Mathematics and Global Survival.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schwartz, Richard H.

This resource was written to provide students with an awareness of critical issues facing the world today. In courses for college students, it can motivate their study of mathematics, teach them how to solve mathematical problems related to current global issues, provide coherence to mathematical studies through a focus on issues of human…

Current Issues Survey Report, 2007

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Camp, John S.; DeBlois, Peter B.

2007-01-01

The Eighth Annual EDUCAUSE Current Issues Survey asked campus information technology leaders to rate the most critical IT challenges facing them, their campuses, and/or their systems. Four findings associated with all respondents to this year's survey merit special mention. First, for the 2007 survey, the CIC decided to split a key issue choice…

Critical Issues in the Induction of Secondary School Teachers in Business Education, English and Language Arts, Foreign Language, and Mathematics.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ganser, Tom; Rogers, Harriet; Zbikowski, John; Sherlock, Wallace; Freiberg, Melissa

In this paper, four teacher educators present their ideas about some of the critical induction issues facing graduates of their programs as they begin their careers in secondary schools. A business teacher educator focuses on the ecology of the classroom, structural functions and the political environment, and support networks. An English and…

The Wharton Symposium: Facing the Issues.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sullivan, David M.

1982-01-01

A public relations practitioner reports enthusiastically on his return to the campus for an "intellectually-broadening" public relations symposium. He summarizes critical social and economic issues addressed by distinguished scholars and experienced practitioners. For journal availability, see CS 705 902. (PD)

Digital Media & Learning in Afterschool. MetLife Foundation Afterschool Alert. Issue Brief No. 58

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Afterschool Alliance, 2013

2013-01-01

The Afterschool Alliance, in partnership with MetLife Foundation, is proud to present the final issue brief in its latest series of four issue briefs examining critical issues facing middle school youth and the vital role afterschool programs play in addressing these issues. This brief explores afterschool and digital learning. At the core of…

Arts Enrichment in Afterschool. MetLife Foundation Afterschool Alert. Issue Brief No. 56

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Afterschool Alliance, 2012

2012-01-01

The Afterschool Alliance, in partnership with MetLife Foundation, is proud to present the second in its latest series of four issue briefs examining critical issues facing middle school youth and the vital role afterschool programs play in addressing these issues. This brief explores afterschool and arts enrichment. The arts have the remarkable…

Critical Issues in Evaluating National-Level Health Data Warehouses in LMICs: Kenya Case Study.

PubMed

Gesicho, Milka B; Babic, Ankica; Were, Martin C

2017-01-01

Low-Middle-Income-Countries (LMICs) are beginning to adopt national health data warehousing (NHDWs) for making strategic decisions and for improving health outcomes. Given the numerous challenges likely to be faced in establishment of NHDWs by LMICs, it is prudent that evaluations are done in relation to the data warehouses (DWs), in order to identify and mitigate critical issues that arise. When critic issues are not identified, DWs are prone to suboptimal implementation with compromised outcomes. Despite the fact that several publications exist on evaluating DWs, evaluations specific to health data warehouses are scanty, with almost none evaluating NHDWs more so in LMICs. This paper uses a systematic approach guided by an evaluation framework to identify critical issues to be considered in evaluating Kenya's NHDW.

Population. Global Issues Education Packet.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Holm, Amy E.

One of the most critical issues that faces humanity is the world population boom. The high rate of population growth can directly affect sensitive issues such as the state of the environment, economic development, health, resource uses, and consumption. Though we have achieved the capability to override many of nature's limitations, we live in a…

Keeping Kids Safe and Supported in the Hours After School. MetLife Foundation Afterschool Alert. Issue Brief No. 65

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Afterschool Alliance, 2014

2014-01-01

The Afterschool Alliance, in partnership with MetLife Foundation, is proud to present the third issue brief in their latest series of four issue briefs examining critical issues facing middle school youth and the vital role afterschool programs play in addressing these issues. This series explores afterschool and: the Common Core State Standards,…

Working Together, Creating Knowledge: The University-Industry Research Collaboration Initiative.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Business-Higher Education Forum, Washington, DC.

This document provides a detailed assessment of the opportunities and challenges facing university-industry research collaborations. This report represents a synthesis of the work and findings of this initiative. It analyzes several of the critical issues facing research collaborations between industry and universities and offers suggestions to…

Improving the Human Condition: A Curricular Response to Critical Realities.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jelinek, James John, Ed.

The handbook examines issues facing the increasingly interdependent world and suggests areas of knowledge which educators must consider as they develop and implement curriculum to help students deal effectively with the future. The document contains eight articles. The first article identifies problems facing society as rapid change, economic…

Afterschool and the Common Core State Standards. MetLife Foundation Afterschool Alert. Issue Brief No. 63

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Afterschool Alliance, 2014

2014-01-01

The Afterschool Alliance, in partnership with MetLife Foundation, is proud to present the first in their latest series of four issue briefs examining critical issues facing middle school youth and the vital role afterschool programs play in addressing these issues. This series explores afterschool and: the Common Core State Standards, students…

Afterschool Supporting Students with Disabilities and Other Special Needs. MetLife Foundation Afterschool Alert. Issue Brief No. 64

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Afterschool Alliance, 2014

2014-01-01

The Afterschool Alliance, in partnership with MetLife Foundation, is proud to present the second in their latest series of four issue briefs examining critical issues facing middle school youth and the vital role afterschool programs play in addressing these issues. This series explores afterschool and: the Common Core State Standards, students…

Afterschool: An Ally in Promoting Middle School Improvement. MetLife Foundation Afterschool Alert. Issue Brief No. 55

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Afterschool Alliance, 2012

2012-01-01

The Afterschool Alliance, in partnership with MetLife Foundation, is proud to present the first in its latest series of four issue briefs examining critical issues facing middle school youth and the vital role afterschool programs play in addressing these issues. This brief explores afterschool and school improvement. In communities across the…

Service-Learning in Afterschool: Helping Students Grow and Communities Prosper. MetLife Foundation Afterschool Alert. Issue Brief No. 52

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Afterschool Alliance, 2011

2011-01-01

The Afterschool Alliance, in partnership with MetLife Foundation, is proud to present the third in a series of four issue briefs examining critical issues facing middle school youth and the vital role afterschool programs play in addressing these issues. This brief focuses on service-learning opportunities for middle schoolers. Pairing service…

Afterschool: A Key to Successful Parent Engagement. MetLife Foundation Afterschool Alert. Issue Brief No. 57

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Afterschool Alliance, 2012

2012-01-01

The Afterschool Alliance, in partnership with MetLife Foundation, is proud to present the third in its latest series of four issue briefs examining critical issues facing middle school youth and the vital role afterschool programs play in addressing these issues. This brief explores afterschool and parent engagement. There is little dispute…

A Comparative Analysis between Researchers, Innovative Practitioners, and Department Chairs of Critical Issues for Turnaround Leadership in Community College Instructional Programs and Services 2010 and beyond

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Basham, Matthew J.; Campbell, Dale F.

2011-01-01

The Community College Futures Assembly has met annually in Orlando, Florida since 1995 to serve as a showcase for best practices in community colleges as well as a think tank for research into the critical issues facing community colleges. Select conference attendees would have the opportunity to participate in focus groups with respect to…

Critical coastal issues of Sagar Island, east coast of India.

PubMed

Gopinath, Girish

2010-01-01

Sagar Island, situated in the east coast of India and one of the biggest deltas in Sundarban group, faces coastal erosion and degradation of coastal vegetation and various natural hazards. Erosion is mainly due to clay mining, wave activities, and the impact of river and tidal currents of Muri Ganga and Hugly Rivers. Further, the coastal zone of Sagar Island faces increasingly severe problems of rapidly growing human population, deteriorating environmental quality, and loss of critical habitats. Sagar Island has been victimized several times by tropical cyclones and influenced daily by tidal fluctuations. The island needs immediate attention on the coastal zone in order to protect the shoreline and ecosystem. The capability of satellite remote sensing to provide synoptic, repetitive, and multispectral data has proved to be very useful in the inventory and monitoring of critical coastal issues. Sagar Island and its environs are subjected to both natural and anthropogenic activities that continuously modify the region.

Minimizing Disparities and Developing Support by Identifying Differences in Confidence and Knowledge Related to Water Issues

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Taylor, Melissa; Lamm, Alexa J.

2016-01-01

Extension educators face challenges as they strive to keep up with critical issues in their communities, such as those surrounding water. A growing population and a diminishing water supply necessitate that Florida residents become more knowledgeable about water issues. We conducted research to determine how confident both the general public and…

Afterschool: A Strategy for Addressing and Preventing Middle School Bullying. MetLife Foundation Afterschool Alert. Issue Brief No. 51

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Afterschool Alliance, 2011

2011-01-01

The Afterschool Alliance, in partnership with MetLife Foundation, is proud to present the second in a series of four issue briefs examining critical issues facing middle school youth and the vital role afterschool programs play in addressing these issues. This brief focuses on bullying awareness and prevention. Bullying is a dangerous behavior…

Literacy in Afterschool: An Essential Building Block for Learning and Development. MetLife Foundation Afterschool Alert. Issue Brief No. 53

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Afterschool Alliance, 2011

2011-01-01

The Afterschool Alliance, in partnership with MetLife Foundation, is proud to present the fourth in a series of four issue briefs examining critical issues facing middle school youth and the vital role afterschool programs play in addressing these issues. This brief focuses on literacy education. While literacy's definition continues to expand to…

Carbon and nitrogen pools in oak-hickory forests of varying productivity

Treesearch

Donald J. Kaczmarek; Karyn S. Rodkey; Robert T. Reber; Phillip E. Pope; Felix, Jr. Ponder

1995-01-01

Carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) storage capacities are critical issues facing forest ecosystem management in the face of potential global climate change. The amount of C sequestered by forest ecosystems can be a significant sink for increasing atmospheric CO2 levels. N availability can interact with other environmental factors such as water...

The Critical Spirituality of Paulo Freire

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Boyd, Darrell

2012-01-01

Starting from the premise that Paulo Freire's capacity for hope in the face of personal struggle and exile issued from his spirituality, this paper examines Freire's spirituality through the lens of Michael Dantley's concept of critical spirituality. The concept of spirituality as discussed in the literature is explored, followed by an explication…

Popular Music Helps Students Focus on Important Social Issues

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moore, James R.

2007-01-01

One of the biggest challenges facing middle school social studies educators is creating powerful lessons that engage young adolescents in acquiring knowledge, stimulate critical thinking skills, inspire passionate interest in social studies and social issues, encourage active participation in civic life, and provide them with opportunities to…

Critical Issues that Face Tertiary Education Institutions and Administration.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Williams, Gareth

1983-01-01

Issues of the university's role in social and economic progress, educational demand, employment needs and patterns, changes in instructional methods, research, and managing change without growth are discussed. The need to extract long-term policy needs from the multiplicity of short-term administrative demands is examined. (MSE)

National airspace system : FAA reauthorization issues are critical to system transformation and operations statement of Gerald L. Dillingham, Ph.D.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2009-02-01

As requested, this statement discusses issues for the reauthorization of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The aviation industry is in a period of economic turmoil and faces an : uncertain future. At the same time, FAA is undertaking one of ...

Continuing Education in Architecture: The Process, the Issues, the Challenge.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Frandson, Phillip E.

1980-01-01

The author sees three critical issues facing the architecture field: (1) the communications gap between client and practitioner; (2) humanization of the environment; and (3) financial, spatial, material, and societal constraints. He examines the role of continuing education and professional associations in responding to those challenges, which are…

Grasping the Social through Movies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kennedy, Nilgun Fehim; Senses, Nazli; Ayan, Pelin

2011-01-01

In Turkey, one of the major challenges that university education faces is the indifference of young people towards social issues. The aim of this article is to contribute to the "practice" of critical pedagogy by proposing that showing movies is an important critical teaching method with the power both to give pleasure to the students…

Critical Issues in Native North America. IWGIA Document No. 62.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Churchill, Ward, Ed.

This collection of articles compares the problems and issues facing indigenous nations within the United States and Canada and examines forms of native resistance. Glenn T. Morris and M. Annette Jaimes summarize the evolution of the "legal status" of indigenous nations under U.S. law and examine how U.S. legal definitions undermine…

Issues and Challenges in Higher Education Leadership: Engaging for Change

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Drew, Glenys

2010-01-01

It is proposed from this study that engaging productively with others to achieve change has never been more critical in educational environments, such as universities. Via semi-structured interviews with a cohort of senior leaders from one Australian university, this paper explores their perceptions of the key issues and challenges facing them in…

Public Relations State-of-the-Art 2000: A Shift in Perception.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

White, Maureen E.

This paper begins by examining various definitions of public relations and reviewing the history of the profession. The paper then identifies critical concerns, issues, and trends that both the public relations practitioner and the public will face in the future. These issues include ethics, community relations, communication theory and research,…

Critical Issues in Education Facilities and Business

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Agron, Joe

2006-01-01

This article presents a roundtable discussion by a panel of professionals--Carl Larson, Scott E. Little, James Reny, and Roger Young. They share creative solutions to many of the facilities and business operations challenges faced by education institutions nationwide. Among the issues discussed is the effect of the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) on…

The Marketing Ethics Course: Current State and Future Directions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ferrell, O. C.; Keig, Dawn L.

2013-01-01

Many of the critical issues facing modern businesses can be considered marketing ethics issues. It follows that as the field of business ethics has evolved, marketing has played a key role in the development of business ethics education. Despite a general trend of increasingly larger amounts of ethical content included in business curricula, prior…

Methodological and ethical issues related to qualitative telephone interviews on sensitive topics.

PubMed

Mealer, Meredith; Jones Rn, Jacqueline

2014-03-01

To explore the methodological and ethical issues of conducting qualitative telephone interviews about personal or professional trauma with critical care nurses. The most common method for conducting interviews is face-to-face. However, there is evidence to support telephone interviewing on a variety of sensitive topics including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Qualitative telephone interviews can limit emotional distress because of the comfort experienced through virtual communication. Critical care nurses are at increased risk of developing PTSD due to the cumulative exposure to work-related stress in the intensive care unit. We explored the methodological and ethical issues of conducting qualitative telephone interviews, drawing on our experiences communicating with a group of critical care nurses. Qualitative research interviews with 27 critical care nurses. Fourteen of the nurses met the diagnostic criteria for PTSD; 13 did not and had scores consistent with high levels of resilience. This is a methodology paper on the authors' experiences of interviewing critical care nurses on sensitive topics via the telephone. The authors found that establishing rapport and connections with the participants and the therapeutic use of non-verbal communication were essential, and fostered trust and compassion. The ethical issues of this mode of communication include protecting the privacy and confidentiality associated with the disclosure of sensitive information, and minimising the risk of psychological harm to the researcher and participants. Qualitative telephone interviews are a valuable method of collecting information on sensitive topics. This paper explores a method of interviewing in the workplace. It will help inform interventions to promote healthy adaptation following trauma exposure in the intensive care unit.

Lift Every Voice and Sing: Faculty of Color Face the Challenges of the Tenure Track

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Garrison-Wade, Dorothy F.; Diggs, Gregory A.; Estrada, Diane; Galindo, Rene

2012-01-01

This article highlights some of the obstacles facing tenure-track faculty of color in academia. Through the perspective of Critical Race Theory (CRT) and by using a counterstories method, four faculty of color share their experiences as they explore diversity issues through engaging in a 1-year self-study. Findings of this qualitative study…

Sources of Work-Related Support for Rural Special Education Teachers and Their Relationship to Teacher Satisfaction and Commitment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bassett Berry, Ann

2010-01-01

The shortage of special education teachers is a critical issue facing rural school districts. Administrators face moderate to extreme difficulties recruiting special educators and some are unable to fill positions at all. The retention of teachers to special education positions in rural schools is part of any comprehensive plan to deal with…

High heat flux issues for plasma-facing components in fusion reactors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Watson, Robert D.

1993-02-01

Plasma facing components in tokamak fusion reactors are faced with a number of difficult high heat flux issues. These components include: first wall armor tiles, pumped limiters, diverter plates, rf antennae structure, and diagnostic probes. Peak heat fluxes are 15 - 30 MW/m2 for diverter plates, which will operate for 100 - 1000 seconds in future tokamaks. Disruption heat fluxes can approach 100,000 MW/m2 for 0.1 ms. Diverter plates are water-cooled heat sinks with armor tiles brazed on to the plasma facing side. Heat sink materials include OFHC, GlidcopTM, TZM, Mo-41Re, and niobium alloys. Armor tile materials include: carbon fiber composites, beryllium, silicon carbide, tungsten, and molybdenum. Tile thickness range from 2 - 10 mm, and heat sinks are 1 - 3 mm. A twisted tape insert is used to enhance heat transfer and increase the burnout safety margin from critical heat flux limits to 50 - 60 MW/m2 with water at 10 m/s and 4 MPa. Tests using rastered electron beams have shown thermal fatigue failures from cracks at the brazed interface between tiles and the heat sink after only 1000 cycles at 10 - 15 MW/m2. These fatigue lifetimes need to be increased an order of magnitude to meet future requirements. Other critical issues for plasma facing components include: surface erosion from sputtering and disruption erosion, eddy current forces and runaway electron impact from disruptions, neutron damage, tritium retention and release, remote maintenance of radioactive components, corrosion-erosion, and loss-of-coolant accidents.

Schooling in the "Iron Cage" and the Crucial Role of Interpretive, Normative, and Critical Perspectives in Social Foundations Studies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dotts, Brian

2013-01-01

This article addresses the unique role performed by social foundations programs in colleges of education and in addressing broader issues facing education today, which fundamentally include the development of interpretive, normative, and critical perspectives in academia. All three perspectives serve to create a scholarly framework within which…

Current Campus Issues. Proceedings June 1969 Institutes on College and University Administration.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

University Consultants, Inc., Cambridge, MA.

The Institutes were held in Washington, D.C. and Ann Arbor, Mich. in June 1969, and were directed toward helping administrators develop greater senstivity and understanding of the critical issues facing them. This monograph contains a description of the 3-day "campus confrontation crisis" game played by the conference participants, and presents…

Reproductive Justice and Media Framing: A Case-Study Analysis of Problematic Frames in the Popular Media

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jaworski, Beth K.

2009-01-01

Reproductive justice is an important and comprehensive conceptualization for understanding the complexity of reproductive issues faced by women. When considering attitudes and beliefs that give rise to policies related to reproduction, it is critical to examine the ways in which the issues are framed. In this case-study-style analysis, the…

Solving the Teacher Shortage Problem in Ghana: Critical Perspectives for Understanding the Issues

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cobbold, Cosmas

2015-01-01

The problem of getting sufficient numbers of qualified teachers to staff classrooms is one of the most significant public policy issues facing many countries. In Ghana, the problem of teacher shortage has been a perennial one, necessitated by educational expansion as well as adverse socio-economic and political circumstances, and exacerbated by…

A Case Study of Issues of Strategy Implementation in Internationalization of Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jiang, Nan; Carpenter, Victoria

2013-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this research is to identify and critically evaluate key issues faced by an institution in the quest to implement higher education internationalization. Design/methodology/approach: A qualitative research is conducted in a post-1992 UK university. A total of 20 interviewees from three key departments participated in this…

Building Blocks: A Legislator's Guide to Child Care Policy.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Culkin, Mary L.; Groginsky, Scott; Christian, Steve

The care and education of the youngest children in the United States has become a critical public policy issue affecting millions of families. This guide closely examines the issues and tradeoffs in key child care policy decisions that face state legislators. The guide provides a discussion of state efforts to build supply, improve quality, and…

Higher Education Systems 3.0: Harnessing Systemness, Delivering Performance. Critical Issues in Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lane, Jason E., Ed.; Johnstone, D. Bruce, Ed.

2013-01-01

This thought-provoking volume brings together scholars and system leaders to analyze some of the most pressing and complex issues now facing higher education systems and society. Higher Education Systems 3.0 focuses on the remaking of higher education coordination in an era of increased accountability, greater calls for productivity, and…

Multicultural Issues in School Psychology Practice: A Critical Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ortiz, Samuel O.

2006-01-01

Once thought of largely as a sideline issue, multiculturalism is fast becoming a major topic on the central stage of psychology and practice. That cultural factors permeate the whole of psychological foundations and influence the manner in which the very scope of practice is shaped is undeniable. The rapidly changing face of the U.S. population…

Critical gases for critical issues: CO2 technologies for oral drug delivery.

PubMed

Danan, Hana; Esposito, Pierandrea

2014-02-01

In recent years, CO2-based technologies have gained considerable interest in the pharmaceutical industry for their potential applications in drug formulation and drug delivery. The exploitation of peculiar properties of gases under supercritical conditions has been studied in the last 20 years with mixed results. Promising drug-delivery technologies, based on supercritical CO2, have mostly failed when facing challenges of industrial scaleability and economical viability. Nevertheless, a 'second generation' of processes, based on CO2 around and below critical point has been developed, possibly offering technology-based solutions to some of the current issues of pharmaceutical development. In this review, we highlight the most recent advancements in this field, with a particular focus on the potential of CO2-based technologies in addressing critical issues in oral delivery, and briefly discuss the future perspectives of dense CO2-assisted processes as enabling technologies in drug delivery.

Pull of Gravity: A Media Review Focusing on the Social and Environmental Effects of Recidivism.

PubMed

Mejia, Lidyvez

2016-01-01

Recidivism is defined as reincarceration, reconviction and/or being reimprisoned. This article focuses on the issues of recidivism while incorporating Pull of Gravity, a documentary, which highlights the challenges ex-offenders encounter during postrelease. This article explores 3 sociological issues closely related to recidivism: (1) types of populations that are recidivating, (2) communities' ex-offenders are returning home to, and (3) challenges they face in their transition. This article integrates research on issues of reentry and utilizes real-life experiences reflected through this film to give readers a tangible perception on the challenges that are currently faced. It explores possible resolutions while prompting critical thinking for everyone; individuals who are familiar with this topic and those who are foreign.

Critical Community Conversations: Cultivating the Elusive Dialogue about Racism with Parents, Community Members, and Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Love, Bettina L.; Muhammad, Gholnecsar E.

2017-01-01

This article highlights how two researchers started Critical Community Conversations (CCC) with a school community in an effort to learn from one another and build solidarity. The intent was for CCC to focus on some of the most pressing issues facing our nation, state, and local neighborhoods, with a special lens on racism.

Typology of College Student Perception on Institutional E-Learning Issues--An Extension Study of a Teacher's Typology in Taiwan

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tao, Yu-Hui

2008-01-01

Recently, e-learning in Taiwan's higher education faces new challenges as the Ministry of Education begins to loosen its control over degree-awarding programs. Studies on stakeholder perceptions toward important e-learning issues become critical at this juncture for policy makers to make viable investment decisions toward e-learning programs.…

Liquid surfaces for fusion plasma facing components—A critical review. Part I: Physics and PSI

DOE PAGES

Nygren, R. E.; Tabares, F. L.

2016-12-01

This review of the potential of robust plasma facing components (PFCs) with liquid surfaces for applications in future D/T fusion device summarizes the critical issues for liquid surfaces and research being done worldwide in confinement facilities, and supporting R&D in plasma surface interactions. In the paper are a set of questions and related criteria by which we will judge the progress and readiness of liquid surface PFCs. Part-II (separate paper) will cover R&D on the technology-oriented aspects of liquid surfaces including the liquid surfaces as integrated first walls in tritium breeding blankets, tritium retention and recovery, and safety.

Innovative divertor concept development on DIII-D and EAST

DOE PAGES

Guo, H. Y.; Allen, S.; Canik, J.; ...

2016-06-02

A critical issue facing the design and operation of next-step high-power steady-state fusion devices is the control of heat fluxes and erosion at the plasma-facing components, in particular, the divertor target plates. A new initiative has been launched on DIII-D to develop and demonstrate innovative boundary plasma-materials interface solutions. The central purposes of this new initiative are to advance scientific understanding in this critical area and develop an advanced divertor concept for application to next-step fusion devices. Finally, DIII-D will leverage strong collaborative efforts on the EAST superconducting tokamak for extending integrated high performance advanced divertor solutions to true steady-state.

Event-related repetitive TMS reveals distinct, critical roles for right OFA and bilateral posterior STS in judging the sex and trustworthiness of faces.

PubMed

Dzhelyova, Milena P; Ellison, Amanda; Atkinson, Anthony P

2011-10-01

Judging the sex of faces relies on cues related to facial morphology and spatial relations between features, whereas judging the trustworthiness of faces relies on both structural and expressive cues that signal affective valence. The right occipital face area (OFA) processes structural cues and has been associated with sex judgments, whereas the posterior STS processes changeable facial cues related to muscle movements and is activated when observers judge trustworthiness. It is commonly supposed that the STS receives inputs from the OFA, yet it is unknown whether these regions have functionally dissociable, critical roles in sex and trustworthiness judgments. We addressed this issue using event-related, fMRI-guided repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS). Twelve healthy volunteers judged the sex of individually presented faces and, in a separate session, whether those same faces were trustworthy or not. Relative to sham stimulation, RTs were significantly longer for sex judgments when rTMS was delivered over the right OFA but not the right or left STS, and for trustworthiness judgments on male but not female faces when rTMS was delivered over the right STS or left STS but not the right OFA. Nonetheless, an analysis of the RT distributions revealed a possible critical role also for the right OFA in trustworthiness judgments, limited to faces with longer RTs, perhaps reflecting the later, ancillary use of structural cues related to the sex of the face. On the whole, our findings provide evidence that evaluations of the trustworthiness and sex of faces rely on functionally dissociable cortical regions.

Why Do Chinese Postgraduates Struggle with Critical Thinking? Some Clues from the Higher Education Curriculum in China

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zhang, Tao

2017-01-01

There has been a good deal of research into the problems Chinese postgraduate students studying in English-speaking universities face with regard to critical thinking. This project is an attempt to tackle this issue from a new perspective. It aims to explore how a unique aspect of the university curriculum in China--the so-called "four…

Part-Time Learners in Open and Distance Learning: Revisiting the Critical Importance of Choice, Flexibility and Employability

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Butcher, John; Rose-Adams, John

2015-01-01

In this article, we argue that, if open learning seeks to (re)assert a social justice mission, issues of openness and flexibility are more critical than ever. Drawing on qualitative data from a National Union of Students Wales/Open University study, which explored, in the voices of Welsh students, the identity, motivation and barriers faced by…

Making Invisible Latino Adolescents Visible: A Critical Approach to Latino Diversity. Michigan State University Series on Children, Youth, and Families, Volume 7.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Montero-Sieburth, Martha, Ed.; Villarruel, Francisco A., Ed.

The papers in this collection explore a variety of economic and social issues facing Latino adolescents, including those of Latino diversity or unity, sexuality, and family values. The authors discuss ways to respond to these issues, suggesting approaches that can contribute to the healthy development of Latino adolescents. The chapters are: (1)…

Middleware: The New Frontier.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Blatecky, Alan; West, Ann; Spada, Mary

2002-01-01

Defines middleware, often called the "glue" that makes the elements of the cyberinfrastructure work together. Discusses how the National Science Foundation (NSF) Middleware Initiative (NMI) is consolidating expertise, software, and technology to address the critical and ubiquitous middleware issues facing research and education today.…

Updating the OMERACT filter: implications of filter 2.0 to select outcome instruments through assessment of "truth": content, face, and construct validity.

PubMed

Tugwell, Peter; Boers, Maarten; D'Agostino, Maria-Antonietta; Beaton, Dorcas; Boonen, Annelies; Bingham, Clifton O; Choy, Ernest; Conaghan, Philip G; Dougados, Maxime; Duarte, Catia; Furst, Daniel E; Guillemin, Francis; Gossec, Laure; Heiberg, Turid; van der Heijde, Désirée M; Hewlett, Sarah; Kirwan, John R; Kvien, Tore K; Landewé, Robert B; Mease, Philip J; Østergaard, Mikkel; Simon, Lee; Singh, Jasvinder A; Strand, Vibeke; Wells, George

2014-05-01

The Outcome Measures in Rheumatology (OMERACT) Filter provides guidelines for the development and validation of outcome measures for use in clinical research. The "Truth" section of the OMERACT Filter requires that criteria be met to demonstrate that the outcome instrument meets the criteria for content, face, and construct validity. Discussion groups critically reviewed a variety of ways in which case studies of current OMERACT Working Groups complied with the Truth component of the Filter and what issues remained to be resolved. The case studies showed that there is broad agreement on criteria for meeting the Truth criteria through demonstration of content, face, and construct validity; however, several issues were identified that the Filter Working Group will need to address. These issues will require resolution to reach consensus on how Truth will be assessed for the proposed Filter 2.0 framework, for instruments to be endorsed by OMERACT.

The United States Army Medical Department Journal. Force Health Protection April - June 2009

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-06-01

programs, and looking at the absolutely critical area of the health and well- being of behavioral health providers assigned to combatant commands. This...The July-September 2008 issue of the AMEDD Journal focused on behavioral and mental healthcare of our Soldiers as they face the demands and...challenges faced by behavioral health providers who accompany Army brigade combat teams into the combat theater. In their excellent, well-researched

Verbal overshadowing of face memory does occur in children too!

PubMed Central

Dehon, Hedwige; Vanootighem, Valentine; Brédart, Serge

2013-01-01

Verbal descriptions of unfamiliar faces have been found to impair later identification of these faces in adults, a phenomenon known as the “verbal overshadowing effect” (VOE). Although determining whether children are good at describing unfamiliar individuals and whether these descriptions impair their recognition performance is critical to gaining a better understanding children's eyewitness ability, only a couple of studies have examined this dual issue in children and these found no evidence of VOE. However, as there are some methodological criticisms of these studies, we decided to conduct two further experiments in 7–8, 10–11, and 13–14-year-old children and in adults using a more optimal method for the VOE to be observed. Evidence of the VOE on face identification was found in both children and adults. Moreover, neither the accuracy of descriptions, nor delay nor target presence in the lineup was found to be associated with identification accuracy. The theoretical and developmental implications of these findings are discussed. PMID:24399985

Erectable space platform for space sciences and applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1979-01-01

The specific objectives of the study were to: (1) identify a viable conceptual design for the service module/platform; (2) assess the technology issues that must be faced in planning development; and (3) prepare an initial plan for bringing critical technologies up to acceptable levels.

Evidence-Based Instructional Leadership in Community Colleges: A Conceptual Approach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Burke, Kenneth M.

2014-01-01

Instructional leadership remains a complicated and debated issue for education. In fact, traditional theories of leadership from within both education and the organizational sciences increasingly face criticism. Drawing from ideas applicable to differentiated contexts of learning, this article develops an alternative model of instructional…

Managing Difficult Behaviour in Young Children.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Slee, June

2003-01-01

Managing antisocial behavior is a critical issue facing those who work with young children, as the presence of early socialization problems is the single greatest predictor of adolescent and adult antisocial behavior. This booklet highlights the effectiveness of behavior management strategies that introduce and reinforce positive behaviors, rather…

Examining Teacher Ethical Dilemmas in Classroom Assessment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pope, Nakia; Green, Susan K.; Johnson, Robert L.; Mitchell, Mark

2009-01-01

The current spotlight on assessment in education raises ethical issues as practices evolve. This study documents ethical conflicts faced by teachers in the United States regarding assessment of students. Critical incidents generated by practising teachers revealed a majority of reported conflicts related to score pollution, and conflicts…

Conditions of Education in California, 2008

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Policy Analysis for California Education, PACE (NJ1), 2008

2008-01-01

In this edition of "Conditions of Education" six of the leading academic authorities on education policy in California address the key issues facing the state's education system, focusing their attention on critical indicators of current performance and on specific policy changes that would lead to sustained improvement. They identify…

Building Technology Literacy into the Curriculum

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Boone, Kathy

2009-01-01

Today's students face a world where revolutionary changes in technology; the global marketplace; and significant social, political, and environment issues dramatically affect what they must learn. Teaching students to think and act critically, creatively, and ethically--and to use technology to this end--will endow them with substantial economic…

Multicultural Issues: Gifted Education Discrimination in "McFadden v. Board of Education for Illinois School District U-46": A Clarion Call to School Districts, State Departments of Education, and Advocacy Organizations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ford, Donna Y.

2014-01-01

Gifted education has faced numerous criticisms regarding the extensive and persistent underrepresentation of Black and Hispanic students. In the April 2013 issue of "Gifted Child Today," this author wrote about prejudice and discrimination in gifted education, and argued that in the past and now, discrimination exists in gifted education…

Workplace wellness programs in Canada: an exploration of key issues.

PubMed

Morrison, Erin; MacKinnon, Neil J

2008-01-01

Faced with the reality of rising health costs, Canadian employers are thinking beyond traditional notions of responsibility for employee health and have begun to embrace Workplace Wellness Programs (WWPs). This article investigates the critical issues of WWPs in the Canadian context from the perspective of key stakeholders. Using a combination of literature and key informant interviews, seven key themes are presented along with recommendations for wider implementation of WWPs in Canada.

Cosmological implications of Higgs near-criticality

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Espinosa, J. R.

2018-01-01

The Standard Model electroweak (EW) vacuum, in the absence of new physics below the Planck scale, lies very close to the boundary between stability and metastability, with the last option being the most probable. Several cosmological implications of this so-called `near-criticality' are discussed. In the metastable vacuum case, the main challenges that the survival of the EW vacuum faces during the evolution of the Universe are analysed. In the stable vacuum case, the possibility of implementing Higgs inflation is critically examined. This article is part of the Theo Murphy meeting issue `Higgs cosmology'.

77 FR 28422 - 2012 Draft Report: Strategies for Serving Our Women Veterans

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-05-14

... DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS 2012 Draft Report: Strategies for Serving Our Women Veterans AGENCY... (VA) established the Women Veterans' Task Force in July 2011, to develop a comprehensive action plan for VA that will focus on resolving critical issues facing women Veterans. The 2012 Draft Report...

Providing for the Unprepared College Student.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jones, Arnold P., Jr.

With an open door policy and the influx of non-traditionally oriented students, community colleges face one of the most critical issues in education today--educating the academically underprepared student. A large percentage of the Chicago City Colleges' enrollment scores in the lowest third on tests of academic ability. These students are not…

Adolescents' Experience with Workplace Aggression: School Health Implications

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smith, Carolyn R.; Fisher, Bonnie S.; Gillespie, Gordon L.; Beery, Theresa A.; Gates, Donna M.

2013-01-01

Aggression exposure is a critical health issue facing adolescents in the United States. Exposure occurs in various settings including home, school, and the community. An emerging context for aggression exposure is in the workplace. Thirty adolescent employees age 16-18 participated in a qualitative study exploring proposed responses to future…

Changing Managerial Imperatives. New Directions for Community Colleges, Number 84.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alfred, Richard L., Ed.; Carter, Patricia, Ed.

1993-01-01

Intended as a forum for the discussion of governance and management in community colleges, this book details current trends in management approaches at the institutions, provides a practical description of management roles and responsibilities for college faculty and staff, and examines critical issues facing leaders engaged in management…

Mathematics in the Middle.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Leutzinger, Larry, Ed.

This book contains articles that help to further the process of reform in the middle grades, recognizing that the knowledge acquired during these years greatly affects how well the secondary school curriculum will attain its goals. Critical issues facing middle grade classes in particular and all mathematics classrooms in general are discussed.…

Personalized Instruction: The Key to Student Achievement, Second Edition

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Keefe, James W.; Jenkins, John M.

2008-01-01

Personalization of learning and instruction is the most critical issue facing contemporary education--not state testing or vouchers or even aging schools. Personalization is an attempt on the part of a school to take into account individual student characteristics and needs and flexible instructional practices in organizing the learning…

Capacity Building for Social Innovation: A Collective Impact Approach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Szarleta, Ellen J.

2017-01-01

Business, nonprofit, and government institutions generally agree that a vibrant economy is critical to addressing the multi-faceted, complex issues faced by urban communities. Yet, despite significant targeted efforts aimed at revitalizing economic activity over the past few decades, the state of many communities remains unchanged. A collective…

Wellness Education for Dancers: A 15-Year Retrospective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cardinal, Marita K.

2009-01-01

The health and well-being of dancers is a critical but often neglected issue. Dancers face the pressure of extreme physical and emotional demands and lean body weight, which can result in musculoskeletal injuries, disordered eating behaviors, endangered health, and diminished artistic performance. Unfortunately, many do not receive adequate…

Introduction: Quality Learning Communities: It's Commitment That Counts.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Campbell, Dale F.; Evans, Ruby

2001-01-01

Discusses the 2000 Community College Futures Assembly held in Orlando, Florida, which more than 300 community college presidents and other decision-makers attended. During an activity, participants identified 107 critical issues facing institutions, the top three of which were: (1) finding funds for workforce development; (2) using outcome…

Political Agendas in the Classroom.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Henderson, Bruce R.

Teachers of writing face an unusual situation in the classroom in that there is no mandated agenda for what students should write about in their courses. In teaching critical thinking skills or methods of argument in writing essays, eventually writing teachers must introduce controversial issues and a political agenda. In fact, teachers' very…

Report to Congress on the status of the public ports of the United States : 1996 - 1997

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1998-10-01

This Report to Congress on the Status of the Public Ports of the United States, covering calendar years 1996 and 1997, discusses the U.S. public port industry's economic activities and the critical issues facing it. The first section provides an over...

Rethinking Giftedness and Talent in Sport

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tranckle, Peter; Cushion, Christopher J.

2006-01-01

The purpose of this paper is to understand how gifts are discovered and talents developed within sport. The current literature is critically discussed, highlighting contributions and gaps in current knowledge. Due to issues concerning terminology and the nature versus nurture debate, research on talent faces challenges relating to continuity and…

The Legal Content of School Psychology Journals: A Systematic Survey

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zaheer, Imad; Zirkel, Perry A.

2014-01-01

The many challenges that school psychologists face inevitably include legal issues. In light of the agreement between the two primary professional organizations for school psychologists that understanding of law is a critical competency, this study analyzed the extent of law-based articles in leading school psychology journal articles published…

Freedom of Education and Common Civic Values

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Karsten, Sjoerd

2006-01-01

A critical issue facing European school systems and one with broad social implications is how to accommodate the different demands of a growing number of non-Western immigrants, particularly Muslims. "Historically, faith-based schools have provided a route for immigrants, refugees and minorities...to gain a foothold in their new country, yet…

Facial attractiveness: evolutionary based research.

PubMed

Little, Anthony C; Jones, Benedict C; DeBruine, Lisa M

2011-06-12

Face preferences affect a diverse range of critical social outcomes, from mate choices and decisions about platonic relationships to hiring decisions and decisions about social exchange. Firstly, we review the facial characteristics that influence attractiveness judgements of faces (e.g. symmetry, sexually dimorphic shape cues, averageness, skin colour/texture and cues to personality) and then review several important sources of individual differences in face preferences (e.g. hormone levels and fertility, own attractiveness and personality, visual experience, familiarity and imprinting, social learning). The research relating to these issues highlights flexible, sophisticated systems that support and promote adaptive responses to faces that appear to function to maximize the benefits of both our mate choices and more general decisions about other types of social partners.

Facial attractiveness: evolutionary based research

PubMed Central

Little, Anthony C.; Jones, Benedict C.; DeBruine, Lisa M.

2011-01-01

Face preferences affect a diverse range of critical social outcomes, from mate choices and decisions about platonic relationships to hiring decisions and decisions about social exchange. Firstly, we review the facial characteristics that influence attractiveness judgements of faces (e.g. symmetry, sexually dimorphic shape cues, averageness, skin colour/texture and cues to personality) and then review several important sources of individual differences in face preferences (e.g. hormone levels and fertility, own attractiveness and personality, visual experience, familiarity and imprinting, social learning). The research relating to these issues highlights flexible, sophisticated systems that support and promote adaptive responses to faces that appear to function to maximize the benefits of both our mate choices and more general decisions about other types of social partners. PMID:21536551

Face recognition using facial expression: a novel approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Singh, Deepak Kumar; Gupta, Priya; Tiwary, U. S.

2008-04-01

Facial expressions are undoubtedly the most effective nonverbal communication. The face has always been the equation of a person's identity. The face draws the demarcation line between identity and extinction. Each line on the face adds an attribute to the identity. These lines become prominent when we experience an emotion and these lines do not change completely with age. In this paper we have proposed a new technique for face recognition which focuses on the facial expressions of the subject to identify his face. This is a grey area on which not much light has been thrown earlier. According to earlier researches it is difficult to alter the natural expression. So our technique will be beneficial for identifying occluded or intentionally disguised faces. The test results of the experiments conducted prove that this technique will give a new direction in the field of face recognition. This technique will provide a strong base to the area of face recognition and will be used as the core method for critical defense security related issues.

Neural responses to facial expressions support the role of the amygdala in processing threat

PubMed Central

Sormaz, Mladen; Flack, Tessa; Asghar, Aziz U. R.; Fan, Siyan; Frey, Julia; Manssuer, Luis; Usten, Deniz; Young, Andrew W.; Andrews, Timothy J.

2014-01-01

The amygdala is known to play an important role in the response to facial expressions that convey fear. However, it remains unclear whether the amygdala’s response to fear reflects its role in the interpretation of danger and threat, or whether it is to some extent activated by all facial expressions of emotion. Previous attempts to address this issue using neuroimaging have been confounded by differences in the use of control stimuli across studies. Here, we address this issue using a block design functional magnetic resonance imaging paradigm, in which we compared the response to face images posing expressions of fear, anger, happiness, disgust and sadness with a range of control conditions. The responses in the amygdala to different facial expressions were compared with the responses to a non-face condition (buildings), to mildly happy faces and to neutral faces. Results showed that only fear and anger elicited significantly greater responses compared with the control conditions involving faces. Overall, these findings are consistent with the role of the amygdala in processing threat, rather than in the processing of all facial expressions of emotion, and demonstrate the critical importance of the choice of comparison condition to the pattern of results. PMID:24097376

Cognitive Perspectives on Educational Leadership. Critical Issues in Educational Leadership Series.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hallinger, Philip, Ed.; And Others

This book summarizes and applies the last 2 decades of research on cognitive psychology to the preparation of educational administrators. Following a foreword by Larry Cuban and an introduction by Philip Hallinger, Kenneth Leithwood, and Joseph Murphy, part 1 explores how cognitive perspectives illuminate the conceptualization of problems faced by…

Assessing School Leadership Challenges in Ghana Using Leadership Practices Inventory

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Edwards, Alexander Kyei; Aboagye, Samuel Kwadwo

2015-01-01

The Ghana Education Service (GES) is facing challenges in school leadership and hence a lot of criticisms on basic school performances. The issue is whether school leadership relates to school performances and that there is the need for transformation leadership. The purpose of this study was to discuss self-reported leadership practices…

Counterfeit Social Capital and Mexican-American Underachievement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ream, Robert K.

2003-01-01

A critical issue facing U.S. schools and one with broad social implication is the persistent disparity in educational achievement between racial/ethnic groups. The achievement gap may be particularly pronounced for Mexican-Americans who constitute the vast majority of U.S. Latinos and are among the most educationally at risk of all Latino…

Youth Empowerment in Oppressive Systems: Opportunities for School Consultants

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pearrow, Melissa M.; Pollack, Stanley

2009-01-01

Empowerment of youth, particularly in urban settings, is critical to addressing issues of social injustice. Programs that support the development of empowerment, or action taken by an individual to facilitate his or her own ability to act in the face of oppression, have demonstrated great promise in dimensions such as creating stronger group…

Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Students in Gifted Education: Recruitment and Retention Issues

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ford, Donna Y.; Grantham, Tarek C.; Whiting, Gilman W.

2008-01-01

The field of gifted education has faced criticism about the underrepresentation of African American, Hispanic/Latino, and American Indian students who are culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) in its programs. This article proposes that efforts targeting both recruitment and retention barriers are essential to remedying this disparity.…

Critical Pedagogy and the Postmodern/Modern Divide: Towards a Pedagogy of Democratization

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Giroux, Henry A.

2004-01-01

Educators and other cultural workers need a new political and pedagogical language for addressing the changing contexts and issues facing a world in which capital draws upon an unprecedented convergence of resources--cultural, political, economic, scientific, military, and technological--to exercise powerful and diverse forms of hegemony. In this…

Youth Court: An Alternative Response to School Bullying

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Copich, Cindy

2012-01-01

Bullying and school violence are critical issues facing 21st century educational leaders. U.S. public schools have been scrambling to develop and implement anti-bullying programs with varying degrees of success. Bullying leads to disruption of learning, and its lasting effects of anxiety, depression, anger, and actual brain damage follow victims…

Review of "Yearning to Break Free: Ohio Superintendents Speak out"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Horn, Catherine; Dworkin, Gary

2011-01-01

The report, Yearning to Break Free: Ohio Superintendents Speak Out, describes findings of a survey of 246 Ohio school superintendents about critical issues facing the state's educational system. In particular, the intent of the study was to examine how superintendents might do more with fewer resources. The authors conclude that Ohio districts…

Professional School Counseling: A Handbook of Theories, Programs, and Practices. Third Edition

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Erford, Bradley T., Ed.

2016-01-01

"Professional School Counseling" is a comprehensive, single source for information about the critical issues facing school counselors today. This third edition of the Handbook integrates and expands on the changes brought about by the ASCA National Model. Revisions to each chapter reflect the influence of the model. Several new chapters…

A Second Dystopia in Education: Validity Issues in Authentic Assessment Practices

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hathcoat, John D.; Penn, Jeremy D.; Barnes, Laura L.; Comer, Johnathan C.

2016-01-01

Authentic assessments used in response to accountability demands in higher education face at least two threats to validity. First, a lack of interchangeability between assessment tasks introduces bias when using aggregate-based scores at an institutional level. Second, reliance on written products to capture constructs such as critical thinking…

Problem-Solving Processes of Expert and Typical School Principals: A Quantitative Look

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brenninkmeyer, Lawrence D.; Spillane, James P.

2008-01-01

Principals are increasingly expected to be the instructional as well as administrative leaders of their schools. However, little is known about how principals reason through the instructional issues that they face. An analysis of principal reasoning in instructional contexts is critical. The study presented in this article draws on interviews with…

The Effects of Teacher Purpose on Achievement Gains.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Balajthy, Ernest

2000-01-01

Addresses the issue of teacher purpose in using technology for reading and literacy instruction. Notes that computers were used mostly for motivation and self-esteem and not for raising achievement. Argues that educators need to critically think through the multiple realities they face as they consider the use of technology with disabled readers.…

Review and Enhancement for Crash Analysis and Prediction: Phase 1 Evaluation of the Crash Studies and Analysis Standard Operating Procedures in Maryland

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2010-03-01

Traffic safety has become one of the most critical issues facing transportation agencies across the nation. In 2006, about 43,000 people were killed, and another 290,000 were seriously injured in crashes on public roadways in the United States. Accor...

Learning to Think Critically.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Harvard Univ., Cambridge, MA. Social Studies Project.

Having a twofold purpose, this booklet serves as an instructional guide for teachers and as a text for junior high students. Emphasis is upon students learning to think reflectively about major issues facing a Democratic society and to analyze various claims that they read and hear everyday in the world around them. An objective of the study is to…

Safe Schools Report 2004-2005

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

New Mexico Public Education Department, 2006

2006-01-01

Safety in New Mexico's schools is one of the most important issues facing our communities. Every school and school district in the state make it a priority to identify and implement ways to increase the safety, security and integrity of students, teachers, staff, parents and visitors at our schools on a daily basis. Safety is critical for…

Green IT Model for IT Departments in Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Organisations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Albahlal, Abdulaziz

2016-01-01

Environmental problems such as climate change, pollution, non-sustainable energy, resource depletion, and recycling Information Technology (IT) devices considered the biggest glitches which are facing developed and developing countries. IT devices have become a critical issue due to the great amount of environmental damage caused by IT companies…

Understanding Others: Cultural and Cross-Cultural Studies and the Teaching of Literature.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Trimmer, Joseph, Ed.; Warnock, Tilly, Ed.

This book of essays offers perspectives for college teachers facing the perplexities of today's focus on cultural issues in literature programs. The book presents ideas from 19 scholars and teachers relating to theories of culture-oriented criticism and teaching, contexts for these activities, and specific, culture-focused texts significant for…

The Prediction of College Student Academic Performance and Retention: Application of Expectancy and Goal Setting Theories

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Friedman, Barry A.; Mandel, Rhonda G.

2010-01-01

Student retention and performance in higher education are important issues for educators, students, and the nation facing critical professional labor shortages. Expectancy and goal setting theories were used to predict academic performance and college student retention. Students' academic expectancy motivation at the start of the college…

Stop the Presses! Using the Journalism Field as a Case Study to Help Community College Administrators Today

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Basham, Matthew J.; Campbell, Dale F.; Garcia, Emmanual

2010-01-01

A focus group consisting of board of trustee members, community college presidents, senior administrators, administrators, and faculty members from community colleges around the United States developed the top six critical issues facing community colleges with respect to instructional planning and services; planning, governance, and finance; and…

2009 Community College Futures Assembly Focus: Leading Change--Leading in an Uncertain Environment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Campbell, Dale F.; Morris, Phillip A.

2009-01-01

The Community College Futures Assembly has served as a national, independent policy thinktank since 1995. Its purpose is to articulate the critical issues facing American community colleges and recognize innovative programs. Convening annually in January in Orlando, Florida, the Assembly offers a learning environment where tough questions are…

New England's Vital Resource: The Labor Force.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hoy, John C., Ed.; Bernstein, Melvin H., Ed.

A collection of analyses and projections is presented that explores the challenges posed by a rapidly evolving economy and the critical issue of manpower policy facing New England and the nation. New England was able to move from traditional industry to high technology because its colleges and universities supplied basic research and trained…

The Faces of Distortion

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rivers, Mary

2006-01-01

This article offers an activity which hopes to illustrate the variety of ways that the media are able to manipulate not just information but also societal understandings of critical issues and events and to connect disparate media and time periods via an activity extended over several weeks. The topic for which this series of activities was…

The Equity Education. Fostering the Advancement of Women in the Sciences, Mathematics, and Engineering.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Davis, Cinda-Sue; And Others

This volume includes 10 reports that present findings and recommendations for advancing women in science, mathematics and engineering. Critical issues facing women in these disciplines are addressed, including demographic myths and realities at various educational levels; the educational pipeline for girls and women; involvement in education and…

Emerging Trends in Teacher Preparation: The Future of Field Experiences.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Slick, Gloria Appelt, Ed.

This is the fourth in a series of four books presenting a variety of field experience program models and philosophies that drive the programs provided to preservice teachers during their undergraduate teacher preparation. This book focuses on critical issues facing teaching education in the future, in particular field experiences. Major themes…

Cosmological implications of Higgs near-criticality.

PubMed

Espinosa, J R

2018-03-06

The Standard Model electroweak (EW) vacuum, in the absence of new physics below the Planck scale, lies very close to the boundary between stability and metastability, with the last option being the most probable. Several cosmological implications of this so-called 'near-criticality' are discussed. In the metastable vacuum case, the main challenges that the survival of the EW vacuum faces during the evolution of the Universe are analysed. In the stable vacuum case, the possibility of implementing Higgs inflation is critically examined.This article is part of the Theo Murphy meeting issue 'Higgs cosmology'. © 2018 The Author(s).

Quality: from imperatives to innovations.

PubMed

Dunbar, S

1987-05-01

I have outlined the quality issues facing critical care nurses today and have also presented some challenges for the future. Critical care nurses must now enter a new era characterized by unification, collaboration and involvement, increased professional autonomy, and caring to meet the customer's expectations for quality in fact and quality in perception. Through innovation, critical care nurses can control the pace of change and influence quality in critical care. Recall the kaleidoscope and remember that its intent is to make the whole seem more than the sum of its parts. The image on the horizon is a dynamic and powerful nursing profession as a whole, with critical care nurses assuming an essential and more important role. In fact, the image on the horizon looks bright to me.

Policy analysis and advocacy in nursing education: the Nursing Education Council of British Columbia framework.

PubMed

Duncan, Susan M; Thorne, Sally; Van Neste-Kenny, Jocelyne; Tate, Betty

2012-05-01

Academic nursing leaders play a crucial role in the policy context for nursing education. Effectiveness in this role requires that they work together in presenting nursing education issues from a position of strength, informed by a critical analysis of policy pertaining to the delivery of quality nursing education and scholarship. We describe a collective process of dialog and critical analysis whereby nurse leaders in one Canadian province addressed pressing policy issues facing governments, nursing programs, faculty, and students. Consensus among academic nurse leaders, formalized through the development of a policy action framework, has enabled us to take a stand, at times highly contested, in the politicized arena of the nursing shortage. We present the components of a policy action framework for nursing education and share examples of how we have used a critical approach to analyze and frame policy issues in nursing education for inclusion on policy agendas. We believe our work has influenced provincial and national thinking about policy in nursing education is the foundation of our conclusion that political presence and shared strategy among academic nursing leaders is undeniably critical in the global context of nursing today. Crown Copyright © 2011. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Geek the Library: A Community Awareness Campaign. A Report to the OCLC Membership

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Edvardsen, Linn Haugestad, Ed.

2011-01-01

Geek the Library, a community awareness campaign designed to highlight the vital role of public libraries and raise awareness about the critical funding issues many libraries face, was developed based on the research findings included in "From Awareness to Funding: A study of library support in America." This study, published by OCLC in…

The University and Race Relations.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hinderaker, Ivan

The most critical issue that the US must face is whether people of all races can work together and create a society in which equal opportunity genuinely exists for all. The racism practiced throughout the US has produced potentially destructive forces that could lead to a second civil war between outraged minority groups and the rest of society.…

Responding to the Challenges of Internet Technologies and New Media: Issues for Polytechnics and Institutes of Technology.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brimblecombe, Trish

Although all New Zealand polytechnics and institutes of technology are making some use of new information technology and Internet-related technologies, developments incorporating effective use of these new technologies and media remain somewhat uneven. Educators seeking to embrace the Internet as a delivery medium face numerous critical design…

Full Disclosure: Do You Really Want To Be a Lawyer? Second Edition.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bell, Susan J., Comp.

This book, written for individuals contemplating a career in law, presents insights about the legal profession from 28 of the nation's top lawyers, judges, and legal scholars. Updated to address the critical issues facing the legal profession in the aftermath of the 1980's, the revised edition reflects the changing marketplace for lawyers and…

Faith and Freedom of Religion in U.S. Public Schools: Issues and Challenges Facing Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Allgood, Ilene

2016-01-01

Educators today are accustomed to discussing concepts of multiculturalism, race, class, and gender, but when it comes to religion, most new teachers and many seasoned teachers are confounded. This article provides a critical look at the treatment of religion in public education in the United States, and the potential marginalization of…

Achieving Professional Excellence: Proceedings of a National Conference on Performance-Based Approaches to Training (Little Rock, Arkansas, October 8-10, 1985).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Harrington, Lois G., Comp.; Kalamas, David J., Comp.

This document contains 47 presentations which focus on professional preparation of personnel in vocational-technical education and industry as an essential step in achieving excellence in educational and industrial training programs. The presentations include "Critical Issues Facing Vocational Teacher Education" (Zellner, Parrish); "A Call for…

College Students with Congenital Heart Disease: A Critical Time for Transition

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hardy, Rose Y.; Gurvitz, Michelle; Jackson, Jamie L.; May, Susan; Miller, Paula; Daskalov, Rachel; Foster, Elyse

2018-01-01

As medical and surgical advances improve, more young adults with congenital heart disease (CHD) are attending college. This case study illustrates some of the issues that these young adults may face as they attend college and discusses the role that college health practitioners can play in easing that transition. Participants: A case of a male…

"It's an Acceptable Identity": Constructing "Girl" at the Intersections of Health, Media, and Meaning-Making

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Little, J. Nicole; Hoskins, Marie L.

2004-01-01

This article explores the authors' critical reflections that arose while engaging in research with girls recovering from an eating disorder. The authors address issues related to media, consumerism, and identity construction. They emphasize that while there are no clear solutions to dilemmas facing girls in North American culture, researchers and…

IT Implementation in ITE in the Limpopo Province (South Africa): A Dream or Reality?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Monobe, Ratau John

2011-01-01

This paper describes the results of a survey about the most critical issues facing the implementation of IT (information technology) ITE (initial teacher education) in all the HBUs (historically black universities) in the Limpopo Province of South Africa. Over 250 responses were received and both universities in the Limpopo Province were…

2010 Community College Futures Assembly Focus: Effective Leadership-Addressing the Graduation Challenge in the 21st Century

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Campbell, Dale F.; Yu, Hongwei

2010-01-01

The Community College Futures Assembly has served as a national independent policy think tank since 1995. Its purpose is to articulate the critical issues facing American community colleges and recognize innovative programs. Convening annually in January in Orlando, Florida, the Assembly provides an interactive learning environment where tough…

When in Doubt, Put Them Out: Principal Perspectives on Suspension as a Disciplinary Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Herrera, Leisa A.

2017-01-01

The subject of school discipline is one of the most critical issues facing our educational system. Disruptive student behavior interrupts teaching and learning processes and if not effectively addressed, it can manifest itself in other areas in a child's life, leading to more serious behaviors which may eventually lead to criminal involvement,…

Wicked Problems Forum: Immigration and Higher Education: From Me to We: Embracing Coperformative Witnessing and Critical Love in the Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Calafell, Bernadette Marie; Chuang, Andy Kai-chun

2018-01-01

Omar Swartz and Ware McGuffey's essay, "Migrating Pedagogy in American Universities: Cultivating Moral Imagination and Social Justice," available in this issue of "Communication Education," offers an overview of the current landscape in higher education and, in particular, the challenges immigrant students face, historically…

Transition from High School to Associate Degree Nursing Education: A Qualitative Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mitchell, Kathy Jessee

2012-01-01

Nursing is facing a critical shortage and retention of nursing students is of paramount importance. Much research has been completed related to retention in nursing education and student success, but there is very little in current literature related to issues associated with the transition from high school to associate degree nursing (ADN)…

Snapshots of Sustainability: Profiles of Successful Strategies for Financing Out-of-School Time Programs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sandel, Kate, Ed.

2007-01-01

Sustainability is a critical issue for out-of-school programs. Time-limited grants, narrow categorical funding streams, and difficult economic conditions leave program leaders in a continual struggle to find a stable base of resources to continue their program over time. In the face of these challenges, many out-of-school initiatives have…

Visions of CSCL: Eight Provocations for the Future of the Field

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wise, Alyssa Friend; Schwarz, Baruch B.

2017-01-01

The field of Computer Supported Computer Learning (CSCL) is at a critical moment in its development. Internally we face issues of fragmentation and questions about what progress is being made. Externally the rise of social media and a variety of research communities that study the interactions within it raise questions about our unique identity…

Student Needs and Resources in Montana Post-Secondary Education. Staff Report No. 4.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Montana Commission on Post-Secondary Education, Helena.

The future financing of postsecondary education is a critical issue facing those charged with national and state educational policy. Questions regarding pricing, financial aids, the methods of support, and the impact of various policies on accessibility and educational quality are hotly debated in Congress and in every state. To determine how…

International Challenges to American Colleges and Universities: Looking Ahead. American Council on Education Series on Higher Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hanson, Katharine H., Ed.; Meyerson, Joel W., Ed.

This book contains 10 papers on critical issues facing colleges and universities seeking to "internationalize" the curriculum and design good programs and services for foreign students in the United States and for American students abroad. An overview by Richard D. Lyman introduces the following papers: (1) "Foreign Student Flows…

Critical Issues Facing School Leaders Concerning Data-­Informed Decision-Making

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Murray, John

2014-01-01

School systems have access to more data than ever before, but most teachers and school leaders lack the skills to use the data for student and school improvement. Current attempts to use data have lacked depth and have been more focused on accountability and meeting state and federal requirements than on systematically investigating the factors…

Some Wisconsin Pupils Could Face HIV Testing

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sack, Joetta L.

2004-01-01

This article explores the issue on student HIV testing in Wisconsin. Wisconsin has enacted what appears to be the nation's first law requiring students to be tested for HIV, if teachers or other school employees can prove they were significantly exposed to the students' blood while on the job. The law, which critics view as an unwarranted…

Universities and Colleges as Economic Drivers: Measuring Higher Education's Role in Economic Development. Critical Issues in Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lane, Jason E., Ed.; Johnstone, D. Bruce, Ed.

2012-01-01

Local, state, and national economies are facing unprecedented levels of international competition. The current fiscal crisis has hampered the ability of many governments in the developed world to directly facilitate economic growth. At the same time, many governments in the developing world are investing significant new resources into local…

Physician-entrepreneurship: a user's manual, part 1: critical questions for early-stage medical ventures.

PubMed

Lexa, Frank James; Lexa, Frank J

2005-07-01

The medical field is one of the most exciting in America for entrepreneurs. Radiologists and other medical practitioners are in a unique position to take advantage of opportunities to invent and create innovative products and services. Physicians have led many of the most important revolutionary and evolutionary changes that have occurred in the field in the past 100 years. However, many radiologists find the process of entrepreneurship a daunting one and are often deterred from acting on their ideas. This article addresses the key issues and challenges that entrepreneurs face when embarking on new enterprises. Although most of these issues face all entrepreneurs at this stage, this article focuses on medical innovation and its particular challenges. This article concentrates on the kinds of questions that physician-entrepreneurs need to ask before jumping in, the types of common pitfalls that await those who don't address these issues, and some answers to seek if you are to beat the odds and succeed.

Good match exploration for infrared face recognition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Changcai; Zhou, Huabing; Sun, Sheng; Liu, Renfeng; Zhao, Ji; Ma, Jiayi

2014-11-01

Establishing good feature correspondence is a critical prerequisite and a challenging task for infrared (IR) face recognition. Recent studies revealed that the scale invariant feature transform (SIFT) descriptor outperforms other local descriptors for feature matching. However, it only uses local appearance information for matching, and hence inevitably leads to a number of false matches. To address this issue, this paper explores global structure information (GSI) among SIFT correspondences, and proposes a new method SIFT-GSI for good match exploration. This is achieved by fitting a smooth mapping function for the underlying correct matches, which involves softassign and deterministic annealing. Quantitative comparisons with state-of-the-art methods on a publicly available IR human face database demonstrate that SIFT-GSI significantly outperforms other methods for feature matching, and hence it is able to improve the reliability of IR face recognition systems.

Treatment fidelity and research on Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR).

PubMed

Rosen, G M

1999-01-01

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing was introduced by Frances Shapiro (1989) as a treatment for posttraumatic stress disorder. When controlled studies failed to support the extraordinarily positive findings and claims made by Shapiro, proponents of EMDR raised the issue of treatment fidelity and criticized researchers for being inadequately trained. This paper considers the issues raised by EMDR proponents. It is concluded that treatment fidelity has been used as a specious, distracting issue that permits the continued promotion of EMDR in the face of negative empirical findings. Clinical psychologists are urged to remember the basic tenets of science when evaluating extraordinary claims made for novel techniques.

Insights for conducting real-time focus groups online using a web conferencing service.

PubMed

Kite, James; Phongsavan, Philayrath

2017-01-01

Background Online focus groups have been increasing in use over the last 2 decades, including in biomedical and health-related research. However, most of this research has made use of text-based services such as email, discussion boards, and chat rooms, which do not replicate the experience of face-to-face focus groups. Web conferencing services have the potential to more closely match the face-to-face focus group experience, including important visual and aural cues. This paper provides critical reflections on using a web conferencing service to conduct online focus groups. Methods As part of a broader study, we conducted both online and face-to-face focus groups with participants. The online groups were conducted in real-time using the web conferencing service, Blackboard Collaborate TM . We used reflective practice to assess how the conduct and content of the groups were similar and how they differed across the two platforms. Results We found that further research using such services is warranted, particularly when working with hard-to-reach or geographically dispersed populations. The level of discussion and the quality of the data obtained was similar to that found in face-to-face groups. However, some issues remain, particularly in relation to managing technical issues experienced by participants and ensuring adequate recording quality to facilitate transcription and analysis. Conclusions Our experience with using web conferencing for online focus groups suggests that they have the potential to offer a realistic and comparable alternative to face-to-face focus groups, especially for geographically dispersed populations such as rural and remote health practitioners. Further testing of these services is warranted but researchers should carefully consider the service they use to minimise the impact of technical difficulties.

ADA members weigh in on critical issues.

PubMed

Burgess, Karen; Ruesch, Jon D; Mikkelsen, Matthew C; Wagner, Karen Schaid

2003-01-01

Science, new technology, patient care, dental reimbursement and government regulations all affect today's dental practitioners. To find out more about how such challenges may affect current private practitioners, the American Dental Association conducted the 2000 Membership Needs and Opinions Survey. A questionnaire was sent to 6,310 ADA members in January 2000 with follow-up mailings in February, March and April 2000. Data collection was completed in July 2000. The survey included questions on critical professional issues, and on perceptions of the ADA and ADA priorities. A total of 3,558 completed surveys were received for an adjusted response rate of 59.5 percent. Members rated the identified issues' level of importance to them. The top three issues included "maintaining my ability to recommend the treatment option I feel is most appropriate for my patients," "receiving fair reimbursement for the dental services I provide," and "protecting myself, my staff and my patients from communicable diseases." New dentists found other items to be more significant to them compared with members overall. Although ADA members as a whole had similar views on critical issues facing dentistry and ADA priorities, there were significant differences regarding some issues. New dentists were far more concerned about securing funds for their practice and paying off debt than were all ADA members. Minority dentists expressed greater levels of concern about certain issues than did all ADA members. When planning and implementing ADA activities, the Association should continue to take into account members' relative rankings of professional issues and note issues of special interest to selected membership subgroups.

How the First Year of College Influences Moral Reasoning Development for Students in Moral Consolidation and Moral Transition

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mayhew, Matthew J.; Seifert, Tricia A.; Pascarella, Ernest T.

2012-01-01

Understanding the developmental issues first-time college students face is critical for scholars and educators interested in learning and development. This purpose of this study was to investigate the differential impact of first-year college experiences on the moral reasoning development of 1,469 students in moral transition versus those in moral…

Fundamental Concerns in High-Stakes Language Testing: The Case of the College English Test

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jin, Yan

2011-01-01

The College English Test (CET) is an English language test designed for educational purposes, administered on a very large scale, and used for making high-stakes decisions. This paper discusses the key issues facing the CET during the course of its development in the past two decades. It argues that the most fundamental and critical concerns of…

American Indian Millennium: Renewing Our Way of Life for Future Generations. Proceedings (Ithaca, New York, November 29-December 2, 2001).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Barreiro, Jose, Ed.; Johnson, Tim, Ed.

2002-01-01

In November 2001, elders, youth, educators, culture bearers, and community members came together to speak from within their own experiences about the critical issues and challenges facing Native people in the 21st century and to envision the positive thinking required for future generations. This proceedings documents 34 oral presentations and…

High School Grades and University Performance: A Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cyrenne, Philippe; Chan, Alan

2012-01-01

A critical issue facing a number of colleges and universities is how to allocate first year places to incoming students. The decision to admit students is often based on a number of factors, but a key statistic is a student's high school grades. This paper reports on a case study of the subsequent performance at the University of Winnipeg of high…

Revenues from Forest Based Environmental Service

Treesearch

Evan Mercer

2011-01-01

This report is issued at a critical moment in time. The year 2011 is the International Year of the Forest—a time when people around the world are encouraged to pay special attention to the importance of forest ecosystems and the goods and ecological services they provide to sustain societies and economies. With the many threats facing forests today, this report...

Affordability, Accessibility and Accountability in Higher Education: Proceedings of the Community College Virtual Summit, June 28, 2007

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

US Department of Education, 2008

2008-01-01

The main intention of the Community College Virtual Summit, as stated by Troy Justesen, assistant secretary for vocational and adult education, was to explore four critical issues facing community colleges: (1) Two- to four-year transitions; (2) Adult and nontraditional students; (3) Accountability; and (4) Leadership. These were selected as the…

On Doing an Analysis of Equity and Closing the Opportunity Gap

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Verstegen, Deborah A.

2015-01-01

Is public education equitable and does it provide an equal opportunity to all children and youths? Equity in public school funding is a critical issue facing all communities and has been addressed by the courts in all but five states. A key focus is on funding gaps between rich and poor school districts. Recently, attention has turned to the…

Addressing Challenges to Public Understanding of Science: Epistemic Cognition, Motivated Reasoning, and Conceptual Change

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sinatra, Gale M.; Kienhues, Dorothe; Hofer, Barbara K.

2014-01-01

Science is of critical importance to daily life in a knowledge society and has a significant influence on many everyday decisions. As scientific problems increase in their number and complexity, so do the challenges facing the public in understanding these issues. Our objective is to focus on 3 of those challenges: the challenge of reasoning about…

Mentorship of Black Student-Athletes at a Predominately White American University: Critical Race Theory Perspective on Student-Athlete Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bimper, Albert Y., Jr.

2017-01-01

Mentoring programs are evolving as common practice in athletic departments across national collegiate athletic association member institutions in the USA as means to address sociocultural issues faced by their student-athletes and to enhance their holistic development. There is a dearth of research exploring mentoring in the contexts of…

Mapping the Ethnographic Journey: A "Road Map" for Novice Researchers Wanting to Engage in Ethnography, Critical Theory and Policy Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Naidu, Sham

2012-01-01

In this article, the "researcher" narrates the issues faced by novice researchers in choosing the correct lenses to conduct research when searching for the truth via the use of qualitative methodology. It is argued that choosing an appropriate research approach and methodology can be described as an "arduous" journey. For the…

Converting a Biology Course into a Writing-Intensive Capstone Course: Using Collaboration between a Professor and Graduate Teaching Assistant

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lankford, Deanna; vom Saal, Fredrick

2012-01-01

In order to be effective competitors in the marketplace, students must be able to think critically, communicate complex ideas through writing, collaborate with peers, and apply their knowledge of biological science to generate solutions for issues facing society. In this paper we examine the nature of the instructional tools, strategies, and…

Are Children with "Pure" Generalized Anxiety Disorder Impaired? A Comparison with Comorbid and Healthy Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alfano, Candice A.

2012-01-01

Despite the approach of the "Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders" (5th ed.), generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) of childhood continues to face questions as to whether it should be considered a distinct clinical disorder. A potentially critical issue embedded in this debate involves the role of functional impairment which has yet…

The Impact of Bullying on School Performance in Six Selected Schools in South Carolina

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cooper, Stephanie A.

2011-01-01

The nation's K-12 schools are faced with numerous critical challenges, such as elevating academic achievement, and meeting No Child Left Behind state standards (Kowalski et al., 2008). But bullying in schools is becoming one of the most challenging issues that school personnel are encountering. In a Stanford University, study it was revealed that…

The Comprehensive Soldier Fitness program: family skills component.

PubMed

Gottman, John M; Gottman, Julie S; Atkins, Christopher L

2011-01-01

Field combat stress clinics and research have identified the signature event that precedes thoughts of suicide and homicide in combat soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan: a distressing personal relationship event with a stateside partner. In response to this alarming information, we have identified critical factors and precipitating incidents as well as critical social skills that form the basis for changing communication between soldiers and their stateside partners. A pilot program is described that proved effective with small groups of soldiers who were led by a male-female professional team and given structured reading and social skills training exercises based on Gottman and Silver's (1999) book The seven principles for making marriage work. Recommendations for future training are made based upon our assessment of the family issues facing the combat soldier in Iraq and Afghanistan. In conclusion, we describe the family fitness interventions and program elements of the skill building trainings within the family component of the Comprehensive Soldier Fitness program, which can be delivered via online interactive technology as well as face to face with families. (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved.

Face-specific impairment in holistic perception following focal lesion of the right anterior temporal lobe.

PubMed

Busigny, Thomas; Van Belle, Goedele; Jemel, Boutheina; Hosein, Anthony; Joubert, Sven; Rossion, Bruno

2014-04-01

Recent studies have provided solid evidence for pure cases of prosopagnosia following brain damage. The patients reported so far have posterior lesions encompassing either or both the right inferior occipital cortex and fusiform gyrus, and exhibit a critical impairment in generating a sufficiently detailed holistic percept to individualize faces. Here, we extended these observations to include the prosopagnosic patient LR (Bukach, Bub, Gauthier, & Tarr, 2006), whose damage is restricted to the anterior region of the right temporal lobe. First, we report that LR is able to discriminate parametrically defined individual exemplars of nonface object categories as accurately and quickly as typical observers, which suggests that the visual similarity account of prosopagnosia does not explain his impairments. Then, we show that LR does not present with the typical face inversion effect, whole-part advantage, or composite face effect and, therefore, has impaired holistic perception of individual faces. Moreover, the patient is more impaired at matching faces when the facial part he fixates is masked than when it is selectively revealed by means of gaze contingency. Altogether these observations support the view that the nature of the critical face impairment does not differ qualitatively across patients with acquired prosopagnosia, regardless of the localization of brain damage: all these patients appear to be impaired to some extent at what constitutes the heart of our visual expertise with faces, namely holistic perception at a sufficiently fine-grained level of resolution to discriminate exemplars of the face class efficiently. This conclusion raises issues regarding the existing criteria for diagnosis/classification of patients as cases of apperceptive or associative prosopagnosia. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Biosimilars--global issues, national solutions.

PubMed

Knezevic, Ivana; Griffiths, Elwyn

2011-09-01

Biotechnology derived medicinal products are presently the best characterized biologicals with considerable production and clinical experience, and have revolutionized the treatment of some of the most difficult-to-treat diseases, prolonging and improving the quality of life and patient care. They are also currently one of the fastest growing segments of the pharmaceutical industry market. The critical challenge that the biopharmaceutical industry is facing is the expiry of patents for the first generation of biopharmaceuticals, mainly recombinant DNA derived products, such as interferons, growth hormone and erythropoetin. The question that immediately arose was how should such copies of the originator products be licensed, bearing in mind that they are highly complex biological molecules produced by equally complex biological production processes with their inherent problem of biological variability. Copying biologicals is much more complex than copying small molecules and the critical issue was how to handle the licensing of products if relying in part on data from an innovator product. Since 2004 there has been considerable international consultation on how to deal with biosimilars and biological copy products. This has led to a better understanding of the challenges in the regulatory evaluation of the quality, safety and efficacy of "biosimilars", to the exchange of information between regulators, as well as to the identification of key issues. The aim of this article is to provide a brief overview of the scientific and regulatory challenges faced in developing and evaluating similar biotherapeutic products for global use. It is intended as an introduction to the series of articles in this special issue of Biologicals devoted to similar biotherapeutic products. Copyright © 2011. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Gender, religion, and sociopolitical issues in cross-cultural online education.

PubMed

Zaidi, Zareen; Verstegen, Daniëlle; Naqvi, Rahat; Morahan, Page; Dornan, Tim

2016-05-01

Cross-cultural education is thought to develop critical consciousness of how unequal distributions of power and privilege affect people's health. Learners in different sociopolitical settings can join together in developing critical consciousness-awareness of power and privilege dynamics in society-by means of communication technology. The aim of this research was to define strengths and limitations of existing cross-cultural discussions in generating critical consciousness. The setting was the FAIMER international fellowship program for mid-career interdisciplinary health faculty, whose goal is to foster global advancement of health professions education. Fellows take part in participant-led, online, written, task-focused discussions on topics like professionalism, community health, and leadership. We reflexively identified text that brought sociopolitical topics into the online environment during the years 2011 and 2012 and used a discourse analysis toolset to make our content analysis relevant to critical consciousness. While references to participants' cultures and backgrounds were infrequent, narratives of political-, gender-, religion-, and other culture-related topics did emerge. When participants gave accounts of their experiences and exchanged cross-cultural stories, they were more likely to develop ad hoc networks to support one another in facing those issues than explore issues relating to the development of critical consciousness. We suggest that cross-cultural discussions need to be facilitated actively to transform learners' frames of reference, create critical consciousness, and develop cultural competence. Further research is needed into how to provide a safe environment for such learning and provide faculty development for the skills needed to facilitate these exchanges.

Joint Force Quarterly (Issue 71, 4th Quarter, October 2013)

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-01-01

for a better future and two perspectives in the on-going debate on missile defense in Europe. Drawing on...commended the students for their critical thinking skills and writing talent. In the winning Secretary of Defense essay, Colonel Jonathan Rice...Leadership: Priorities for 21st Century Defense T he Nation and its allies face a strategic turning point that necessitates the optimization of joint and

Academic Fatalism: Applying Durkheim's Fatalistic Suicide Typology to Student Drop-Out and the Climate of Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Godor, Brian P.

2017-01-01

Student drop-out remains a critical issue facing educational professionals. For higher education, the vast research in the past 40 years has been influenced by the work of Tinto and his model of student persistence. In this model are several elements that have proven to sharpen the focus of student drop-out research such as the concept of…

An Exploratory Study of Factors That Affect the Research Progress of International PhD Students from the Middle East

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Khozaei, Fatemeh; Naidu, Sivabala; Khozaei, Zahra; Salleh, Nor Aini

2015-01-01

Purpose: Despite the critical issues involving Middle East countries such as war and a drop in currency exchange rates, a large number of students leave their country to pursue a higher education abroad, every year. The purpose of this paper is to understand the difficulties that these students face while conducting their research in a foreign…

Coast redwood science symposium—2016: Past successes and future direction

Treesearch

Richard B. Standiford; Yana Valachovic

2017-01-01

There is no more iconic tree or more closely watched forest ecosystem than coast redwood. With its limited range and high value, the coast redwood forest is a microcosm of many of the emerging science and management issues facing today’s forested landscapes. As new information is collected and new management approaches and treatments tried, it is critical that policies...

Promoting Proper Education for Sustainability: An Exploratory Study of ICT Enhanced Problem Based Learning in a Developing Country

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Roy, Amit; Kihoza, Patrick; Suhonen, Jarkko; Vesisenaho, Mikko; Tukiaianen, Markku

2014-01-01

One of the goals of education is to create responsible citizens who can adequately understand the problems faced by their societies and who can then act to help solve them. Such behaviour can be fostered through proper education that facilitates expert knowledge about social issues, nurtures the ability to think critically and grows the skills…

Virtual and Traditional Slides for Teaching Cellular Morphology to Medical Laboratory Science Undergraduates: A Comparative Study of Performance Outcomes, Retention, and Self-Efficacy Beliefs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Solberg, Brooke L.

2011-01-01

As a result of massive retirement and educational program expense and closure, the field of Medical Laboratory Science (MLS) is facing a critical workforce shortage. Combatting this issue by increasing undergraduate class size is a difficult proposition due to the intense psychomotor curricular requirements of MLS programs. Technological advances…

The Campus Safety Imperative: A Qualitative Study of A State Higher Education System's Initiatives to Respond to Violence on Campus

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Atkins, Kemal M.

2017-01-01

Crisis management is a critical issue facing higher education. Higher education leaders and campus safety advocates agree that the Virginia Tech massacre changed perceptions and approaches to campus safety at colleges and universities nationally. In the University of North Carolina System, it was the two murders of University of North Carolina at…

Examining the Impact of Gender, Race/Ethnicity, and Family Factors on Mental Health Issues in a Sample of Court-Involved Youth

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gavazzi, Stephen M.; Bostic, Jennifer M.; Lim, Ji-Young; Yarcheck, Courtney M.

2008-01-01

Faced with anywhere between one half and two thirds of its youth having a diagnosable mental illness, the identification and treatment of mental health concerns is a critically important endeavor for professionals working with youth who have contact with the juvenile justice system. In addition, the literature suggests that factors related to both…

Environmental performance and financial report integrity: challenges for the mining sector in Indonesia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mayangsari, S.

2018-01-01

This study investigates the influence of environmental performance on the financial report integrity. The statistics used were primary data from interviews with senior members of the mining sector regarding environmental issues, as well as secondary data using Financial Report 2016. The samples were listed mining companies with semester data. Questionnaires were used to measure their perceptions of the challenges concerning climate change faced by the mining sector. The results of this research show that regulatory interventions will be critical to environmental issues. This study employed KLD as a proxy for environmental performance, correlated with other variables regarding the integrity of disclosure. The outcome indicates that environmental issues will increase the integrity of financial reports.

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

PubMed Central

Kehl, Karen A.; Gartner, Constance M.

2010-01-01

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

Building Stronger State Partnerships with the US Department of Energy (Energy Assurance)

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

Mike Keogh

2011-09-30

From 2007 until 2011, the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners (NARUC) engaged in a partnership with the National Energy Technology Lab (NETL) to improve State-Federal coordination on electricity policy and energy assurance issues. This project allowed State Public Utility Commissioners and their staffs to engage on the most cutting-edge level in the arenas of energy assurance and electricity policy. Four tasks were outlined in the Statement of Performance Objectives: Task 1 - Training for Commissions on Critical Infrastructure Topics; Task 2 - Analyze and Implement Recommendations on Energy Assurance Issues; Task 3 - Ongoing liaison activities & outreach tomore » build stronger networks between federal agencies and state regulators; and Task 4 - Additional Activities. Although four tasks were prescribed, in practice these tasks were carried out under two major activity areas: the critical infrastructure and energy assurance partnership with the US Department of Energy's Infrastructure Security and Emergency Response office, and the National Council on Electricity Policy, a collaborative which since 1994 has brought together State and Federal policymakers to address the most pressing issues facing the grid from restructuring to smart grid implementation. On Critical Infrastructure protection, this cooperative agreement helped State officials yield several important advances. The lead role on NARUC's side was played by our Committee on Critical Infrastructure Protection. Key lessons learned in this arena include the following: (1) Tabletops and exercises work - They improve the capacity of policymakers and their industry counterparts to face the most challenging energy emergencies, and thereby equip these actors with the capacity to face everything up to that point as well. (2) Information sharing is critical - Connecting people who need information with people who have information is a key success factor. However, exposure of critical infrastructure information to bad actors also creates new vulnerabilities. (3) Tensions exist between the transparency-driven basis of regulatory activity and the information-protection requirements of asset protection. (4) Coordination between states is a key success factor - Because comparatively little federal authority exists over electricity and other energy infrastructure, the interstate nature of these energy grids defy centralized command and control governance. Patchwork responses are a risk when addressed at a state-by-state level. Coordination is the key to ensuring consistent response to shared threats. In Electricity Policy, the National Council on Electricity Policy continued to make important strides forward. Coordinated electricity policy among States remains the best surrogate for an absent national electricity policy. In every area from energy efficiency to clean coal, State policies are driving the country's electricity policy, and regional responses to climate change, infrastructure planning, market operation, and new technology deployment depend on a forum for bringing the States together.« less

Argumentation, critical thinking, nature of science and socioscientific issues: a dialogue between two researchers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yacoubian, Hagop A.; Khishfe, Rola

2018-05-01

The purpose of this paper is to compare and contrast between two theoretical frameworks for addressing nature of science (NOS) and socioscientific issues (SSI) in school science. These frameworks are critical thinking (CT) and argumentation (AR). For the past years, the first and second authors of this paper have pursued research in this area using CT and AR as theoretical frameworks, respectively. Yacoubian argues that future citizens need to develop a critical mindset as they are guided to (1) practice making judgments on what views of NOS to acquire and (2) practice making decisions on SSI through applying their NOS understandings. Khishfe asserts that AR is an important component of decision making when dealing with SSI and the practice in AR in relation to controversial issues is needed for informed decision making. She argues that AR as a framework may assist in the development of more informed understandings of NOS. In this paper, the authors delve into a dialogue for (1) elucidating strengths and potential of each framework, (2) highlighting challenges that they face in their research using the frameworks in question, (3) exploring the extent to which the frameworks can overlap, and (4) proposing directions for future research.

Web Server Security on Open Source Environments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gkoutzelis, Dimitrios X.; Sardis, Manolis S.

Administering critical resources has never been more difficult that it is today. In a changing world of software innovation where major changes occur on a daily basis, it is crucial for the webmasters and server administrators to shield their data against an unknown arsenal of attacks in the hands of their attackers. Up until now this kind of defense was a privilege of the few, out-budgeted and low cost solutions let the defender vulnerable to the uprising of innovating attacking methods. Luckily, the digital revolution of the past decade left its mark, changing the way we face security forever: open source infrastructure today covers all the prerequisites for a secure web environment in a way we could never imagine fifteen years ago. Online security of large corporations, military and government bodies is more and more handled by open source application thus driving the technological trend of the 21st century in adopting open solutions to E-Commerce and privacy issues. This paper describes substantial security precautions in facing privacy and authentication issues in a totally open source web environment. Our goal is to state and face the most known problems in data handling and consequently propose the most appealing techniques to face these challenges through an open solution.

Effects of exposure to facial expression variation in face learning and recognition.

PubMed

Liu, Chang Hong; Chen, Wenfeng; Ward, James

2015-11-01

Facial expression is a major source of image variation in face images. Linking numerous expressions to the same face can be a huge challenge for face learning and recognition. It remains largely unknown what level of exposure to this image variation is critical for expression-invariant face recognition. We examined this issue in a recognition memory task, where the number of facial expressions of each face being exposed during a training session was manipulated. Faces were either trained with multiple expressions or a single expression, and they were later tested in either the same or different expressions. We found that recognition performance after learning three emotional expressions had no improvement over learning a single emotional expression (Experiments 1 and 2). However, learning three emotional expressions improved recognition compared to learning a single neutral expression (Experiment 3). These findings reveal both the limitation and the benefit of multiple exposures to variations of emotional expression in achieving expression-invariant face recognition. The transfer of expression training to a new type of expression is likely to depend on a relatively extensive level of training and a certain degree of variation across the types of expressions.

Analyses of Student Learning in Global Change

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Takle, E. S.; Moser, H.; Sorensen, E. K.

2004-12-01

The Global Change course at Iowa State University is a senior undergraduate and graduate level course that has been delivered over the internet with online dialog and learning activities since 1995. Students may enroll in the course as a distance education course, but in doing so they engage in dialog with students in the conventional on-campus face-to-face course. Online delivery and student participation offer opportunities for promoting use of critical thinking skills and collaborative learning not available in face-to-face environments. Students are required to research, post, and defend with authoritative information their positions on a variety of global change issues and specifically identify how they have demonstrated use of critical thinking skills in their online postings. Threaded dialog is used for structuring interactions toward promoting collaborative learning. We analyze collaborative learning by use of a rubric based on the theory of language games. By random selection of 1,350 online dialog comments posted over the last 10 years we evaluated student response to requirements for demonstrating critical thinking skills and collaboration in learning. We found that, by itself, the requirement of demonstrating critical thinking skills in online dialog was insufficient in promoting collaborative learned as measured by the standards of language game theory. But we also found that if an online comment clearly defines a situation and makes a clear expectation of a response, the likelihood is high that a game will be created. And if a game is established, there is a high probability that it will be closed, thereby giving evidence that collaborative learning had occurred. We conclude that a key component in collaborative online learning lies in establishing a lead-off comment that provides sufficient background information to clearly define an engaging situation. It also must include a clear expectation that a response is expected that will provide dialog participants an opportunity to demonstrate critical thinking skills in their responding comments.

Critical Issues Facing America's Community Colleges: A Summary of the Community College Futures Assembly 2011 Mixed Methods/Appreciative Inquiry Research Project

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Basham, Matthew J.; Campbell, Dale F.; Mahmood, Hajara; Martin, Kenyatta

2012-01-01

For almost 20 years the Community College Futures Assembly (CCFA) has met annually in Orlando, Florida to serve as a showcase of best practices in community college administration and to serve as a think-tank for research and policy. Through the years the research methodology has evolved. The 2011 CCFA used a mixed-methods approach: qualitative…

Critical Analysis of a Social and Scientific Moral Dilemma: Fifth Graders and Veterans Respond to "Hiroshima No Pika."

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Storey, Dee

This document presents results of a survey studying the Japanese picture book, "Hiroshima No Pika." The story aptly captures how a family of three find their lives shattered in a matter of seconds when the atomic bomb is dropped on Hiroshima (Japan) in World War II. Issues presented in the story are: (1) immediate survival in the face of…

Reverse engineering the face space: Discovering the critical features for face identification.

PubMed

Abudarham, Naphtali; Yovel, Galit

2016-01-01

How do we identify people? What are the critical facial features that define an identity and determine whether two faces belong to the same person or different people? To answer these questions, we applied the face space framework, according to which faces are represented as points in a multidimensional feature space, such that face space distances are correlated with perceptual similarities between faces. In particular, we developed a novel method that allowed us to reveal the critical dimensions (i.e., critical features) of the face space. To that end, we constructed a concrete face space, which included 20 facial features of natural face images, and asked human observers to evaluate feature values (e.g., how thick are the lips). Next, we systematically and quantitatively changed facial features, and measured the perceptual effects of these manipulations. We found that critical features were those for which participants have high perceptual sensitivity (PS) for detecting differences across identities (e.g., which of two faces has thicker lips). Furthermore, these high PS features vary minimally across different views of the same identity, suggesting high PS features support face recognition across different images of the same face. The methods described here set an infrastructure for discovering the critical features of other face categories not studied here (e.g., Asians, familiar) as well as other aspects of face processing, such as attractiveness or trait inferences.

Critical issues in telemedicine.

PubMed

Bashshur, R L

1997-01-01

Critical issues facing the development of telemedicine today are described and analyzed as dilemmas or paradoxes. The technological dilemma involves the difficult choice between using the latest technology regardless of how well it fits specific needs on the one hand, and the reluctance to capitalize on the available technological capability to create efficient and effective organizations for expanding the reach of health care on the other hand. The evaluation paradox points to the disjuncture between policy making requirements and the scientific enterprise. This engenders the difficulty of producing scientifically valid and policy relevant results from programs that have not achieved maturity or a steady state of operation. The contextual hazards of limiting the scope of telemedicine to rural areas are discussed, as well as the potential for creating a second tier of care for the remote and isolated populations. Finally, professional maturation is addressed as it underscores the importance of self regulation and control.

Endangered species and nature conservation: science issues and challenges.

PubMed

Szaro, Robert C

2008-06-01

The issues and challenges facing us in ensuring the survival of as many species and ecosystems as possible call for a renewed research focus to address how to improve management strategies and policy making now and into the future. The key issues to be addressed by activities of the International Union of Forest Research Organization's (IUFRO) Task Force on Endangered Species and Nature Conservation include such issues as: (i) preventing species from being listed by maintaining species populations at sufficient levels that they do not require listing; (ii) recovering threatened and endangered species; (iii) developing management practices and strategies; (iv) balancing actions affecting suites of threatened or endangered species; (v) developing conservation strategies for species without definitive taxonomic treatments; (vi) dealing with global change; (vii) dealing with invasive species; and (viii) restoring critical habitats. © 2008 ISZS, Blackwell Publishing and IOZ/CAS.

Using electronic questionnaires to collect patient reported history.

PubMed

Benoit, Angie; Dykes, Patricia; Chang, Frank; Gertman, Paul; Vandever, Woodrow; Li, Qi; Wald, Jonathan

2007-10-11

EMR adoption has faced a major barrier around time and effort required to enter clinical data. In addition, patient entered data has not been effectively used by clinicians to identify critical clinical issues and drive best clinical interventions. By allowing patients to enter historical clinical data, using online questionnaires before their visit, it will have a positive impact on office workflow, physician and patient satisfaction, and support population based health and risk assessment.

Caught in the Net: Lessons from the Financial Crisis for a Networked Future

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-06-01

and theories from the business world can provide insight on many issues facing militaries, including operational and strategic ones.2 The fact that...literature that proclaims the existence of a Revolution in Military Affairs driven by information technology, the very literature upon which the theory ...the late adopters.” No theory should be immune from criticism. Candid, constructive, and honest debate will be far more fruitful than stifling

Analysis of singular interface stresses in dissimilar material joints for plasma facing components

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

You, J. H.; Bolt, H.

2001-10-01

Duplex joint structures are typical material combinations for the actively cooled plasma facing components of fusion devices. The structural integrity under the incident heat loads from the plasma is one of the most crucial issues in the technology of these components. The most critical domain in a duplex joint component is the free surface edge of the bond interface between heterogeneous materials. This is due to the fact that the thermal stress usually shows a singular intensification in this region. If the plasma facing armour tile consists of a brittle material, the existence of the stress singularity can be a direct cause of failure. The present work introduces a comprehensive analytical tool to estimate the impact of the stress singularity for duplex PFC design and quantifies the relative stress intensification in various materials joints by use of a model formulated by Munz and Yang. Several candidate material combinations of plasma facing armour and metallic heat sink are analysed and the results are compared with each other.

The face, the future, and dental practice: how research in craniofacial biology will influence patient care.

PubMed

Townsend, G C; Brook, A H

2014-06-01

It has been a privilege to assemble a group of Australian and international researchers to produce a special issue of the Australian Dental Journal that reflects the cutting edge of research in different aspects of craniofacial biology, and also considers how these advances will influence future education and practice within dentistry. The aim of this special issue is to provide a collection of concept papers and critical reviews on key topics that cover both fundamental and applied research in craniofacial biology and to consider the clinical implications. To do this, four questions have been addressed that lead to the four sections of this issue. These are: How have we come to the present exciting position in craniofacial biology with breakthroughs over the past 50 years? What are current fundamental research topics that are helping us to understand more about craniofacial and general development, possibly leading to future clinical developments? What are the current applied research topics that will influence future clinical practice? Looking forward, what new developments in craniofacial biology may come about that will change the face of dental education and practice? The refereed papers in this special issue are grouped into the four sections that seek to respond to these demanding questions. © 2014 Australian Dental Association.

Maximising harm reduction in early specialty training for general practice: validation of a safety checklist

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Making health care safer is a key policy priority worldwide. In specialty training, medical educators may unintentionally impact on patient safety e.g. through failures of supervision; providing limited feedback on performance; and letting poorly developed behaviours continue unchecked. Doctors-in-training are also known to be susceptible to medical error. Ensuring that all essential educational issues are addressed during training is problematic given the scale of the tasks to be undertaken. Human error and the reliability of local systems may increase the risk of safety-critical topics being inadequately covered. However adherence to a checklist reminder may improve the reliability of task delivery and maximise harm reduction. We aimed to prioritise the most safety-critical issues to be addressed in the first 12-weeks of specialty training in the general practice environment and validate a related checklist reminder. Methods We used mixed methods with different groups of GP educators (n = 127) and specialty trainees (n = 9) in two Scottish regions to prioritise, develop and validate checklist content. Generation and refinement of checklist themes and items were undertaken on an iterative basis using a range of methods including small group work in dedicated workshops; a modified-Delphi process; and telephone interviews. The relevance of potential checklist items was rated using a 4-point scale content validity index to inform final inclusion. Results 14 themes (e.g. prescribing safely; dealing with medical emergency; implications of poor record keeping; and effective & safe communication) and 47 related items (e.g. how to safety-net face-to-face or over the telephone; knowledge of practice systems for results handling; recognition of harm in children) were judged to be essential safety-critical educational issues to be covered. The mean content validity index ratio was 0.98. Conclusion A checklist was developed and validated for educational supervisors to assist in the reliable delivery of safety-critical educational issues in the opening 12-week period of training, and aligned with national curriculum competencies. The tool can also be adapted for use as a self-assessment instrument by trainees to guide patient safety-related learning needs. Dissemination and implementation of the checklist and self-rating scale are proceeding on a national, voluntary basis with plans to evaluate its feasibility and educational impact. PMID:22721273

Maximising harm reduction in early specialty training for general practice: validation of a safety checklist.

PubMed

Bowie, Paul; McKay, John; Kelly, Moya

2012-06-21

Making health care safer is a key policy priority worldwide. In specialty training, medical educators may unintentionally impact on patient safety e.g. through failures of supervision; providing limited feedback on performance; and letting poorly developed behaviours continue unchecked. Doctors-in-training are also known to be susceptible to medical error. Ensuring that all essential educational issues are addressed during training is problematic given the scale of the tasks to be undertaken. Human error and the reliability of local systems may increase the risk of safety-critical topics being inadequately covered. However adherence to a checklist reminder may improve the reliability of task delivery and maximise harm reduction. We aimed to prioritise the most safety-critical issues to be addressed in the first 12-weeks of specialty training in the general practice environment and validate a related checklist reminder. We used mixed methods with different groups of GP educators (n=127) and specialty trainees (n=9) in two Scottish regions to prioritise, develop and validate checklist content. Generation and refinement of checklist themes and items were undertaken on an iterative basis using a range of methods including small group work in dedicated workshops; a modified-Delphi process; and telephone interviews. The relevance of potential checklist items was rated using a 4-point scale content validity index to inform final inclusion. 14 themes (e.g. prescribing safely; dealing with medical emergency; implications of poor record keeping; and effective & safe communication) and 47 related items (e.g. how to safety-net face-to-face or over the telephone; knowledge of practice systems for results handling; recognition of harm in children) were judged to be essential safety-critical educational issues to be covered. The mean content validity index ratio was 0.98. A checklist was developed and validated for educational supervisors to assist in the reliable delivery of safety-critical educational issues in the opening 12-week period of training, and aligned with national curriculum competencies. The tool can also be adapted for use as a self-assessment instrument by trainees to guide patient safety-related learning needs. Dissemination and implementation of the checklist and self-rating scale are proceeding on a national, voluntary basis with plans to evaluate its feasibility and educational impact.

The impact of social contexts in testing for alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency: the roles of physicians and others.

PubMed

Klitzman, Robert

2009-04-01

To elucidate psychosocial and ethical issues faced by adults at risk for alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency (AATD) that have received little attention. Eleven individuals with AATD were interviewed in detail for 2 hours each. Several specific aspects of AATD created critical, socially dynamic issues that shaped the patients' responses. The disease being relatively newly discovered, physicians do not know much about it and thus often do not consider or recommend testing for it. Hence, patients who may benefit from diagnosis and treatment are not always diagnosed. General practitioners, when they do diagnose patients, often refer them to specialists and thus remain inexperienced in treating the disorder. As a result, many individuals, too, remain unaware of this disease in their families and thus do not consider mentioning its possibility to doctors or family members. Thus, intrafamilial disclosures by patients become critical. Patients may be shocked and upset at diagnosis, as they might possibly already have transmitted the mutation to offspring, which further impedes disclosure to family members. These issues highlight how patients' interactions with doctors and others concerning genetics are critical, and need to be further explored and addressed. Several aspects of physician education and practice (e.g., regarding disclosures to at-risk family members) need to be improved.

Understanding Nutritional Epidemiology and Its Role in Policy12

PubMed Central

Satija, Ambika; Yu, Edward; Willett, Walter C; Hu, Frank B

2015-01-01

Nutritional epidemiology has recently been criticized on several fronts, including the inability to measure diet accurately, and for its reliance on observational studies to address etiologic questions. In addition, several recent meta-analyses with serious methodologic flaws have arrived at erroneous or misleading conclusions, reigniting controversy over formerly settled debates. All of this has raised questions regarding the ability of nutritional epidemiologic studies to inform policy. These criticisms, to a large degree, stem from a misunderstanding of the methodologic issues of the field and the inappropriate use of the drug trial paradigm in nutrition research. The exposure of interest in nutritional epidemiology is human diet, which is a complex system of interacting components that cumulatively affect health. Consequently, nutritional epidemiology constantly faces a unique set of challenges and continually develops specific methodologies to address these. Misunderstanding these issues can lead to the nonconstructive and sometimes naive criticisms we see today. This article aims to clarify common misunderstandings of nutritional epidemiology, address challenges to the field, and discuss the utility of nutritional science in guiding policy by focusing on 5 broad questions commonly asked of the field. PMID:25593140

Plasma facing materials and components for future fusion devices—development, characterization and performance under fusion specific loading conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Linke, J.

2006-04-01

The plasma exposed components in existing and future fusion devices are strongly affected by the plasma material interaction processes. These mechanisms have a strong influence on the plasma performance; in addition they have major impact on the lifetime of the plasma facing armour and the joining interface between the plasma facing material (PFM) and the heat sink. Besides physical and chemical sputtering processes, high heat quasi-stationary fluxes during normal and intense thermal transients are of serious concern for the engineers who develop reliable wall components. In addition, the material and component degradation due to intense fluxes of energetic neutrons is another critical issue in D-T-burning fusion devices which requires extensive R&D. This paper presents an overview on the materials development and joining, the testing of PFMs and components, and the analysis of the neutron irradiation induced degradation.

A broader view of marketing: implications for surgeons.

PubMed

Kelley, Scott W; Schwartz, Richard W

2004-12-01

The health care sector of the economy is changing. There is unprecedented growth in the health care sector, and competitive forces have a more prominent role. In addition, consumers have become more informed and as a result, more empowered. Patients in the health care sector are no exception to this trend. As patients become more informed, it is imperative that health care providers become more effective at marketing their services. In general, physicians typically have received little training in the field of marketing, which results in potentially limited understanding of the key marketing issues being faced in today's health care environment. We identify and examine several key marketing issues critical to the success of health care providers in today's environment. Further, we offer some managerial recommendations designed to address each of these issues.

Horizons, Helping Shape the Future of SOF. Issue 3, Fall 2009

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-01-01

OIL quickly through the SOF, conventional, and inter-agency communities . Samples of Success LLATs have collected on a variety of topics. This...with the broader SE community so they did not reside solely at one operating site. Mr. David Hilliard, a Boeing mechanic operator, retrieves a...said a 1SFG soldier. It was critical that every aspect of the story incorporated an Iraqi face, such as Tiba’s, to communicate and emphasize Tiba’s

Tangible resources for preparing patients for antiviral therapy for chronic hepatitis C.

PubMed

Bonner, Jason E; Barritt, A Sidney; Fried, Michael W; Evon, Donna M

2012-06-01

Chronic hepatitis C (HCV) infected patients with coexisting mental health and/or substance abuse issues face significant barriers to treatment and are often deferred. This paper sought to highlight critical pre-treatment strategies and provide tangible resources for HCV clinicians to facilitate preparation and successful treatment of these patients. Guided by the clinical experience of our liver center, a large, tertiary academic medical center, and informed by the extant literature, we summarize pre-treatment strategies and specific resources and recommendations for HCV providers. Four key pre-treatment strategies include: 1) screening for mental health/substance abuse issues using brief, reliable and validated instruments; 2) locating and establishing collaborative care with mental health and substance abuse specialists; 3) using a motivational interviewing communication style; and 4) addressing adherence-related issues. HCV clinicians are in a unique position to prepare patients with coexisting mental health and/or substance abuse issues for antiviral therapy.

Children of incarcerated parents: how a mentoring program can make a difference.

PubMed

Laakso, Janice; Nygaard, Julie

2012-01-01

In spite of the rapid increase in the U.S. prison population, with subsequent increase of parent-prisoners, there are few requirements that social systems serving children take note of a parent's incarceration. Thus the special needs of children of incarcerated parents are almost invisible. Given the multiple risks that these children experience, it is critical to recognize community programs that can help bridge the difficulties children face during their parents' incarceration. This article reports the outcome of a mentoring program specifically targeted to these children. The results show that although mentoring cannot address all of the issues facing these children, it can produce positive outcomes that may mitigate some of the risks associated with being a child of an incarcerated parent.

The American Geophysical Union Chapman Conference on Tectonics and Topography

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1992-01-01

The Chapman Conference on Tectonics and Topography was held 31 Aug. - 4 Sep. 1992. The conference was designed to bring together disparate groups of earth scientists who increasingly found themselves working on similar problems but in relative isolation. Thus, process geomorphologists found themselves face-to-face with numerical modelers and field geomorphologists, hydrologists encountered geologists, and tectonophysicists found people with related data. The keynote speakers represented a wide variety of disciplines, all of which were relevant to the interdisciplinary theme of the conference. One of the most surprising issues that surfaced was the relative dearth of data that exists about erosion--process and rates. This was exacerbated by a reminder that erosion is critical to the evaluation of surface uplift.

Introduction to Special Issue: The Retirement Career Phase across Cultures.

PubMed

Lytle, Megan C

2015-06-01

Increasingly, older workers in the United States remain in the workforce beyond retirement age, meaning the term "retirement" might include at least some form of workforce participation. Although the proportions of women and individuals from racial and ethnic minority groups working past the age of 65 has significantly increased (Wegman & McGee, 2004); few scholars have examined the retirement career phase from a multicultural perspective. This special issue will critically review vocational literature as well as provide specific recommendations for research and practice with the aim of helping scholars and practitioners conceptualize the current concerns older adults across cultures (e.g., women and racial/ethnic minorities, among others) face during retirement planning.

Totally Integrated Munitions Enterprise ''Affordable Munitions Production for the 21st Century''

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

Burleson, R.R.; Poggio, M.E.; Rosenberg, S.J.

2000-09-13

The U.S. Army faces several munitions manufacturing issues: downsizing of the organic production base, timely fielding of affordable smart munitions, and munitions replenishment during national emergencies. Totally Integrated Munitions Enterprise (TIME) is addressing these complex issues via the development and demonstration of an integrated enterprise. The enterprise will include the tools, network, and open modular architecture controllers to enable accelerated acquisition, shortened concept to volume production, lower life cycle costs, capture of critical manufacturing processes, and communication of process parameters between remote sites to rapidly spin-off production for replenishment by commercial sources. TIME addresses the enterprise as a system, integratingmore » design, engineering, manufacturing, administration, and logistics.« less

Totally Integrated Munitions Enterprise ''Affordable Munitions Production for the 21st Century''

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

Burleson, R.R.; Poggio, M.E.; Rosenberg, S.J.

2000-07-14

The U.S. Army faces several munitions manufacturing issues: downsizing of the organic production base, timely fielding of affordable smart munitions, and munitions replenishment during national emergencies. TIME is addressing these complex issues via the development and demonstration of an integrated enterprise. The enterprise will include the tools, network, and open modular architecture controller to enable accelerated acquisition, shortened concept to volume production, lower life cycle costs, capture of critical manufacturing processes, and communication of process parameters between remote sites to rapidly spin-off production for replenishment by commercial sources. TIME addresses the enterprise as a system, integrating design, engineering, manufacturing, administration,more » and logistics.« less

Totally Integrated Munitions Enterprise ''Affordable Munitions Production for the 21st Century''

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

Burleson, R.R.; Poggio, M.E.; Rosenberg, S.J.

2000-08-18

The U.S. Army faces several munitions manufacturing issues: downsizing of the organic production base, timely fielding of affordable smart munitions, and munitions replenishment during national emergencies. Totally Integrated Munitions Enterprise (TIME) is addressing these complex issues via the development and demonstration of an integrated enterprise. The enterprise will include the tools, network, and open modular architecture controllers to enable accelerated acquisition, shortened concept to volume production, lower life cycle costs, capture of critical manufacturing processes, and communication of process parameters between remote sites to rapidly spin-off production for replenishment by commercial sources. TIME addresses the enterprise as a system, integratingmore » design, engineering, manufacturing, administration, and logistics.« less

Practice pattern and professional issues of nurse practitioners in mechanical circulatory support programs in the United States: a survey report.

PubMed

Casida, Jesus M; Pastor, Jessica

2012-09-01

Few data-based reports about the role and work environment of advanced practice nurses, specifically nurse practitioners in mechanical circulatory support programs, have been published. To describe the practice pattern and professional issues confronted by nurse practitioners in the rapidly evolving and expanding mechanical circulatory support programs in the United States. A descriptive research design was employed using the data from the 2010 mechanical circulatory support nurses survey. Quantitative and qualitative data that pertained to the demographic and practice profiles as well as barriers and overall issues faced by the nurse practitioners in their clinical practice were analyzed. Nonrandom sample of 48 nurse practitioners from 95 mechanical circulatory support programs nationwide. The practice pattern of nurse practitioners in mechanical circulatory support programs is similar to the practice pattern reported for nurse practitioners in acute and critical care settings. However, only 44% and 10% of nurse practitioners in mechanical circulatory support programs are authorized to admit and transfer patients into and out of the hospital, respectively. High workload, lack of institutional support, knowledge deficit, role ambiguity, lack of professional recognition, and burnout were the common issues faced by the participants in their clinical practice. The results provide preliminary evidence on the practice pattern, restrictions, and work environment issues that may threaten the viability of an mechanical circulatory support program in which nurse practitioners play a crucial role. Implications for clinical practice, research, and policy development are discussed.

Juvenile Justice: DOJ Is Enhancing Information on Effective Programs, But Could Better Assess the Utility of This Information. Report to the Chairman, Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security, Committee on the Judiciary, House of Representatives. GAO-10-125

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Larence, Eileen R.

2009-01-01

State juvenile justice systems face critical problems when it comes to juvenile delinquency issues such as reentry--when offenders return home from incarceration--and substance abuse. GAO was asked to review juvenile reentry and substance abuse program research and efforts by the Department of Justice's (DOJ) Office of Juvenile Justice and…

From Cases to Capacity? A Critical Reflection on the Role of ‘Ethical Dilemmas’ in the Development of Dual-Use Governance

PubMed Central

Edwards, Brett; Revill, James; Bezuidenhout, Louise

2016-01-01

The dual-use issue is often framed as a series of paralyzing ‘dilemmas’ facing the scientific community as well as institutions which support innovation. While this conceptualization of the dual-use issue can be useful in certain contexts (such as in awareness-raising and as part of educational activities directed at the scientific community) its usefulness is more limited when reflecting on the governance and politics of the dual-use issue. Within this paper, key shortcomings of the dilemma framing are outlined. It is argued that many of the issues raised in the most recent debates about ‘dual-use’ bird flu research remain unresolved. This includes questions about the trajectories of certain lines of research, as well as broader trends in the practice and governance of science. This leads to difficult questions about current approaches to the dual-use issue within the US, as well as internationally. PMID:23703451

Practical issues regarding implementing a randomized clinical trial in a homeless population: strategies and lessons learned.

PubMed

Ojo-Fati, Olamide; Joseph, Anne M; Ig-Izevbekhai, Jed; Thomas, Janet L; Everson-Rose, Susan A; Pratt, Rebekah; Raymond, Nancy; Cooney, Ned L; Luo, Xianghua; Okuyemi, Kolawole S

2017-07-05

There is a critical need for objective data to guide effective health promotion and care for homeless populations. However, many investigators exclude homeless populations from clinical trials due to practical concerns about conducting research with this population. This report is based on our experience and lessons learned while conducting two large NIH-funded randomized controlled trials targeting smoking cessation among persons who are homeless. The current report also addresses challenges when conducting clinical trials among homeless populations and offers potential solutions. Homeless individuals face several challenges including the need to negotiate daily access to food, clothing, and shelter. Some of the critical issues investigators encounter include recruitment and retention obstacles; cognitive impairment, mental health and substance abuse disorders; transportation and scheduling challenges; issues pertaining to adequate study compensation; the need for safety protocols for study staff; and issues related to protecting the wellbeing of these potentially vulnerable adults. Anticipating realistic conditions in which to conduct studies with participants who are homeless will help investigators to design efficient protocols and may improve the feasibility of conducting clinical trials involving homeless populations and the quality of the data collected by the researchers. ClinicalTrials.gov, ID: NCT00786149 . Registered on 5 November 2008; ClinicalTrials.gov, ID: NCT01932996 . Registered on 20 November 2014.

Environmental Progression: The Psychological Justification for Reframing Climate Change and Global Warming

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Veldey, S. H.

2016-12-01

On-going research in climate science communication through environmental media has uncovered critical barriers to reducing denial and increasing agency in addressing the threat of climate change. Similar to framing of our changing environment as "global warming", the term "climate change" also fails to properly frame the most critical challenge our species has faced. In a set of preliminary studies, significant changes in climate crisis denial, both positive and negative, have resulted from different media messaging. Continuation of this research utilizes social judgement theory (SJT) to classify a broader spectrum of effective avenues for environmental communication. The specificity of the terms global warming and climate change limit inclusion of issues critical to understanding their impacts. Now that the masses know what climate change is, it's time to teach them what it means.

Clinical review: Ethics and end-of-life care for critically ill patients in China.

PubMed

Li, Li Bin

2013-12-04

Critical care medicine in China has made great advances in recent decades. This has led to an unavoidable issue: end-of-life ethics. With advances in medical technology and therapeutics allowing the seemingly limitless maintenance of life, the exact time of death of an individual patient is often determined by the decision to limit life support. How to care for patients at the end of life is not only a medical problem but also a social, ethical, and legal issue. A lot of factors, besides culture, come into play in determining a person's ethical attitudes or behaviors, such as experience, education, religion, individual attributes, and economic considerations. Chinese doctors face ethical problems similar to those of their Western counterparts; however, since Chinese society is different from that of Western countries in cultural traditions, customs, religious beliefs, and ethnic backgrounds, there is a great difference between China and the Western world in regard to ethics at the end of life, and there is also a huge controversy within China.

Eye-movement strategies in developmental prosopagnosia and "super" face recognition.

PubMed

Bobak, Anna K; Parris, Benjamin A; Gregory, Nicola J; Bennetts, Rachel J; Bate, Sarah

2017-02-01

Developmental prosopagnosia (DP) is a cognitive condition characterized by a severe deficit in face recognition. Few investigations have examined whether impairments at the early stages of processing may underpin the condition, and it is also unknown whether DP is simply the "bottom end" of the typical face-processing spectrum. To address these issues, we monitored the eye-movements of DPs, typical perceivers, and "super recognizers" (SRs) while they viewed a set of static images displaying people engaged in naturalistic social scenarios. Three key findings emerged: (a) Individuals with more severe prosopagnosia spent less time examining the internal facial region, (b) as observed in acquired prosopagnosia, some DPs spent less time examining the eyes and more time examining the mouth than controls, and (c) SRs spent more time examining the nose-a measure that also correlated with face recognition ability in controls. These findings support previous suggestions that DP is a heterogeneous condition, but suggest that at least the most severe cases represent a group of individuals that qualitatively differ from the typical population. While SRs seem to merely be those at the "top end" of normal, this work identifies the nose as a critical region for successful face recognition.

The Impact of Social Contexts in Testing for Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency: The Roles of Physicians and Others

PubMed Central

2009-01-01

Aims: To elucidate psychosocial and ethical issues faced by adults at risk for alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency (AATD) that have received little attention. Methods: Eleven individuals with AATD were interviewed in detail for 2 hours each. Results: Several specific aspects of AATD created critical, socially dynamic issues that shaped the patients' responses. The disease being relatively newly discovered, physicians do not know much about it and thus often do not consider or recommend testing for it. Hence, patients who may benefit from diagnosis and treatment are not always diagnosed. General practitioners, when they do diagnose patients, often refer them to specialists and thus remain inexperienced in treating the disorder. As a result, many individuals, too, remain unaware of this disease in their families and thus do not consider mentioning its possibility to doctors or family members. Thus, intrafamilial disclosures by patients become critical. Patients may be shocked and upset at diagnosis, as they might possibly already have transmitted the mutation to offspring, which further impedes disclosure to family members. Conclusions: These issues highlight how patients' interactions with doctors and others concerning genetics are critical, and need to be further explored and addressed. Several aspects of physician education and practice (e.g., regarding disclosures to at-risk family members) need to be improved. PMID:19371228

A student's perspective of managing data collection in a complex qualitative study.

PubMed

Dowse, Eileen Mary; van der Riet, Pamela; Keatinge, Diana Rosemary

2014-11-01

To highlight from a doctoral student's perspective some of the unexpected and challenging issues that may arise when collecting data in a complex, qualitative study. Using a qualitative approach to undertaking a PhD requires commitment to the research topic, the acquisition of a variety of research skills and the development of expertise in writing. Despite close research supervision and guidance, the first author of this paper experienced unexpected hurdles when collecting data. This article highlights these hurdles and compares them with similar and dissimilar challenges raised by a social researcher with 30 years' experience (White 2012). The first author's experience of field research during her PhD candidature. Informed by a critical theoretical perspective, a snowballing technique was used to examine issues related to data collection by a doctoral student in a qualitative research study. The first author found the logistics of qualitative data collection, concerns about transparency, role confusion and power differentials with participants, and the effective use of video recording technology, unexpectedly challenging. Many of these issues are highlighted in the literature and/or during research supervision. However, the student researcher remains a novice when entering the field. It is often only on reflection after encountering the hurdle that the student recognises future pre-emptive or alternative methods of data collection. The challenges faced as a doctoral student managing the data collection phase of the study concurred with White's discussion of some of the 'real life challenges that novice researchers might face' (2012). Specific guidance and prudence are needed by research students to know when enough data have been collected for manageable analysis within the limits of candidature. Use of reflexivity and mindfulness practised by the student during this phase assisted the ability to reflect, respond and learn from issues as they arose and aim for a harmonious work, study and life balance. This paper highlights these issues and offers suggestions for other research higher degree students facing similar challenges when collecting data in a complex qualitative study.

Understanding nutritional epidemiology and its role in policy.

PubMed

Satija, Ambika; Yu, Edward; Willett, Walter C; Hu, Frank B

2015-01-01

Nutritional epidemiology has recently been criticized on several fronts, including the inability to measure diet accurately, and for its reliance on observational studies to address etiologic questions. In addition, several recent meta-analyses with serious methodologic flaws have arrived at erroneous or misleading conclusions, reigniting controversy over formerly settled debates. All of this has raised questions regarding the ability of nutritional epidemiologic studies to inform policy. These criticisms, to a large degree, stem from a misunderstanding of the methodologic issues of the field and the inappropriate use of the drug trial paradigm in nutrition research. The exposure of interest in nutritional epidemiology is human diet, which is a complex system of interacting components that cumulatively affect health. Consequently, nutritional epidemiology constantly faces a unique set of challenges and continually develops specific methodologies to address these. Misunderstanding these issues can lead to the nonconstructive and sometimes naive criticisms we see today. This article aims to clarify common misunderstandings of nutritional epidemiology, address challenges to the field, and discuss the utility of nutritional science in guiding policy by focusing on 5 broad questions commonly asked of the field. © 2015 American Society for Nutrition.

Pharmacy executive leadership issues and associated skills, knowledge, and abilities.

PubMed

Meadows, Andrew B; Maine, Lucinda L; Keyes, Elizabeth K; Pearson, Kathy; Finstuen, Kenn

2005-01-01

To identify challenges that current and future pharmacy executives are facing or will face in the future and to define what skills, knowledge, and abilities (SKAs) are required to successfully negotiate these challenges. Delphi method for executive decision making. Civilian pharmacy profession. 110 pharmacists who graduated from the GlaxoSmithKline Executive Management Program for Pharmacy Leaders. Two iterations of the Delphi method for executive decision making separated by an expert panel content analysis. Round 1--participants were asked to identify five major issues they believed to be of greatest importance to pharmacy leaders in the next 5-10 years and name specific SKAs that might be needed by future leaders to successfully deal with those issues. An expert panel reviewed the issues, classified issues into specific domains, and titled each domain. Round 2-participants rated the SKAs on a 7-point scale according to their individual assessment of importance in each domain. For Delphi rounds 1 and 2, response rates were 21.8% and 18.2%, respectively. More than 100 total issue statements were identified. The expert panel sorted the issues into five domains: management and development of the pharmacy workforce, pharmacy finance, total quality management of work-flow systems, influences on the practice of pharmacy, and professional pharmacy leadership. Five of the top 15 SKAs-and all four highest ranked items--came from the professional pharmacy leadership domain, including ability to see the big picture, ability to demonstrate the value of pharmacy services, ability to lead and manage in an ethical manner, and skills for influencing an organization's senior leadership. Through successful integration of communication skills, critical thinking, and problem solving techniques, future public-sector pharmacy executives will be better equipped to effectively position their organizations and the profession for the challenges that lie ahead.

The neurosurgical workforce in North America: a critical review of gender issues.

PubMed

Woodrow, Sarah I; Gilmer-Hill, Holly; Rutka, James T

2006-10-01

The role of women in Western society has changed dramatically in the past several decades. Despite this, many gender disparities still exist for professionals in the health care sector. In neurosurgery, a disproportionately small percentage of the workforce in the United States and Canada is female. These figures are lower than most reported in other medical specialties. This review critically examines factors that may be influencing women's ability to advance in demanding subspecialties such as neurosurgery. The literature on women in medicine, and surgery in particular, were reviewed to identify different issues facing women currently in practice in neurosurgery. In addition, the concerns of prospective trainees were examined. There remain many challenges for women entering neurosurgery, including unique lifestyle concerns, limited mentorship, out-dated career programs, and deep-seeded societal beliefs. Discrimination and harassment are also contributing factors. If neurosurgery is to continue to progress as a subspecialty, the issue of gender inequality needs to be scrutinized more closely. Innovative programs must be developed to meet the needs of current female faculty members and to ensure attracting the brightest individuals of both genders into a career in neurosurgery.

Sustainability assessment for the transportation environment of Darjeeling, India.

PubMed

Nag, Dipanjan; Paul, Subrata Kr; Saha, Swati; Goswami, Arkopal K

2018-05-01

Darjeeling is an important tourist hill town of West Bengal, India. It suffers from an acute problem of transportation, particularly during its peak tourist seasons due to limited road space, inadequate public transport facilities and indiscriminate use of automobiles. This hill town was originally designed for a population of 10,000, but over the years, it has come face-to-face with rapid urbanization, a rising population of both tourists and residents and intensifying motor vehicle usage. These factors together are posing a threat to its transport environment. This study identifies the Sustainable Transport Indicators (STIs) available in the existing literature to identify the critical stretches using Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) based on experts' consensus. It was found that the experts placed emphasis on the mobility of the town, talking about vehicular impact on air pollution and encroachment of roads as the main issues affecting the sustainability of the transport environment. Thereafter, policy-level interventions have been suggested in accordance with the identified sustainability issues. We trust that other tourist hill towns with issues similar to Darjeeling could easily emulate the study methodology to assess their transport environment sustainability, or replicate on the lines of the recommended policy interventions. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Issues and Concerns Faced by Undergraduate Language Student Teachers during Teaching Practicum Experiences

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ali, Mohd Sofi; Othman, Abdul Jalil; Karim, Abdul Faruk Abdul

2014-01-01

This study examined specific issues and concerns faced by Bachelor of Education student teachers majoring in Language and Literature during their 12-week teaching practicum experience. Specifically, three main areas of concerns were examined. They were: (1) specific issues and concerns related to the implementation of teaching practicum faced by…

Developing a strategic marketing plan for physical and occupational therapy services: a collaborative project between a critical access hospital and a graduate program in health care management.

PubMed

Kash, Bita A; Deshmukh, A A

2013-01-01

The purpose of this study was to develop a marketing plan for the Physical and Occupational Therapy (PT/OT) department at a Critical Access Hospital (CAH). We took the approach of understanding and analyzing the rural community and health care environment, problems faced by the PT/OT department, and developing a strategic marketing plan to resolve those problems. We used hospital admissions data, public and physician surveys, a SWOT analysis, and tools to evaluate alternative strategies. Lack of awareness and negative perception were key issues. Recommended strategies included building relationships with physicians, partnering with the school district, and enhancing the wellness program.

On the Use of Parmetric-CAD Systems and Cartesian Methods for Aerodynamic Design

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nemec, Marian; Aftosmis, Michael J.; Pulliam, Thomas H.

2004-01-01

Automated, high-fidelity tools for aerodynamic design face critical issues in attempting to optimize real-life geometry arid in permitting radical design changes. Success in these areas promises not only significantly shorter design- cycle times, but also superior and unconventional designs. To address these issues, we investigate the use of a parmetric-CAD system in conjunction with an embedded-boundary Cartesian method. Our goal is to combine the modeling capabilities of feature-based CAD with the robustness and flexibility of component-based Cartesian volume-mesh generation for complex geometry problems. We present the development of an automated optimization frame-work with a focus on the deployment of such a CAD-based design approach in a heterogeneous parallel computing environment.

Simulation of Mechanical Behavior and Damage of a Large Composite Wind Turbine Blade under Critical Loads

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tarfaoui, M.; Nachtane, M.; Khadimallah, H.; Saifaoui, D.

2018-04-01

Issues such as energy generation/transmission and greenhouse gas emissions are the two energy problems we face today. In this context, renewable energy sources are a necessary part of the solution essentially winds power, which is one of the most profitable sources of competition with new fossil energy facilities. This paper present the simulation of mechanical behavior and damage of a 48 m composite wind turbine blade under critical wind loads. The finite element analysis was performed by using ABAQUS code to predict the most critical damage behavior and to apprehend and obtain knowledge of the complex structural behavior of wind turbine blades. The approach developed based on the nonlinear FE analysis using mean values for the material properties and the failure criteria of Tsai-Hill to predict failure modes in large structures and to identify the sensitive zones.

State of Science: ergonomics and global issues.

PubMed

Thatcher, Andrew; Waterson, Patrick; Todd, Andrew; Moray, Neville

2018-02-01

In his 1993 IEA keynote address, Neville Moray urged the ergonomics discipline to face up to the global problems facing humanity and consider how ergonomics might help find some of the solutions. In this State of Science article we critically evaluate what the ergonomics discipline has achieved in the last two and a half decades to help create a secure future for humanity. Moray's challenges for ergonomics included deriving a value structure that moves us beyond a Westernised view of worker-organisation-technology fit, taking a multidisciplinary approach which engages with other social and biological sciences, considering the gross cross-cultural factors that determine how different societies function, paying more attention to mindful consumption, and embracing the complexity of our interconnected world. This article takes a socio-historical approach by considering the factors that influence what has been achieved since Moray's keynote address. We conclude with our own set of predictions for the future and priorities for addressing the challenges that we are likely to face. Practitioner Summary: We critically reflect on what has been achieved by the ergonomics profession in addressing the global challenges raised by Moray's 1993 keynote address to the International Ergonomics Association. Apart from healthcare, the response has largely been weak and disorganised. We make suggestions for priority research and practice that is required to facilitate a sustainable future for humanity.

Ethics Issues Arising in the Transition to Learning Health Care Systems: Results from Interviews with Leaders from 25 Health Systems.

PubMed

Morain, Stephanie R; Kass, Nancy E

2016-01-01

There is increased interest in transitioning to a "learning health care system" (LHCS). While this transition brings the potential for significant benefits, it also presents several ethical considerations. Identifying the ethical issues faced by institutions in this transition is critical for realizing the goals of learning health care so that these issues can be anticipated and, where possible, resolved. 29 semi-structured telephone interviews were conducted with leaders within 25 health care institutions. Respondents were recruiting using purposive sampling, targeting institutions considered as LHCS leaders. All interviews were audiorecorded and transcribed. NVIVO10 software was used to support qualitative analysis. Respondents described seven ethical challenges: (1) ethical oversight of learning activities; (2) transparency of learning activities to patients; (3) potential tensions between improving quality and reducing costs; (4) data sharing and data management; (5) lag time between discovery and implementation; (6) transparency to patients about quality; and (7) randomization for quality improvement initiatives. To move towards LHCS, several ethical considerations require further attention, including: the continued appropriateness of the research-treatment distinction; policy frameworks for privacy and data sharing; informing patients about learning activities; obligations to share data on quality; and the potential for trade-offs between quality improvement and cost control. To our knowledge, this is the first project to ask leaders from health care systems committed to ongoing learning about the ethical issues they have faced in this effort. Their experiences can provide guidance on relevant ethical issues, and what might be done to resolve them.

Contractors perspective for critical factors of cost overrun in highway projects of Sindh, Pakistan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sohu, Samiullah; Abdullah, Abd Halid; Nagapan, Sasitharan; Fattah, Abdul; Ullah, Kaleem; Kumar, Kanesh

2017-10-01

Construction industry of Pakistan is creating a number of opportunities in employment as well as plays a role model for economy development of the country. This construction industry has a serious issue of cost overrun in all construction projects especially in construction of highway projects. Cost overrun is a serious and critical issue in construction of highway projects which gives negative impact to construction practitioners because it is not only cross the approved budget but also approved time of the project. The main objective of this study is to find out critical factors causing cost overrun in highway projects of Sindh according to contractors' perspectives. Deep literature review was carried out and a total of 64 factors of cost overrun were identified. To achieve the objective, a questionnaire was designed and distributed among 16 selected respondents who have more than 20 years of experience in construction of highway projects. The results from analysis found that most critical factors of cost overrun in the order of importance include financial and cash flow difficulties faced by contractor, frequent changes in design, changes in price of materials, poor planning by client, change in scope of project, change in specification of materials and delay in taking decisions. This study will assist contractors to narrow down some of the critical factors that would lead to cost overrun, and therefore be prepared with the ways to mitigate these problems in construction of highway projects of Sindh province.

Online versus Face-to-Face Training of Critical Time Intervention: A Matching Cluster Randomized Trial

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Olivet, Jeffrey; Zerger, Suzanne; Greene, R. Neil; Kenney, Rachael R.; Herman, Daniel B.

2016-01-01

This study examined the effectiveness of online education to providers who serve people experiencing homelessness, comparing online and face-to-face training of Critical Time Intervention (CTI), an evidence-based case management model. The authors recruited 184 staff from nineteen homeless service agencies to participate in one of two training…

Comparing Face-To-Face and Asynchronous Online Communication as Mechanisms for Critical Reflective Dialogue

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Salter, Susan; Douglas, Tracy; Kember, David

2017-01-01

Two mechanisms for engaging in critical reflective dialogue are discussed and compared: face-to-face meetings and asynchronous online discussion. The context is an umbrella action research project, with over 20 participants, which aimed to improve practices in online teaching and contribute to the development of graduate attributes. The article…

The development and psychometric validation of the Ethical Awareness Scale.

PubMed

Milliken, Aimee; Ludlow, Larry; DeSanto-Madeya, Susan; Grace, Pamela

2018-04-19

To develop and psychometrically assess the Ethical Awareness Scale using Rasch measurement principles and a Rasch item response theory model. Critical care nurses must be equipped to provide good (ethical) patient care. This requires ethical awareness, which involves recognizing the ethical implications of all nursing actions. Ethical awareness is imperative in successfully addressing patient needs. Evidence suggests that the ethical import of everyday issues may often go unnoticed by nurses in practice. Assessing nurses' ethical awareness is a necessary first step in preparing nurses to identify and manage ethical issues in the highly dynamic critical care environment. A cross-sectional design was used in two phases of instrument development. Using Rasch principles, an item bank representing nursing actions was developed (33 items). Content validity testing was performed. Eighteen items were selected for face validity testing. Two rounds of operational testing were performed with critical care nurses in Boston between February-April 2017. A Rasch analysis suggests sufficient item invariance across samples and sufficient construct validity. The analysis further demonstrates a progression of items uniformly along a hierarchical continuum; items that match respondent ability levels; response categories that are sufficiently used; and adequate internal consistency. Mean ethical awareness scores were in the low/moderate range. The results suggest the Ethical Awareness Scale is a psychometrically sound, reliable and valid measure of ethical awareness in critical care nurses. © 2018 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Informed consent for and regulation of critical care research.

PubMed

Lemaire, François

2008-12-01

Critical care is a special area in which research needs to take place, because of the severity of the diseases which are treated there, but it is also a place where research faces a lot of hurdles and difficulties. The main cause of difficulties is the consent issue, as most patients cannot consent for themselves. Recently, all national legislations in the countries of the European Union have been modified to include the provisions of directive 2001/20. This review article provides a summary of the recent literature concerning the issue of consent for clinical care research such as how the surrogate consent reflects the view of the patient and how time consuming and inaccurate can be the consultation of a community before the start of a trial with a waiver of consent. Another hurdle to research is the rigidity of our legislations concerning clinical research, especially the absence of a simplified way for low or no-risk research. This article shows how this situation is potentially deleterious and how it could ultimately forbid low-risk research. Critical research remains a domain in which research on patients is difficult and controversial. Regulation can be difficult to implement, largely inadequate or uselessly complicated. Intensive care physicians need to keep pressure on politicians and lawmakers to constantly explain the necessity and specificities of critical care research.

Addressing global change challenges for Central Asian socio-ecosystems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Qi, Jiaguo; Bobushev, Temirbek S.; Kulmatov, Rashid; Groisman, Pavel; Gutman, Garik

2012-06-01

Central Asia is one of the most vulnerable regions on the planet earth to global climate change, depending on very fragile natural resources. The Soviet legacy has left the five countries (Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan) with a highly integrated system but they are facing great challenges with tensions that hinder regional coordination of food and water resources. With increasing climate variability and warming trend in the region, food and water security issues become even more crucial now and, if not addressed properly, could affect the regional stability. The long-term drivers of these two most critical elements, food and water, are climate change; the immediate and probably more drastic factors affecting the food and water security are land uses driven by institutional change and economic incentives. As a feedback, changes in land use and land cover have directly implications on water uses, food production, and lifestyles of the rural community in the region. Regional and international efforts have been made to holistically understand the cause, extent, rate and societal implications of land use changes in the region. Much of these have been understood, or under investigation by various projects, but solutions or research effort to develop solutions, to these urgent regional issues are lacking. This article, serves as an introduction to the special issue, provides a brief overview of the challenges facing the Central Asian countries and various international efforts in place that resulted in the publications of this special issue.

Strategic Directions Within Health Care Institutions: The Role of the Physician

PubMed Central

McDaniel, Reuben R.; Ashmos, Donde P.

1986-01-01

The nature of the strategic problem faced by health care institutions is identified. Physicians are urged to be involved in the strategic decision-making process and are offered several alternative roles that they might play in strategy development. A set of conceptual frameworks from the generic management decision-making literature is used to organize the analysis in addition to the literature of health care management. This combination affords a different perspective into the nature of the problems and new insights into these critical issues. PMID:3746932

Stability, Transient Response, Control, and Safety of a High-Power Electric Grid for Turboelectric Propulsion of Aircraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Armstrong, Michael; Ross, Christine; Phillips, Danny; Blackwelder, Mark

2013-01-01

This document contains the deliverables for the NASA Research and Technology for Aerospace Propulsion Systems (RTAPS) regarding the stability, transient response, control, and safety study for a high power cryogenic turboelectric distributed propulsion (TeDP) system. The objective of this research effort is to enumerate, characterize, and evaluate the critical issues facing the development of the N3-X concept aircraft. This includes the proposal of electrical grid architecture concepts and an evaluation of any needs for energy storage.

Increasing science literacy among the educated elite

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bender, Carl M.

1997-03-01

The Physics Department at Washington University is making a serious and continuing effort to raise the level of understanding of science for bright students who do not intend to take further courses in science or mathematics. We have established a course called Physics and Society, which considers such issues as availability of energy, nuclear power, nuclear weapons, the greenhouse effect, the ozone hole, risk analysis, the scientific method, and claims of the paranormal. By examining such topics quantitatively, we hope to improve the students' ability to grasp and assess critically the problems that society faces.

Using a Prediction Model to Manage Cyber Security Threats.

PubMed

Jaganathan, Venkatesh; Cherurveettil, Priyesh; Muthu Sivashanmugam, Premapriya

2015-01-01

Cyber-attacks are an important issue faced by all organizations. Securing information systems is critical. Organizations should be able to understand the ecosystem and predict attacks. Predicting attacks quantitatively should be part of risk management. The cost impact due to worms, viruses, or other malicious software is significant. This paper proposes a mathematical model to predict the impact of an attack based on significant factors that influence cyber security. This model also considers the environmental information required. It is generalized and can be customized to the needs of the individual organization.

Using a Prediction Model to Manage Cyber Security Threats

PubMed Central

Muthu Sivashanmugam, Premapriya

2015-01-01

Cyber-attacks are an important issue faced by all organizations. Securing information systems is critical. Organizations should be able to understand the ecosystem and predict attacks. Predicting attacks quantitatively should be part of risk management. The cost impact due to worms, viruses, or other malicious software is significant. This paper proposes a mathematical model to predict the impact of an attack based on significant factors that influence cyber security. This model also considers the environmental information required. It is generalized and can be customized to the needs of the individual organization. PMID:26065024

Empirical and Face Validity of Software Maintenance Defect Models Used at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Taber, William; Port, Dan

2014-01-01

At the Mission Design and Navigation Software Group at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory we make use of finite exponential based defect models to aid in maintenance planning and management for our widely used critical systems. However a number of pragmatic issues arise when applying defect models for a post-release system in continuous use. These include: how to utilize information from problem reports rather than testing to drive defect discovery and removal effort, practical model calibration, and alignment of model assumptions with our environment.

Typed Linear Chain Conditional Random Fields and Their Application to Intrusion Detection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Elfers, Carsten; Horstmann, Mirko; Sohr, Karsten; Herzog, Otthein

Intrusion detection in computer networks faces the problem of a large number of both false alarms and unrecognized attacks. To improve the precision of detection, various machine learning techniques have been proposed. However, one critical issue is that the amount of reference data that contains serious intrusions is very sparse. In this paper we present an inference process with linear chain conditional random fields that aims to solve this problem by using domain knowledge about the alerts of different intrusion sensors represented in an ontology.

Special Issues in Working with Gifted Minority Adolescents.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lindstrom, Rena R.; Van Sant, Sondra

1986-01-01

Gifted adolescents from minority groups face the same issues all gifted young people face, but the addition of racial and cultural factors increases the complexity of these issues. Discusses individual versus cultural pressures that affect identity, issues related to assisting students with long-range planning, and two models for programming.…

Issues Validation: A New Environmental Scanning Technique for Family Life Educators.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Weigel, Randy R.; And Others

1992-01-01

Three-state study used Issues Validation, environmental scanning process for family life educators that combines literature reviews, professional and public opinion, and survey research to identify issues facing families and youth. Samples of residents, local advisory committees, and community professionals ranked 30 issues facing families and…

Internet-Based Delphi Research: Case Based Discussion

PubMed Central

Donohoe, Holly M.; Stellefson, Michael L.

2013-01-01

The interactive capacity of the Internet offers benefits that are intimately linked with contemporary research innovation in the natural resource and environmental studies domains. However, e-research methodologies, such as the e-Delphi technique, have yet to undergo critical review. This study advances methodological discourse on the e-Delphi technique by critically assessing an e-Delphi case study. The analysis suggests that the benefits of using e-Delphi are noteworthy but the authors acknowledge that researchers are likely to face challenges that could potentially compromise research validity and reliability. To ensure that these issues are sufficiently considered when planning and designing an e-Delphi, important facets of the technique are discussed and recommendations are offered to help the environmental researcher avoid potential pitfalls associated with coordinating e-Delphi research. PMID:23288149

Biodegradable Orthopedic Magnesium-Calcium (MgCa) Alloys, Processing, and Corrosion Performance.

PubMed

Salahshoor, Meisam; Guo, Yuebin

2012-01-09

Magnesium-Calcium (Mg-Ca) alloy has received considerable attention as an emerging biodegradable implant material in orthopedic fixation applications. The biodegradable Mg-Ca alloys avoid stress shielding and secondary surgery inherent with permanent metallic implant materials. They also provide sufficient mechanical strength in load carrying applications as opposed to biopolymers. However, the key issue facing a biodegradable Mg-Ca implant is the fast corrosion in the human body environment. The ability to adjust degradation rate of Mg-Ca alloys is critical for the successful development of biodegradable orthopedic implants. This paper focuses on the functions and requirements of bone implants and critical issues of current implant biomaterials. Microstructures and mechanical properties of Mg-Ca alloys, and the unique properties of novel magnesium-calcium implant materials have been reviewed. Various manufacturing techniques to process Mg-Ca based alloys have been analyzed regarding their impacts on implant performance. Corrosion performance of Mg-Ca alloys processed by different manufacturing techniques was compared. In addition, the societal and economical impacts of developing biodegradable orthopedic implants have been emphasized.

Clinical review: Ethics and end-of-life care for critically ill patients in China

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Critical care medicine in China has made great advances in recent decades. This has led to an unavoidable issue: end-of-life ethics. With advances in medical technology and therapeutics allowing the seemingly limitless maintenance of life, the exact time of death of an individual patient is often determined by the decision to limit life support. How to care for patients at the end of life is not only a medical problem but also a social, ethical, and legal issue. A lot of factors, besides culture, come into play in determining a person’s ethical attitudes or behaviors, such as experience, education, religion, individual attributes, and economic considerations. Chinese doctors face ethical problems similar to those of their Western counterparts; however, since Chinese society is different from that of Western countries in cultural traditions, customs, religious beliefs, and ethnic backgrounds, there is a great difference between China and the Western world in regard to ethics at the end of life, and there is also a huge controversy within China. PMID:24313980

Biodegradable Orthopedic Magnesium-Calcium (MgCa) Alloys, Processing, and Corrosion Performance

PubMed Central

Salahshoor, Meisam; Guo, Yuebin

2012-01-01

Magnesium-Calcium (Mg-Ca) alloy has received considerable attention as an emerging biodegradable implant material in orthopedic fixation applications. The biodegradable Mg-Ca alloys avoid stress shielding and secondary surgery inherent with permanent metallic implant materials. They also provide sufficient mechanical strength in load carrying applications as opposed to biopolymers. However, the key issue facing a biodegradable Mg-Ca implant is the fast corrosion in the human body environment. The ability to adjust degradation rate of Mg-Ca alloys is critical for the successful development of biodegradable orthopedic implants. This paper focuses on the functions and requirements of bone implants and critical issues of current implant biomaterials. Microstructures and mechanical properties of Mg-Ca alloys, and the unique properties of novel magnesium-calcium implant materials have been reviewed. Various manufacturing techniques to process Mg-Ca based alloys have been analyzed regarding their impacts on implant performance. Corrosion performance of Mg-Ca alloys processed by different manufacturing techniques was compared. In addition, the societal and economical impacts of developing biodegradable orthopedic implants have been emphasized. PMID:28817036

Let's Get Small: An Introduction to Transitional Issues in Nanotech and Intellectual Property.

PubMed

Koepsell, David

2009-08-01

Much of the discussion regarding nanotechnology centers around perceived and prosphesied harms and risks. While there are real risks that could emerge from futuristic nanotechnology, there are other current risks involved with its development, not involving physical harms, that could prevent its full promise from being realized. Transitional forms of the technology, involving "microfab," or localized, sometimes desk-top, manufacture, pose a good opportunity for case study. How can we develop legal and regulatory institutions, specifically centered around the problems of intellectual property, that both stimulate innovation, and make the best possible use of what will eventually be a market in "types" rather than "tokens"? This paper argues that this is the most critical, current issues facing nanotechnology, and suggests a manner to approach it.

Ethical and social issues facing obstetricians in low-income countries.

PubMed

Ogwuegbu, Chigbu Chibuike; Eze, Onah Hyacinth

2009-06-01

A review of publications on ethical and social issues from low-income countries was done with the aim of highlighting the major ethical and social issues facing obstetricians in these countries. Low-income countries were identified using the World Health Organization income group classification of member nations. Obstetricians in low-income countries face a wide range of special social and ethical issues that reflect the peculiarities of their practice environment characterized by poverty, low education, deep attachment to tradition and culture, low social status of women, and high levels of physician's paternalism.

Face transplantation for the blind: more than being blind in a sighted world.

PubMed

Lee, Joseph

2018-06-01

Face transplantation (FT) is a landmark in reconstructive surgery involving vascularised composite allotransplantation. A recent issue of FT for patients who are blind has arisen. Some bioethicists recommend not excluding a patient who is blind, as this may amount to discrimination. From an ethical standpoint, FT for those with blindness is appropriate in selected candidates. This article seeks to add to the clinical evidence supporting FT for those with blindness by detailing a complementary psychosocial perspective. Currently, there is little relevant research about the subjectivity of the blind. This is critical since the arguments against FT for the blind refer to their inability to see their face and to view the reaction of others to their disfigured faces. We begin with a brief look at examples of FT involving blindness and associated arguments. The next part is a multidisciplinary investigation of the experiences of the blind. These are gleaned from a close reading of the literature and drawing inferences, as direct studies are rare. The discussion analyses identity themes of the blind in relation to their faces: as they experience it; the face they wish to show to the world; and how others perceive and react to their face in a saturated environment of imagery and visual communication. Disability and the blind person's experience of faces are well-founded considerations for medical practitioners and ethics boards in the process of FT decision-making. © 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.

Older LGBT adult training panels: an opportunity to educate about issues faced by the older LGBT community.

PubMed

Rogers, Anissa; Rebbe, Rebecca; Gardella, Chanel; Worlein, Mary; Chamberlin, Mya

2013-01-01

Older lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) adults face unique issues that can impede their well-being. Although many advances have helped address these issues, there is a need for education efforts that raise awareness of service providers about these issues. This study explores evaluation data of training panels provided by older LGBT adults and the views of training participants on issues faced by the older LGBT community after attending the panels. Participants were 605 students and professionals from over 34 education and communication settings. Implications for trainings on participants and older LGBT trainers are discussed.

A causal relationship between face-patch activity and face-detection behavior.

PubMed

Sadagopan, Srivatsun; Zarco, Wilbert; Freiwald, Winrich A

2017-04-04

The primate brain contains distinct areas densely populated by face-selective neurons. One of these, face-patch ML, contains neurons selective for contrast relationships between face parts. Such contrast-relationships can serve as powerful heuristics for face detection. However, it is unknown whether neurons with such selectivity actually support face-detection behavior. Here, we devised a naturalistic face-detection task and combined it with fMRI-guided pharmacological inactivation of ML to test whether ML is of critical importance for real-world face detection. We found that inactivation of ML impairs face detection. The effect was anatomically specific, as inactivation of areas outside ML did not affect face detection, and it was categorically specific, as inactivation of ML impaired face detection while sparing body and object detection. These results establish that ML function is crucial for detection of faces in natural scenes, performing a critical first step on which other face processing operations can build.

DOT's Budget: Safety, Management, and Other Issues Facing the Department in Fiscal Year 1998 and Beyond

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1997-03-06

This testimony discusses key resource management issues and performance challenges facing the Department of Transportation in 1998 and beyond. 1. Increased safety and security concerns prompted by accidents and maintenance issues. 2. Important manage...

Beyond Buzzword Bingo: a Critical Examination of Genre, Culture, and Communication

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hanasono, Lisa K.

2017-01-01

Courses: This single-class teaching activity was designed for courses on public speaking, rhetorical criticism, and critical thinking. In addition, instructors can adapt this activity for online or face-to-face courses on intercultural communication, organizational communication, listening, and political communication. Objectives: By completing…

Clinical review: Helmet and non-invasive mechanical ventilation in critically ill patients.

PubMed

Esquinas Rodriguez, Antonio M; Papadakos, Peter J; Carron, Michele; Cosentini, Roberto; Chiumello, Davide

2013-04-25

Non-invasive mechanical ventilation (NIV) has proved to be an excellent technique in selected critically ill patients with different forms of acute respiratory failure. However, NIV can fail on account of the severity of the disease and technical problems, particularly at the interface. The helmet could be an alternative interface compared to face mask to improve NIV success. We performed a clinical review to investigate the main physiological and clinical studies assessing the efficacy and related issues of NIV delivered with a helmet. A computerized search strategy of MEDLINE/PubMed (January 2000 to May 2012) and EMBASE (January 2000 to May 2012) was conducted limiting the search to retrospective, prospective, nonrandomized and randomized trials. We analyzed 152 studies from which 33 were selected, 12 physiological and 21 clinical (879 patients). The physiological studies showed that NIV with helmet could predispose to CO₂ rebreathing and increase the patients' ventilator asynchrony. The main indications for NIV were acute cardiogenic pulmonary edema, hypoxemic acute respiratory failure (community-acquired pneumonia, postoperative and immunocompromised patients) and hypercapnic acute respiratory failure. In 9 of the 21 studies the helmet was compared to a face mask during either continous positive airway pressure or pressure support ventilation. In eight studies oxygenation was similar in the two groups, while the intubation rate was similar in four and lower in three studies for the helmet group compared to face mask group. The outcome was similar in six studies. The tolerance was better with the helmet in six of the studies. Although these data are limited, NIV delivered by helmet could be a safe alternative to the face mask in patients with acute respiratory failure.

Communication failures in patient sign-out and suggestions for improvement: a critical incident analysis.

PubMed

Arora, V; Johnson, J; Lovinger, D; Humphrey, H J; Meltzer, D O

2005-12-01

The transfer of care for hospitalized patients between inpatient physicians is routinely mediated through written and verbal communication or "sign-out". This study aims to describe how communication failures during this process can lead to patient harm. In interviews employing critical incident technique, first year resident physicians (interns) described (1) any adverse events or near misses due to suboptimal preceding patient sign-out; (2) the worst event due to suboptimal sign-out in which they were involved; and (3) suggestions to improve sign-out. All data were analyzed and categorized using the constant comparative method with independent review by three researchers. Twenty six interns caring for 82 patients were interviewed after receiving sign-out from another intern. Twenty five discrete incidents, all the result of communication failures during the preceding patient sign-out, and 21 worst events were described. Inter-rater agreement for categorization was high (kappa 0.78-1.00). Omitted content (such as medications, active problems, pending tests) or failure-prone communication processes (such as lack of face-to-face discussion) emerged as major categories of failed communication. In nearly all cases these failures led to uncertainty during decisions on patient care. Uncertainty may result in inefficient or suboptimal care such as repeat or unnecessary tests. Interns desired thorough but relevant face-to-face verbal sign-outs that reviewed anticipated issues. They preferred legible, accurate, updated, written sign-out sheets that included standard patient content such as code status or active and anticipated medical problems. Communication failures during sign-out often lead to uncertainty in decisions on patient care. These may result in inefficient or suboptimal care leading to patient harm.

Toward Kuleana (Responsibility): A Case Study of a Contextually Grounded Intervention for Native Hawaiian Youth and Young Adults1

PubMed Central

Trinidad, Alma M.O.

2009-01-01

As a minority ethnic group, Native Hawaiian youth and young adults face an array of issues associated with colonization, such as persistent structural discrimination and the loss of land and indigenous ways of knowing. They are also at risk for a wide range of negative behaviors, including interpersonal violence, suicide, substance use, and juvenile delinquency. This article explores how community youth development, critical pedagogies, and Hawaiian epistemology can help Native Hawaiian young adults cope with such issues. It begins with a brief discussion of critiques on conventional youth violence prevention programs. To address these critiques, three bodies of literature are introduced: 1) community youth development, 2) critical pedagogy, and 3) community epistemology. Data were derived from a single case study of a community-based youth program. The program, located in an impoverished, rural community in Hawai‘i, entailed running an organic farm. Seventeen participants were involved in the study. Semi-structured interviews were used to collect data. Utilizing critical indigenous qualitative research, a content analysis of the interviews was conducted to build a working conceptual model. Preliminary findings suggest that a program with key processes of community youth development, critical pedagogies, and Hawaiian epistemology may serve as a vehicle for health and wellness, thus preventing a host of negative behaviors, such as violence. Based on the findings, a critical contextually based approach to violence prevention that focuses on providing opportunities for Native Hawaiian young adults to take an active participatory role in promoting health is proposed. PMID:20161447

Plasma facing components: a conceptual design strategy for the first wall in FAST tokamak

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Labate, C.; Di Gironimo, G.; Renno, F.

2015-09-01

Satellite tokamaks are conceived with the main purpose of developing new or alternative ITER- and DEMO-relevant technologies, able to contribute in resolving the pending issues about plasma operation. In particular, a high criticality needs to be associated to the design of plasma facing components, i.e. first wall (FW) and divertor, due to physical, topological and thermo-structural reasons. In such a context, the design of the FW in FAST fusion plant, whose operational range is close to ITER’s one, takes place. According to the mission of experimental satellites, the FW design strategy, which is presented in this paper relies on a series of innovative design choices and proposals with a particular attention to the typical key points of plasma facing components design. Such an approach, taking into account a series of involved physical constraints and functional requirements to be fulfilled, marks a clear borderline with the FW solution adopted in ITER, in terms of basic ideas, manufacturing aspects, remote maintenance procedure, manifolds management, cooling cycle and support system configuration.

Medical cyber-physical systems: A survey.

PubMed

Dey, Nilanjan; Ashour, Amira S; Shi, Fuqian; Fong, Simon James; Tavares, João Manuel R S

2018-03-10

Medical cyber-physical systems (MCPS) are healthcare critical integration of a network of medical devices. These systems are progressively used in hospitals to achieve a continuous high-quality healthcare. The MCPS design faces numerous challenges, including inoperability, security/privacy, and high assurance in the system software. In the current work, the infrastructure of the cyber-physical systems (CPS) are reviewed and discussed. This article enriched the researches of the networked Medical Device (MD) systems to increase the efficiency and safety of the healthcare. It also can assist the specialists of medical device to overcome crucial issues related to medical devices, and the challenges facing the design of the medical device's network. The concept of the social networking and its security along with the concept of the wireless sensor networks (WSNs) are addressed. Afterward, the CPS systems and platforms have been established, where more focus was directed toward CPS-based healthcare. The big data framework of CPSs is also included.

Carbon fiber composites application in ITER plasma facing components

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barabash, V.; Akiba, M.; Bonal, J. P.; Federici, G.; Matera, R.; Nakamura, K.; Pacher, H. D.; Rödig, M.; Vieider, G.; Wu, C. H.

1998-10-01

Carbon Fiber Composites (CFCs) are one of the candidate armour materials for the plasma facing components of the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER). For the present reference design, CFC has been selected as armour for the divertor target near the plasma strike point mainly because of unique resistance to high normal and off-normal heat loads. It does not melt under disruptions and might have higher erosion lifetime in comparison with other possible armour materials. Issues related to CFC application in ITER are described in this paper. They include erosion lifetime, tritium codeposition with eroded material and possible methods for the removal of the codeposited layers, neutron irradiation effect, development of joining technologies with heat sink materials, and thermomechanical performance. The status of the development of new advanced CFCs for ITER application is also described. Finally, the remaining R&D needs are critically discussed.

Critical success factors for competitiveness of construction companies: A critical review

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hanafi, Abdul Ghafur; Nawi, Mohd Nasrun Mohd

2016-08-01

Making progress basically, a fundamental issue for the construction companies to get by in a highly competitive industry. From time to time, industry players are facing stiff and tough competition due to large number of players, whether existing or new players involved from various background and track record. Furthermore, the large numbers of component deciding the competitiveness of contractors, whose organization structures and governance have turned out to be more muddled. Different construction companies have their own unique criteria which may differ from one to another. The enormous amount of issues needs to bring down to manageable numbers so that measures can be identified and scrutinized to enhance competitiveness. This paper discusses the result from the critical investigation from past studies in the Asian countries, namely China, India, Thailand, Singapore and Malaysia. Several fundamental factors have been identified as CSFs in construction companies in respective country. Also highlighted a critical survey based upon various literatures written on this subject where critical success factors (CSFs) as a yardstick to gauge the relationship among CSFs in various construction companies in the Asian region. Far reaching estimation of an organization's performance and resulting input to its supervision is crucial for business change. Estimation additionally empowers organizations to be contrasted from one another on the premise of institutionalized data, permitting best practices to be distinguished and connected more widely. Different countries have their own set of critical success factors (CSFs) which may differ in term of priority and at the same time share common elements of success factor in accomplishment as a construction companies. The study, which is exploratory in nature, embraced the content investigation and inductive technique to accomplish its objectives.

Disability and HIV in Africa: Breaking the barriers to sexual health care.

PubMed

Rohleder, Poul

2017-09-01

Three decades into the HIV pandemic, the issues affecting people with disabilities remain less known. Increasing attention has been given to this overlooked population when it comes to HIV prevention, treatment and care. This is related to the significant unmet sexual and reproductive healthcare needs facing people with disabilities worldwide. This article discusses the barriers to sexual health for people with disabilities in Africa and presents an argument about how mainstream HIV prevention work and research do not adequately attend to the sorts of systemic barriers that exclude people with disabilities, which a more targeted and critical approach could.

Regulatory considerations for global transfer of cryopreserved fish gametes

USGS Publications Warehouse

Jenkins, Jill A.; Tiersch, Terrence R.; Green, Christopher C.

2011-01-01

Federal and state resource managers, scientists, lawmakers, business and development investors, and the general public all struggle with issues surrounding the conservation of our biological heritage, especially in the face of increased population growth and consequent anthropogenic disturbances. Conservation interests include recovering exploited aquatic populations, decreasing the loss of genetic diversity, and reintroducing locally depleted species. However, research on husbandry and other techniques critical to implementing conservation strategies is often not started until few individuals remain. A program in the cryopreservation of gametes and embryos from aquatic species would address several of these conservation concerns by allowing the establishment of gene banks

Understanding and Improving the Health of People Who Experience Incarceration: An Overview and Synthesis.

PubMed

Kinner, Stuart A; Young, Jesse T

2018-06-01

The world prison population is growing at a rate that exceeds the rate of population growth. This issue of Epidemiologic Reviews comprises articles in which researchers summarize what is known about some of the key health issues facing people in prison, particularly in relation to human immunodeficiency virus and other blood-borne viral infections. A key recurring theme is that addressing the health needs of people in prison is important to reducing health inequalities at the population level-that prisoner health is public health. The reviews also highlight some critical evidence gaps, notably the lack of evidence from low- and middle-income countries, and the limited number of longitudinal studies in which health behaviors, health outcomes, or health service experiences after release from prison are documented. Despite growing evidence of the poor health of detained adolescents, none of the included reviews considered this population. Further research on the health of young people who cycle through juvenile detention should be a priority. Despite a rapidly growing literature on the health of people who experience incarceration, some critical health issues remain poorly understood, and there has been insufficient attention devoted to co-occurring health conditions and the consequent need for coordinated care. Key populations in custodial settings remain understudied, limiting capacity to develop targeted, evidence-based responses to their health needs. The quality of many studies is suboptimal, and although rigorous, independent research in correctional settings can be challenging, it is not impossible and is critical to laying the groundwork for evidence-based reform.

Eye contrast polarity is critical for face recognition by infants.

PubMed

Otsuka, Yumiko; Motoyoshi, Isamu; Hill, Harold C; Kobayashi, Megumi; Kanazawa, So; Yamaguchi, Masami K

2013-07-01

Just as faces share the same basic arrangement of features, with two eyes above a nose above a mouth, human eyes all share the same basic contrast polarity relations, with a sclera lighter than an iris and a pupil, and this is unique among primates. The current study examined whether this bright-dark relationship of sclera to iris plays a critical role in face recognition from early in development. Specifically, we tested face discrimination in 7- and 8-month-old infants while independently manipulating the contrast polarity of the eye region and of the rest of the face. This gave four face contrast polarity conditions: fully positive condition, fully negative condition, positive face with negated eyes ("negative eyes") condition, and negated face with positive eyes ("positive eyes") condition. In a familiarization and novelty preference procedure, we found that 7- and 8-month-olds could discriminate between faces only when the contrast polarity of the eyes was preserved (positive) and that this did not depend on the contrast polarity of the rest of the face. This demonstrates the critical role of eye contrast polarity for face recognition in 7- and 8-month-olds and is consistent with previous findings for adults. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

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

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Paquette, Paige Fuller

2009-01-01

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

Under Pressure: Controlling Factors Faced by Classroom Literacy Teachers as They Work through a Professional Development Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wallace, Faith H.

2006-01-01

This critical constructivist inquiry was designed to understand controlling factors faced by classroom literacy teachers involved in a professional development program. Two guiding questions framed this critical inquiry: (1) how can I describe controlling factors faced by teachers in their respective school cultures; and (2) what is the resultant…

Methods for assessment of keel bone damage in poultry.

PubMed

Casey-Trott, T; Heerkens, J L T; Petrik, M; Regmi, P; Schrader, L; Toscano, M J; Widowski, T

2015-10-01

Keel bone damage (KBD) is a critical issue facing the laying hen industry today as a result of the likely pain leading to compromised welfare and the potential for reduced productivity. Recent reports suggest that damage, while highly variable and likely dependent on a host of factors, extends to all systems (including battery cages, furnished cages, and non-cage systems), genetic lines, and management styles. Despite the extent of the problem, the research community remains uncertain as to the causes and influencing factors of KBD. Although progress has been made investigating these factors, the overall effort is hindered by several issues related to the assessment of KBD, including quality and variation in the methods used between research groups. These issues prevent effective comparison of studies, as well as difficulties in identifying the presence of damage leading to poor accuracy and reliability. The current manuscript seeks to resolve these issues by offering precise definitions for types of KBD, reviewing methods for assessment, and providing recommendations that can improve the accuracy and reliability of those assessments. © 2015 Poultry Science Association Inc.

Empowering Youth to Think and Act Critically About Complex Climate Issues

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Harden, L.; Michelson, M.; Schufreider, M.; Babcock, E.; Klotz-Chamberlin, R.; Bagley, E.; Cassidy, E. S.; Levedahl, K.; Perez, N.; Vanderbilt, C.; Hammond, K.; Brutus, D.; Arrowsmith, T.

2016-12-01

The world is facing complex environmental challenges and a changing climate is one of the most pressing. These challenges require innovative solutions, which can only be achieved by first developing a more science and environmentally literate public through high-quality education. We know a lot about how to frame climate change messages to be most effective for adults (1). However, we know much less about how youth respond to these same messages. It is important to engage adolescents in these conversations, as this is the age when kids begin to think more critically and abstractly about complex problems, but also when peer and social influences increase in importance (2). Thus, middle school is a critical point in young students' lives when they might either lose interest in science or gain a strong science identity. To keep them interested and invested in science and environmental issues, we need relevant and transformative climate change materials for use in the classroom—materials that are video-based, compelling, and presented by other youth. The California Academy of Sciences has developed a video-based series with lessons supporting the NGSS called Flipside Science that challenges youth to think critically about complex environmental issues. Exploring Energy: Designing a Brighter Future is a unit within this series that engages youth in thinking about how we can make changes to our current energy uses and behaviors to combat climate change. The videos in the unit are hosted by diverse teens who bring an optimistic and relevant voice to these issues, and the associated lessons engage students in honing their design thinking and problem-solving skills. Although intended for use inside the classroom, these resources inspire action among youth outside of the classroom and in their communities. Initial evaluations of two other Flipside Science units on water and food issues indicate that the youth-powered nature of the videos and the real-world challenges posed in the lessons are meaningful to students and useful for teachers. They also point the way to reimagining how environmental issues are taught by presenting them in a youth voice and injecting youth perspective on these pressing problems.1 ecoAmerica et al. (2015). Let's Talk Climate: Messages to Motivate Americans. 2 Keating, D P (1990). Adolescent thinking.

Policy issues facing the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty and prospects for the future

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

Sweeney, J.

1999-04-01

This report is divided into the following 5 sections: (1) Background; (2) Major Issues Facing Ratification of CTBT; (3) Current Status on CTBT Ratification; (4) Status of CTBT Signatories and Ratifiers; and (5) CTBT Activities Not Prohibited. The major issues facing ratification of CTBT discussed here are: impact on CTBT of START II and ABM ratification; impact of India and Pakistan nuclear tests; CTBT entry into force; and establishment of the Comprehensive Nuclear Test-Ban Treaty Organization.

Balancing traditional values in academic medicine with advances in science and technology.

PubMed

Fenderson, Bruce A; Fenderson, Douglas A

2004-06-01

Scientific discovery, population growth, and world commerce are converging to reshape medicine in unforeseen ways. Instead of responding passively to change we must embrace each challenge as an opportunity. Critical issues facing academic medicine today include a revolution in molecular biology and biotechnology, spiraling costs of health care, lack of consensus on a frame of reference for strategic planning (global versus local), and lack of appropriate methods of assessment (outcome analysis). These issues are complex and broad. Thus, it may be that the best that can emerge from our discussion is to identify the major dimensions along which progress may be expected and to predict ways in which change can be directed to serve the needs of health care institutions and medical professionals around the world. Solutions will require innovation in medical education, leadership, and international collaboration.

Translating human biology (introduction to special issue).

PubMed

Brewis, Alexandra A; Mckenna, James J

2015-01-01

Introducing a special issue on "Translating Human Biology," we pose two basic questions: Is human biology addressing the most critical challenges facing our species? How can the processes of translating our science be improved and innovated? We analyze articles published in American Journal of Human Biology from 2004-2013, and find there is very little human biological consideration of issues related to most of the core human challenges such as water, energy, environmental degradation, or conflict. There is some focus on disease, and considerable focus on food/nutrition. We then introduce this special volume with reference to the following articles that provide exemplars for the process of how translation and concern for broader context and impacts can be integrated into research. Human biology has significant unmet potential to engage more fully in translation for the public good, through consideration of the topics we focus on, the processes of doing our science, and the way we present our domain expertise. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Issues and Challenges Facing Flexible Lithium-Ion Batteries for Practical Application.

PubMed

Cha, Hyungyeon; Kim, Junhyeok; Lee, Yoonji; Cho, Jaephil; Park, Minjoon

2017-12-27

With the advent of flexible electronics, lithium-ion batteries have become a key component of high performance energy storage systems. Thus, considerable effort is made to keep up with the development of flexible lithium-ion batteries. To date, many researchers have studied newly designed batteries with flexibility, however, there are several significant challenges that need to be overcome, such as degradation of electrodes under external load, poor battery performance, and complicated cell preparation procedures. In addition, an in-depth understanding of the current challenges for flexible batteries is rarely addressed in a systematical and practical way. Herein, recent progress and current issues of flexible lithium-ion batteries in terms of battery materials and cell designs are reviewed. A critical overview of important issues and challenges for the practical application of flexible lithium-ion batteries is also provided. Finally, the strategies are discussed to overcome current limitations of the practical use of flexible lithium-based batteries, providing a direction for future research. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Web-Based Geospatial Tools to Address Hazard Mitigation, Natural Resource Management, and Other Societal Issues

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hearn,, Paul P.

2009-01-01

Federal, State, and local government agencies in the United States face a broad range of issues on a daily basis. Among these are natural hazard mitigation, homeland security, emergency response, economic and community development, water supply, and health and safety services. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) helps decision makers address these issues by providing natural hazard assessments, information on energy, mineral, water and biological resources, maps, and other geospatial information. Increasingly, decision makers at all levels are challenged not by the lack of information, but by the absence of effective tools to synthesize the large volume of data available, and to utilize the data to frame policy options in a straightforward and understandable manner. While geographic information system (GIS) technology has been widely applied to this end, systems with the necessary analytical power have been usable only by trained operators. The USGS is addressing the need for more accessible, manageable data tools by developing a suite of Web-based geospatial applications that will incorporate USGS and cooperating partner data into the decision making process for a variety of critical issues. Examples of Web-based geospatial tools being used to address societal issues follow.

Face Values: The Use of Sensitive Error Correction to Address Adolescents' "Face" Issues in the Modern Languages Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Crichton, Hazel; Templeton, Brian; Valdera, Francisco

2017-01-01

Anxiety about "performing" in a foreign language in front of classmates may inhibit learners' contributions in the modern languages class through fear of embarrassment over possible error production. The issue of "face", perceived social standing in the eyes of others, presents a sensitive matter for young adolescents…

Evaluating a hybrid web-based basic genetics course for health professionals.

PubMed

Wallen, Gwenyth R; Cusack, Georgie; Parada, Suzan; Miller-Davis, Claiborne; Cartledge, Tannia; Yates, Jan

2011-08-01

Health professionals, particularly nurses, continue to struggle with the expanding role of genetics information in the care of their patients. This paper describes an evaluation study of the effectiveness of a hybrid basic genetics course for healthcare professionals combining web-based learning with traditional face-to-face instructional techniques. A multidisciplinary group from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) created "Basic Genetics Education for Healthcare Providers" (BGEHCP). This program combined 7 web-based self-education modules with monthly traditional face-to-face lectures by genetics experts. The course was pilot tested by 186 healthcare providers from various disciplines with 69% (n=129) of the class registrants enrolling in a pre-post evaluation trial. Outcome measures included critical thinking knowledge items and a Web-based Learning Environment Inventory (WEBLEI). Results indicated a significant (p<0.001) change in knowledge scores. WEBLEI scores indicated program effectiveness particularly in the area of convenience, access and the course structure and design. Although significant increases in overall knowledge scores were achieved, scores in content areas surrounding genetic risk identification and ethical issues regarding genetic testing reflected continued gaps in knowledge. Web-based genetics education may help overcome genetics knowledge deficits by providing access for health professionals with diverse schedules in a variety of national and international settings. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Videoconferencing for site initiations in clinical studies: Mixed methods evaluation of usability, acceptability, and impact on recruitment.

PubMed

Randell, Rebecca; Backhouse, Michael R; Nelson, E Andrea

2016-12-01

A critical issue for multicentre clinical studies is conducting site initiations, ensuring sites are trained in study procedures and comply with relevant governance requirements before they begin recruiting patients. How technology can support site initiations has not previously been explored. This study sought to evaluate use of off-the-shelf web-based videoconferencing to deliver site initiations for a large national multicentre study. Participants in the initiations, including podiatrists, diabetologists, trial coordinators, and research nurses, completed an online questionnaire based on the System Usability Scale (SUS) (N = 15). This was followed by semi-structured interviews, with a consultant diabetologist, a trial coordinator, and three research nurses, exploring perceived benefits and limitations of videoconferencing. The mean SUS score for the videoconferencing platform was 87.2 (SD = 13.7), suggesting a good level of usability. Interview participants perceived initiations delivered by videoconferencing as being more interactive and easier to follow than those delivered by teleconference. In comparison to face-to-face initiations, videoconferencing takes less time, easily fitting in with the work of staff at the local sites. Perceptions of impact on communication varied according to the hardware used. Off-the-shelf videoconferencing is a viable alternative to face-to-face site initiations and confers advantages over teleconferencing.

Liquid-metal plasma-facing component research on the National Spherical Torus Experiment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jaworski, M. A.; Khodak, A.; Kaita, R.

2013-12-01

Liquid metal plasma-facing components (PFCs) have been proposed as a means of solving several problems facing the creation of economically viable fusion power reactors. Liquid metals face critical issues in three key areas: free-surface stability, material migration and demonstration of integrated scenarios. To date, few demonstrations exist of this approach in a diverted tokamak and we here provide an overview of such work on the National Spherical Torus Experiment (NSTX). The liquid lithium divertor (LLD) was installed and operated for the 2010 run campaign using evaporated coatings as the filling method. Despite a nominal liquid level exceeding the capillary structure and peak current densities into the PFCs exceeding 100 kA m-2, no macroscopic ejection events were observed. The stability can be understood from a Rayleigh-Taylor instability analysis. Capillary restraint and thermal-hydraulic considerations lead to a proposed liquid-metal PFCs scheme of actively-supplied, capillary-restrained systems. Even with state-of-the-art cooling techniques, design studies indicate that the surface temperature with divertor-relevant heat fluxes will still reach temperatures above 700 °C. At this point, one would expect significant vapor production from a liquid leading to a continuously vapor-shielded regime. Such high-temperature liquid lithium PFCs may be possible on the basis of momentum-balance arguments.

Online Versus Face-To-Face Training of Critical Time Intervention: A Matching Cluster Randomized Trial

PubMed Central

Olivet, Jeffrey; Zerger, Suzanne; Greene, R. Neil; Kenney, Rachael R.; Herman, Daniel B.

2017-01-01

This study examined the effectiveness of online education to providers who serve people experiencing homelessness, comparing online and face-to-face training of Critical Time Intervention (CTI), an evidence-based case management model. The authors recruited 184 staff from 19 homeless service agencies to participate in one of two training conditions: (a) Online Training + Community of Practice or (b) Face-to-Face Training + Telephone Consultation. Each group received 24 hours of instruction and support. Through baseline, follow-up, and nine-month post-training surveys, the authors examined satisfaction, knowledge gains, knowledge retention, and readiness to implement CTI. While satisfaction rates were higher among participants in the face-to-face group, the two training conditions produced comparable pre/post knowledge gains. Furthermore, both groups showed increased knowledge retention scores at nine-month follow up, with the online group scoring higher than the face-to-face group. PMID:28919668

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

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

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

2015-01-01

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

Role of Email in Intercultural Communication of Criticism in a Chinese English Curriculum Reform Context

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lü, Linqiong

2018-01-01

Western teachers working in China often experience cultural conflicts arising from, for instance, the ways that Chinese students perceive face and express criticism. To better understand these face-concerned conflicts, this paper explores the role and significance of email for a group of Chinese students to communicate pedagogical criticism with…

Online Clinical Post-Conference, Face-to-Face Clinical Postconference: Effects on Critical Thinking in Associate Degree Nursing Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ebersole-Berkstresser, Kristie Anne

2013-01-01

Nurse educators, at every level of pre-licensure nursing education, are charged with developing critical thinking skills within their students. Post-clinical conference is one teaching strategy that nurse educators can employ to help promote the development of critical thinking skills in pre-licensure nursing students. However, traditional…

Issues and special features of animal health research

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

In the rapidly changing context of research on animal health, INRA launched a collective discussion on the challenges facing the field, its distinguishing features, and synergies with biomedical research. As has been declared forcibly by the heads of WHO, FAO and OIE, the challenges facing animal health, beyond diseases transmissible to humans, are critically important and involve food security, agriculture economics, and the ensemble of economic activities associated with agriculture. There are in addition issues related to public health (zoonoses, xenobiotics, antimicrobial resistance), the environment, and animal welfare. Animal health research is distinguished by particular methodologies and scientific questions that stem from the specific biological features of domestic species and from animal husbandry practices. It generally does not explore the same scientific questions as research on human biology, even when the same pathogens are being studied, and the discipline is rooted in a very specific agricultural and economic context. Generic and methodological synergies nevertheless exist with biomedical research, particularly with regard to tools and biological models. Certain domestic species furthermore present more functional similarities with humans than laboratory rodents. The singularity of animal health research in relation to biomedical research should be taken into account in the organization, evaluation, and funding of the field through a policy that clearly recognizes the specific issues at stake. At the same time, the One Health approach should facilitate closer collaboration between biomedical and animal health research at the level of research teams and programmes. PMID:21864344

Issues and special features of animal health research.

PubMed

Ducrot, Christian; Bed'hom, Bertrand; Béringue, Vincent; Coulon, Jean-Baptiste; Fourichon, Christine; Guérin, Jean-Luc; Krebs, Stéphane; Rainard, Pascal; Schwartz-Cornil, Isabelle; Torny, Didier; Vayssier-Taussat, Muriel; Zientara, Stephan; Zundel, Etienne; Pineau, Thierry

2011-08-24

In the rapidly changing context of research on animal health, INRA launched a collective discussion on the challenges facing the field, its distinguishing features, and synergies with biomedical research. As has been declared forcibly by the heads of WHO, FAO and OIE, the challenges facing animal health, beyond diseases transmissible to humans, are critically important and involve food security, agriculture economics, and the ensemble of economic activities associated with agriculture. There are in addition issues related to public health (zoonoses, xenobiotics, antimicrobial resistance), the environment, and animal welfare.Animal health research is distinguished by particular methodologies and scientific questions that stem from the specific biological features of domestic species and from animal husbandry practices. It generally does not explore the same scientific questions as research on human biology, even when the same pathogens are being studied, and the discipline is rooted in a very specific agricultural and economic context.Generic and methodological synergies nevertheless exist with biomedical research, particularly with regard to tools and biological models. Certain domestic species furthermore present more functional similarities with humans than laboratory rodents.The singularity of animal health research in relation to biomedical research should be taken into account in the organization, evaluation, and funding of the field through a policy that clearly recognizes the specific issues at stake. At the same time, the One Health approach should facilitate closer collaboration between biomedical and animal health research at the level of research teams and programmes.

How 'blended' is blended learning?: students' perceptions of issues around the integration of online and face-to-face learning in a Continuing Professional Development (CPD) health care context.

PubMed

Glogowska, Margaret; Young, Pat; Lockyer, Lesley; Moule, Pam

2011-11-01

This paper explores students' perceptions of blended learning modules delivered in a Continuing Professional Development (CPD) health care context in the UK. 'Blended learning' is the term used to describe a hybrid model of learning where traditional face-to-face teaching approaches and newer electronic learning activities and resources are utilised together. A new model of CPD for health care practitioners based on a blended learning approach was developed at a university in the south west of England. As part of the evaluation of the new modules, a qualitative study was conducted, in which 17 students who had experienced the modules were interviewed by telephone. Three main themes emerged from the interviews relating to the 'blended' nature of the blended learning modules. These were i) issues around the opportunities for discussion of online materials face-to-face; ii) issues of what material should be online versus face-to-face and iii) balancing online and face-to-face components. Teaching staff engaged in the development of blended learning courses need to pay particular attention to the ways in which they develop and integrate online and face-to-face materials. More attention needs to be paid to allowing opportunity for students to come together to create a 'community of inquiry'. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Environmental Discourse: Helping Graduate Students Build Effective Deliberation and Communication Skills

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huntzinger, D. N.; Downard, J.; Nielsen, E.

2015-12-01

The environmental sciences are at the forefront of critical issues facing society in the coming decades. As a result, many graduates in the environmental sciences find themselves working with the public to help inform the democratic process of making reasonable public policies. In order to be successful, students need to be confronted with the same kinds of questions and problems that practicing scientists face when they are working at the intersection of science and public policy. Otherwise, they lack the skills and confidence needed to work effectively with the public—especially on hotly contested environmental issues when the skills are needed the most. As part of a new Professional Science Master's (PSM) Program in Climate Science and Solutions at Northern Arizona University we have developed a three-semester course series focused on framing discussions on climate change mitigation and adaptation. Each semester, students use a deliberative model to design, frame, and facilitate a public discussion on a targeted issue of regional and local interest. The deliberative model is built around an approach to practical dilemmas that enables students to isolate and clarify the various sources of conflict around the issue. Working in an iterative manner, students learn to identify and untangling some of the sources of disagreement (e.g., policy, ethics and ideals, difference in scientific understanding) around and issue. As a result, students are in a much better position to clarify the key questions and sort through the competing solutions. The course series helps to improve the communication skills of students and promote productive public discourse with individuals from diverse backgrounds within the community. This type of experiential learning provides unique training to our students that not only broadens there understanding of complex issues surrounding climate change, but also provides them with professional skills that are transferrable to their careers.

Addressing the Economic Security Issues Facing Same-Sex Couples.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dolan, Elizabeth M.; Stum, Marlene S.; Rupured, Michael

1999-01-01

Provides educators and researchers with an awareness of the financial security issues faced by same-sex couples and offers suggestions for incorporating the discussion of these ideas into existing curricula and research. (Author/JOW)

An electronic dashboard to improve nursing care.

PubMed

Tan, Yung-Ming; Hii, Joshua; Chan, Katherine; Sardual, Robert; Mah, Benjamin

2013-01-01

With the introduction of CPOE systems, nurses in a Singapore hospital were facing difficulties monitoring key patient information such as critical tasks and alerts. Issues include unfriendly user interfaces of clinical systems, information overload, and the loss of visual cues for action due to paperless workflows. The hospital decided to implement an interactive electronic dashboard on top of their CPOE system to improve visibility of vital patient data. A post-implementation survey was performed to gather end-user feedback and evaluate factors that influence user satisfaction of the dashboard. Questionnaires were sent to all nurses of five pilot wards. 106 valid responses were received. User adoption was good with 86% of nurses using the dashboard every shift. Mean satisfaction score was 3.6 out of 5. User satisfaction was strongly and positively correlated to the system's perceived impact on work efficiency and care quality. From qualitative feedback, nurses generally agreed that the dashboard had improved their awareness of critical patient issues without the hassle of navigating a CPOE system. This study shows that an interactive clinical dashboard when properly integrated with a CPOE system could be a useful tool to improve daily patient care.

Improvement Science Meets Improvement Scholarship: Reframing Research for Better Healthcare.

PubMed

Cribb, Alan

2018-06-01

In this editorial essay I explore the possibilities of 'improvement scholarship' in order to set the scene for the theme of, and the other papers in, this issue. I contrast a narrow conception of quality improvement (QI) research with a much broader and more inclusive conception, arguing that we should greatly extend the existing dialogue between 'problem-solving' and 'critical' currents in improvement research. I have in mind the potential for building a much larger conversation between those people in 'improvement science' who are expressly concerned with tackling the problems facing healthcare and the wider group of colleagues who are engaged in health-related scholarship but who do not see themselves as particularly interested in quality improvement, indeed who may be critical of the language or concerns of QI. As one contribution to that conversation I suggest that that the increasing emphasis on theory and rigour in improvement research should include more focus on normative theory and rigour. The remaining papers in the issue are introduced including the various ways in which they handle the 'implicit normativity' of QI research and practice, and the linked theme of combining relatively 'tidy' and potentially 'unruly' forms of knowledge.

Examining the Role, Values, and Legal Policy Issues Facing Public Library Resources in Supporting Students to Achieve Academic Success

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Achinewhu-Nworgu, Elizabeth; Azaiki, Steve; Nworgu, Queen Chioma

2016-01-01

This paper aims to present the role, values, and legal policy issues facing public Library resources in supporting students to achieve academic success. Research indicates that majority of people that own or work in the Library tend to ignore some of the vital roles, values and legal policy issues paramount to libraries. Some of these issues are…

Professionals’ Recommended Strategies to Improve Australian Adolescents’ Knowledge of Nutrition and Food Systems

PubMed Central

Sadegholvad, Sanaz; Yeatman, Heather; Parrish, Anne-Maree; Worsley, Anthony

2017-01-01

Background: Education and policy measures within schools are valuable strategies to promote health. This study explored views of experienced food-related educators, researchers and policy-makers regarding their recommended strategies to improve Australian adolescents’ knowledge of nutrition and food systems (N&FS). Methods: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with twenty-one experienced food-related experts from across Australia. Interviews were conducted either by telephone or face-to-face. Recorded interviews were transcribed verbatim and analyzed thematically. Results: Five central themes and five sub-themes were identified from food professionals’ suggestions for best strategies to improve adolescents’ knowledge of N&FS. The central themes included: (1) specific improvements in schools’ core curricula; (2) pre-service and in-service training of school teachers about N&FS; (3) training students to develop a critical mind about N&FS issues; (4) multidisciplinary collaborations to improve school-based N&FS education; and (5) a supportive N&FS education environment for students. Conclusion and implication: These findings provide a guide for curriculum developers, educational policy developers, and food educators to incorporate the suggested N&FS strategies into Australian education programs in order to improve Australian adolescents’ knowledge and skills of N&FS issues. The results of this investigation also may assist the development of international N&FS curricula guides. PMID:28783108

Professionals' Recommended Strategies to Improve Australian Adolescents' Knowledge of Nutrition and Food Systems.

PubMed

Sadegholvad, Sanaz; Yeatman, Heather; Parrish, Anne-Maree; Worsley, Anthony

2017-08-07

Education and policy measures within schools are valuable strategies to promote health. This study explored views of experienced food-related educators, researchers and policy-makers regarding their recommended strategies to improve Australian adolescents' knowledge of nutrition and food systems (N&FS). Semi-structured interviews were conducted with twenty-one experienced food-related experts from across Australia. Interviews were conducted either by telephone or face-to-face. Recorded interviews were transcribed verbatim and analyzed thematically. Five central themes and five sub-themes were identified from food professionals' suggestions for best strategies to improve adolescents' knowledge of N&FS. The central themes included: (1) specific improvements in schools' core curricula; (2) pre-service and in-service training of school teachers about N&FS; (3) training students to develop a critical mind about N&FS issues; (4) multidisciplinary collaborations to improve school-based N&FS education; and (5) a supportive N&FS education environment for students. These findings provide a guide for curriculum developers, educational policy developers, and food educators to incorporate the suggested N&FS strategies into Australian education programs in order to improve Australian adolescents' knowledge and skills of N&FS issues. The results of this investigation also may assist the development of international N&FS curricula guides.

The hidden challenges in role transitions and how leadership coaching can help new leaders find solid ground.

PubMed

Weinstock, Beth

2011-01-01

Leadership coaching is becoming an increasingly important intervention that helps individual nurse executives and managers develop and use the best of their strengths, gifts, and talents. As the need for leadership in nursing becomes urgent and brave souls move into the positions of greater authority and potential impact, they will face challenges as they move up in rank. This article identifies the hidden and often-overlooked challenges that are faced by new leaders as they transition into roles of increased responsibility, and it demonstrates how leadership coaching can help new leaders make successful transitions. As the current health care crisis creates opportunity for new leaders, those who opt for promotions and lateral shifts encounter both expected and surprising challenges. The expected challenges include mastering new content skills, learning new organizational structures, and getting to know new teams. The less obvious stressors include issues of self-esteem, assertiveness, self-consciousness, self-criticism, perfectionism, new boundaries, changing identities, and finding one's own leadership style. These important issues are often kept out of conscious awareness and overlooked at great cost to the individual leader and her institution. Leadership coaching can provide support and practical strategies for managing and overcoming these hidden challenges.

Issues and Impediments Faced by Canadian Teachers While Integrating ICT in Pedagogical Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Saxena, Anoop

2017-01-01

Teachers in many schools struggle to integrate Information and Communications Technology (ICT) as part of their teaching practice. Among the issues faced by teachers when attempting to integrate ICT into their classrooms are gaps in ICT knowledge and skills, lack of training and inadequate support and scaffolding. Other issues include inability to…

Issues Facing Urban Agriscience Teachers: A Delphi Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Warner, Wendy J.; Washburn, Shannon G.

2009-01-01

This national study used the Delphi technique to identify the issues facing urban agriscience teachers. The first round of the study used a questionnaire with one open-ended question to generate responses from the expert panel. In the second round, respondents were asked to rate their level of agreement with 72 issues identified in round one using…

The many faces of research on face perception.

PubMed

Little, Anthony C; Jones, Benedict C; DeBruine, Lisa M

2011-06-12

Face perception is fundamental to human social interaction. Many different types of important information are visible in faces and the processes and mechanisms involved in extracting this information are complex and can be highly specialized. The importance of faces has long been recognized by a wide range of scientists. Importantly, the range of perspectives and techniques that this breadth has brought to face perception research has, in recent years, led to many important advances in our understanding of face processing. The articles in this issue on face perception each review a particular arena of interest in face perception, variously focusing on (i) the social aspects of face perception (attraction, recognition and emotion), (ii) the neural mechanisms underlying face perception (using brain scanning, patient data, direct stimulation of the brain, visual adaptation and single-cell recording), and (iii) comparative aspects of face perception (comparing adult human abilities with those of chimpanzees and children). Here, we introduce the central themes of the issue and present an overview of the articles.

Quality of reporting of surveys in critical care journals: a methodologic review.

PubMed

Duffett, Mark; Burns, Karen E; Adhikari, Neill K; Arnold, Donald M; Lauzier, François; Kho, Michelle E; Meade, Maureen O; Hayani, Omar; Koo, Karen; Choong, Karen; Lamontagne, François; Zhou, Qi; Cook, Deborah J

2012-02-01

Adequate reporting is needed to judge methodologic quality and assess the risk of bias of surveys. The objective of this study is to describe the methodology and quality of reporting of surveys published in five critical care journals. All issues (1996-2009) of the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Critical Care, Critical Care Medicine, Intensive Care Medicine, and Pediatric Critical Care Medicine. Two reviewers hand-searched all issues in duplicate. We included publications of self-administered questionnaires of health professionals and excluded surveys that were part of a multi-method study or measured the effect of an intervention. Data were abstracted in duplicate. We included 151 surveys. The frequency of survey publication increased at an average rate of 0.38 surveys per 1000 citations per year from 1996-2009 (p for trend = 0.001). The median number of respondents and reported response rates were 217 (interquartile range 90 to 402) and 63.3% (interquartile range 45.0% to 81.0%), respectively. Surveys originated predominantly from North America (United States [40.4%] and Canada [18.5%]). Surveys most frequently examined stated practice (78.8%), attitudes or opinions (60.3%), and less frequently knowledge (9.9%). The frequency of reporting on the survey design and methods were: 1) instrument development: domains (59.1%), item generation (33.1%), item reduction (12.6%); 2) instrument testing: pretesting or pilot testing (36.2%) and assessments of clarity (25.2%) or clinical sensibility (15.7%); and 3) clinimetric properties: qualitative or quantitative description of at least one of face, content, construct validity, intra- or inter-rater reliability, or consistency (28.5%). The reporting of five key elements of survey design and conduct did not significantly change over time. Surveys, primarily conducted in North America and focused on self-reported practice, are increasingly published in highly cited critical care journals. More uniform and comprehensive reporting will facilitate assessment of methodologic quality.

NASA flight controllers - Meeting cultural and leadership challenges on the critical path to mission success

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Clement, James L., Jr.; Ritsher, Jennifer Boyd

2006-01-01

As part of its preparation for missions to the Moon and Mars, NASA has identified high priority critical path roadmap (CPR) questions, two of which focus on the performance of mission control personnel. NASA flight controllers have always worked in an incredibly demanding setting, but the International Space Station poses even more challenges than prior missions. We surveyed 14 senior ISS flight controllers and a contrasting sample of 12 more junior controllers about the management and cultural challenges they face and the most effective strategies for addressing them. There was substantial consensus among participants on some issues, such as the importance of building a personal relationship with Russian colleagues. Responses from junior and senior controllers differed in some areas, such as training. We frame the results in terms of two CPR questions. We aim to use our results to improve flight controller training.

Psychologists and detainee interrogations: key decisions, opportunities lost, and lessons learned.

PubMed

Pope, Kenneth S

2011-01-01

After the 9-11 terrorist attacks, U.S. psychologists faced hard choices about what roles, if any, were appropriate for psychologists in the detainee interrogations conducted in settings such as the Bagram Airbase, the Abu Ghraib Prison, and the Guantanamo Bay Detention Camps. The American Psychological Association (APA) sparked intense controversy with its policies and public statements. This article reviews APA decisions, documents, and public statements in this area, in the context of major criticisms and responses to those criticisms. The review focuses on key issues: how the APA created and reported policies in the areas of ethics and national security; transparency; psychologists' professional identities; psychologists' qualifications; ethical-legal conflicts; policies opposing torture; interpretations of avoiding harm; and effective interrogations. It suggests lessons learned, missed opportunities, and questions in need of a fresh approach. © 2011 by Annual Reviews. All rights reserved

Internal marketing and the antecedents of nurse satisfaction and loyalty.

PubMed

Peltier, James W; Pointer, Lucille; Schibrowsky, John A

2008-01-01

Employee satisfaction and retention are critical issues that influence the success of any organization. Yet, one of the most critical problems facing the worldwide health care industry is the shortage of qualified nurses. Recent calls have been made within the traditional nursing literature for research that utilizes marketing and business models to better understand nurse satisfaction and retention. The purpose of this study is to develop scales that can be used to empirically test a model of the proposed antecedents of nurse job satisfaction and loyalty which have been used widely in the internal marketing and the relationship-marketing literature. Specifically, the study will investigate the degree to which structural bonding, social bonding, financial bonding activities, and quality of care impact how well nurses are satisfied with their job and their commitment to the organization. The results show that quality of care most impacted nurse satisfaction and loyalty, followed by structural, social, and financial bonds.

Organizational Responsibility for Age-Friendly Social Participation: Views of Australian Rural Community Stakeholders.

PubMed

Winterton, Rachel

2016-01-01

This qualitative study critically explores the barriers experienced by diverse rural community stakeholders in facilitating environments that enable age-friendly social participation. Twenty-six semi-structured interviews were conducted across two rural Australian communities with stakeholders from local government, health, social care, and community organizations. Findings identify that rural community stakeholders face significant difficulties in securing resources for groups and activities catering to older adults, which subsequently impacts their capacity to undertake outreach to older adults. However, in discussing these issues, questions were raised in relation to whose responsibility it is to provide resources for community groups and organizations providing social initiatives and whose responsibility it is to engage isolated seniors. These findings provide a much-needed critical perspective on current age-friendly research by acknowledging the responsibilities of various macro-level social structures-different community-level organizations, local government, and policy in fostering environments to enable participation of diverse rural older adults.

The Effects of Health Education through Face To Face Teaching and Educational Movies, on Suburban Women in Childbearing Age.

PubMed

Vameghi, R; Mohammad, K; Karimloo, M; Soleimani, F; Sajedi, F

2010-01-01

The aim of the study was to compare the effects of 'face-to-face education' and 'educational movies' on 'knowledge' and 'practice' of women of child-bearing-age, in terms of health-care during pregnancy and during infancy in a suburban region near Tehran City, Iran. In this quasi-experimental study, the sample included 873 married women. Questionnaires for knowledge and practice assessment were designed. The women were assigned to three groups: control (group I), face-to-face education (group II), and educational movie (group III). Knowledge questionnaires were completed before and immediately after intervention. Practice questionnaires were completed before and three months after intervention. Both questionnaires consisted of two types of questions: type A (concerning infant care issues) and type B (concerning prenatal health care). There was a significant difference in post-test knowledge between groups I and II and between groups I and III, but not between groups II and III. In terms of post-test practice, the changes were determined for every individual question, and significantly, better results were seen in group II, especially concerning type B questions. Face to face education lead to better practice than educational movies. In addition, significantly better practice occurred regarding child health care issues rather than prenatal issues in both groups. Realistic and tangible issues, those easy to practice, and with little or no economical burden imposed on the family, progressed from the knowledge state to the practice state more successfully in both groups.

Rural roads and bridges : management issues facing local highway officials

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1996-09-01

The report documents management practices used by, and issues facing, local transportation administrators. Data are drawn from a national survey of county and town highway officials, in Fall 1994 and Spring 1995, which provided usable information fro...

The UNESCO Bioethics Programme: a review.

PubMed

Langlois, Adéle

2014-01-01

UNESCO's Bioethics Programme was established in 1993. In twenty years it has adopted three international declarations, on the human genome (1997), human genetic data (2003) and bioethics (2005); produced reports on a wide range of bioethics issues; and developed capacity building and public education programmes in bioethics. Yet UNESCO has sometimes struggled to assert its authority in the wider bioethics world. Some bioethicists have criticized the 2005 declaration and suggested that the World Health Organization might be better placed to advance bioethics. In 2011, after four years of debate, UNESCO decided not to draft a convention on human reproductive cloning, because consensus on the issue proved impossible. This article reviews the standard setting and capacity building activities of the UNESCO Bioethics Programme. While the Programme faces challenges common to most intergovernmental organizations, its achievements in expanding international law and building bioethics capacity should not be underestimated.

Estimating Return on Investment in Translational Research: Methods and Protocols

PubMed Central

Trochim, William; Dilts, David M.; Kirk, Rosalind

2014-01-01

Assessing the value of clinical and translational research funding on accelerating the translation of scientific knowledge is a fundamental issue faced by the National Institutes of Health and its Clinical and Translational Awards (CTSA). To address this issue, the authors propose a model for measuring the return on investment (ROI) of one key CTSA program, the clinical research unit (CRU). By estimating the economic and social inputs and outputs of this program, this model produces multiple levels of ROI: investigator, program and institutional estimates. A methodology, or evaluation protocol, is proposed to assess the value of this CTSA function, with specific objectives, methods, descriptions of the data to be collected, and how data are to be filtered, analyzed, and evaluated. This paper provides an approach CTSAs could use to assess the economic and social returns on NIH and institutional investments in these critical activities. PMID:23925706

Ecological literacy and beyond: Problem-based learning for future professionals.

PubMed

Lewinsohn, Thomas M; Attayde, José Luiz; Fonseca, Carlos Roberto; Ganade, Gislene; Jorge, Leonardo Ré; Kollmann, Johannes; Overbeck, Gerhard E; Prado, Paulo Inácio; Pillar, Valério D; Popp, Daniela; da Rocha, Pedro L B; Silva, Wesley Rodrigues; Spiekermann, Annette; Weisser, Wolfgang W

2015-03-01

Ecological science contributes to solving a broad range of environmental problems. However, lack of ecological literacy in practice often limits application of this knowledge. In this paper, we highlight a critical but often overlooked demand on ecological literacy: to enable professionals of various careers to apply scientific knowledge when faced with environmental problems. Current university courses on ecology often fail to persuade students that ecological science provides important tools for environmental problem solving. We propose problem-based learning to improve the understanding of ecological science and its usefulness for real-world environmental issues that professionals in careers as diverse as engineering, public health, architecture, social sciences, or management will address. Courses should set clear learning objectives for cognitive skills they expect students to acquire. Thus, professionals in different fields will be enabled to improve environmental decision-making processes and to participate effectively in multidisciplinary work groups charged with tackling environmental issues.

Teaching cultural diversity: current status in U.K., U.S., and Canadian medical schools.

PubMed

Dogra, Nisha; Reitmanova, Sylvia; Carter-Pokras, Olivia

2010-05-01

In this paper we present the current state of cultural diversity education for undergraduate medical students in three English-speaking countries: the United Kingdom (U.K.), United States (U.S.) and Canada. We review key documents that have shaped cultural diversity education in each country and compare and contrast current issues. It is beyond the scope of this paper to discuss the varied terminology that is immediately evident. Suffice it to say that there are many terms (e.g. cultural awareness, competence, sensitivity, sensibility, diversity and critical cultural diversity) used in different contexts with different meanings. The major issues that all three countries face include a lack of conceptual clarity, and fragmented and variable programs to teach cultural diversity. Faculty and staff support and development, and ambivalence from both staff and students continue to be a challenge. We suggest that greater international collaboration may help provide some solutions.

Estimating return on investment in translational research: methods and protocols.

PubMed

Grazier, Kyle L; Trochim, William M; Dilts, David M; Kirk, Rosalind

2013-12-01

Assessing the value of clinical and translational research funding on accelerating the translation of scientific knowledge is a fundamental issue faced by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and its Clinical and Translational Awards (CTSAs). To address this issue, the authors propose a model for measuring the return on investment (ROI) of one key CTSA program, the clinical research unit (CRU). By estimating the economic and social inputs and outputs of this program, this model produces multiple levels of ROI: investigator, program, and institutional estimates. A methodology, or evaluation protocol, is proposed to assess the value of this CTSA function, with specific objectives, methods, descriptions of the data to be collected, and how data are to be filtered, analyzed, and evaluated. This article provides an approach CTSAs could use to assess the economic and social returns on NIH and institutional investments in these critical activities.

Disease prevention--should we target obesity or sedentary lifestyle?

PubMed

Charansonney, Olivier L; Després, Jean-Pierre

2010-08-01

Obesity is a major health challenge facing the modern world. Some evidence points to obesity itself as the main driver of premature mortality. We propose that this view is oversimplified. For example, high levels of physical activity and cardiorespiratory fitness are associated with lower mortality, even in those who are overweight or obese. To address this issue, we combine epidemiological and physiological evidence in a new paradigm that integrates excess calorie intake, sedentary behavior, and a maladaptive response to stress. Human physiology is optimized to allow large distances to be covered on foot every day in order to find enough food to sustain brain metabolism. Furthermore, when the body is immobilized by an injury, it triggers efficient life-saving metabolic and inflammatory responses. Both these critical adaptations are, however, confounded by a sedentary lifestyle. The implications of these issues for clinical trial design and epidemiologic data analysis are discussed in this article.

Preparing national health systems to cope with the impending tsunami of ageing and its associated complexities: Towards more sustainable health care.

PubMed

Amalberti, René; Nicklin, Wendy; Braithwaite, Jeffrey

2016-06-01

Healthcare systems across the world are experiencing increased financial, organizational and social pressures attributable to a range of critical issues including the challenge of ageing populations. Health systems need to adapt, in order to sustainably provide quality care to the widest range of patients, particularly those with chronic and complex diseases, and especially those in vulnerable and low-income groups. We report on a workshop designed to tackle such issues under the auspices of ISQua, with representatives from Argentina, Australia, Canada, Columbia, Denmark, Emirates, France, Ireland, Jordan, Qatar, Malaysia, Norway, Oman, UK, South Africa and Switzerland. We discuss some of the challenges facing healthcare systems in countries ageing rapidly, to those less so, and touch on current and future reform options. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press in association with the International Society for Quality in Health Care; all rights reserved.

'If you have a soul, you will volunteer at once': gendered expectations of duty to care during pandemics.

PubMed

Godderis, Rebecca; Rossiter, Kate

2013-02-01

Duty to care has been identified as a pressing ethical issue in contemporary discussions of pandemic preparedness; however, nuanced discussions of this complicated issue are relatively limited. This article presents historical data from the experience of the 1918 influenza pandemic in Brantford, Ontario in Canada, demonstrating that, in the face of an actual pandemic, the particular construction of duty to care as both moral and gendered meant that women were placed at a greater personal risk during this time. Given that women still dominate the front lines of healthcare work, we argue that it is critical for current stakeholders to reflect on how these historical patterns may be replicated in contemporary pandemic planning and response. © 2012 The Authors. Sociology of Health & Illness 2012 Foundation for the Sociology of Health & Illness/Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

[Controversy in the treatment of a critically ill neonate in a rural health service].

PubMed

Márquez-González, Horacio; Valdez-Martínez, Edith

2015-01-01

Cardiopulmonary resuscitation of newborns with perinatal hypoxia faces serious ethical, moral, medical and legal problems, particularly in rural areas. Ethical and moral issues have to do with the medical-parents relationship; with values, preferences and priorities of each of these groups; and with the scarce resources situation. Medical-technical problems are related to asphyxia complications, and their prognostic and therapeutic implications. Legal considerations arising from the fact of killing or letting die. In this article is analyzed the real case of a neonate with severe perinatal hypoxia in order to enhance the understanding of the incorporation of ethics in everyday clinical practice.

The cost of fear

USGS Publications Warehouse

Martin, Thomas E.

2011-01-01

What should parents do when they detect indications of more predators nearby that might eat their babies? This scenario is commonly faced by parents in the wild, and the consequences are important. The number of offspring that organisms produce has a major influence on fitness and, when averaged across a population, affects whether this population will increase or decrease. Offspring production thus has critical implications for evolution via fitness, and ecology and conservation via demography. On page 1398 of this issue, Zanette et al. (1) show that the fear of predation can, by itself, strongly affect the number of offspring produced over an annual cycle by song sparrows (see the figure).

Wire Test Grip Fixture

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Burke, Christopher S.

2011-01-01

Wire-testing issues, such as the gripping strains imposed on the wire, play a critical role in obtaining clean data. In a standard test frame fitted with flat wedge grips, the gripping action alone creates stresses on the wire specimen that cause the wire to fail at the grip location. A new test frame, which is outfitted with a vacuum chamber, negated the use of any conventional commercially available wire test fixtures, as only 7 in. (17.8 cm) existed between the grip faces. An innovative grip fixture was designed to test thin gauge wire for a variety of applications in an existing Instron test frame outfitted with a vacuum chamber.

Women Connect! Strengthening communications to meet sexual and reproductive health challenges.

PubMed

Pillsbury, Barbara; Mayer, Doe

2005-06-01

Women's nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) have significant comparative advantage for addressing sexual and reproductive health challenges facing women and families. This article describes an initiative to assist women's NGOs in developing greater skills using media and information communication technology for communicating women's health messages. Participating women's groups in Africa undertook innovative media projects--radio broadcasts on human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and family planning, an antiviolence campaign, media campaigns on avoiding teen pregnancy--and designed websites, established Internet cafés, and downloaded health information from the Internet. Lessons learned offer guidance for collaboration with women's NGOs everywhere to strengthen communication for addressing critical sexual and reproductive health issues.

Developing Medical Geology in Uruguay: A Review

PubMed Central

Mañay, Nelly

2010-01-01

Several disciplines like Environmental Toxicology, Epidemiology, Public Health and Geology have been the basis of the development of Medical Geology in Uruguay during the last decade. The knowledge and performance in environmental and health issues have been improved by joining similar aims research teams and experts from different institutions to face environmental problems dealing with the population’s exposure to metals and metalloids and their health impacts. Some of the Uruguayan Medical Geology examples are reviewed focusing on their multidisciplinary approach: Lead pollution and exposed children, selenium in critically ill patients, copper deficiency in cattle and arsenic risk assessment in ground water. Future actions are also presented. PMID:20623004

Developing medical geology in Uruguay: a review.

PubMed

Mañay, Nelly

2010-05-01

Several disciplines like Environmental Toxicology, Epidemiology, Public Health and Geology have been the basis of the development of Medical Geology in Uruguay during the last decade. The knowledge and performance in environmental and health issues have been improved by joining similar aims research teams and experts from different institutions to face environmental problems dealing with the population's exposure to metals and metalloids and their health impacts. Some of the Uruguayan Medical Geology examples are reviewed focusing on their multidisciplinary approach: Lead pollution and exposed children, selenium in critically ill patients, copper deficiency in cattle and arsenic risk assessment in ground water. Future actions are also presented.

The rate and cost of nurse turnover in Australia.

PubMed

Roche, Michael A; Duffield, Christine M; Homer, Caroline; Buchan, James; Dimitrelis, Sofia

2015-01-01

Nurse turnover is a critical issue facing workforce planners across the globe, particularly in light of protracted and continuing workforce shortages. An ageing population coupled with the rise in complex and chronic diseases, have contributed to increased demands placed on the health system and importantly, nurses who themselves are ageing. Costs associated with nurse turnover are attracting more attention; however, existing measurements of turnover show inconsistent findings, which can be attributed to differences in study design, metrics used to calculate turnover and variations in definitions for turnover. This paper will report the rates and costs of nurse turnover across three States in Australia.

Investigating Face-to-Face Peer Interaction Patterns in a Collaborative Web Discovery Task: The Bene?ts of a Shared Display

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chung, C-W.; Lee, C-C.; Liu, C-C.

2013-01-01

Mobile computers are now increasingly applied to facilitate face-to-face collaborative learning. However, the factors affecting face-to-face peer interactions are complex as they involve rich communication media. In particular, non-verbal interactions are necessary to convey critical communication messages in face-to-face communication. Through…

Plasma wall interaction, a key issue on the way to a steady state burning fusion device

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Philipps, V.

2006-04-01

The International Tokamak Experimental Reactor (ITER), the first burning fusion plasma experiment based on the tokamak principle, is ready for construction. It is based on many years of fusion research resulting in a robust design in most of the areas. Present day fusion research concentrates on the remaining critical issues which are, to a large extent, connected with processes of plasma wall interaction. This is mainly due to extended duty cycle and the increase of the plasma stored energy in comparison with present-day machines. Critical topics are the lifetime of the plasma facing components (PFC) and the long-term tritium retention. These processes are controlled mainly by material erosion, both during steady state operation and transient power losses (disruptions and edge localized modes (ELMs)) and short- and long-range material migration and re-deposition. The extrapolation from present-day 'full carbon wall' devices suggests that the long-term tritium retention in a burning fusion device would be unacceptably high under these conditions allowing for only an unacceptable limited number of pulses in a D T mixture. As a consequence of this, research activities have been strengthened to understand in more detail the underlying processes of material erosion and re-deposition, to develop methods to remove retained tritium from the PFCs and remote areas of a fusion device and to explore these processes and the plasma performance in more detail with metallic PFC, such as beryllium (Be) and tungsten (W), which are foreseen for the ITER experiment. This paper outlines the main physical mechanisms leading to material erosion, migration and re-deposition and the associated fuel retention. It addresses the experimental database in these areas and describes the further research strategies that will be needed to tackle critical issues.

Rising youth suicide and the changing cultural context in South Korea.

PubMed

Park, B C Ben; Soo Im, Jeong; Strother Ratcliff, Kathryn

2014-01-01

South Korean society faces a serious challenge in the increasing rates of youth suicidal behavior. There is a need both to gain a better understanding of the causes of this behavior and to develop strategies for responding to this critical public health issue. This article analyzes how psychological, sociopsychological, and subcultural factors influence suicidal proneness among Korean youth as well as makes suggestions for developing social policies that could reduce Korean youth suicidal behaviors. Correlation and multivariate regression analyses on suicide proneness and depression were employed using a sample of 172 South Korean youths (aged 18-24) selected from the 2009 General Social Survey collected through face-to-face interviews. Young people's suicidal proneness is associated with depression, a tolerant attitude toward suicide, strained family relations, living in rural areas, being female, and being closely related to survivors of suicide or potential suicides. The findings from this study reveal the significance of social and cultural factors as influences on recent youth suicidal behavior in Korea. The analysis suggests that the underlying risk factors of suicidal behavior are embedded in the changing social and cultural context of Korean society. Thus, suicide prevention efforts should involve more than merely treating any underlying psychiatric disorders.

DOT's budget : management and performance issues facing the department in fiscal year 1999

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1998-02-12

This testimony discusses key resource management issues and performance challenges facing the Department of Transportation in 1999 and beyond. 1. There is a need for increased management attention to highway, transit, and rail programs - which accoun...

Future Issues Facing Administrators in Pharmaceutical Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fink, Joseph L., III

1986-01-01

Issues facing pharmaceutical education include the need to keep up with advancing technology, the need to keep faculty from overemphasizing technology to the detriment of other responsibilities, motivating and rewarding faculty, dealing with loss of faculty productivity, and part-time faculty. (MSE)

What does it means to be a critical scholar? A metalogue between science education doctoral students

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cian, Heidi; Dsouza, Nikeetha; Lyons, Renee; Alston, Daniel

2017-06-01

This manuscript is written in response to Lydia Burke and Jesse Bazzul's article Locating a space of criticality as new scholars in science education. As doctoral students finding our place in the culture of science education, we respond by discussing our journeys towards the development of a scholarly identity, with particular focus on whether or how we see ourselves as critical scholars. Since each of us authoring this paper has a different perspective, a metalogue format is utilized to ensure all of our voices and journeys are represented. We use the Burke and Bazzul article as a platform for conversations about challenges faced for emerging scholars in the field of science education and explore how we see our role in responding to these challenges. Specifically, we discuss the barriers to publication, dissemination of research to practitioners, and how to approach these problems from a grounding in critical theory. As a result of our conversations, we conclude that there is a need to reshape the field of science education to invite more unorthodox research perspectives, methodologies, and publication formats. To do so, the issues we explore require a continued conversation between emerging scholars, practicing researchers, and practicing educators.

Key water issues now facing our nation

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hirsch, Robert M.; Miller, Timothy L.; Hamilton, Pixie A.; Gilliom, Robert J.

2008-01-01

Challenges to sustaining sufficient and high-quality water for human consumption, industry, farms, energy production, and ecosystem services continue to intensify in many parts of the Nation. We face four key water issues that call for support from the science and engineering communities.

Safety I-II, resilience and antifragility engineering: a debate explained through an accident occurring on a mobile elevating work platform.

PubMed

Martinetti, Alberto; Chatzimichailidou, Maria Mikela; Maida, Luisa; van Dongen, Leo

2018-04-24

Occupational health and safety (OHS) represents an important field of exploration for the research community: in spite of the growth of technological innovations, the increasing complexity of systems involves critical issues in terms of degradation of the safety levels. In such a situation, new safety management approaches are now mandatory in order to face the safety implications of the current technological evolutions. Along these lines, performing risk-based analysis alone seems not to be enough anymore. The evaluation of robustness, antifragility and resilience of a socio-technical system is now indispensable in order to face unforeseen events. This article will briefly introduce the topics of Safety I and Safety II, resilience engineering and antifragility engineering, explaining correlations, overlapping aspects and synergies. Secondly, the article will discuss the applications of those paradigms to a real accident, highlighting how they can challenge, stimulate and inspire research for improving OHS conditions.

The attraction of emotions: Irrelevant emotional information modulates motor actions.

PubMed

Ambron, Elisabetta; Foroni, Francesco

2015-08-01

Emotional expressions are important cues that capture our attention automatically. Although a wide range of work has explored the role and influence of emotions on cognition and behavior, little is known about the way that emotions influence motor actions. Moreover, considering how critical detecting emotional facial expressions in the environment can be, it is important to understand their impact even when they are not directly relevant to the task being performed. Our novel approach was to explore this issue from the attention-and-action perspective, using a task-irrelevant distractor paradigm in which participants are asked to reach for a target while a nontarget stimulus is also presented. We tested whether the movement trajectory would be influenced by irrelevant stimuli-faces with or without emotional expressions. The results showed that reaching paths veered toward faces with emotional expressions, in particular happiness, but not toward neutral expressions. This reinforces the view of emotions as attention-capturing stimuli that are, however, also potential sources of distraction for motor actions.

A New Generation of Telecommunications for Mars: The Reconfigurable Software Radio

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Adams, J.; Horne, W.

2000-01-01

Telecommunications is a critical component for any mission at Mars as it is an enabling function that provides connectivity back to Earth and provides a means for conducting science. New developments in telecommunications, specifically in software - configurable radios, expand the possible approaches for science missions at Mars. These radios provide a flexible and re-configurable platform that can evolve with the mission and that provide an integrated approach to communications and science data processing. Deep space telecommunication faces challenges not normally faced by terrestrial and near-earth communications. Radiation, thermal, highly constrained mass, volume, packaging and reliability all are significant issues. Additionally, once the spacecraft leaves earth, there is no way to go out and upgrade or replace radio components. The reconfigurable software radio is an effort to provide not only a product that is immediately usable in the harsh space environment but also to develop a radio that will stay current as the years pass and technologies evolve.

Innovations and issues in the delivery of continuing education to nurse practitioners in rural and northern communities.

PubMed

Tilleczek, Kate; Pong, Raymond; Caty, Suzanne

2005-03-01

This paper addresses the need to provide rural nurse practitioners (NPs) with the distance education that is considered vital to the upgrading of their professional skills. The method of delivering the courses is a critical aspect of their success. The authors trace and describe the innovative delivery of the Rural Ontario Nurse Practitioner Continuing Education Initiative, from the initial needs assessment study through to the implementation and evaluation study. In each study, a multi-method action research model was used. The respondents showed a preference for face-to-face modalities that were perceived to be constrained by barriers. These barriers were subsequently addressed by the pilot project. Those living in rural areas recognized the benefits of information technologies. Implementation was effectively weighted on multiple modes of online course delivery and the use of constructivist pedagogy. The findings suggest that the delivery of continuing education to rural and remote NPs is still wrought with challenges.

N²E: Envisioning a process to support transition from nurse to educator.

PubMed

McAllister, Margaret; Oprescu, Florin; Jones, Christian

2014-01-01

Rising health inequities, continuing nursing shortages, and overlooked professional development needs of nurse educators are three important issues facing nursing in Australia. This paper argues for an innovative and proactive strategy that could transform the nurse education workforce into one that is repopulated, reinvigorated and refocused. The problem facing nurse educators, and subsequently affecting nurses' preparation for practice and longevity in the profession, was identified by drawing on findings from the literature, extensive educational experience, and an exploratory study of nurse educators working in universities, colleges and health services. A solution has been devised by drawing together the tenets of critical social theory, transformative learning, communities of practice and social media. Nursing educators, refocused around a social justice agenda, may be the remedy that the Australian Health Care System requires to embark on effective action that can benefit everyone, from the health service staff to our most vulnerable groups in society. This refocusing can be achieved in a structured and strategic process that builds confidence and professional capabilities.

N2E: Envisioning a process to support transition from nurse to educator.

PubMed

McAllister, Margaret; Oprescu, Florin; Jones, Christian

2013-11-21

Abstract Rising health inequities, continuing nursing shortages, and overlooked professional development needs of nurse educators are three important issues facing nursing in Australia. This paper argues for an innovative and proactive strategy that could transform the nurse education workforce into one that is repopulated, reinvigorated and refocused. The problem facing nurse educators, and subsequently affecting nurses' preparation for practice and longevity in the profession, was identified by drawing on findings from the literature, extensive educational experience, and an exploratory study of nurse educators working in universities, colleges and health services. A solution has been devised by drawing together the tenets of critical social theory, transformative learning, communities of practice and social media. Nursing educators, refocused around a social justice agenda, may be the remedy that the Australian Health Care System requires to embark on effective action that can benefit everyone, from the health service staff to our most vulnerable groups in society. This refocusing can be achieved in a structured and strategic process that builds confidence and professional capabilities.

The precautionary principle and pharmaceutical risk management.

PubMed

Callréus, Torbjörn

2005-01-01

Although it is often vigorously contested and has several different formulations, the precautionary principle has in recent decades guided environmental policy making in the face of scientific uncertainty. Originating from a criticism of traditional risk assessment, the key element of the precautionary principle is the justification for acting in the face of uncertain knowledge about risks. In the light of its growing invocation in various areas that are related to public health and recently in relation to drug safety issues, this article presents an introductory review of the main elements of the precautionary principle and some arguments conveyed by its advocates and opponents. A comparison of the characteristics of pharmaceutical risk management and environmental policy making (i.e. the setting within which the precautionary principle evolved), indicates that several important differences exist. If believed to be of relevance, in order to avoid arbitrary and unpredictable decision making, both the interpretation and possible application of the precautionary principle need to be adapted to the conditions of pharmaceutical risk management.

Is Isolation a Problem? Issues Faced by Rural Libraries and Rural Library Staff in South Australia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Haines, Rebecca; Calvert, Philip J.

2009-01-01

The aim of this research was to investigate current issues faced by public library staff in rural South Australia and to examine some of the reasons why people choose to work in rural libraries. The study took a mixed methods approach, combining interviews and questionnaires to gain a fuller understanding of the issues and experiences of rural…

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

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

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

2009-12-01

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

Generalized implementation of software safety policies

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Knight, John C.; Wika, Kevin G.

1994-01-01

As part of a research program in the engineering of software for safety-critical systems, we are performing two case studies. The first case study, which is well underway, is a safety-critical medical application. The second, which is just starting, is a digital control system for a nuclear research reactor. Our goal is to use these case studies to permit us to obtain a better understanding of the issues facing developers of safety-critical systems, and to provide a vehicle for the assessment of research ideas. The case studies are not based on the analysis of existing software development by others. Instead, we are attempting to create software for new and novel systems in a process that ultimately will involve all phases of the software lifecycle. In this abstract, we summarize our results to date in a small part of this project, namely the determination and classification of policies related to software safety that must be enforced to ensure safe operation. We hypothesize that this classification will permit a general approach to the implementation of a policy enforcement mechanism.

Oxidative Stress and Autophagy in Cardiovascular Homeostasis

PubMed Central

Morales, Cyndi R.; Pedrozo, Zully; Lavandero, Sergio

2014-01-01

Abstract Significance: Autophagy is an evolutionarily ancient process of intracellular protein and organelle recycling required to maintain cellular homeostasis in the face of a wide variety of stresses. Dysregulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and reactive nitrogen species (RNS) leads to oxidative damage. Both autophagy and ROS/RNS serve pathological or adaptive roles within cardiomyocytes, depending on the context. Recent Advances: ROS/RNS and autophagy communicate with each other via both transcriptional and post-translational events. This cross talk, in turn, regulates the structural integrity of cardiomyocytes, promotes proteostasis, and reduces inflammation, events critical to disease pathogenesis. Critical Issues: Dysregulation of either autophagy or redox state has been implicated in many cardiovascular diseases. Cardiomyocytes are rich in mitochondria, which make them particularly sensitive to oxidative damage. Maintenance of mitochondrial homeostasis and elimination of defective mitochondria are each critical to the maintenance of redox homeostasis. Future Directions: The complex interplay between autophagy and oxidative stress underlies a wide range of physiological and pathological events and its elucidation holds promise of potential clinical applicability. Antioxid. Redox Signal. 20, 507–518. PMID:23641894

Major Issues Facing the Conservation Movement in the Coming Decade and Beyond.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Strong, Maurice

1984-01-01

The key issues facing the conservation movement may be grouped into three areas: (1) threats to human health; (2) threats to food and fuel supplies; and (3) long-term threats to the biosphere. Each of these areas is discussed. (JN)

The Faces of Whiteness: Pitfalls and the Critical Democrat

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Warren, John; Hytten, Kathy

2004-01-01

This essay stems from previously reported critical ethnographic data regarding educators participating in graduate-level classes on whiteness. The metaphor of "faces of whiteness" is adopted here to signify that individuals occupy particular stances toward White privilege and its consequences in a dynamic and nonlinear fashion. The Torpified face…

Human behavioral research in space: quandaries for research subjects and researchers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shepanek, Marc

2005-01-01

With the advent of long-duration spaceflight on board the International Space Station (ISS) and possible future missions beyond low Earth orbit (LEO) such as Mars, it is critical that those at NASA have a realistic assessment of the challenges that will face individuals on long-duration missions so that they can develop preventive and real-time countermeasures to behavioral health issues. While space travellers are very interested in having countermeasures to the deleterious effects of space missions, they have a powerful disincentive to participate in this research if they feel it could in any way negatively affect their flight status. The behavioral issues of isolation and confinement for extended-duration space missions are reviewed. Areas of basic and clinical behavioral research are listed. And the classical clinical model for research is not considered appropriate for the current configuration of the space program. The use of analogue environments and advanced statistical analysis are suggested as ways to address the limited spaceflight research opportunities. The challenge of research subject or patient confidentiality vs. mission safety and issues of personal flight status are addressed.

Let's Talk About Water: Film as a Resource to Engage Audiences Around Earth Science Issues

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Clark, E.; Hooper, R. P.; Lilienfeld, L.

2017-12-01

Connecting a diverse audience to science can be challenging. Scientists generally publish their findings in ways that are not easily accessible to audiences outside of the science community and translating findings for wider consumption requires a mindful balance of generalization and accuracy. In response to these communication challenges, the Consortium of Universities for the Advancement of Hydrologic Science, Inc. (CUAHSI) developed the Let's Talk About Water (LTAW) program as a formula for hosting successful events for Earth Science education. The program uses film as a bridge to open a discussion between scientists and the audience. In this setting, films are powerful educational tools because they use storytelling to engage audiences emotionally, which creates relatable, teachable moments. Originally designed to bring awareness to water issues, the formula can easily be applied to increase literacy on climate change and other critical Earth Science issues facing society. This presentation will discuss the LTAW event formula and the resources that CUAHSI has available to support event organizers in the development of their own LTAW events.

Human behavioral research in space: quandaries for research subjects and researchers.

PubMed

Shepanek, Marc

2005-06-01

With the advent of long-duration spaceflight on board the International Space Station (ISS) and possible future missions beyond low Earth orbit (LEO) such as Mars, it is critical that those at NASA have a realistic assessment of the challenges that will face individuals on long-duration missions so that they can develop preventive and real-time countermeasures to behavioral health issues. While space travellers are very interested in having countermeasures to the deleterious effects of space missions, they have a powerful disincentive to participate in this research if they feel it could in any way negatively affect their flight status. The behavioral issues of isolation and confinement for extended-duration space missions are reviewed. Areas of basic and clinical behavioral research are listed. And the classical clinical model for research is not considered appropriate for the current configuration of the space program. The use of analogue environments and advanced statistical analysis are suggested as ways to address the limited spaceflight research opportunities. The challenge of research subject or patient confidentiality vs. mission safety and issues of personal flight status are addressed.

Workforce Issues Facing HRD.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

1995

These four papers are from a symposium facilitated by Eugene Andette on work force issues facing human resources development (HRD) at the 1995 Academy of Human Resource Development conference. "Meaning Construction and Personal Transformation: Alternative Dimensions of Job Loss" (Terri A. Deems) reports a study conducted to explore the ways…

Teaching Sustainability from a Scientific Standpoint at the Introductory Level

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Campbell-Stone, E.; Myers, J. D.

2008-12-01

In recent decades, humankind has recognized that current levels of resource utilization are seriously impacting our planet's life support systems and threatening the ability of future generations to provide for themselves. The concept of sustainability has been promoted by a variety of national and international organizations as a method to devise ways to adjust humanity's habits and consumption to levels that can be maintained over the long term, i.e. sustained. Courses on sustainability are being offered at many universities and colleges, but most are taught outside of science departments; they are often designed around policy concerns or focus primarily on environmental impacts while neglecting the science of sustainability. Because the three foundations necessary to implement sustainability are sustainability governance, sustainability accounting, and sustainability science, it is imperative that science departments play an active role in preparing citizens and professionals for dealing with sustainability issues. The geosciences are one of the scientific disciplines that offer a logical foundation from which to teach sustainability science. Geoscientists can also offer a unique and relevant geologic perspective on sustainability issues. The authors have developed an introductory, interdisciplinary course entitled 'Global Sustainability: Managing Earth's Resources' that integrates scientific disciplines in the examination of real world sustainability issues. In-depth understanding of physical, Earth and biological science principles are necessary for students to identify the limits and constraints imposed on important issues facing modern society, e.g. water, energy, population growth, etc. This course exposes students to all the scientific principles that apply directly to sustainability. The subject allows the instructors to present open-ended, multifaceted and complex problems relevant to today's industrialized and globalized world, and it encourages students to think critically about global, national, and local issues. The course utilizes a lecture/lab format; lecture concentrates on the content of sustainability and lab offers students an opportunity to apply what they have learned to actual case studies (context). Students follow a variety of Earth resources from formation to extraction to processing to production to disposal/recycling. At each stage, students examine the relevant science, economics, policies, and environmental impact. Sustainability issues clearly demonstrate the relevance of scientific content and quantitative reasoning to real-world problems of energy, pollution, water, and climate change, and they also provide meaning and context to critical thinking and problem-solving. The integrated and interdisciplinary approach builds bridges between the natural and social sciences and benefits both STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) and non-STEM students. Non-STEM students learn through practice and application how science, engineering and technology are fundamental to solving many of the problems societies face, and STEM students discover that those fields cannot operate independently from issues of culture, economics, and politics. By having STEM and non-STEM students work in groups on global sustainability problems, the course helps to lower the barriers between the disciplines and promotes comprehensive and multifaceted examination of societal issues at many levels.

Effects of Face-to-Face and Computer-Mediated Constructive Controversy on Social Interdependence, Motivation, and Achievement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Roseth, Cary J.; Saltarelli, Andy J.; Glass, Chris R.

2011-01-01

Cooperative learning capitalizes on the relational processes by which peers promote learning, yet it remains unclear whether these processes operate similarly in face-to-face and online settings. This study addresses this issue by comparing face-to-face and computer-mediated versions of "constructive controversy", a cooperative learning procedure…

A comparison of ethical issues in nursing practice across nursing units.

PubMed

Park, Mihyun; Jeon, Sang Hee; Hong, Hyun-Ja; Cho, Sung-Hyun

2014-08-01

The complexity and variety of ethical issues in nursing is always increasing, and those issues lead to special concerns for nurses because they have critical impacts on nursing practice. The purpose of this study was to gather comprehensive information about ethical issues in nursing practice, comparing the issues in different types of nursing units including general units, oncology units, intensive care units, operating rooms, and outpatient departments. The study used a descriptive research design. Ethics/human rights issues encountered by nurses in their daily nursing practice were identified by using the Ethical Issues Scale. The study sample included 993 staff nurses working in a university hospital in South Korea. This study was approved by the University Institutional Review Board. Completed questionnaires were returned sealed with signed informed consent. The most frequently and disturbingly encountered issues across nursing units were "conflicts in the nurse-physician relationship," "providing care with a possible risk to your health," and "staffing patterns that limit patient access to nursing care." The findings of this study showed that nurses from different nursing units experienced differences in the types or frequency of ethical issues. In particular, intensive care units had the greatest means of all the units in all three component scales including end-of-life treatment issues, patient care issues, and human rights issues. Nurses experienced various ethical challenges in their daily practice. Of the ethical issues, some were distinctively and frequently experienced by nurses in a specific unit. This study suggested that identifying and understanding specific ethical issues faced by nurses in their own areas may be an effective educational approach to motivate nurses and to facilitate nurses' reflection on their experiences. © The Author(s) 2014.

Ethical learning on international medical electives: a case-based analysis of medical student learning experiences.

PubMed

Bowsher, Gemma; Parry-Billings, Laura; Georgeson, Anna; Baraitser, Paula

2018-04-11

Students on international medical electives face complex ethical issues when undertaking clinical work. The variety of elective destinations and the culturally specific nature of clinical ethical issues suggest that pre-elective preparation could be supplemented by in-elective support. An online, asynchronous, case-based discussion was piloted to support ethical learning on medical student electives. We developed six scenarios from elective diaries to stimulate peer-facilitated discussions during electives. We evaluated the transcripts to assess whether transformative, experiential learning took place, assessing specifically for indications that 1) critical reflection, 2) reflective action and 3) reflective learning were taking place. We also completed a qualitative thematic content analysis of the discussions. Of forty-one extended comments, nine responses showed evidence of transformative learning (Mezirow stage three). The thematic analysis identified five themes: adopting a position on ethical issues without overt analysis; presenting issues in terms of their effects on students' ability to complete tasks; describing local contexts and colleagues as "other"; difficulty navigating between individual and structural issues, and overestimation of the impact of individual action on structures and processes. Results suggest a need to: frame ethical learning on elective so that it builds on earlier ethical programmes in the curriculum, and encourages students to adopt structured approaches to complex ethical issues including cross-cultural negotiation and to enhance global health training within the curriculum.

Army Communicator. Volume 32, Number 3, Summer 2007

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-01-01

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

Passing the Baton: An Experimental Study of Shift Handover

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Parke, Bonny; Hobbs, Alan; Kanki, Barbara

2010-01-01

Shift handovers occur in many safety-critical environments, including aviation maintenance, medicine, air traffic control, and mission control for space shuttle and space station operations. Shift handovers are associated with increased risk of communication failures and human error. In dynamic industries, errors and accidents occur disproportionately after shift handover. Typical shift handovers involve transferring information from an outgoing shift to an incoming shift via written logs, or in some cases, face-to-face briefings. The current study explores the possibility of improving written communication with the support modalities of audio and video recordings, as well as face-to-face briefings. Fifty participants participated in an experimental task which mimicked some of the critical challenges involved in transferring information between shifts in industrial settings. All three support modalities, face-to-face, video, and audio recordings, reduced task errors significantly over written communication alone. The support modality most preferred by participants was face-to-face communication; the least preferred was written communication alone.

Civil Rights Issues Facing Arab Americans in Michigan.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Michigan State Advisory Committee to the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights.

This report is a summary statement of the Michigan Advisory Committee's study on civil rights issues facing Arab American communities in Michigan. It is based on information received by the Committee at a community forum held in Dearborn, Michigan, in 1999. Six sections focus on: (1) "Introduction," including Arab American demographics…

The Importance of Exposure in Addressing Current and Emerging Air Quality Issues

EPA Science Inventory

The air quality issues that we face today and will face in the future are becoming increasingly more complex and require an improved understanding of human exposure to be effectively addressed. The objectives of this paper are (1) to discuss how concepts of human exposure and ex...

Review of Issues Facing Congress. News from Capitol Hill.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Heinz, Ann Simeo

2001-01-01

Discusses various topics that have faced the 107th U.S. Congress, such as tax cuts, judicial appointments, domestic issues, patients' bill of rights, stem cell research, election law, and campaign finance reform. Includes information on U.S. Senate and federal judicial appointments. Provides ideas for student learning activities. (CMK)

Workforce Issues Facing HRD. [Concurrent Symposium Session at AHRD Annual Conference, 1997.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

1997

This document contains three papers from a symposium on work force issues facing human resource development (HRD). "Diversity Management in Nonprofit Women's Health Care Settings: A Qualitative Study of Race, Class, and Gender Influences" (Camille A. Cordak) demonstrates which organizational activities support diversity and how an…

Outsourcing issues for nurse practitioner practices.

PubMed

Mackey, Thomas A; McNiel, Nancy O; Klingensmith, Kenneth

2004-01-01

Nurse practitioner managed practices face multiple business and clinical processes. While most practice managers are prepared as clinicians, they are not well prepared to deal with the daily multiple business infrastructure issues they face. To provide for increased efficiency and effectiveness, nurse practitioner practices should consider outsourcing context business functions.

Relational Memory Is Evident in Eye Movement Behavior despite the Use of Subliminal Testing Methods.

PubMed

Nickel, Allison E; Henke, Katharina; Hannula, Deborah E

2015-01-01

While it is generally agreed that perception can occur without awareness, there continues to be debate about the type of representational content that is accessible when awareness is minimized or eliminated. Most investigations that have addressed this issue evaluate access to well-learned representations. Far fewer studies have evaluated whether or not associations encountered just once prior to testing might also be accessed and influence behavior. Here, eye movements were used to examine whether or not memory for studied relationships is evident following the presentation of subliminal cues. Participants assigned to experimental or control groups studied scene-face pairs and test trials evaluated implicit and explicit memory for these pairs. Each test trial began with a subliminal scene cue, followed by three visible studied faces. For experimental group participants, one face was the studied associate of the scene (implicit test); for controls none were a match. Subsequently, the display containing a match was presented to both groups, but now it was preceded by a visible scene cue (explicit test). Eye movements were recorded and recognition memory responses were made. Participants in the experimental group looked disproportionately at matching faces on implicit test trials and participants from both groups looked disproportionately at matching faces on explicit test trials, even when that face had not been successfully identified as the associate. Critically, implicit memory-based viewing effects seemed not to depend on residual awareness of subliminal scene cues, as subjective and objective measures indicated that scenes were successfully masked from view. The reported outcomes indicate that memory for studied relationships can be expressed in eye movement behavior without awareness.

Relational Memory Is Evident in Eye Movement Behavior despite the Use of Subliminal Testing Methods

PubMed Central

Nickel, Allison E.; Henke, Katharina; Hannula, Deborah E.

2015-01-01

While it is generally agreed that perception can occur without awareness, there continues to be debate about the type of representational content that is accessible when awareness is minimized or eliminated. Most investigations that have addressed this issue evaluate access to well-learned representations. Far fewer studies have evaluated whether or not associations encountered just once prior to testing might also be accessed and influence behavior. Here, eye movements were used to examine whether or not memory for studied relationships is evident following the presentation of subliminal cues. Participants assigned to experimental or control groups studied scene-face pairs and test trials evaluated implicit and explicit memory for these pairs. Each test trial began with a subliminal scene cue, followed by three visible studied faces. For experimental group participants, one face was the studied associate of the scene (implicit test); for controls none were a match. Subsequently, the display containing a match was presented to both groups, but now it was preceded by a visible scene cue (explicit test). Eye movements were recorded and recognition memory responses were made. Participants in the experimental group looked disproportionately at matching faces on implicit test trials and participants from both groups looked disproportionately at matching faces on explicit test trials, even when that face had not been successfully identified as the associate. Critically, implicit memory-based viewing effects seemed not to depend on residual awareness of subliminal scene cues, as subjective and objective measures indicated that scenes were successfully masked from view. The reported outcomes indicate that memory for studied relationships can be expressed in eye movement behavior without awareness. PMID:26512726

Insights into the unique functionality of inorganic micro/nanoparticles for versatile ultrasound theranostics.

PubMed

Qian, Xiaoqin; Han, Xiaoxia; Chen, Yu

2017-10-01

The clinical ultrasound (US)-based theranostic biomedicine suffers from the critical issue that traditional microbubbles (MBs) have lots of drawbacks such as low stability, large particle size, difficult structural control, etc. The unique composition, structure and functionality of inorganic micro/nanoplatforms have shown their great prospect for solving these critical issues and drawbacks of traditional organic MBs. This review summarizes and discusses the state-of-art development on exploring inorganic micro/nanoparticles for versatile US-based biomedical applications, ranging from US imaging, photoacoustic imaging, sonodynamic therapy, high intensity-focused US ablation and US-triggered chemotherapy. These inorganic micro/nanoplatforms include silica-based particles, Au, carbon nanotubes, TiO 2 , manganese oxide, iron oxide, Prussian blue, inorganic gas-generating nanoparticles and their versatile composite micro/nanosystems. Especially, their unique structure/composition-functionality relationships and biocompatibility/biosafety in US-based theranostics have been discussed and revealed in detail. Their facing challenges and future developments are finally discussed to promote their further clinical translations. It is highly expected that these inorganic micro/nanoplatforms will enter the clinical stage to benefit the personalized theranostics biomedicine based on their unique functionalities and high performance as necessarily required in US-based theranostics. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Ubiquitous Mobile Knowledge Construction in Collaborative Learning Environments

PubMed Central

Baloian, Nelson; Zurita, Gustavo

2012-01-01

Knowledge management is a critical activity for any organization. It has been said to be a differentiating factor and an important source of competitiveness if this knowledge is constructed and shared among its members, thus creating a learning organization. Knowledge construction is critical for any collaborative organizational learning environment. Nowadays workers must perform knowledge creation tasks while in motion, not just in static physical locations; therefore it is also required that knowledge construction activities be performed in ubiquitous scenarios, and supported by mobile and pervasive computational systems. These knowledge creation systems should help people in or outside organizations convert their tacit knowledge into explicit knowledge, thus supporting the knowledge construction process. Therefore in our understanding, we consider highly relevant that undergraduate university students learn about the knowledge construction process supported by mobile and ubiquitous computing. This has been a little explored issue in this field. This paper presents the design, implementation, and an evaluation of a system called MCKC for Mobile Collaborative Knowledge Construction, supporting collaborative face-to-face tacit knowledge construction and sharing in ubiquitous scenarios. The MCKC system can be used by undergraduate students to learn how to construct knowledge, allowing them anytime and anywhere to create, make explicit and share their knowledge with their co-learners, using visual metaphors, gestures and sketches to implement the human-computer interface of mobile devices (PDAs). PMID:22969333

Ubiquitous mobile knowledge construction in collaborative learning environments.

PubMed

Baloian, Nelson; Zurita, Gustavo

2012-01-01

Knowledge management is a critical activity for any organization. It has been said to be a differentiating factor and an important source of competitiveness if this knowledge is constructed and shared among its members, thus creating a learning organization. Knowledge construction is critical for any collaborative organizational learning environment. Nowadays workers must perform knowledge creation tasks while in motion, not just in static physical locations; therefore it is also required that knowledge construction activities be performed in ubiquitous scenarios, and supported by mobile and pervasive computational systems. These knowledge creation systems should help people in or outside organizations convert their tacit knowledge into explicit knowledge, thus supporting the knowledge construction process. Therefore in our understanding, we consider highly relevant that undergraduate university students learn about the knowledge construction process supported by mobile and ubiquitous computing. This has been a little explored issue in this field. This paper presents the design, implementation, and an evaluation of a system called MCKC for Mobile Collaborative Knowledge Construction, supporting collaborative face-to-face tacit knowledge construction and sharing in ubiquitous scenarios. The MCKC system can be used by undergraduate students to learn how to construct knowledge, allowing them anytime and anywhere to create, make explicit and share their knowledge with their co-learners, using visual metaphors, gestures and sketches to implement the human-computer interface of mobile devices (PDAs).

Agency, Socialization, and Support: A Critical Review of Doctoral Student Attrition

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rigler, Kenneth L., Jr.; Bowlin, Linda K.; Sweat, Karen; Watts, Stephen; Throne, Robin

2017-01-01

Almost universally, residential doctoral programs have reported attrition rates of up to 50% for face-to-face programs and 50-70% for online doctoral programs. The purpose of this critical review was to explore current literature for doctoral attrition and persistence to explore reasons and attributes for improved persistence to completion. We…

ETR CRITICAL FACILITY (ETRCF), TRA654. SOUTH SIDE. CAMERA FACING NORTH ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

ETR CRITICAL FACILITY (ETR-CF), TRA-654. SOUTH SIDE. CAMERA FACING NORTH AND ROLL-UP DOOR. ORIGINAL SIDING HAS BEEN REPLACED WITH STUCCO-LIKE MATERIAL. INL NEGATIVE NO. HD46-40-1. Mike Crane, Photographer, 4/2005 - Idaho National Engineering Laboratory, Test Reactor Area, Materials & Engineering Test Reactors, Scoville, Butte County, ID

Development of activities to promote the interest in science and technology in elementary and middle school students

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sicardi-Segade, A.; Campos-Mejía, A.; Solano, C.

2016-09-01

Innovation through science and technology will be essential to solve important challenges humanity will have to face in the years to come, regarding clean energies, food quality, medicine, communications, etc. To deal with these important issues, it is necessary to promote STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) education in children. In this work, we present the results of the strategies that we have implemented to increase the elementary and middle school students interest in science and technology by means of activities that allow them to use and develop their creativity, team work, critical thinking, and the use of the scientific method and the engineering design process.

Materials Lifecycle and Environmental Consideration at NASA

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Clark-Ingram, Marceia

2010-01-01

The aerospace community faces tremendous challenges with continued availability of existing material supply chains during the lifecycle of a program. Many obsolescence drivers affect the availability of materials: environmental safety ahd health regulations, vendor and supply economics, market sector demands,and natural disasters. Materials selection has become increasingly more critical when designing aerospace hardware. NASA and DoD conducted a workshop with subject matter experts to discuss issues and define solutions for materials selections during the lifecycle phases of a product/system/component. The three primary lifecycle phases were: Conceptualization/Design, Production & Sustainment, and End of life / Reclamation. Materials obsolescence and pollution prevention considerations were explored for the aforementioned lifecycle phases. The recommended solutions from the workshop are being presented.

Physician leaders of medical groups face increasing challenges.

PubMed

Gerbarg, Zack

2002-10-01

Physician leadership has emerged as one of the biggest challenges and opportunities for medical group success. The environment for medical groups has become increasingly complex as the result of five major factors: 1) varying reimbursement methods, 2) growth in the size of groups, 3) technology investments, 4) sale and merger of groups, and 5) regulatory and legal issues. Striking the right balance between too little or too much physician involvement in leading medical groups is a key business decision. Most large, successful businesses view investment in their leaders as critical for success. Medical groups can learn from other businesses that investment in education, coaching, and succession planning for leaders is a key to long-term success.

First-principles study of solvent-solute mixed dumbbells in body-centered-cubic tungsten crystals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Suzudo, Tomoaki; Tsuru, Tomohito; Hasegawa, Akira

2018-07-01

Tungsten (W) is considered as a promising candidate for plasma-facing materials for future nuclear fusion devices, and selecting optimal alloying constituents is a critical issue to improve radiation resistance of the W alloys as well as to improve their mechanical properties. We conducted in the current study a series of first-principles calculations for investigating solvent-solute mixed dumbbells in W crystals. The results suggested that titanium (Ti), vanadium (V), and chromium (Cr) are favorable as solutes for W alloys from irradiation-effect perspectives because these elements are expected to promote vacancy-interstitial recombination without causing radiation-induced precipitation that reduces ductility of irradiated materials.

A self-report critical incident assessment tool for army night vision goggle helicopter operations.

PubMed

Renshaw, Peter F; Wiggins, Mark W

2007-04-01

The present study sought to examine the utility of a self-report tool that was designed as a partial substitute for a face-to-face cognitive interview for critical incidents involving night vision goggles (NVGs). The use of NVGs remains problematic within the military environment, as these devices have been identified as a factor in a significant proportion of aircraft accidents and incidents. The self-report tool was structured to identify some of the cognitive features of human performance that were associated with critical incidents involving NVGs. The tool incorporated a number of different levels of analysis, ranging from specific behavioral responses to broader cognitive constructs. Reports were received from 30 active pilots within the Australian Army using the NVG Critical Incident Assessment Tool (NVGCIAT). The results revealed a correspondence between specific types of NVG-related errors and elements of the Human Factors Analysis and Classification System (HFACS). In addition, uncertainty emerged as a significant factor associated with the critical incidents that were recalled by operators. These results were broadly consistent with previous research and provide some support for the utility of subjective assessment tools as a means of extracting critical incident-related data when face-to-face cognitive interviews are not possible. In some circumstances, the NVGCIAT might be regarded as a substitute cognitive interview protocol with some level of diagnosticity.

Families Facing the Nuclear Taboo.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jacobs, Judith Bula

1988-01-01

Discusses attitudes of 12 families participating in group which was formed to focus on issues related to the possibility of a nuclear disaster. Why and how these families are facing the nuclear taboo plus various outcomes of doing so are discussed as well as the role of the professional in encouraging such openness about these difficult issues.…

Emerging Issues, 2006. Policy Brief

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Howard, Mimi

2006-01-01

The Education Commission of the States (ECS) recently conducted analyses, interviews and a survey for a study designed to identify the most pressing early learning issues facing policymakers. The goal was to hear both from those who are faced with making decisions and from those who are on the ground conducting research and developing programs. To…

An Operational Commander’s Guide to Contractors on the Battlefield

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-05-10

Operational Law Handbook, Charlottesville, VA: 2005, 145. 12 R. R. Vernon, “Battlefield Contractors: Facing Tough Issues,” Public Contract Law Journal...Operations. Joint Pub 4-0. Washington, DC: 6 April 2000. Vernon, R. R. “Battlefield Contractors: Facing Tough Issues.” Public Contract Law Journal, Vol. 33 (Winter 2004): 404-421.

MO-FG-BRB-02: Debater [medical physics education

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

Hazle, J.

Building on the energy and excitement of Washington DC in a presidential election year, AAPM will host its own Presidential Debate to better understand the views of the AAPM membership! Past presidents of the AAPM, Drs. Bayouth, Hazle, Herman, and Seibert, will debate hot topics in medical physics including issues facing education, professional practice, and the advancement of science. The moderators, Drs. Brock and Stern, will also draw in topics from Point-Counterpoint articles from the Medical Physics Journals. Wrapping up the debate, the audience will have the opportunity to question the candidates in a town hall format. At the conclusionmore » of this lively debate, the winner will be decided by the audience, so bring your Audience Response Units! Be part of Medical Physics - Decision 2016! Learning Objectives: Understand AAPM members’ views and opinions on issues facing medical physics education Learn AAPM members’ views and opinions on issues facing professional practice Identify AAPM members’ view and opinions on issues facing the advancement of science in medical physics J. Bayouth, Funding support from NCI;Scientific Advisory Board member - ViewRay.« less

MO-FG-BRB-00: AAPM Presidential Debate [medical physics education

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

NONE

Building on the energy and excitement of Washington DC in a presidential election year, AAPM will host its own Presidential Debate to better understand the views of the AAPM membership! Past presidents of the AAPM, Drs. Bayouth, Hazle, Herman, and Seibert, will debate hot topics in medical physics including issues facing education, professional practice, and the advancement of science. The moderators, Drs. Brock and Stern, will also draw in topics from Point-Counterpoint articles from the Medical Physics Journals. Wrapping up the debate, the audience will have the opportunity to question the candidates in a town hall format. At the conclusionmore » of this lively debate, the winner will be decided by the audience, so bring your Audience Response Units! Be part of Medical Physics - Decision 2016! Learning Objectives: Understand AAPM members’ views and opinions on issues facing medical physics education Learn AAPM members’ views and opinions on issues facing professional practice Identify AAPM members’ view and opinions on issues facing the advancement of science in medical physics J. Bayouth, Funding support from NCI;Scientific Advisory Board member - ViewRay.« less

MO-FG-BRB-04: Debater [Medical physics education

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

Seibert, J.

Building on the energy and excitement of Washington DC in a presidential election year, AAPM will host its own Presidential Debate to better understand the views of the AAPM membership! Past presidents of the AAPM, Drs. Bayouth, Hazle, Herman, and Seibert, will debate hot topics in medical physics including issues facing education, professional practice, and the advancement of science. The moderators, Drs. Brock and Stern, will also draw in topics from Point-Counterpoint articles from the Medical Physics Journals. Wrapping up the debate, the audience will have the opportunity to question the candidates in a town hall format. At the conclusionmore » of this lively debate, the winner will be decided by the audience, so bring your Audience Response Units! Be part of Medical Physics - Decision 2016! Learning Objectives: Understand AAPM members’ views and opinions on issues facing medical physics education Learn AAPM members’ views and opinions on issues facing professional practice Identify AAPM members’ view and opinions on issues facing the advancement of science in medical physics J. Bayouth, Funding support from NCI;Scientific Advisory Board member - ViewRay.« less

MO-FG-BRB-01: Debater [medical physics education

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

Bayouth, J.

Building on the energy and excitement of Washington DC in a presidential election year, AAPM will host its own Presidential Debate to better understand the views of the AAPM membership! Past presidents of the AAPM, Drs. Bayouth, Hazle, Herman, and Seibert, will debate hot topics in medical physics including issues facing education, professional practice, and the advancement of science. The moderators, Drs. Brock and Stern, will also draw in topics from Point-Counterpoint articles from the Medical Physics Journals. Wrapping up the debate, the audience will have the opportunity to question the candidates in a town hall format. At the conclusionmore » of this lively debate, the winner will be decided by the audience, so bring your Audience Response Units! Be part of Medical Physics - Decision 2016! Learning Objectives: Understand AAPM members’ views and opinions on issues facing medical physics education Learn AAPM members’ views and opinions on issues facing professional practice Identify AAPM members’ view and opinions on issues facing the advancement of science in medical physics J. Bayouth, Funding support from NCI;Scientific Advisory Board member - ViewRay.« less

MO-FG-BRB-03: Debater [medical physics education

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

Herman, M.

Building on the energy and excitement of Washington DC in a presidential election year, AAPM will host its own Presidential Debate to better understand the views of the AAPM membership! Past presidents of the AAPM, Drs. Bayouth, Hazle, Herman, and Seibert, will debate hot topics in medical physics including issues facing education, professional practice, and the advancement of science. The moderators, Drs. Brock and Stern, will also draw in topics from Point-Counterpoint articles from the Medical Physics Journals. Wrapping up the debate, the audience will have the opportunity to question the candidates in a town hall format. At the conclusionmore » of this lively debate, the winner will be decided by the audience, so bring your Audience Response Units! Be part of Medical Physics - Decision 2016! Learning Objectives: Understand AAPM members’ views and opinions on issues facing medical physics education Learn AAPM members’ views and opinions on issues facing professional practice Identify AAPM members’ view and opinions on issues facing the advancement of science in medical physics J. Bayouth, Funding support from NCI;Scientific Advisory Board member - ViewRay.« less

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

PubMed

Abou-Gharbia, Magid; Childers, Wayne E

2013-07-25

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

The Impact of Recordings on Student Achievement in Critical Language Courses

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Scheyder, Elizabeth C.

2012-01-01

This study investigates the relationship between the use of classroom recordings and student achievement in critical foreign languages. Recording classrooms has become popular in recent years with the advent of digital media and inexpensive devices to play such files. It is now easy to create audio recordings of face-to-face classes and post them…

Critical Thinking of Young Citizens towards News Headlines in Chile

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vernier, Matthieu; Cárcamo, Luis; Scheihing, Eliana

2018-01-01

Strengthening critical thinking abilities of citizens in the face of news published on the web represents a key challenge for education. Young citizens appear to be vulnerable in the face of poor quality news or those containing non-explicit ideologies. In the field of data science, computational and statistical techniques have been developed to…

LPT. Low power test (TAN640) interior. Basement level. Camera facing ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

LPT. Low power test (TAN-640) interior. Basement level. Camera facing north. Cable trays and conduit cross tunnel between critical experiment cell and critical experiment control room. Construction 93% complete. Photographer: Jack L. Anderson. Date: October 23, 1957. INEEL negative no. 57-5339 - Idaho National Engineering Laboratory, Test Area North, Scoville, Butte County, ID

Facing Diabetes: What You Need to Know

MedlinePlus

... of this page please turn Javascript on. Feature: Diabetes Facing Diabetes: What You Need to Know Past Issues / Fall ... your loved ones. Photos: AP The Faces of Diabetes Diabetes strikes millions of Americans, young and old, ...

Face-to-face communication between patients and family physicians in Canada: A scoping review.

PubMed

Armas, Alana; Meyer, Samantha B; Corbett, Kitty K; Pearce, Alex R

2018-05-01

Patient-provider communication is critical in primary care. Canada's unique health system, population distribution, and cultural context suggest there is value in addressing the topic in the Canadian context. We conducted a scoping review to synthesize recent Canadian literature to inform practice in primary care settings and identify research agendas for patient-provider communication in Canada. Using Arksey and O'Malley's framework we searched four literature databases: Medline, Web of Science, CINAHL and EMBASE. We extracted 21,932 articles published between 2010 and 2017. A total of 108 articles met the inclusion criteria. The articles were analyzed qualitatively using thematic analysis to identify major themes. Four major themes were identified: information sharing, relationships, health system challenges, and development and use of communication tools. Our review identified a need for Canadian research regarding: communication in primary care with Aboriginal, immigrant, and rural populations; the impact of medical tourism on primary care; and how to improve communication to facilitate continuity of care. Challenges providers face in primary care in Canada include: communicating with linguistically and culturally diverse populations; addressing issues that emerge with the rise of medical tourism; a need for decision aids to improve communication with patients. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Comparing Online and Face-to-Face Instruction at a Large Virtual University: Data and Issues in the Measurement of Quality. AIR 2001 Annual Forum Paper.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wisan, Gail; Nazma, Shirin; Pscherer, Charles P., Jr.

The fiscal year 2000 Alumni Survey at a large, substantially online university was used to assess undergraduate students' satisfaction with both online and face-to-face academic quality and student services. Students who had taken online classes evaluated both their online and face-to-face classes. In addition, students who took only face-to-face…

Ethical challenges for accountable care organizations: a structured review.

PubMed

DeCamp, Matthew; Farber, Neil J; Torke, Alexia M; George, Maura; Berger, Zackary; Keirns, Carla C; Kaldjian, Lauris C

2014-10-01

Accountable care organizations (ACOs) are proliferating as a solution to the cost crisis in American health care, and already involve as many as 31 million patients. ACOs hold clinicians, group practices, and in many circumstances hospitals financially accountable for reducing expenditures and improving their patients' health outcomes. The structure of health care affects the ethical issues arising in the practice of medicine; therefore, like all health care organizational structures, ACOs will experience ethical challenges. No framework exists to assist key ACO stakeholders in identifying or managing these challenges. We conducted a structured review of the medical ACO literature using qualitative content analysis to inform identification of ethical challenges for ACOs. Our analysis found infrequent discussion of ethics as an explicit concern for ACOs. Nonetheless, we identified nine critical ethical challenges, often described in other terms, for ACO stakeholders. Leaders could face challenges regarding fair resource allocation (e.g., about fairly using ACOs' shared savings), protection of professionals' ethical obligations (especially related to the design of financial incentives), and development of fair decision processes (e.g., ensuring that beneficiary representatives on the ACO board truly represent the ACO's patients). Clinicians could perceive threats to their professional autonomy (e.g., through cost control measures), a sense of dual or conflicted responsibility to their patients and the ACO, or competition with other clinicians. For patients, critical ethical challenges will include protecting their autonomy, ensuring privacy and confidentiality, and effectively engaging them with the ACO. ACOs are not inherently more or less "ethical" than other health care payment models, such as fee-for-service or pure capitation. ACOs' nascent development and flexibility in design, however, present a time-sensitive opportunity to ensure their ethical operation, promote their success, and refine their design and implementation by identifying, managing, and conducting research into the ethical issues they might face.

Single-side conduction modeling for high heat flux coolant channels

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

Boyd, R.D. Sr.

In the development of plasma-facing components (PFCs), most investigators have erroneously postulated negligible water critical heat flux dependence on the coolant channel length-to-diameter (L/D) ratio above a constant value of L/D. Although encouraging results have been obtained in characterizing peaking factors for local two-dimensional boiling curves and critical heat flux, additional experimental data and theoretical model development are needed to validate the applicability to PFCs. Both these and related issues will affect the flow boiling correlation and data reduction associated with the development of PFCs for fusion reactors and other physical problems that are dependent on conduction modeling in themore » heat flux spectrum of applications. Both exact solutions and numerical conjugate analyses are presented for a one-side heated (OSH) geometry. The results show (a) the coexistence of three flow regimes inside an OSH circular geometry, (b) the correlational dependence of the inside wall heat flux and temperature, and (c) inaccuracies that could arise in some data reduction procedures.« less

AANA Journal course: update for nurse anesthetists--ERR WATCH: anesthesia crisis resource management from the nurse anesthetist's perspective.

PubMed

Fletcher, J L

1998-12-01

Anesthesia crisis resource management (ACRM) was developed by David Gaba, MD, and colleagues at Stanford University in the early 1990s. Derived from cockpit resource management of the aviation industry, ACRM addresses the issues of human performance and patient safety in anesthesia. Due to the inherent complexity of our dynamic work environment, we are frequently faced with situations that could escalate into critical incidents. ACRM explains the role of personal and environmental factors that can contribute to the evolution of critical incidents and provides the practitioner with some behavioral and intellectual guidelines to manage the risks more effectively. ERR WATCH is an acronym I developed to interpret the principles of ACRM from the nurse anesthetist's perspective. It provides a quick review of the major principles of ACRM, which are Environment, Resources, Reevaluation, Workload, Attention, Teamwork, Communication, and Help. Used together with good clinical management, these principles may provide an edge in solving complex problems and improving performance.

The Framing of Women and Health Disparities: A Critical Look at Race, Gender, and Class from the Perspectives of Grassroots Health Communicators.

PubMed

Vardeman-Winter, Jennifer

2017-05-01

As women's health has received significant political and media attention recently, I proposed an expanded structural theory of women's communication about health. Women's health communication and critical race and systemic racism research framed this study. I interviewed 15 communicators and community health workers from grass-roots organizations focused on women's health to learn of their challenges of communicating with women from communities experiencing health disparities. Findings suggest that communicators face difficulties in developing meaningful messaging for publics because of disjunctures between medical and community frames, issues in searching for health among women's many priorities, Whiteness discourses imposed on publics' experiences, and practices of correcting for power differentials. A structural theory of women's health communication, then, consists of tenets around geographic, research/funding, academic/industry, and social hierarchies. Six frames suggesting racial biases about women and health disparities are also defined. This study also includes practical solutions in education, publishing, and policy change for addressing structural challenges.

Neuroimaging in aphasia treatment research: Consensus and practical guidelines for data analysis

PubMed Central

Meinzer, Marcus; Beeson, Pélagie M.; Cappa, Stefano; Crinion, Jenny; Kiran, Swathi; Saur, Dorothee; Parrish, Todd; Crosson, Bruce; Thompson, Cynthia K.

2012-01-01

Functional magnetic resonance imaging is the most widely used imaging technique to study treatment-induced recovery in post-stroke aphasia. The longitudinal design of such studies adds to the challenges researchers face when studying patient populations with brain damage in cross-sectional settings. The present review focuses on issues specifically relevant to neuroimaging data analysis in aphasia treatment research identified in discussions among international researchers at the Neuroimaging in Aphasia Treatment Research Workshop held at Northwestern University (Evanston, Illinois, USA). In particular, we aim to provide the reader with a critical review of unique problems related to the pre-processing, statistical modeling and interpretation of such data sets. Despite the fact that data analysis procedures critically depend on specific design features of a given study, we aim to discuss and communicate a basic set of practical guidelines that should be applicable to a wide range of studies and useful as a reference for researchers pursuing this line of research. PMID:22387474

Friending, IMing, and Hanging out Face-to-Face: Overlap in Adolescents' Online and Offline Social Networks

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Reich, Stephanie M.; Subrahmanyam, Kaveri; Espinoza, Guadalupe

2012-01-01

Many new and important developmental issues are encountered during adolescence, which is also a time when Internet use becomes increasingly popular. Studies have shown that adolescents are using these online spaces to address developmental issues, especially needs for intimacy and connection to others. Online communication with its potential for…

2009 Division 35 Presidential Address: Feminist Psychology and Women with Disabilities--An Emerging Alliance

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Banks, Martha E.

2010-01-01

This article is an application of the "Guidelines for Psychological Practice with Girls and Women" to psychological issues faced by Women with Disabilities. It includes culture-specific issues faced by Women with Disabilities, the multiple roles of Women with Disabilities, the importance of informal support systems, and the intersection between…

Conflict in Multiculturalism Classes: Too Much Heat or Too Little?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Meacham, Jack

1995-01-01

The issues that arise in a college course on multiculturalism can touch students very personally and may be a first opportunity for many students to talk face-to-face about important social issues. Anticipating when students may become defensive, angry, hurt, or when conflict might erupt will help faculty know when to lower or raise the…

Psychosocial Crises of Older Men.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Solomon, Kenneth

Retirement is a major issue facing the older American man. Not only must he give up his work, a source of identity and self-esteem, the retiree must also face new relationships with his spouse, children, and peers; and he must learn to use leisure time appropriately. Widowerhood is a second major issue. Aside from deep emotional loss, the widower…

As the World Turns: The Shifting Developmental Issues Facing Today's College Man, Part II.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Franklin, E. Bernard

1997-01-01

Discusses issues facing black male college students, and ways colleges and universities can support their growth more effectively. Identifies and explores students' unmet needs: to feel loved, feel accepted, feel competent, have power, resolve pain and anger from lack of appropriate male guidance, find meaning and purpose in life's struggles, and…

Physics Matters: An Introduction to Conceptual Physics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Trefil, James; Hazen, Robert M.

2003-12-01

From amusement park rides to critical environmental issues such as energy generation-physics affects almost every aspect of our world. In PHYSICS MATTERS, James Trefil and Robert Hazen examine the fundamental physics principles at work behind the many practical applications that fuel our society and individual lives. Their goal is to promote a deeper understanding of how the great ideas of physics connect to form a much larger understanding of the universe in which we live. Highlights Helps readers build a general knowledge of key ideas in physics and their connection to technology and other areas of science. Promotes an appreciation of what science is, how scientific knowledge is developed, and how it differs from other intellectual activities. Examines modern technologies, including GPS, the Internet, and information technologies, as well as medical technologies, such as MRI, PET scans, CAT scans, and radioisotope tracers. Explores key issues facing the world today, such as global warning, nuclear waste, and government funding for research.

Physics Matters: An Introduction to Conceptual Physics, Activity Book

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Trefil, James; Hazen, Robert M.

2004-02-01

From amusement park rides to critical environmental issues such as energy generation-physics affects almost every aspect of our world. In PHYSICS MATTERS, James Trefil and Robert Hazen examine the fundamental physics principles at work behind the many practical applications that fuel our society and individual lives. Their goal is to promote a deeper understanding of how the great ideas of physics connect to form a much larger understanding of the universe in which we live. Highlights Helps readers build a general knowledge of key ideas in physics and their connection to technology and other areas of science. Promotes an appreciation of what science is, how scientific knowledge is developed, and how it differs from other intellectual activities. Examines modern technologies, including GPS, the Internet, and information technologies, as well as medical technologies, such as MRI, PET scans, CAT scans, and radioisotope tracers. Explores key issues facing the world today, such as global warning, nuclear waste, and government funding for research.

[Issues Related to Screening and Caring for Newborns With Hearing Impairments].

PubMed

Liou, Mei-Show; Tsao, Ying

2016-12-01

The critical period for auditory development in humans begins at around the 20th gestational week and continues until 3 years of age. Both genetic and environmental factors are known to cause impaired hearing. Without early identification and intervention, hearing-impaired children face a high risk of experiencing significant difficulties with speech and language development, social behavior, and emotional functioning. Two types of commonly used hearing screening technologies include transient evoked otoacoustic emission (TEOAE) and automated auditory brainstem response (aABR). aABR is considered to have high sensitivity and specificity, to have a relatively low referral rate, and to generate a relatively low rate of false-positive results in identifying newborn hearing impairment. The present paper outlines the psychosocial issues that are commonly experienced by parents of hearing-impaired children. Parents and other family members may benefit from medical, financial, social, and education supports in order to facilitate their adjustment to this challenging situation. The relevant literature is reviewed and recommendations for improving care for this population are provided.

Atomic Oxygen Task

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hadaway, James B.

1997-01-01

This report details work performed by the Center for Applied Optics (CAO) at the University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH) on the contract entitled 'Atomic Oxygen Task' for NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center (contract NAS8-38609, Delivery Order 109, modification number 1). Atomic oxygen effects on exposed materials remain a critical concern in designing spacecraft to withstand exposure in the Low Earth Orbit (LEO) environment. The basic objective of atomic oxygen research in NASA's Materials & Processes (M&P) Laboratory is to provide the solutions to material problems facing present and future space missions. The objective of this work was to provide the necessary research for the design of specialized experimental test configurations and development of techniques for evaluating in-situ space environmental effects, including the effects of atomic oxygen and electromagnetic radiation on candidate materials. Specific tasks were performed to address materials issues concerning accelerated environmental testing as well as specifically addressing materials issues of particular concern for LDEF analysis and Space Station materials selection.

[Mass culling in the context of animal disease outbreaks--veterinarians caught between ethical issues and control policies].

PubMed

Hartnack, Sonja; Doherr, Marcus G; Grimm, Herwig; Kunzmann, Peter

2009-04-01

In recent years controversial discussions arose during major animal disease outbreaks in the EU about the ethical soundness of mass culling. In contrast to numerous publications about ethical issues and laboratory animals/animal experiments, literature concerning ethical deliberations in the case of mass culling as a means of outbreak control remain scarce. Veterinarians in charge of decision about and implementation of mass culling actions find themselves in an area of conflict in between the officially required animal disease control policy and a public that is increasingly critical. Those veterinarians are faced with the challenge to defend the relevant decisions against all stakeholders and also themselves. In this context an interdisciplinary workshop was initiated in Switzerland in October 2007 with ethicians and (official) veterinarians from Germany, Switzerland and Austria. With the aim to identify ethical components of animal disease control for official veterinarians, talks and moderated group discussions took place. This article summarizes selected discussion points and conclusions.

Carbon sequestration and its role in the global carbon cycle

USGS Publications Warehouse

McPherson, Brian J.; Sundquist, Eric T.

2009-01-01

For carbon sequestration the issues of monitoring, risk assessment, and verification of carbon content and storage efficacy are perhaps the most uncertain. Yet these issues are also the most critical challenges facing the broader context of carbon sequestration as a means for addressing climate change. In response to these challenges, Carbon Sequestration and Its Role in the Global Carbon Cycle presents current perspectives and research that combine five major areas: • The global carbon cycle and verification and assessment of global carbon sources and sinks • Potential capacity and temporal/spatial scales of terrestrial, oceanic, and geologic carbon storage • Assessing risks and benefits associated with terrestrial, oceanic, and geologic carbon storage • Predicting, monitoring, and verifying effectiveness of different forms of carbon storage • Suggested new CO2 sequestration research and management paradigms for the future. The volume is based on a Chapman Conference and will appeal to the rapidly growing group of scientists and engineers examining methods for deliberate carbon sequestration through storage in plants, soils, the oceans, and geological repositories.

Firearms injuries and deaths: a critical public health issue. American Medical Association Council on Scientific Affairs.

PubMed Central

1989-01-01

The prevention of firearm deaths and injuries is one of the most complex and controversial issues facing the public health profession in recent years. Laws have been enacted to control or discourage private gun ownership, and especially to eliminate guns from the hands of criminals, but the laws' effects in reducing crime and firearm-related injuries and deaths have been disappointing. Gunshot wounds are the 12th leading cause of death in the United States and more than half of all suicides are committed with guns. There are virtually no reliable data on the number of nonfatal firearm injuries. One of the most troubling aspects of handgun violence is that children often are the victims. Educational efforts have been attempted to promote the safer use of firearms, but they have not led to a significant reduction in the number of fatalities, since most firearm incidents are intended to do harm. PMID:2495544

Nature-based solutions for resilient landscapes and cities.

PubMed

Lafortezza, Raffaele; Chen, Jiquan; van den Bosch, Cecil Konijnendijk; Randrup, Thomas B

2017-12-04

Nature-based solutions (NBS) are increasingly applied to guide the design of resilient landscapes and cities to enable them to reach economic development goals with beneficial outcomes for the environment and society. The NBS concept is closely related to other concepts including sustainability, resilience, ecosystem services, coupled human and environment, and green (blue) infrastructure; however, NBS represent a more efficient and cost-effective approach to development than traditional approaches. The European Commission is actively engaged in investing in NBS as a driver in developing ecosystem services-based approaches throughout Europe and the world. The pool of knowledge and expertise presented in this Special Issue of Environmental Research highlights the applications of NBS as 'living' and adaptable tools to boost the capacity of landscapes and cities to face today's critical environmental, economic and societal challenges. Based on the literature and papers of this Special Issue, we propose five specific challenges for the future of NBS. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Considering Research Outcomes as Essential Tools for Medical Education Decision Making.

PubMed

Miller, Karen Hughes; Miller, Bonnie M; Karani, Reena

2015-11-01

As medical educators face the challenge of incorporating new content, learning methods, and assessment techniques into the curriculum, the need for rigorous medical education research to guide efficient and effective instructional planning increases. When done properly, well-designed education research can provide guidance for complex education decision making. In this Commentary, the authors consider the 2015 Research in Medical Education (RIME) research and review articles in terms of the critical areas in teaching and learning that they address. The broad categories include (1) assessment (the largest collection of RIME articles, including both feedback from learners and instructors and the reliability of learner assessment), (2) the institution's impact on the learning environment, (3) what can be learned from program evaluation, and (4) emerging issues in faculty development. While the articles in this issue are broad in scope and potential impact, the RIME committee noted few studies of sufficient rigor focusing on areas of diversity and diverse learners. Although challenging to investigate, the authors encourage continuing innovation in research focused on these important areas.

Health Reform and the Constitutionality of the Individual Mandate

PubMed Central

Lee, Jeffrey J.; Kelly, Deena; McHugh, Matthew D.

2012-01-01

The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) of 2010 is landmark legislation designed to expand access to health care for virtually all legal U.S. residents. A vital but controversial provision of the ACA requires individuals to maintain health insurance coverage or face a tax penalty—the individual mandate. We examine the constitutionality of the individual mandate by analyzing relevant court decisions. A critical issue has been defining the “activities” Congress is authorized to regulate. Some judges determined that the mandate was constitutional because the decision to go without health insurance, that is, to self-insure, is an activity with substantial economic effects within the overall scheme of the ACA. Opponents suggest that Congress overstepped its authority by regulating “inactivity,” that is, compelling people to purchase insurance when they otherwise would not. The U.S. Supreme Court is set to review the issues and the final ruling will shape the effectiveness of health reform. PMID:22454219

Advanced power assessment for Czech lignite, Task 3.6, Part 2. The 2nd international conference on energy and environment: Transitions in East Central Europe

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

Sondreal, E.A.; Mann, M.D.; Weber, G.W.

1995-12-01

On November 1-5, 1994, the Energy & Environmental Research Center (EERC) and Power Research Institute of Prague cosponsored their second conference since 1991 in the Czech Republic, entitled ``Energy and Environment: Transitions in East Central Europe.`` This conference was a continuation of the EERC`s joint commitment, initiated in 1190, to facilitate solutions to short- and long-term energy and environmental problems in East Central Europe. Production of energy from coal in an environmentally acceptable manner is a critical issue facing East Central Europe, because the region continues to rely on coal as its primary energy source. The goal of the conferencemore » was to develop partnerships between industry, government, and the research community in East Central Europe and the United States to solve energy and environmental issues in a manner that fosters economic development. Among the topics addressed at the conference were: conventional and advanced energy generation systems; economic operation of energy systems; air pollution controls; power system retrofitting and repowering, financing options; regulatory issues; energy resource options; waste utilization and disposal; and long-range environmental issues. Selected papers in the proceedings have been processed separately for inclusion in the Energy Science and Technology database.« less

Current issues in Scandinavian acute psychiatric wards.

PubMed

Ruud, Torleif; Lindefors, Nils; Lindhardt, Anne

2006-01-01

The aim of the paper is to provide an overview of some of the most important issues faced by acute inpatient facilities in three Scandinavian countries, including reflections and critical remarks for discussion in this field. Information was drawn from scientific articles and official reports published in recent years, as well as the authors' own knowledge of acute facilities in their home countries. Acute inpatient facilities, including General Hospital Psychiatric Units (GHPUs), in all Scandinavian countries have several issues and problems in common, which include the organisation and capacity of acute services, the assessment of dangerousness and suicidality, the use of coercion and efforts to reduce coercion, the need to define and improve the quality of acute services, and the necessity to improve collaboration and continuity between acute services and other services. Although the emphasis some of these issues receive can vary across the three countries, Scandinavian mental health professionals (and policy makers) have begun to systematically share their experiences in developing a growing spirit of collaboration. Despite the role of welfare state and the deployment of substantial resources in Scandinavian countries, mental health practitioners are struggling to implement best practices in acute wards, to develop differentiated forms of acute services, and to reach the right balance and coordination between acute services and other services.

Guiding the Next Generation of Forest FACE Experiments with Lessons from the Past

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Norby, Richard

2016-04-01

The free air CO2 enrichment (FACE) experiments that were initiated in forest ecosystems 20 years ago represented a large commitment of time and energy of many students, early career, and senior scientists, and they were a substantial investment of funding from government science agencies. The experiments produced hundreds of primary research papers and dozens of synthesis and review papers, so it is highly appropriate to ask: What did we learn from this enterprise about how trees and forests will respond to an ever increasing concentration of CO2 in the atmosphere? The diversity of sites and species preclude any single, simple answer. Nevertheless, the FACE experiments were successful in building upon earlier, smaller scale elevated CO2 experiments to provide the data needed to evaluate hypotheses derived from past results, and they provided novel insights into the ecological mechanisms controlling the cycling and storage of carbon in terrestrial ecosystems. Important lessons include: (1) Net primary productivity is increased by elevated CO2, but the response can diminish over time. (2) Carbon accumulation is driven by the distribution of carbon among plant and soil components with differing turnover rates and by interactions between the carbon and nitrogen cycles. (3) Plant community structure may change, but elevated CO2 has only minor effects on microbial community structure. However, despite these insights, the size and longevity of forests preclude experimental evaluation, even in decade-long experiments, of the critical global-scale issues associated with forest responses to rising atmospheric CO2 concentration and the feedbacks provided to the climate system. Instead, we must rely on models that simulate the exchange of carbon, water, and energy in the terrestrial biosphere. An important objective of FACE experiments has always been to provide data and evaluation tools for ecosystem models and thereby contribute to our ability to project how ecosystems will respond to future CO2 concentrations. The FACE model-data synthesis (FACE-MDS) project challenged 11 terrestrial ecosystem models with data from the Oak Ridge National Laboratory FACE experiment in Tennessee, USA, and Duke FACE in North Carolina, USA. This exercise was valuable in identifying critical model assumptions and evaluating whether the assumptions were supported by the experimental data, and it provided a framework to evaluate forest processes that occur over much longer time frames than the duration of the experiments. The next generation of forest FACE experiments will greatly expand the breadth of our knowledge base on responses to elevated CO2 by investigating responses of mature forest ecosystems in boreal to tropical biomes over a wide range of climatic and edaphic conditions. Our experience with the FACE-MDS has shown the value in initiating the model-data interaction as an integral part of experimental design. The FACE-MDS framework has led to a set of model-guided, cross-site science questions for new FACE experiments, including responses of mature forests; interactions with temperature, water stress, and phosphorus limitation; and the influence of biodiversity. This sets an exciting research agenda for the next decade.

Face-Likeness and Image Variability Drive Responses in Human Face-Selective Ventral Regions

PubMed Central

Davidenko, Nicolas; Remus, David A.; Grill-Spector, Kalanit

2012-01-01

The human ventral visual stream contains regions that respond selectively to faces over objects. However, it is unknown whether responses in these regions correlate with how face-like stimuli appear. Here, we use parameterized face silhouettes to manipulate the perceived face-likeness of stimuli and measure responses in face- and object-selective ventral regions with high-resolution fMRI. We first use “concentric hyper-sphere” (CH) sampling to define face silhouettes at different distances from the prototype face. Observers rate the stimuli as progressively more face-like the closer they are to the prototype face. Paradoxically, responses in both face- and object-selective regions decrease as face-likeness ratings increase. Because CH sampling produces blocks of stimuli whose variability is negatively correlated with face-likeness, this effect may be driven by more adaptation during high face-likeness (low-variability) blocks than during low face-likeness (high-variability) blocks. We tested this hypothesis by measuring responses to matched-variability (MV) blocks of stimuli with similar face-likeness ratings as with CH sampling. Critically, under MV sampling, we find a face-specific effect: responses in face-selective regions gradually increase with perceived face-likeness, but responses in object-selective regions are unchanged. Our studies provide novel evidence that face-selective responses correlate with the perceived face-likeness of stimuli, but this effect is revealed only when image variability is controlled across conditions. Finally, our data show that variability is a powerful factor that drives responses across the ventral stream. This indicates that controlling variability across conditions should be a critical tool in future neuroimaging studies of face and object representation. PMID:21823208

Computer Software Training and HRD: What Are the Critical Issues?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Altemeyer, Brad

2005-01-01

The paper explores critical issues for HRD practice from a parsonian framework across the HRD legs of organizational development, adult learning, and training and development. Insights into the critical issues emerge from this approach. Identifying successful transfer of training to be critical for organizational, group, and individual success.…

Universal coverage challenges require health system approaches; the case of India.

PubMed

Duran, Antonio; Kutzin, Joseph; Menabde, Nata

2014-02-01

This paper uses the case of India to demonstrate that Universal Health Coverage (UHC) is about not only health financing; personal and population services production issues, stewardship of the health system and generation of the necessary resources and inputs need to accompany the health financing proposals. In order to help policy makers address UHC in India and sort out implementation issues, the framework developed by the World Health Organization (WHO) in the World Health Report 2000 and its subsequent extensions are advocated. The framework includes final goals, generic intermediate objectives and four inter-dependent functions which interact as a system; it can be useful by diagnosing current shortcomings and facilitating the filling up of gaps between functions and goals. Different positions are being defended in India re the preconditions for UHC to succeed. This paper argues that more (public) money will be important, but not enough; it needs to be supplemented with broad interventions at various health system levels. The paper analyzes some of the most important issues in relation to the functions of service production, generation of inputs and the necessary stewardship. It also pays attention to reform implementation, as different from its design, and suggests critical aspects emanating from a review of recent health system reforms. Precisely because of the lack of comparative reference for India, emphasis is made on the need to accompany implementation with analysis, so that the "solutions" ("what to do?", "how to do it?") are found through policy analysis and research embedded into flexible implementation. Strengthening "evidence-to-policy" links and the intelligence dimension of stewardship/leadership as well as accountability during implementation are considered paramount. Countries facing similar challenges to those faced by India can also benefit from the above approaches. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Niggers No More: A Critical Race Counternarrative on Black Male Student Achievement at Predominantly White Colleges and Universities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Harper, Shaun R.

2009-01-01

A methodological approach popularized by critical race theorists is used in this article to oppose dominant discourse concerning the social and educational status of Black men in America. Specifically, this counternarrative on student achievement was derived from face-to-face individual interviews with 143 Black male undergraduates at 30…

Perception and motivation in face recognition: a critical review of theories of the Cross-Race Effect.

PubMed

Young, Steven G; Hugenberg, Kurt; Bernstein, Michael J; Sacco, Donald F

2012-05-01

Although humans possess well-developed face processing expertise, face processing is nevertheless subject to a variety of biases. Perhaps the best known of these biases is the Cross-Race Effect--the tendency to have more accurate recognition for same-race than cross-race faces. The current work reviews the evidence for and provides a critical review of theories of the Cross-Race Effect, including perceptual expertise and social cognitive accounts of the bias. The authors conclude that recent hybrid models of the Cross-Race Effect, which combine elements of both perceptual expertise and social cognitive frameworks, provide an opportunity for theoretical synthesis and advancement not afforded by independent expertise or social cognitive models. Finally, the authors suggest future research directions intended to further develop a comprehensive and integrative understanding of biases in face recognition.

Ecosystems Vulnerability Challenge and Prize Competition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Smith, J. H.; Frame, M. T.; Ferriter, O.; Recker, J.

2014-12-01

Stimulating innovation and private sector entrepreneurship is an important way to advance the preparedness of communities, businesses and individuals for the impacts of climate change on certain aspects of ecosystems, such as: fire regimes; water availability; carbon sequestration; biodiversity conservation; weather-related hazards, and the spread of invasive species. The creation of tools is critical to help communities and natural resource managers better understand the impacts of climate change on ecosystems and the potential resulting implications for ecosystem services and conservation efforts. The Department of the Interior is leading an interagency effort to develop the Ecosystems Vulnerability theme as part of the President's Climate Action Plan. This effort will provide seamless access to relevant datasets that can help address such issues as: risk of wildfires to local communities and federal lands; water sensitivity to climate change; and understanding the role of ecosystems in a changing climate. This session will provide an overview of the proposed Ecosystem Vulnerability Challenge and Prize Competition, outlining the intended audience, scope, goals, and overall timeline. The session will provide an opportunity for participants to offer new ideas. Through the Challenge, access will be made available to critical datasets for software developers, engineers, scientists, students, and researchers to develop and submit applications addressing critical science issues facing our Nation today. Application submission criteria and guidelines will also be discussed. The Challenge will be open to all sectors and organizations (i.e. federal, non-federal, private sector, non-profits, and universities) within the United States. It is anticipated the Challenge will run from early January 2015 until spring of 2015.

Ethical and social issues in the care of the newborn.

PubMed

Singh, Meharban

2003-05-01

Ethical and social issues are based upon a system of moral values that serve the best interests of the society in a humane and compassionate manner. The ethical decisions should be based upon the well-enunciated principles of beneficence, non-maleficence, parental autonomy, correct medical facts and justice. In view of our economic constraints, we should follow the philosophy of utilatarian ethics based on the concept of "value for money" and focus our resources and efforts for the care of salvageable babies. Nevertheless, we should try to ensure equitable development of health care of neonates at all levels, and NICU facilities should be developed in the country in a phased manner. In order to ensure justice and cost-effectiveness, the narrow principles of "best interest" of the child should be replaced by the concept of global beneficence to the family, society and the state. Neonatologists are often faced with a large number of ethical issues and dilemmas in the care of critically sick newborn babies and they should be resolved jointly by taking nurses, sub-speciality colleagues and family members into confidence. The technology should not be allowed to further dehumanize medicine and we must establish rapport and provide emotional support to the family members by showing our concern, sympathy and compassion in the care of their critically sick and extremely preterm babies. It is desirable that all the medical and nursing schools in the country should initiate regular education programs in the field of behavioural sciences, communication techniques and medical ethics for the benefit of graduate and postgraduate medical and nursing students.

Effects of Synchronicity and Belongingness on Face-to-Face and Computer-Mediated Constructive Controversy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Saltarelli, Andy J.; Roseth, Cary J.

2014-01-01

Adapting face-to-face (FTF) pedagogies to online settings raises boundary questions about the contextual conditions in which the same instructional method stimulates different outcomes. We address this issue by examining FTF and computer-mediated communication (CMC) versions of constructive controversy, a cooperative learning procedure involving…

Hepatitis B virus infected physicians and disclosure of transmission risks to patients: A critical analysis

PubMed Central

Barrigar, Diana L; Flagel, David C; Upshur, Ross EG

2001-01-01

Background The potential for transmission of blood-borne pathogens such as hepatitis B virus from infected healthcare workers to patients is an important and difficult issue facing healthcare policymakers internationally. Law and policy on the subject is still in its infancy, and subject to a great degree of uncertainty and controversy. Policymakers have made few recommendations regarding the specifics of practice restriction for health care workers who are hepatitis B seropositive. Generally, they have deferred this work to vaguely defined "expert panels" which will have the power to dictate the conditions under which infected health care workers may continue to practice. Discussion In this paper we use recent Canadian policy statements as a critical departure point to propose more specific recommendations regarding disclosure of transmission risks in a way that minimizes practice restriction of hepatitis B seropositive health care workers without compromising patient safety. The range of arguments proposed in the literature are critically examined from the perspective of ethical analysis. Summary A process for considering the ethical implications of the disclosure of the sero-status of health care workers is advanced that considers the varied perspectives of different stakeholders. PMID:11716796

The problematization of medical tourism: a critique of neoliberalism.

PubMed

Smith, Kristen

2012-04-01

The past two decades have seen the extensive privatisation and marketisation of health care in an ever reaching number of developing countries. Within this milieu, medical tourism is being promoted as a rational economic development strategy for some developing nations, and a makeshift solution to the escalating waiting lists and exorbitant costs of health care in developed nations. This paper explores the need to problematize medical tourism in order to move beyond one dimensional neoliberal discourses that have, to date, dominated the arena. In this problematization, the paper discusses a range of understandings and uses of the term 'medical tourism' and situates it within the context of the neoliberal economic development of health care internationally. Drawing on theory from critical medical anthropology and health and human rights perspectives, the paper critically analyzes the assumed independence between the medical tourism industry and local populations facing critical health issues, where social, cultural and economic inequities are widening in terms of access, cost and quality of health care. Finally, medical tourism is examined in the local context of India, critiquing the increasingly indistinct roles played by government and private sectors, whilst linking these shifts to global market forces. © 2012 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Critical Issues in Early Childhood Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yelland, Nicola, Ed.

2005-01-01

This book examines critical issues in early childhood education across a broad range of contexts. The issues explored are not only critical in terms of being fundamental to early childhood education but they are also critical in that they present ideas and utilize frameworks which are not traditional to the field. The topics under review include…

Education Studies: Issues & Critical Perspectives

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kassem, Derek; Mufti, Emmanuel; Robinson, John

2006-01-01

This major text for Education Studies students provides a critical account of key issues in education today. The text features: (1) A critical analysis of key issues in Education Studies to encourage students' thinking about education in the broadest terms; (2) Themed sections with introductions to link the issues discussed in each chapter; (3)…

Morality Principles for Risk Modelling: Needs and Links with the Origins of Plausible Inference

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Solana-Ortega, Alberto; Solana, Vicente

2009-12-01

In comparison with the foundations of probability calculus, the inescapable and controversial issue of how to assign probabilities has only recently become a matter of formal study. The introduction of information as a technical concept was a milestone, but the most promising entropic assignment methods still face unsolved difficulties, manifesting the incompleteness of plausible inference theory. In this paper we examine the situation faced by risk analysts in the critical field of extreme events modelling, where the former difficulties are especially visible, due to scarcity of observational data, the large impact of these phenomena and the obligation to assume professional responsibilities. To respond to the claim for a sound framework to deal with extremes, we propose a metafoundational approach to inference, based on a canon of extramathematical requirements. We highlight their strong moral content, and show how this emphasis in morality, far from being new, is connected with the historic origins of plausible inference. Special attention is paid to the contributions of Caramuel, a contemporary of Pascal, unfortunately ignored in the usual mathematical accounts of probability.

Online vs. Face-to-Face Course Evaluations: Considerations for Administrators and Faculty

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Marzano, Michael P.; Allen, Robert

2016-01-01

The purpose of this study was to determine whether students evaluate courses differently, and perhaps more critically, when delivered online vs. face-to-face (F2F). Course evaluations are associated with the instructor that taught the course. Course evaluation continues to be a significant assessment vehicle of faculty performance used by many…

Face-to-Face versus Computer-Mediated Discussion of Teaching Cases: Impacts on Preservice Teachers' Engagement, Critical Analyses, and Self-Efficacy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

PytlikZillig, Lisa M.; Horn, Christy A.; Bruning, Roger; Bell, Stephanie; Liu, Xiongyi; Siwatu, Kamau O.; Bodvarsson, Mary C.; Kim, Doyoung; Carlson, Deborah

2011-01-01

Two frequently-used discussion protocols were investigated as part of a program to implement teaching cases in undergraduate educational psychology classes designed for preservice teachers. One protocol involved synchronous face-to-face (FTF) discussion of teaching cases, which occurred in class after students had individually completed written…

An Exploratory Multiple-Case Study of the Experiences of Participants in Self-Initiated Peer Support Groups among School Leaders

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

House, Collette R.

2016-01-01

School leaders commonly face issues of loneliness, isolation, burnout, and depression. The purpose of this qualitative multiple-case study was to explore self-initiated peer support group participation for professional impact and personal impact on school leaders facing issues of loneliness, isolation, stress, and burnout. This study provides an…

Last Breath: Art Therapy with a Lung Cancer Patient Facing Imminent Death

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Furman, Lisa R.

2011-01-01

Art therapy can be an effective way to focus on end of life issues with cancer patients facing imminent death. This viewpoint discusses ethical challenges in the treatment of a 63-year-old man with terminal lung cancer who was participating in short-term individual art therapy. Difficult issues that often surface in the final days of life may…

"What's Past Is Prologue": "English Journal" Roots of a Performance-Based Approach to Teaching Shakespeare

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Haughey, Joseph

2012-01-01

In scouring the earliest editions of "English Journal," one of the most fascinating details one uncovers is that the issues facing Shakespeare teachers today are similar to those issues that faced Shakespeare teachers 100 years ago. The earliest contributors to "English Journal" were far more in line with contemporary educational scholars than one…

Colleague 1990. An Annual Collection of Articles on Academic and Administrative Issues Facing Community Colleges of the State University of New York.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

State Univ. of New York, Albany.

Designed as a means of communicating creative ideas in community college education, this journal contains 12 articles on instructional and administrative issues facing the community colleges of the State University of New York. This collection includes the following: (1) "Egalitarian Education in an Elitist Environment," by Eduardo J.…

Migration of health workers in the Pacific Islands: a bottleneck to health development.

PubMed

Yamamoto, T S; Sunguya, B F; Shiao, L W; Amiya, R M; Saw, Y M; Jimba, M

2012-07-01

Human resources for health (HRH) are a crucial component of a well-functioning health system. Problems in the global HRH supply and distribution are an obstacle to achieving the health-related Millennium Development Goals and other health outcomes. The Pacific Island region, covering 20,000 to 30,000 islands in the South Pacific Ocean, is suffering a serious HRH crisis. Yet updated evidence and data are not available for the 22 Pacific Island Countries and Territories. The objective of this study was thus to explore the current HRH situation in the Pacific Island region, focusing particularly on the issue of health workforce migration. HRH trends and gaps differ by country, with some showing increases in HRH density over the past 20 years whereas others have made negligible progress. Currently, three Pacific Island countries are facing critical HRH shortages, a worsening of the situation from 2006, when HRH issues were first brought to widespread global attention. In this region, skilled personnel migration is a major issue contributing to the limited availability of HRH. Political commitment from source and destination countries to strengthen HRH would be a key factor toward increasing efforts to train new health personnel and to implement effective retention strategies.

Enhancing introductory hydrology curriculum by integrating perspectives from multi-disciplinary graduate fields of study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arnold, T. E.; Henson, W.; Reijo, C. J.; Laing, J.; Weinkam, G.

2015-12-01

A cross-disciplinary hydrology course was developed that combined field and classroom based techniques to educate undergraduate level students on issues related to water resources in Florida, USA. Six instructors from separate departments brought a different perspective, research experience, and view on water quality and quantity issues. The course progressed by examining hydrologic processes at different spatio-temporal scales beginning with the geologic scale (the formation of aquifers) and ending with present-day water management and policy concerns. We were challenged to introduce students from various academic backgrounds and levels to the core concepts of hydrology and water chemistry. Additionally, the instructors faced the task of making our research fit together seamlessly, such that one topic would naturally progress to the next topic. We ensured that students' knowledge progressed enough so they could address complex management issues through critical thinking and application of basic field techniques. It is our objective to share the experiences and challenges in developing an interdisciplinary course that: 1) introduced new research ideas and concepts from six separate fields, 2) enhanced lecture concepts by hands-on, field-based activities, and 3) would keep students from science and non-science backgrounds engaged and challenged but not overwhelmed.

Establishing HIV treatment as prevention in the HIV Prevention Trials Network 052 randomized trial: an ethical odyssey.

PubMed

Cohen, Myron S; McCauley, Marybeth; Sugarman, Jeremy

2012-06-01

Obtaining the definitive data necessary to determine the safety and efficacy of using antiretroviral treatment (ART) to reduce the sexual transmission of HIV in heterosexual couples encountered an array of ethical challenges that threatened to compromise HIV Prevention Trials Network (HPTN) 052, the multinational clinical trial addressing this issue that has profound public health implications. To describe and analyze the major ethical challenges faced in HPTN 052. The ethical issues and modifications of HPTN 052 in response to these issues were cataloged by the principal investigator, the lead coordinator, and the ethicist working on the trial. The major ethical issues that were unique to the trial were then described and analyzed in light of the published literature as well as guidances and policies. The ethical challenges that must be addressed in many clinical trials, such as those related to obtaining informed consent and making provisions for ancillary care, are not described. When HPTN 052 was being designed, ethical questions emerged related to the relevance of the research question itself given data from observational research and a range of beliefs about the appropriate means of preventing and treating HIV infection and AIDS. Furthermore, ethical challenges were faced regarding site selection since there was a scientific need to conduct the research in settings where HIV incidence was high, but alternatives to study participation should be available. As in most HIV-prevention research, ethical questions surrounded the determination of the appropriate prevention package for all of those enrolled. During the course of the trial, guidance documents and policies emerged that were of direct relevance to the research questions, calling for a balancing of concerns for the research subjects and trial integrity. When the study results were made public, there was a need to ensure access to the treatment shown to be effective that in some cases differed from the guidelines used at the sites where the research was being conducted. In addition, questions were raised about whether there was an obligation to notify subjects about 'unlinked' transmissions of HIV, that is, infections acquired from someone other than the designated sexual partner enrolled in the study. The ethical issues described are limited to those discerned by the authors and not those of other stakeholders who may have identified additional issues or had a different perspective in analyzing them. Understanding the ethical challenges faced in HPTN 052 promises to inform the design and conduct of future complex, long-term clinical trials aimed at addressing critical scientific and public health questions, where data and practice patterns emerge over the course of the trial.

Challenges in detecting drowsiness based on driver’s behavior

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Triyanti, V.; Iridiastadi, H.

2017-12-01

Drowsiness while driving has been a critical issue within the context of transportation safety. A number of approaches have been developed to reduce the risks of drowsy drivers. The mechanisms in detecting fatigue and sleepiness while driving has been categorized into three broad approaches, including vehicle-based, physiological-based, and behavior-based approaches. This paper will discuss recent studies in recognizing drowsy drivers based on their behaviors, particularly changes in eyes and facial characteristics. This paper will also address challenges in capturing aspects of natural expressions, driver responses, behavior, and task environment associated with sleepiness. Additionally, a number of technical aspects should be seriously considered, including correctly capturing face and eye characteristics from unwanted movements, unsuitable task environments, technological limitations, and individual differences.

Design requirements for plasma facing materials in ITER

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Matera, R.; Federici, G.; ITER Joint Central Team

1996-10-01

After the official approval of the Interim Design Report, the ITER project enters the final phase of the EDA. With the definition of the design requirements of the high heat flux components, the structural and armor materials' working domain is better specified, allowing to focus the R & D program on the most critical issues and to orient the design of divertor and first wall components towards those concepts which potentially have a better chance to withstand normal and off-normal operating conditions. Among the latter, slow, high-power, high recycling transient are at present driving the design of high heat flux components. Examples of possible design solution under experimental validation in the R & D program are presented and discussed in this paper.

Active aging for individuals with intellectual disability: meaningful community participation through employment, retirement, service, and volunteerism.

PubMed

Fesko, Sheila Lynch; Hall, Allison Cohen; Quinlan, Jerrilyn; Jockell, Catherine

2012-11-01

As individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities become more engaged in community employment, it will be critical to consider how their employment experience changes as they age. Similar to other seniors, individuals will need to consider whether they want to maintain their employment, reduce their work commitment, or retire completely. If they do choose to retire, what activities will they choose to engage in, and what service or supports might be necessary? This article considers the issues faced by all aging workers in regard to retirement planning and active aging as well as specific strategies for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities to remain active and engaged. Recommendations for service options, policy consideration, and future research are also discussed.

Eating disorders and the oral and maxillofacial surgeon.

PubMed

Blitz, Meredith; Rosen, David S

2010-11-01

Perhaps the most challenging of all patients seeking treatment with the oral and maxillofacial surgeon (OMS) are those with eating disorders (EDs). Complex psychiatric illnesses, with their associated and significant medical sequelae, make a thorough knowledge of these disorders critical in the approach, evaluation, treatment planning, and surgical outcome in this expanding population of patients. Whether surgery for patients with EDs is elective in nature or unplanned, challenges are faced in all aspects of their care, from diagnosis to preoperative preparation, surgery, and treatment. This article identifies and outlines issues of importance for the OMS when encountering patients with known or suspected EDs and provides guidance in the management of their outpatient or inpatient treatment. Copyright © 2010. Published by Elsevier Inc.

A new approach to design and use of management information.

PubMed

Daft, R L; MacIntosh, N B

1978-01-01

Information, that is both accurate and timely, is probably the most important resource needed by managers to make sound decisions regarding the problems and issues facing their organizations. Unfortunately, sophisticated information systems often fail to meet this need. Managers complain that the data produced by information systems arrive too late, are too general and lack accuracy. Daft and MacIntosh studied the system problems of a number of organizations, discovering that understanding their work activities is critical to the design of successful information systems. The authors also considered the volume of information, preciseness of information and the way in which it is handled by users to develop a model describing information systems. The article illustrates how the model was applied successfully to four case situations.

Use of Genetic Testing for Primary Immunodeficiency Patients.

PubMed

Heimall, Jennifer R; Hagin, David; Hajjar, Joud; Henrickson, Sarah E; Hernandez-Trujillo, Hillary S; Tan, Yuval; Kobrynski, Lisa; Paris, Kenneth; Torgerson, Troy R; Verbsky, James W; Wasserman, Richard L; Hsieh, Elena W Y; Blessing, Jack J; Chou, Janet S; Lawrence, Monica G; Marsh, Rebecca A; Rosenzweig, Sergio D; Orange, Jordan S; Abraham, Roshini S

2018-04-01

Genetic testing plays a critical role in diagnosis for many primary immunodeficiency diseases. The goals of this report are to outline some of the challenges that clinical immunologists face routinely in the use of genetic testing for patient care. In addition, we provide a review of the types of genetic testing used in the diagnosis of PID, including their strengths and limitations. We describe the strengths and limitations of different genetic testing approaches for specific clinical contexts that raise concern for specific PID disorders in light of the challenges reported by the clinical immunologist members of the CIS in a recent membership survey. Finally, we delineate the CIS's recommendations for the use of genetic testing in light of these issues.

Turning loss into legislation.

PubMed

Labella, Angelena; Singh, Devika

2008-06-01

Same-sex partnerships encounter tremendous challenges in the context of healthcare, including empowerment to act on behalf of loved ones. We share challenges faced by two women who confronted this issue head-on when their same-sex partners were critically, and, in one case, fatally, injured. In both cases, hospitals initially refused to recognize these women as next of kin; one woman endured years of legal battles in her struggle to win the right to care for her partner. The other testified about her heartrending experience before the Washington State Judiciary Committee, helping to inspire legislation regarding rights for visitation and end-of-life decisions on behalf of same-sex partners. We seek to remind health care providers of the limitations of current laws and to inspire them to support change.

Satellite cell therapy – from mice to men

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Satellite cells are rare mononuclear skeletal muscle-resident cells that are the chief contributors to regenerative myogenesis following muscle injury. Although first identified more than 50 years ago, it is only recently that the murine satellite cell has become molecularly defined with the ability to prospectively isolate these cells from their niche. Human satellite cells are considerably less well understood with relatively few studies having been performed on them. In this review, a critical evaluation of this literature is provided along with a discussion of the practical and methodological issues involved with research on human satellite cells. The therapeutic potential of these and other cells types is also discussed, and the various challenges that face satellite cell therapy are addressed. PMID:23369649

A Shortage of Medical Residency Positions: Parallels with Psychology.

PubMed

LaPaglia, Donna; Robiner, William N; Yozwiak, John A; Brosig, Cheryl; Cubic, Barbara; Leventhal, Gerald

2015-12-01

Physician shortages in the US are expected to intensify with the implementation of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. These shortages may negatively impact access to care, quality of care, and confidence in the system's ability to adequately provide for health needs in the US. Concerns regarding physician demand underscore how critical Graduate Medical Education funding is to preparing the physician workforce. In 2014 5.6 % of US medical school seniors did not match into residency. Psychology has faced longstanding training imbalance issues with a misalignment between the number of internship positions and the number of applicants. The authors summon attention to the damaging effects a training imbalance poses to a health care profession, its trainees, and ultimately the public it serves.

Q methodology: a new way of assessing employee satisfaction.

PubMed

Chinnis, A S; Summers, D E; Doerr, C; Paulson, D J; Davis, S M

2001-05-01

As yet another nursing shortage faces the country, the issue of the satisfaction of nurses again becomes of critical concern to nursing managers in the interest of staff retention. The authors describe the use of the statistical technique Q methodology to assess the needs of nurses and other medical staff at a level one, tertiary care emergency department in the United States. Using the Q method, the authors were able to identify different, unique viewpoints concerning employee needs among the study population, as well as commonly shared views. This level of detail, not obtainable using more traditional statistical techniques, can aid in the design of more effective strategies aimed at fulfilling the needs of an organization's staff to increase their satisfaction.

Using Opposing Slope Aspects to Understand Water and Energy Flow Controls on Critical Zone Architecture

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Anderson, S. P.; Barnhart, K. R.; Kelly, P. K.; Foster, M. A.; Langston, A. L.

2014-12-01

A long-standing problem is to understand how climate controls the structure of the critical zone, including the depth of weathering, thickness and character of soils, and morphology of hillslopes. We exploit microclimates on opposing aspects in a watershed in the Boulder Creek CZO to investigate the role of water and energy fluxes on development of critical zone architectures. The 2.6 km2 Gordon Gulch, located at ~2500 m a.s.l. at 40°N latitude, is elongated east-west, and consequently is predominantly composed of north and south-facing soil-mantled slopes, dotted with tors, developed on Precambrian gneiss. The depth to fresh rock ranges from about 8 to 12 m, and is up to 2 m deeper on north-facing slopes. In addition to greater thickness, weathered rock is measurably lower in tensile strength on north-facing slopes. While characteristics of weathered rock vary with aspect, the overlying mobile regolith is relatively uniform in thickness at ~0.5 m across the catchment, and its mineralogy shows only minor chemical alteration from parent rock. These features of the critical zone architecture arise in the face of systematic differences in energy and water delivery by aspect. About 40-50% of the ~500 mm annual precipitation is delivered as snow. During spring, the south-facing slopes receive up to 50% greater direct solar radiation than the north-facing slopes. Consequently, snow cover is ephemeral in the open Ponderosa forests on south-facing slopes, and soil wetting and drying events are frequent. Frost penetration is shallow, and short lived. On north-facing slopes, less direct radiation and a dense Lodgepole pine forest cover leads to snowpack retention. Soils are colder and soil moisture stays elevated for long periods in spring on these slopes. We postulate that deeper and more sustained frost penetration on north-facing slopes enhances the damage rate by frost cracking. Deeper water delivery further aids this process, and supports chemical alteration processes. The uniformity of mobile regolith depths suggests equal mobility on these slopes despite differing conditions.

Threats, conservation strategies, and prognosis for suckers (Catostomidae) in North America: insights from regional case studies of a diverse family of non-game fishes

USGS Publications Warehouse

Cooke, Steven J.; Bunt, Christopher M.; Hamilton, Steven J.; Jennings, Cecil A.; Pearson, Micheal P.; Cooperman, Michael S.; Markle, Douglas F.

2005-01-01

Catostomid fishes are a diverse family of 76+ freshwater species that are distributed across North America in many different habitats. This group of fish is facing a variety of impacts and conservation issues that are somewhat unique relative to more economically valuable and heavily managed fish species. Here, we present a brief series of case studies to highlight the threats such as migration barriers, flow regulation, environmental contamination, habitat degradation, exploitation and impacts from introduced (non-native) species that are facing catostomids in different regions. Collectively, the case studies reveal that individual species usually are not threatened by a single, isolated factor. Instead, species in general face numerous stressors that threaten multiple stages of their life history. Several factors have retarded sucker conservation including widespread inabilities of field workers to distinguish some species, lack of basic natural history and ecological knowledge of life history, and the misconception that suckers are tolerant of degraded conditions and are of little social or ecological value. Without a specific constituent group lobbying for conservation of non-game fishes, all such species, including members of the catostomid family, will continue to face serious risks because of neglect, ignorance, and misunderstanding. We suggest that conservation strategies should incorporate research and education/outreach components. Other conservation strategies that would be effective for protecting suckers include freshwater protected areas for critical habitat, restoration of degraded habitat, and design of catostomid-friendly fish bypass facilities. We believe that the plight of the catostomids is representative of the threats facing many other non-game freshwater fishes with diverse life-history strategies globally.

Issues Facing Pharmacy Leaders in 2015: Suggestions for Pharmacy Strategic Planning

PubMed Central

Weber, Robert J.

2015-01-01

Issues facing pharmacy leaders in 2015 include practice model growth and the role of pharmacy students, clinical privileging of health-system pharmacists and provider status, medication error prevention, and specialty pharmacy services. The goal of this article is to provide practical approaches to 4 issues facing pharmacy leaders in 2015 to help them focus their department’s goals. This article will address (1) advances in the pharmacy practice model initiative and the role of pharmacy students, (2) the current thinking of pharmacists being granted clinical privileges in health systems, (3) updates on preventing harmful medication errors, and (4) the growth of specialty pharmacy services. The sample template of a strategic plan may be used by a pharmacy department in 2015 in an effort to continue developing patient-centered pharmacy services. PMID:25717212

Task effects, performance levels, features, configurations, and holistic face processing: A reply to Rossion

PubMed Central

Riesenhuber, Maximilian; Wolff, Brian S.

2009-01-01

Summary A recent article in Acta Psychologica (“Picture-plane inversion leads to qualitative changes of face perception” by B. Rossion, 2008) criticized several aspects of an earlier paper of ours (Riesenhuber et al., “Face processing in humans is compatible with a simple shape-based model of vision”, Proc Biol Sci, 2004). We here address Rossion’s criticisms and correct some misunderstandings. To frame the discussion, we first review our previously presented computational model of face recognition in cortex (Jiang et al., “Evaluation of a shape-based model of human face discrimination using fMRI and behavioral techniques”, Neuron, 2006) that provides a concrete biologically plausible computational substrate for holistic coding, namely a neural representation learned for upright faces, in the spirit of the original simple-to-complex hierarchical model of vision by Hubel and Wiesel. We show that Rossion’s and others’ data support the model, and that there is actually a convergence of views on the mechanisms underlying face recognition, in particular regarding holistic processing. PMID:19665104

Media in Higher Education; The Critical Issues: Ideas, Analysis, Confrontation.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

1976

Nine issues papers were presented at the February 1976 Critical Issues Conference, the goal of which was to expose and define issues critical to the media field in higher education. Topics included definition and management of media programs, the role of media in the future of higher education, library media programs and instructional technology,…

Enhancing a Face-to-Face Course with Online Lectures: Instructional and Pedagogical Issues.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Keefe, Thomas

Since 1999, and as part of an Ameritech grant, the author has systematically investigated use of streaming media to enhance face-to-face classes. Technology invites experimentation but raises questions about such things as student acceptance, student use, academic performance, and what to do with class time when lectures are put online. Students…

Electron Beam Welding of Gear Wheels by Splitted Beam

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dřímal, Daniel

2014-06-01

This contribution deals with the issue of electron beam welding of high-accurate gear wheels composed of a spur gearing and fluted shaft joined with a face weld for automotive industry. Both parts made of the high-strength low-alloy steel are welded in the condition after final machining and heat treatment, performed by case hardening, whereas it is required that the run-out in the critical point of weldment after welding, i. e. after the final operation, would be 0.04 mm max.. In case of common welding procedure, cracks were formed in the weld, initiated by spiking in the weld root. Crack formation was prevented by the use of an interlocking joint with a rounded recess and suitable welding parameters, eliminating crack initiation by spiking in the weld root. Minimisation of the welding distortions was achieved by the application of tack welding with simultaneous splitting of one beam into two parts in the opposite sections of circumferential face weld attained on the principle of a new system of controlled deflection with digital scanning of the beam. This welding procedure assured that the weldment temperature after welding would not be higher than 400 °C. Thus, this procedure allowed achieving the final run-outs in the critical point of gearwheels within the maximum range up to 0.04 mm, which is acceptable for the given application. Accurate optical measurements did not reveal any changes in the teeth dimensions.

The ethics of health service delivery: a challenge to public health leadership.

PubMed

DeLuca, D M

1989-01-01

The ethical distribution of health care is a central issue now that AIDS has started to be a drain on health care resources. If the worst predictions are true, the next half century will be capitalized by a great stress of the health care delivery system in the Pacific. The critical challenges that face the current leadership are: sustaining commitment to all levels of administration to reduce social and health inequities; making sound decisions on policies, priorities and goals that are based on valid information; strengthen health infrastructure, based on the principle of primary health care, including appropriate distribution of staffing, skills, technology and resources. The goals of the Pacific Health Promotion and Development center must not focus exclusively on AIDs. Hepatitis B control measures, hypertension and diabetes, primary care in remote areas, and rehabilitation initiatives must be kept in place. Humanitarian interests for AIDs patients must be balanced with the pragmatic reality of saving children's hearing, or extending useful lives. The attributes of respect, accountability, leadership, judgement, fairness, integrity and honesty controlled by principles of social justice must be part of the administrative decision making process. The 2 major issues facing public health professional are: (1) the financial considerations involved with increasingly expensive technology, services and research, contrasted against the need to prioritize their use and development; (2) pragmatic and ideological needs must be balanced to maximize preventative and curative services and make them available to those who can benefit from them.

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

Germain, Shawn

Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) refueling outages create some of the most challenging activities the utilities face in both tracking and coordinating thousands of activities in a short period of time. Other challenges, including nuclear safety concerns arising from atypical system configurations and resource allocation issues, can create delays and schedule overruns, driving up outage costs. Today the majority of the outage communication is done using processes that do not take advantage of advances in modern technologies that enable enhanced communication, collaboration and information sharing. Some of the common practices include: runners that deliver paper-based requests for approval, radios, telephones, desktopmore » computers, daily schedule printouts, and static whiteboards that are used to display information. Many gains have been made to reduce the challenges facing outage coordinators; however; new opportunities can be realized by utilizing modern technological advancements in communication and information tools that can enhance the collective situational awareness of plant personnel leading to improved decision-making. Ongoing research as part of the Light Water Reactor Sustainability Program (LWRS) has been targeting NPP outage improvement. As part of this research, various applications of collaborative software have been demonstrated through pilot project utility partnerships. Collaboration software can be utilized as part of the larger concept of Computer-Supported Cooperative Work (CSCW). Collaborative software can be used for emergent issue resolution, Outage Control Center (OCC) displays, and schedule monitoring. Use of collaboration software enables outage staff and subject matter experts (SMEs) to view and update critical outage information from any location on site or off.« less

Strategic management and organizational behavior in dental education: reflections on key issues in an environment of change.

PubMed

Dunning, David G; Durham, Timothy M; Lange, Brian M; Aksu, Mert N

2009-06-01

With issues such as shrinking revenue, access to care, faculty workloads, and graying faculty, dental schools are faced with difficult challenges that fall to dental school deans to manage. Do dental school deans have the organizational skill sets and ethical frameworks necessary to address the challenges now facing dental schools? The purpose of this article is to pose questions and suggestions regarding some of the key issues in dental colleges today and to stimulate discussion in the dental community about needed changes in dental education.

Perceptual Grouping, Not Emotion, Accounts for Search Asymmetries with Schematic Faces

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Becker, Stefanie I.; Horstmann, Gernot; Remington, Roger W.

2011-01-01

Several different explanations have been proposed to account for the search asymmetry (SA) for angry schematic faces (i.e., the fact that an angry face target among friendly faces can be found faster than vice versa). The present study critically tested the perceptual grouping account, (a) that the SA is not due to emotional factors, but to…

Reading Faces: From Features to Recognition.

PubMed

Guntupalli, J Swaroop; Gobbini, M Ida

2017-12-01

Chang and Tsao recently reported that the monkey face patch system encodes facial identity in a space of facial features as opposed to exemplars. Here, we discuss how such coding might contribute to face recognition, emphasizing the critical role of learning and interactions with other brain areas for optimizing the recognition of familiar faces. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Partnering To Build a Quality Workforce: Critical Issues in Environmental Technology Education at Two-Year Colleges. A Report of the National Forum on Critical Issues in Environmental Technology Education at Two-Year Colleges (Washington, D.C., March 2-4, 1995).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kabat, Ellen J.; Friedel, Janice Nahra; Senew, Mike

The National Forum on Critical Issues in Environmental Technology Education at Two-Year Colleges addressed critical issues relevant to environmental technology education in the United States. Forty-three participants from across the country who attended the 1995 Forum represented business and industry, two-year colleges, four-year colleges and…

Contemporary United States Foreign Policy Towards Indonesia

DTIC Science & Technology

2004-01-01

regard to resolving a number of longstanding territorial disputes, and it has become a cornerstone for the promotion of economic and social development...and stability and security in the region. However, Indonesia is also faced with a variety of social , economic, and internal security issues, most...faced with significant social , economic, and security issues. Thesis Question The thesis question is: Does contemporary US policy promote US national

Colleague 1989. An Annual Collection of Articles on Academic and Administrative Issues Facing Community Colleges of the State University of New York.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

State Univ. of New York, Albany.

Designed as a means of communicating creative ideas in community college education, this second edition of Colleague contains 11 articles on instructional and administrative issues facing the community colleges of the State University of New York. The collection includes: (1) "Professional Growth and Development: An In-House Effort," by Alvin J.…

Face recognition ability matures late: evidence from individual differences in young adults.

PubMed

Susilo, Tirta; Germine, Laura; Duchaine, Bradley

2013-10-01

Does face recognition ability mature early in childhood (early maturation hypothesis) or does it continue to develop well into adulthood (late maturation hypothesis)? This fundamental issue in face recognition is typically addressed by comparing child and adult participants. However, the interpretation of such studies is complicated by children's inferior test-taking abilities and general cognitive functions. Here we examined the developmental trajectory of face recognition ability in an individual differences study of 18-33 year-olds (n = 2,032), an age interval in which participants are competent test takers with comparable general cognitive functions. We found a positive association between age and face recognition, controlling for nonface visual recognition, verbal memory, sex, and own-race bias. Our study supports the late maturation hypothesis in face recognition, and illustrates how individual differences investigations of young adults can address theoretical issues concerning the development of perceptual and cognitive abilities. PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2013 APA, all rights reserved.

The Evolution of Critical Literacy at Montgomery College

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jamin, Francine M.; Bronstein, Marcia

2005-01-01

Critical Literacy, a special approach to teaching critical thinking, has survived and thrived at Montgomery College in the face of a shifting political and pedagogical climate, thanks to programmatic adaptability and alertness to opportunities.

Applying a Hybrid Model: Can It Enhance Student Learning Outcomes?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Potter, Jodi

2015-01-01

There has been a marked increase in the use of online learning over the past decade. There remains conflict in the current body of research on the efficacy of online versus face to face learning in these environments. One resolution of these issues is the hybrid learning option which is a combination of face-to-face classroom instruction with…

Writing as Involvement: A Case for Face-to-Face Classroom Talk in a Computer Age.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Berggren, Anne G.

The abandonment of face-to-face voice conversations in favor of the use of electronic conversations in composition classes is an issue to be interrogated. In a recent push to "prepare students for the 21st century," teachers are asked to teach computer applications in the humanities--and composition teachers, who will teach writing in…

Oaxacan women with HIV/AIDS: resiliency in the face of poverty, stigma, and social isolation.

PubMed

Holtz, Carol Sue; Sowell, Richard; Velasquez, Gabriela

2012-01-01

HIV infection among Mexican women continues to increase. The purpose of the authors in this study was to explore the psychosocial issues of HIV-infected Mexican women's lives, and to support a request from the Mexican federal government for data to support the need for funding for the psychological care of these women. A Spanish-speaking researcher conducted private, in-depth, face-to-face interviews with 21 women receiving health services at the HIV/AIDS clinic, COESIDA, near Oaxaca City, Mexico. Data were collected during the time period of January 17 through 21st, 2011. The authors ascertained socio-demographic characteristics for all study participants. They transcribed audio-taped interviews verbatim, translated them into English, and analyzed transcribed interviews using content analysis, identifying consistent themes across the interviews. They also conducted language and cultural verification of the translation, and a third person, a master's prepared native Mexican woman, conducted content analysis. Ages of participants ranged from 20 to 48 years, with most having a third grade education. Most women lived at least two hours from the clinic. Themes emerging from the interview transcript analysis included: (1) resiliency; (2) fear; (3) social isolation; (4) anger/rage; and (5) availability of resources and support. Despite facing a variety of adverse factors, the Oaxacan women with HIV/AIDS who were interviewed demonstrated a sense of resiliency and hope for the future. Yet, a critical need remains for mental health support services to be provided to women to assist them in managing the psychological consequences of their HIV/AIDS diagnosis.

The Rhetoric of Issue Advertising: A Rationale, a Case Study, a Critical Perspective--And More.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Heath, Robert L.

1988-01-01

Supports the use of issue advertising. Argues that speech communication scholars can facilitate the responsible and effective use of issue ads. Reviews critics and proponents of issue advertising. Develops a rationale to guide the practice of issue advertising. Examines issue advertising in the current pro-nuclear campaign. (MS)

Veterans and Military Family Health

MedlinePlus

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

Bus driver fatigue and stress issues study

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2001-02-01

Fatigue-related issues associated with motorcoach drivers differ from the issues faced by truck drivers because of the distinct nature of their jobs. For example, truck and motorcoach drivers deal with different vehicular operating characteristics, n...

7 CFR 1767.19 - Liabilities and other credits.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... Issued A. This account shall include the face value of membership certificates outstanding. A detailed....2Memberships Subscribed But Unissued This account shall include the face value of memberships subscribed for... account shall include, in a separate subdivision for each class and series of bonds, the face value of the...

7 CFR 1767.19 - Liabilities and other credits.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... Issued A. This account shall include the face value of membership certificates outstanding. A detailed....2Memberships Subscribed But Unissued This account shall include the face value of memberships subscribed for... account shall include, in a separate subdivision for each class and series of bonds, the face value of the...

7 CFR 1767.19 - Liabilities and other credits.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... Issued A. This account shall include the face value of membership certificates outstanding. A detailed....2Memberships Subscribed But Unissued This account shall include the face value of memberships subscribed for... account shall include, in a separate subdivision for each class and series of bonds, the face value of the...

7 CFR 1767.19 - Liabilities and other credits.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... Issued A. This account shall include the face value of membership certificates outstanding. A detailed....2Memberships Subscribed But Unissued This account shall include the face value of memberships subscribed for... account shall include, in a separate subdivision for each class and series of bonds, the face value of the...

A comparison of communication models of traditional and video-mediated health care delivery.

PubMed

Demiris, George; Edison, Karen; Vijaykumar, Santosh

2005-10-01

While there may be benefits that accrue to the use of telemedicine technology in patient care, such as decreased costs and improved access, it has yet to be determined how telemedicine impacts patients' ability to express themselves and accordingly, how it impacts health care providers' communication of instructions or expressions of empathy. The aim of this study was to examine the effect of telemedicine technology on communication by comparing the style and content of communication between actual (i.e., face to face) and virtual (i.e., non-face to face, telemedical) dermatology visits. The hypothesis was that there is no difference in the content and style of communication between actual and virtual visits in dermatology. Face-to-face and video-mediated dermatology sessions were observed and also audiotaped, timed and transcribed. A content analysis was performed. Average duration of a face-to-face session was 11 min (S.D. 0.08) and of a telemedical session 9 min (S.D. 0.002). Small talk occurred in 20% of all face-to-face and 29.6% of all telemedical visits. Clinical assessment occurred in all sessions. Patient education occurred in 90% of face-to-face and 78% of telemedical visits. Other themes were also identified (e.g., discussion of treatment, promotion of compliance, psychosocial issues). In 14.8% of telemedical sessions technical issues were raised. Findings indicate that communication patterns in the two modes of care delivery are comparable.

Counseling Issues for Adult Women in Career Transition

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ronzio, Cynthia R.

2012-01-01

This article addresses current psychosocial issues facing women in career transition and the implications of those issues for career counselors. Specifically, psychosocial developmental trajectories, the roles of family and relationships, the importance of underlying physical and mental health issues, and sociocultural and contextual stressors are…

From Situated Privilege to Dis/abilities: Developing Critical Literacies across Social Issues

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Young, Sara Lewis-Bernstein

2018-01-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate how curriculum grounded in critical literacy strategies supports critical language awareness and activism across social issues and identities. The research is grounded in theories of critical literacies, discursive practices, and situated privilege. Critical practitioner research was used to collect…

The population, environment, and health nexus: an Arab world perspective.

PubMed

Kulczycki, A; Saxena, P C

1998-01-01

This report describes models of the links between population growth, environmental degradation, and health in Arab countries and in the world; management of the commons; urbanization and water as critical issues; and challenges in Lebanon. It is concluded that the complexity of interrelationships is difficult to untangle. Researchers frequently neglect health issues in modeling the relationships. The lack of attention to the health, development, and environment nexus has serious implications in the Middle East and North Africa. In Lebanon, national strategies do not include a national waste management strategy based on reduction, reuse, and recycling. Most Arab countries face the major issue of the lack of adequate planning in many economic sectors, which results in imbalances in supply and demand. Most Arab countries do not have adequate statistical databases upon which to base development, planning, and policy-making. The last census in Lebanon was in 1932. Information is missing on health. Health economics are ignored. It is not possible to estimate the health costs due to deficiencies in sanitation, hygiene, water, and air quality. Capacity building for environmental management and intersectoral collaboration is hampered. Arab countries with large oil reserves have ignored the population and environment links. Poorer countries will suffer the most from limited renewable water resources and their decline due to population growth. The political agenda in Arab countries should give priority to health, environment, development, and population issues.

Critical Issues in the Lives of Children and Youth Who Are Deafblind

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nelson, Catherine; Bruce, Susan M.

2016-01-01

The coeditors of an "American Annals of the Deaf" special issue on deafblindness introduce readers to critical issues surrounding children and youth who are deafblind. These issues--early identification, communication, social-emotional needs, family and multicultural issues, universal design and assistive technology, transition planning,…

Facial transplants: current situation and ethical issues.

PubMed

Petrini, C

2015-01-01

The first transplantation of a face from a cadaver was performed in 2005, since when about thirty have been performed globally. The technique is now beginning to appear in Italy. Face transplants are performed exclusively on persons who have suffered devastating lesions to the face. The ethical problems involved are very considerable, particularly where personal identity is concerned. The case records reveal surprisingly positive outcomes regarding both clinical follow-up and functional recovery, as well as psychological aspects and social integration. Thus, while early documents addressing the ethical issues involved in facial transplants were somewhat cautious or even unfavourable on the subject of this technique, a positive approach is now more prevalent.

Who is the Usual Suspect? Evidence of a Selection Bias Toward Faces That Make Direct Eye Contact in a Lineup Task

PubMed Central

van Golde, Celine; Verstraten, Frans A. J.

2017-01-01

The speed and ease with which we recognize the faces of our friends and family members belies the difficulty we have recognizing less familiar individuals. Nonetheless, overconfidence in our ability to recognize faces has carried over into various aspects of our legal system; for instance, eyewitness identification serves a critical role in criminal proceedings. For this reason, understanding the perceptual and psychological processes that underlie false identification is of the utmost importance. Gaze direction is a salient social signal and direct eye contact, in particular, is thought to capture attention. Here, we tested the hypothesis that differences in gaze direction may influence difficult decisions in a lineup context. In a series of experiments, we show that when a group of faces differed in their gaze direction, the faces that were making eye contact with the participants were more likely to be misidentified. Interestingly, this bias disappeared when the faces are presented with their eyes closed. These findings open a critical conversation between social neuroscience and forensic psychology, and imply that direct eye contact may (wrongly) increase the perceived familiarity of a face. PMID:28203355

Enhanced Attention to Speaking Faces versus Other Event Types Emerges Gradually across Infancy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bahrick, Lorraine E.; Todd, James Torrence; Castellanos, Irina; Sorondo, Barbara M.

2016-01-01

The development of attention to dynamic faces versus objects providing synchronous audiovisual versus silent visual stimulation was assessed in a large sample of infants. Maintaining attention to the faces and voices of people speaking is critical for perceptual, cognitive, social, and language development. However, no studies have systematically…

Uncovering Embedded Face Threat Mitigation in Landscape Architecture Critique Feedback

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Housley Gaffney, Amy L.

2015-01-01

Receiving public feedback on academic work may threaten students' face, particularly when such feedback is critical. One way that feedback may be cushioned is through face-threat mitigation techniques. I analyzed the use of such techniques in the feedback given by faculty and professionals to landscape architecture students as preparation for…

The Development of Spatial Frequency Biases in Face Recognition

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Leonard, Hayley C.; Karmiloff-Smith, Annette; Johnson, Mark H.

2010-01-01

Previous research has suggested that a mid-band of spatial frequencies is critical to face recognition in adults, but few studies have explored the development of this bias in children. We present a paradigm adapted from the adult literature to test spatial frequency biases throughout development. Faces were presented on a screen with particular…

Survivorship in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer: Challenges Faced and Steps Forward.

PubMed

Vijayvergia, Namrata; Shah, Prashant C; Denlinger, Crystal S

2015-09-01

Improvements in curative therapies and the advent of screening have led to increased numbers of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) survivors. Most survivors have undergone invasive treatment (surgery, radiation therapy, and/or chemotherapy) and carry a higher comorbidity burden than survivors of other cancers. Overall quality of life (QOL) and health-related quality of life (HRQOL) suffer during the treatment phase, with the potential for long-term decline, and both clinical characteristics and treatment impact these measures. Physical and mental components of HRQOL seem to be most at risk for decline. The issues faced by survivors include physical symptoms such as respiratory issues, fatigue, hearing loss, neuropathy, and postsurgical pain; psychological distress leading to depression, financial issues, and poor compliance with recommended guidelines; and fear or risk of recurrence and secondary malignancies. This article summarizes the major issues faced by NSCLC survivors and suggests appropriate management. Future collaborative efforts are needed to further elucidate the complex issues that affect overall QOL and HRQOL in NSCLC survivors and to develop appropriate interventions in this large and diverse survivor population. Copyright © 2015 by the National Comprehensive Cancer Network.

Face-to-Face Contact at the Midpoint of an Online Collaboration: Its Impact on the Patterns of Participation, Interaction, Affect, and Behavior over Time

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Michinov, Nicolas; Michinov, Estelle

2008-01-01

This paper describes some of the consequences of introducing a face-to-face contact during an online collaborative learning session. Previous research on the development of online groups has suggested a critical transition period at the midpoint of a collaborative task in which group members redefine their behavior. The purpose of the present…

Collegiate Aviation Research and Education Solutions to Critical Safety Issues. UNO Aviation Monograph Series. UNOAI Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bowen, Brent, Ed.

This document contains four papers concerning collegiate aviation research and education solutions to critical safety issues. "Panel Proposal Titled Collegiate Aviation Research and Education Solutions to Critical Safety Issues for the Tim Forte Collegiate Aviation Safety Symposium" (Brent Bowen) presents proposals for panels on the…

"Members of the same club": challenges and decisions faced by US IRBs in identifying and managing conflicts of interest.

PubMed

Klitzman, Robert

2011-01-01

Conflicts of interest (COIs) in research have received increasing attention, but many questions arise about how Institutional Review Boards (IRBs) view and approach these. I conducted in-depth interviews of 2 hours each with 46 US IRB chairs, administrators, and members, exploring COI and other issues related to research integrity. I contacted leaders of 60 IRBs (every fourth one among the top 240 institutions by NIH funding), and interviewed IRB leaders from 34 of these institutions (response rate = 55%). Data were analyzed using standard qualitative methods, informed by Grounded Theory. IRBs confront financial and non-financial COIs of PIs, institutions, and IRBs themselves. IRB members may seek to help, or compete with, principal investigators (PIs). Non-financial COI also often appear to be "indirect financial" conflicts based on gain (or loss) not to oneself, but to one's colleagues or larger institution. IRBs faced challenges identifying and managing these COI, and often felt that they could be more effective. IRBs' management of their own potential COI vary, and conflicted members may observe, participate, and/or vote in discussions. Individual IRB members frequently judge for themselves whether to recuse themselves. Challenges arise in addressing these issues, since institutions and PIs need funding, financial information is considered confidential, and COI can be unconscious. This study, the first to explore qualitatively how IRBs confront COIs and probe how IRBs confront non-financial COIs, suggests that IRBs face several types of financial and non-financial COIs, involving themselves, PIs, and institutions, and respond varyingly. These data have critical implications for practice and policy. Disclosure of indirect and non-financial COIs to subjects may not be feasible, partly since IRBs, not PIs, are conflicted. Needs exist to consider guidelines and clarifications concerning when and how, in protocol reviews, IRB members should recuse themselves from participating, observing, and/or voting.

“Members of the Same Club”: Challenges and Decisions Faced by US IRBs in Identifying and Managing Conflicts of Interest

PubMed Central

Klitzman, Robert

2011-01-01

Conflicts of interest (COIs) in research have received increasing attention, but many questions arise about how Institutional Review Boards (IRBs) view and approach these. Methods I conducted in-depth interviews of 2 hours each with 46 US IRB chairs, administrators, and members, exploring COI and other issues related to research integrity. I contacted leaders of 60 IRBs (every fourth one among the top 240 institutions by NIH funding), and interviewed IRB leaders from 34 of these institutions (response rate = 55%). Data were analyzed using standard qualitative methods, informed by Grounded Theory. Results IRBs confront financial and non-financial COIs of PIs, institutions, and IRBs themselves. IRB members may seek to help, or compete with, principal investigators (PIs). Non-financial COI also often appear to be “indirect financial” conflicts based on gain (or loss) not to oneself, but to one's colleagues or larger institution. IRBs faced challenges identifying and managing these COI, and often felt that they could be more effective. IRBs' management of their own potential COI vary, and conflicted members may observe, participate, and/or vote in discussions. Individual IRB members frequently judge for themselves whether to recuse themselves. Challenges arise in addressing these issues, since institutions and PIs need funding, financial information is considered confidential, and COI can be unconscious. Conclusions This study, the first to explore qualitatively how IRBs confront COIs and probe how IRBs confront non-financial COIs, suggests that IRBs face several types of financial and non-financial COIs, involving themselves, PIs, and institutions, and respond varyingly. These data have critical implications for practice and policy. Disclosure of indirect and non-financial COIs to subjects may not be feasible, partly since IRBs, not PIs, are conflicted. Needs exist to consider guidelines and clarifications concerning when and how, in protocol reviews, IRB members should recuse themselves from participating, observing, and/or voting. PMID:21829516

Species distribution modeling in regions of high need and limited data: waterfowl of China

USGS Publications Warehouse

Prosser, Diann J.; Ding, Changqing; Erwin, R. Michael; Mundkur, Taej; Sullivan, Jeffery D.; Ellis, Erle C.

2018-01-01

BackgroundA number of conservation and societal issues require understanding how species are distributed on the landscape, yet ecologists are often faced with a lack of data to develop models at the resolution and extent desired, resulting in inefficient use of conservation resources. Such a situation presented itself in our attempt to develop waterfowl distribution models as part of a multi-disciplinary team targeting the control of the highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza virus in China.MethodsFaced with limited data, we built species distribution models using a habitat suitability approach for China’s breeding and non-breeding (hereafter, wintering) waterfowl. An extensive review of the literature was used to determine model parameters for habitat modeling. Habitat relationships were implemented in GIS using land cover covariates. Wintering models were validated using waterfowl census data, while breeding models, though developed for many species, were only validated for the one species with sufficient telemetry data available.ResultsWe developed suitability models for 42 waterfowl species (30 breeding and 39 wintering) at 1 km resolution for the extent of China, along with cumulative and genus level species richness maps. Breeding season models showed highest waterfowl suitability in wetlands of the high-elevation west-central plateau and northeastern China. Wintering waterfowl suitability was highest in the lowland regions of southeastern China. Validation measures indicated strong performance in predicting species presence. Comparing our model outputs to China’s protected areas indicated that breeding habitat was generally better covered than wintering habitat, and identified locations for which additional research and protection should be prioritized.ConclusionsThese suitability models are the first available for many of China’s waterfowl species, and have direct utility to conservation and habitat planning and prioritizing management of critically important areas, providing an example of how this approach may aid others faced with the challenge of addressing conservation issues with little data to inform decision making.

Gender recognition from unconstrained and articulated human body.

PubMed

Wu, Qin; Guo, Guodong

2014-01-01

Gender recognition has many useful applications, ranging from business intelligence to image search and social activity analysis. Traditional research on gender recognition focuses on face images in a constrained environment. This paper proposes a method for gender recognition in articulated human body images acquired from an unconstrained environment in the real world. A systematic study of some critical issues in body-based gender recognition, such as which body parts are informative, how many body parts are needed to combine together, and what representations are good for articulated body-based gender recognition, is also presented. This paper also pursues data fusion schemes and efficient feature dimensionality reduction based on the partial least squares estimation. Extensive experiments are performed on two unconstrained databases which have not been explored before for gender recognition.

Conjoined twins and Catholic moral analysis: extraordinary means and casuistical consistency.

PubMed

Kaveny, M Cathleen

2002-06-01

eThis article draws upon the Roman Catholic distinction between "ordinary" and "extraordinary" means of medical treatment to analyze the case of "Jodie" and "Mary," the Maltese conjoined twins whose surgical separation was ordered by the English courts over the objection of their Roman Catholic parents and Cormac Murphy-O'Connor, the Roman Catholic Cardinal Archbishop of Westminister. It attempts to shed light on the use of that distinction by surrogate decision makers with respect to incompetent patients. In addition, it critically analyzes various components of the distinction by comparing the reasoning used by Catholic moralists in this case with the reasoning used in other cases that raise similar issues, including women facing crisis pregnancies who prefer abortion to adoption and the Indiana "Baby Doe" case.

Gender Recognition from Unconstrained and Articulated Human Body

PubMed Central

Wu, Qin; Guo, Guodong

2014-01-01

Gender recognition has many useful applications, ranging from business intelligence to image search and social activity analysis. Traditional research on gender recognition focuses on face images in a constrained environment. This paper proposes a method for gender recognition in articulated human body images acquired from an unconstrained environment in the real world. A systematic study of some critical issues in body-based gender recognition, such as which body parts are informative, how many body parts are needed to combine together, and what representations are good for articulated body-based gender recognition, is also presented. This paper also pursues data fusion schemes and efficient feature dimensionality reduction based on the partial least squares estimation. Extensive experiments are performed on two unconstrained databases which have not been explored before for gender recognition. PMID:24977203

Using system-of-systems simulation modeling and analysis to measure energy KPP impacts for brigade combat team missions.

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

Lawton, Craig R.; Welch, Kimberly M.; Kerper, Jessica

2010-06-01

The Department of Defense's (DoD) Energy Posture identified dependence of the US Military on fossil fuel energy as a key issue facing the military. Inefficient energy consumption leads to increased costs, effects operational performance and warfighter protection through large and vulnerable logistics support infrastructures. Military's use of energy is a critical national security problem. DoD's proposed metrics Fully Burdened Cost of Fuel and Energy Efficiency Key Performance Parameter (FBCF and Energy KPP) are a positive step to force energy use accountability onto Military programs. The ability to measure impacts of sustainment are required to fully measure Energy KPP. Sandia's workmore » with Army demonstrates the capability to measure performance which includes energy constraint.« less

A Report of the Women's Health Congress Workshop on The Health of Women of Color: A Critical Intersection at the Corner of Sex/Gender and Race/Ethnicity.

PubMed

Plank-Bazinet, Jennifer L; Kornstein, Susan G; Clayton, Janine Austin; McCaskill-Stevens, Worta; Wood, Lauren; Cook, Nakela; Tajuddin, Salman M; Brown, Gina M; Harris, Tamara; Evans, Michele K; Begg, Lisa; Brooks, Claudette E; Miller, Leah R; Mistretta, Amy Caroline; Cornelison, Terri L

2016-01-01

Women of color face unique health challenges that differ significantly from those of other women and men of color. To bring these issues to light, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Office of Research on Women's Health sponsored a preconference workshop at the 23rd Annual Women's Health Congress, which was held in Washington, DC, in April 2015. The workshop featured presentations by NIH intramural and extramural scientists who provided insight on the disparities of a wide range of conditions, including cancer, cardiovascular disease, the risk of HIV infection, and disability in an aging population. In this study, we highlight the major points of each presentation and the ensuing discussion.

The World Trade Center Attack: Lessons for disaster management

PubMed Central

Simon, Ronald; Teperman, Sheldon

2001-01-01

As the largest, and one of the most eclectic, urban center in the United States, New York City felt the need to develop an Office of Emergency Management to coordinate communications and direct resources in the event of a mass disaster. Practice drills were then carried out to assess and improve disaster preparedness. The day of 11 September 2001 began with the unimaginable. As events unfolded, previous plans based on drills were found not to address the unique issues faced and new plans rapidly evolved out of necessity. Heroic actions were commonplace. Much can be learned from the events of 11 September 2001. Natural and unnatural disasters will happen again, so it is critical that these lessons be learned. Proper preparation will undoubtedly save lives and resources. PMID:11737917

Critical Thinking: Frameworks and Models for Teaching

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fahim, Mansoor; Eslamdoost, Samaneh

2014-01-01

Developing critical thinking since the educational revolution gave rise to flourishing movements toward embedding critical thinking (CT henceforth) stimulating classroom activities in educational settings. Nevertheless the process faced with complications such as teachability potentiality, lack of practical frameworks concerning actualization of…

War, Critical Thinking, and Self-Understanding

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Noddings, Nel

2004-01-01

Can students learn to think critically if they are not asked to engage with critical issues? Fostering critical thinking is frequently stated as a fundamental aim of education, and yet many teachers report that they have been forbidden to discuss such critical issues as current wars, religion, and cultural differences in styles of parenting. The…

Robust allocation of a defensive budget considering an attacker's private information.

PubMed

Nikoofal, Mohammad E; Zhuang, Jun

2012-05-01

Attackers' private information is one of the main issues in defensive resource allocation games in homeland security. The outcome of a defense resource allocation decision critically depends on the accuracy of estimations about the attacker's attributes. However, terrorists' goals may be unknown to the defender, necessitating robust decisions by the defender. This article develops a robust-optimization game-theoretical model for identifying optimal defense resource allocation strategies for a rational defender facing a strategic attacker while the attacker's valuation of targets, being the most critical attribute of the attacker, is unknown but belongs to bounded distribution-free intervals. To our best knowledge, no previous research has applied robust optimization in homeland security resource allocation when uncertainty is defined in bounded distribution-free intervals. The key features of our model include (1) modeling uncertainty in attackers' attributes, where uncertainty is characterized by bounded intervals; (2) finding the robust-optimization equilibrium for the defender using concepts dealing with budget of uncertainty and price of robustness; and (3) applying the proposed model to real data. © 2011 Society for Risk Analysis.

The politics of public health policy.

PubMed

Oliver, Thomas R

2006-01-01

Politics, for better or worse, plays a critical role in health affairs. The purpose of this article is to articulate a role for political analysis of public health issues, ranging from injury and disease prevention to health care reform. It begins by examining how health problems make it onto the policy agenda. Perceptions regarding the severity of the problem, responsibility for the problem, and affected populations all influence governmental responses. Next, it considers how bounded rationality, fragmented political institutions, resistance from concentrated interests, and fiscal constraints usually lead political leaders to adopt incremental policy changes rather than comprehensive reforms even when faced with serious public health problems. It then identifies conditions under which larger-scale transformation of health policy can occur, focusing on critical junctures in policy development and the role of policy entrepreneurs in seizing opportunities for innovation. Finally, it reviews the challenges confronting officials and agencies who are responsible for implementing and administering health policies. Public health professionals who understand the political dimensions of health policy can conduct more realistic research and evaluation, better anticipate opportunities as well as constraints on governmental action, and design more effective policies and programs.

Healthcare and complicity in Australian immigration detention.

PubMed

Essex, Ryan

2016-06-01

Australian immigration detention has received persistent criticism since its introduction almost 25 years ago. With the recent introduction of offshore processing, these criticisms have intensified. Riots, violence, self-harm, abuse and devastating mental health outcomes are all now well documented, along with a number of deaths. Clinicians have played a central role working in these environments, faced with the overarching issue of delivering healthcare while facilitating an abusive and harmful system. Since the re-introduction of offshore processing a number of authors have begun to discuss the possibility of a boycott. While taking such action may lead to change, further discussion is needed, not only in relation to the impact of a boycott, but whether it is possible for clinicians to engage with this system in more productive, ethical ways. This article utilises a framework proposed by Lepora and Goodin (On complicity and compromise, Oxford University Press, Oxford, 2013) that provides a structured approach to examine complicity and seeks to explore how clinicians have engaged with Australian immigration detention and ultimately whether they should continue to do so.

Refinement of determination of critical thresholds of stress-strain behaviour by using AE data: potential for evaluation of durability of natural stone

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Prikryl, Richard; Lokajíček, Tomáš

2017-04-01

According to previous studies, evaluation of stress-strain behaviour (in uniaxial compression) of various rocks appears to be effective tool allowing for prediction of resistance of natural stone to some physical weathering processes. Precise determination of critical thresholds, specifically of 'crack initiation' and 'crack damage' is fundamental issue in this approach. In contrast to 'crack damage stress/strain threshold', which can be easily read from deflection point on volumetric curve, detection of 'crack initiation' is much more difficult. Besides previously proposed mathematical processing of axial stress-strain curve, recording of acoustic emission (AE) data and their processing provide direct measure of various stress/strain thresholds, specifically of 'crack initiation'. This specific parameter is required during successive computation of energetic parameters (mechanical work), that can be stored by a material without formation of new defects (microcracks) due to acting stress. Based on our experimental data, this mechanical work seems to be proportional to the resistance of a material to formation of mode I (tensile) cracks that are responsible for destruction of subsurface below exposed faces of natural stone.

40 CFR 258.74 - Allowable mechanisms.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... post-closure care, up to an amount equal to the face amount of the policy. (3) The insurance policy must be issued for a face amount at least equal to the current cost estimate for closure or post-closure care, whichever is applicable, except as provided in paragraph (k) of this section. The term face...

40 CFR 258.74 - Allowable mechanisms.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... post-closure care, up to an amount equal to the face amount of the policy. (3) The insurance policy must be issued for a face amount at least equal to the current cost estimate for closure or post-closure care, whichever is applicable, except as provided in paragraph (k) of this section. The term face...

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

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

DuBose, Cheryl O.

2017-01-01

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

Financial Awareness Education with Apprentices in the Australian Construction Industry: Program Evaluation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Du Plessis, Karin; Green, Emma

2013-01-01

A financial awareness education program was implemented with construction industry apprentices in Victoria, Australia. The program included face-to-face delivery of education around a range of financial management issues that apprentices face as they begin their apprenticeship. The paper reports on an evaluation of the program, which included…

Intersegmental Articulation.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

CATESOL Journal, 1996

1996-01-01

This English-as-a-Second Language (ESL) journal periodically devotes entire issues to specific themes. The theme of this issue is "Intersegmental Articulation" (especially in California schools). Articles include: "Why Is ESL a Burning Issue?" (Robby Ching, Anne Ediger, Debbie Poole); "Challenges Facing California ESL…

International and domestic regulator issues facing the Canadian MSAT system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bahman, Azarbar; Langlois, Jacques R.; Frank, Christopher J.

1988-01-01

International and domestic regulatory issues which affect the implementation of a mobile satellite system (MSAT) over North America are addressed. WARC-MOB-87, MSAT frequency co-ordination, frequency sharing and key Canadian domestic issues are discussed.