleaning tasks. Methods We prioritized ingredients of concern in cleaning products commonly used in several hospitals in Massachusetts. Methods included workplace interviews, reviews of product Materials Safety Data Sheets and the scientific literature on adverse health effects to humans, reviews of physico-chemical properties of cleaning ingredients, and occupational hygiene observational analyses. Furthermore, the potential for exposure in the workplace was assessed by conducting qualitative assessment of airborne exposures and semi-quantitative assessment of dermal exposures. Results Cleaning products used for common cleaning tasks were mixtures of many chemicals, including respiratory and dermal irritants and sensitizers. Examples of ingredients of concern include quaternary ammonium compounds, 2-butoxyethanol, and ethanolamines. Cleaning workers are at risk of acute and chronic inhalation exposures to volatile organic compounds (VOC) vapors and aerosols generated from product spraying, and dermal exposures mostly through hands. Conclusion Cleaning products are mixtures of many chemical ingredients that may impact workers' health through air and dermal exposures. Because cleaning exposures are a function of product formulations and product application procedures, a combination of product evaluation with workplace exposure assessment is critical in developing strategies for protecting workers from cleaning hazards. Our task based assessment methods allowed classification of tasks in different exposure categories, a strategy that can be employed by epidemiological investigations related to cleaning. The methods presented here can be used by occupational and environmental health practitioners to identify intervention strategies. PMID:19327131

Two analogy strategies: the cases of mind metaphors and introspection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fischer, Eugen

2018-04-01

Analogical reasoning is often employed in problem-solving and metaphor interpretation. This paper submits that, as a default, analogical reasoning addressing these different tasks employs different mapping strategies. In problem-solving, it employs analogy-maximising strategies (like structure mapping, Gentner, D., & Markman, A. B. (1997). Structure mapping in analogy and similarity. American Psychologist, 52, 45-56); in metaphor interpretation, analogy-minimising strategies (like ATT-Meta, Barnden, J. A. (2015). Open-ended elaborations in creative metaphor. In T. R. Besold, M. Schorlemmer, & A. Smaill (Eds.), Computational creativity research: Towards creative machines (pp. 217-242). Berlin: Springer). The two strategies interact in analogical reasoning with conceptual metaphors. This interaction leads to predictable fallacies. The paper supports these hypotheses through case-studies on "mind" metaphors from ordinary discourse, and abstract problem-solving in the philosophy of mind, respectively. It shows that (1) default metaphorical interpretations for vision- and space-cognition metaphors can be derived with a variant of the analogy-minimising ATT-Meta approach, (2) philosophically influential introspective conceptions of the mind can be derived with conceptual metaphors only through an analogy-maximising strategy, and (3) the interaction of these strategies leads to hitherto unrecognised fallacies in analogical reasoning with metaphors. This yields a debunking explanation of introspective conceptions.

Employing a Case Study Approach to Capture Motivation and Self-Regulation of Young Students with Learning Disabilities in Authentic Educational Contexts

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lichtinger, Einat; Kaplan, Avi

2015-01-01

Recent theory and research suggest that self-regulation is not a unitary set of strategies, and that students may employ different types of self-regulation strategies in ways that correspond with different motivational orientations. In this paper, we describe a situated case study approach to investigate the motivational orientation and…

Relationship of Child Abuse to the Workplace: Employer-Based Strategies for Prevention. Prevention Focus Working Paper No. 4.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Coolson, Peter

This background paper examines the relationship between child abuse and the workplace and discusses employer-based strategies that can reduce the stress levels of working parents and provide a buffer against problems of child abuse and neglect. Part 1, "Child Abuse and the World of Work," discusses the kinds of stress experienced by…

Strategies, Use, and Impact of Social Media for Supporting Teacher Community within Professional Development: The Case of One Urban STEM Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rosenberg, Joshua M.; Greenhalgh, Spencer P.; Wolf, Leigh Graves; Koehler, Matthew J.

2017-01-01

This paper examines the use of social media to foster community connections within the MSU Urban Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) program. We describe the strategies employed by the program and the technologies employed by instructors to provide support, build community, and showcase learning. We highlight three particular…

Involving Employers in Training: Best Practices. Research and Evaluation Report Series 97-I.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Isbell, Kellie; Trutko, John W.; Barnow, Burt S.; Nightengale, Demetra; Pindus, Nancy

A review of the literature on employer-based training (EBT) and case studies of 17 exemplary EBT programs (9 of which were Job Training Partnership Act [JTPA] programs) were used to determine best practices in EBT and make recommendations for effective strategies for implementing EBT programs. Some of these strategies included the following: (1)…

The Relationship between Listening Strategies Used by Iranian EFL Freshman University Students and Their Listening Proficiency Levels

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bidabadi, Farinaz Shirani; Yamat, Hamidah

2011-01-01

The purpose of the current study was to identify Iranian EFL freshman university students' listening proficiency levels and the listening strategies they employed to investigate the relationship between these two variables. A total of 92 freshmen were involved in this study. The Oxford Placement Test was employed to identify the learners'…

Canadian Families' Strategies for Employment and Care for Preschool Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ornstein, Michael; Stalker, Glenn J.

2013-01-01

Based on the 2006 Canadian Census "long form" sample of one in every five households, the authors develop a detailed typology of family strategies for employment and the care of preschool children. The analysis is restricted to opposite-sex couples with at least one child under age 6 and no older child or other adult in the household.…

Prairie dogs increase fitness by killing interspecific competitors.

PubMed

Hoogland, John L; Brown, Charles R

2016-03-30

Interspecific competition commonly selects for divergence in ecology, morphology or physiology, but direct observation of interspecific competition under natural conditions is difficult. Herbivorous white-tailed prairie dogs (Cynomys leucurus) employ an unusual strategy to reduce interspecific competition: they kill, but do not consume, herbivorous Wyoming ground squirrels (Urocitellus elegans) encountered in the prairie dog territories. Results from a 6-year study in Colorado, USA, revealed that interspecific killing of ground squirrels by prairie dogs was common, involving 47 different killers; 19 prairie dogs were serial killers in the same or consecutive years, and 30% of female prairie dogs killed at least one ground squirrel over their lifetimes. Females that killed ground squirrels had significantly higher annual and lifetime fitness than non-killers, probably because of decreased interspecific competition for vegetation. Our results document the first case of interspecific killing of competing individuals unrelated to predation (IK) among herbivorous mammals in the wild, and show that IK enhances fitness for animals living under natural conditions. © 2016 The Author(s).

Prairie dogs increase fitness by killing interspecific competitors

PubMed Central

Brown, Charles R.

2016-01-01

Interspecific competition commonly selects for divergence in ecology, morphology or physiology, but direct observation of interspecific competition under natural conditions is difficult. Herbivorous white-tailed prairie dogs (Cynomys leucurus) employ an unusual strategy to reduce interspecific competition: they kill, but do not consume, herbivorous Wyoming ground squirrels (Urocitellus elegans) encountered in the prairie dog territories. Results from a 6-year study in Colorado, USA, revealed that interspecific killing of ground squirrels by prairie dogs was common, involving 47 different killers; 19 prairie dogs were serial killers in the same or consecutive years, and 30% of female prairie dogs killed at least one ground squirrel over their lifetimes. Females that killed ground squirrels had significantly higher annual and lifetime fitness than non-killers, probably because of decreased interspecific competition for vegetation. Our results document the first case of interspecific killing of competing individuals unrelated to predation (IK) among herbivorous mammals in the wild, and show that IK enhances fitness for animals living under natural conditions. PMID:27009223

Finding common ground in large carnivore conservation: mapping contending perspectives

USGS Publications Warehouse

Mattson, D.J.; Byrd, K.L.; Rutherford, M.B.; Brown, S.R.; Clark, T.W.

2006-01-01

Reducing current conflict over large carnivore conservation and designing effective strategies that enjoy broad public support depend on a better understanding of the values, beliefs, and demands of those who are involved or affected. We conducted a workshop attended by diverse participants involved in conservation of large carnivores in the northern U.S. Rocky Mountains, and used Q methodology to elucidate participant perspectives regarding "problems" and "solutions". Q methodology employs qualitative and quantitative techniques to reveal the subjectivity in any situation. We identified four general perspectives for both problems and solutions, three of which (Carnivore Advocates, Devolution Advocates, and Process Reformers) were shared by participants across domains. Agency Empathizers (problems) and Economic Pragmatists (solutions) were not clearly linked. Carnivore and Devolution Advocates expressed diametrically opposed perspectives that legitimized different sources of policy-relevant information ("science" for Carnivore Advocates and "local knowledge" for Devolution Advocates). Despite differences, we identified potential common ground focused on respectful, persuasive, and creative processes that would build understanding and tolerance. ?? 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Targeted therapies and immunotherapy in non-small-cell lung cancer

PubMed Central

Cortinovis, D; Abbate, M; Bidoli, P; Capici, S; Canova, S

2016-01-01

Non-small-cell lung cancer is still considered a difficult disease to manage because of its aggressiveness and resistance to common therapies. Chemotherapy remains the gold standard in nearly 80% of lung cancers, but clinical outcomes are discouraging, and the impact on median overall survival (OS) barely reaches 12 months. At the end of the last century, the discovery of oncogene-driven tumours completely changed the therapeutic landscape in lung cancers, harbouring specific gene mutations/translocations. Epidermal growth factors receptor (EGFR) common mutations first and anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) translocations later led new insights in lung cancer biology knowledge. The use of specific tyrosine kinases inhibitors overturned the biological behaviour of EGFR mutation positive tumours and became a preclinical model to understand the heterogeneity of lung cancers and the mechanisms of drug resistance. In this review, we summarise the employment of targeted agents against the most representative biomolecular alterations and provide some criticisms of the therapeutic strategies. PMID:27433281

Organocatalytic Removal of Formaldehyde Adducts from RNA and DNA Bases

PubMed Central

Karmakar, Saswata; Harcourt, Emily M.; Hewings, David S.; Lovejoy, Alexander F.; Kurtz, David M.; Ehrenschwender, Thomas; Barandun, Luzi J.; Roost, Caroline; Alizadeh, Ash A.; Kool, Eric T.

2015-01-01

Formaldehyde is universally employed to fix tissue specimens, where it forms hemiaminal and aminal adducts with biomolecules, hindering the ability to retrieve molecular information. Common methods for removing these adducts involve extended heating, which can cause extensive degradation of nucleic acids, particularly RNA. Here we show that water-soluble bifunctional catalysts (anthranilates and phosphanilates) speed the reversal of formaldehyde adducts of mononucleotides over standard buffers. Studies with formaldehyde-treated RNA oligonucleotides show that the catalysts enhance adduct removal, restoring unmodified RNA at 37 °C even when extensively modified, and avoiding high temperatures that promote RNA degradation. Experiments with formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded cell samples show that the catalysis is compatible with common RNA extraction protocols, with detectable RNA yields increased by 1.5–2.4 fold using a catalyst under optimized conditions, and by 7–25 fold compared to a commercial kit. Such catalytic strategies show promise for general use in reversing formaldehyde adducts in clinical specimens. PMID:26291948

INTEREST IN AND OBSTACLES TO PURSUING WORK AMONG UNEMPLOYED DUALLY DIAGNOSED INDIVIDUALS

PubMed Central

Laudet, Alexandre B.; Magura, Stephen; Vogel, Howard S.; Knight, Edward L.

2007-01-01

Employment status is commonly used as a sign of stability in recovery and an outcome variable for substance abuse treatment and research. However, there has been little attention in the literature on the topic of work for the dually diagnosed (i.e., persons diagnosed with both substance use and mental health disorders). Data collected in 1999 are presented on expressed interest in and perceived barriers to pursuing work and on the utilization of vocational rehabilitation (voc-rehab) services among unemployed members of a dual recovery self-help fellowship (N = 130). While members generally expressed high interest in working, they also cited multiple obstacles to attaining and maintaining employment. A path model was specified and tested. Significant contributors to interest in working were substance use status and physical health rating. Consistent with our hypotheses, mental health symptoms and greater perceived obstacles (e.g., stigma, fear of failure, and insufficient skills) were significant contributors to perceived difficulty in pursuing work, whereas substance use, physical health, and recency of employment were not. Finally, those who perceived less difficulty in pursuing work were more likely to utilize voc-rehab services, and men were more likely than women to use these facilities; interest in work was not significantly associated with utilizing voc-rehab services. The roles of mental health disorders and substance use in relation to pursuit of employment are discussed, as well as that of perceived obstacles such as stigma. The paper addresses the setting of realistic vocational goals and possible strategies to mitigate barriers to increased employment of dually diagnosed individuals. PMID:11863273

Interest in and obstacles to pursuing work among unemployed dually diagnosed individuals.

PubMed

Laudet, Alexandre B; Magura, Stephen; Vogel, Howard S; Knight, Edward L

2002-01-01

Employment status is commonly used as a sign of stability in recovery and an outcome variable for substance abuse treatment and research. However, there has been little attention in the literature on the topic of work for the dually diagnosed (i.e., persons diagnosed with both substance use and mental health disorders). Data collected in 1999 are presented on expressed interest in and perceived barriers to pursuing work and on the utilization of vocational rehabilitation (voc-rehab) services among unemployed members of a dual recovery self-help fellowship (N= 130). While members generally expressed high interest in working, they also cited multiple obstacles to attaining and maintaining employment. A path model was specified and tested. Significant contributors to interest in working were substance use status and physical health rating. Consistent with our hypotheses, mental health symptoms and greater perceived obstacles (e.g., stigma, fear of failure, and insufficient skills) were significant contributors to perceived difficulty in pursuing work, whereas substance use, physical health, and recency of employment were not. Finally, those who perceived less difficulty in pursuing work were more likely to utilize voc-rehab services, and men were more likely than women to use these facilities; interest in work was not significantly associated with utilizing voc-rehab services. The roles of mental health disorders and substance use in relation to pursuit of employment are discussed, as well as that of perceived obstacles such as stigma. The paper addresses the setting of realistic vocational goals and possible strategies to mitigate barriers to increased employment of dually diagnosed individuals.

Employee stress management: An examination of adaptive and maladaptive coping strategies on employee health.

PubMed

Holton, M Kim; Barry, Adam E; Chaney, J Don

2015-01-01

Employees commonly report feeling stressed at work. Examine how employees cope with work and personal stress, whether their coping strategies are adaptive (protective to health) or maladaptive (detrimental to health), and if the manner in which employees cope with stress influences perceived stress management. In this cross-sectional study, a random sample of 2,500 full-time university non-student employees (i.e. faculty, salaried professionals, and hourly non-professionals) were surveyed on health related behaviors including stress and coping. Approximately 1,277 completed the survey (51% ). Hierarchical logistic regression was used to assess the ability of adaptive and maladaptive coping strategies to predict self-reported stress management, while controlling for multiple demographic variables. Over half of employees surveyed reported effective stress management. Most frequently used adaptive coping strategies were communication with friend/family member and exercise, while most frequently used maladaptive coping strategies were drinking alcohol and eating more than usual. Both adaptive and maladaptive coping strategies made significant (p < 0.05) contributions to predicting employee's perceived stress management. Only adaptive coping strategies (B = 0.265) predicted whether someone would self-identify as effectively managing stress. Use of maladaptive coping strategies decreased likelihood of self-reporting effective stress management. Actual coping strategies employed may influence employees' perceived stress management. Adaptive coping strategies may be more influential than maladaptive coping strategies on perceived stress management. Results illustrate themes for effective workplace stress management programs. Stress management programs focused on increasing use of adaptive coping may have a greater impact on employee stress management than those focused on decreasing use of maladaptive coping. Coping is not only a reaction to stressful experiences but also a consequence of coping resources. Thereby increasing the availability of resources in the workplace to facilitate the use of adaptive coping strategies is necessary for successful stress management and, ultimately, healthier employees.

Combining control input with flight path data to evaluate pilot performance in transport aircraft.

PubMed

Ebbatson, Matt; Harris, Don; Huddlestone, John; Sears, Rodney

2008-11-01

When deriving an objective assessment of piloting performance from flight data records, it is common to employ metrics which purely evaluate errors in flight path parameters. The adequacy of pilot performance is evaluated from the flight path of the aircraft. However, in large jet transport aircraft these measures may be insensitive and require supplementing with frequency-based measures of control input parameters. Flight path and control input data were collected from pilots undertaking a jet transport aircraft conversion course during a series of symmetric and asymmetric approaches in a flight simulator. The flight path data were analyzed for deviations around the optimum flight path while flying an instrument landing approach. Manipulation of the flight controls was subject to analysis using a series of power spectral density measures. The flight path metrics showed no significant differences in performance between the symmetric and asymmetric approaches. However, control input frequency domain measures revealed that the pilots employed highly different control strategies in the pitch and yaw axes. The results demonstrate that to evaluate pilot performance fully in large aircraft, it is necessary to employ performance metrics targeted at both the outer control loop (flight path) and the inner control loop (flight control) parameters in parallel, evaluating both the product and process of a pilot's performance.

Going Social: Success in Online Recruitment of Men Who Have Sex with Men for Prevention HIV Vaccine Research

PubMed Central

BUCKINGHAM, Lindsey; BECHER, Julie; VOYTEK, Chelsea D; FIORE, Danielle; Dunbar, Debora; DAVIS-VOGEL, Annet; METZGER, David S; FRANK, Ian

2017-01-01

Objective To compare the use of four different social media sites to recruit men who have sex with men (MSM) and transgender women to a phase 2b HIV prevention vaccine trial, HVTN 505. Design Retrospective, observational study. Methods The University of Pennsylvania HIV Vaccine Trials Unit (Penn HVTU) employed street outreach and online recruitment methods to recruit participants for HVTN 505 using a combination of national recruitment images/messages with Philadelphia-specific language and imagery. We compared the efficiency (number of enrolled participants per number of completed phone screens) and effectiveness (number of enrolled participants per time interval employed) of each strategy, as well as the demographics and risk behaviors of the populations. Results Online recruitment strategies populated 37% (71/191) of trial participants at our site. Among the four social media strategies employed, 45.1% (32/71) were enrolled through Facebook, 16.9% (12/71) through Craigslist, 15.5% (11/71) through a web-based marketing company (WBMC), and 22.5% (16/71) via GRINDR. The number of participants enrolled per month of strategy and the months the strategy was employed were Facebook - 32(33 months), Craigslist - 12(33 months), WBMC -11(6 months), and GRINDR – 16(0.56 months). In-person and online recruitment strategies yielded participants of similar demographics and levels of risk behavior. Conclusion Use of several social media recruitment modalities produced large numbers of MSM engaging in high risk behavior and willing to participate in an HIV prevention vaccine trial. In comparison to other social media and online strategies, recruitment via GRINDR was the most effective. PMID:28526330

Going social: Success in online recruitment of men who have sex with men for prevention HIV vaccine research.

PubMed

Buckingham, Lindsey; Becher, Julie; Voytek, Chelsea D; Fiore, Danielle; Dunbar, Debora; Davis-Vogel, Annet; Metzger, David S; Frank, Ian

2017-06-14

To compare the use of four different social media sites to recruit men who have sex with men (MSM) and transgender women to a phase 2b HIV prevention vaccine trial, HVTN 505. Retrospective, observational study. The University of Pennsylvania HIV Vaccine Trials Unit (Penn HVTU) employed street outreach and online recruitment methods to recruit participants for HVTN 505 using a combination of national recruitment images/messages with Philadelphia-specific language and imagery. We compared the efficiency (number of enrolled participants per number of completed phone screens) and effectiveness (number of enrolled participants per time interval employed) of each strategy, as well as the demographics and risk behaviors of the populations. Online recruitment strategies populated 37% (71/191) of trial participants at our site. Among the four social media strategies employed, 45.1% (32/71) were enrolled through Facebook, 16.9% (12/71) through Craigslist, 15.5% (11/71) through a web-based marketing company (WBMC), and 22.5% (16/71) via GRINDR. The number of participants enrolled per month of strategy and the months the strategy was employed were Facebook - 32(33months), Craigslist - 12(33months), WBMC - 11(6months), and GRINDR - 16(0.56months). In-person and online recruitment strategies yielded participants of similar demographics and levels of risk behavior. Use of several social media recruitment modalities produced large numbers of MSM engaging in high risk behavior and willing to participate in an HIV prevention vaccine trial. In comparison to other social media and online strategies, recruitment via GRINDR was the most effective. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Self-Directed Employment: A Handbook for Transition Teachers and Employment Specialists.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Martin, James E.; Mithaug, Dennis E.; Husch, James V.; Oliphint, John H.; Frazier, Eva S.

This document, which was developed through a decade of research and field testing involving more than 700 people, offers step-by-step strategies that educators, employment specialists, occupational therapists, and other professionals can use to help youths and adults with mild, moderate, or severe disabilities make their own employment choices.…

Labour Markets and Employment Practices in the Age of Flexibility: A Case Study of Silicon Valley.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carnoy, Martin; And Others

1997-01-01

Flexible employment has accounted for more than half of Silicon Valley's total employment growth in the past 10 years. Flexible employment has become a permanent strategy that may create insecurity for low-skilled workers; it also leads to a high turnover rate among highly skilled workers. (JOW)

Engaging Employers in School-to-Work Systems. Resource Bulletin.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National School-to-Work Opportunities Office, Washington, DC.

This bulletin focuses on the benefits of engaging employers in school-to-work systems. It begins with a rationale for convincing employers that they must play a more active role in partnerships with schools and communities. The next section highlights strategies that school-to-work practitioners have successfully used to build employer involvement…

Strategies to Address Common Challenges When Teaching in an Active Learning Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Petersen, Christina I.; Gorman, Kristen S.

2014-01-01

This chapter provides practical strategies for addressing common challenges that arise for teachers in active learning classrooms. Our strategies come from instructors with experience teaching in these environments.

Welfare to Wages: Strategies To Assist the Private Sector To Employ Welfare Recipients. Companion Case Studies, Focus Groups & Data Analysis.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Roberts, Brandon; Padden, Jeffrey D.

This report, which is directed toward policymakers at the local, state, and national levels, is based on an extensive nationwide study of welfare-to-work initiatives. It identifies strategies to assist the private sector in employing welfare recipients. The document begins with an executive summary that discusses the following: the research study…

Compensating Losses in Bridge Employment? Examining Relations between Compensation Strategies, Health Problems, and Intention to Remain at Work

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Muller, Andreas; De Lange, Annet; Weigl, Matthias; Oxfart, Caroline; Van der Heijden, Beatrice

2013-01-01

In order to better understand the precursors of bridge employment, this study aimed to investigate whether individual action strategies in terms of selection, optimization, and compensation (SOC; Baltes & Baltes, 1990) are able to buffer the well-known negative impact of poor health on the intention to remain in the workforce. 784 employees (60-85…

Enrichment Strategies in Pediatric Drug Development: An Analysis of Trials Submitted to the US Food and Drug Administration.

PubMed

Green, Dionna J; Liu, Xiaomei I; Hua, Tianyi; Burnham, Janelle M; Schuck, Robert; Pacanowski, Michael; Yao, Lynne; McCune, Susan K; Burckart, Gilbert J; Zineh, Issam

2017-12-08

Clinical trial enrichment involves prospectively incorporating trial design elements that increase the probability of detecting a treatment effect. The use of enrichment strategies in pediatric drug development has not been systematically assessed. We analyzed the use of enrichment strategies in pediatric trials submitted to the US Food and Drug Administration from 2012-2016. In all, 112 efficacy studies associated with 76 drug development programs were assessed and their overall success rates were 78% and 75%, respectively. Eighty-eight trials (76.8%) employed at least one enrichment strategy; of these, 66.3% employed multiple enrichment strategies. The highest trial success rates were achieved when all three enrichment strategies (practical, predictive, and prognostic) were used together within a single trial (87.5%), while the lowest success rate was observed when no enrichment strategy was used (65.4%). The use of enrichment strategies in pediatric trials was found to be associated with trial and program success in our analysis. © 2017 American Society for Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics.

Journaling: identification of challenges and reflection on strategies.

PubMed

Hayman, Brenda; Wilkes, Lesley; Jackson, Debra

2012-01-01

To identify the challenges associated with using journaling as a method of data collection and to offer strategies for effectively managing those challenges. While journaling can be used for a variety of reasons, in the context of this paper, journaling refers to the process of participants sharing thoughts, ideas, feelings and experiences through writing and/or other media. Journaling is used in phenomenological research studies to record participant experiences in their natural contexts. The findings are based on the experiences of the researchers during a qualitative study that explored the experiences of lesbian mothers and used journaling as one method of data collection. This is a methodological paper. Three main challenges affect journaling as a method of data collection: poor participation, feeling exposed and staying on track. Six strategies to promote participation in journaling are: coaching participants, limiting the journaling period, providing follow-up contact, promoting comfort, ensuring safety and providing clear content expectations. Each strategy is discussed and methods of implementing the strategies are offered. Journaling as a method of data collection has long been accepted as a valid method of accessing rich qualitative data. By acknowledging the common challenges associated with the process of journaling that are experienced by the participants, researchers employing this data collection method can promote constructive and valuable participation. Further research examining participants' experiences of journaling as a method of qualitative data collection would be useful in determining challenges, barriers and benefits of the method.

Coping strategies employed by women with endometriosis in a public health-care setting

PubMed Central

Roomaney, Rizwana; Kagee, Ashraf

2015-01-01

This study explored how South African patients attending public health facilities reported coping with endometriosis. A total of 16 women with endometriosis were interviewed, and we explored how participants coped with endometriosis. All interviews were audio-recorded and transcribed. Thematic analysis was used to identify themes. Participants reported employing both problem-focused and emotion-focused strategies to cope with endometriosis. Problem-focused strategies included limiting physical activities, increasing knowledge about endometriosis, scheduling social and work activities around menstrual cycle, engaging in self-management and relying on social support. Emotion-focused coping strategies included accepting the disease, adopting a positive attitude, engaging in self talk and evoking spirituality. PMID:25769875

Trying to find the quickest way: employed mothers' constructions of time for food.

PubMed

Jabs, Jennifer; Devine, Carol M; Bisogni, Carole A; Farrell, Tracy J; Jastran, Margaret; Wethington, Elaine

2007-01-01

The study sought to develop an understanding of how employed mothers constructed time for food provisioning for themselves and their families. A grounded theory approach and semistructured, in-depth interviews. A metropolitan area of approximately 1 million people in the northeastern United States. Thirty-five low-wage employed mothers were purposively recruited to vary in occupation, race/ethnicity, education, household composition, and age using workplace, community, convenience, and snowball sampling. Low-wage employed mothers' constructions of time for food. Interview transcripts were analyzed using the constant comparative method. Most mothers expressed feelings of time scarcity. Mothers described 3 timestyles that reflected how they constructed time. Timestyles reflected mothers' experiences of strain and time scarcity, usual time management strategies, and sense of control over time. Mothers prioritized feeding their children but wanted to complete meals quickly in order to move on to other tasks. Recognizing issues of time scarcity and individual differences of timestyles and time management strategies can help researchers better understand food choice practices and assist practitioners in identifying practical food provisioning strategies for low-wage employed mothers. Food policies and recommendations should be evaluated for their relevance to the time scarcity and work strain issues that these mothers faced.

E-Learning Strategy for Earning Learners

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Singaravelu, G.

2011-01-01

The study enlightens the effectiveness of e-learning strategy in learning English among the in-service teachers who are studying B.Ed in School of Distance Education, Bharathiar University, Coimbatore. E-learning strategy is a life long learning strategy for earning in-service teachers. It is a strategy of remaining in employment, which can be…

Stress and psychopathology in latin-american immigrants: the role of coping strategies.

PubMed

Patiño, Camila; Kirchner, Teresa

2010-01-01

Increased migration into Spain requires the development of preventive strategies that help both immigrants and the host society to deal with the associated risk factors and thus avoid the emergence of psychopathology. To determine the level of psychopathology in Latin-American immigrants who reside in Barcelona and its relationship to the coping strategies used to mitigate the effects of the stress linked to migration. The sample comprised 210 Latin-American immigrants over the age of 18. Sampling was based on consecutive cases, and participants were contacted through an NGO. Employment is the stressor that most affects immigrants. Psychopathological symptoms are common among the immigrant population, and there is a relationship between the use of avoidance coping strategies and greater symptomatology. The longer immigrants have been in the host country, the less they make use of approach strategies. The migratory process produces high levels of stress that are linked to psychopathology. Being subjected to a prolonged stressor has a destabilizing effect on both mental and physical health and can lead to a deterioration in social relationships due to more intense feelings of anger and frustration. Coping strategies appear to be more widely used among immigrants than in the indigenous population, and this may indicate the high levels of stress to which the former are subject and the attempts they make to deal with it. The limitations of the study include the source of data collection and the fact that most of the instruments used have not been validated in the participants' countries of origin. Copyright 2009 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Conjugal conflict and violence: a review and theoretical paradigm.

PubMed

Smilkstein, G; Aspy, C B; Quiggins, P A

1994-02-01

Conjugal violence has been described as having multiple etiologies. The variables are so numerous that intervention and research protocols are difficult to effect. This paper proposes a paradigm that establishes conjugal conflict and violence as separate entities. According to the paradigm, conjugal conflict is viewed as "an inevitable part of human association," whereas conjugal violence is determined to be a learned behavioral tactic that is employed as a coping strategy when an individual's conflict threshold potential is exceeded. Evidence will be offered that violence is learned from family of origin and from observing what is common or accepted practice in the community. Use of this paradigm would give primacy to community education programs that advance the concept of conflict resolution through rational discourse.

Introducing dengue vaccine: Implications for diagnosis in dengue vaccinated subjects.

PubMed

Alagarasu, Kalichamy

2016-05-27

Diagnosis of dengue virus infections is complicated by preference for different diagnostic tests in different post onset days of illness and the presence of multiple serotypes leading to secondary and tertiary infections. The sensitivity of the most commonly employed diagnostic assays such as anti dengue IgM capture (MAC) ELISA and non structural protein (NS) 1 capture ELISA are lower in secondary and subsequent infections. Introduction of dengue vaccine in endemic regions will affect the way how dengue is diagnosed in vaccinated subjects. This viewpoint article discusses implications of introduction of dengue vaccine on the diagnosis of dengue infections in vaccinated subjects and the strategies that are needed to tackle the issue. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Precision Continuum Receivers for Astrophysical Applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wollack, Edward J.

2011-01-01

Cryogenically cooled HEMT (High Electron Mobility Transistor) amplifiers find widespread use in radioastronomy receivers. In recent years, these devices have also been commonly employed in broadband receivers for precision measurements of the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) radiation. In this setting, the combination of ultra-low-noise and low-spectral-resolution observations reinforce the importance achieving suitable control over the device environment to achieve fundamentally limited receiver performance. The influence of the intrinsic amplifier stability at low frequencies on data quality (e.g., achievable noise and residual temporal correlations), observational and calibration strategies, as well as architectural mitigation approaches in this setting will be discussed. The implications of device level 1/f fluctuations reported in the literature on system performance will be reviewed.

A multitasking finite state architecture for computer control of an electric powertrain

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

Burba, J.C.

1984-01-01

Finite state techniques provide a common design language between the control engineer and the computer engineer for event driven computer control systems. They simplify communication and provide a highly maintainable control system understandable by both. This paper describes the development of a control system for an electric vehicle powertrain utilizing finite state concepts. The basics of finite state automata are provided as a framework to discuss a unique multitasking software architecture developed for this application. The architecture employs conventional time-sliced techniques with task scheduling controlled by a finite state machine representation of the control strategy of the powertrain. The complexitiesmore » of excitation variable sampling in this environment are also considered.« less

Methotrexate-induced nausea in the treatment of juvenile idiopathic arthritis.

PubMed

Falvey, Sonja; Shipman, Lauren; Ilowite, Norman; Beukelman, Timothy

2017-06-19

Methotrexate is the most commonly used disease modifying antirheumatic drug in the treatment of juvenile idiopathic arthritis and can be effective in controlling disease in many patients. A significant proportion of patients experience nausea and vomiting induced by methotrexate therapy, which can lead to decreased quality of life and discontinuation of treatment with methotrexate. Many strategies have been employed in attempts to reduce methotrexate-induced nausea, including folate supplementation, switching from oral to subcutaneous methotrexate, anti-emetic therapy, behavioral therapy, and others. Anticipatory nausea can be difficult to treat, making primary prevention of nausea with anti-emetics an attractive approach. Understanding the prevalence and impact of methotrexate-induced nausea, as well as potentially effective interventions, may help maximize the therapeutic benefits of methotrexate.

What Would It Take? Employer Perspectives on Employing People with a Disability. A National Vocational Education and Training Research and Evaluation Program Report

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Waterhouse, Peter; Kimberley, Helen; Jonas, Pam; Glover, John

2010-01-01

One focus of the Australian Government's social inclusion agenda is to help people with a disability into work. The government's new National Mental Health and Disability Employment Strategy acknowledges that a considerable barrier to employment for people with a disability is the lack of information for employers. It is therefore timely to…

Needs assessment: blueprint for a nurse graduate orientation employer toolkit.

PubMed

Cylke, Katherine

2012-01-01

Southern Nevada nurse employers are resistant to hiring new graduate nurses (NGNs) because of their difficulties in making the transition into the workplace. At the same time, employers consider nurse residencies cost-prohibitive. Therefore, an alternative strategy was developed to assist employers with increasing the effectiveness of existing NGN orientation programs. A needs assessment of NGNs, employers, and nursing educators was completed, and the results were used to develop a toolkit for employers.

Behavioral Contexts, Food-Choice Coping Strategies, and Dietary Quality of a Multiethnic Sample of Employed Parents

PubMed Central

Blake, Christine E.; Wethington, Elaine; Farrell, Tracy J.; Bisogni, Carole A.; Devine, Carol M.

2012-01-01

Employed parents’ work and family conditions provide behavioral contexts for their food choices. Relationships between employed parents’ food-choice coping strategies, behavioral contexts, and dietary quality were evaluated. Data on work and family conditions, sociodemographic characteristics, eating behavior, and dietary intake from two 24-hour dietary recalls were collected in a random sample cross-sectional pilot telephone survey in the fall of 2006. Black, white, and Latino employed mothers (n=25) and fathers (n=25) were recruited from a low/moderate income urban area in upstate New York. Hierarchical cluster analysis (Ward’s method) identified three clusters of parents differing in use of food-choice coping strategies (ie, Individualized Eating, Missing Meals, and Home Cooking). Cluster sociodemographic, work, and family characteristics were compared using χ2 and Fisher’s exact tests. Cluster differences in dietary quality (Healthy Eating Index 2005) were analyzed using analysis of variance. Clusters differed significantly (P≤0.05) on food-choice coping strategies, dietary quality, and behavioral contexts (ie, work schedule, marital status, partner’s employment, and number of children). Individualized Eating and Missing Meals clusters were characterized by nonstandard work hours, having a working partner, single parenthood and with family meals away from home, grabbing quick food instead of a meal, using convenience entrées at home, and missing meals or individualized eating. The Home Cooking cluster included considerably more married fathers with nonemployed spouses and more home-cooked family meals. Food-choice coping strategies affecting dietary quality reflect parents’ work and family conditions. Nutritional guidance and family policy needs to consider these important behavioral contexts for family nutrition and health. PMID:21338739

Behavioral contexts, food-choice coping strategies, and dietary quality of a multiethnic sample of employed parents.

PubMed

Blake, Christine E; Wethington, Elaine; Farrell, Tracy J; Bisogni, Carole A; Devine, Carol M

2011-03-01

Employed parents' work and family conditions provide behavioral contexts for their food choices. Relationships between employed parents' food-choice coping strategies, behavioral contexts, and dietary quality were evaluated. Data on work and family conditions, sociodemographic characteristics, eating behavior, and dietary intake from two 24-hour dietary recalls were collected in a random sample cross-sectional pilot telephone survey in the fall of 2006. Black, white, and Latino employed mothers (n=25) and fathers (n=25) were recruited from a low/moderate income urban area in upstate New York. Hierarchical cluster analysis (Ward's method) identified three clusters of parents differing in use of food-choice coping strategies (ie, Individualized Eating, Missing Meals, and Home Cooking). Cluster sociodemographic, work, and family characteristics were compared using χ(2) and Fisher's exact tests. Cluster differences in dietary quality (Healthy Eating Index 2005) were analyzed using analysis of variance. Clusters differed significantly (P≤0.05) on food-choice coping strategies, dietary quality, and behavioral contexts (ie, work schedule, marital status, partner's employment, and number of children). Individualized Eating and Missing Meals clusters were characterized by nonstandard work hours, having a working partner, single parenthood and with family meals away from home, grabbing quick food instead of a meal, using convenience entrées at home, and missing meals or individualized eating. The Home Cooking cluster included considerably more married fathers with nonemployed spouses and more home-cooked family meals. Food-choice coping strategies affecting dietary quality reflect parents' work and family conditions. Nutritional guidance and family policy needs to consider these important behavioral contexts for family nutrition and health. Copyright © 2011 American Dietetic Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Systematic review of employer-sponsored wellness strategies and their economic and health-related outcomes.

PubMed

Kaspin, Lisa C; Gorman, Kathleen M; Miller, Ross M

2013-02-01

This review determines the characteristics and health-related and economic outcomes of employer-sponsored wellness programs and identifies possible reasons for their success. PubMed, ABI/Inform, and Business Source Premier databases, and Corporate Wellness Magazine were searched. English-language articles published from 2005 to 2011 that reported characteristics of employer-sponsored wellness programs and their impact on health-related and economic outcomes among US employees were accepted. Data were abstracted, synthesized, and interpreted. Twenty references were accepted. Wellness interventions were classified into health assessments, lifestyle management, and behavioral health. Improved economic outcomes were reported (health care costs, return on investment, absenteeism, productivity, workers' compensation, utilization) as well as decreased health risks. Programs associated with favorable outcomes had several characteristics in common. First, the corporate culture encouraged wellness to improve employees' lives, not only to reduce costs. Second, employees and leadership were strongly motivated to support the wellness programs and to improve their health in general. Third, employees were motivated by a participation-friendly corporate policy and physical environment. Fourth, successful programs adapted to the changing needs of the employees. Fifth, community health organizations provided support, education, and treatment. Sixth, successful wellness programs utilized technology to facilitate health risk assessments and wellness education. Improved health-related and economic outcomes were associated with employer-sponsored wellness programs. Companies with successful programs tended to include wellness as part of their corporate culture and supported employee participation in several key ways.

Territoriality and Conflict Avoidance Explain Asociality (Solitariness) of the Endosymbiotic Pea Crab Tunicotheres moseri

PubMed Central

Ambrosio, Louis J.; Baeza, J. Antonio

2016-01-01

Host monopolization theory predicts symbiotic organisms inhabiting morphologically simple, relatively small and scarce hosts to live solitarily as a result of territorial behaviors. We tested this prediction with Tunicotheres moseri, an endosymbiotic crab dwelling in the atrial chamber of the morphologically simple, small, and relatively scarce ascidian Styela plicata. As predicted, natural populations of T. moseri inhabit ascidian hosts solitarily with greater frequency than expected by chance alone. Furthermore, laboratory experiments demonstrated that intruder crabs take significantly longer to colonize previously infected compared to uninfected hosts, indicating as expected, that resident crabs exhibit monopolization behaviors. While territoriality does occur, agonistic behaviors employed by T. moseri do not mirror the overt behaviors commonly reported for other territorial crustaceans. Documented double and triple cohabitations in the field coupled with laboratory observations demonstrating the almost invariable success of intruder crabs colonizing occupied hosts, suggest that territoriality is ineffective in completely explaining the solitary social habit of this species. Additional experiments showed that T. moseri juveniles and adults, when searching for ascidians use chemical cues to avoid hosts occupied by conspecifics. This conspecific avoidance behavior reported herein is a novel strategy most likely employed to preemptively resolve costly territorial conflicts. In general, this study supports predictions central to host monopolization theory, but also implies that alternative behavioral strategies (i.e., conflict avoidance) may be more important than originally thought in explaining the host use pattern of symbiotic organisms. PMID:26910474

Awareness of occupational skin disease in the service sector.

PubMed

Holness, D L; Kudla, I; Brown, J; Miller, S

2017-06-01

Occupational skin disease (OSD) is a common occupational disease. Although primary prevention strategies are known, OSDs remain prevalent in a variety of work environments including the service sector (restaurant/food services, retail/wholesale, tourism/hospitality and vehicle sales and service). To obtain information about awareness and prevention of OSD in the service sector. Focus groups and a survey were conducted with two groups. The first consisted of staff of the provincial health and safety association for the service sector and the second group comprised representatives from sector employers. Focus groups highlighted key issues to inform the survey that obtained information about perceptions of awareness and prevention of OSD and barriers to awareness and prevention. Both provincial health and safety association staff and sector employer representatives highlighted low awareness and a low level of knowledge of OSD in the sector. Barriers to awareness and prevention included a low reported incidence of OSD, low priority, lack of training materials, lack of time and cost of training, lack of management support and workplace culture. A starting point for improving prevention of OSD in the service sector is increased awareness. Identification of the barriers to awareness and prevention will help to shape an awareness campaign and prevention strategies. Building on existing experience in Europe will be important. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society of Occupational Medicine. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com

Tobacco control interest groups and their influence on parliamentary committees in Canada.

PubMed

Hastie, Robyn E; Kothari, Anita R

2009-01-01

The aim of this study was to determine how tobacco control interest groups influence tobacco policy decision-making through submissions and presentations to parliamentary committees. A qualitative content analysis was used to examine the presentations and submissions on tobacco-related legislation made to parliamentary committees between 1996 and 2004. The sample was identified from the public list of tobacco-related bills tabled in both the House of Commons and the Senate; the Government of Canada website and LEGISinfo were used to determine which committee reviewed the relevant bill. Committee clerks were asked to send submissions and presentations related to specific bills identified through LEGISinfo. Submissions and presentations were scanned and entered into QSR N6 software for coding. The coding instrument was adapted from previous studies employing qualitative content analysis. Montini and Bero's recommendations were used to evaluate the submissions and presentations. Tobacco control interest groups did present scientific evidence to support tobacco control. However, they underused credible witnesses to present information at meetings. The topics presented by tobacco control interests groups were usually relevant to the bill being discussed. Tobacco control interest groups employed some of the strategies suggested by Montini and Bero in their attempt to influence parliamentary committees through submissions and presentations. They did include scientific evidence in their submissions; however, they could improve their strategies in the area of using credible witnesses, such as scientists and medical experts. Incorporating Montini and Bero's recommendations into lobbying efforts may increase success in influencing committees.

Territoriality and Conflict Avoidance Explain Asociality (Solitariness) of the Endosymbiotic Pea Crab Tunicotheres moseri.

PubMed

Ambrosio, Louis J; Baeza, J Antonio

2016-01-01

Host monopolization theory predicts symbiotic organisms inhabiting morphologically simple, relatively small and scarce hosts to live solitarily as a result of territorial behaviors. We tested this prediction with Tunicotheres moseri, an endosymbiotic crab dwelling in the atrial chamber of the morphologically simple, small, and relatively scarce ascidian Styela plicata. As predicted, natural populations of T. moseri inhabit ascidian hosts solitarily with greater frequency than expected by chance alone. Furthermore, laboratory experiments demonstrated that intruder crabs take significantly longer to colonize previously infected compared to uninfected hosts, indicating as expected, that resident crabs exhibit monopolization behaviors. While territoriality does occur, agonistic behaviors employed by T. moseri do not mirror the overt behaviors commonly reported for other territorial crustaceans. Documented double and triple cohabitations in the field coupled with laboratory observations demonstrating the almost invariable success of intruder crabs colonizing occupied hosts, suggest that territoriality is ineffective in completely explaining the solitary social habit of this species. Additional experiments showed that T. moseri juveniles and adults, when searching for ascidians use chemical cues to avoid hosts occupied by conspecifics. This conspecific avoidance behavior reported herein is a novel strategy most likely employed to preemptively resolve costly territorial conflicts. In general, this study supports predictions central to host monopolization theory, but also implies that alternative behavioral strategies (i.e., conflict avoidance) may be more important than originally thought in explaining the host use pattern of symbiotic organisms.

Molecular Basis of Prodrug Activation by Human Valacyclovirase, an [alpha]-Amino Acid Ester Hydrolase

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

Lai, Longsheng; Xu, Zhaohui; Zhou, Jiahai

2008-07-08

Chemical modification to improve biopharmaceutical properties, especially oral absorption and bioavailability, is a common strategy employed by pharmaceutical chemists. The approach often employs a simple structural modification and utilizes ubiquitous endogenous esterases as activation enzymes, although such enzymes are often unidentified. This report describes the crystal structure and specificity of a novel activating enzyme for valacyclovir and valganciclovir. Our structural insights show that human valacyclovirase has a unique binding mode and specificity for amino acid esters. Biochemical data demonstrate that the enzyme hydrolyzes esters of {alpha}-amino acids exclusively and displays a broad specificity spectrum for the aminoacyl moiety similar tomore » tricorn-interacting aminopeptidase F1. Crystal structures of the enzyme, two mechanistic mutants, and a complex with a product analogue, when combined with biochemical analysis, reveal the key determinants for substrate recognition; that is, a flexible and mostly hydrophobic acyl pocket, a localized negative electrostatic potential, a large open leaving group-accommodating groove, and a pivotal acidic residue, Asp-123, after the nucleophile Ser-122. This is the first time that a residue immediately after the nucleophile has been found to have its side chain directed into the substrate binding pocket and play an essential role in substrate discrimination in serine hydrolases. These results as well as a phylogenetic analysis establish that the enzyme functions as a specific {alpha}-amino acid ester hydrolase. Valacyclovirase is a valuable target for amino acid ester prodrug-based oral drug delivery enhancement strategies.« less

Determinants of hospital nurse intention to remain employed: broadening our understanding

PubMed Central

Tourangeau, Ann E; Cummings, Greta; Cranley, Lisa A; Ferron, Era Mae; Harvey, Sarah

2010-01-01

Title Determinants of hospital nurse intention to remain employed: broadening ourunderstanding. Aim This paper is a report of a study to identify nurse reported determinants of intention to remain employed and to develop a model explaining determinants of hospital nurse intention to remain employed. Background A worsening shortage of nurses globally suggests that efforts must be made to promote retention of nurses. However, effective retention promotion strategies depend on understanding the factors influencing nurse retention. Methods A descriptive study using focus group methodology was implemented. Thirteen focus groups including 78 nurses were carried out in two Canadian provinces in 2007. Thematic analysis strategies were incorporated to analyse the data. Findings Eight thematic categories reflecting factors nurses described as influencing their intentions to remain employed emerged from focus groups: (1) relationships with co-workers, (2) condition of the work environment, (3) relationship with and support from one’s manager, (4) work rewards, (5) organizational support and practices, (6) physical and psychological responses to work, (7) patient relationships and other job content, and (8) external factors. A model of determinants of hospital nurse intention to remain employed is hypothesized. Conclusion Findings were both similar to and different from previous research. The overriding concept of job satisfaction was not found. Rather, nurse assessments of satisfaction within eight thematic categories were found to influence intentions to remain employed. Further testing of the hypothesized model is required to determine its global utility. Understanding determinants of intention to remain employed can lead to development of strategies that strengthen nurse retention. Incorporation of this knowledge in nurse education programmes is essential. PMID:20423434

Using the Student Lifecycle Approach to Enhance Employability: An Example from Criminology and Criminal Justice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bates, Lyndel; Hayes, Hennessey

2017-01-01

Universities are increasingly focusing on the employability of students after they graduate from their studies. While practicums is one way of enhancing students' employability, the School of Criminology and Criminal Justice embeds employability throughout its degree programs using a range of strategies. These methods are based on the student…

Procedure Planning: Anatomical Determinants of Strategy

PubMed Central

Hanratty, Colm; Walsh, Simon

2014-01-01

In contemporary practice there are three main methods that can be employed when attempting to open a chronic total occlusion (CTO) of a coronary artery; antegrade or retrograde wire escalation, antegrade dissection re-entry and retrograde dissection re-entry. This editorial will attempt to clarify the anatomical features that can be identified to help when deciding which of these strategies to employ initially and help understand the reasons for this decision. PMID:24694102

Who uses flexible spending accounts: effects of employee characteristics and employer strategies.

PubMed

Feldman, R; Schultz, J

2001-07-01

Many large employers offer flexible spending accounts (FSAs) to shelter their employees' out-of-pocket medical expenses from taxes and thereby to encourage the purchase of health insurance policies with higher cost sharing. However, very little empirical research has examined the individual employee's decision to contribute to an FSA. To estimate equations for the probability that single employees with no dependents and employees with family health insurance coverage will contribute to FSAs, and the amounts contributed by those with FSAs. An observational study of randomly-selected employees in 15 Minnesota firms matched with information on the strategies those firms use to promote FSAs. Measures of FSA participation were regressed on expected health care spending, employee socio-demographics, and employer strategies. 779 single employees with no dependents and 679 employees with family coverage. Education beyond high school increases the probability that both types of subjects will contribute to FSAs, with marginal effects ranging from 16 to 48 percent. The FSA contribution rate for families doubles when the family's marginal federal income tax rate increases from 15 to 28 percent. Employer strategies to encourage participation are also effective in promoting FSAs. FSAs are used mainly by high-income and highly-educated workers. We question whether this is an equitable use of the income tax code.

"This Is Still a Work in Progress": Common Ground, Littleton, New Hampshire.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hall, Mair; Walker, Pam

This site-visit report describes Common Ground, a program located in New Hampshire that supports 52 people with developmental disabilities, including some with severe and multiple impairments, in a broad range of individualized, integrated daytime activities, including supported and competitive employment, self-employment, volunteer work, and the…

Management of radioactive waste gases from PET radiopharmaceutical synthesis using cost effective capture systems integrated with a cyclotron safety system.

PubMed

Stimson, D H R; Pringle, A J; Maillet, D; King, A R; Nevin, S T; Venkatachalam, T K; Reutens, D C; Bhalla, R

2016-09-01

The emphasis on the reduction of gaseous radioactive effluent associated with PET radiochemistry laboratories has increased. Various radioactive gas capture strategies have been employed historically including expensive automated compression systems. We have implemented a new cost-effective strategy employing gas capture bags with electronic feedback that are integrated with the cyclotron safety system. Our strategy is suitable for multiple automated 18 F radiosynthesis modules and individual automated 11 C radiosynthesis modules. We describe novel gas capture systems that minimize the risk of human error and are routinely used in our facility.

75 FR 45039 - Increasing Federal Employment of Individuals With Disabilities

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-07-30

... stigma associated with disability, and in encouraging Americans with disabilities to seek employment in... Management and Budget, shall design model recruitment and hiring strategies for agencies seeking to increase... and targeted disabilities, and coordinating employment counseling to help match the career aspirations...

Tropical dry forest trees and lianas differ in leaf economic spectrum traits but have overlapping water-use strategies.

PubMed

Werden, Leland K; Waring, Bonnie G; Smith-Martin, Christina M; Powers, Jennifer S

2018-04-01

Tree species in tropical dry forests employ a wide range of strategies to cope with seasonal drought, including regulation of hydraulic function. However, it is uncertain if co-occurring lianas also possess a diversity of strategies. For a taxonomically diverse group of 14 tree and 7 liana species, we measured morphological and hydraulic functional traits during an unusual drought and under non-drought conditions to determine (i) if trees have different water-use strategies than lianas and (ii) if relationships among these traits can be used to better understand how tree and liana species regulate diurnal leaf water potential (Ψdiurnal). In this Costa Rican tropical dry forest, lianas and trees had overlapping water-use strategies, but differed in many leaf economic spectrum traits. Specifically, we found that both lianas and trees employed a diversity of Ψdiurnal regulation strategies, which did not differ statistically. However, lianas and trees did significantly differ in terms of certain traits including leaf area, specific leaf area, petiole length, wood vessel diameter and xylem vessel density. All liana and tree species we measured fell along a continuum of isohydric (partial) to anisohydric (strict or extreme) Ψdiurnal regulation strategies, and leaf area, petiole length, stomatal conductance and wood vessel diameter correlated with these strategies. These findings contribute to a trait-based understanding of how plants regulate Ψdiurnal under both drought stress and sufficient water availability, and underscore that lianas and trees employ a similarly wide range of Ψdiurnal regulation strategies, despite having vastly different growth forms.

Mass Media Strategies Targeting High Sensation Seekers: What Works and Why

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stephenson, Michael T.

2003-01-01

Objectives: To examine strategies for using the mass media effectively in drug prevention campaigns targeting high sensation seekers. Methods: Both experimental lab and field studies were used to develop a comprehensive audience segmentation strategy targeting high sensation seekers. Results: A 4-pronged targeting strategy employed in an…

Do Language Proficiency Levels Correspond to Language Learning Strategy Adoption?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gharbavi, Abdullah; Mousavi, Seyyed Ahmad

2012-01-01

The primary focus of research on employment of language learning strategies has been on identification of adoption of different learning strategies. However, the relationship between language learning strategies and proficiency levels was ignored in previous research. The present study was undertaken to find out whether there are any relationship…

Strategy Planning in Continuing Nursing Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Aiken, Eula

Corporate strategies that can be used in continuing nursing education programs are discussed, based on the Regional Action for Continuing Education in Nursing Education project. Attention is focused on strategies employed at Southern State University (SSU). A practical planning method was used to guide the process of corporate strategy formulation…

Management implications of brood division in Golden-winged Warblers: Chapter 10

USGS Publications Warehouse

Peterson, Sean M.; Streby, Henry M.; Andersen, David E.

2016-01-01

Brood division in the postfledging period is a common avian behavior that is not well understood. Brood division has been reported in Golden-winged Warblers (Vermivora chrysoptera), but it is not known how common this behavior is, whether males and females exhibit different strategies related to parental care and habitat use, or how brood division might influence management strategies. We radiomarked fledglings and monitored divided broods of Golden-winged Warblers from fledging until independence from parental care at three sites in the western Great Lakes region from 2010 to 2012 to assess differences in strategies between male and female parents and to consider possible management implications. Male - and female-reared sub-broods exhibited different space use during the dependent post-fledging period despite similar fledgling survivial, cover-type use, and microhabitat use. By independence, female-reared sub-broods traveled over twice as far from the nest (mean = 461 ± 81) SE m) as male-reared sub-broods (164 ± 41 m). Additionally, female-reared sub-broods traveled over three times as far from the natal patch edge (35 ± 72 m) as male-reared sub-broods (108 ± 36 m). Without accounting for differential space use by male- and female-reared sub-broods, we would have reported broods traveling 292 (± 46 m) from the nest and 214 (± 40m) from the natal patch edge - distances that do not reflect how far females move sub-broods. Parental strategies differ between sexes with regard to movement patterns, and we recommend incorporating the differences in space use between sexes in future management plans for Golden-winged Warblers  and other species that employ brood division. Specifically, management actions might be most effective when they are applied at spatial scales large enough to incorporate the habitat requirements of both sexes throughout the entire reproductive season. 

Postnatal Psychosocial Assessment and Clinical Decision-Making, a Descriptive Study.

PubMed

Sims, Deborah; Fowler, Cathrine

2018-05-18

The aim of this study is to describe experienced child and family health nurses' clinical decision-making during a postnatal psychosocial assessment. Maternal emotional wellbeing in the postnatal year optimises parenting and promotes infant development. Psychosocial assessment potentially enables early intervention and reduces the risk of a mental disorder occurring during this time of change. Assessment accuracy, and the interventions used are determined by the standard of nursing decision-making. A qualitative methodology was employed to explore decision-making behaviour when conducting a postnatal psychosocial assessment. This study was conducted in an Australian early parenting organisation. Twelve experienced child and family health nurses were interviewed. A detailed description of a postnatal psychosocial assessment process was obtained using a critical incident technique. Template analysis was used to determine the information domains the nurses accessed, and content analysis was used to determine the nurses' thinking strategies, to make clinical decisions from this assessment. The nurses described 24 domains of information and used 17 thinking strategies, in a variety of combinations. The four information domains most commonly used were parenting, assessment tools, women-determined issues and sleep. The seven thinking strategies most commonly used were searching for information, forming relationships between the information, recognising a pattern, drawing a conclusion, setting priorities, providing explanations for the information and judging the value of the information. The variety and complexity of the clinical decision-making involved in postnatal psychosocial assessment confirms that the nurses use information appropriately and within their scope of nursing practice. The standard of clinical decision-making determines the results of the assessment and the optimal access to care. Knowledge of the information domains and the decision-making strategies that experienced nurses use for psychosocial assessment potentially improves practice by providing a framework for education and mentoring. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Guidance and control strategies for aerospace vehicles

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Naidu, Desineni S.; Hibey, Joseph L.

1989-01-01

The optimal control problem arising in coplanar orbital transfer employing aeroassist technology and the fuel-optimal control problem arising in orbital transfer vehicles employing aeroassist technology are addressed.

Anti-Immune Strategies of Pathogenic Fungi

PubMed Central

Marcos, Caroline M.; de Oliveira, Haroldo C.; de Melo, Wanessa de Cássia M. Antunes; da Silva, Julhiany de Fátima; Assato, Patrícia A.; Scorzoni, Liliana; Rossi, Suélen A.; de Paula e Silva, Ana C. A.; Mendes-Giannini, Maria J. S.; Fusco-Almeida, Ana M.

2016-01-01

Pathogenic fungi have developed many strategies to evade the host immune system. Multiple escape mechanisms appear to function together to inhibit attack by the various stages of both the adaptive and the innate immune response. Thus, after entering the host, such pathogens fight to overcome the immune system to allow their survival, colonization and spread to different sites of infection. Consequently, the establishment of a successful infectious process is closely related to the ability of the pathogen to modulate attack by the immune system. Most strategies employed to subvert or exploit the immune system are shared among different species of fungi. In this review, we summarize the main strategies employed for immune evasion by some of the major pathogenic fungi. PMID:27896220

Managing Liability. Employment Discrimination: A Risk Management Strategy.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McMullan, Sandra H.

This booklet discusses the risks that educational institutions face in regard to employment discrimination litigation and outlines a program to effectively manage such risks. Institutions need to address three main types of employment discrimination issues: sexual harassment, disability-based discrimination, and age discrimination. To deal with…

The Employer's Voice: Frontline Workers and Workforce Development.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jobs for the Future, Boston, MA.

Seventeen small and mid-sized employers from Annie E. Casey Foundation Jobs Initiative sites addressed the challenges of recruiting, retaining, and promoting frontline workers. Employers shared collaboration experiences with Jobs Initiatives sites to develop effective, efficient strategies to prepare and support low-income residents. Firms relied…

Access to Employment: People with Disabilities.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pierce, Patricia A.

1990-01-01

Reports the findings of Lou Harris and Associates (1987) on what employers are doing to employ people with disabilities and what their experiences with disabled employees have been. Presents strategies that provide a model for addressing the needs of the disabled population and provide them with opportunities. (JS)

Employment Policy and Territories.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Berthet, Thierry; Cuntigh, Philippe; Guitton, Christophe

2002-01-01

France's employment policy has historically been governed by a strategy of interventions aimed at specific categories of individuals, including victims of industrial restructuring, entry workers, the long-term unemployed, and the disabled. Since the 1980s, France has had the following main lines of employment policy: (1) assistance to victims of…

Stress and Coping among Black Women Employed in Non-professional Service and Professional Occupations in Florida and Georgia.

PubMed

Gary, Faye A; Yarandi, Hossein; Hassan, Mona

2015-08-01

Culture enhances the ability to address the stressors related to ethnicity/race, employment, and lifestyle. From this interaction, two coping patterns emerge: individualist-oriented or collectivist-oriented, of which women prefer the latter. However, there is limited knowledge about the impact of ethnicity/race on the coping strategies of Black working women in the USA. Therefore, the purpose of this cross-sectional survey was to examine the coping strategies of two groups of Black women, those who work in non-professional service-related jobs and those employed as professionals. We explored Black women from two southern states, Florida and Georgia, in their use of coping strategies for everyday stressors. A modified version of Lazarus and Folkman's Transactional Model was used as the framework of this study. The sample for this cross-sectional survey consisted of 313 Black women employed in non-professional service jobs and 343 in professional roles. The thoughts and actions related to coping in everyday stressors were measured with The Ways of Coping Questionnaire.

The Employers' Perspective on Barriers and Facilitators to Employment of People with Intellectual Disability: A Differential Mixed-Method Approach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kocman, Andreas; Fischer, Linda; Weber, Germain

2018-01-01

Background: Obtaining employment is among the most important ambitions of people with intellectual disability. Progress towards comprehensive inclusive employment is hampered by numerous barriers. Limited research is available on these barriers and strategies to overcome them. Method: A mixed method approach in a sample of 30 HR-managers was used…

Employer-driven consumerism: integrating health into the business model.

PubMed

Thompson, Michael; Checkley, Joseph

2006-01-01

Consumer-driven health care is a misnomer. Notwithstanding the enormous role the individual consumer has to play in reshaping the U.S. health care delivery system, this article will focus on the employer as the key driver of change and innovation in the consumerism revolution. American Standard provides a case study of how one major employer has evaluated health care in the context of its business and aggressively integrated consumerism and health into the core of its business. Other companies will appropriately execute consumerism strategies in a fashion consistent with their own needs, culture, resources and populations. However, the principles supporting those strategies will be very much consistent.

Response time intra-subject variability: commonalities between children with autism spectrum disorders and children with ADHD

PubMed Central

Adamo, Nicoletta; Huo, Lan; Adelsberg, Samantha; Petkova, Eva; Castellanos, F. Xavier

2013-01-01

Despite the common co-occurrence of symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD), the underlying mechanisms are under-explored. A potential candidate for investigation is response time intra-subject variability (RT-ISV), a hypothesized marker of attentional lapses. Direct comparisons of RT-ISV in ASD versus ADHD are limited and contradictory. We aimed to examine whether distinct fluctuations in RT-ISV characterize children with ASD and with ADHD relative to typically developing children (TDC). We applied both a priori-based and data-driven strategies to RT performance of 46 children with ASD, 46 with ADHD, and 36 TDC (aged 7–11.9 years). Specifically, we contrasted groups relative to the amplitude of four preselected frequency bands as well as to 400 frequency bins from 0.006 to 0.345 Hz. In secondary analyses, we divided the ASD group into children with and without substantial ADHD symptoms (ASD+ and ASD−, respectively). Regardless of the strategy employed, RT-ISV fluctuations at frequencies between 0.20 and 0.345 Hz distinguished children with ADHD, but not children with ASD, from TDC. Children with ASD+ and those with ADHD shared elevated amplitudes of RT-ISV fluctuations in frequencies between 0.18 and 0.345 Hz relative to TDC. In contrast, the ASD− subgroup did not differ from TDC in RT-ISV frequency fluctuations. RT-ISV fluctuations in frequencies 0.18–0.345 Hz (i.e., periods between 3 and 5 s) are associated with ADHD symptoms regardless of categorical diagnosis and may represent a biomarker. These results suggest that children with ADHD and those with ASD+ share common underlying pathophysiological mechanisms of RT-ISV. PMID:23716135

Enhancing work outcome for three persons with traumatic brain injury.

PubMed

Target, P; Wehman, P; Petersen, R; Gorton, S

1998-03-01

A case study approach is used to illustrate how three survivors of severe traumatic brain injury were able to gain and maintain employment with the assistance of a supported employment programme. Emphasis on the different types of accommodations, including the design and implementation of compensatory strategies, is provided for each case. Finally, on overview of steps that can be taken to enhance the use of such strategies on the job is presented.

Escaping Antiangiogenic Therapy: Strategies Employed by Cancer Cells

PubMed Central

Pinto, Mauricio P.; Sotomayor, Paula; Carrasco-Avino, Gonzalo; Corvalan, Alejandro H.; Owen, Gareth I.

2016-01-01

Tumor angiogenesis is widely recognized as one of the “hallmarks of cancer”. Consequently, during the last decades the development and testing of commercial angiogenic inhibitors has been a central focus for both basic and clinical cancer research. While antiangiogenic drugs are now incorporated into standard clinical practice, as with all cancer therapies, tumors can eventually become resistant by employing a variety of strategies to receive nutrients and oxygen in the event of therapeutic assault. Herein, we concentrate and review in detail three of the principal mechanisms of antiangiogenic therapy escape: (1) upregulation of compensatory/alternative pathways for angiogenesis; (2) vasculogenic mimicry; and (3) vessel co-option. We suggest that an understanding of how a cancer cell adapts to antiangiogenic therapy may also parallel the mechanisms employed in the bourgeoning tumor and isolated metastatic cells delivering responsible for residual disease. Finally, we speculate on strategies to adapt antiangiogenic therapy for future clinical uses. PMID:27608016

Escaping Antiangiogenic Therapy: Strategies Employed by Cancer Cells.

PubMed

Pinto, Mauricio P; Sotomayor, Paula; Carrasco-Avino, Gonzalo; Corvalan, Alejandro H; Owen, Gareth I

2016-09-06

Tumor angiogenesis is widely recognized as one of the "hallmarks of cancer". Consequently, during the last decades the development and testing of commercial angiogenic inhibitors has been a central focus for both basic and clinical cancer research. While antiangiogenic drugs are now incorporated into standard clinical practice, as with all cancer therapies, tumors can eventually become resistant by employing a variety of strategies to receive nutrients and oxygen in the event of therapeutic assault. Herein, we concentrate and review in detail three of the principal mechanisms of antiangiogenic therapy escape: (1) upregulation of compensatory/alternative pathways for angiogenesis; (2) vasculogenic mimicry; and (3) vessel co-option. We suggest that an understanding of how a cancer cell adapts to antiangiogenic therapy may also parallel the mechanisms employed in the bourgeoning tumor and isolated metastatic cells delivering responsible for residual disease. Finally, we speculate on strategies to adapt antiangiogenic therapy for future clinical uses.

Using telework to enhance return to work outcomes for individuals with spinal cord injuries.

PubMed

Bricout, John C

2004-01-01

Return-to-work is an area of critical concern for individuals with a spinal cord injury (SCI), because of the psychological, psychosocial and economic benefits of employment. Although the majority of individuals with SCI are employed pre-injury, they are impeded from maintaining those jobs due to personal, organizational and systems level barriers. Telework, which permits home-based work through the use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT), alleviates many of return-to-work barriers for individuals with SCI, including job demands, mobility limitations, transportation needs and fatigue imposed by medical complications. For telework to fulfill its potential as a return-to-work strategy, rehabilitation professionals and employers must assess and enhance the readiness of the individual, workgroup and organization within the context of a disability management program. Strategies for successfully implementing telework as a return-to-work strategy for individuals with SCI are discussed, along with implications for future research.

20 CFR 404.1058 - Special situations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... Employees' Benefits SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION FEDERAL OLD-AGE, SURVIVORS AND DISABILITY INSURANCE (1950- ) Employment, Wages, Self-Employment, and Self-Employment Income Wages § 404.1058 Special situations. (a... as a home worker in a common-law employment relationship (see § 404.1007) count as wages regardless...

20 CFR 404.1058 - Special situations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... Employees' Benefits SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION FEDERAL OLD-AGE, SURVIVORS AND DISABILITY INSURANCE (1950- ) Employment, Wages, Self-Employment, and Self-Employment Income Wages § 404.1058 Special situations. (a... as a home worker in a common-law employment relationship (see § 404.1007) count as wages regardless...

20 CFR 404.1058 - Special situations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... Employees' Benefits SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION FEDERAL OLD-AGE, SURVIVORS AND DISABILITY INSURANCE (1950- ) Employment, Wages, Self-Employment, and Self-Employment Income Wages § 404.1058 Special situations. (a... as a home worker in a common-law employment relationship (see § 404.1007) count as wages regardless...

20 CFR 404.1058 - Special situations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... Employees' Benefits SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION FEDERAL OLD-AGE, SURVIVORS AND DISABILITY INSURANCE (1950- ) Employment, Wages, Self-Employment, and Self-Employment Income Wages § 404.1058 Special situations. (a... as a home worker in a common-law employment relationship (see § 404.1007) count as wages regardless...

A Comparative Study of Cross-Cultural Gratitude Strategies among Hausa, the Case of Arab and Chinese Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Isyaku, Hassan; Yuepeng, Ma; Mahdi, Qusay; Sarhan, Gassan; Salih, Nahid; Paramasivan, Shamala

2016-01-01

The research investigated the thanking/gratitude strategies of three distinct cultures; Hausa, Chinese and Arabic languages with the aim of finding out the different strategies used by them and how different they are in their use of such strategies. The study employs Cheng (2005) Taxonomy of gratitude strategies in analyzing the data which was…

Engaging Communities in Identifying Local Strategies for Expanding Integrated Employment during and after High School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carter, Erik W.; Blustein, Carly L.; Bumble, Jennifer L.; Harvey, Sarah; Henderson, Lynnette M.; McMillan, Elise D.

2016-01-01

Amidst decades of attention directed toward improving employment outcomes for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD), few efforts have been made to engage communities in identifying local solutions for expanding integrated employment opportunities. We examined the implementation and outcomes of "community…

Washington State's Corrections Clearinghouse: A Comprehensive Approach to Offender Employment.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Finn, Peter

Since 1976, the Correctional Clearinghouse (CCH), which is a unit of the Washington State Employment Security Department, has been committed to preparing offenders for the workplace and finding employment. The CCH's principal service delivery strategies are as follows: (1) providing direct services (teaching job readiness courses in prisons and…

Women and Nontraditional Work.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mort, Heidi; Reisman, Janet

This fact sheet summarizes labor market statistics on nontraditional jobs for women and public policy, barriers, and strategies regarding such employment. Among the data presented are the following: nontraditional jobs for women are jobs in which 75 percent or more of those employed are men; 9 percent of all working women are employed in…

College Graduates with Visual Impairments: A Report on Seeking and Finding Employment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Antonelli, Karla; Steverson, Anne; O'Mally, Jamie

2018-01-01

Introduction: Career mentoring can help college graduates with legal blindness to address employment barriers. Data on specific employment outcomes and job search experiences for this population can inform job-seeking strategies for students, mentors, and service providers. Methods: A longitudinal study evaluated job-seeking activities and…

Collaboration between Supported Employment and Human Resource Services: Strategies for Success

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Post, Michal; Campbell, Camille; Heinz, Tom; Kotsonas, Lori; Montgomery, Joyce; Storey, Keith

2010-01-01

The article presents the benefits of successful collaboration between supported employment agencies and human resource managers when working together to secure employment for individuals with disabilities. Two case studies are presented: one involving a successful collaboration with county human resource managers in negotiating a change in the…

A Model Strategy and Policy for Screening Firefighter Candidates

DTIC Science & Technology

2006-03-01

57 A. INTRODUCTION......................................................................................57 B. STATEGY STATEMENT...of the United States. B. STATEGY STATEMENT The intent of this strategy is to create a model firefighter pre-employment screening process that...provide results that either clearly support the strategy change, clearly refute the need for a strategy change or provide mixed results. Based on

An Investigation of Metacognitive Strategies Used by EFL Listeners

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Teng, Huei-Chun; Chan, Chi-Yeu

2008-01-01

The main intent of the present study is to find out what metacognitive strategies Taiwanese college students employ in EFL listening process. Four research questions explored in the study include: (1) What are the metacognitive strategies adopted by EFL listeners when they listen? (2) What are the differences of metacognitive strategies between…

Vocabulary Memorization Strategies among Arab Postgraduate English Foreign Language Learners

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Al-Qaysi, Fouad Hussein; Shabdin, Ahmad Affendi

2016-01-01

Many studies have investigated vocabulary memorization strategies in the EFL context, but few researches have been conducted on the types of memorization strategies used by the Arab students in Malaysia. Thus, this study investigates the types of vocabulary memorization strategies employed by the Arab students in the Intensive English course at…

Hypermedia Reading Strategies Employed by Advanced Learners of English

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Akyel, Ayse; Ercetin, Gulcan

2009-01-01

This study investigated the strategies used by advanced learners of English while reading a hypermedia document in order to determine whether they are essentially different from those reading strategies reported in the literature for printed texts. Moreover, the role of prior knowledge about the topic was explored in relation to strategy use. Data…

Development and evaluation of the Marijuana Reduction Strategies Self-Efficacy Scale.

PubMed

Davis, Alan K; Osborn, Lawrence A; Leith, Jaclyn; Rosenberg, Harold; Ashrafioun, Lisham; Hawley, Anna; Bannon, Erin E; Jesse, Samantha; Kraus, Shane; Kryszak, Elizabeth; Cross, Nicole; Carhart, Victoria; Baik, Kyoung-deok

2014-06-01

To evaluate several psychometric properties of a questionnaire designed to assess college students' self-efficacy to employ 21 cognitive-behavioral strategies intended to reduce the amount and/or frequency with which they consume marijuana, we recruited 273 marijuana-using students to rate their confidence that they could employ each of the strategies. Examination of frequency counts for each item, principal components analysis, internal consistency reliability, and mean interitem correlation supported retaining all 21 items in a single scale. In support of criterion validity, marijuana use-reduction self-efficacy scores were significantly positively correlated with cross-situational confidence to abstain from marijuana, and significantly negatively correlated with quantity and frequency of marijuana use and marijuana-related problems. In addition, compared with respondents whose use of marijuana either increased or remained stable, self-efficacy was significantly higher among those who had decreased their use of marijuana over the past year. This relatively short and easily administered questionnaire could be used to identify college students who have low self-efficacy to employ specific marijuana reduction strategies and as an outcome measure to evaluate educational and skill-training interventions.

A framework to create more mentally healthy workplaces: A viewpoint.

PubMed

Petrie, Katherine; Joyce, Sadhbh; Tan, Leona; Henderson, Max; Johnson, Anya; Nguyen, Helena; Modini, Matthew; Groth, Markus; Glozier, Nicholas; Harvey, Samuel B

2018-01-01

Mental illness is now the leading cause of long-term sickness absence among Australian workers, with significant costs to the individual, their employers and society more broadly. However, to date, there has been little evidence-informed guidance as to what workplaces should be doing to enhance their employees' mental health and wellbeing. In this article, we present a framework outlining the key strategies employers can implement to create more mentally healthy workplaces. The five key strategies outlined are as follows: (1) designing work to minimise harm, (2) building organisational resilience through good management, (3) enhancing personal resilience, (4) promoting early help-seeking and (5) supporting recovery and return to work. A narrative review is utilised to outline the theoretical evidence for this framework and to describe the available research evidence for a number of key example interventions for each of the five strategies. While each workplace needs to develop tailored solutions, the five strategy framework proposed in this review will hopefully provide a simple framework for employers and those advising them to use when judging the adequacy of existing services and considering opportunities for further enhancements.

Employment Status and Mental Health: Mediating Roles of Social Support and Coping Strategies.

PubMed

Perreault, Michel; Touré, El Hadj; Perreault, Nicole; Caron, Jean

2017-09-01

Although it has been established that unemployment and underemployment increase distress and depression, the psychological mechanisms involved are not very clear. This study examines the roles of social support and coping strategies as mediators of the association between employment status and mental health, as well as gender and age differences as moderators. Residents from the epidemiological catchment area of south-west Montreal responded to a randomized household survey for adults in 2009. A follow-up was conducted based on participants' employment status 2 and 4 years later. ANOVAs tests were computed with SPSS to evaluate group differences, and structural equation modeling was performed with AMOS to test mediation effects. At baseline, among participants between 18 and 64 years old (n = 2325), 14.3 % were unemployed/not studying, 14.4 % worked part-time, and 56.5 % worked full-time. Employment status was found to significantly affect depression among those under 45 years old (chi-square = 23.4, p < 0.001). Results showed a negative association of full-time employment with depression, which was fully mediated by social support, less coping with drugs/medication, and less distress. A negative association with full-time employment was also noted with distress, which was partially mediated by increased social support, coping with alcohol, and less coping with drugs/medication. The total indirect effect suggests that full-time employees generally have more resources and do not tend to use avoidance strategies like coping with drugs/medication, resulting in less distress (β = -0.05; p < 0.01) and depression (β = -0.028; p < 0.01). Results suggest that optimal impact on mental health could be attained when increasing employment, namely full-time employment, in communities.

Main Ingredients for Success in L2 Academic Writing: Outlining, Drafting and Proofreading.

PubMed

Munoz-Luna, Rosa

2015-01-01

Spanish undergraduates of English Studies are required to submit their essays in academic English, a genre which most of them are not acquainted with. This paper aims to explore the extralinguistic side of second language (L2) academic writing, more specifically, the combination of metalinguistic items (e.g. transition and frame markers, among others) with students' writing strategies when composing an academic text in L2 English. The research sample conveys a group of 200 Spanish undergraduates of English Studies; they are in their fourth year, so they are expected to be proficient in English academic writing but their written production quality varies considerably. Results are analysed following a mixed methodology by which metalinguistic items are statistically measured, and then contrasted with semi-structured interview results; SPSS and NVivo provide quantitative and qualitative outcomes, respectively. The analyses reveal that undergraduate students who produce complex sentences and more coherent texts employ a wider range of writing strategies both prior and while writing, being able to (un)consciously structure and design their texts more successfully. These high-scoring students make more proficient use of complex transition markers for coherence and frame markers for textual cohesion; their commonly used (pre-)writing strategies are drafting, outlining, and proofreading.

Exploring behavior of an unusual megaherbivore: A spatially explicit foraging model of the hippopotamus

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lewison, R.L.; Carter, J.

2004-01-01

Herbivore foraging theories have been developed for and tested on herbivores across a range of sizes. Due to logistical constraints, however, little research has focused on foraging behavior of megaherbivores. Here we present a research approach that explores megaherbivore foraging behavior, and assesses the applicability of foraging theories developed on smaller herbivores to megafauna. With simulation models as reference points for the analysis of empirical data, we investigate foraging strategies of the common hippopotamus (Hippopotamus amphibius). Using a spatially explicit individual based foraging model, we apply traditional herbivore foraging strategies to a model hippopotamus, compare model output, and then relate these results to field data from wild hippopotami. Hippopotami appear to employ foraging strategies that respond to vegetation characteristics, such as vegetation quality, as well as spatial reference information, namely distance to a water source. Model predictions, field observations, and comparisons of the two support that hippopotami generally conform to the central place foraging construct. These analyses point to the applicability of general herbivore foraging concepts to megaherbivores, but also point to important differences between hippopotami and other herbivores. Our synergistic approach of models as reference points for empirical data highlights a useful method of behavioral analysis for hard-to-study megafauna. ?? 2003 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The Impact of Long-Term Physical Activity Interventions for Overweight/Obese Postmenopausal Women on Adiposity Indicators, Physical Capacity, and Mental Health Outcomes: A Systematic Review

PubMed Central

Baker, Amanda; Sirois-Leclerc, Héloïse; Tulloch, Heather

2016-01-01

Physical activity interventions have recently become a popular strategy to help postmenopausal women prevent and manage obesity. The current systematic review evaluates the efficacy of physical activity interventions among overweight and obese postmenopausal women and sheds light on the behavioral change techniques that were employed in order to direct future research. Method. Five electronic databases were searched to identify all prospective RCT studies that examine the impact of physical activity on adiposity indicators, physical capacity, and/or mental health outcomes among healthy, sedentary overweight, and obese postmenopausal women in North America. The behavior change technique taxonomy was used to identify the various strategies applied in the programs. Results. Five RCTs met the inclusion criteria. The findings showed that adiposity indicators and physical capacity outcomes significantly improved following long-term interventions; however, mental health outcomes showed nonsignificant changes. Furthermore, 17 behavior change techniques were identified with the taxonomy across all trials. The intrapersonal-level techniques were the most common. Conclusion. Physical activity interventions had a positive effect on adiposity measures and physical capacity. Future research should focus on testing the effectiveness of physical activity interventions on mental health and incorporate strategies at the individual and environmental level to maximize the health impact on the population. PMID:27293882

Main Ingredients for Success in L2 Academic Writing: Outlining, Drafting and Proofreading

PubMed Central

Munoz-Luna, Rosa

2015-01-01

Spanish undergraduates of English Studies are required to submit their essays in academic English, a genre which most of them are not acquainted with. This paper aims to explore the extralinguistic side of second language (L2) academic writing, more specifically, the combination of metalinguistic items (e.g. transition and frame markers, among others) with students’ writing strategies when composing an academic text in L2 English. The research sample conveys a group of 200 Spanish undergraduates of English Studies; they are in their fourth year, so they are expected to be proficient in English academic writing but their written production quality varies considerably. Results are analysed following a mixed methodology by which metalinguistic items are statistically measured, and then contrasted with semi-structured interview results; SPSS and NVivo provide quantitative and qualitative outcomes, respectively. The analyses reveal that undergraduate students who produce complex sentences and more coherent texts employ a wider range of writing strategies both prior and while writing, being able to (un)consciously structure and design their texts more successfully. These high-scoring students make more proficient use of complex transition markers for coherence and frame markers for textual cohesion; their commonly used (pre-)writing strategies are drafting, outlining, and proofreading. PMID:26046836

Hedging to save face: a linguistic analysis of written comments on in-training evaluation reports.

PubMed

Ginsburg, Shiphra; van der Vleuten, Cees; Eva, Kevin W; Lingard, Lorelei

2016-03-01

Written comments on residents' evaluations can be useful, yet the literature suggests that the language used by assessors is often vague and indirect. The branch of linguistics called pragmatics argues that much of our day to day language is not meant to be interpreted literally. Within pragmatics, the theory of 'politeness' suggests that non-literal language and other strategies are employed in order to 'save face'. We conducted a rigorous, in-depth analysis of a set of written in-training evaluation report (ITER) comments using Brown and Levinson's influential theory of 'politeness' to shed light on the phenomenon of vague language use in assessment. We coded text from 637 comment boxes from first year residents in internal medicine at one institution according to politeness theory. Non-literal language use was common and 'hedging', a key politeness strategy, was pervasive in comments about both high and low rated residents, suggesting that faculty may be working to 'save face' for themselves and their residents. Hedging and other politeness strategies are considered essential to smooth social functioning; their prevalence in our ITERs may reflect the difficult social context in which written assessments occur. This research raises questions regarding the 'optimal' construction of written comments by faculty.

The Impact of Long-Term Physical Activity Interventions for Overweight/Obese Postmenopausal Women on Adiposity Indicators, Physical Capacity, and Mental Health Outcomes: A Systematic Review.

PubMed

Baker, Amanda; Sirois-Leclerc, Héloïse; Tulloch, Heather

2016-01-01

Physical activity interventions have recently become a popular strategy to help postmenopausal women prevent and manage obesity. The current systematic review evaluates the efficacy of physical activity interventions among overweight and obese postmenopausal women and sheds light on the behavioral change techniques that were employed in order to direct future research. Method. Five electronic databases were searched to identify all prospective RCT studies that examine the impact of physical activity on adiposity indicators, physical capacity, and/or mental health outcomes among healthy, sedentary overweight, and obese postmenopausal women in North America. The behavior change technique taxonomy was used to identify the various strategies applied in the programs. Results. Five RCTs met the inclusion criteria. The findings showed that adiposity indicators and physical capacity outcomes significantly improved following long-term interventions; however, mental health outcomes showed nonsignificant changes. Furthermore, 17 behavior change techniques were identified with the taxonomy across all trials. The intrapersonal-level techniques were the most common. Conclusion. Physical activity interventions had a positive effect on adiposity measures and physical capacity. Future research should focus on testing the effectiveness of physical activity interventions on mental health and incorporate strategies at the individual and environmental level to maximize the health impact on the population.

VMAT2 inhibitors for the treatment of tardive dyskinesia.

PubMed

Scorr, Laura M; Factor, Stewart A

2018-06-15

Tardive dyskinesia (TD) is an often disabling hyperkinetic movement disorder caused by exposure to dopamine receptor blocking agents. Although initially thought to most commonly occur with typical antipsychotics, the incidence is likely similar with atypical antipsychotics and antiemetics such as metoclopramide. Increased prescribing of these agents as well as low rates of remission have contributed to a rising prevalence of TD. Although this condition was described nearly 60 years ago, it is only within the past year that two novel therapeutic agents were FDA approved. Characterization of the VMAT2 inhibitor tetrabenazine, which was identified as a therapeutic agent for TD in older clinical trials, has yielded two distinct pharmacologic strategies to optimize response. The first strategy, used to create deutetrabenazine, employed deuterization of tetrabenazine to stabilize the pharmacokinetics and eliminate high peak plasma levels. The second strategy was the creation of a prodrug, valbenazine, for the two most active isoforms of tetrabenazine that also resulted in more stable pharmacokinetics and eliminated peak plasma levels. Both agents have been demonstrated to be effective and safe for the treatment of TD in multicenter, controlled trials and their development has led to a resurgence of interest in the characterization and treatment of this movement disorder. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Rural Transition Strategies That Work.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schwartz, Phebe

Successful rural transition strategies which assist disabled rural secondary students in the transition from school to employment and community integration are described. Effective programs and specific strategies touch on such topic areas as job/career exploration, on-site job exploration, career planning, prevocational training, transition…

Surgical orthodontics.

PubMed

Strohl, Alexis M; Vitkus, Lauren

2017-08-01

The article reviews some commonly used orthodontic treatments as well as new strategies to assist in the correction of malocclusion. Many techniques are used in conjunction with surgical intervention and are a necessary compliment to orthognathic surgery. Basic knowledge of these practices will aid in the surgeon's ability to adequately treat the patient. Many orthodontists and surgeons are eliminating presurgical orthodontics to adopt a strategy of 'surgery first' orthodontics in orthognathic surgery. This has the benefit of immediate improvement in facial aesthetics and shorter treatment times. The advent of virtual surgical planning has helped facilitate the development of this new paradigm by making surgical planning faster and easier. Furthermore, using intraoperative surgical navigation is improving overall precision and outcomes. A variety of surgical and nonsurgical treatments may be employed in the treatment of malocclusion. It is important to be familiar with all options available and tailor the patient's treatment plan accordingly. Surgery-first orthodontics, intraoperative surgical navigation, virtual surgical planning, and 3D printing are evolving new techniques that are producing shorter treatment times and subsequently improving patient satisfaction without sacrificing long-term stability.

Ants and antlions: The impact of ecology, coevolution and learning on an insect predator-prey relationship.

PubMed

Hollis, Karen L

2017-06-01

A behavioural ecological approach to the relationship between pit-digging larval antlions and their common prey, ants, provides yet another example of how the specific ecological niche that species inhabit imposes selection pressures leading to unique behavioural adaptations. Antlions rely on multiple strategies to capture prey with a minimal expenditure of energy and extraordinary efficiency while ants employ several different strategies for avoiding capture, including rescue of trapped nestmates. Importantly, both ants and antlions rely heavily on their capacity for learning, a tool that sometimes is overlooked in predator-prey relationships, leading to the implicit assumption that behavioural adaptations are the result of fixed, hard-wired responses. Nonetheless, like hard-wired responses, learned behaviour, too, is uniquely adapted to the ecological niche, a reminder that the expression of associative learning is species-specific. Beyond the study of ants and antlions, per se, this particular predator-prey relationship reveals the important role that the capacity to learn plays in coevolutionary arms races. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Benefits, Facilitators, Barriers, and Strategies to Improve Pesticide Protective Behaviors: Insights from Farmworkers in North Carolina Tobacco Fields

PubMed Central

Linnan, Laura; Sanchez-Birkhead, Ana; Mooney, Kathi

2017-01-01

Pesticide exposure is associated with deleterious health effects. Prior studies suggest Latino farmworkers perceive little control over their occupational health. Using the Health Belief Model as a theoretical guide, we explored the perceptions of Latino farmworkers working in tobacco in North Carolina (n = 72) about benefits and facilitators of pesticide protective behaviors as well as barriers, and strategies to overcome barriers to their use. Interviews were conducted with participants at farmworker housing during non-work time. Qualitative data were analyzed using ATLAS.ti. Farmworkers recognized pesticide protective behaviors as helping them to not get sick and stay healthy. Farmworkers perceived work experience as facilitating protective behaviors. Wetness in the field was the most commonly cited barrier to protective behavior use. To overcome this barrier, farmworkers suggested use of water-resistant outerwear, as well as packing a change of clothes for mid-day, with space and time to change provided by employers. Examination of the efficacy and feasibility of farmworkers’ suggestions for addressing barriers is warranted. Training and behavior modeling by experienced peers may improve behavior adoption and perceived control. PMID:28644414

Benefits, Facilitators, Barriers, and Strategies to Improve Pesticide Protective Behaviors: Insights from Farmworkers in North Carolina Tobacco Fields.

PubMed

Walton, AnnMarie Lee; LePrevost, Catherine E; Linnan, Laura; Sanchez-Birkhead, Ana; Mooney, Kathi

2017-06-23

Pesticide exposure is associated with deleterious health effects. Prior studies suggest Latino farmworkers perceive little control over their occupational health. Using the Health Belief Model as a theoretical guide, we explored the perceptions of Latino farmworkers working in tobacco in North Carolina ( n = 72) about benefits and facilitators of pesticide protective behaviors as well as barriers, and strategies to overcome barriers to their use. Interviews were conducted with participants at farmworker housing during non-work time. Qualitative data were analyzed using ATLAS.ti. Farmworkers recognized pesticide protective behaviors as helping them to not get sick and stay healthy. Farmworkers perceived work experience as facilitating protective behaviors. Wetness in the field was the most commonly cited barrier to protective behavior use. To overcome this barrier, farmworkers suggested use of water-resistant outerwear, as well as packing a change of clothes for mid-day, with space and time to change provided by employers. Examination of the efficacy and feasibility of farmworkers' suggestions for addressing barriers is warranted. Training and behavior modeling by experienced peers may improve behavior adoption and perceived control.

Obesity and female fertility: a primary care perspective.

PubMed

Wilkes, Scott; Murdoch, Alison

2009-07-01

Infertility affects approximately one in six couples during their lifetime. Obesity affects approximately half of the general population and is thus a common problem among the fertile population. Obese women have a higher prevalence of infertility compared with their lean counterparts. The majority of women with an ovulatory disorder contributing to their infertility have polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and a significant proportion of women with PCOS are obese. Ovulation disorders and obesity-associated infertility represent a group of infertile couples that are relatively simple to treat. Maternal morbidity, mortality and fetal anomalies are increased with obesity and the success of assisted reproductive technology (ART) treatments is significantly reduced for obese women. Body mass index (BMI) treatment limits for ART throughout the UK vary. The mainstay for treatment is weight loss, which improves both natural fertility and conception rates with ART. The most cost-effective treatment strategy for obese infertile women is weight reduction with a hypo-caloric diet. Assisted reproduction is preferable in women with a BMI of 30 kg/m(2) or less and weight loss strategies should be employed within primary care to achieve that goal prior to referral.

Electrochemical genosensors in food safety assessment.

PubMed

Martín-Fernández, Begoña; Manzanares-Palenzuela, C Lorena; Sánchez-Paniagua López, Marta; de-Los-Santos-Álvarez, Noemí; López-Ruiz, Beatriz

2017-09-02

The main goal of food safety assessment is to provide reliable information on the identity and composition of food and reduce the presence of harmful components. Nowadays, there are many countries where rather than the presence of pathogens, common public concerns are focused on the presence of hidden allergens, fraudulent practices, and genetic modifications in food. Accordingly, food regulations attempt to offer a high level of protection and to guarantee transparent information to the consumers. The availability of analytical methods is essential to comply these requirements. Protein-based strategies are usually employed for this purpose, but present some limitations. Because DNA is a more stable molecule, present in most tissues, and can be amplified, there has been an increasing interest in developing DNA-based approaches (polymerase chain reaction, microarrays, and genosensors). In this regard, electrochemical genosensors may play a major role in fulfilling the needs of food industry, such as reliable, portable, and affordable devices. This work reviews the achievements of this technology applied to allergen detection, species identification, and genetically modified organisms testing. We summarized the legislative framework, current design strategies in sensor development, their analytical characteristics, and future prospects.

Immortalized Muscle Cell Model to Test the Exon Skipping Efficacy for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy

PubMed Central

Nguyen, Quynh

2017-01-01

Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is a lethal genetic disorder that most commonly results from mutations disrupting the reading frame of the dystrophin (DMD) gene. Among the therapeutic approaches employed, exon skipping using antisense oligonucleotides (AOs) is one of the most promising strategies. This strategy aims to restore the reading frame, thus producing a truncated, yet functioning dystrophin protein. In 2016, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) conditionally approved the first AO-based drug, eteplirsen (Exondys 51), developed for DMD exon 51 skipping. An accurate and reproducible method to quantify exon skipping efficacy is essential for evaluating the therapeutic potential of different AOs sequences. However, previous in vitro screening studies have been hampered by the limited proliferative capacity and insufficient amounts of dystrophin expressed by primary muscle cell lines that have been the main system used to evaluate AOs sequences. In this paper, we illustrate the challenges associated with primary muscle cell lines and describe a novel approach that utilizes immortalized cell lines to quantitatively evaluate the exon skipping efficacy in in vitro studies. PMID:29035327

A strategy for evaluating pathway analysis methods.

PubMed

Yu, Chenggang; Woo, Hyung Jun; Yu, Xueping; Oyama, Tatsuya; Wallqvist, Anders; Reifman, Jaques

2017-10-13

Researchers have previously developed a multitude of methods designed to identify biological pathways associated with specific clinical or experimental conditions of interest, with the aim of facilitating biological interpretation of high-throughput data. Before practically applying such pathway analysis (PA) methods, we must first evaluate their performance and reliability, using datasets where the pathways perturbed by the conditions of interest have been well characterized in advance. However, such 'ground truths' (or gold standards) are often unavailable. Furthermore, previous evaluation strategies that have focused on defining 'true answers' are unable to systematically and objectively assess PA methods under a wide range of conditions. In this work, we propose a novel strategy for evaluating PA methods independently of any gold standard, either established or assumed. The strategy involves the use of two mutually complementary metrics, recall and discrimination. Recall measures the consistency of the perturbed pathways identified by applying a particular analysis method to an original large dataset and those identified by the same method to a sub-dataset of the original dataset. In contrast, discrimination measures specificity-the degree to which the perturbed pathways identified by a particular method to a dataset from one experiment differ from those identifying by the same method to a dataset from a different experiment. We used these metrics and 24 datasets to evaluate six widely used PA methods. The results highlighted the common challenge in reliably identifying significant pathways from small datasets. Importantly, we confirmed the effectiveness of our proposed dual-metric strategy by showing that previous comparative studies corroborate the performance evaluations of the six methods obtained by our strategy. Unlike any previously proposed strategy for evaluating the performance of PA methods, our dual-metric strategy does not rely on any ground truth, either established or assumed, of the pathways perturbed by a specific clinical or experimental condition. As such, our strategy allows researchers to systematically and objectively evaluate pathway analysis methods by employing any number of datasets for a variety of conditions.

Cognitive Strategy Instruction for Adolescents: What We Know about the Promise, What We Don't Know about the Potential

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Conley, Mark W.

2008-01-01

"Strategy instruction" is quickly becoming one of the most common--and perhaps the most commonly misunderstood--components of adolescent literacy research and practice. In this essay, veteran teacher educator Mark Conley argues that a particular type of strategy instruction known as cognitive strategy instruction holds great promise for improving…

Improving workplace productivity--it isn't just about reducing absence.

PubMed

Harte, Kathy; Mahieu, Kathleen; Mallett, David; Norville, Julie; VanderWerf, Sander

2011-01-01

Employers must get more aggressive in their health and productivity strategies. A comprehensive strategy includes data analytics across health and lost-time programs, absence policies that meet today's needs for both employer and employee, health and wellness programs targeting modifiable health behaviors, and absence program administration that is aligned to operational goals. This article targets key aspects of a comprehensive long-term health and productivity strategic vision. An organization can use these aspects independently to address immediate tactical issues while it develops its broader strategy. The target areas include a view from the perspective of data management, absence program design and management, employee health and wellness, and behavioral health.

Supportive group action for women: a self-help strategy.

PubMed

Stewart, M

1983-09-01

A major goal of the demonstration project described was to test a model of self-help and voluntary support in developing groups for female single parents. Community meetings, study programs, and related experiential strategies were used to promote coping skills and strategies; access to resources; decision-making learning and responsibility; social contacts and networking; work skills and employment opportunities. The effectiveness of the model, which emphasized self-help, consumer power, and accessibility, was reflected in increased membership, self-awareness and confidence, leadership, employment and development of community resources. Initial individual contact, informal contracting, and community support were seen as important factors in the project's success.

Cost-Effective Strategies for Rural Community Outreach, Hawaii, 2010–2011

PubMed Central

Barbato, Anna; Holuby, R. Scott; Ciarleglio, Anita E.; Taniguchi, Ronald

2014-01-01

Three strategies designed to maximize attendance at educational sessions on chronic disease medication safety in older adults in rural areas were implemented sequentially and compared for cost-effectiveness: 1) existing community groups and events, 2) formal advertisement, and 3) employer-based outreach. Cost-effectiveness was measured by comparing overall cost per attendee recruited and number of attendees per event. The overall cost per attendee was substantially higher for the formal advertising strategy, which produced the lowest number of attendees per event. Leveraging existing community events and employers in rural areas was more cost-effective than formal advertisement for recruiting rural community members. PMID:25496555

Cost-effective strategies for rural community outreach, Hawaii, 2010-2011.

PubMed

Pellegrin, Karen L; Barbato, Anna; Holuby, R Scott; Ciarleglio, Anita E; Taniguchi, Ronald

2014-12-11

Three strategies designed to maximize attendance at educational sessions on chronic disease medication safety in older adults in rural areas were implemented sequentially and compared for cost-effectiveness: 1) existing community groups and events, 2) formal advertisement, and 3) employer-based outreach. Cost-effectiveness was measured by comparing overall cost per attendee recruited and number of attendees per event. The overall cost per attendee was substantially higher for the formal advertising strategy, which produced the lowest number of attendees per event. Leveraging existing community events and employers in rural areas was more cost-effective than formal advertisement for recruiting rural community members.

Inventory on the dietary assessment tools available and needed in africa: a prerequisite for setting up a common methodological research infrastructure for nutritional surveillance, research, and prevention of diet-related non-communicable diseases.

PubMed

Pisa, Pedro T; Landais, Edwige; Margetts, Barrie; Vorster, Hester H; Friedenreich, Christine M; Huybrechts, Inge; Martin-Prevel, Yves; Branca, Francesco; Lee, Warren T K; Leclercq, Catherine; Jerling, Johann; Zotor, Francis; Amuna, Paul; Al Jawaldeh, Ayoub; Aderibigbe, Olaide Ruth; Amoussa, Waliou Hounkpatin; Anderson, Cheryl A M; Aounallah-Skhiri, Hajer; Atek, Madjid; Benhura, Chakare; Chifamba, Jephat; Covic, Namukolo; Dary, Omar; Delisle, Hélène; El Ati, Jalila; El Hamdouchi, Asmaa; El Rhazi, Karima; Faber, Mieke; Kalimbira, Alexander; Korkalo, Liisa; Kruger, Annamarie; Ledo, James; Machiweni, Tatenda; Mahachi, Carol; Mathe, Nonsikelelo; Mokori, Alex; Mouquet-Rivier, Claire; Mutie, Catherine; Nashandi, Hilde Liisa; Norris, Shane A; Onabanjo, Oluseye Olusegun; Rambeloson, Zo; Saha, Foudjo Brice U; Ubaoji, Kingsley Ikechukwu; Zaghloul, Sahar; Slimani, Nadia

2018-01-02

To carry out an inventory on the availability, challenges, and needs of dietary assessment (DA) methods in Africa as a pre-requisite to provide evidence, and set directions (strategies) for implementing common dietary methods and support web-research infrastructure across countries. The inventory was performed within the framework of the "Africa's Study on Physical Activity and Dietary Assessment Methods" (AS-PADAM) project. It involves international institutional and African networks. An inventory questionnaire was developed and disseminated through the networks. Eighteen countries responded to the dietary inventory questionnaire. Various DA tools were reported in Africa; 24-Hour Dietary Recall and Food Frequency Questionnaire were the most commonly used tools. Few tools were validated and tested for reliability. Face-to-face interview was the common method of administration. No computerized software or other new (web) technologies were reported. No tools were standardized across countries. The lack of comparable DA methods across represented countries is a major obstacle to implement comprehensive and joint nutrition-related programmes for surveillance, programme evaluation, research, and prevention. There is a need to develop new or adapt existing DA methods across countries by employing related research infrastructure that has been validated and standardized in other settings, with the view to standardizing methods for wider use.

Veterans' Employment and Training Service

MedlinePlus

... Veterans Employment Center Veterans' Preference VETS-4212 Federal Contractor Reporting Women Who Served USERRA USERRA protects civilian ... Strategies for Successfully Removing Barriers. VETS-4212 Federal Contractor Reporting Federal contractors and subcontractors annually track and ...

Employer-Led Organizations and Skill Supply Chains: Linking Worker Advancement with the Skill Needs of Employers. Issue Brief.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mills, Jack; Prince, Heath

Skill supply chains apply a chain strategy to human resources to make the labor market more efficient. They link the multiple skill levels in a given labor market within a network of recruitment pathways for employers and advancement pathways for workers. Skill supply chains are based on employers' actual skill needs and on the principle that…

Cultural and gender differences in coping strategies between Caucasian American and Korean American older people.

PubMed

Lee, HeeSoon; Mason, Derek

2014-12-01

Coping strategies have significant effects on older people's health. This study examined whether gender and ethnic differences influence the coping strategies chosen by older adults when they encounter daily life stressors. Data were collected from 444 community-dwelling people over the age of 65, including 238 Caucasian Americans and 206 Korean Americans. Results showed significant differences between the two groups. Korean Americans had higher scores on problem and emotion-focused coping strategies as well as avoidant coping strategies than Caucasian Americans. Caucasian older women employed more active coping, planning, and positive reframing skills; relied more on religion; and sought emotional support more than Caucasian men. For Korean Americans, older women utilized religion and denial; whereas older men employed instrumental support and substance abuse. The results suggest that practitioners should develop ethnic, gender-specific programs to help older adults cope more effectively with their daily life stressors.

Evolution of United States and NATO tactical nuclear doctrine and limited nuclear war options, 1949-1964. Master's thesis

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

Maiorano, A.G.

The debate over nuclear weapons in Europe and their utility as part of NATO's forward defense strategy persisted since the mid-1950s. Existing tactical nuclear employment doctrine and strategies are based on obsolete criteria and defense concepts established when the U.S. possessed superiority in nearly all nuclear categories. NATO has allowed its tactical nuclear doctrine and arsenal of battlefield nuclear weapons to deteriorate, choosing instead to rely on the American strategic nuclear umbrella for all but the most localized of conflicts. This thesis examines the development, stagnation and decline of NATO tactical nuclear doctrine and strategy from 1949 to 1984. Itmore » analyzes four tactical nuclear postures, drawing from each to recommend a viable tactical nuclear strategy for NATO today. The presence and potential employment of tactical nuclear weapons make it imperative that NATO devise an effective limited nuclear war strategy.« less

Strategies for coping with work-family conflict: the distinctive relationships of gender role ideology.

PubMed

Somech, Anit; Drach-Zahavy, Anat

2007-01-01

Study 1, with 266 employed parents, identified 8 coping strategies: super at home, good enough at home, delegation at home, priorities at home, super at work, good enough at work, delegation at work, and priorities at work. Study 2, with 679 employed parents, demonstrated a moderating effect of sex and gender role ideology in the relationship between coping strategy and work-family conflict. Specifically, the relationships between coping strategies (i.e., good enough at home, good enough at work, and delegation at work) and work interference with family were moderated by sex and gender role ideology. Regarding family interference with work, the relationships between coping strategies (i.e., good enough at home and good enough at work, delegation at home and delegation at work, and priorities at home) and family interference with work were moderated by sex and gender role ideology. (c) 2007 APA, all rights reserved.

78 FR 14121 - Notice of Availability of Funds and Solicitation for Grant Applications for Strategies Targeting...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-03-04

... Solicitation for Grant Applications for Strategies Targeting Characteristics Common to Female Ex-Offenders... will be targeted to females, but must also be open to eligible male ex-offenders. Strategies Targeting Characteristics Common to Female Ex-Offenders grants [[Page 14122

Do Doctrinal Buzzwords Obscure the Meaning of Operational Art

DTIC Science & Technology

1989-04-21

doctrine defines military strategy as "the art and science of employing the armed forres of a nation or alliance to secure policy objectives by the...objectives during peace, crisis, or war. 𔄂 Joint Chiefs of Staff Publication I (JCS Pub 1) defines 7, strategy as "the art and science of developing...definitions. One definition is "the science and art of employing the pnlitical, economic, psychological, and military forces of a nation or group of

Pipelines for New Chemicals: a strategy to create new value chains and stimulate innovation-based economic revival in Southern European countries.

PubMed

Timmis, Kenneth; de Lorenzo, Victor; Verstraete, Willy; Garcia, Jose Luis; Ramos, Juan Luis; Santos, Helena; Economidis, Ioannis; Nogales, Balbina; Timmis, James Kenneth; Fonseca, César; Pruzzo, Carla; Karagouni, Amalia; Panopoulos, Nickolas; Dixon, Bernard

2014-01-01

Countries of Southern Europe are currently suffering from severe socio-economic pain resulting from high debt levels and austerity measures which constrain investment in innovation-based recovery strategies that are essential for entry into a long-term sustainable period of increasing employment and wealth creation. Young university-educated people are particularly innovative, and hence vital to the development of such strategies, but employment opportunities are poor and many are forced to seek employment that neither profits from their training nor satisfies their justified career expectations, or to emigrate. They are the 'lost generation'. A strategy is proposed here for the creation of Pipelines for New Chemicals, national centre-network partnerships for the discovery-synthesis of new chemicals obtained though harvesting new biological diversity, and their exploitation to develop new medicines, agrochemicals, materials, and other products and applications. The goal is to create new regional motors of economic growth and development, by harnessing the knowledge, motivation and innovation potential of the excellently educated young people of Europe to catalyse the development of new small, medium and large enterprises centred around novel chemicals, and the value chains that will evolve with them, and thereby develop a powerful sector of sustainable growth in employment and social and economic prosperity in Southern Europe. © 2014 Society for Applied Microbiology and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Effective Strategies to Assist Spouses of Junior Enlisted Members with Employment. Analysis of the 1997 Survey of Spouses of Enlisted Personnel.

DTIC Science & Technology

1999-09-01

employment assistance programs ( EAPs ). To evaluate these programs , and to provide a demographic and employment-related profile of spouses of junior enlisted...spouse Employment Assistance Program ( EAP ) services, policies, and procedures. The Army, Navy, Marine Corps, and Air Force each offer separate yet...help wanted advertisements. Only 7% were found through the Employment Assistance Program ( EAP ). Spouses faced barriers in their efforts to enter or

South to south learning in great ape conservation.

PubMed

Schoneveld-de Lange, Nicolien; Meijaard, Erik; Löhr, Ansje

2016-06-01

Despite evidence that killing of Bornean Orangutan (Pongo pygmaeus) in South-East Asia is a major threat to the species, few researchers and non-governmental conservationists have addressed it in management and research, and there is virtually no implementation of anti-killing strategies. In large parts of the Congo Basin, Central Africa, instead, illegal killing of great apes is acknowledged to be their largest threat, and many conservation strategies have been used to reduce killing pressure. However, since these strategies have not been subject to systematic and comprehensive review, it remains unclear which of them have been successful and why. Knowledge of the success, failure, and practices of common conservation strategies to manage great ape killing is critical to ensure adaptive conservation management in the Congo Basin. Understanding the Congo context also facilitates simultaneously highlighting great ape killing in Borneo and suggesting solutions to manage orangutan killing. Here, we compile and analyze the available literature on great ape conservation strategies for reducing killing rates in the Congo Basin. Through a systematic literature review of 198 publications, we find that the most widely employed conservation strategies in the Congo Basin are legislation and law enforcement, protected area management, community-based conservation, alternatives to bushmeat consumption and trade, ecotourism, education, and capacity building. Despite lack of rigorous post-intervention evaluation of conservation impact, we derive several recommendations for addressing the orangutan killing issue in Borneo. A critical lesson, widely applicable to developing countries for conservationists and not limited to Congo Basin realities, is the need for rigorous post-intervention evaluations compared to pre-intervention baselines and over appropriate time frames. Am. J. Primatol. 78:669-678, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Cognitive Fatigue Destabilizes Economic Decision Making Preferences and Strategies.

PubMed

Mullette-Gillman, O'Dhaniel A; Leong, Ruth L F; Kurnianingsih, Yoanna A

2015-01-01

It is common for individuals to engage in taxing cognitive activity for prolonged periods of time, resulting in cognitive fatigue that has the potential to produce significant effects in behaviour and decision making. We sought to examine whether cognitive fatigue modulates economic decision making. We employed a between-subject manipulation design, inducing fatigue through 60 to 90 minutes of taxing cognitive engagement against a control group that watched relaxing videos for a matched period of time. Both before and after the manipulation, participants engaged in two economic decision making tasks (one for gains and one for losses). The analyses focused on two areas of economic decision making--preferences and choice strategies. Uncertainty preferences (risk and ambiguity) were quantified as premium values, defined as the degree and direction in which participants alter the valuation of the gamble in comparison to the certain option. The strategies that each participant engaged in were quantified through a choice strategy metric, which contrasts the degree to which choice behaviour relies upon available satisficing or maximizing information. We separately examined these metrics for alterations within both the gains and losses domains, through the two choice tasks. The fatigue manipulation resulted in significantly greater levels of reported subjective fatigue, with correspondingly higher levels of reported effort during the cognitively taxing activity. Cognitive fatigue did not alter uncertainty preferences (risk or ambiguity) or informational strategies, in either the gains or losses domains. Rather, cognitive fatigue resulted in greater test-retest variability across most of our economic measures. These results indicate that cognitive fatigue destabilizes economic decision making, resulting in inconsistent preferences and informational strategies that may significantly reduce decision quality.

Cognitive Fatigue Destabilizes Economic Decision Making Preferences and Strategies

PubMed Central

Mullette-Gillman, O’Dhaniel A.; Leong, Ruth L. F.; Kurnianingsih, Yoanna A.

2015-01-01

Objective It is common for individuals to engage in taxing cognitive activity for prolonged periods of time, resulting in cognitive fatigue that has the potential to produce significant effects in behaviour and decision making. We sought to examine whether cognitive fatigue modulates economic decision making. Methods We employed a between-subject manipulation design, inducing fatigue through 60 to 90 minutes of taxing cognitive engagement against a control group that watched relaxing videos for a matched period of time. Both before and after the manipulation, participants engaged in two economic decision making tasks (one for gains and one for losses). The analyses focused on two areas of economic decision making—preferences and choice strategies. Uncertainty preferences (risk and ambiguity) were quantified as premium values, defined as the degree and direction in which participants alter the valuation of the gamble in comparison to the certain option. The strategies that each participant engaged in were quantified through a choice strategy metric, which contrasts the degree to which choice behaviour relies upon available satisficing or maximizing information. We separately examined these metrics for alterations within both the gains and losses domains, through the two choice tasks. Results The fatigue manipulation resulted in significantly greater levels of reported subjective fatigue, with correspondingly higher levels of reported effort during the cognitively taxing activity. Cognitive fatigue did not alter uncertainty preferences (risk or ambiguity) or informational strategies, in either the gains or losses domains. Rather, cognitive fatigue resulted in greater test-retest variability across most of our economic measures. These results indicate that cognitive fatigue destabilizes economic decision making, resulting in inconsistent preferences and informational strategies that may significantly reduce decision quality. PMID:26230404

Dual Recognition Strategy for Specific and Sensitive Detection of Bacteria Using Aptamer-Coated Magnetic Beads and Antibiotic-Capped Gold Nanoclusters.

PubMed

Cheng, Dan; Yu, Mengqun; Fu, Fei; Han, Weiye; Li, Gan; Xie, Jianping; Song, Yang; Swihart, Mark T; Song, Erqun

2016-01-05

Food poisoning and infectious diseases caused by pathogenic bacteria such as Staphylococcus aureus (SA) are serious public health concerns. A method of specific, sensitive, and rapid detection of such bacteria is essential and important. This study presents a strategy that combines aptamer and antibiotic-based dual recognition units with magnetic enrichment and fluorescent detection to achieve specific and sensitive quantification of SA in authentic specimens and in the presence of much higher concentrations of other bacteria. Aptamer-coated magnetic beads (Apt-MB) were employed for specific capture of SA. Vancomycin-stabilized fluorescent gold nanoclusters (AuNCs@Van) were prepared by a simple one-step process and used for sensitive quantification of SA in the range of 32-10(8) cfu/mL with the detection limit of 16 cfu/mL via a fluorescence intensity measurement. And using this strategy, about 70 cfu/mL of SA in complex samples (containing 3 × 10(8) cfu/mL of other different contaminated bacteria) could be successfully detected. In comparison to prior studies, the developed strategy here not only simplifies the preparation procedure of the fluorescent probes (AuNCs@Van) to a great extent but also could sensitively quantify SA in the presence of much higher concentrations of other bacteria directly with good accuracy. Moreover, the aptamer and antibiotic used in this strategy are much less expensive and widely available compared to common-used antibodies, making it cost-effective. This general aptamer- and antibiotic-based dual recognition strategy, combined with magnetic enrichment and fluorescent detection of trace bacteria, shows great potential application in monitoring bacterial food contamination and infectious diseases.

Selecting and Improving Quasi-Experimental Designs in Effectiveness and Implementation Research.

PubMed

Handley, Margaret A; Lyles, Courtney R; McCulloch, Charles; Cattamanchi, Adithya

2018-04-01

Interventional researchers face many design challenges when assessing intervention implementation in real-world settings. Intervention implementation requires holding fast on internal validity needs while incorporating external validity considerations (such as uptake by diverse subpopulations, acceptability, cost, and sustainability). Quasi-experimental designs (QEDs) are increasingly employed to achieve a balance between internal and external validity. Although these designs are often referred to and summarized in terms of logistical benefits, there is still uncertainty about (a) selecting from among various QEDs and (b) developing strategies to strengthen the internal and external validity of QEDs. We focus here on commonly used QEDs (prepost designs with nonequivalent control groups, interrupted time series, and stepped-wedge designs) and discuss several variants that maximize internal and external validity at the design, execution and implementation, and analysis stages.

Ambulatory extracorporeal membrane oxygenation with subclavian venoarterial cannulation to increase mobility and recovery in a patient awaiting cardiac transplantation

PubMed Central

Jacob, Samuel; MacHannaford, Juan C.; Chamogeorgakis, Themistokles; Gonzalez-Stawinski, Gonzalo V.; Felius, Joost; Rafael, Aldo E.; Malyala, Rajasekhar S.

2017-01-01

Venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) can provide temporary cardiopulmonary support for patients in hemodynamic extremis or refractory heart failure until more durable therapies—such as cardiac transplantation or a left ventricular assist device—can be safely implemented. Conventional ECMO cannulation strategies commonly employ the femoral artery and vein, constraining the patients to the supine position for the duration of ECMO support. We have recently adopted a modified cannulation approach to promote patient mobility, rehabilitation, and faster recovery and to mitigate complications associated with femoral arterial cannulation, such as limb ischemia and compartment syndrome. This technique involves cannulation of the subclavian artery and vein. The current case report details our recent experience with this approach in a critically ill patient awaiting cardiac transplantation. PMID:28405091

Maritime domain awareness community of interest net centric information sharing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Andress, Mark; Freeman, Brian; Rhiddlehover, Trey; Shea, John

2007-04-01

This paper highlights the approach taken by the Maritime Domain Awareness (MDA) Community of Interest (COI) in establishing an approach to data sharing that seeks to overcome many of the obstacles to sharing both within the federal government and with international and private sector partners. The approach uses the DOD Net Centric Data Strategy employed through Net Centric Enterprise Services (NCES) Service Oriented Architecture (SOA) foundation provided by Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA), but is unique in that the community is made up of more than just Defense agencies. For the first pilot project, the MDA COI demonstrated how four agencies from DOD, the Intelligence Community, Department of Homeland Security (DHS), and Department of Transportation (DOT) could share Automatic Identification System (AIS) data in a common format using shared enterprise service components.

Preamplifiers for non-contact capacitive biopotential measurements.

PubMed

Peng, GuoChen; Ignjatovic, Zeljko; Bocko, Mark F

2013-01-01

Non-contact biopotential sensing is an attractive measurement strategy for a number of health monitoring applications, primarily the ECG and the EEG. In all such applications a key technical challenge is the design of a low-noise trans-impedance preamplifier for the typically low-capacitance, high source impedance sensing electrodes. In this paper, we compare voltage and charge amplifier designs in terms of their common mode rejection ratio, noise performance, and frequency response. Both amplifier types employ the same operational-transconductance amplifier (OTA), which was fabricated in a 0.35 um CMOS process. The results show that a charge amplifier configuration has advantages for small electrode-to-subject coupling capacitance values (less than 10 pF--typical of noncontact electrodes) and that the voltage amplifier configuration has advantages for electrode capacitances above 10 pF.

Mouse Models of Neurofibromatosis 1 and 21

PubMed Central

Gutmann, David H; Giovannini, Marco

2002-01-01

Abstract The neurofibromatoses represent two of the most common inherited tumor predisposition syndromes affecting the nervous system. Individuals with neurofibromatosis 1 (NF1) are prone to the development of astrocytomas and peripheral nerve sheath tumors whereas those affected with neurofibromatosis 2 (NF2) develop schwannomas and meningiomas. The development of traditional homozygous knockout mice has provided insights into the roles of the NF1 and NF2 genes during development and in differentiation, but has been less instructive regarding the contribution of NF1 and NF2 dysfunction to the pathogenesis of specific benign and malignant tumors. Recent progress employing novel mouse targeting strategies has begun to illuminate the roles of the NF1 and NF2 gene products in the molecular pathogenesis of NF-associated tumors. PMID:12082543

Electrochemical Nanoparticle-Enzyme Sensors for Screening Bacterial Contamination in Drinking Water

PubMed Central

Chen, Juhong; Jiang, Ziwen; Ackerman, Jonathan D.; Yazdani, Mahdieh; Hou, Singyuk

2015-01-01

Traditional plating and culturing methods used to quantify bacteria commonly require hours to days from sampling to results. We present here a simple, sensitive and rapid electrochemical method for bacteria detection in drinking water based on gold nanoparticle-enzyme complexes. The gold nanoparticles were functionalized with positively charged quaternary amine headgroups that could bind to enzymes through electrostatic interactions, resulting in inhibition of enzymatic activity. In the presence of bacteria, the nanoparticles released from the enzymes and preferentially bound to the bacteria, resulting in an increase in enzyme activity, releasing a redox-active phenol from the substrate. We employed this strategy for the electrochemical sensing of Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus, resulting in a rapid detection (<1h) with high sensitivity (102 CFU·mL−1). PMID:26042607

A prolonged outbreak of ornithosis in duck processors.

PubMed Central

Newman, C. P.; Palmer, S. R.; Kirby, F. D.; Caul, E. O.

1992-01-01

In 1985 an outbreak of ornithosis affected 13 of 80 (16%) workers in a duck-processing plant. New employees were three times more likely to become cases than established employees. The highest attack rate was in those on the production line. Following the outbreak, an occupational health scheme was set up to monitor the health of new recruits to the company. Serological evidence of recent infection was demonstrated in 18 of 37 (49%) new employees tested in the first 3 months of employment. Five (14%) also had clinical evidence of ornithosis. Veterinary investigation of the ducks demonstrated a high proportion with asymptomatic chlamydial infection. It is suggested that ornithosis may be more common in duck processors than is currently supposed. Strategies to reduce occupational risks are discussed. PMID:1547838

Exposing the Secrets of HIV's Success | Center for Cancer Research

Cancer.gov

An estimated 40 million people were living with HIV and approximately 3 million people died of AIDS worldwide in 2005, making HIV the deadliest infectious agent of the modern era. HIV owes much of its pathogenic success to two factors —its rapid and imprecise replication, which can lead to drug resistance, and its ability to survive at low levels in the presence of antiviral drugs, a phenomenon called persistence. Multipronged treatment—usually a combination of three antiviral therapies—has helped reduce the number of AIDS-related deaths in developed countries, but does not provide a cure. Drug resistance sometimes occurs with long-term combination therapy, and is even more common when suboptimal treatment strategies are employed. Furthermore, if treatment is interrupted, HIV makes a rapid return.

COMPUTATIONAL METHODOLOGIES for REAL-SPACE STRUCTURAL REFINEMENT of LARGE MACROMOLECULAR COMPLEXES

PubMed Central

Goh, Boon Chong; Hadden, Jodi A.; Bernardi, Rafael C.; Singharoy, Abhishek; McGreevy, Ryan; Rudack, Till; Cassidy, C. Keith; Schulten, Klaus

2017-01-01

The rise of the computer as a powerful tool for model building and refinement has revolutionized the field of structure determination for large biomolecular systems. Despite the wide availability of robust experimental methods capable of resolving structural details across a range of spatiotemporal resolutions, computational hybrid methods have the unique ability to integrate the diverse data from multimodal techniques such as X-ray crystallography and electron microscopy into consistent, fully atomistic structures. Here, commonly employed strategies for computational real-space structural refinement are reviewed, and their specific applications are illustrated for several large macromolecular complexes: ribosome, virus capsids, chemosensory array, and photosynthetic chromatophore. The increasingly important role of computational methods in large-scale structural refinement, along with current and future challenges, is discussed. PMID:27145875

[Another Dante's inferno in a gold mine during the Vargas era: Nova Lima, Minas Gerais].

PubMed

Maia, Andréa Casa Nova

2014-01-01

This article analyzes the control strategies in place at Morro Velho mine in the Brazilian state of Minas Gerais, and the changes after the implementation of labor legislation during the Vargas administration. The diseases common amongst mine workers, silicosis and arsenicosis, are investigated through statements given by former miners and a book by an anonymous author that discusses the diseases and the power relations between employers and employees, identifying the limitations of the legislation and the workers' struggles. The book presents a striking story of how for many years the British company side-stepped laws such as the insalubrity premium, a right which other mining companies, not only of British ownership, flouted and still flout in different parts of the world.

Admittance Control for Robot Assisted Retinal Vein Micro-Cannulation under Human-Robot Collaborative Mode.

PubMed

Zhang, He; Gonenc, Berk; Iordachita, Iulian

2017-10-01

Retinal vein occlusion is one of the most common retinovascular diseases. Retinal vein cannulation is a potentially effective treatment method for this condition that currently lies, however, at the limits of human capabilities. In this work, the aim is to use robotic systems and advanced instrumentation to alleviate these challenges, and assist the procedure via a human-robot collaborative mode based on our earlier work on the Steady-Hand Eye Robot and force-sensing instruments. An admittance control method is employed to stabilize the cannula relative to the vein and maintain it inside the lumen during the injection process. A pre-stress strategy is used to prevent the tip of microneedle from getting out of vein in in prolonged infusions, and the performance is verified through simulations.

Adaptive Fuzzy Control Design for Stochastic Nonlinear Switched Systems With Arbitrary Switchings and Unmodeled Dynamics.

PubMed

Li, Yongming; Sui, Shuai; Tong, Shaocheng

2017-02-01

This paper deals with the problem of adaptive fuzzy output feedback control for a class of stochastic nonlinear switched systems. The controlled system in this paper possesses unmeasured states, completely unknown nonlinear system functions, unmodeled dynamics, and arbitrary switchings. A state observer which does not depend on the switching signal is constructed to tackle the unmeasured states. Fuzzy logic systems are employed to identify the completely unknown nonlinear system functions. Based on the common Lyapunov stability theory and stochastic small-gain theorem, a new robust adaptive fuzzy backstepping stabilization control strategy is developed. The stability of the closed-loop system on input-state-practically stable in probability is proved. The simulation results are given to verify the efficiency of the proposed fuzzy adaptive control scheme.

How peroxisomes partition between cells. A story of yeast, mammals and filamentous fungi.

PubMed

Knoblach, Barbara; Rachubinski, Richard A

2016-08-01

Eukaryotic cells are subcompartmentalized into discrete, membrane-enclosed organelles. These organelles must be preserved in cells over many generations to maintain the selective advantages afforded by compartmentalization. Cells use complex molecular mechanisms of organelle inheritance to achieve high accuracy in the sharing of organelles between daughter cells. Here we focus on how a multi-copy organelle, the peroxisome, is partitioned in yeast, mammalian cells, and filamentous fungi, which differ in their mode of cell division. Cells achieve equidistribution of their peroxisomes through organelle transport and retention processes that act coordinately, although the strategies employed vary considerably by organism. Nevertheless, we propose that mechanisms common across species apply to the partitioning of all membrane-enclosed organelles. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Linkage of Usher syndrome type I gene (USH1B) to the long arm of chromosome 11.

PubMed

Kimberling, W J; Möller, C G; Davenport, S; Priluck, I A; Beighton, P H; Greenberg, J; Reardon, W; Weston, M D; Kenyon, J B; Grunkemeyer, J A

1992-12-01

Usher syndrome is the most commonly recognized cause of combined visual and hearing loss in technologically developed countries. There are several different types and all are inherited in an autosomal recessive manner. There may be as many as five different genes responsible for at least two closely related phenotypes. The nature of the gene defects is unknown, and positional cloning strategies are being employed to identify the genes. This is a report of the localization of one gene for Usher syndrome type I to chromosome 11q, probably distal to marker D11S527. Another USH1 gene had been previously localized to chromosome 14q, and this second localization establishes the existence of a new and independent locus for Usher syndrome.

Stress and Coping Strategies of Students in a Medical Faculty in Malaysia

PubMed Central

Al-Dubai, Sami Abdo Radman; Al-Naggar, Redhwan Ahmed; Alshagga, Mustafa Ahmed; Rampal, Krishna Gopal

2011-01-01

Background: Stress may affect students’ health and their academic performance. Coping strategies are specific efforts that individuals employ to manage stress. This study aimed to assess the perception of stress among medical students and their coping strategies. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 376 medical and medical sciences undergraduates in Management and Science University in Malaysia. Stress was assessed by a global rating of stress. Sources of stress were assessed using a 17-item questionnaire. The validated Brief COPE inventory was used to assess coping strategies. Results: The majority of respondents were females (64.4%), aged 21 years or older (63.0%), and were Malays (68.9%). Forty-six percent felt stress. The most common stressor was worries of the future (71.0%), followed by financial difficulties (68.6%). Significant predictors of stress were smoking (OR = 2.9, 95% CI 1.3–6.8, P = 0.009), worries of the future (OR = 2.1, 95% CI 1.3–3.4, P = 0.005), self-blame (OR = 1.3, 95% CI 1.1–1.5, P = 0.001), lack of emotional support (OR = 0.8, 95% CI 0.7–0.9, P = 0.017), and lack of acceptance (OR = 0.8, 95% CI 0.6–0.9, P = 0.010). Students used active coping, religious coping reframing, planning, and acceptance to cope with stress. Conclusion: Stressors reported by the students were mainly financial and academic issues. Students adopted active coping strategies rather than avoidance. Students should receive consultation on how to manage and cope with stress. PMID:22135602

Generalist feeding strategies in Arctic freshwater fish: A mechanism for dealing with extreme environments

USGS Publications Warehouse

Laske, Sarah M.; Rosenberger, Amanda E.; Wipfli, Mark S.; Zimmerman, Christian E.

2018-01-01

Generalist feeding strategies are favoured in stressful or variable environments where flexibility in ecological traits is beneficial. Species that feed across multiple habitat types and trophic levels may impart stability on food webs through the use of readily available, alternative energy pools. In lakes, generalist fish species may take advantage of spatially and temporally variable prey by consuming both benthic and pelagic prey to meet their energy demands. Using stomach content and stable isotope analyses, we examined the feeding habits of fish species in Alaska's Arctic Coastal Plain (ACP) lakes to determine the prevalence of generalist feeding strategies as a mechanism for persistence in extreme environments (e.g. low productivity, extreme cold and short growing season). Generalist and flexible feeding strategies were evident in five common fish species. Fish fed on benthic and pelagic (or nektonic) prey and across trophic levels. Three species were clearly omnivorous, feeding on fish and their shared invertebrate prey. Dietary differences based on stomach content analysis often exceeded 70%, and overlap in dietary niches based on shared isotopic space varied from zero to 40%. Metrics of community‐wide trophic structure varied with the number and identity of species involved and on the dietary overlap and niche size of individual fishes. Accumulation of energy from shared carbon sources by Arctic fishes creates redundancy in food webs, increasing likely resistance to perturbations or stochastic events. Therefore, the generalist and omnivorous feeding strategies employed by ACP fish may maintain energy flow and food web stability in extreme environments.

Organizational factors affecting successful adoption of innovative eHealth services: a case study employing the FITT framework.

PubMed

Tsiknakis, Manolis; Kouroubali, Angelina

2009-01-01

The paper presents an application of the "Fit between Individuals, Task and Technology" (FITT) framework to analyze the socio-organizational-technical factors that influence IT adoption in the healthcare domain. The FITT framework was employed as the theoretical instrument for a retrospective analysis of a 15-year effort in implementing IT systems and eHealth services in the context of a Regional Health Information Network in Crete. Quantitative and qualitative research methods, interviews and participant observations were employed to gather data from a case study that involved the entire region of Crete. The detailed analysis of the case study based on the FITT framework, showed common features, but also differences of IT adoption within the various health organizations. The emerging picture is a complex nexus of factors contributing to IT adoption, and multi-level interventional strategies to promote IT use. The work presented in this paper shows the applicability of the FITT framework in explaining the complexity of aspects observed in the implementation of healthcare information systems. The reported experiences reveal that fit management can be viewed as a system with a feedback loop that is never really stable, but ever changing based on external factors or deliberate interventions. Management of fit, therefore, becomes a constant and complex task for the whole life cycle of IT systems.

Effectiveness of Integration and Re-Integration into Work Strategies for Persons with Chronic Conditions: A Systematic Review of European Strategies

PubMed Central

Ito, Elizabeth; Scaratti, Chiara; Vlachou, Anastasia; Stavroussi, Panayiota; Brecelj, Valentina; Kovačič, Dare S.

2018-01-01

Due to low employment rates associated to chronic conditions in Europe, it is essential to foster effective integration and re-integration into work strategies. The objective of this systematic review is to summarize the evidence on the effectiveness of strategies for integration and re-integration to work for persons with chronic diseases or with musculoskeletal disorders, implemented in Europe in the past five years. A systematic search was conducted in MedLine, PsycINFO, CDR-HTA, CDR-DARE and Cochrane Systematic Reviews. Overall, 32 relevant publications were identified. Of these, 21 were considered eligible after a methodological assessment and included. Positive changes in employment status, return to work and sick leave outcomes were achieved with graded sickness-absence certificates, part-time sick leave, early ergonomic interventions for back pain, disability evaluation followed by information and advice, and with multidisciplinary, coordinated and tailored return to work interventions. Additionally, a positive association between the co-existence of active labour market policies to promote employment and passive support measures (e.g., pensions or benefits) and the probability of finding a job was observed. Research on the evaluation of the effectiveness of strategies targeting integration and re-integration into work for persons with chronic health conditions needs, however, to be improved and strengthened. PMID:29562715

Divergent oral cavity motor strategies between healthy elite and dystonic horn players.

PubMed

Iltis, Peter W; Frahm, Jens; Voit, Dirk; Joseph, Arun; Schoonderwaldt, Erwin; Altenmüller, Eckart

2015-01-01

This paper describes the use of real-time magnetic resonance imaging in visualizing and quantifying oral cavity motor strategies employed by 6 healthy, elite horn players and 5 horn players with embouchure dystonia. Serial images with an acquisition time of 33.3 ms were obtained from each performer during execution of an 11-note harmonic series encompassing 2.5 octaves on a magnetic resonance imaging-compatible horn. A customized MATLAB toolkit was employed for the extraction of line profiles from magnetic resonance imaging films allowing comparative analyses between elite and dystonic horn players. The data demonstrate differing motor strategies, particularly in moving from the 6th through 9th harmonics. The elite horn player strategy features elevation and anterior displacement of the tongue during ascending sequences, whereas dystonic players showed significantly less movement. The elite horn players thus narrowed the air channel on higher notes, presumably affording faster airflow for vibration of the lips at higher frequencies. We postulate that failure to employ this strategy by dystonic horn players may require greater tension in the embouchure muscles to compensate for slower air speed. Though this may simply be an expression of or adaptation for dystonia, the possibility that it may be a contributing factor in the development of embouchure dystonia is suggested.

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

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

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

2014-06-01

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

Kindergarten Students' Qualitative Responses to Different Instructional Strategies during the Horizontal Jump

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Weimar, Wendi H.; Martin, Ellen H.; Wall, Sarah J.

2011-01-01

Background: The teaching strategies of modeling and the use of cue words are employed by both experienced and inexperienced teachers. While these strategies have received some attention in the literature, the effectiveness of these strategies in terms of the resultant change in the quality or kinematics of the motor skill performance has been…

TRICARE Marketing

DTIC Science & Technology

1999-10-21

definitive. It stated that: Marketing is much more than advertising or promotion materials. Marketing is a foundation for building a business strategy ; it...objectives, and strategies for marketing TRICARE. However, the Director provided the plan for information; none of the recipients of the plan were...overarching goal and extensively in the marketing strategies section. Specifically, the Marketing Plan states that strategies employed to accomplish

EFL Teachers' Beliefs about the Use of Reading Strategies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Çakici, Dilek

2016-01-01

This study aims to investigate EFL teachers' beliefs about the use of reading strategies and what strategies they employ through reading stages in EFL classrooms. In addition, the study aims to compare the teachers' gender and the schools where they are working with the strategies they use. A total of 44 EFL teachers (18 females, 26 males) working…

A Qualitative Study on the Use of Summarizing Strategies in Elementary Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Susar Kirmizi, Fatma; Akkaya, Nevin

2011-01-01

The objective of this study is to reveal how well summarizing strategies are used by Grade 4 and Grade 5 students as a reading comprehension strategy. This study was conducted in Buca, Izmir and the document analysis method, a qualitative research strategy, was employed. The study used a text titled "Environmental Pollution" and an…

Learning To Spell: Variability, Choice, and Change in Children's Strategy Use.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rittle-Johnson, Bethany; Siegler, Robert S.

1999-01-01

Employed a trial-by-trial analysis of spelling-strategy use to examine whether the overlapping-waves model could account for strategy choices in spelling for children tested in first and second grade. Found that the model was useful for understanding the development of spelling, despite the fact that explicit use of backup strategies had a minimal…

Modernizing Selection and Promotion Procedures in the State Employment Security Service Agency.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Derryck, Dennis A.; Leyes, Richard

The purpose of this feasibility study was to discover the types ofselection and promotion models, strategies, and processes that must be employed if current State Employment Security Service Agency selection practices are to be made more directly relevant to the various populations currently being served. Specifically, the study sought to…

Algebraic, geometric, and stochastic aspects of genetic operators

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Foo, N. Y.; Bosworth, J. L.

1972-01-01

Genetic algorithms for function optimization employ genetic operators patterned after those observed in search strategies employed in natural adaptation. Two of these operators, crossover and inversion, are interpreted in terms of their algebraic and geometric properties. Stochastic models of the operators are developed which are employed in Monte Carlo simulations of their behavior.

Employment and Career Development Concerns of Postsecondary Students with Disabilities: Service and Policy Implications

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hennessey, Mary L.; Roessler, Richard; Cook, Bryan; Unger, Darlene; Rumrill, Phillip

2006-01-01

The purpose of this study was to (a) examine the employment concerns of postsecondary students with disabilities and (b) develop strategies for improving their post-graduation employment outcomes. Utilizing an established methodology grounded in the ideals of participatory action research, the researchers surveyed a 208 students with various…

Chinese International Students' Perspective and Strategies in Preparing for Their Future Employability

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Huang, Rong; Turner, Rebecca; Chen, Qian

2014-01-01

Graduate employability and the contribution graduates make to the UK economy have been widely debated by policy-makers; however, little attention has been paid to the employability of international students. Given the growing significance of international students to the UK economy this is an interesting oversight; this article addresses this…

From the Bottom Up: Toward a Strategy for Income and Employment Generation among the Disadvantaged. An Interim Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

O'Regan, Fred; Conway, Maureen

The Aspen Institute's ongoing action-research program, Local Employment Approaches for the Disadvantaged (LEAD), assessed 60 programs nationally. Local initiatives fell into four general categories, with numerous subcategories: self-employment, job training and placement, job creation and retention, and community-based finance. A second breakdown…

Pushing the Employment Agenda: Case Study Research of High Performing States in Integrated Employment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hall, Allison Cohen; Butterworth, John; Winsor, Jean; Gilmore, Dana; Metzel, Deborah

2007-01-01

Organizational variables, including policies, practices, collaborations, and funding mechanisms resulting in high performance in integrated employment, were described through case study research in 3 states. Findings address how contextual factors, system-level strategies, and goals of the system are related as well as how they sustain systems…

On Farm and Packhouse: Employment at the Bottom of a Global Value Chain

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dolan, Catherine S.

2004-01-01

The fresh vegetables commodity chain linking Kenyan producers with United Kingdom (UK) consumers employs significant numbers of workers in production and processing. This chain is dominated by UK retailers that determine the production imperatives of Kenyan firms upstream in the chain and, indirectly the employment strategies they adopt. This…

The Employment Retention and Advancement Project: Paths to Advancement for Single Parents

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Miller, Cynthia; Deitch, Victoria; Hill, Aaron

2010-01-01

Between 2000 and 2003, the Employment Retention and Advancement (ERA) project identified and implemented a diverse set of innovative models designed to promote employment stability and wage or earnings progression among low-income individuals, mostly current or former welfare recipients. The project's goal was to determine which strategies could…

The Employment Retention and Advancement Project: Paths to Advancement for Single Parents. Executive Summary

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Miller, Cynthia; Deitch, Victoria; Hill, Aaron

2010-01-01

Between 2000 and 2003, the Employment Retention and Advancement (ERA) project identified and implemented a diverse set of innovative models designed to promote employment stability and wage or earnings progression among low-income individuals, mostly current or former welfare recipients. The project's goal was to determine which strategies could…

Managing a subsidized predator population: Reducing common raven predation on desert tortoises

USGS Publications Warehouse

Boarman, W.I.

2003-01-01

Human communities often are an inadvertent source of food, water, and other resources to native species of wildlife. Because these resources are more stable and predictable than those in a natural environment, animals that subsist on them are able to increase in numbers and expand their range, much to the detriment of their competitors and species they prey upon. In the Mojave Desert, common ravens (Corvus corax) have benefited from human-provided resources to increase in population size precipitously in recent years. This trend has caused concern because ravens prey on juvenile desert tortoises (Gopherus agassizii), a federally threatened species. In this paper, I discuss management strategies to reduce raven predation on desert tortoises. The recommendations fall into three categories: (1) managing raven populations by reducing access to anthropogenic resources; (2) removing offending ravens or other birds in specially targeted tortoise management zones; and (3) continuing research on raven ecology, raven behavior, and methods of reducing raven predation on tortoises. I also recommend approaching the problem within an adaptive management framework: management efforts should first be employed as scientific experiments - with replicates and controls - to yield an unbiased assessment of their effectiveness. Furthermore, these strategies should be implemented in concert with actions that reduce other causes of desert tortoise mortality to aid the long-term recovery of their populations. Overall, the approaches outlined in this paper are widely applicable to the management of subsidized predators, particularly where they present a threat to a declining species of prey.

Managing cancer and employment: Decisions and strategies used by breast cancer survivors employed in low-wage jobs

PubMed Central

Swanberg, Jennifer E.; Nichols, Helen M.; Ko, Jungyai; Tracy, J. Kathleen; Vanderpool, Robin C.

2017-01-01

Advances in breast cancer screening and treatment have led to an overall 5-year survival rate of 90%. Many of these cancer cases are diagnosed in working women. Few studies have explicitly examined the cancer–work interface, as experienced by low-wage earning women with breast cancer. This study uses in-depth, semistructured interviews with 24 low-wage breast cancer survivors to identify employment decisions and factors that influenced or enabled these decisions, and examine the individual strategies and workplace supports used to manage the cancer–work interface among a subset of women (n = 13) who continued to work. Future research areas and clinical implications are discussed. PMID:28045595

Managing cancer and employment: Decisions and strategies used by breast cancer survivors employed in low-wage jobs.

PubMed

Swanberg, Jennifer E; Nichols, Helen M; Ko, Jungyai; Tracy, J Kathleen; Vanderpool, Robin C

2017-01-01

Advances in breast cancer screening and treatment have led to an overall 5-year survival rate of 90%. Many of these cancer cases are diagnosed in working women. Few studies have explicitly examined the cancer-work interface, as experienced by low-wage earning women with breast cancer. This study uses in-depth, semistructured interviews with 24 low-wage breast cancer survivors to identify employment decisions and factors that influenced or enabled these decisions, and examine the individual strategies and workplace supports used to manage the cancer-work interface among a subset of women (n = 13) who continued to work. Future research areas and clinical implications are discussed.

Strategies for chromium bioremediation of tannery effluent.

PubMed

Garg, Satyendra Kumar; Tripathi, Manikant; Srinath, Thiruneelakantan

2012-01-01

Bioremediation offers the possibility of using living organisms (bacteria, fungi, algae,or plants), but primarily microorganisms, to degrade or remove environmental contaminants, and transform them into nontoxic or less-toxic forms. The major advantages of bioremediation over conventional physicochemical and biological treatment methods include low cost, good efficiency, minimization of chemicals, reduced quantity of secondary sludge, regeneration of cell biomass, and the possibility of recover-ing pollutant metals. Leather industries, which extensively employ chromium compounds in the tanning process, discharge spent-chromium-laden effluent into nearby water bodies. Worldwide, chromium is known to be one of the most common inorganic contaminants of groundwater at pollutant hazardous sites. Hexavalent chromium poses a health risk to all forms of life. Bioremediation of chromium extant in tannery waste involves different strategies that include biosorption, bioaccumulation,bioreduction, and immobilization of biomaterial(s). Biosorption is a nondirected physiochemical interaction that occurs between metal species and the cellular components of biological species. It is metabolism-dependent when living biomass is employed, and metabolism-independent in dead cell biomass. Dead cell biomass is much more effective than living cell biomass at biosorping heavy metals, including chromium. Bioaccumulation is a metabolically active process in living organisms that works through adsorption, intracellular accumulation, and bioprecipitation mechanisms. In bioreduction processes, microorganisms alter the oxidation/reduction state of toxic metals through direct or indirect biological and chemical process(es).Bioreduction of Cr6+ to Cr3+ not only decreases the chromium toxicity to living organisms, but also helps precipitate chromium at a neutral pH for further physical removal,thus offering promise as a bioremediation strategy. However, biosorption, bioaccumulation, and bioreduction methods that rely on free cells for bioremediation suffer from Cr6 toxicity, and cell damage. Therefore, immobilization of microbial cell biomass enhances bioremediation and renders industrial bioremediation processes more economically viable from reduced free-cells toxicity, easier separation of biosorbents from the tannery effluent, ability to achieve multiple biosorption cycles, and desorption (elution) of metal(s) from matrices for reuse. Thus, microbial bioremediation can be a cost competitive strategy and beneficial bioresource for removing many hazardous contaminants from tannery and other industrial wastes.

Evaluation of a workplace hemochromatosis screening program.

PubMed

Stave, G M; Mignogna, J J; Powell, G S; Hunt, C M

1999-05-01

Hemochromatosis is a common inherited disorder of iron metabolism with significant health consequences for the employed population. Although screening for hemochromatosis has been recommended, workplace screening programs remain uncommon. In the first year of a newly initiated corporate screening program, 1968 employees were tested. The screening algorithm included measurement of serum iron and transferrin and subsequent ferritin levels in those employees with elevated iron/transferrin ratios. Thirteen percent of men and 21% of women had elevated iron/transferrin ratios. Of these, 14 men and 2 women had elevated ferritin levels. Of these 16, three had liver biopsies and all three have hemochromatosis. The cost of the screening program was $27,850. The cost per diagnosis was $9283 and the cost per year of life saved was $928. These costs compare very favorably with other common workplace screening programs. Several barriers to obtaining definitive diagnoses on all patients with a positive screening result were identified; strategies to overcome these barriers would further enhance the cost effectiveness of the program. We conclude that workplace hemochromatosis screening is highly cost effective and should be incorporated into health promotion/disease prevention programs.