Synthetic Lectins: New Tools for Detection and Management of Prostate Cancer

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-08-01

diagnostic. AIM 1 describes a library based approach for the discovery of SLs targeting CAGs. AIM 2 describes biochemical and biophysical...Obianyo for their help with fluorescence polarization. This work was supported by funds provided from NIH COBRE grant P20RR17698.Notes and references...1 D. H. Dube and C. R. Bertozzi, Nat. Rev. Drug Discovery , 2005, 4, 477–488. 2 V. Harmat and G. Naray-Szabo, Croat. Chim. Acta, 2009, 82, 277– 282. 3

Health care professionals' experience-based understanding of individuals' capacity to work while depressed and anxious.

PubMed

Bertilsson, Monica; Löve, Jesper; Ahlborg, Gunnar; Hensing, Gunnel

2015-03-01

The meaning of capacity to work while depressed and anxious is not well comprehended. The aim of this study was to explore and describe health care professionals' experience-based understanding of capacity to work in individuals with depression and/or anxiety disorders. An exploratory qualitative design was used. Four focus groups were conducted with 21 professionals from psychiatric, occupational, and primary health care. Data were analysed using inductive content analysis. Capacity to work while depressed and anxious was understood as a change from the familiar to a no longer recognizable performance at work. Managing time, daily work demands, and emotions was described as difficult for the patients, and capacity to work could be fragmented by anxiety attacks. Patients were perceived as continuing to work while life outside work crumbled. Capacity to work was described as part of a greater whole, the work community, and the patient's participation in the work community was considered problematic. The findings provide a deeper understanding of the reduced capacity to work compared with theoretical or medico-administrative descriptions. Applied to patient encounters it could promote fitness-for-work dialogues, rehabilitation, and tailor-made work interventions.

CYCLOPS-3 System Research.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Marill, Thomas; And Others

The aim of the CYCLOPS Project research is the development of techniques for allowing computers to perform visual scene analysis, pre-processing of visual imagery, and perceptual learning. Work on scene analysis and learning has previously been described. The present report deals with research on pre-processing and with further work on scene…

Occupational Well-Being of School Staff Members: A Structural Equation Model

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Saaranen, Terhi; Tossavainen, Kerttu; Turunen, Hannele; Kiviniemi, Vesa; Vertio, Harri

2007-01-01

This study aimed to develop a theoretical basis for the promotion of school staff's occupational well-being. The "Content Model for the Promotion of School Community Staff's Occupational Well-being" describes the four aspects of the promotion of occupational well-being ("working conditions", "worker and work",…

Implementation Science: Why it matters for the future of social work.

PubMed

Cabassa, Leopoldo J

2016-01-01

Bridging the gap between research and practice is a critical frontier for the future of social work. Integrating implementation science into social work can advance our profession's effort to bring research and practice closer together. Implementation science examines the factors, processes, and strategies that influence the uptake, use, and sustainability of empirically-supported interventions, practice innovations, and social policies in routine practice settings. The aims of this paper are to describe the key characteristics of implementation science, illustrate how implementation science matters to social work by describing several contributions this field can make to reducing racial and ethnic disparities in mental health care, and outline a training agenda to help integrate implementation science in graduate-level social work programs.

Implementation Science: Why it matters for the future of social work

PubMed Central

Cabassa, Leopoldo J.

2016-01-01

Bridging the gap between research and practice is a critical frontier for the future of social work. Integrating implementation science into social work can advance our profession’s effort to bring research and practice closer together. Implementation science examines the factors, processes, and strategies that influence the uptake, use, and sustainability of empirically-supported interventions, practice innovations, and social policies in routine practice settings. The aims of this paper are to describe the key characteristics of implementation science, illustrate how implementation science matters to social work by describing several contributions this field can make to reducing racial and ethnic disparities in mental health care, and outline a training agenda to help integrate implementation science in graduate-level social work programs. PMID:28216992

Synthetic Lectins: New Tools for Detection and Management of Prostate Cancer

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-08-01

work was supported by funds provided from NIH COBRE grant P20RR17698.Notes and references 1 D. H. Dube and C. R. Bertozzi, Nat. Rev. Drug Discovery ...describes a library based approach for the discovery of SLs targeting CAGs. AIM 2 describes biochemical and biophysical approaches to identify the factors

The Relationship Between Perceptual Development and the Acquisition of Reading Skill. Final Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gibson, Eleanor J.

The work described in this report is aimed at understanding the role of cognitive development, especially perceptual development, in the reading process and its acquisition. The papers included describe: (1) a theory of perceptual learning, (2) an investigation of the perception of morphological information, (3) the role of categorical semantic…

System-Wide Improvement at the Instructional Core: Changing Reading Teaching in South Africa

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fleisch, Brahm

2016-01-01

The article describes the background to, and implementation of, the Gauteng Primary Language and Mathematics Strategy (GPLMS) in South Africa from 2010 to 2014--an initiative aimed at system-wide instructional improvement in the Global South. Working in over 1000 underperforming primary schools in poor- and working-class communities, the…

Engaging with Employers in Work-Based Learning: A Foundation Degree in Applied Technology

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Benefer, Richard

2007-01-01

Purpose: This paper aims to describe the work of Staffordshire University in engaging with local employers and local further education colleges in the development of a Foundation Degree in Applied Technology. Design/methodology/approach: Following an outline of current government policy in employer engagement, the paper identifies--from the…

ACS Readies Continuing Education Courses

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chemical and Engineering News, 1976

1976-01-01

Describes a series of 10 courses, funded by the National Science Foundation, that are aimed at individualized teaching of chemists or chemical engineers working in industry through the use of multimedia instruction. (MLH)

Point-Focusing Solar-Power Distributed Receivers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lucas, J. W.

1985-01-01

Two-volume annual report describes development work aimed at achieving large-scale production of modular, point-focusing distributed receivers (PFDR's) for solar-powered generation of electricity or thermal power for industrial use.

Prevention of falls, malnutrition and pressure ulcers among older persons - nursing staff's experiences of a structured preventive care process.

PubMed

Lannering, Christina; Ernsth Bravell, Marie; Johansson, Linda

2017-05-01

A structured and systematic care process for preventive work, aimed to reduce falls, pressure ulcers and malnutrition among older people, has been developed in Sweden. The process involves risk assessment, team-based interventions and evaluation of results. Since development, this structured work process has become web-based and has been implemented in a national quality registry called 'Senior Alert' and used countrywide. The aim of this study was to describe nursing staff's experience of preventive work by using the structured preventive care process as outlined by Senior Alert. Eight focus group interviews were conducted during 2015 including staff from nursing homes and home-based nursing care in three municipalities. The interview material was subjected to qualitative content analysis. In this study, both positive and negative opinions were expressed about the process. The systematic and structured work flow seemed to only partly facilitate care providers to improve care quality by making better clinical assessments, performing team-based planned interventions and learning from results. Participants described lack of reliability in the assessments and varying opinions about the structure. Furthermore, organisational structures limited the preventive work. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Experienced Teachers' Informal Learning in the Workplace. IVLOS Series

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hoekstra, Annemarieke

2007-01-01

The aim of the research reported in this dissertation is to describe how experienced secondary school teachers learn at work in an informal environment. The study is part of a larger research project aimed at providing a conceptual framework of teacher learning in the workplace as it takes place both in informal and formal learning environments.…

Development Engineers' Work and Learning as Shared Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Collin, Kaija

2008-01-01

The field of workplace learning lacks empirical studies that view workplace practices as places for learning and see these practices in a critical light. Accordingly, the aim of this study is, first, to describe examples of everyday shared practice and consider what kinds of various conflicting aims and demands exist in it. Second, the purpose is…

The Resource Centre at Madeley Court School, Salop: A Study of its Organisation and Operation.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Waite, Charlotte E.

The library resource center of a new school in Wales is described and evaluated. First there is an overview of the school itself: social environment, school aims, organization, individual and independent work, staffing, and growth of the school. Then various facets of the resource center are discussed: aims, design and layout; departmental…

Space Interferometry Science Working Group

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ridgway, Stephen T.

1992-12-01

Decisions taken by the astronomy and astrophysics survey committee and the interferometry panel which lead to the formation of the Space Interferometry Science Working Group (SISWG) are outlined. The SISWG was formed by the NASA astrophysics division to provide scientific and technical input from the community in planning for space interferometry and in support of an Astrometric Interferometry Mission (AIM). The AIM program hopes to measure the positions of astronomical objects with a precision of a few millionths of an arcsecond. The SISWG science and technical teams are described and the outcomes of its first meeting are given.

Compensation for Transport Delays Produced by Computer Image Generation Systems. Cooperative Training Series.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ricard, G. L.; And Others

The cooperative Navy/Air Force project described is aimed at the problem of image-flutter encountered when visual displays that present computer generated images are used for the simulation of certain flying situations. Two experiments are described which extend laboratory work on delay compensation schemes to the simulation of formation flight in…

Lightning protection of distribution systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Darveniza, M.; Uman, M. A.

1982-09-01

Research work on the lightning protection of distribution systems is described. The rationale behind the planning of the first major phase of the work - the field experiments conducted in the Tampa Bay area during August 1978 and July to September 1979 is explained. The aims of the field work were to characterize lightning in the Tampa Bay area, and to identify the lightning parameters associated with the occurrence of line outages and equipment damage on the distribution systems of the participating utilities. The equipment developed for these studies is fully described. The field work provided: general data on lightning - e.g., electric and magnetic fields of cloud and ground flashes; data from automated monitoring of lightning activity; stroke current waveshapes and peak currents measured at distribution arresters; and line outage and equipment damage on 13 kV networks in the Tampa Bay area. Computer aided analyses were required to collate and to process the accumulated data. The computer programs developed for this work are described.

A Descriptive Study of Body Pain and Work-Related Musculoskeletal Disorders Among Latino Farmworkers Working on Sweet Potato Farms in Eastern North Carolina.

PubMed

Kearney, Gregory D; Allen, Daniel L; Balanay, Jo Anne G; Barry, Paul

2016-01-01

Agricultural work is a physically demanding occupation. The purpose of this project was to describe the prevalence of work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs) and self-reported pain among Latino farmworkers who work extensively hand harvesting sweet potatoes. Data were obtained from a cross-sectional survey of farmworkers (N = 120) in eastern North Carolina. Univariate and bivariate analyses were used to describe personal, work characteristics, and self-reported pain associated with musculoskeletal injuries. Overall, 79% of farmworkers reported any type of pain or discomfort. The highest reported areas of pain were in the back (66%) and shoulder areas (31%). Younger participants experienced more shoulder pain (P = .04) than older workers, and working more than 5 years as a farmworker was significantly associated with back pain (P = .01). Interventions aimed at administrative and engineering controls for reducing risk factors that contribute to WMSDs are warranted.

Simple methods of exploiting the underlying structure of rule-based systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hendler, James

1986-01-01

Much recent work in the field of expert systems research has aimed at exploiting the underlying structures of the rule base for reasons of analysis. Such techniques as Petri-nets and GAGs have been proposed as representational structures that will allow complete analysis. Much has been made of proving isomorphisms between the rule bases and the mechanisms, and in examining the theoretical power of this analysis. In this paper we describe some early work in a new system which has much simpler (and thus, one hopes, more easily achieved) aims and less formality. The technique being examined is a very simple one: OPS5 programs are analyzed in a purely syntactic way and a FSA description is generated. In this paper we describe the technique and some user interface tools which exploit this structure.

Lacan’s Construction and Deconstruction of the Double-Mirror Device

PubMed Central

Vanheule, Stijn

2011-01-01

In the 1950s Jacques Lacan developed a set-up with a concave mirror and a plane mirror, based on which he described the nature of human identification. He also formulated ideas on how psychoanalysis, qua clinical practice, responds to identification. In this paper Lacan’s schema of the two mirrors is described in detail and the theoretical line of reasoning he aimed to articulate with aid of this spatial model is discussed. It is argued that Lacan developed his double-mirror device to clarify the relationship between the drive, the ego, the ideal ego, the ego-ideal, the other, and the Other. This model helped Lacan describe the dynamics of identification and explain how psychoanalytic treatment works. He argued that by working with free association, psychoanalysis aims to articulate unconscious desire, and bypass the tendency of the ego for misrecognition. The reasons why Lacan stressed the limits of his double-mirror model and no longer considered it useful from the early 1960s onward are examined. It is argued that his concept of the gaze, which he qualifies as a so-called “object a,” prompted Lacan move away from his double-mirror set-up. In those years Lacan gradually began to study the tension between drive and signifier. The schema of the two mirrors, by contrast, focused on the tension between image and signifier, and missed the point Lacan aimed to address in this new era of his work. PMID:21949511

Working with or against the Stores?: A Non-Governmental Organization Working with Alcohol Purchase Attempts

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Geidne, Susanna; Eriksson, Charli

2009-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to describe and analyse the implementation by a non-governmental organization (NGO) of an intervention with two different strategies--one employing confrontational approaches, the other cooperative ones--aiming to reduce the rate of successful purchase attempts (PAs) of medium-strength beer in Sweden.…

University Continuing Education as Teamwork--Three Case Studies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sandberg, Håkan

2004-01-01

Previous work has identified a lack of focused research in the field of team working in university continuing education (UCE). However, teamwork could be seen as self-evident in UCE, in part because UCE is of interest to employees, employers, universities and society. The aim of this study is to "describe" teamwork in UCE at three…

The Experience of Critical Self-Reflection by Life Coaches: A Phenomenological Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shaw, Deanna Lynn

2012-01-01

The purpose of this study was to describe the experience of critical self-reflection by life coaches. Life coaching is expanding within many disciplines including education, health care, business, social work, and wellness. Life coaching involves a coach working with an individual or groups aimed at effecting change for professional and personal…

Developing Successful Collaborative Working Practices for Children with Speech and Language Difficulties: A Pilot Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Paradice, Ruth; Bailey-Wood, Nicola; Davies, Kate; Solomon, Marion

2007-01-01

The importance of collaborative practice between those who provide services to children with special educational needs is now regarded as essential and is supported strongly by the UK government. However, joint working is often difficult to implement, despite the goodwill of all involved. This paper describes a pilot study aimed at developing…

Outsourcing the State's Responsibilities? Third Sector Organizations Supporting Migrant Families' Participation in Schools in Catalonia and London

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Paniagua, Alejandro; D'Angelo, Alessio

2017-01-01

Based on two case studies of Third Sector Organizations (TSOs) working with schools and parents in Catalonia and London, this paper aims to discuss some of the implications of "participative" programmes aimed at involving those migrant families seen by schools as "hard to reach". First, we describe how an ambiguous notion of…

BIM integration in education: A case study of the construction technology project Bolt Tower Dolni Vitkovice

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Venkrbec, Vaclav; Bittnerova, Lucie

2017-12-01

Building information modeling (BIM) can support effectiveness during many activities in the AEC industry. even when processing a construction-technological project. This paper presents an approach how to use building information model in higher education, especially during the work on diploma thesis and it supervision. Diploma thesis is project based work, which aims to compile a construction-technological project for a selected construction. The paper describes the use of input data, working with them and compares this process with standard input data such as printed design documentation. The effectiveness of using the building information model as a input data for construction-technological project is described in the conclusion.

NASA and the United States educational system - Outreach programs in aeronautics, space science, and technology

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Owens, Frank C.

1990-01-01

The role of NASA in developing a well-educated American work force is addressed. NASA educational programs aimed at precollege students are examined, including the NASA Spacemobile, Urban Community Enrichment Program, and Summer High School Apprenticeship Program. NASA workshops and programs aimed at helping teachers develop classroom curriculum materials are described. Programs aimed at college and graduate-level students are considered along with coordination efforts with other federal agencies and with corporations.

Developing Patient-Centered Communication Skills Training for Oncologists: Describing the Content and Efficacy of Training

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brown, Richard F.; Bylund, Carma L.; Gueguen, Jennifer A.; Diamond, Catherine; Eddington, Julia; Kissane, David

2010-01-01

Communication Skills Training (CST) is a proven aid to help oncologists achieve high quality patient-centered communication. No research studies have provided clear guidelines for developing the content of CST. The aim of this work is to describe a method of developing such content and evaluation of effectiveness of CST training workshops (based…

An interview guide for clinicians to identify a young disabled person's motivation to work.

PubMed

Faber, B J M; Wind, H; Frings-Dresen, M H W

2016-06-27

The percentage of young people with disabilities who are employed is relatively low. Motivation is considered to be an important factor in facilitating or hindering their ability to obtain employment. We aimed to develop a topic list that could serve as an interview guide for professionals in occupational health care which would aid them in their discussion of work motivation-related issues with this group. We systematically searched Pubmed, PsychInfo and Picarta. Studies were included if they described aspects of work motivation and/or instruments that assess work motivation. Based on the results of our literature survey, we developed a list of topics that had been shown to be related to work motivation. Our search resulted in 12 articles describing aspects of work motivation and 17 articles describing instruments that assess work motivation. The aspects that we found were intrinsic motivation, extrinsic motivation, goal setting, self-efficacy, expectancy, values and work readiness. Based on this information we developed an interview guide that includes seven topic areas: intrinsic motivation, extrinsic motivation, goal setting, expectancy, values, self- efficacy, and work readiness. The topics within the interview guide and the literature survey data that is presented will shed light on the role that motivation plays on the work participation among young people with disabilities.

Patient-specific instruments: advantages and pitfalls

PubMed Central

Hafez, Mahmoud A.; Moholkar, Kirti

2017-01-01

Patient-specific instruments (PSI) aim to improve the accuracy of total knee replacement (TKR) based on computer-assisted preoperative planning. In this work, the authors describe the advantages and pitfalls of PSI based on their clinical experience. The main conclusion of this work is that PSI has direct impact on the logistical and technical features of TKR with some advantages and pitfalls. PMID:29227785

The Influence of Lived Experience with Addiction and Recovery on Practice-Related Decisions among Professionals Working in Addiction Agencies Serving Women

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Novotna, Gabriela; Dobbins, Maureen; Jack, Susan M.; Sword, Wendy; Niccols, Alison; Brooks, Sandy; Henderson, Joanna

2013-01-01

Aims: The study objectives were to: (1) understand the value attributed to the lived experience of addiction and recovery among professionals working in addiction agencies serving women in Canada and (2) describe how lived experience influence practice-related decision-making. Methods: A descriptive qualitative study was conducted with a…

Organizing Project-Based Learning in Work Contexts: A Cross-Cultural Cross Analysis of Data from Two Projects

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Poell, Rob F.; Yorks, Lyle; Marsick, Victoria J.

2009-01-01

The authors describe research aimed at developing a more comprehensive framework for project-based learning in work contexts. This grows out of a cross-cultural reanalysis of data from two previous studies using two different frameworks: actor-centered learning network theory and a critical pragmatist lens on action reflection learning. Findings…

Market Competition in Upper Secondary Education: Perceived Effects on Teachers' Work

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lundstrom, Ulf; Holm, Ann-Sofie

2011-01-01

The development and expansion of market solutions is one of the most important changes in Swedish education in the last 30 years. The aim of the article is to describe and analyse how students and staff in upper secondary schools perceive the impact of market competition on teachers' work. Three groups of actors in two Swedish regions were…

The Store Front School.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Forrest, Barbara

1986-01-01

Describes the Store Front School project, a program of cooperative education aimed at rekindling students' interest in school and helping them earn their diplomas. The school conducts classes in an office in a shopping mall where the students work. (ABB)

Activity Theory as a Theoretical Framework for Health Self-Quantification: A Systematic Review of Empirical Studies.

PubMed

Almalki, Manal; Gray, Kathleen; Martin-Sanchez, Fernando

2016-05-27

Self-quantification (SQ) is a way of working in which, by using tracking tools, people aim to collect, manage, and reflect on personal health data to gain a better understanding of their own body, health behavior, and interaction with the world around them. However, health SQ lacks a formal framework for describing the self-quantifiers' activities and their contextual components or constructs to pursue these health related goals. Establishing such framework is important because it is the first step to operationalize health SQ fully. This may in turn help to achieve the aims of health professionals and researchers who seek to make or study changes in the self-quantifiers' health systematically. The aim of this study was to review studies on health SQ in order to answer the following questions: What are the general features of the work and the particular activities that self-quantifiers perform to achieve their health objectives? What constructs of health SQ have been identified in the scientific literature? How have these studies described such constructs? How would it be possible to model these constructs theoretically to characterize the work of health SQ? A systematic review of peer-reviewed literature was conducted. A total of 26 empirical studies were included. The content of these studies was thematically analyzed using Activity Theory as an organizing framework. The literature provided varying descriptions of health SQ as data-driven and objective-oriented work mediated by SQ tools. From the literature, we identified two types of SQ work: work on data (ie, data management activities) and work with data (ie, health management activities). Using Activity Theory, these activities could be characterized into 6 constructs: users, tracking tools, health objectives, division of work, community or group setting, and SQ plan and rules. We could not find a reference to any single study that accounted for all these activities and constructs of health SQ activity. A Health Self-Quantification Activity Framework is presented, which shows SQ tool use in context, in relation to the goals, plans, and competence of the user. This makes it easier to analyze issues affecting SQ activity, and thereby makes it more feasible to address them. This review makes two significant contributions to research in this field: it explores health SQ work and its constructs thoroughly and it adapts Activity Theory to describe health SQ activity systematically.

Top-of-License Nursing Practice: Describing Common Nursing Activities and Nurses' Experiences That Hinder Top-of-License Practice, Part 1.

PubMed

Buck, Jacalyn; Loversidge, Jacqueline; Chipps, Esther; Gallagher-Ford, Lynn; Genter, Lynne; Yen, Po-Yin

2018-05-01

The aims of this study were to describe nurses' perceptions of nursing activities and analyze for consistency with top-of-license (TOL) practice. The Advisory Board Company expert panel proposed 8 TOL core nursing responsibilities representing practice at its potential. Thus far, no empirical work has examined nursing practices relative to TOL, from staff nurses' points of view. This qualitative study used focus groups to explore perceptions of typical nursing activities. We analyzed activities for themes that described nurses' work during typical shifts. Nurses' full scope of work included TOL-consistent categories, as well as categories that did not exemplify TOL practice, such as nonnursing care. A proposed model was developed, which depicts nurses' total scope of work, inclusive of all activity categories. In addition, hindrances to TOL practice were also identified. Findings from this study can inform leadership imperatives and the development of innovative, sustainable nursing practice models that support nursing practice at TOL.

Sustaining the Support in Four-Year-Olds in Childcare Services with the Goal of Promoting Their Cognitive and Language Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bigras, Nathalie; Lemay, Lise; Bouchard, Caroline; Eryasa, Joell

2017-01-01

This paper aims to describe the quality of play as offered by early childhood educators working with four-year-olds within an educational childcare service. It also aims to identify the correlation between the quality of play support and a child's cognitive, language and socio-emotional development. Finally, it focuses on the factors associated…

78 FR 35650 - Self-Regulatory Organizations; Chicago Board Options Exchange, Incorporated; Notice of Filing and...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-06-13

... this new AIM feature will function as described in rule filing SR-CBOE-2013- 048. B. Self-Regulatory... the necessary system work and perform sufficient testing to ensure that this new AIM feature functions... Effectiveness of a Proposed Rule Change Relating to Rule 6.74A June 7, 2013. Pursuant to Section 19(b)(1) of the...

Public nursing home staff's experience of participating in an intervention aimed at enhancing their self-esteem.

PubMed

Wadensten, Barbro; Engström, Maria; Häggström, Elisabeth

2009-11-01

The aim of the present study was to gain an understanding of how nursing staff experienced participating in a training programme aimed at strengthening their self-esteem and empowering them, to determine whether participation benefited them in any way, and to describe their opinions about possible benefits or disadvantages. Staff working in institutions such as nursing homes have a low status in society. A training programme was introduced to staff in a public nursing home. It focused on helping them understand factors in the work situation that influence them and on empowering them. The study was explorative and qualitative in design. The participants in the programme were generally satisfied with it. Their opinions about the benefits they received from the programme can be described using three themes: 'improved communication skills', 'enhanced self-esteem' and 'sees work in a different light'. The most important finding of the present study is that it was possible to strengthen and empower staff. Staff members were generally pleased and satisfied with the content/organization of the training programme. They felt the programme had been of value to them by improving their communication skills and increasing their self-esteem. The present result could be of value to managers and educators working in the area of nursing home care when planning education and development activities for staff. Learning to communicate better and understand the social structure at the workplace could improve staff members' self-esteem, thereby enhancing the work situation and atmosphere as well as empowering the individuals.

From Fact to Function: Aspects of the Work of the C.R.A.P.E.L. Melanges Pedagogiques, 1974.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Riley, P.

The aim of this paper is to describe certain characteristic aspects of the work of C.R.A.P.E.L. (Centre de Recherches et d'Applications Pedagogiques en Langues), and, in doing so, to outline the overall approach and the conceptual framework on which that work is based. The description of the nature and organization of C.R.A.P.E.L. is followed by a…

Genetic Counselors in Startup Companies: Redefining the Genetic Counselor Role.

PubMed

Rabideau, Marina M; Wong, Kenny; Gordon, Erynn S; Ryan, Lauren

2016-08-01

Genetic counselors (GCs) have recently begun moving into non-clinic based roles in increasing numbers. A relatively new role for GCs is working for startup companies. Startups are newly established companies in the phase of developing and researching new scalable businesses. This article explores the experiences of four GCs working at different startup companies and aims to provide resources for GCs interested in learning more about these types of roles. The article describes startup culture, including a relatively flat organizational structure, quick product iterations, and flexibility, among other unique cultural characteristics. Financial considerations are described, including how to understand and evaluate a company's financial status, along with a brief explanation of alternate forms of compensation including stock options and equity. Specifically, the article details the uncertainties and rewards of working in a fast-paced startup environment that affords opportunities to try new roles and use the genetic counseling skill set in new ways. This article aims to aid GCs in determining whether a startup environment would be a good fit, learning how to evaluate a specific startup, and understanding how to market themselves for positions at startups.

'I love my work, but ... ': the 'best' and the 'worst' in nurse educators' working life in Finland.

PubMed

Harri, M

1996-06-01

The aim of this study was to investigate nurse educators' perceptions of the quality of their working life. Questionnaires were sent to 706 Finnish nurse educators and their spouses or other adult living with them. The results concerning the structured part of the questionnaire have been described in detail in an earlier paper (Harri 1995). This paper describes the data collected by means of semi-structured questions from 477 (68%) educators and 409 (58%) spouses) and open-ended questions (309 nurse educators and 167 spouses), analysed using content analysis. The seven categories that were identified as the best features of work were, in descending order of prevalence: students, freedom, challenges, teaching, miscellaneous, colleagues, and physical environment. Among the worst features of work, workload ranked first, followed by inadequacy of personal resources, administrative issues, changes, interpersonal relationships, miscellaneous, and physical environment. In the open-ended comments the nurse educators used 400 expressions to describe positive features of their working life, while they used 597 expressions to describe negative features. The spouses made 90 positive comments about the working life of their teacher spouse, and 425 negative comments. The importance of this kind of study was remarked on quite frequently both by nurse educators (22%) and their spouses (12%). The study provides important clues to understanding the present reality of nurse educators' working life. It is hoped that the findings of the study will help focus attention on ways of developing the quality of nurse educators' working life.

The Cuban Model for Higher Education of Older Adults: Generativity, Social Commitment, and Collaborative Work

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yuni, José Alberto; Urbano, Claudio Ariel

2014-01-01

The present work is an approach to study the "Cuban model" for educating the elderly, and its aim is to describe the main features of the experience developed by this country. The University of the Third Age is more than three decades old in Latin America, but none of the countries in the region can show a state educational policy…

Conducting Field Research in a Primary School Setting: Methodological Considerations for Maximizing Response Rates, Data Quality and Quantity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Trapp, Georgina; Giles-Corti, Billie; Martin, Karen; Timperio, Anna; Villanueva, Karen

2012-01-01

Background: Schools are an ideal setting in which to involve children in research. Yet for investigators wishing to work in these settings, there are few method papers providing insights into working efficiently in this setting. Objective: The aim of this paper is to describe the five strategies used to increase response rates, data quality and…

CEDEFOP Work Programme 2000, Approved at the Meeting of the Management Board (November 23-24, 1999). CEDEFOP Reference Document.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training, Thessaloniki (Greece).

This document presents the Work Program 2000 of the European Center for the Development of Vocational Training (CEDEFOP). It is divided into two sections, each of which describes the main aims and expected activities and outcomes of CEDEFOP projects and the activities of its networks in 2000. The first focuses on developing knowledge and expertise…

Teachers Reflecting on Their Work: Articulating What Is Said about What Is Done

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mena Marcos, Juan Jose; Sanchez, Emilio; Tillema, Harm

2008-01-01

Teachers' written reflections on their work, which report on a change in their practice, were the object of this research. Taking teachers' articulation of their plans and actions in teacher journals as our source, this study's aim is twofold: (1) to describe how teacher reflect in a self-initiated and non-framed way on their own practice, and (2)…

The Dark Matter of Lab Work: Illuminating the Negotiation of Disciplined Perception in Mechanics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lindwall, Oskar; Lymer, Gustav

2008-01-01

This study examines the practical work of a pair of students and an instructor using probeware in a mechanics lab. The aim of the study is to describe and discuss a type of interactional sequence that we refer to as "dark matter", the ordinary backdrop to the extraordinary sequences that are easily recognizable as clear-cut instances of learning.…

The National United States Center Data Repository: Core essential interprofessional practice & education data enabling triple aim analytics.

PubMed

Pechacek, Judith; Shanedling, Janet; Lutfiyya, May Nawal; Brandt, Barbara F; Cerra, Frank B; Delaney, Connie White

2015-01-01

Understanding the impact that interprofessional education and collaborative practice (IPECP) might have on triple aim patient outcomes is of high interest to health care providers, educators, administrators, and policy makers. Before the work undertaken by the National Center for Interprofessional Practice and Education at the University of Minnesota, no standard mechanism to acquire and report outcome data related to interprofessional education and collaborative practice and its effect on triple aim outcomes existed. This article describes the development and adoption of the National Center Data Repository (NCDR) designed to capture data related to IPECP processes and outcomes to support analyses of the relationship of IPECP on the Triple Aim. The data collection methods, web-based survey design and implementation process are discussed. The implications of this informatics work to the field of IPECP and health care quality and safety include creating standardized capacity to describe interprofessional practice and measure outcomes connecting interprofessional education and collaborative practice to the triple aim within and across sites/settings, leveraging an accessible data collection process using user friendly web-based survey design to support large data scholarship and instrument testing, and establishing standardized data elements and variables that can potentially lead to enhancements to national/international information system and academic accreditation standards to further team-based, interprofessional, collaborative research in the field.

The National United States Center Data Repository: Core essential interprofessional practice & education data enabling triple aim analytics

PubMed Central

Pechacek, Judith; Shanedling, Janet; Lutfiyya, May Nawal; Brandt, Barbara F.; Cerra, Frank B.; Delaney, Connie White

2015-01-01

Abstract Understanding the impact that interprofessional education and collaborative practice (IPECP) might have on triple aim patient outcomes is of high interest to health care providers, educators, administrators, and policy makers. Before the work undertaken by the National Center for Interprofessional Practice and Education at the University of Minnesota, no standard mechanism to acquire and report outcome data related to interprofessional education and collaborative practice and its effect on triple aim outcomes existed. This article describes the development and adoption of the National Center Data Repository (NCDR) designed to capture data related to IPECP processes and outcomes to support analyses of the relationship of IPECP on the Triple Aim. The data collection methods, web-based survey design and implementation process are discussed. The implications of this informatics work to the field of IPECP and health care quality and safety include creating standardized capacity to describe interprofessional practice and measure outcomes connecting interprofessional education and collaborative practice to the triple aim within and across sites/settings, leveraging an accessible data collection process using user friendly web-based survey design to support large data scholarship and instrument testing, and establishing standardized data elements and variables that can potentially lead to enhancements to national/international information system and academic accreditation standards to further team-based, interprofessional, collaborative research in the field. PMID:26652631

Photography, Ideology and Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dennett, Terry; Spence, Jo

1976-01-01

Describes some of the work of two members of the Half Moon Photography Workshop Collective, an independent London gallery committed to showing social and documentary photography. Examines The Workshop's major aim of promoting interest in the use of photography as a critical educational tool. (MH)

Work engagement in health professions education.

PubMed

van den Berg, Joost W; Mastenbroek, Nicole J J M; Scheepers, Renée A; Jaarsma, A Debbie C

2017-11-01

Work engagement deserves more attention in health professions education because of its positive relations with personal well-being and performance at work. For health professions education, these outcomes have been studied on various levels. Consider engaged clinical teachers, who are seen as better clinical teachers; consider engaged residents, who report committing fewer medical errors than less engaged peers. Many topics in health professions education can benefit from explicitly including work engagement as an intended outcome such as faculty development programs, feedback provision and teacher recognition. In addition, interventions aimed at strengthening resources could provide teachers with a solid foundation for well-being and performance in all their work roles. Work engagement is conceptually linked to burnout. An important model that underlies both burnout and work engagement literature is the job demands-resources (JD-R) model. This model can be used to describe relationships between work characteristics, personal characteristics and well-being and performance at work. We explain how using this model helps identifying aspects of teaching that foster well-being and how it paves the way for interventions which aim to increase teacher's well-being and performance.

[Proposal of a method for collective analysis of work-related accidents in the hospital setting].

PubMed

Osório, Claudia; Machado, Jorge Mesquita Huet; Minayo-Gomez, Carlos

2005-01-01

The article presents a method for the analysis of work-related accidents in hospitals, with the double aim of analyzing accidents in light of actual work activity and enhancing the vitality of the various professions that comprise hospital work. This process involves both research and intervention, combining knowledge output with training of health professionals, fostering expanded participation by workers in managing their daily work. The method consists of stimulating workers to recreate the situation in which a given accident occurred, shifting themselves to the position of observers of their own work. In the first stage of analysis, workers are asked to show the work analyst how the accident occurred; in the second stage, the work accident victim and analyst jointly record the described series of events in a diagram; in the third, the resulting record is re-discussed and further elaborated; in the fourth, the work accident victim and analyst evaluate and implement measures aimed to prevent the accident from recurring. The article concludes by discussing the method's possibilities and limitations in the hospital setting.

How to clarify the aims of empathy in medicine.

PubMed

Betzler, Riana J

2018-03-22

This paper argues that enthusiasm for empathy has grown to the point at which empathy has taken on the status of an "ideal" in modern medicine. We need to pause and scrutinize this ideal before moving forward with empathy training programs for medical students. Taking empathy as an ideal obscures the distinction between the multiple aims that calls for empathy seek to achieve. While these aims may work together, they also come apart and yield different recommendations about the sort of behavior physicians should cultivate in a given situation. I begin by demonstrating how enthusiasm for empathy has increased dramatically. I then specify precisely what I mean in calling empathy an "ideal." I then describe some dangers associated with taking empathy to be an ideal unreflectively. I discuss the merits of works that provide conceptualizations of empathy that are specifically tailored for the medical domain and conclude that although these works move discussions about empathy in medical care forward, they could do more to foreground the goals and aims underlying calls for increased empathy. I provide specific suggestions as to how exactly we might foreground these goals and aims to further avoid conceptual confusion about empathy in medical education.

Family and career-conscious hospitals - problem areas and necessary steps.

PubMed

Fegert, Jörg M; Liebhardt, Hubert

2012-01-01

This paper aims to describe the wide range of compatibility issues between work in the medical profession and the family. Several topics are intertwined and overlap in some areas. Family friendliness in curative medicine, healthcare, medical studies and the training, specialisation and CPD of doctors is a key theme in the current debate on the future of health and family policies. The rising proportion of women and changes in the medical community characterise the future of medicine. Topics such as working hours and organisation of work, as well as family support and maternity leave, must be discussed further and in particular regarding employees in the health services. This overview will describe where Germany has issues, what is already being done well in the hospitals but could still be improved.

Family and Career-conscious Hospitals – Problem Areas and Necessary Steps

PubMed Central

Fegert, Jörg M.; Liebhardt, Hubert

2012-01-01

This paper aims to describe the wide range of compatibility issues between work in the medical profession and the family. Several topics are intertwined and overlap in some areas. Family friendliness in curative medicine, healthcare, medical studies and the training, specialisation and CPD of doctors is a key theme in the current debate on the future of health and family policies. The rising proportion of women and changes in the medical community characterise the future of medicine. Topics such as working hours and organisation of work, as well as family support and maternity leave, must be discussed further and in particular regarding employees in the health services. This overview will describe where Germany has issues, what is already being done well in the hospitals but could still be improved. PMID:22558032

Sick-listed persons' experiences with taking part in an in-patient occupational rehabilitation program based on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy: a qualitative focus group interview study.

PubMed

Rise, Marit B; Gismervik, Sigmund Ø; Johnsen, Roar; Fimland, Marius S

2015-11-27

Occupational medicine has shifted emphasis from disease treatment to disability rehabilitation and management. Hence, newly developed occupational rehabilitation programs are often generic and multicomponent, aiming to influence the sick-listed persons' perception on return to work, and thereby support the return to work process. The aim of this study was to explore sick-listed persons' experiences with taking part in an in-patient occupational rehabilitation program based on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy. Twenty-nine adults on sickness benefit or work assessment allowance due to musculoskeletal and/or common mental health disorders participated in this study. They were interviewed in focus groups at the beginning and at the end of a 3.5 week inpatient group-based occupational rehabilitation program in Central Norway. Key elements in the program were Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), physical exercise and creating a work-participation plan. The program was mainly group-based including participants with different diagnoses. Data was analyzed according to a phenomenological approach. At the start of the program most participants expressed frustration regarding being sick-listed, external anticipations as well as hindrances towards returning to work, and described hope that the program would provide them with the skills and techniques necessary to cope with health problems and being able to return to work. At the end of the program the participants described that they had embarked upon a long process of increased awareness. This process encompassed four areas; an increased awareness of what was important in life, realizing the strain from external expectations and demands, a need to balance different aspects of life, and return to work as part of a long and complex process. The occupational rehabilitation program induced a perceived meaningful reorientation encompassing several aspects of life. However, the return to work process was described as diffuse and uncertain for most participants. The providers of occupational rehabilitation program should balance this reorientation with specific steps towards return to work. Effect studies and long-term qualitative studies evaluating how this affects long-term work- and health outcomes are underway.

Winter in Northern Europe (WINE) Project

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Vonzahn, U.

1982-01-01

The scientific aims, work plan, and organization of the Middle Atmosphere Program winter in northern Europe (MAP/WINE) are described. Proposed contributions to the MAP/WINE program from various countries are enumerated. Specific atmospheric parameters to be examined are listed along with the corresponding measurement technique.

Computer Based Simulation of Laboratory Experiments.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Edward, Norrie S.

1997-01-01

Examines computer based simulations of practical laboratory experiments in engineering. Discusses the aims and achievements of lab work (cognitive, process, psychomotor, and affective); types of simulations (model building and behavioral); and the strengths and weaknesses of simulations. Describes the development of a centrifugal pump simulation,…

A School Uniform Program That Works.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Loesch, Paul C.

1995-01-01

According to advocates, school uniforms reduce gang influence, decrease families' clothing expenditures, and help mitigate potentially divisive cultural and economic differences. Aiming to improve school climate, a California elementary school adopted uniforms as a source of pride and affiliation. This article describes the development of the…

The Subsidiary Language Examination--an Experiment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vanek, Marianne; Woodhall, Michael

1970-01-01

Describes the preparation, structure and experimental testing of an examination designed to test student achievement in the subsidiary German course at the Lanchester Polytechnic, Coventry, one of several subsidiary language courses aimed at giving Modern Language students a sound working knowledge of a third language. (FB)

Activity Theory as a Theoretical Framework for Health Self-Quantification: A Systematic Review of Empirical Studies

PubMed Central

2016-01-01

Background Self-quantification (SQ) is a way of working in which, by using tracking tools, people aim to collect, manage, and reflect on personal health data to gain a better understanding of their own body, health behavior, and interaction with the world around them. However, health SQ lacks a formal framework for describing the self-quantifiers’ activities and their contextual components or constructs to pursue these health related goals. Establishing such framework is important because it is the first step to operationalize health SQ fully. This may in turn help to achieve the aims of health professionals and researchers who seek to make or study changes in the self-quantifiers’ health systematically. Objective The aim of this study was to review studies on health SQ in order to answer the following questions: What are the general features of the work and the particular activities that self-quantifiers perform to achieve their health objectives? What constructs of health SQ have been identified in the scientific literature? How have these studies described such constructs? How would it be possible to model these constructs theoretically to characterize the work of health SQ? Methods A systematic review of peer-reviewed literature was conducted. A total of 26 empirical studies were included. The content of these studies was thematically analyzed using Activity Theory as an organizing framework. Results The literature provided varying descriptions of health SQ as data-driven and objective-oriented work mediated by SQ tools. From the literature, we identified two types of SQ work: work on data (ie, data management activities) and work with data (ie, health management activities). Using Activity Theory, these activities could be characterized into 6 constructs: users, tracking tools, health objectives, division of work, community or group setting, and SQ plan and rules. We could not find a reference to any single study that accounted for all these activities and constructs of health SQ activity. Conclusions A Health Self-Quantification Activity Framework is presented, which shows SQ tool use in context, in relation to the goals, plans, and competence of the user. This makes it easier to analyze issues affecting SQ activity, and thereby makes it more feasible to address them. This review makes two significant contributions to research in this field: it explores health SQ work and its constructs thoroughly and it adapts Activity Theory to describe health SQ activity systematically. PMID:27234343

Focus on motivation in the work rehabilitation planning process: a qualitative study from the employer's perspective.

PubMed

Gard, Gunvor; Larsson, Agneta

2003-09-01

Since the working environment act was passed in 1991, employers in Sweden are to plan and control the working environment conditions in workplaces. They are responsible for organized rehabilitation at the workplace including the development of rehabilitation plans and a plan for interventions in order for a sick-listed client to be able to return to work. The aim of this study was to describe employers' experiences of how motivation can be improved in a work rehabilitation process. Qualitative interviews were performed with 10 employers who had employees that had taken part in a period of vocational rehabilitation at a rehabilitation center in the north of Sweden, over a 2-year period. The result showed that increased focus on motivation for change is needed in work rehabilitation. The clients' motivation for change could be improved by a focus on motivational conversations at the workplace aiming at motivation for change in their working and living conditions. The employers' power of initiative, competence, economic resources, and motivation are needed for creative solutions at the workplace.

Educating Engaged Citizens: Four Projects from Ireland

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

O'Flaherty, Joanne; Liddy, Mags; Tansey, Lorraine; Roche, Cathy

2011-01-01

Purpose: This paper aims to describe the four education projects that demonstrate how Irish education provision is adapting to meet social and economic changes: Ubuntu Network working to integrate education for sustainable development (ESD) into teacher education; Community Knowledge Initiative (CKI) facilitating service learning modules at higher…

Are Educational Psychologists Stressed? A Pilot Study of Educational Psychologists' Perceptions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gersch, Irvine; Teuma, Anna

2005-01-01

This paper describes an exploratory pilot research project, aimed at investigating occupational stress amongst educational psychologists. It investigated three areas: educational psychologists' perceptions of their own stress levels, sources of stress and possible work conditions, which may reduce stress levels. Data was collected via…

United Kingdom: Quality with Control.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Paulu, Burton

1978-01-01

Describes the autonomous workings of the British Broadcasting Corporation and the Independent Broadcasting Authority, where editorializing is prohibited, advertising is limited, and the aim of programing is to provide the public with real choices at all hours, and to maintain high standards of planning, writing, production, and presentation. (JMF)

Defining Dyslexia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tunmer, William; Greaney, Keith

2010-01-01

In 2007, the New Zealand Ministry of Education formally recognized the condition of dyslexia for the first time and has subsequently developed a working definition of the condition. The aim of this article is to draw on contemporary theory and research on reading development, reading difficulties, and reading intervention to describe what the…

International Field Experiences Promote Professional Development for Sustainability Leaders

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hull, R. Bruce; Kimmel, Courtney; Robertson, David P.; Mortimer, Michael

2016-01-01

Purpose: This paper aims to describe, explain and evaluate a graduate education program that provides international project experiences and builds competencies related to collaborative problem-solving, cultural capacity to work globally and sustainable development. Design/methodology/approach: Qualitative analysis of survey data from 28 students…

Helping Students Develop Learning Strategies: Some Theoretical and Practical Considerations.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Harrison, Ian D.

The collaborative curriculum development process in a postsecondary language education program in Japan is described, looking specifically at the work of five curriculum development teams, or focus groups: needs assessment; curriculum aims, goals, and objectives; cognitive development and learner strategies; materials development; and learner…

Opening Up High Technology Careers to Women.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bumstead, Richard

1981-01-01

Describes a program that aims at increasing the number of women technicians in computer and other electronics industries. Discusses how more women are entering the computer field in Massachusetts, the stigma of technical work, typical assignments, lack of short-term courses, and recent responses to needs. (CT)

Computer vision for microscopy diagnosis of malaria.

PubMed

Tek, F Boray; Dempster, Andrew G; Kale, Izzet

2009-07-13

This paper reviews computer vision and image analysis studies aiming at automated diagnosis or screening of malaria infection in microscope images of thin blood film smears. Existing works interpret the diagnosis problem differently or propose partial solutions to the problem. A critique of these works is furnished. In addition, a general pattern recognition framework to perform diagnosis, which includes image acquisition, pre-processing, segmentation, and pattern classification components, is described. The open problems are addressed and a perspective of the future work for realization of automated microscopy diagnosis of malaria is provided.

Surgical nurses' work-related stress when caring for severely ill and dying patients in cancer after participating in an educational intervention on existential issues.

PubMed

Udo, Camilla; Danielson, Ella; Henoch, Ingela; Melin-Johansson, Christina

2013-10-01

The aim of this study was to describe surgical nurses' perceived work-related stress in the care of severely ill and dying patients with cancer after participating in an educational intervention on existential issues. This article reports a mixed methods pilot study of an education programme consisting of lectures and supervised discussions conducted in 2009-2010 in three surgical wards in a county hospital in Sweden. The concurrent data collections consisted of repeated interviews with eleven nurses in an educational group, and questionnaires were distributed to 42 nurses on four occasions. Directly after the educational intervention, the nurses described working under high time pressure. They also described being hindered in caring because of discrepancies between their caring intentions and what was possible in the surgical care context. Six months later, the nurses described a change in decision making, and a shift in the caring to make it more in line with their own intentions and patients' needs rather than the organizational structure. They also reported decreased feelings of work-related stress, decreased stress associated with work-load and feeling less disappointed at work. Results indicate that it may be possible to influence nurses' work-related stress through an educational intervention. According to nurses' descriptions, reflecting on their ways of caring for severely ill and dying patients, many of whom had cancer, from an existential perspective, had contributed to enhanced independent decision making in caring. This in turn appears to have decreased their feelings of work-related stress and disappointment at work. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The Occupational Transition Process to Upper Secondary School, Further Education and/or Work in Sweden: As Described by Young Adults with Asperger Syndrome and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder.

PubMed

Baric, Vedrana Bolic; Hemmingsson, Helena; Hellberg, Kristina; Kjellberg, Anette

2017-03-01

The aim was to describe the occupational transition process to upper secondary school, further education and/or work, and to discover what support influences the process from the perspectives of young adults with Asperger syndrome or attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder. This qualitative study was performed in Sweden and comprised interviews with 15 young adults recruited from community based day centres. Support influencing the process included: occupational transition preparation in compulsory school, practical work experience in a safe environment, and support beyond the workplace. The overall understanding shows that the occupational transition process was a longitudinal one starting as early as in middle school, and continuing until the young adults obtained and were able to remain in employment or further education.

Work injury rehabilitation and the tendency to return to work of workers with injuries in Mainland China.

PubMed

Ouyang, Ya Tao

2008-01-01

This paper aims to describe the current situation of the work injury rehabilitation system in China with its drawbacks, especially relating to the employment services for workers with injuries and bringing up the topic of the need for more work to attempt to construct a modern work injury occupational rehabilitation system: perfecting the administration mechanism of policy, establishing an occupational rehabilitation pattern with Chinese characteristics, establishing the socialization service network as the core of occupational rehabilitation and establishing a practical professional team and academic communication platform. These creative thoughts may shed light on the development of the work injury rehabilitation system as well as the return to work for workers with injuries in China.

[Guideline for the treatment of Graves' disease with antithyroid drug].

PubMed

Nakamura, Hirotoshi

2006-12-01

We have published "Guideline for the Treatment of Graves' Disease with Antithyroid Drug in Japan 2006" in the middle of May from the Japan Thyroid Association. The background, working process, composition, aim and significance of this guideline are described. The most remarkable feature of this guideline is "evidence based".

Contemporary Primary Science Curricula in the United Kingdom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Henry, John A.

1976-01-01

Following a review of the impact of Piaget's theories of cognitive development on science curriculum design, the evolution and development of the Science 5/13 Project, designed to extend the work of Nuffield Junior Science Project, is described. Evaluation studies assessing the aims and objectives of this project are detailed. (BT)

Making Sense of Energy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Boohan, Richard

2014-01-01

This article describes an approach to teaching about the energy concept that aims to be accessible to students starting in early secondary school, while being scientifically rigorous and forming the foundation for later work. It discusses how exploring thermal processes is a good starting point for a more general consideration of the ways that…

Career Guidance Training.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Young, John E.

The 1972 Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) Career Training Program was aimed at placing counselors in actual work situations (as new employees) to enable them to experience that which they must describe to students if they are to do an effective job in career counseling. The overall purpose was to give counselors or teachers and administrators an…

Online Self-Assessment with Feedback and Metacognitive Knowledge

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ibabe, Izaskun; Jauregizar, Joana

2010-01-01

The present work describes an experience of educational innovation in a university context. Its aim was to determine the relationship between students' frequency of use of online self-assessment with feedback and their final performance on the course, taking into account both learners' motivation and perceived usefulness of these resources for…

Precursor Model and Preschool Science Learning about Shadows Formation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Delserieys, Alice; Jégou, Corinne; Boilevin, Jean-Marie; Ravanis, Konstantinos

2018-01-01

Background: This work is based on the idea that young children benefit from early introduction of scientific concepts. Few researches describe didactical strategies focusing on physics understanding for young children and analyse their effectiveness in standard classroom environments. Purpose: The aim is to identify whether didactical strategies…

An Unusually Effective School/University Programme: The Plymouth and Peninsula Model

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

la Velle, Linda; Reynolds, David; Nichol, Jon

2013-01-01

This article describes a novel UK school/university partnership, the "Plymouth Model" designed to encourage young people from disadvantaged backgrounds to aim for higher education (HE) study. The model incorporates the activity of university students, researchers and teachers working together to improve aspirations and outcomes for…

Applications of Chemiluminescence in the Teaching of Experimental Design

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Krawczyk, Tomasz; Slupska, Roksana; Baj, Stefan

2015-01-01

This work describes a single-session laboratory experiment devoted to teaching the principles of factorial experimental design. Students undertook the rational optimization of a luminol oxidation reaction, using a two-level experiment that aimed to create a long-lasting bright emission. During the session students used only simple glassware and…

mSciences: An Affinity Space for Science Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mota, Jorge; Morais, Carla; Moreira, Luciano; Paiva, João C.

2017-01-01

The project "Multimedia in science teaching: five years of research and teaching in Portugal" was successful in featuring the national research on multimedia in science education and in providing the community with a simple reference tool--a repository of open access scientific texts. The current work aims to describe the theoretical…

Employees on the Move!

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Levin, Sarah

This paper describes a method for designing, implementing, and evaluating a work-site physical activity campaign aimed at employees who are currently sedentary in their leisure time. Inactivity is a major but modifiable risk factor for coronary heart disease. Increasing the activity levels of underactive adults would have a positive impact on…

Provision of Adaptive Instruction: Implementation and Effects.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wang, Margaret C.

Despite increased interest in and acceptance of the concept and mandate of providing adaptive instruction to ensure schooling success for each student, a sizable gap exists between identification of specific educational practices and application of such practices in schools. The work described in this paper is aimed at examining the feasibility…

Inter-Individual Knowledge Transfer and Performance in Product Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kumar, Ajith; Ganesh, L. S.

2011-01-01

Purpose: This paper aims to examine how knowledge transfer between individuals influences performance in product development (PD) organizations and whether this influence is contingent to the degree of novelty in the PD work. Design/methodology/approach: A set of hypotheses describing the relationships between knowledge transfer by codification…

English for Airport Ground Staff

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cutting, Joan

2012-01-01

This article describes part of a European Commission Leonardo project that aimed to design a multimedia course for English language learners seeking work as ground staff in European airports. The structural-functional analysis of the dialogues written from the course showed that, across the four trades explored (security guards, ground handlers,…

CEDEFOP Annual Report, 2001.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training, Thessaloniki (Greece).

This is a report of major achievements and activities undertaken by Cedefop during 2001, and it describes efforts to achieve the aims laid down in the work program. Chapters 1-11 each focus on specified Proposed Outcomes 2001 and report results reached in these areas: reporting system on lifelong learning; promoting competencies for the knowledge…

Stimulating Language: Special Needs Children in Family Day Care.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bell, Catherine; And Others

One of four packets designed to help day care providers work with handicapped children and their parents, the booklet describes a workshop aimed at stimulating children's language. The workshop centers on the Preschool Group Evaluation Checklist which assesses the following factors in group language experience: role of the adult (verbal…

Novel imaging closed loop control strategy for heliostats

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bern, Gregor; Schöttl, Peter; Heimsath, Anna; Nitz, Peter

2017-06-01

Central Receiver Systems use up to thousands of heliostats to concentrate solar radiation. The precise control of heliostat aiming points is crucial not only for efficiency but also for reliable plant operation. Besides the calibration of open loop control systems, closed loop tracking strategies are developed to address a precise and efficient aiming strategy. The need for cost reductions in the heliostat field intensifies the motivation for economic closed loop control systems. This work introduces an approach for a closed loop heliostat tracking strategy using image analysis and signal modulation. The approach aims at the extraction of heliostat focal spot position within the receiver domain by means of a centralized remote vision system decoupled from the rough conditions close to the focal area. Taking an image sequence of the receiver while modulating a signal on different heliostats, their aiming points are retrieved. The work describes the methodology and shows first results from simulations and practical tests performed in small scale, motivating further investigation and deployment.

The Effect of Health Information Technology on Health Care Provider Communication: A Mixed-Method Protocol.

PubMed

Manojlovich, Milisa; Adler-Milstein, Julia; Harrod, Molly; Sales, Anne; Hofer, Timothy P; Saint, Sanjay; Krein, Sarah L

2015-06-11

Communication failures between physicians and nurses are one of the most common causes of adverse events for hospitalized patients, as well as a major root cause of all sentinel events. Communication technology (ie, the electronic medical record, computerized provider order entry, email, and pagers), which is a component of health information technology (HIT), may help reduce some communication failures but increase others because of an inadequate understanding of how communication technology is used. Increasing use of health information and communication technologies is likely to affect communication between nurses and physicians. The purpose of this study is to describe, in detail, how health information and communication technologies facilitate or hinder communication between nurses and physicians with the ultimate goal of identifying how we can optimize the use of these technologies to support effective communication. Effective communication is the process of developing shared understanding between communicators by establishing, testing, and maintaining relationships. Our theoretical model, based in communication and sociology theories, describes how health information and communication technologies affect communication through communication practices (ie, use of rich media; the location and availability of computers) and work relationships (ie, hierarchies and team stability). Therefore we seek to (1) identify the range of health information and communication technologies used in a national sample of medical-surgical acute care units, (2) describe communication practices and work relationships that may be influenced by health information and communication technologies in these same settings, and (3) explore how differences in health information and communication technologies, communication practices, and work relationships between physicians and nurses influence communication. This 4-year study uses a sequential mixed-methods design, beginning with a quantitative survey followed by a two-part qualitative phase. Survey results from aim 1 will provide a detailed assessment of health information and communication technologies in use and help identify sites with variation in health information and communication technologies for the qualitative phase of the study. In aim 2, we will conduct telephone interviews with hospital personnel in up to 8 hospitals to gather in-depth information about communication practices and work relationships on medical-surgical units. In aim 3, we will collect data in 4 hospitals (selected from telephone interview results) via observation, shadowing, focus groups, and artifacts to learn how health information and communication technologies, communication practices, and work relationships affect communication. Results from aim 1 will be published in 2016. Results from aims 2 and 3 will be published in subsequent years. As the majority of US hospitals do not yet have HIT fully implemented, results from our study will inform future development and implementation of health information and communication technologies to support effective communication between nurses and physicians.

The Effect of Health Information Technology on Health Care Provider Communication: A Mixed-Method Protocol

PubMed Central

Adler-Milstein, Julia; Harrod, Molly; Sales, Anne; Hofer, Timothy P; Saint, Sanjay; Krein, Sarah L

2015-01-01

Background Communication failures between physicians and nurses are one of the most common causes of adverse events for hospitalized patients, as well as a major root cause of all sentinel events. Communication technology (ie, the electronic medical record, computerized provider order entry, email, and pagers), which is a component of health information technology (HIT), may help reduce some communication failures but increase others because of an inadequate understanding of how communication technology is used. Increasing use of health information and communication technologies is likely to affect communication between nurses and physicians. Objective The purpose of this study is to describe, in detail, how health information and communication technologies facilitate or hinder communication between nurses and physicians with the ultimate goal of identifying how we can optimize the use of these technologies to support effective communication. Effective communication is the process of developing shared understanding between communicators by establishing, testing, and maintaining relationships. Our theoretical model, based in communication and sociology theories, describes how health information and communication technologies affect communication through communication practices (ie, use of rich media; the location and availability of computers) and work relationships (ie, hierarchies and team stability). Therefore we seek to (1) identify the range of health information and communication technologies used in a national sample of medical-surgical acute care units, (2) describe communication practices and work relationships that may be influenced by health information and communication technologies in these same settings, and (3) explore how differences in health information and communication technologies, communication practices, and work relationships between physicians and nurses influence communication. Methods This 4-year study uses a sequential mixed-methods design, beginning with a quantitative survey followed by a two-part qualitative phase. Survey results from aim 1 will provide a detailed assessment of health information and communication technologies in use and help identify sites with variation in health information and communication technologies for the qualitative phase of the study. In aim 2, we will conduct telephone interviews with hospital personnel in up to 8 hospitals to gather in-depth information about communication practices and work relationships on medical-surgical units. In aim 3, we will collect data in 4 hospitals (selected from telephone interview results) via observation, shadowing, focus groups, and artifacts to learn how health information and communication technologies, communication practices, and work relationships affect communication. Results Results from aim 1 will be published in 2016. Results from aims 2 and 3 will be published in subsequent years. Conclusions As the majority of US hospitals do not yet have HIT fully implemented, results from our study will inform future development and implementation of health information and communication technologies to support effective communication between nurses and physicians. PMID:26068442

Space power for space

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mullin, J. P.

1978-01-01

The total energy demanded by space missions of the future is expected to exceed past needs by orders of magnitude. The unit costs of this energy must be reduced from present levels if these missions are to be carried out at projected budget levels. The broad employment of electric propulsion and the capability to utilize novel high power sensors hinge on the availability of systems lighter by factors of ten or more than have flown to date. The NASA program aimed at providing the technological basis to meet these demands is described in this paper. Research and technology efforts in areas of energy conversion, storage and management are covered. In addition, work aimed at evolving the understanding necessary to cope with space environment interactions and at advanced concepts is described.

Meaningfulness in work - experiences among employed individuals with persistent mental illness.

PubMed

Leufstadius, Christel; Eklund, Mona; Erlandsson, Lena-Karin

2009-01-01

The aim of the present study was to investigate how people with persistent mental illness, with various types of work and employment conditions, experience and describe the meaningfulness of work. The study had a qualitative approach and twelve informants living in the community were purposefully selected and interviewed according to overarching themes. The interviews were analysed using qualitative content analysis, and all of the authors were involved in the analysis process. The findings resulted in four main themes: 1) work per se has certain characteristics, 2) participation in different contexts gives a feeling of normality, acceptance, belonging and fulfilment of norms and values, 3) work affords structure, energy and a balanced daily life, and 4) work increases well-being and strengthens one's identity. A tentative model is described concerning perceived meaningfulness in work among individuals with persistent mental illness, in which the first three aspects of meaning are a prerequisite for meaning in terms of increased well-being and strengthened identity. Furthermore, it seems important that work has to bring the just right challenge to the individual in order for him or her to perceive the identified aspects of meaningfulness.

The nurse manager's work in the hospital environment during the 1990s and 2000s: responsibility, accountability and expertise in nursing leadership.

PubMed

Surakka, Tiina

2008-07-01

The aim of the study was to describe and compare the characteristics of the nurse manager's work in different hospital environments and at different times. Business values and pressures for cost efficiency have become a reality in health care. The data comprised the diaries of 155 nurse managers working in one Finnish health district's hospitals in the 1990s and 2000s. In addition, focus group interviews were used as a data source. The data were subjected to qualitative and quantitative content analysis. The nurse manager's work comprises responsibility activities, accountability activities, and traditional bedside nursing. They also described the recognition of the underlying premises of their work and outcome orientation. Their descriptions of work varied between university and rural hospitals, between psychiatric and somatic nursing and between different wards. The work changed in the 2000s as the nurse manager's role changed from nurse to nurse leader. It appears that nurse managers have succeeded in integrating different leadership models into their daily work pattern. A new leadership model was devised based on an emerging nursing framework. Nurse leaders should assess who can assume leadership positions in health care and on what grounds.

Quality of Working Life of cancer survivors: associations with health- and work-related variables.

PubMed

de Jong, Merel; Tamminga, Sietske J; Frings-Dresen, Monique H W; de Boer, Angela G E M

2017-05-01

This study aimed to (1) describe the Quality of Working Life (QWL) of cancer survivors and (2) explore associations between the QWL of cancer survivors and health- and work-related variables. Employed and self-employed cancer survivors were recruited through hospitals and patient organizations. They completed the Quality of Working Life Questionnaire for Cancer Survivors (QWLQ-CS) and health- and work-related variables in this cross-sectional study. The QWL scores of cancer survivors were described, and associations between QWL and health- and work-related variables were assessed. The QWLQ-CS was completed by 302 cancer survivors (28% male) with a mean age of 52 ± 8 years. They were diagnosed between 0 and 10 years ago with various types of cancer, such as breast cancers, gastrointestinal cancers, urological cancers, and haematological cancers. The QWL mean score of cancer survivors was 75 ± 12 (0-100). Cancer survivors had statistically significant lower QWL scores when they had been treated with chemotherapy or when they reported co-morbidity (p ≤ 0.05). Cancer survivors without managerial positions, with low incomes or physically demanding work, and who worked a proportion of their contract hours had statistically significantly lower QWL scores (p ≤ 0.05). This study described the QWL of cancer survivors and associations between QWL and health- and work-related variables. Based on these variables, it is possible to indicate groups of cancer survivors who need more attention and support regarding QWL and work continuation.

Suicidality among medical students – A practical guide for staff members in medical schools

PubMed Central

Rau, Thea; Plener, Paul; Kliemann, Andrea; Fegert, Jörg M.; Allroggen, Marc

2013-01-01

Although suicidality in medical students is important, few studies dealt with this issue regarding German universities. Our aims were to describe the epidemiology as well as factors leading to suicidality in medical students. Furthermore we wanted to raise awareness for this topic among university employees and show options for handling suicidal crises in students. This manuscript especially aims to address university employees working in direct contact with students (such as student counselors or teachers). PMID:24282451

Spatial operator approach to flexible multibody system dynamics and control

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rodriguez, G.

1991-01-01

The inverse and forward dynamics problems for flexible multibody systems were solved using the techniques of spatially recursive Kalman filtering and smoothing. These algorithms are easily developed using a set of identities associated with mass matrix factorization and inversion. These identities are easily derived using the spatial operator algebra developed by the author. Current work is aimed at computational experiments with the described algorithms and at modelling for control design of limber manipulator systems. It is also aimed at handling and manipulation of flexible objects.

Worksite interventions for preventing physical deterioration among employees in job-groups with high physical work demands: background, design and conceptual model of FINALE.

PubMed

Holtermann, Andreas; Jørgensen, Marie B; Gram, Bibi; Christensen, Jeanette R; Faber, Anne; Overgaard, Kristian; Ektor-Andersen, John; Mortensen, Ole S; Sjøgaard, Gisela; Søgaard, Karen

2010-03-09

A mismatch between individual physical capacities and physical work demands enhance the risk for musculoskeletal disorders, poor work ability and sickness absence, termed physical deterioration. However, effective intervention strategies for preventing physical deterioration in job groups with high physical demands remains to be established. This paper describes the background, design and conceptual model of the FINALE programme, a framework for health promoting interventions at 4 Danish job groups (i.e. cleaners, health-care workers, construction workers and industrial workers) characterized by high physical work demands, musculoskeletal disorders, poor work ability and sickness absence. A novel approach of the FINALE programme is that the interventions, i.e. 3 randomized controlled trials (RCT) and 1 exploratory case-control study are tailored to the physical work demands, physical capacities and health profile of workers in each job-group. The RCT among cleaners, characterized by repetitive work tasks and musculoskeletal disorders, aims at making the cleaners less susceptible to musculoskeletal disorders by physical coordination training or cognitive behavioral theory based training (CBTr). Because health-care workers are reported to have high prevalence of overweight and heavy lifts, the aim of the RCT is long-term weight-loss by combined physical exercise training, CBTr and diet. Construction work, characterized by heavy lifting, pushing and pulling, the RCT aims at improving physical capacity and promoting musculoskeletal and cardiovascular health. At the industrial work-place characterized by repetitive work tasks, the intervention aims at reducing physical exertion and musculoskeletal disorders by combined physical exercise training, CBTr and participatory ergonomics. The overall aim of the FINALE programme is to improve the safety margin between individual resources (i.e. physical capacities, and cognitive and behavioral skills) and physical work demands, and thereby reduce the physical deterioration in a long term perspective by interventions tailored for each respective job-group. The FINALE programme has the potential to provide evidence-based knowledge of significant importance for public health policy and health promotion strategies for employees at high risk for physical deterioration. ISRCTN96241850, NCT01015716 and NCT01007669.

Worksite interventions for preventing physical deterioration among employees in job-groups with high physical work demands: Background, design and conceptual model of FINALE

PubMed Central

2010-01-01

Background A mismatch between individual physical capacities and physical work demands enhance the risk for musculoskeletal disorders, poor work ability and sickness absence, termed physical deterioration. However, effective intervention strategies for preventing physical deterioration in job groups with high physical demands remains to be established. This paper describes the background, design and conceptual model of the FINALE programme, a framework for health promoting interventions at 4 Danish job groups (i.e. cleaners, health-care workers, construction workers and industrial workers) characterized by high physical work demands, musculoskeletal disorders, poor work ability and sickness absence. Methods/Design A novel approach of the FINALE programme is that the interventions, i.e. 3 randomized controlled trials (RCT) and 1 exploratory case-control study are tailored to the physical work demands, physical capacities and health profile of workers in each job-group. The RCT among cleaners, characterized by repetitive work tasks and musculoskeletal disorders, aims at making the cleaners less susceptible to musculoskeletal disorders by physical coordination training or cognitive behavioral theory based training (CBTr). Because health-care workers are reported to have high prevalence of overweight and heavy lifts, the aim of the RCT is long-term weight-loss by combined physical exercise training, CBTr and diet. Construction work, characterized by heavy lifting, pushing and pulling, the RCT aims at improving physical capacity and promoting musculoskeletal and cardiovascular health. At the industrial work-place characterized by repetitive work tasks, the intervention aims at reducing physical exertion and musculoskeletal disorders by combined physical exercise training, CBTr and participatory ergonomics. The overall aim of the FINALE programme is to improve the safety margin between individual resources (i.e. physical capacities, and cognitive and behavioral skills) and physical work demands, and thereby reduce the physical deterioration in a long term perspective by interventions tailored for each respective job-group. Discussion The FINALE programme has the potential to provide evidence-based knowledge of significant importance for public health policy and health promotion strategies for employees at high risk for physical deterioration. Trial registrations ISRCTN96241850, NCT01015716 and NCT01007669 PMID:20214807

Acting to gain information: Real-time reasoning meets real-time perception

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rosenschein, Stan

1994-01-01

Recent advances in intelligent reactive systems suggest new approaches to the problem of deriving task-relevant information from perceptual systems in real time. The author will describe work in progress aimed at coupling intelligent control mechanisms to real-time perception systems, with special emphasis on frame rate visual measurement systems. A model for integrated reasoning and perception will be discussed, and recent progress in applying these ideas to problems of sensor utilization for efficient recognition and tracking will be described.

Payroll data based description of working hours in the Danish regions.

PubMed

Garde, Anne Helene; Hansen, Johnni; Kolstad, Henrik A; Larsen, Ann Dyreborg; Pedersen, Jacob; Petersen, Jindong Ding; Hansen, Åse Marie

2018-05-15

The aim was to describe the organization of working hours in the Danish regions according to sex, age and calendar year. Based on the Danish Working Hour Database (DWHD), individuals were classified according to schedules: Permanent day (57.8%), evening (1.7%), or night (1.2%); day/evening (22.0%); day/night (6.6%); evening/night (0.6%); and day/evening/night (10.2%). More men (9.1%) than women (5.9%) worked day/night, whereas more women (10.9%) than men (7.4%) worked day/evening/night. More young than older employees worked day/evening/night, and fewer worked permanent day or night. From 2008 to 2015 we observed a trend towards more employees working permanent day and fewer employees working other schedules. Altogether DWHD provides a strong tool in research on working hours.

Between activity and solidarity: Comprehending retirement and extended working lives in Swedish rural areas.

PubMed

Lundgren, Anna Sofia; Liliequist, Evelina; Sjöstedt Landén, Angelika

2018-03-01

The expected costs of population ageing have generally led to perceived needs to postpone the age of retirement. Drawing on 20 semi-structured interviews, the aim of this paper is to describe the ways that the possibility of an extended working life is comprehended by persons over the age of 60 living in sparsely populated areas in northern Sweden. While defining themselves as active, the interviewees argued strongly in favour of the right to retire. What are often described as opposing retiree subject positions - healthy and active vs. vulnerable and dependent - were partly transgressed in the interviews. The interviewees performed a solidarity that had the potential of including their future selves as possible objects of solidarity. Another important result was that in comprehending the possibility of an extended working life, morally charged notions of geographic place became central. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Key performance indicators for Australian mental health court liaison services.

PubMed

Davidson, Fiona; Heffernan, Ed; Greenberg, David; Butler, Tony; Burgess, Philip

2017-12-01

The aim of this paper is to describe the development and technical specifications of a framework and national key performance indicators (KPIs) for Australian mental health Court Liaison Services (CLSs) by the National Mental Health Court Liaison Performance Working Group (Working Group). Representatives from each Australian State and Territory were invited to form a Working Group. Through a series of national workshops and meetings, a framework and set of performance indicators were developed using a review of literature and expert opinion. A total of six KPIs for CLSs have been identified and a set of technical specifications have been formed. This paper describes the process and outcomes of a national collaboration to develop a framework and KPIs. The measures have been developed to support future benchmarking activities and to assist services to identify best practice in this area of mental health service delivery.

Making an Impact in the Kurdistan Region--Iraq. Summary of Four Studies to Assess the Present and Future Labor Market, Improve Technical Vocational Education and Training, Reform the Health Sector, and Build Data Collection Capacity. Research Report

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Anthony, C. Ross; Constant, Louay; Culbertson, Shelby; Click, Peter; Kumar, Krishna B.; Meili, Robin C.; Moore, Melinda; Shatz, Howard J.; Vernez, Georges

2015-01-01

This executive summary describes key results from four studies carried out by the RAND Corporation as part of Phase II of its work for the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG). The KRG asked RAND to undertake several studies aimed at improving the economic and social development of the Kurdistan Region--Iraq (KRI). RAND's work is intended to help…

Hospital Nurses' Work Activity in a Technology-Rich Environment: A Triangulated Quality Improvement Assessment.

PubMed

Higgins, Linda W; Shovel, Judith A; Bilderback, Andrew L; Lorenz, Holly L; Martin, Susan C; Rogers, Debra J; Minnier, Tamra E

The aim of this project was to describe hospital nurses' work activity through observations, nurses' perceptions of time spent on tasks, and electronic health record time stamps. Nurses' attitudes toward technology and patients' perceptions and satisfaction with nurses' time at the bedside were also examined. Activities most frequently observed included documenting in and reviewing the electronic health record. Nurses' perceptions of time differed significantly from observations, and most patients rated their satisfaction with nursing time as excellent or good.

Academic Performance, School Desertion and Emotional Paradigm in University Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sosa, Emma Rosa Cruz; Barrientos, Laura Gática; Castro, Patricia Eugenia García; García, Jesús Hernández

2010-01-01

The present work aims to describe academic performance, school desertion and the emotional paradigm of the university students of the accounting school of the Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla (FCPBUAP). We have found that low academic performance is related to students' economic deficiency, which affects their concentration on their…

Technology Mediated Information Sharing (Monitor Sharing) in Primary Care Encounters

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Asan, Onur

2013-01-01

The aim of this dissertation study was to identify and describe the use of electronic health records (EHRs) for information sharing between patients and clinicians in primary-care encounters and to understand work system factors influencing information sharing. Ultimately, this will promote better design of EHR technologies and effective training…

Postsecondary Expectations of High-School Students with Autism Spectrum Disorders

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Anderson, Kristy A.; McDonald, T. A.; Edsall, Deirdre; Smith, Leann E.; Taylor, Julie Lounds

2016-01-01

This study examined the perceptions of adulthood among 31 high-school students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). We had two research aims: (a) to report students' postsecondary expectations in terms of school, work, friendships, and living arrangement and (b) to describe how our sample defined adulthood. To better compare our sample's criteria…

Rovibrational intensities and electric dipole moment function of the X2 Pi hydroxyl radical

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chackerian, C., Jr.; Goorvitch, D.; Benidar, A.; Farrenq, R.; Guelachvili, G.; Martin, P. M.; Abrams, M. C.; Davis, S. P.

1992-01-01

Recent work aimed at determining the absolute rovibrational transition intensities for the ground electronic state of the hydroxyl radical is reviewed. Two new sets of Fourier transform emission spectra of OH are described which were recorded at the University of Paris and at the Kitt Peak National Solar Observatory.

Launching a Principal Preparation Program for High Needs Rural Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pijanowski, John C.; Peer, Diana K.

2016-01-01

This paper describes the first two years of planning and launching a full scholarship principal preparation program aimed at developing leaders to work in poor rural schools throughout Arkansas. The founding principles that guided the program are explored as well as how those principles were challenged and retained from the initial proposal…

Understanding Physics in Relation to Working Memory

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chen, Wen-Chao; Whitehead, Rex

2009-01-01

The aim of physics education is to generate understanding of physics and there is considerable anecdotal evidence that passing examinations in physics is not the same as understanding the subject. This paper describes how the areas of difficulties in understanding of physics were determined for pupils in Taiwan aged 13-15. Test material which…

Inclusive Education at Work: Students with Disabilities in Mainstream Schools.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Labon, Don

This report details a study of how inclusive practices for students with disabilities are being developed and implemented in eight countries: Australia, Canada, Denmark, Germany, Iceland, Italy, the United Kingdom, and the United States. The study aimed to describe national, regional, and local policies on inclusion and school-based practices and…

Captive on a Carousel: Discourses of "New" in Medical Education 1910-2010

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Whitehead, Cynthia R.; Hodges, Brian D.; Austin, Zubin

2013-01-01

Medical educators aim to train physicians with sound scientific knowledge, expert clinical skills and an ability to work effectively with patients, colleagues and health systems. Over the past century, educators have devoted considerable thought and effort to how medical education might be improved. Analysing the language used to describe these…

Support for Mobile Collaborative Learning Applications

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Martin, Sergio; Boticki, Ivica; Jacobs, George; Castro, Manuel; Peire, Juan

2010-01-01

This work is intended to describe a framework aimed to address the challenges in the development of mobile Collaborative Learning applications. Firstly, the paper offers an overview of some of the main principles of Collaborative Learning that will be the basis of the framework, which is based on three main pillars: collaboration and communication…

Quality Inservice Education: Final Report of the National Inservice Network, 1978-1981.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Burrello, Leonard C.; And Others

The document comprises the final report of the National Inservice Network (NIN), a program to describe and distribute regular education inservice (REGI) project abstracts, products, and lessons aimed at more effectively working with handicapped students. Initial sections contain an executive summary and an overview explaining the NIN as a…

Remote Video Supervision in Adapted Physical Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kelly, Luke; Bishop, Jason

2013-01-01

Supervision for beginning adapted physical education (APE) teachers and inservice general physical education teachers who are learning to work with students with disabilities poses a number of challenges. The purpose of this article is to describe a project aimed at developing a remote video system that could be used by a university supervisor to…

Undergraduate Students as Co-Producers in the Creation of First-Year Practical Class Resources

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hubbard, Katharine E.; Brown, Rachel; Deans, Sam; García, María Paz; Pruna, Mihai-Grigore; Mason, Matthew J.

2017-01-01

Undergraduate students are increasingly working with academic staff to evaluate and design teaching materials in Higher Education, thereby moving from being passive consumers of knowledge to genuine partners in their education. Here we describe a student partnership project run at the University of Cambridge, which aimed to improve undergraduate…

Working in the Cafe: Lessons in Group Dialogue

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Prewitt, Vana

2011-01-01

Purpose: The aim of this paper is to report on findings related to the use of a large group intervention method known as The World Cafe. Design/methodology/approach: The intervention method and its philosophical genesis are described along with lessons learned from observation, personal use, and interviews with cafe participants. Findings: While…

"Friending Facebook?" A Minicourse on the Use of Social Media by Health Professionals

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

George, Daniel R.

2011-01-01

Introduction: Health professionals are working in an era of social technologies that empower users to generate content in real time. This article describes a 3-part continuing education minicourse called "Friending Facebook?" undertaken at Penn State Hershey Medical Center that aimed to model the functionality of current technologies in…

Networking for Teacher Learning: Toward a Theory of Effective Design.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McDonald, Joseph P.; Klein, Emily J.

2003-01-01

Examines how teacher networks design for teacher learning, describing several dynamic tensions inherent in the designs of a sample of teacher networks and assessing the relationships of these tensions to teacher learning. The paper illustrates these design concepts with reference to the work of seven networks that aim to revamp teacher' knowledge…

Prevention in Obstetrics.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Children in the Tropics, 1984

1984-01-01

The aim of this issue of "Children in the Tropics" is to describe work that may be done by a motivated health team having only the strict minimum of material resources. While not a handbook of obstetrics, this text serves as a reminder of basic information and procedures workers must be able to perform. Following a review of the…

Make-Keep-Use: Bringing Historical Instruments into the Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Heering, Peter

2015-01-01

This paper describes a new approach towards the implementation of history of physics in physics education. Reconstructed historical instruments are given to secondary school students. These students are requested to analyze these devices with the aim of collecting sufficient information in order to build their own working version of this device.…

The Assessment of Digital Project Work in the EFL Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Berggren, Jan; Allen, Christopher

2017-01-01

This paper reports on a project aiming at describing professional practice in the assessment of collaborative digital projects among a group of inservice English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teachers within the context of a single workplace, a technologically well-resourced upper secondary school in Sweden. In a previous project (Allen &…

Definitions Are Important: The Case of Linear Algebra

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Berman, Abraham; Shvartsman, Ludmila

2016-01-01

In this paper we describe an experiment in a linear algebra course. The aim of the experiment was to promote the students' understanding of the studied concepts focusing on their definitions. It seems to be a given that students should understand concepts' definitions before working substantially with them. Unfortunately, in many cases they do…

Using Machine Learning to Match Assistive Technology to People with Disabilities.

PubMed

Rafi, Abe

2017-01-01

This paper describes the initial results of work to create a recommender system to match technology products to people with I/DD by applying machine learning to a large volume of data about: people with I/DD; the technology products they use; and the outcomes they aim to achieve with technology.

Wireless Data Communications Prototyping: A Flexible, High-Quality, and Cost-Effective Information System for Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Juliano, Benjoe A.; Sheel, Stephen J.

In this paper, potential applications of wireless data communications and mobile satellite technology are described which aim at improving education. The motivation behind this work is that the technology now exists for providing today's teachers and students with not only better access to educational facilities, but also instantaneous…

Interventions aimed at improving the ability to use everyday technology in work after brain injury.

PubMed

Kassberg, Ann-Charlotte; Prellwitz, Maria; Malinowsky, Camilla; Larsson-Lund, Maria

2016-01-01

The aim of this study was to explore and describe how client-centred occupational therapy interventions may support and improve the ability to use everyday technology (ET) in work tasks in people with acquired brain injury (ABI). A qualitative, descriptive multiple-case study was designed, and occupation-based interventions were provided to three working-age participants with ABI. Multiple sources were used to collect data throughout the three intervention processes, including assessments, field notes, and interviews. The Canadian Occupational Performance Measure and the Management of Everyday Technology Assessment were administered before the interventions, after the interventions and at a follow-up session 2-3 months subsequent to the interventions. The three intervention processes initially consisted of similar actions, but subsequently the actions took on a different focus and intensity for each case. All of the goals in each of the three case processes were achieved, and both perceived and observed abilities to use ET in work tasks improved. Client-centred occupational therapy interventions might have the potential to improve the ability to use ET in work tasks in people with ABI.

[A quality assessment of notified occupational diseases submitted to the National Occupational Environment Service].

PubMed

Lander, F; Bach, B; Laursen, P

1999-08-09

The aim of this study was to assess the quality of a consecutive sample of occupational disease notifications submitted to the National Working Environment Service during 1994. The sample consisted of 860 notifications describing occupational diseases among persons working in companies situated in the county of Vejle. The data information e.g. company name and address, time of employment, harmful exposure and disease, were registered. An overall data quality assessment was performed including evaluation of the etiological connection between described occupational exposure and disease and potential preventive perspectives. The study showed that the notified informations in general were adequate, but doctors need to pay more attention to dose description of the harmful exposure. About 80% of the notifications presented an adequate connection between occupational exposure and disease. Only half of the notifications described preventable and recent (less than five years) harmful exposure. In conclusion, the Danish occupational disease notification system is in general of a high standard, and the National Working Environment Service could make more use of doctors' information provided in these notifications.

Instant messaging at the hospital: supporting articulation work?

PubMed

Iversen, Tobias Buschmann; Melby, Line; Toussaint, Pieter

2013-09-01

Clinical work is increasingly fragmented and requires extensive articulation and coordination. Computer systems may support such work. In this study, we investigate how instant messaging functions as a tool for supporting articulation work at the hospital. This paper aims to describe the characteristics of instant messaging communication in terms of number and length of messages, distribution over time, and the number of participants included in conversations. We also aim to determine what kind of articulation work is supported by analysing message content. Analysis of one month's worth of instant messages sent through the perioperative coordination and communication system at a Danish hospital. Instant messaging was found to be used extensively for articulation work, mostly through short, simple conversational exchanges. It is used particularly often for communication concerning the patient, specifically, the coordination and logistics of patient care. Instant messaging is used by all actors involved in the perioperative domain. Articulation work and clinical work are hard to separate in a real clinical setting. Predefined messages and strict workflow design do not suffice when supporting communication in the context of collaborative clinical work. Flexibility is of vital importance, and this needs to be reflected in the design of supportive communication systems. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

A compilation of research working groups on drug utilisation across Europe

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background The assessment of the benefit-risk of medicines needs careful consideration concerning their patterns of utilization. Systems for the monitoring of medicines consumption have been established in many European countries, and several international groups have identified and described them. No other compilation of European working groups has been published. As part of the PROTECT project, as a first step in searching for European data sources on the consumption of five selected groups of medicines, we aimed to identify and describe the main characteristics of the existing collaborative European working groups. Findings Google and bibliographic searches (PubMed) of articles containing information on databases and other sources of drug consumption data were conducted. For each working group the main characteristics were recorded. Nineteen selected groups were identified, focusing on: a) general drug utilisation (DU) research (EuroDURG, CNC, ISPE’S SIG-DUR, EURO-MED-STAT, PIPERSKA Group, NorPEN, ENCePP, DURQUIM), b) specific DU research: b.1) antimicrobial drugs (ARPAC, ESAC, ARPEC, ESGAP, HAPPY AUDIT), b.2) cardiovascular disease (ARITMO, EUROASPIRE), b.3) paediatrics (TEDDY), and b.4) mental health/central nervous system effects (ESEMeD, DRUID, TUPP/EUPoMMe). Information on their aims, methods and activities is presented. Conclusions We assembled and updated information on European working groups in DU research and in the utilisation of five selected groups of drugs for the PROTECT project. This information should be useful for academic researchers, regulatory and health authorities, and pharmaceutical companies conducting and interpreting post-authorisation and safety studies. European health authorities should encourage national research and collaborations in this important field for public health. PMID:24625054

[Prevalence of common mental disorders in nursing workers at a hospital of Bahia].

PubMed

Rodrigues, Eder Pereira; Rodrigues, Urbanir Santana; Oliveira, Luciana de Matos Mota; Laudano, Rodrigo Cunha Sales; Sobrinho, Carlito Lopes Nascimento

2014-01-01

This study aimed to describe the prevalence of "suspected" of common mental disorders (CMD) in nursing workers at a general hospital in the state of Bahia. It was carried out a cross-sectional epidemiological study with 309 nursing workers, who worked in welfare activities in a large hospital. The nurses mentioned overwork and low pay. The most frequent health complaints were related to body posture and mental health. The overall prevalence of "suspected" of CMD was 35.0%. Regarding the psychosocial aspects of work, it was reported high psychological demand and low control over their work activities. The results indicated that the working and health conditions observed are not suitable for the effective realization of nursing work in the hospital.

Extending and implementing the Persistent ID pillars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Car, Nicholas; Golodoniuc, Pavel; Klump, Jens

2017-04-01

The recent double decade anniversary of scholarly persistent identifier use has triggered journal special editions such as "20 Years of Persistent Identifiers". For such a publication, it is apt to consider the longevity of some persistent identifier (PID) mechanisms (Digital Object Identifiers) and the partial disappearance of others (Life Sciences IDs). We have previously postulated a set of "PID Pillars" [1] which are design principles aimed at ensuring PIDs can survive technology and social change and thus persist for the long term that we have drawn from our observations of PIDs at work over many years. The principles: describe how to ensure identifiers' system and organisation independence; codify the delivery of essential PID system functions; mandate a separation of PID functions from data delivery mechanisms; and require generation of policies detailing how change is handled. In this presentation, first we extend on our previous work of introducing the pillars by refining their descriptions, giving specific suggestions for each and presenting some work that addresses them. Second, we propose a baseline data model for persistent identifiers that, if used, would assist the separation of PID metadata and PID system functioning. This would allow PID system function specifics to change over time (e.g. resolver services or even resolution protocols) and yet preserve the PIDs themselves. Third, we detail our existing PID system — the PID Service [2] — that partially implements the pillars and describe both its successes and shortcomings. Finally, we describe our planned next-generation system that will aim to use the baseline data model and fully implement the pillars.

Goals of telephone nursing work--the managers' perspectives: a qualitative study on Swedish Healthcare Direct.

PubMed

Kaminsky, Elenor; Carlsson, Marianne; Holmström, Inger K; Larsson, Jan; Fredriksson, Mio

2014-04-24

Swedish Healthcare Direct (SHD) receives 6 million calls yearly and aims at increased public sense of security and healthcare efficiency. Little is known about what SHD managers perceive as the primary goals of telephone nursing (TN) work and how the organisation matches goals of health promotion and equitable healthcare, so important in Swedish healthcare legislation. The aim of the study was to explore and describe what the SHD managers perceive as the goals of TN work and how the managers view health promotion and implementation of equitable healthcare with gender as example at SHD. The study was qualitative using an exploratory and descriptive design. All 23 managers employed at SHD were interviewed and data analysis used deductive directed content analysis. The findings reveal four themes describing the goals of TN work as recommended by the SHD managers. These are: 'create feelings of trust', 'achieve patient safety', 'assess, refer and give advice', and 'teach the caller'. Most of the managers stated that health promotion should not be included in the goals, whereas equitable healthcare was viewed as an important issue. Varying suggestions for implementing equitable healthcare were given. The interviewed managers mainly echoed the organisational goals of TN work. The managers' expressed goal of teaching lacked the caller learning components highlighted by telenurses in previous research. The fact that health promotion was not seen as important indicates a need for SHD to clarify its goals as the organisation is part of the Swedish healthcare system, where health promotion should always permeate work. Time used for health promotion and dialogues in a gender equitable manner at SHD is well invested as it will save time elsewhere in the health care system, thereby facing one of the challenges of European health systems.

Sense of coherence and the motivational process of the job-demands-resources model.

PubMed

Vogt, Katharina; Hakanen, Jari J; Jenny, Gregor J; Bauer, Georg F

2016-04-01

This longitudinal study systematically examines the various roles played by the personal resource "sense of coherence" (SoC) in the motivational process described by the job-demands-resources model. SoC captures the extent to which people perceive their life as comprehensible, manageable and meaningful, and there is evidence of its influence in many health-related outcomes. The first aim here was to establish whether a resourceful working environment builds up SoC and whether SoC leads to work engagement. A second aim was to test reverse relationships: how work engagement leads to SoC and how SoC in turn relates to job resources. A third aim was to assess whether SoC boosts the relationship between job resources and work engagement. The study utilized a 3-wave, 3-month panel design, involving 940 employees working in a broad range of occupations and economic sectors. The results of longitudinal structural equation modeling show that job resources predict SoC and SoC predicts work engagement, suggesting a mediating role of SoC. In addition, SoC predicts job resources, suggesting reciprocal relationships between job resources and SoC. No boosting effect of SoC was found. Overall, the present findings support the view that providing employees with a resourceful working environment will help to build their SoC. The effects of SoC on perceptual, appraisal, and behavioral processes may in turn lead to enhanced job resources and positive outcomes such as greater work engagement. (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

A framework of knowledge creation processes in participatory simulation of hospital work systems.

PubMed

Andersen, Simone Nyholm; Broberg, Ole

2017-04-01

Participatory simulation (PS) is a method to involve workers in simulating and designing their own future work system. Existing PS studies have focused on analysing the outcome, and minimal attention has been devoted to the process of creating this outcome. In order to study this process, we suggest applying a knowledge creation perspective. The aim of this study was to develop a framework describing the process of how ergonomics knowledge is created in PS. Video recordings from three projects applying PS of hospital work systems constituted the foundation of process mining analysis. The analysis resulted in a framework revealing the sources of ergonomics knowledge creation as sequential relationships between the activities of simulation participants sharing work experiences; experimenting with scenarios; and reflecting on ergonomics consequences. We argue that this framework reveals the hidden steps of PS that are essential when planning and facilitating PS that aims at designing work systems. Practitioner Summary: When facilitating participatory simulation (PS) in work system design, achieving an understanding of the PS process is essential. By applying a knowledge creation perspective and process mining, we investigated the knowledge-creating activities constituting the PS process. The analysis resulted in a framework of the knowledge-creating process in PS.

CDC MessageWorks: Designing and Validating a Social Marketing Tool to Craft and Defend Effective Messages.

PubMed

Cole, Galen E; Keller, Punam A; Reynolds, Jennifer; Schaur, Michelle; Krause, Diane

2016-03-01

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Division of Cancer Prevention and Control, in partnership with Oak Ridge Associated Universities, designed an online social marketing strategy tool, MessageWorks, to help health communicators effectively formulate messages aimed at changing health behaviors and evaluate message tactics and audience characteristics. MessageWorks is based on the advisor for risk communication model that identifies 10 variables that can be used to predict target audience intentions to comply with health recommendations. This article discusses the value of the MessageWorks tool to health communicators and to the field of social marketing by (1) describing the scientific evidence supporting use of MessageWorks to improve health communication practice and (2) summarizing how to use MessageWorks and interpret the results it produces.

University Academics at a Crossroads? Continuity and Transformation in Danish University Reform

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Krejsler, John B.; Carney, Stephen

2009-01-01

Within an overall policy script aimed at creating fewer "world-class" institutions, Danish universities are currently being remade to better serve the world of work and employment, the demands of high-technology industry, and the needs of society, which are increasingly described and defined in terms of appeals to "relevance to the…

[The temporomandibular joint and inflammatory rheumatic diseases].

PubMed

Marotte, H

2016-09-01

Some inflammatory rheumatic diseases can involve the temporomandibular joint, such as rheumatoid arthritis and spondylarthritis. The aim of our work was to evaluate the current prevalence of these inflammatory TMJ diseases, to indicate the new therapeutics and to describe the collaboration between rheumatologist and maxillofacial surgeon in these pathologies. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Constructively Aligning the Curriculum of a "New Generation" Bachelor of Environments Degree from a Social Realism Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Onsman, Andrys

2015-01-01

This paper describes the process of constructively aligning a generalist undergraduate degree using a sociological structure of professional education. Drawing largely on the work of educational sociologists like Young, Winch and Muller, the process aimed to introduce the notion of recontextualization as the curriculum driver for the constructive…

Development and Validation of Supervisory Behaviour Description Scale

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Unal, Ali

2013-01-01

The aim of this study is to develop a scale which will describe how education supervisors' behaviours are perceived. Four separate studies have been conducted in order to develop the scale. In the first study the scale that was developed is applied to a working group consisting of 704 teachers. The factor structure of the scale is examined by…

Implementation of the Human Talent Management through Competencies Model in a University in Metropolitan Lima

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rodríguez, Juan C.

2015-01-01

This article is a work proposal that aims to describe the methodology proposed by the Management of Personnel Management from a university in Lima, to implement a management model based on competencies which traceability involves various technical HR processes practiced in the organization and is aligned to institutional outcomes defined in the…

Bereavement and Bereavement Care in Health and Social Care: Provision and Practice in Scotland

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stephen, Audrey I.; Wimpenny, Peter; Unwin, Rachel; Work, Fiona; Dempster, Paul; MacDuff, Colin; Wilcock, Sylvia E.; Brown, Alison

2009-01-01

The interview study described here aimed to explore current views of and practice in bereavement care and identify priorities for service development in Scotland. Fifty-nine participants who worked with the bereaved in some way, or whose interest was in bereavement or bereavement care, were interviewed. They represented National Health Service…

Swahili Speech Development: Preliminary Normative Data from Typically Developing Pre-School Children in Tanzania

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gangji, Nazneen; Pascoe, Michelle; Smouse, Mantoa

2015-01-01

Background: Swahili is widely spoken in East Africa, but to date there are no culturally and linguistically appropriate materials available for speech-language therapists working in the region. The challenges are further exacerbated by the limited research available on the typical acquisition of Swahili phonology. Aim: To describe the speech…

Collaborative Teaching: How Does It Work in a Graduate TEFL Class?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Khabiri, Mona; Marashi, Hamid

2016-01-01

Collaborative teaching is a dynamic process in which educators are continuously engaged in restrategizing to fit their curricular goal. This article aims to describe how the use of collaborative teaching in a course on proposal writing benefited a group of graduate students studying teaching English as a foreign language. Throughout the study, two…

Trends in Charter School Authorizing

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gau, Rebecca

2006-01-01

This report presents findings from a national examination of the organizations that sponsor, oversee and hold accountable U.S. charter schools. Its primary aim is to describe and characterize these crucial but little known organizations: What do they look like? How big are they? How do they go about their work? The results of this inquiry is a new…

Modelling in Evaluating a Working Life Project in Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sarja, Anneli; Janhonen, Sirpa; Havukainen, Pirjo; Vesterinen, Anne

2012-01-01

This article describes an evaluation method based on collaboration between the higher education, a care home and university, in a R&D project. The aim of the project was to elaborate modelling as a tool of developmental evaluation for innovation and competence in project cooperation. The approach was based on activity theory. Modelling enabled a…

Tracing Success: Graphical Methods for Analysing Successful Collaborative Problem Solving

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Joiner, Richard; Issroff, Kim

2003-01-01

The aim of this paper is to evaluate the use of trace diagrams for analysing collaborative problem solving. The paper describes a study where trace diagrams were used to analyse joint navigation in a virtual environment. Ten pairs of undergraduates worked together on a distributed virtual task to collect five flowers using two bees with each…

Using a Preventive Social Work Program for Reducing School Refusal

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Elsherbiny, Mohamed Mohamed

2017-01-01

This article describes a study aimed at solving the problem of school refusal by implementing a preventive program and raising the awareness of parents, social workers, and school personnel. The school children involved in this study were reported by their parents and school social workers to refuse to go to school, and according to the children's…

The Role and Timing of Palliative Care in Supporting Persons with Intellectual Disability and Advanced Dementia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McCarron, Mary; McCallion, Philip; Fahey-McCarthy, Elizabeth; Connaire, Kevin

2011-01-01

Aim: To better describe the role and timing of palliative care in supporting persons with intellectual disabilities and advanced dementia (AD). Background: Specialist palliative care providers have focused mostly on people with cancers. Working with persons with intellectual disabilities and AD offers opportunities to expand such palliative care…

Implementation of a Multidisciplinary Professional Skills Course at an Electrical Engineering School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gider, F.; Likar, B.; Kern, T.; Miklavcic, D.

2012-01-01

This paper describes a case study of an innovative approach to teaching at an engineering school. The postgraduate course "Project Work and Communication in Research and Development (R&D)" was developed at the Faculty of Electrical Engineering of the University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia. The main aim of the course was to make…

Conceptual Integration of Hybridization by Algerian Students Intending to Teach Physical Sciences

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Salah, Hazzi; Dumon, Alain

2011-01-01

This work aims to assess the difficulties encountered by students of the Ecole Normale Superieure of Kouba (Algeria) intending to teach physical science in the integration of the hybridization of atomic orbitals. It is a concept that they should use in describing the formation of molecular orbitals ([sigma] and [pi]) in organic chemistry and gaps…

Reasons for Choosing a Technically Oriented Education: An Interview Study within the Fields of Pipefitting and Industry

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bjurulf, Veronica

2012-01-01

The article examines how professionals within technical businesses describe their ways into their trade and why they have remained. Semi-structured interviews, analyzed by analysis of narratives, have been conducted with six informants within pipefitting and industrial work aiming to understand how technically oriented professions can attract…

Self-Values Held by Primary and Secondary Education School Principals: A Case in Canakkale

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Maya, Ilknur

2013-01-01

The research aims to describe primary and secondary education school principals' self-values and to check whether or not those values differ significantly on the basis of gender, seniority, marital status and having or not having children. The participants in the research was composed of school principals working in the primary and secondary…

Feminist Education and Feminist Community Psychology: Experiences from an Irish Context

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moane, Geraldine; Quilty, Aideen

2012-01-01

This article describes experiences in an Irish context of education programs delivered in 2 communities, 1 based on class (a working class urban community) and 1 based on sexual orientation (an urban lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender community). It aims to illustrate how feminist education can play an important role in feminist community…

Changes in Studying Abilities as Perceived by Students Attending Psychotherapy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Härkäpää, Kristiina; Junttila, Outi; Lindfors, Olavi; Järvikoski, Aila

2014-01-01

In rehabilitative psychotherapy, the goal is to support and improve the person's working and studying capacity and to secure his/her staying in or entering the workforce. In this qualitative study, the aim was to describe the changes students experienced in their studying ability and the advancement of their studies as a result of the therapy…

ICT Integration in Primary and Secondary Education in Andalusia, Spain: Curricular and Organizational Implications

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Morueta, Ramon Tirado; Igado, Manuel Fandos; Gomez, J. Ignacio Aguaded

2010-01-01

This work, part of the Spanish government's National I + D Plan 2004/07, entitled "Observatics: the implementation of free software in ICT centres in Andalusia: an analysis of its effect on the teaching-learning process", aims to describe the most recent impact of online communication technologies on education in Andalusia (Spain),…

A Scheme for Understanding Group Processes in Problem-Based Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hammar Chiriac, Eva

2008-01-01

The purpose of this study was to identify, describe and interpret group processes occurring in tutorials in problem-based learning. Another aim was to investigate if a combination of Steiner's (Steiner, I. D. (1972). "Group process and productivity". New York: Academic Press.) theory of group work and Bion's (Bion, W. R. (1961). "Experiences in…

Random Amplified Polymorphic DNA PCR in the Teaching of Molecular Epidemiology

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Reinoso, Elina B.; Bettera, Susana G.

2016-01-01

In this article, we describe a basic practical laboratory designed for fifth-year undergraduate students of Microbiology as part of the Epidemiology course. This practice provides the students with the tools for molecular epidemiological analysis of pathogenic microorganisms using a rapid and simple PCR technique. The aim of this work was to assay…

Tablets in English Class: Students' Activities Surrounding Online Dictionary Work

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bunting, Leona

2015-01-01

Tablets have become increasingly popular among young people in Sweden and this rapid increase also resonates in school, especially in classrooms for younger children. The aim of the present study is to analyze and describe how the students deal with the open instructions for a task of using online dictionaries on tablets. Specific focus is on how…

Changing the Marks-Based Culture of Learning through Peer-Assisted Tutorials

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alpay, E.; Cutler, P. S.; Eisenbach, S.; Field, A. J.

2010-01-01

We describe and evaluate an approach to student learning that aims to instil a culture of formative assessment based on peer-assisted learning. The idea is for suitably qualified undergraduates to assist in the running of weekly first-year tutorials. They mark submitted work, provide written and verbal feedback and lead problem-solving discussions…

AgentGeom: A Multiagent System for Pedagogical Support in Geometric Proof Problems

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cobo, Pedro; Fortuny, Josep M.; Puertas, Eloi; Richard, Philippe R.

2007-01-01

This paper aims, first, to describe the fundamental characteristics and workings of the AgentGeom artificial tutorial system, which is designed to help students develop knowledge and skills related to problem solving, mathematical proof in geometry, and the use of mathematical language. Following this, we indicate the manner in which a secondary…

Hypermedia Management in Television through Text Processing

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Caldera-Serrano, Jorge

2008-01-01

Purpose: This paper aims to describe a working routine for the analysis of audio-visual documents for serving the needs of television journalists. Design/methodology/approach: A description in the form of a synthesis is given of the process by which television information must be put at the user's disposal with a response that is both fast and…

Learning to Make Sense: What Works in Entrepreneurial Education?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Higgins, David; Elliott, Chris

2011-01-01

Purpose: The paper aims to explore the changing influences and relevance of passive and experiential methods of learning within what can be described as a new era of entrepreneurial education. What still largely remains unaddressed in the literature is how are entrepreneur's best educated and developed in a manner which can have a direct impact on…

Practical Application of Critical Race Theory: A Social Justice Course Design

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pulliam, Rose M.

2017-01-01

Social work education aims to prepare students to effectively engage with diverse people and groups. This article presents a practical application of critical race theory (CRT) toward that end. It describes a brief history of curricular approaches to teaching diversity and social justice and examines a few of the challenges with current curricular…

Strategic Alignment at the University of Manchester Library: Ambitions, Transitions, and New Values

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jeal, Yvette

2014-01-01

The University of Manchester Library (UML) is embarking on an ambitious new strategy that aims to align the library more closely to the work of the University--to contribute to the University's strategic success. This article describes elements of the strategy development and content, focusing on methods used; how the service has worked…

Dropouts: Prevention and Rehabilitation. Schools Rescue Potential Failures. Education U.S.A. Special Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Howard, Bill

In this report are described some current programs aimed at dropout prevention. The report focuses on programs that appear to be yielding results and that lend themselves to adaptation by other schools. The discussion comprises (1) new approaches to dropout prevention, (2) student motivation projects, (3) work-study projects, (4) schooling for…

Describing the Labor Sectors in Jordan--The Factors That Attract Employees from Graduated Students' Perspectives

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

AL-Zou'bi, Dalal Mohamad

2014-01-01

This study aimed at exploring perceptions of Jordanian graduating students for the factors that attract them in the work environment based on porter's theory in motivation. A Questionnaire was distributed to a sample of 807 graduating students at three universities. Means, Frequencies, Percentage, Variance analysis and chi-square test were used to…

Observations of Group Care Worker-Child Interaction in Residential Youth Care: Pedagogical Interventions and Child Behavior

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bastiaanssen, Inge L. W.; Delsing, Marc J. M. H.; Geijsen, Luuk; Kroes, Gert; Veerman, Jan W.; Engels, Rutger C. M. E.

2014-01-01

Background: The work of group care workers in residential youth care is often described as professional parenting. Pedagogical interventions of group care workers influence the quality of care for looked-after children. Objective: The aim of the current study was to observe the pedagogical interventions of group care workers within residential…

Turning an Undergraduate Class into a Professional Research Community

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chang, Hasok

2005-01-01

I describe here an ongoing pilot project aimed at a full integration of teaching and research at the undergraduate level. Our chief innovation is the mechanism of inheritance: each year students receive a body of work produced by the previous group of students and make improvements and additions to it; this process can be repeated until…

Working in the Action/Research Nexus for Education for Sustainable Development: Two Case Studies from Ireland

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tormey, Roland; Liddy, Mags; Maguire, Helen; McCloat, Amanda

2008-01-01

Purpose: Higher education has a key role and responsibility in creating change and addressing issues of fundamental human concern such as inequality and social justice, globalisation and development, environmental protection and sustainability. The purpose of this paper is to describe how RCE-Ireland, established in September 2007, aims to develop…

The Attitudes toward Prostitutes and Prostitution Scale: A New Tool for Measuring Public Attitudes toward Prostitutes and Prostitution

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Levin, Lia; Peled, Einat

2011-01-01

Contemporary developments in social attitudes toward prostitution and prostitutes influence both social policies and the social work profession. Understanding individuals' attitudes toward these issues is necessary for the development of social interventions and policies aimed at reducing stigmata attached to them. This article describes a new…

Transmission of Work Ethic in African-American Families and Its Links with Adolescent Adjustment.

PubMed

Lee, Bora; Padilla, Jenny; McHale, Susan M

2016-11-01

A strong work ethic generally has positive implications for achievements in work and school settings, but we know little about how it develops. This study aimed to describe the intra-familial transmission of work ethic and the associations between work ethic and adjustment in African American youth. Mothers, fathers, and two adolescent siblings (M age  = 14.1 years) in 158 families were interviewed on two occasions. Path models revealed that fathers' work ethic was positively linked with older siblings' work ethic, which in turn was linked with more positive youth adjustment in the domains of school functioning and externalizing and internalizing problems. Moreover, the results indicated that the work ethics of older siblings, but not parents, was linked to those of younger siblings. The discussion focuses on the importance of African American fathers and siblings in youth adjustment and how work ethic may promote positive development.

Transmission of Work Ethic in African-American Families and its Links with Adolescent Adjustment

PubMed Central

Padilla, Jenny; McHale, Susan M.

2015-01-01

A strong work ethic generally has positive implications for achievements in work and school settings, but we know little about how it develops. This study aimed to describe the intra-familial transmission of work ethic and the associations between work ethic and adjustment in African American youth. Mothers, fathers, and two adolescent siblings (Mage = 14.1 years) in 158 families were interviewed on two occasions. Path models revealed that fathers' work ethic was positively linked with older siblings' work ethic, which in turn was linked with more positive youth adjustment in the domains of school functioning and externalizing and internalizing problems. Moreover, the results indicated that the work ethics of older siblings, but not parents, was linked to those of younger siblings. The discussion focuses on the importance of African American fathers and siblings in youth adjustment and how work ethic may promote positive development. PMID:26608056

Laws, causation and dynamics at different levels.

PubMed

Butterfield, Jeremy

2012-02-06

I have two main aims. The first is general, and more philosophical (§2). The second is specific, and more closely related to physics (§§3 and 4). The first aim is to state my general views about laws and causation at different 'levels'. The main task is to understand how the higher levels sustain notions of law and causation that 'ride free' of reductions to the lower level or levels. I endeavour to relate my views to those of other symposiasts. The second aim is to give a framework for describing dynamics at different levels, emphasizing how the various levels' dynamics can mesh or fail to mesh. This framework is essentially that of elementary dynamical systems theory. The main idea will be, for simplicity, to work with just two levels, dubbed 'micro' and 'macro', which are related by coarse-graining. I use this framework to describe, in part, the first four of Ellis' five types of top-down causation.

Conceptual frameworks of individual work performance: a systematic review.

PubMed

Koopmans, Linda; Bernaards, Claire M; Hildebrandt, Vincent H; Schaufeli, Wilmar B; de Vet Henrica, C W; van der Beek, Allard J

2011-08-01

Individual work performance is differently conceptualized and operationalized in different disciplines. The aim of the current review was twofold: (1) identifying conceptual frameworks of individual work performance and (2) integrating these to reach a heuristic conceptual framework. A systematic review was conducted in medical, psychological, and management databases. Studies were selected independently by two researchers and included when they presented a conceptual framework of individual work performance. A total of 17 generic frameworks (applying across occupations) and 18 job-specific frameworks (applying to specific occupations) were identified. Dimensions frequently used to describe individual work performance were task performance, contextual performance, counterproductive work behavior, and adaptive performance. On the basis of the literature, a heuristic conceptual framework of individual work performance was proposed. This framework can serve as a theoretical basis for future research and practice.

The Search Conference as a Method in Planning Community Health Promotion Actions

PubMed Central

Magnus, Eva; Knudtsen, Margunn Skjei; Wist, Guri; Weiss, Daniel; Lillefjell, Monica

2016-01-01

Aims: The aim of this article is to describe and discuss how the search conference can be used as a method for planning health promotion actions in local communities. Design and methods: The article draws on experiences with using the method for an innovative project in health promotion in three Norwegian municipalities. The method is described both in general and how it was specifically adopted for the project. Results and conclusions: The search conference as a method was used to develop evidence-based health promotion action plans. With its use of both bottom-up and top-down approaches, this method is a relevant strategy for involving a community in the planning stages of health promotion actions in line with political expectations of participation, ownership, and evidence-based initiatives. Significance for public health This article describe and discuss how the Search conference can be used as a method when working with knowledge based health promotion actions in local communities. The article describe the sequences of the conference and shows how this have been adapted when planning and prioritizing health promotion actions in three Norwegian municipalities. The significance of the article is that it shows how central elements in the planning of health promotion actions, as participation and involvements as well as evidence was a fundamental thinking in how the conference were accomplished. The article continue discussing how the method function as both a top-down and a bottom-up strategy, and in what way working evidence based can be in conflict with a bottom-up strategy. The experiences described can be used as guidance planning knowledge based health promotion actions in communities. PMID:27747199

Solving work-related ethical problems.

PubMed

Laukkanen, Laura; Suhonen, Riitta; Leino-Kilpi, Helena

2016-12-01

Nurse managers are responsible for solving work-related ethical problems to promote a positive ethical culture in healthcare organizations. The aim of this study was to describe the activities that nurse managers use to solve work-related ethical problems. The ultimate aim was to enhance the ethical awareness of all nurse managers. The data for this descriptive cross-sectional survey were analyzed through inductive content analysis and quantification. Participants and research context: The data were collected in 2011 using a questionnaire that included an open-ended question and background factors. Participants were nurse managers working in Finnish healthcare organizations (n = 122). Ethical considerations: Permission for the study was given by the Finnish Association of Academic Managers and Experts of Health Sciences. Nurse managers identified a variety of activities they use to solve work-related ethical problems: discussion (30%), cooperation (25%), work organization (17%), intervention (10%), personal values (9%), operational models (4%), statistics and feedback (4%), and personal examples (1%). However, these activities did not follow any common or systematic model. In the future, nurse managers need a more systematic approach to solve ethical problems. It is important to establish new kinds of ethics structures in organizations, such as a common, systematic ethical decision-making model and an ethics club for nurse manager problems, to support nurse managers in solving work-related ethical problems.

Civilian Agency Industry Working Group EVM World Update

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kerby, Jerald

2013-01-01

Objectives include: Promote the use of standards ]based, objective, and quantitative systems for managing projects and programs in the federal government. Understand how civilian agencies in general, manage their projects and programs. Project management survey expected to go out soon to civilian agencies. Describe how EVM and other best practices can be applied by the government to better manage its project and programs irrespective of whether work is contracted out or the types of contracts employed. Develop model policies aimed at project and program managers that are transportable across the government.

Rehabilitation of the central executive component of working memory: a re-organisation approach applied to a single case.

PubMed

Duval, J; Coyette, F; Seron, X

2008-08-01

This paper describes and evaluates a programme of neuropsychological rehabilitation which aims to improve three sub-components of the working memory central executive: processing load, updating and dual-task monitoring, by the acquisition of three re-organisation strategies (double coding, serial processing and speed reduction). Our programme has two stages: cognitive rehabilitation (graduated exercises subdivided into three sub-programmes each corresponding to a sub-component) which enables the patient to acquire the three specific strategies; and an ecological rehabilitation, including analyses of scenarios and simulations of real-life situations, which aims to transfer the strategies learned to everyday life. The programme also includes information meetings. It was applied to a single case who had working memory deficits after a surgical operation for a cerebral tumour on his left internal temporal ganglioglioma. Multiple baseline tests were used to measure the effectiveness of the rehabilitation. The programme proved to be effective for all three working memory components; a generalisation of its effects to everyday life was observed, and the effects were undiminished three months later.

Work disability resulting from chronic health conditions.

PubMed

Lerner, Debra; Allaire, Saralynn H; Reisine, Susan T

2005-03-01

To describe current programs and policies for addressing work disability among adults with chronic health conditions, and to identify opportunities for new research aimed at reducing the problem. The authors conducted secondary data analysis and a literature review. Millions of Americans with a chronic health condition have a work disability or are at risk of developing one. This public health problem is costing hundreds of billions of dollars a year nationally in lost productivity and diminishing the quality of life of millions of Americans. The medical care system, employers, and government--three traditional sources of help for adults with chronic health problems--are not sufficiently oriented toward the primary or secondary prevention of work disability. New research is urgently needed to reduce the burden of work disability on individuals and society.

Extending a model of precarious employment: A qualitative study of immigrant workers in Spain.

PubMed

Porthé, Victoria; Ahonen, Emily; Vázquez, M Luisa; Pope, Catherine; Agudelo, Andrés Alonso; García, Ana M; Amable, Marcelo; Benavides, Fernando G; Benach, Joan

2010-04-01

Since the 1980s, changes in the labor market have modified power relations between capital and labor, leading to greater levels of precarious employment among workers. Globalization has led to a growth in migration, as people leave their countries in search of work. We aimed to describe the dimensions of precarious employment for immigrant workers in Spain. Qualitative study using analytic induction. Criterion sampling was used to recruit 129 immigrant workers in Spain with documented and undocumented administrative status. Data quality was ensured by triangulation. Immigrant workers reported that precarious employment is characterized by high job instability, a lack of power for negotiating employment conditions, and defenselessness against high labor demands. They described insufficient wages, long working hours, limited social benefits, and difficulty in exercising their rights. Undocumented workers reported greater defenselessness and worse employment conditions. This study allowed us to describe the dimensions of precarious employment in immigrant workers. (c) 2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

CDC MessageWorks: Designing and Validating a Social Marketing Tool to Craft and Defend Effective Messages

PubMed Central

Cole, Galen E.; Keller, Punam A.; Reynolds, Jennifer; Schaur, Michelle; Krause, Diane

2016-01-01

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Division of Cancer Prevention and Control, in partnership with Oak Ridge Associated Universities, designed an online social marketing strategy tool, MessageWorks, to help health communicators effectively formulate messages aimed at changing health behaviors and evaluate message tactics and audience characteristics. MessageWorks is based on the advisor for risk communication model that identifies 10 variables that can be used to predict target audience intentions to comply with health recommendations. This article discusses the value of the MessageWorks tool to health communicators and to the field of social marketing by (1) describing the scientific evidence supporting use of MessageWorks to improve health communication practice and (2) summarizing how to use MessageWorks and interpret the results it produces. PMID:26877714

Mathematical description of drug-target interactions: application to biologics that bind to targets with two binding sites.

PubMed

Gibiansky, Leonid; Gibiansky, Ekaterina

2018-02-01

The emerging discipline of mathematical pharmacology occupies the space between advanced pharmacometrics and systems biology. A characteristic feature of the approach is application of advance mathematical methods to study the behavior of biological systems as described by mathematical (most often differential) equations. One of the early application of mathematical pharmacology (that was not called this name at the time) was formulation and investigation of the target-mediated drug disposition (TMDD) model and its approximations. The model was shown to be remarkably successful, not only in describing the observed data for drug-target interactions, but also in advancing the qualitative and quantitative understanding of those interactions and their role in pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic properties of biologics. The TMDD model in its original formulation describes the interaction of the drug that has one binding site with the target that also has only one binding site. Following the framework developed earlier for drugs with one-to-one binding, this work aims to describe a rigorous approach for working with similar systems and to apply it to drugs that bind to targets with two binding sites. The quasi-steady-state, quasi-equilibrium, irreversible binding, and Michaelis-Menten approximations of the model are also derived. These equations can be used, in particular, to predict concentrations of the partially bound target (RC). This could be clinically important if RC remains active and has slow internalization rate. In this case, introduction of the drug aimed to suppress target activity may lead to the opposite effect due to RC accumulation.

Feminist Social Work: Practice and Theory of Practice.

PubMed

Eyal-Lubling, Roni; Krumer-Nevo, Michal

2016-07-01

Although feminist social work has been practiced in Israel since the 1970s, little has been written about it. This qualitative study aims to fill this gap by documenting and conceptualizing feminist theory of practice and actual practice based on interviews with 12 feminist social workers. Findings reveal that the interviewees perceive feminist practice as significantly different from traditional social work practice based on four analytical principles: (1) gender analysis, (2) awareness of power relations, (3) analysis of welfare services as structures of oppression, and (4) utilization of feminist language, as well as 10 principles of action. The principles are discussed in the context of feminist social work in Israel and in light of feminist principles described in international literature.

ATD-1 Avionics Phase 2: Post-Flight Data Analysis Report

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Scharl, Julien

2017-01-01

This report aims to satisfy Air Traffic Management Technology Demonstration - 1 (ATD-1) Statement of Work (SOW) 3.6.19 and serves as the delivery mechanism for the analysis described in Annex C of the Flight Test Plan. The report describes the data collected and derived as well as the analysis methodology and associated results extracted from the data set collected during the ATD-1 Flight Test. All analyses described in the SOW were performed and are covered in this report except for the analysis of Final Approach Speed and its effect on performance. This analysis was de-prioritized and, at the time of this report, is not considered feasible in the schedule and costs remaining.

Dimensions of Difference: A Comparison of University Writing and IELTS Writing

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moore, Tim; Morton, Janne

2005-01-01

A challenge for many EAP teachers working on pre-sessional programs is to find ways to reconcile the dual aims of preparing students for university study and for the IELTS test. The study described here seeks to provide some guidance on this issue through an analysis of the type of writing required in the two domains. We compared the standard…

The Square Kilometre Array Epoch of Reionisation and Cosmic Dawn Experiment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Trott, Cathryn M.

2018-05-01

The Square Kilometre Array (SKA) Epoch of Reionisation and Cosmic Dawn (EoR/CD) experiments aim to explore the growth of structure and production of ionising radiation in the first billion years of the Universe. Here I describe the experiments planned for the future low-frequency components of the Observatory, and work underway to define, design and execute these programs.

Beasts of burden or organised cooperation: the story of a mental health team in remote, Indigenous Australia.

PubMed

Hunter, Ernest; Onnis, Leigh-Ann; Santhanam-Martin, Radhika; Skalicky, Judy; Gynther, Bruce; Dyer, Geraldine

2013-12-01

This paper aims to describe the growth of a regionally-based mental health team providing services to remote Indigenous communities in far north Queensland. By drawing on their experience, the authors are able to identify factors supporting the development and sustained capacity of integrated mental health teams, working in challenging remote settings.

Protecting Public Education: From Tax Giveaways to Corporations. Property Tax Abatements, Tax Increment Financing, and Funding for Schools. NEA Research Working Paper.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Education Association, Washington, DC. Research Div.

This report describes a study aimed to help education advocates protect public schools and services from the effects of certain types of economic development subsidies. These subsidies include cutting companies' property taxes and granting long-term diversions of certain districts' property taxes to corporations making investment in those…

Development and Evaluation of an Internet-Based Program to Improve the Mental Health and Wellbeing of Young Men

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ellis, Louise A.; McCabe, Kathryn; Davenport, Tracey; Burns, Jane M.; Rahilly, Kitty; Nicholas, Mariesa; Hickie, Ian B

2015-01-01

Purpose: This paper aims to describe the development of WorkOut, an Internet-based program designed to help young men overcome the barriers towards help-seeking and to build the skills they need to understand and manage their own mental health. Information and communication technologies (ICT) hold great potential to significantly improve mental…

The Transformation of Ergonomic Affordances into Cultural Affordances: The Case of the Alnuset System

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chiappini, Giampaolo

2012-01-01

Is it possible to study the ergonomic affordances offered by a system designed for educational aims and their transformation into cultural affordances? To this purpose, what references can we adopt? This work describes the theoretical framework used to realise this study referring to AlNuSet, a system realised within the EC ReMath project to…

Quality of Life and Child Development. Working Papers in Early Childhood Development 20.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Amar, Jose Juan Amar

In Latin America and the Caribbean, poverty is not merely a problem of marginalized communities. It is the situation in which 240 million people--50 percent of the population--are living. This report describes research undertaken by the Quality of Life Project, which aims to improve the situation of children in these disadvantaged communities. The…

How Personal Constructs about "Professional Identity" Might Act as a Barrier to Multi-Agency Working

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hymans, Michael

2008-01-01

This paper describes a research study that examines how professionals in a multi-agency Family Support Team (FST) construe their role and the role of the team. The team comprised social workers, assistant social workers, a family therapist, a clinical psychologist and an educational psychologist. The aims of the FST included promoting better…

"Press Start": The Value of an Online Student-Led, Peer-Reviewed Game Studies Journal

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Barr, Matthew

2017-01-01

In this article, an online student journal is described, and the ways in which student participants value the journal are discussed. "Press Start" is a peer-reviewed international journal of game studies, which aims to publish the best student work related to the academic study of video games. Content analysis of qualitative survey data…

Women's work. Maintaining a healthy body weight.

PubMed

Welch, Nicky; Hunter, Wendy; Butera, Karina; Willis, Karen; Cleland, Verity; Crawford, David; Ball, Kylie

2009-08-01

This study describes women's perceptions of the supports and barriers to maintaining a healthy weight among currently healthy weight women from urban and rural socio-economically disadvantaged areas. Using focus groups and interviews, we asked women about their experiences of maintaining a healthy weight. Overwhelmingly, women described their healthy weight practices in terms of concepts related to work and management. The theme of 'managing health' comprised issues of managing multiple responsibilities, time, and emotions associated with healthy practices. Rural women faced particular difficulties in accessing supports at a practical level (for example, lack of childcare) and due to the gendered roles they enacted in caring for others. Family background (in particular, mothers' attitudes to food and weight) also appeared to influence perceptions about healthy weight maintenance. In the context of global increases in the prevalence of obesity, the value of initiatives aimed at supporting healthy weight women to maintain their weight should not be under-estimated. Such initiatives need to work within the social and personal constraints that women face in maintaining good health.

A Knowledge Management Approach to Support Software Process Improvement Implementation Initiatives

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Montoni, Mariano Angel; Cerdeiral, Cristina; Zanetti, David; Cavalcanti da Rocha, Ana Regina

The success of software process improvement (SPI) implementation initiatives depends fundamentally of the strategies adopted to support the execution of such initiatives. Therefore, it is essential to define adequate SPI implementation strategies aiming to facilitate the achievement of organizational business goals and to increase the benefits of process improvements. The objective of this work is to present an approach to support the execution of SPI implementation initiatives. We also describe a methodology applied to capture knowledge related to critical success factors that influence SPI initiatives. This knowledge was used to define effective SPI strategies aiming to increase the success of SPI initiatives coordinated by a specific SPI consultancy organization. This work also presents the functionalities of a set of tools integrated in a process-centered knowledge management environment, named CORE-KM, customized to support the presented approach.

Using ergonomics checkpoints to support a participatory ergonomics intervention in an industrially developing country (IDC)--a case study.

PubMed

Helali, Faramarz

2009-01-01

To achieve ergonomics awareness in 3 subsidiary companies, an intervention team was formed. The aims of this study were to implement basic ergonomics through a participatory ergonomics intervention process that can support a continuous learning process and lead to an improvement in health and safety as well as in the work systems in the organization. The findings of this study (i.e., method, continuous learning and integration) were key to making the participatory ergonomics intervention successful. Furthermore, 4 issues of the ergonomics checkpoints (i.e., work schedules, work tasks, healthy work organization and learning) for assessing the work system were found suitable for both changing work schedules and for improving the work system. This paper describes the result of this project and also the experiences gained and the conclusions reached from using the International Labour Office's ergonomics checkpoints in the industries of industrially developing country.

Work after age 65: A prospective study of Australian men and women.

PubMed

Majeed, Tazeen; Forder, Peta M; Tavener, Meredith; Vo, Kha; Byles, Julie

2017-06-01

This study describes hours in paid work for Australian men and women aged over 65, focusing on associations between work and education. Data were analysed separately for men and women, from baseline and first follow-up surveys of the 45 and Up Study. Generalised estimating equation models were used to identify associations between work, education and other factors over time. The odds of doing paid work increased with higher education level and decreased with time, age, poorer physical function and having health conditions (high blood pressure, diabetes, stroke and breast cancer). Un-partnered women were more likely to work in later life than partnered women. This study quantifies the importance of education and health factors in determining continued participation of Australian men and women in paid work in later life. These factors need to be considered for policies aiming to increase workforce participation beyond 65 years of age. © 2017 AJA Inc.

What implies the good work for registered nurses in municipal elderly care in Sweden?

PubMed

Josefsson, Karin; Aling, Jenny; Östin, Britt-Louise

2011-08-01

The aim was to describe registered nurses' perceptions of what the good work implies to them in municipal elderly care. A descriptive design and a structured questionnaire specifically designed for this study were used. Sixty housing units for older people and 213 nurses participated, with a response rate of 62%. The good work included the following aspects: intellectually stimulating without guilt feelings; freedom and independence with the possibility to influence; having appreciative and pleasant fellow workers and a fair and understanding manager; a good physical and risk-free environment; work security and a steady income with the possibility of improving salary through work effort; work effort should be beneficial to others; innovative thinking and initiative should be highly valued; and pride in work without compromising personal values. Employers must take this into consideration to retain those nurses already employed and recruit nurses to municipal elderly care.

Helping working Equidae and their owners in developing countries: monitoring and evaluation of evidence-based interventions.

PubMed

Upjohn, Melissa M; Pfeiffer, Dirk U; Verheyen, Kristien L P

2014-02-01

There are an estimated 112 million Equidae (horses, donkeys, mules) in the developing world, providing essential resources for their owners' livelihoods and well-being. The impoverished situation of their owners and the often harsh conditions in which they work mean that the animals' welfare is a cause for concern. A number of equine non-governmental organisations (NGOs) operate within working equid communities providing veterinary care, education and training programmes aimed at improving equine welfare. However, there is little published information available that describes monitoring and evaluation (M&E) of such interventions using objective outcome-based indicators and where baseline data are available. The aim of this paper is to summarise the peer-reviewed reports of M&E in this sector and identify the key issues which need to be addressed in ensuring that such evaluations provide useful information on the work of these organisations. A rigorous evidence base for designing future interventions will provide an opportunity for enhancing the effectiveness of working equid NGO operations. Increased availability of M&E reports in the peer-reviewed literature will enable NGOs to learn from one another and disseminate to a wider audience information on the role of working Equidae and the issues they face. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

"Taking your place at the table": an autoethnographic study of chaplains' participation on an interdisciplinary research team.

PubMed

Kestenbaum, Allison; James, Jennifer; Morgan, Stefana; Shields, Michele; Hocker, Will; Rabow, Michael; Dunn, Laura B

2015-05-02

There are many potential benefits to chaplaincy in transforming into a "research-informed" profession. However little is known or has been documented about the roles of chaplains on research teams and as researchers or about the effects of research engagement on chaplains themselves. This report describes the experience and impact of three chaplains, as well as tensions and challenges that arose, on one particular interdisciplinary team researching a spiritual assessment model in palliative care. Transcripts of our research team meetings, which included the three active chaplain researchers, as well as reflections of all the members of the research team provide the data for this descriptive, qualitative, autoethnographic analysis. This autoethnographic project evolved from the parent study, entitled "Spiritual Assessment Intervention Model (AIM) in Outpatient Palliative Care Patients with Advanced Cancer." This project focused on the use of a well-developed model of spiritual care, the Spiritual Assessment and Intervention Model (Spiritual AIM). Transcripts of nine weekly team meetings for the parent study were reviewed. These parent study team meetings were attended by various disciplines and included open dialogue and intensive questions from non-chaplain team members to chaplains about their practices and Spiritual AIM. Individual notes (from reflexive memoing) and other reflections of team members were also reviewed for this report. The primary methodological framework for this paper, autoethnography, was not only used to describe the work of chaplains as researchers, but also to reflect on the process of researcher identity formation and offer personal insights regarding the challenges accompanying this process. Three major themes emerged from the autoethnographic analytic process: 1) chaplains' unique contributions to the research team; 2) the interplay between the chaplains' active research role and their work identities; and 3) tensions and challenges in being part of an interdisciplinary research team. Describing the contributions and challenges of one interdisciplinary research team that included chaplains may help inform chaplains about the experience of participating in research. As an autoethnographic study, this work is not meant to offer generalizable results about all chaplains' experiences on research teams. Research teams that are interdisciplinary may mirror the richness and efficacy of clinical interdisciplinary teams. Further work is needed to better characterize both the promise and pitfalls of chaplains' participation on research teams.

The balancing act: Exploring stigma, economic need and disclosure among male sex workers in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

PubMed Central

Closson, Elizabeth F.; Colby, Donn J.; Nguyen, Thi; Cohen, Samuel S.; Biello, Katie; Mimiaga, Matthew J.

2014-01-01

In Vietnam, there is an emerging HIV epidemic among men who have sex with men (MSM). Male sex workers (MSWs) engage in high-risk sexual behaviours that make them particularly vulnerable to HIV infection. In 2010, 23 MSM in Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC) who recently received payment for sex with another man completed in-depth qualitative interviews exploring motivations for sex work, patterns of sex work disclosure and experiences of social stigma. Interviews were recorded, transcribed and translated into English and analysed using a qualitative descriptive approach. Low wages, unstable employment, and family remittances were motivating factors for MSM in HCMC to sell sex. Participants described experiences of enacted and felt social stigma related to their involvement in sex work. In response, they utilized stigma management techniques aimed at concealment of involvement in sex work. Such strategies restricted sexual communication with non-paying sex partners and potentially limited their ability to seek social support from family and friends. Departing from decontextualized depictions of sex work disclosure, our findings describe how decisions to reveal involvement in sex work are shaped by social and structural factors such as social stigma, techniques to minimize exposure to stigma, economic imperatives and familial responsibilities. PMID:25555192

The balancing act: exploring stigma, economic need and disclosure among male sex workers in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.

PubMed

Closson, Elizabeth F; Colby, Donn J; Nguyen, Thi; Cohen, Samuel S; Biello, Katie; Mimiaga, Matthew J

2015-01-01

In Vietnam, there is an emerging HIV epidemic among men who have sex with men (MSM). Male sex workers engage in high-risk sexual behaviours that make them particularly vulnerable to HIV infection. In 2010, 23 MSM in Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC) who recently received payment for sex with another man completed in-depth qualitative interviews exploring motivations for sex work, patterns of sex work disclosure and experiences of social stigma. Interviews were recorded, transcribed and translated into English and analysed using a qualitative descriptive approach. Low wages, unstable employment and family remittances were motivating factors for MSM in HCMC to sell sex. Participants described experiences of enacted and felt social stigma related to their involvement in sex work. In response, they utilised stigma management techniques aimed at concealment of involvement in sex work. Such strategies restricted sexual communication with non-paying sex partners and potentially limited their ability to seek social support from family and friends. Departing from decontextualized depictions of sex work disclosure, our findings describe how decisions to reveal involvement in sex work are shaped by social and structural factors such as social stigma, techniques to minimise exposure to stigma, economic imperatives and familial responsibilities.

The Workplace Experiences of Women with Fibromyalgia.

PubMed

Juuso, Päivi; Skär, Lisa; Sundin, Karin; Söderberg, Siv

2016-06-01

Fibromyalgia (FM) is a common pain syndrome that mostly affects women. Chronic pain and other symptoms often chalenge work for women with FM. This study aimed to explore how women with FM experience their work situations. A purposive sample of 15 women with FM was interviewed with in-depth qualitative interviews. Data were analysed using a hermeneutic approach. The results revealed that women with FM experienced incapacity to work as they had previously and eventually accepted that their work life had changed or reached its end. Since their work had great significance in their lives, feelings of loss and sorrow were common. Women who were working, unemployed, or on sick leave described feelings of fear for their future work situations. Women with FM greatly value their work. Their wish to perform work as before is however, not consistent with their abilities. As such, women with FM need support in continuing to work for as long as possible, after which they need support in finding new values in life. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Liquid sodium testing of in-house phased array EMAT transducer for L-wave applications

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

Le Bourdais, F.; Le Polles, T.; Baque, F.

2015-07-01

This paper describes the development of an in-house phased array EMAT transducer for longitudinal wave inspection in liquid sodium. The work presented herein is part of an undergoing project aimed at improving in-service inspection techniques for the ASTRID reactor project. The design process of the phased array EMAT probe is briefly explained and followed by a review of experimental test results. We first present test results obtained in the laboratory while the last part of the paper describes the liquid sodium testing and the produced ultrasound images. (authors)

The career goals of nurses in some health care settings in Gauteng.

PubMed

Jooste, K

2005-08-01

In nursing, purposeful career planning is essential if nurse practitioners want to make the right decisions about their work in order to strive towards and accomplish a meaningful quality of working life. Nurses should identify their career goals to be able to investigate their different career opportunities in their field of interest and direct their work according to a work strategy for years ahead. The purpose of this study was to explore and describe the career goals of post-basic nursing students with the aim of describing management strategies to guide the future career of post-basic nursing students in climbing the career ladder effectively and obtaining their set career goals. An explorative, descriptive, qualitative design was selected where the researcher worked inductively to explore and describe the needs (goals) and future planned actions of the participants regarding their career management as viewed for a period of five years. The researcher purposively and conveniently identified the sample as all the post-basic nursing students, namely 250 students, who were registered for the first, second and third year of nursing management courses in that period at a South African residential university. Two structured, open questions were developed. Each participant received the questions in writing and was asked to answer them. The QSR NUD*IST program was used for the qualitative management (categorization) of data. The results of the research questions related to five categories, namely becoming empowered, being promoted, being educated and professionally developed, partaking in research and taking up new projects.

Assessing the health information needs of unaffiliated health professionals and using training on openly available search tools and resources to provide solutions to their information access challenges and barriers.

PubMed

Matsoukas, Konstantina

2014-01-01

This article will describe a year-long (2010-11) joint project between Columbia University Medical Center's Health Sciences Library and the Institute for Family Health (IFH), a network of Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) serving disadvantaged populations in New York State. This National Institutes of Health-funded pilot project aimed to (a) determine the medical literature and training needs of IFH personnel, (b) develop generic licensing agreements with publishers that would enable a health sciences library to provide access to electronic resources for FQHC personnel, and (c) develop reference/education services for IFH personnel. How the reference and education aims were met will be described and discussed here as the lessons learned from this project may be useful to librarians considering doing instructional outreach to unaffiliated health professionals working at FQHCs nationwide.

Assessment of Conative Educational Processes and Outcomes: Status Report of Empirical Studies. Project 2.3: Enhancing the Utility of Performance Assessments: Domain-Independent R&D.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Snow, Richard E.; Jackson, Douglas N.

Research planned to improve understanding of conative educational processes and outcomes is described. Over the past year, literature reviews have been conducted aimed at defining categories of assessment of student persistence, freedom from distraction, engagement, and other school-and-work related attitudes and motivations, both as learning…

Facilitating Workplace Learning and Change: Lessons Learned from the Lectores in Pre-War Cigar Factories

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Germain, Marie-Line; Grenier, Robin S.

2015-01-01

Purpose: This study aims to describe the lectores (readers) who read the world news and works of literature to workers in pre-World War II cigar factories in Tampa, Florida, and in New York City. The paper addresses the need for more examination of some neglected aspects of workplace learning by presenting a more critical approach to workplace…

Conceptual Framework for Speech Language Pathologists to Work with Migrants: A Focus on Malta

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Grech, Helen; Cheng, Li Rong Lilly

2016-01-01

The goal of this paper is to describe the current state, needs and values of migrants with a focus on relevant global issues and Malta as a case study. It also aims to review services offered to these migrants, identify aspects that require attention and draw up a framework that could be applied to enhance services to the culturally diverse…

WWC Review of the Report "Late Interventions Matter Too: The Case of College Coaching New Hampshire." What Works Clearinghouse Single Study Review

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

What Works Clearinghouse, 2013

2013-01-01

The study examined whether providing college application coaching to high school seniors increased postsecondary enrollment. The program was aimed at students whom school counselors believed were on the verge of not applying to college, despite having tenth-grade test scores that were high enough to warrant applying.The research described in this…

Characteristics of Substance-Abusing Women on Welfare: Findings from the Evaluation of CASAWORKS for Families Pilot Demonstration

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gutman, Marjorie A.; Ketterlinus, Robert D.; McLellan, A. Thomas

2003-01-01

Aim: To describe and compare the characteristics and needs of substance-abusing women on Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) who enroll in a multi-service "welfare to work" program (n = 673) with two other relevant groups: (a) women from the general TANF population in the same locales (n = 157) and (b) a sample of…

Informal Math Coaching by Instant Messaging: Two Case Studies of How University Students Coach K-12 Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hrastinski, Stefan; Edman, Anneli; Andersson, Fredrik; Kawnine, Tanvir; Soames, Carol-Ann

2014-01-01

The aim of this study is to describe and explore how instant messaging (IM) can be used to support informal math coaching. We have studied two projects where university students use IM to coach K-12 students in mathematics. The coaches were interviewed with a focus on how informal coaching works by examining coaching challenges, how coaching can…

Metaphoric Perceptions of Teachers and Pre-Service Teachers about 4+4+4 Education System

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Aykac, Necdet; Bilgin, Hilal; Kabaran, Hasret

2016-01-01

This study aims to determine the perceptions of teachers and pre-service teachers about 4+4+4 education system via the metaphors they have developed. In this study, the opinions of teachers and pre-service teachers are described with qualitative approach. The participants of the study are 137 primary school 1st grade teachers, working in Mugla in…

Inducing Empathy: Pondering Students' (In)Ability to Empathize with an Aboriginal Man's Lament and What Might Be Done about It

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gair, Susan

2013-01-01

Empathy is a familiar term in social work education, although how to teach and learn empathy is not well documented. Equally, how non-indigenous Australian practitioners learn empathic regard for indigenous peoples living with the crippling legacies of colonialism is not commonly described in the literature. The primary aim of the classroom-based…

Occupational Safety and Health Professionals' Training in Italy: Qualitative Evaluation Using T-LAB

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Papaleo, Bruno; Cangiano, Giovanna; Calicchia, Sara

2013-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to describe the evaluation of a training course on chemicals for occupational safety and health (OSH) professionals. The study aims were to assess the effectiveness of the course; to find out what type of training met these workers' needs best, as their role is vital in the management of safety at work; and to…

Testing the Dimension of Hilbert Spaces

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brunner, Nicolas; Pironio, Stefano; Acin, Antonio; Gisin, Nicolas; Méthot, André Allan; Scarani, Valerio

2008-05-01

Given a set of correlations originating from measurements on a quantum state of unknown Hilbert space dimension, what is the minimal dimension d necessary to describe such correlations? We introduce the concept of dimension witness to put lower bounds on d. This work represents a first step in a broader research program aiming to characterize Hilbert space dimension in various contexts related to fundamental questions and quantum information applications.

Caring for people with dementia disease (DD) and working in a private not-for-profit residential care facility for people with DD.

PubMed

Ericson-Lidman, Eva; Larsson, Lise-Lotte Franklin; Norberg, Astrid

2014-06-01

Caring for people with dementia and working in dementia care is described as having both rewarding and unpleasant aspects and has been studied to a minor extent. This study aims to explore care providers' narrated experiences of caring for people with dementia disease (DD) and working in a private not-for-profit residential care facility for people with DD. Nine care providers were interviewed about their experiences, the interviews were recorded, transcribed and analysed using thematic analysis. The analysis revealed that participants were struggling to perform person-centred care, which meant trying to see the person behind the disease, dealing with troublesome situations in the daily care, a two-edged interaction with relatives, feelings of shortcomings and troubled conscience, and the need for improvements in dementia care. The analysis also revealed an ambiguous work situation, which meant a challenging value base, the differently judged work environment, feelings of job satisfaction and the need for a functional leadership and management. The results illuminate participants' positive as well as negative experiences and have identified areas requiring improvements. It seems of great importance to strive for a supportive and attendant leadership, a leadership which aims to empower care providers in their difficult work. Using conscience as a driving force together in the work group may benefit care providers' health. © 2013 Nordic College of Caring Science.

[Dysfunctional workplace organization and mobbing. 4 representative cases].

PubMed

Albini, Elisa; Benedetti, Laura; Giordano, S; Punzi, Silvia; Cassitto, Maria Grazia

2003-01-01

Stress and psychological harassment at work are increasing worldwide, according to International Agencies (European Community, NIOSH) and to most authors. To describe typical working situations responsible for distress and mobbing, with the aim of early diagnosis and effectiveness of therapy and rehabilitation. Four cases are reported as representative of dysfunctional organization producing distress and pathology or inducing mobbing behavior or mobbing without clear organization responsibilities. In all cases dysfunctional organization appeared to have played a significant role even though not always a direct one. Also, common characteristics were highlighted in the three cases where mobbing was recognized.

Astronomy and Computing: A new journal for the astronomical computing community

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Accomazzi, Alberto; Budavári, Tamás; Fluke, Christopher; Gray, Norman; Mann, Robert G.; O'Mullane, William; Wicenec, Andreas; Wise, Michael

2013-02-01

We introduce Astronomy and Computing, a new journal for the growing population of people working in the domain where astronomy overlaps with computer science and information technology. The journal aims to provide a new communication channel within that community, which is not well served by current journals, and to help secure recognition of its true importance within modern astronomy. In this inaugural editorial, we describe the rationale for creating the journal, outline its scope and ambitions, and seek input from the community in defining in detail how the journal should work towards its high-level goals.

LABONFOIL: investigations regarding microfluidic skin patches for drug detection using flexible OLEDs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Scholles, M.; Kroker, L.; Vogel, U.; Krüger, J.; Walczak, R.; Ruano-Lopez, J.

2010-02-01

This contribution describes first results concerning the overall and especially optical system design of microfluidic skin patches for drug detection based on fluorescence analysis of sweat samples. This work has been carried out within the European project LABONFOIL which aims to develop low-cost lab-on-chip systems for four different applications, one of them for the detection of cocaine abuse by professional drivers. To date work has focused on the integrated design of the skin patch itself including methods for sweat collection as well as studies concerning the feasibility of OLEDs for optical excitation of the fluorescence signal.

[Labor market structure and access to private health insurance in Brazil].

PubMed

Machado, Ana Flavia; Andrade, Mônica Viegas; Maia, Ana Carolina

2012-04-01

This paper aims to describe health insurance coverage among different types of workers in Brazil. Health insurance coverage and labor market insertion are used to define homogeneous groups of workers. The Grade of Membership method is used to build a typology of workers. The database was the Brazilian National Household Survey (PNAD) for 1998 and 2003, including a health survey. Five worker profiles were defined. The key variables were: health insurance coverage, schooling, and work status. The main findings show a positive association between health insurance coverage, income from work, and trade union membership.

Social responsibility and work conditions: building a reference label, Démarche T®.

PubMed

Biquand, Sylvain; Zittel, Benoit

2012-01-01

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is now considered in large and global companies and the recent publication of the ISO 26000 standard clarifies the targets. Based on our consultancy's experience for fifteen years in ergonomics mainly in French small and medium enterprises, we developed a label to coax and value efforts of companies in dealing with health and safety at the work place as required by ISO 26000 paragraph 6.4. The formal approach of ISO describes what should be achieved but gives no cue on how actual conditions of work should be improved. The label, called Démarche T (ie Process W where W stands for work) aims the management of work conditions as a process, giving visibility and credit to companies for their continuous involvement in the matter. We describe the items and processes that are part of our assessment. We first conduct an ergonomic diagnosis including the analysis of records on health, physical and psychological well-being, observations at the workplace and interviews with the workers. This diagnosis is followed by recommendations. The fulfillment of these is assessed yearly. Items under assessment include: - ergonomics, health and safety in the companies statements and their impact in actual project management; - relations with workers through the committee for health and safety; - actual results on health, safety and work conditions. On a local level, we give the companies passing the label a competitive edge in recruiting better candidates motivated by good work conditions, and help them fulfill ISO 26000 requirements, an increasingly decisive advantage to benefit from public regional and European support. Our paper describes the diagnosis and follow-up process.

[Surveillance of work-related suicide in France: An exploratory study].

PubMed

Bossard, C; Santin, G; Lopez, V; Imbernon, E; Cohidon, C

2016-06-01

Despite a large media coverage of the phenomenon, the number of work-related suicides is currently unknown in France. There are nevertheless some data available to document this important issue. The aim of this study was to explore the feasibility of an epidemiological surveillance system for work-related suicides designed to quantify and describe work-related suicides mainly according to economic sectors and occupational categories. Existing data sources in France were identified and evaluated for their relevance and their potential use in a multi-sources surveillance system. A regional pilot study was performed using the main relevant sources identified to investigate different aspects of the system design. Four major data sources were identified to be used to describe work-related suicides: death certificates, social insurance funds, data collected by the officers of the labor inspectorate and data collected from autopsy reports in forensic departments. The regional pilot study gave an estimate of 28 cases of work-related suicide in two years. The findings point out the difficulties involved and the criteria for successful implement of such a system. The study provides some solutions for carrying out this system, the achievement of which will depend upon particular resources and partners' agreements. Recommendations for the next steps have been made based on this work, including possible collaboration with forensic departments, which collect essential data for surveillance. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS.

Toward interactive scheduling systems for managing medical resources.

PubMed

Oddi, A; Cesta, A

2000-10-01

Managers of medico-hospital facilities are facing two general problems when allocating resources to activities: (1) to find an agreement between several and contrasting requirements; (2) to manage dynamic and uncertain situations when constraints suddenly change over time due to medical needs. This paper describes the results of a research aimed at applying constraint-based scheduling techniques to the management of medical resources. A mixed-initiative problem solving approach is adopted in which a user and a decision support system interact to incrementally achieve a satisfactory solution to the problem. A running prototype is described called Interactive Scheduler which offers a set of functionalities for a mixed-initiative interaction to cope with the medical resource management. Interactive Scheduler is endowed with a representation schema used for describing the medical environment, a set of algorithms that address the specific problems of the domain, and an innovative interaction module that offers functionalities for the dialogue between the support system and its user. A particular contribution of this work is the explicit representation of constraint violations, and the definition of scheduling algorithms that aim at minimizing the amount of constraint violations in a solution.

Goals of telephone nursing work - the managers’ perspectives: a qualitative study on Swedish healthcare direct

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Swedish Healthcare Direct (SHD) receives 6 million calls yearly and aims at increased public sense of security and healthcare efficiency. Little is known about what SHD managers perceive as the primary goals of telephone nursing (TN) work and how the organisation matches goals of health promotion and equitable healthcare, so important in Swedish healthcare legislation. The aim of the study was to explore and describe what the SHD managers perceive as the goals of TN work and how the managers view health promotion and implementation of equitable healthcare with gender as example at SHD. Methods The study was qualitative using an exploratory and descriptive design. All 23 managers employed at SHD were interviewed and data analysis used deductive directed content analysis. Results The findings reveal four themes describing the goals of TN work as recommended by the SHD managers. These are: ‘create feelings of trust’, ‘achieve patient safety’, ‘assess, refer and give advice’, and ‘teach the caller’. Most of the managers stated that health promotion should not be included in the goals, whereas equitable healthcare was viewed as an important issue. Varying suggestions for implementing equitable healthcare were given. Conclusions The interviewed managers mainly echoed the organisational goals of TN work. The managers’ expressed goal of teaching lacked the caller learning components highlighted by telenurses in previous research. The fact that health promotion was not seen as important indicates a need for SHD to clarify its goals as the organisation is part of the Swedish healthcare system, where health promotion should always permeate work. Time used for health promotion and dialogues in a gender equitable manner at SHD is well invested as it will save time elsewhere in the health care system, thereby facing one of the challenges of European health systems. PMID:24762193

The impact of shift work on eating patterns and self-care strategies utilised by experienced and inexperienced nurses.

PubMed

Gifkins, Jane; Johnston, Amy; Loudoun, Rebecca

2018-05-08

For nurses, shift work is a necessity, required to provide 24-h continuous care for patients. Research posits that fatigue amongst shift-working nurses is associated with inadequate and poorly timed sleep and also strongly influenced by the timing, quality and quantity of food consumed. The aim of this investigation was to examine differences and similarities in the food choices and eating patterns of nurses exposed to different lengths of time in shift work, as a means of understanding how nurses can adapt their eating patterns to better manage fatigue and sleep loss. Qualitative methodology was utilised to study and capture in-depth information about nurses' daily working lives. A case study approach allowed for the investigation of nurses with limited and extensive experience of shift work. Increased food craving, caffeine consumption and snacking behaviours during night shifts were described by both groups of nurses, as was the inability to drink enough fluids at work. Meal skipping at work, associated with high workload, was detailed more by experienced nurses. Experienced nurses described shopping and preparing home cooked meals in advance to manage food intake and associated fatigue, contrasting with patterns from inexperienced nurses. Experienced nurses recounted drinking alcohol as a way to rest and recover from shift work, unlike their less inexperienced colleagues. These findings indicate organisational and work place issues such as shift work and rostering influence the food choices and eating patterns of shift-working nurses. Experienced nurses, however, draw on a greater range of strategies around diet and eating patterns to minimise these impacts.

Diagnostic work up for language testing in patients undergoing awake craniotomy for brain lesions in language areas.

PubMed

Bilotta, Federico; Stazi, Elisabetta; Titi, Luca; Lalli, Diana; Delfini, Roberto; Santoro, Antonio; Rosa, Giovanni

2014-06-01

Awake craniotomy is the technique of choice in patients with brain tumours adjacent to primary and accessory language areas (Broca's and Wernicke's areas). Language testing should be aimed to detect preoperative deficits, to promptly identify the occurrence of new intraoperative impairments and to establish the course of postoperative language status. Aim of this case series is to describe our experience with a dedicated language testing work up to evaluate patients with or at risk for language disturbances undergoing awake craniotomy for brain tumour resection. Pre- and intra operative testing was accomplished with 8 tests. Intraoperative evaluation was accomplished when patients were fully cooperative (Ramsey < 3). Postoperative evaluation was scheduled at early (within 21 days) and long-term follow-up (3-6 months). Twenty consecutive patients were prospectively recruited. Preoperative language testings were normal in 9 patients (45%), showed mild to moderate language deficit in 8 (40%) and severe language deficit or aphasic disorders in 3 (15%). Broca's area was identified in 15 patients, in all cases by counting arrest during stimulation and in 12 cases by naming arrest. In this article we describe our experience using a language testing work up to evaluate - pre, intra and postoperatively - patients undergoing awake craniotomy for brain tumour resection with preoperative language disturbances or at risk for postoperative language deficits. This approach allows a systematic evaluation and recording of language function status and can be accomplished even when a neuropsychologist or speech therapist are not involved in the operation crew.

An experience of group work with parents of children and adolescents with gender identity disorder.

PubMed

Di Ceglie, Domenico; Thümmel, Elizabeth Coates

2006-07-01

This article gives an account of an experience of group work with parents and carers who had children or adolescents with gender identity disorder (GID). The history of this intervention within the context of a service for children with gender identity problems is outlined. The limited literature on the subject is reviewed. Group meetings were held monthly for 6 months, facilitated by two therapists (the authors). Selection criteria for group participants, the aims of the group and the methodology for achieving those aims are described. Some information about the group's composition is provided. The structure and content of the group sessions are outlined together with details of some group interactions. Finally, we present the results of an evaluation of the intervention through feedback questionnaires and discuss the value for the children and young people of running such groups.

The Nordic Health Promotion Research Network (NHPRN).

PubMed

Ringsberg, Karin C

2015-08-01

The Nordic Health Promotion Research Network (NHPRN) was established in 2007 at the Nordic School of Public Health (NHV). This article aims to describe the foundation of the NHPRN, the development and the present status of the work of NHPRN. The NHPRN consists of about 50 senior and junior researchers from all Nordic countries. It is a working network that aims to develop the theoretical understanding of health promotion, to create research cooperation in health promotion from a Nordic perspective and to extend the scope of health promotion through education. Network members meet biannually to discuss and further develop research within the field and are also responsible for the Nordic conference on Health Promotion, organized every 3 years. The NHV hosted the network between 2007 and 2014; and the World Health Organisation (WHO) will assume this role in 2015. © 2015 the Nordic Societies of Public Health.

Recognition of Telugu characters using neural networks.

PubMed

Sukhaswami, M B; Seetharamulu, P; Pujari, A K

1995-09-01

The aim of the present work is to recognize printed and handwritten Telugu characters using artificial neural networks (ANNs). Earlier work on recognition of Telugu characters has been done using conventional pattern recognition techniques. We make an initial attempt here of using neural networks for recognition with the aim of improving upon earlier methods which do not perform effectively in the presence of noise and distortion in the characters. The Hopfield model of neural network working as an associative memory is chosen for recognition purposes initially. Due to limitation in the capacity of the Hopfield neural network, we propose a new scheme named here as the Multiple Neural Network Associative Memory (MNNAM). The limitation in storage capacity has been overcome by combining multiple neural networks which work in parallel. It is also demonstrated that the Hopfield network is suitable for recognizing noisy printed characters as well as handwritten characters written by different "hands" in a variety of styles. Detailed experiments have been carried out using several learning strategies and results are reported. It is shown here that satisfactory recognition is possible using the proposed strategy. A detailed preprocessing scheme of the Telugu characters from digitized documents is also described.

Healthcare professionals' views of smart glasses in intensive care: A qualitative study.

PubMed

Romare, Charlotte; Hass, Ursula; Skär, Lisa

2018-04-01

The aim of this study was to describe healthcare professionals' views of smart glasses before their implementation in an intensive care unit, both regarding quality of use of the glasses and to identify possible intensive care situations where the glasses could be used to increase patient safety. Data were generated through focus group interviews and analysed using thematic content analysis. The findings describe participants' views of smart glasses divided into three categories; Smart glasses to facilitate work at intensive care unit; Quality of use and Utilisation. Participants assumed smart glasses to cause both effect and affect in intensive care. Participants' concern for patients arose recurrently and through their concern intention to work to promote patient safety. Smart glasses are suggested as a complement to existing monitoring and routines and cannot replace human presence in intensive care. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

The Work-It Study for people with arthritis: Study protocol and baseline sample characteristics.

PubMed

Keysor, Julie J; AlHeresh, Rawan; Vaughan, Molly; LaValley, Michael P; Allaire, Saralynn

2016-06-14

People with arthritis are at risk of work disability. Job accommodation and educational programs delivered before imminent work loss can minimize work disability, yet are not currently being widely implemented. The Work-It Study is a randomized controlled trial testing the efficacy of a problem solving program delivered by physical and occupational therapy practitioners to prevent work loss over a two-year period among people with arthritis and rheumatological conditions. The purpose of this paper is to describe the protocol of the randomized controlled trial, and describe the baseline characteristics of the subjects and their work outcomes. 287 participants were recruited from the Boston area in Massachusetts, USA. Eligible participants were aged between 21-65, self-reported a physicians' diagnosis of arthritis, rheumatic condition, or chronic back pain, reported a concern about working now or in the near future due to your health, worked at least 15 hours a week, had plans to continue working, and worked or lived in Massachusetts. Subjects were recruited through community sources and rheumatology offices. Participants in the experimental group received a structured interview and an education and resource packet, while participants in the control received the resource packet only. The baseline characteristics and work related outcomes of the participants were analyzed. To our knowledge, the Work-It Study is the largest and most diverse randomized controlled trial to date aiming to identify and problem solve work-related barriers, promote advocacy, and foster work disability knowledge among people with chronic disabling musculoskeletal conditions. Despite advances in medical management of arthritis and other rheumatological and musculoskeletal conditions, many people still have concerns about their ability to remain employed and are seeking strategies to help them sustain employment.

A participatory physical and psychosocial intervention for balancing the demands and resources among industrial workers (PIPPI): study protocol of a cluster-randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Gupta, Nidhi; Wåhlin-Jacobsen, Christian Dyrlund; Henriksen, Louise Nøhr; Abildgaard, Johan Simonsen; Nielsen, Karina; Holtermann, Andreas

2015-03-20

Need for recovery and work ability are strongly associated with high employee turnover, well-being and sickness absence. However, scientific knowledge on effective interventions to improve work ability and decrease need for recovery is scarce. Thus, the present study aims to describe the background, design and protocol of a cluster randomized controlled trial evaluating the effectiveness of an intervention to reduce need for recovery and improve work ability among industrial workers. A two-year cluster randomized controlled design will be utilized, in which controls will also receive the intervention in year two. More than 400 workers from three companies in Denmark will be aimed to be cluster randomized into intervention and control groups with at least 200 workers (at least 9 work teams) in each group. An organizational resources audit and subsequent action planning workshop will be carried out to map the existing resources and act upon initiatives not functioning as intended. Workshops will be conducted to train leaders and health and safety representatives in supporting and facilitating the intervention activities. Group and individual level participatory visual mapping sessions will be carried out allowing team members to discuss current physical and psychosocial work demands and resources, and develop action plans to minimize strain and if possible, optimize the resources. At all levels, the intervention will be integrated into the existing organization of work schedules. An extensive process and effect evaluation on need for recovery and work ability will be carried out via questionnaires, observations, interviews and organizational data assessed at several time points throughout the intervention period. This study primarily aims to develop, implement and evaluate an intervention based on the abovementioned features which may improve the work environment, available resources and health of industrial workers, and hence their need for recovery and work ability.

Repetition, response mobilization, and face: Analysis of group interactions with a 19-year-old with Asperger syndrome.

PubMed

Bottema-Beutel, Kristen; Louick, Rebecca; White, Rachael

2015-01-01

This Conversation Analytic study examined the talk of an adolescent with Asperger syndrome (under previously used diagnostic criteria), Nathan, as he interacts with peers in a small group setting. We focused on Nathan's repetition aimed at pursuing response, and rely on analytical frameworks including response mobilization, face-work, and agreement preference. We found that while Nathan's repetitions resembled 'topic perseveration' previously described in the literature, they showed evidence of interactional awareness as they were employed when peers offered little or no response to his original utterance. However, we also found that while much of Nathan's talk was sophisticatedly structured, his repetition to pursue response eschewed interaction rituals that work to maintain social cohesion. As a result, Nathan's interactional priorities appeared mis-aligned with those of his peers, and failed to produce extended interactions in most cases. Readers will be able to describe features of conversational interaction, including response mobilization, agreement preference, and face work. They will understand the relevance of conversation analysis to the study of interaction in individuals with autism spectrum disorder. Lastly, they will be able to describe the conditions under which the subject used repetition within peer interactions, and the effects of his repetition on interaction. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Aqueous Solution Vessel Thermal Model Development II

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

Buechler, Cynthia Eileen

2015-10-28

The work presented in this report is a continuation of the work described in the May 2015 report, “Aqueous Solution Vessel Thermal Model Development”. This computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model aims to predict the temperature and bubble volume fraction in an aqueous solution of uranium. These values affect the reactivity of the fissile solution, so it is important to be able to calculate them and determine their effects on the reaction. Part A of this report describes some of the parameter comparisons performed on the CFD model using Fluent. Part B describes the coupling of the Fluent model with amore » Monte-Carlo N-Particle (MCNP) neutron transport model. The fuel tank geometry is the same as it was in the May 2015 report, annular with a thickness-to-height ratio of 0.16. An accelerator-driven neutron source provides the excitation for the reaction, and internal and external water cooling channels remove the heat. The model used in this work incorporates the Eulerian multiphase model with lift, wall lubrication, turbulent dispersion and turbulence interaction. The buoyancy-driven flow is modeled using the Boussinesq approximation, and the flow turbulence is determined using the k-ω Shear-Stress-Transport (SST) model. The dispersed turbulence multiphase model is employed to capture the multiphase turbulence effects.« less

Personal resources and support when regaining the ability to work: an interview study with Exhaustion Disorder patients.

PubMed

Norlund, Sofia; Fjellman-Wiklund, Anncristine; Nordin, Maria; Stenlund, Therese; Ahlgren, Christina

2013-06-01

The aim of the study was to explore experiences and thoughts in the process of returning to work in employed patients with Exhaustion Disorder. Twelve patients with Exhaustion Disorder (burnout) who had been referred to a Stress Rehabilitation Clinic were interviewed. All patients were employed but a majority was on full or part-time sick leave. Grounded Theory was used as the qualitative method. A core category, regaining the ability to work, was developed. Alongside, two categories, internal resources and the external support system, were experienced as being important to the process. The internal resources were expressed through three key features (sub-categories), perceived validation, insights and adaptive coping abilities. The external support system was diverse and described by the sub-categories practical/structural and/or emotional support. Four external support actors were identified; the workplace, health care, the Social Insurance Agency, and the union. The supervisor was described as the most important external actor. Internal and external resources are intertwined in the process of regaining the ability to work. The internal resources and external support can directly increase the probability to regain the ability to work. Moreover, these resources can affect each other and thus indirectly have an effect on the process.

Being Both Helpers and Victims: Health Professionals' Experiences of Working During a Natural Disaster.

PubMed

Hugelius, Karin; Adolfsson, Annsofie; Örtenwall, Per; Gifford, Mervyn

2017-04-01

In November 2013, the Haiyan typhoon hit parts of the Philippines. The typhoon caused severe damage to the medical facilities and many injuries and deaths. Health professionals have a crucial role in the immediate disaster response system, but knowledge of their experiences of working during and in the immediate aftermath of a natural disaster is limited. Aim The aim of this study was to explore health professionals' experiences of working during and in the immediate aftermath of a natural disaster. Eight health professionals were interviewed five months after the disaster. The interviews were analyzed using phenomenological hermeneutic methods. The main theme, being professional and survivor, described both positive and negative emotions and experiences from being both a helper, as part of the responding organization, and a victim, as part of the surviving but severely affected community. Sub-themes described feelings of strength and confidence, feelings of adjustment and acceptance, feelings of satisfaction, feelings of powerless and fear, feelings of guilt and shame, and feelings of loneliness. Being a health professional during a natural disaster was a multi-faceted, powerful, and ambiguous experience of being part of the response system at the same time as being a survivor of the disaster. Personal values and altruistic motives as well as social aspects and stress-coping strategies to reach a balance between acceptance and control were important elements of the experience. Based on these findings, implications for disaster training and response strategies are suggested. Hugelius K , Adolfsson A , Örtenwall P , Gifford M . Being both helpers and victims: health professionals' experiences of working during a natural disaster. Prehosp Disaster Med. 2017;32(2):117-123.

Interprofessional practices of physiotherapists working with adults with low back pain in Québec’s private sector: results of a qualitative study

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Collaboration and interprofessional practices are highly valued in health systems, because they are thought to improve outcomes of care for persons with complex health problems, such as low back pain. Physiotherapists, like all health providers, are encouraged to take part in interprofessional practices. However, little is known about these practices, especially for private sector physiotherapists. This study aimed to: 1) explore how physiotherapists working in the private sector with adults with low back pain describe their interprofessional practices, 2) identify factors that influence their interprofessional practices, and 3) identify their perceived effects. Methods Participants were 13 physiotherapists, 10 women/3 men, having between 3 and 21 years of professional experience. For this descriptive qualitative study, we used face-to-face semi-structured interviews and conducted content analysis encompassing data coding and thematic regrouping. Results Physiotherapists described interprofessional practices heterogeneously, including numerous processes such as sharing information and referring. Factors that influenced physiotherapists’ interprofessional practices were related to patients, providers, organizations, and wider systems (e.g. professional system). Physiotherapists mostly viewed positive effects of interprofessional practices, including elements such as gaining new knowledge as a provider and being valued in one’s own role, as well as improvements in overall treatment and outcome. Conclusions This qualitative study offers new insights into the interprofessional practices of physiotherapists working with adults with low back pain, as perceived by the physiotherapists’ themselves. Based on the results, the development of strategies aiming to increase interprofessionalism in the management of low back pain would most likely require taking into consideration factors associated with patients, providers, the organizations within which they work, and the wider systems. PMID:24884757

Students Using a Novel Web-Based Laboratory Class Support System: A Case Study in Food Chemistry Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

van der Kolk, Koos; Beldman, Gerrit; Hartog, Rob; Gruppen, Harry

2012-01-01

The design, usage, and evaluation of a Web-based laboratory manual (WebLM) are described. The main aim of the WebLM is to support students while working in the laboratory by providing them with just-in-time information. Design guidelines for this electronic manual were derived from literature on cognitive load and user interface design. The WebLM…

Quality Psychological Advice for Teachers, Parents/Carers and LEA Decision-Makers with Respect to Children and Young People with Special Needs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cameron, R. J. (Sean); Monsen, Jeremy J.

2005-01-01

The main aim of this paper is to describe a working protocol which can offer practising educational psychologists a rational framework within which to investigate and understand the complex problems of children and young people in school and to provide appropriate advice to teachers, parents/carers and LEA decision makers on how they can best…

From pediatric history. Important personalities in relation to some genetic defects - "trisomies".

PubMed

Brucknerova, Ingrid; Holomanova, Anna; Mach, Mojmir; Ujhazy, Eduard

2012-01-01

The aim of this study is to present a short biography of some important physicians and describe the most prominent differences between trisomy 13, 18 and 21. The authors present the most prominent differences between trisomy 13, 18 and 21. The work of many important physicians, geneticists, has helped in the process of recognition of congenital anomalies. This group of famous persons includes Patau, Edwards and Down.

A Sociological Description of Changes in the Intellectual Field of Mathematics Education Research: Implications for the Identities of Academics.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tsatsaroni, Anna; Lerman, Stephen; Xu, Guo-Rong

This paper presents aspects of a study that aims to describe and make sense of changes over time in the intellectual field of mathematics education research. Drawing on the work of B. Bernstein, especially his essay on intellectual fields and knowledge structures, the paper seeks to raise questions about the fields standing in the wider field of…

A Crisis Mental Health Intervention Service: An Innovative Model for Working Intensively with Young People on the Edge of Care

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Witkon, Yael

2012-01-01

This paper describes the setting up and the first year of running of an innovative outreach service for adolescents on the edge of care that aimed at redressing family breakdown and preventing placements in the care system. It was a collaborative endeavour between social services and a child and adolescent mental health provision to facilitate the…

Connecting the Science User With Science Data and Services via the BCube Broker and Crawler

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Khalsa, S. J. S.

2015-12-01

BCube, an NSF EarthCube Building Block project, aims to improve efficiency and productivity of geoscientists who work across disciplinary boundaries by facilitating discovery and access of geoscience data, linking major data facilities, and creating a new paradigm for data advertising and discovery. In this presentation we describe the achievements to date of the BCube brokering and web crawling efforts, addressing focus areas and outcomes in both cyberinfrastructure and geocsciences. We describe science scenarios illustrating the research in the ocean, climate, hydrology and polar domains that is being supported by the BCube Broker. By providing mediation between a diversity of standards and protocols the broker makes it possible for the geoscientists working in these demains to discover and access high-value datasets via a cloud-based interface. An Accessor Development Kit (ADK) enables the community to develop modules that extend the capabilities of the broker. In addition, we describe the web crawling and semantic technologies that are being applied to find new geoscience-relevant datasets and services on the web.

Applicability of common measures in multifocus image fusion comparison

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vajgl, Marek

2017-11-01

Image fusion is an image processing area aimed at fusion of multiple input images to achieve an output image somehow better then each of the input ones. In the case of "multifocus fusion", input images are capturing the same scene differing ina focus distance. The aim is to obtain an image, which is sharp in all its areas. The are several different approaches and methods used to solve this problem. However, it is common question which one is the best. This work describes a research covering the field of common measures with a question, if some of them can be used as a quality measure of the fusion result evaluation.

A Multimedia, Augmented Reality Interactive System for the Application of a Guided School Tour

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lin, Ko-Chun; Huang, Sheng-Wen; Chu, Sheng-Kai; Su, Ming-Wei; Chen, Chia-Yen; Chen, Chi-Fa

The paper describes an implementation of a multimedia, augmented reality system used for a guided school tour. The aim of this work is to improve the level of interactions between a viewer and the system by means of augmented reality. In the implemented system, hand motions are captured via computer vision based approaches and analyzed to extract representative actions which are used to interact with the system. In this manner, tactile peripheral hardware such as keyboard and mouse can be eliminated. In addition, the proposed system also aims to reduce hardware related costs and avoid health risks associated with contaminations by contact in public areas.

Modeling a High Explosive Cylinder Experiment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zocher, Marvin A.

2017-06-01

Cylindrical assemblies constructed from high explosives encased in an inert confining material are often used in experiments aimed at calibrating and validating continuum level models for the so-called equation of state (constitutive model for the spherical part of the Cauchy tensor). Such is the case in the work to be discussed here. In particular, work will be described involving the modeling of a series of experiments involving PBX-9501 encased in a copper cylinder. The objective of the work is to test and perhaps refine a set of phenomenological parameters for the Wescott-Stewart-Davis reactive burn model. The focus of this talk will be on modeling the experiments, which turned out to be non-trivial. The modeling is conducted using ALE methodology.

Comulang: towards a collaborative e-learning system that supports student group modeling.

PubMed

Troussas, Christos; Virvou, Maria; Alepis, Efthimios

2013-01-01

This paper describes an e-learning system that is expected to further enhance the educational process in computer-based tutoring systems by incorporating collaboration between students and work in groups. The resulting system is called "Comulang" while as a test bed for its effectiveness a multiple language learning system is used. Collaboration is supported by a user modeling module that is responsible for the initial creation of student clusters, where, as a next step, working groups of students are created. A machine learning clustering algorithm works towards group formatting, so that co-operations between students from different clusters are attained. One of the resulting system's basic aims is to provide efficient student groups whose limitations and capabilities are well balanced.

Beyond bureaucracy: emerging trends in social care informatics.

PubMed

Wastell, David; White, Sue

2014-09-01

Existing information technology systems in much of UK social care have been designed to serve the interests of the bureaucracy rather than supporting professional practice or improving services to the public. The ill-starred Integrated Children's System in statutory children's services is typical. The Integrated Children's System is a system for form-filling, micro-managing professional practice through an enforced regime of standard processes and time scales. In this article, we argue against this dominant design. We provide several examples where technology has enabled alternative modes of support for professional work, based on socio-technical principles. One such system is Patchwork, which describes itself as a 'Facebook for Social Work'; its aim is to support multi-professional teams working with vulnerable families. © The Author(s) 2013.

Working together: critical care nurses experiences of temporary staffing within Swedish health care: A qualitative study.

PubMed

Berg Jansson, Anna; Engström, Åsa

2017-08-01

The aim of this study is to describe critical care nurses (CCN's) experiences of working with or as temporary agency staff. This explorative qualitative study is based on interviews with five agency CCNs and five regular CCNs, a total of ten interviews, focusing on the interviewees' experiences of daily work and temporary agency staffing. The interviews were analysed manually and thematically following an inductive approach. Four themes that illustrate both similarities and differences between regular and temporary agency CCNs emerged: "working close to patients versus being responsible for everything", "teamwork versus independence", "both groups needed" and "opportunities and challenges". The study findings illustrate the complexity of the working situation for agency and regular staff in terms of the organisation and management of the temporary agency nurses and the opportunities and challenges faced by both groups. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A Follow-Up Study on Return to Work in the Year After Reporting an Occupational Injury Stratified by Outcome of the Workers' Compensation System.

PubMed

Rudbeck, Marianne; Johansen, Jens Peter; Omland, Øyvind

2018-06-01

The aim of this study was to compare return rates to work between different groups according to the decision from the workers' compensation. Register data on disability benefits were used to describe return rates to work in Kaplan-Meier curves and association with decision on compensation claims. Disability benefits were granted by the municipalities independently of any compensation claim if sick-listed. Claimants with ongoing claims were the group with the largest proportion remaining on disability benefits. Claimants with rejected claims returned to work at the same rate (occupational disease) or slower (industrial accident) than claimants with recognized claim without compensation the subsequent year and at a faster rate after decision. Compensation claims and proceedings of the workers' compensation system probably increase time to return to work; other factors such as health and social difficulties, however, may explain some of these differences.

Developing a Taxonomy of Dark Triad Triggers at Work – A Grounded Theory Study Protocol

PubMed Central

Nübold, Annika; Bader, Josef; Bozin, Nera; Depala, Romil; Eidast, Helena; Johannessen, Elisabeth A.; Prinz, Gerhard

2017-01-01

In past years, research and corporate scandals have evidenced the destructive effects of the dark triad at work, consisting of narcissism (extreme self-centeredness), psychopathy (lack of empathy and remorse) and Machiavellianism (a sense of duplicity and manipulativeness). The dark triad dimensions have typically been conceptualized as stable personality traits, ignoring the accumulating evidence that momentary personality expressions – personality states – may change due to the characteristics of the situation. The present research protocol describes a qualitative study that aims to identify triggers of dark triad states at work by following a grounded theory approach using semi-structured interviews. By building a comprehensive categorization of dark triad triggers at work scholars may study these triggers in a parsimonious and structured way and organizations may derive more effective interventions to buffer or prevent the detrimental effects of dark personality at work. PMID:28326048

Application of the multi-disciplinary thematic seminar method in two homecare cases - a comparative study.

PubMed

Scandurra, Isabella; Hägglund, Maria; Koch, Sabine

2008-01-01

A significant problem with current health information technologies is that they poorly support collaborative work of healthcare professionals, sometimes leading to a fragmentation of workflow and disruption of healthcare processes. This paper presents two homecare cases, both applying multi-disciplinary thematic seminars (MdTS) as a collaborative method for user needs elicitation and requirements specification. This study describes the MdTS application to elicit user needs from different perspectives to coincide with collaborative professions' work practices in two cases. Despite different objectives, the two cases validated that MdTS emphasized the "points of intersection" in cooperative work. Different user groups with similar, yet distinct needs reached a common understanding of the entire work process, agreed upon requirements and participated in the design of prototypes supporting cooperative work. MdTS was applicable in both exploratory and normative studies aiming to elicit the specific requirements in a cooperative environment.

Industrial Medicine in the Nuclear Energy Study Center at Mol.; LA MEDECINE INDUSTRIELLE DANS LE CENTRE D'ETUDE DE L'ENERGIE NUCLEAIRE DE MOL.

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

Faes, M.H.

1959-10-31

The aim of an industrial medical service is to maintain the health of the personnel in normal conditions and to treat personnel in the case of accidents or illnesses caused by the work. The first objective of a medical service is one of conirol, in which a thorough clinical, radiological, and laboratory examination is given to all prospective employees. This examination is described in detail. The discovery of professional illnesses is as fully described. The legal safeguards for a person accidentally exposed to radiation are discussed. (J.S.R.)

Church acoustics: A state-of-the-art review after several decades of research

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Girón, Sara; Álvarez-Morales, Lidia; Zamarreño, Teófilo

2017-12-01

This work describes and analyses the principal contributions to the acoustics of occidental Christian churches from the second half of the last century to the present day, mainly in ancient historical churches. After more than six decades of research, it seems appropriate to summarise the major pieces of work in this field, and, to this end, this paper aims to provide an up-to-date document of all the most relevant studies which describe the exhaustive investigations of acoustic characterisation in time-consuming experimental campaigns carried out by several groups of researchers in various European countries. The article presents, for the research into church acoustics developed in each country, the experimental procedures, the results, discussions, the theoretical interpretations of the sound propagation in these spaces, the subjective aspects in the listening experience, and the method of implementation of computer simulation techniques and their applications in these complex enclosures. Other contributions from Asian and American continents are also included. Findings and advances in each of these areas as well as perspectives on their future challenges are summarized and discussed in this work.

Company size, work-home interference, and well-being of self-employed entrepreneurs.

PubMed

Godin, Isabelle; Desmarez, Pierre; Mahieu, Céline

2017-01-01

The impact of working conditions on the health and well-being of workers of large enterprises has been widely described. This influence has not been studied as extensively in very small and medium-sized enterprises mainly due to methodological difficulties. Smaller organisations nevertheless constitute a reality that needs to be better understood. The aim of this article is to better understand the working conditions of entrepreneurs in small and medium-sized enterprises, to describe the impact of these conditions on their health and well-being, and to learn how their work affects their private lives.This is why a study was conducted in 2015-2016 on a selected sample of entrepreneurs in the Brussels-Capital Region ( n  = 140). The survey form included questions pertaining to the work environment, motivations underlying the choice of activities, robustness of the business, work-home interference, work-related stress, work satisfaction, self-reported health indicators, and socio-demographic status. The results were compared with those from another survey on workers in small shops conducted between 2012 and 2015 within the same Region ( n  = 104). The number of entrepreneurs who participated in the survey added up to 140, with an even distribution between men and women. Two results are highlighted. The first concerns the difficulties faced by entrepreneurs working with a small team (1 to 4 employees): they are more stressed, report having heavy workloads, describe their health more negatively, consume more sedatives, and claim to suffer from loneliness more often than those working with larger teams or alone. Comparatively, in the study on shopkeepers, business owners working alone found themselves in a worse situation regarding their health and well-being.The second finding involves the difficulties entrepreneurs face when it comes to combining work and family life, and for which gender inequalities were noted. This phenomenon remains insufficiently explored amongst small business owners. In spite of the difficulties encountered at work, commitment to their chosen profession remains strong amongst entrepreneurs. Our results enable us underscore the aspects of entrepreneurial activity that should be taken into account whilst setting up support mechanisms or promoting entrepreneurship, especially amongst and for women.

Working conditions in the engine department - A qualitative study among engine room personnel on board Swedish merchant ships.

PubMed

Lundh, Monica; Lützhöft, Margareta; Rydstedt, Leif; Dahlman, Joakim

2011-01-01

The specific problems associated with the work on board within the merchant fleet are well known and have over the years been a topic of discussion. The work conditions in the engine room (ER) are demanding due to, e.g. the thermal climate, noise and awkward working postures. The work in the engine control room (ECR) has over recent years undergone major changes, mainly due to the introduction of computers on board. In order to capture the impact these changes had implied, and also to investigate how the work situation has developed, a total of 20 engine officers and engine ratings were interviewed. The interviews were semi-structured and Grounded Theory was used for the data analysis. The aim of the present study was to describe how the engine crew perceive their work situation and working environment on board. Further, the aim was to identify areas for improvements which the engine crew consider especially important for a safe and effective work environment. The result of the study shows that the design of the ECR and ER is crucial for how different tasks are performed. Design which does not support operational procedures and how tasks are performed risk inducing inappropriate behaviour as the crew members' are compelled to find alternative ways to perform their tasks in order to get the job done. These types of behaviour can induce an increased risk of exposure to hazardous substances and the engine crew members becoming injured. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd and The Ergonomics Society. All rights reserved.

Final Technical Report of the project "Controlling Quantum Information by Quantum Correlations"

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

Girolami, Davide

The report describes hypotheses, aims, methods and results of the project 20170675PRD2, “Controlling Quantum Information by Quantum Correlations”, which has been run from July 31, 2017 to January 7, 2018. The technical work has been performed by Director’s Fellow Davide Girolami of the T-4 Division, Physics of Condensed Matter and Complex Systems, under the supervision of Wojciech Zurek (T-4), Lukasz Cincio (T-4), and Marcus Daniels (CCS-7). The project ended as Davide Girolami has been converted to J. R. Oppenheimer Fellow to work on the project 20180702PRD1, “Optimal Control of Quantum Machines”, started on January 8, 2018.

[EEQ in clinical embryology: a starting program].

PubMed

Boyer, Pierre; Brugnon, Florence; Levy, Rachel; Pfeffer, Jérôme; Siest, Jean-Pascal

2014-01-01

Every laboratory including those working in assisted reproductive technologies have to be accredited EN ISO 15189 before 2020. This standardisation includes an external quality evaluation (EQE). In order to work out an EQE tool, we used images extracted from our own database developed during daily practice. We achieved an easily online tool called: "EEQ en embryologie clinique", developed on Biologie prospective web site with ART French biologists Association (Blefco) expertise in evaluation of early human embryonic stages. In 2013, 38 ART laboratories participate to the first program with more than 90% of appropriates results. The present article aims at describing this tool and discussing its limits.

Hard facts about soft skills.

PubMed

Ray, Joel D; Overman, Angela S

2014-02-01

This is the third article in a series on leadership coordinated by the American Organization of Nurse Executives (AONE) that highlights how nurses are leading change efforts in hospitals. It describes work done in conjunction with the AONE's Care Innovation and Transformation initiative, which provides leadership development and educational opportunities to nurse managers and staff aimed at supporting nurses at the point of care in making changes to improve the quality and safety of patient care.

EmoBurnout: An Approach for Supporting Burnout Syndrome Diagnosis.

PubMed

Martinez, Esteban; Mera, Giovanni; González, Carolina; López, Diego M; Blobel, Bernd

2015-01-01

Burnout is scientifically a work related syndrome which consists of three dimensions: emotional exhaustion, depersonalization and reduced professional efficacy. Different instruments for the diagnosis of burnout exist, accompanied by many associated problems, however. This paper describes a proposal aiming at supporting the diagnosis of burnout using measures complementary to the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI). It specifically focuses on emotions detection to provide useful information that contributes to the decision making process about the syndrome.

Combining Model-driven and Schema-based Program Synthesis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Denney, Ewen; Whittle, John

2004-01-01

We describe ongoing work which aims to extend the schema-based program synthesis paradigm with explicit models. In this context, schemas can be considered as model-to-model transformations. The combination of schemas with explicit models offers a number of advantages, namely, that building synthesis systems becomes much easier since the models can be used in verification and in adaptation of the synthesis systems. We illustrate our approach using an example from signal processing.

[Tuberculous otitis].

PubMed

Aimoni, C; Scanelli, G; Blotta, P

1999-05-01

Recent works show an increase of the incidence of extrapulmonary tuberculosis with a peculiar localization to the middle ear, until now considered a rare clinical manifestation. At the Ear, Noise, Throat Clinic of the University of Ferrara a total of 5 cases of tuberculous otitis media were observed during the last 25 years. Aim of the present study is to describe their clinical manifestations, their symptomatic aspects and the way to reach a careful diagnosis and more rapid therapeutic choice.

Water disinfection agents and disinfection by-products

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ilavský, J.; Barloková, D.; Kapusta, O.; Kunštek, M.

2017-10-01

The aim of this work is to describe factors of water quality change in the distribution network and legislative requirements in Slovakia for disinfectants and disinfection byproducts (DBPs). In the experimental part, the time dependence of the application of the chlorine dioxide and sodium hypochlorite on the formation of some by-products of disinfection for drinking water from WTP Hriňová is studied. We monitored trihalomethanes, free chlorine, chlorine dioxide and chlorites.

In Our Own Hands: The Story of Saptagram, a Women's Self-Reliance and Education Movement in Bangladesh. Education for All: Making It Work. Innovations Series, 2.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Guttman, Cynthia

This booklet describes the origin of Saptagram, a grassroots organization in Bangladesh and its development into a movement to empower deprived, landless women. The organization was founded in 1976 by a woman history professor, and one of its most original features is a gender-oriented syllabus. The booklet's introduction outlines the aims of the…

Power Conservation through Energy Efficient Routing in Wireless Sensor Networks.

PubMed

Kandris, Dionisis; Tsioumas, Panagiotis; Tzes, Anthony; Nikolakopoulos, George; Vergados, Dimitrios D

2009-01-01

The power awareness issue is the primary concern within the domain of Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs). Most power dissipation ocurrs during communication, thus routing protocols in WSNs mainly aim at power conservation. Moreover, a routing protocol should be scalable, so that its effectiveness does not degrade as the network size increases. In response to these issues, this work describes the development of an efficient routing protocol, named SHPER (Scaling Hierarchical Power Efficient Routing).

[Health effects and psychological stress in pregnant women engaged in work outside the home].

PubMed

Anan, Ayumi; Shiiba, Michiyo; Sibata, Eiji; Kawamoto, Rieko

2010-12-01

Modern society demands working conditions in which pregnant women can successfully deliver children and maintain a professional position. The aim of this study is to investigate the effects of work on the health and psychological stress in working women and their newborns. We reviewed twenty-eight publications and found that health problems in working women occur at high rates. However, there is no report investigating the mechanism by which health problems occur, or describing the precise working conditions and symptoms in pregnant women who are engaged in work outside the home. In addition, the literature uses subjective evaluations, including psychological tests, to quantify stress and anxiety, but no biochemical analyses of stress-related substances were conducted. We suggest that a standard index to represent working conditions and job category, as well as an investigation of the workload of house-keeping, is needed to understand the total work effort by pregnant women in modern times. Finally, measurement of stress-related biological markers may be effective in the investigation from various perspectives of occupational stress in pregnant women.

I am quitting my job. Specialist nurses in perioperative context and their experiences of the process and reasons to quit their job.

PubMed

Lögde, Ann; Rudolfsson, Gudrun; Broberg, Roma Runesson; Rask-Andersen, Anna; Wålinder, Robert; Arakelian, Erebouni

2018-05-01

The lack of specialist nurses in operating theatres is a serious problem. The aim of this study was to describe reasons why specialist nurses in perioperative care chose to leave their workplaces and to describe the process from the thought to the decision. Twenty specialist nurses (i.e. anaesthesia, NA, and operating room nurses) from seven university- and county hospitals in Sweden participated in qualitative individual in-depth interviews. Data were analysed by systematic text condensation. We identified four themes of reasons why specialist nurses quitted their jobs: the head nurses' betrayal and dismissive attitude, and not feeling needed; inhumane working conditions leading to the negative health effects; not being free to decide about one's life and family life being more important than work; and, colleagues' diminishing behaviour. Leaving one's job was described as a process and specialist nurses had thought about it for some time. Two main reasons were described; the head nurse manager's dismissive attitude and treatment of their employees and colleagues' mistreatment and colleagues' diminishing behaviour. Increasing knowledge on the role of the head nurse managers in specialist nurses' decision making for leaving their workplace, and creating a friendly, non-violent workplace, may give the opportunity for them to take action before it is too late.

A Balancing Act-How Mental Health Professionals Experience Being Personal in Their Relationships with Service Users.

PubMed

Ljungberg, Amanda; Denhov, Anne; Topor, Alain

2017-07-01

Although being personal in relationships with service users is commonly described as an important aspect of the way that professionals help people with severe mental problems, this has also been described to bring with it a need to keep a distance and set boundaries. This study aims to explore how professionals working in psychiatric care view being personal in their relationships with users. Qualitative interviews with 21 professionals working in three outpatient psychiatric units, analyzed through thematic analysis. Being personal in their relationships with users was described as something that participants regarded to be helpful, but that also entails risks. Participants described how they balanced being personal by keeping a distance and maintaining boundaries in their relationships based on their "experience-based knowledge" to counter these risks. While these boundaries seemed to play an important part in the way that they act and behave, they were not seen as fixed, but rather as flexible and dynamic. Boundaries could sometimes be transgressed to the benefit of users. Being personal was viewed as something that may be helpful to users, but that also entails risks. Although boundaries may be a useful concept for use in balancing these risks, they should be understood as something complex and flexible.

Musculoskeletal health and work ability in physically demanding occupations: study protocol for a prospective field study on construction and health care workers.

PubMed

Lunde, Lars-Kristian; Koch, Markus; Knardahl, Stein; Wærsted, Morten; Mathiassen, Svend Erik; Forsman, Mikael; Holtermann, Andreas; Veiersted, Kaj Bo

2014-10-16

Musculoskeletal disorders have a profound impact on individual health, sickness absence and early retirement, particularly in physically demanding occupations. Demographics are changing in the developed countries, towards increasing proportions of senior workers. These senior workers may have particular difficulties coping with physically demanding occupations while maintaining good health. Previous studies investigating the relationship between physical work demands and musculoskeletal disorders are mainly based on self-reported exposures and lack a prospective design. The aim of this paper is to describe the background and methods and discuss challenges for a field study examining physical demands in construction and health care work and their prospective associations with musculoskeletal disorders, work ability and sickness absence. This protocol describes a prospective cohort study on 1200 construction and health care workers. Participants will answer a baseline questionnaire concerning musculoskeletal complaints, general health, psychosocial and organizational factors at work, work demands, work ability and physical activity during leisure. A shorter questionnaire will be answered every 6th months for a total of two years, together with continuous sickness absence monitoring during this period. Analysis will prospectively consider associations between self-reported physical demands and musculoskeletal disorders, work ability and sickness absence. To obtain objective data on physical exposures, technical measurements will be collected from two subgroups of N = 300 (Group A) and N = 160 (Group B) during work and leisure. Both group A and B will be given a physical health examination, be tested for physical capacity and physical activity will be measured for four days. Additionally, muscle activity, ground reaction force, body positions and physical activity will be examined during one workday for Group B. Analysis of associations between objectively measured exposure data and the outcomes described above will be done separately for these subpopulations. The field study will at baseline produce objectively measured data on physical demands in the construction and health care occupations. In combination with clinical measurements and questionnaire data during follow-up, this will provide a solid foundation to prospectively investigate relationships between physical demands at work and development of musculoskeletal disorders, work ability and sickness absence.

Work-related barriers, facilitators, and strategies of breast cancer survivors working during curative treatment.

PubMed

Sun, Wenjun; Chen, Karen; Terhaar, Abigail; Wiegmann, Douglas A; Heidrich, Susan M; Tevaarwerk, Amye J; Sesto, Mary E

2016-01-01

Research has identified barriers and facilitators affecting cancer survivors' return to work (RTW) following the end of active treatment (surgery, chemotherapy and/or radiation therapy). However, few studies have focused on barriers and facilitators that cancer survivors experience while working during active treatment. Strategies used by cancer survivors to solve work-related problems during active treatment are underexplored. The aim of this study was to describe factors that impact, either positively or negatively, breast cancer survivors' work activities during active treatment. Semi-structured, recorded interviews were conducted with 35 breast cancer survivors who worked during active treatment. Transcripts of interviews were analyzed using inductive content analysis to identify themes regarding work-related barriers, facilitators and strategies. Barriers identified included symptoms, emotional distress, appearance change, time constraints, work characteristics, unsupportive supervisors and coworkers, family issues and other illness. Facilitators included positive aspects of work, support outside of work, and coworker and supervisor support. Strategies included activities to improve health-related issues and changes to working conditions and tasks. Breast cancer survivors encounter various barriers during active treatment. Several facilitators and strategies can help survivors maintain productive work activities.

Work-related barriers, facilitators, and strategies of breast cancer survivors working during curative treatment

PubMed Central

Sun, Wenjun; Chen, Karen; Terhaar, Abigail; Wiegmann, Douglas A.; Heidrich, Susan M.; Tevaarwerk, Amye J.; Sesto, Mary E.

2017-01-01

BACKGROUND Research has identified barriers and facilitators affecting cancer survivors’ return to work (RTW) following the end of active treatment (surgery, chemotherapy and/or radiation therapy). However, few studies have focused on barriers and facilitators that cancer survivors experience while working during active treatment. Strategies used by cancer survivors to solve work-related problems during active treatment are underexplored. OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to describe factors that impact, either positively or negatively, breast cancer survivors’ work activities during active treatment. METHODS Semi-structured, recorded interviews were conducted with 35 breast cancer survivors who worked during active treatment. Transcripts of interviews were analyzed using inductive content analysis to identify themes regarding work-related barriers, facilitators and strategies. RESULTS Barriers identified included symptoms, emotional distress, appearance change, time constraints, work characteristics, unsupportive supervisors and coworkers, family issues and other illness. Facilitators included positive aspects of work, support outside of work, and coworker and supervisor support. Strategies included activities to improve health-related issues and changes to working conditions and tasks. CONCLUSIONS Breast cancer survivors encounter various barriers during active treatment. Several facilitators and strategies can help survivors maintain productive work activities. PMID:28059814

Work engagement, work commitment and their association with well-being in health care.

PubMed

Kanste, Outi

2011-12-01

The aim was to examine whether work engagement and work commitment can be empirically discriminated and how they are associated with well-being. The terminology used in literature and in practice is confused by the interchangeable use of these terms. Only few studies, like Hallberg and Schaufeli's study, have examined the relationships between work engagement and work commitment systematically by using empirical data. In this study, the data were gathered via self-reported questionnaire from the healthcare staff working in 14 health centres and four hospitals in Finland. The data consisted of 435 responses. The material was analysed by using structural equation modelling (SEM) and correlations. The items of work engagement and work commitment dimensions (identification with organization, willingness to exert in organization's favour, occupational commitment and job involvement) loaded on their own latent variables in SEM analysis, so the data supported this five-factor model. Work engagement and work commitment dimensions were positively related, sharing between 2 and 33% of their variances. These constructs also displayed different correlations with some indicators of well-being measured as personal accomplishment, psychological well-being, mental resources, internal work motivation and willingness to stay on at work. Work engagement had moderate positive correlation to personal accomplishment (r = 0.68, p < 0.001). Identification with organization (r = 0.40, p < 0.001), willingness to exert in organization's favour (r =0.44, p < 0.001) and occupational commitment (r =0.37, p < 0.001) had low correlations to personal accomplishment. The results support the notion that work engagement can be empirically discriminated from work commitment. They are distinct, yet related constructs that complement each other, describing different aspects of positive attitudes towards work. The results can be utilized in interventions aimed at quality of working life in health care as well as in studies investigating discriminant and construct validity. © 2011 The Author. Scandinavian Journal of Caring Sciences © 2011 Nordic College of Caring Science.

Analysis of Community Detection Algorithms for Large Scale Cyber Networks

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

Mane, Prachita; Shanbhag, Sunanda; Kamath, Tanmayee

The aim of this project is to use existing community detection algorithms on an IP network dataset to create supernodes within the network. This study compares the performance of different algorithms on the network in terms of running time. The paper begins with an introduction to the concept of clustering and community detection followed by the research question that the team aimed to address. Further the paper describes the graph metrics that were considered in order to shortlist algorithms followed by a brief explanation of each algorithm with respect to the graph metric on which it is based. The nextmore » section in the paper describes the methodology used by the team in order to run the algorithms and determine which algorithm is most efficient with respect to running time. Finally, the last section of the paper includes the results obtained by the team and a conclusion based on those results as well as future work.« less

Seniors and technology, ergonomic needs and design considerations.

PubMed

Rodríguez, Claudia Isabel Rojas

2012-01-01

This work is based on the ergonomic approach and the principles of universal design, with the aim of establishing the cognitive design features that interfaces must comply, for older adults achieve a good performance during their interaction with technological aids. Describes the analysis of exploratory experiences with a group of 17 older adults was aimed first to establish the main barriers to implementation that arise during these activities, and secondly to set the variables to be addressed and the procedure required to develop depth study, where the relationship establish between the quality of the stimuli and the level of performance achieved in the implementation of older adults with interfaces, observing each of the cognitive functions that promote independence, attention, motivation, memory these processes. The study in depth, looking for describe gaps and mismatches encountered during execution, which hamper the harmonious interaction processes through participatory methodological approach that allows to specify requirements for the creation of stimulating interfaces for cognitive skills and committed with the levels of autonomy of the elderly.

Improvement of technical purpose materials performance characteristics with the radio frequency low pressure plasma

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Makhotkina, L. Yu; Khristoliubova, V. I.

2017-11-01

The main aim of the work is to solve the actual problem of increasing the competitiveness of tanning products by reducing the prime cost and improving the quality of finished products due to the increased durability of the working elements of tanneries. The impact of the low pressure radio frequency (RF) plasma in the processes of treating for modification of the materials for special purposes is considered in the article. The results of working elements of tanneries and the materials for special purposes sample processing by a RF low pressure plasma are described. As a result of leather materials nano structuring and nano modifying physical, mechanical and hygienic characteristics were increased. Processing of the technical purpose materials allows to increase operational performance of products and extend their lifespan.

Nurse managers' conceptions of quality management as promoted by peer supervision.

PubMed

Hyrkäs, Kristiina; Koivula, Meeri; Lehti, Kristiina; Paunonen-Ilmonen, Marita

2003-01-01

The aim of the study was to describe nurse managers' conceptions of quality management in their work as promoted by peer supervision. Quality management is one of the topical issues in a nurse manager's demanding and changing work. As first-line managers, they have a key role in quality management which is seen to create the system and environment for high quality services and quality improvement. Despite the official recommendations and definitions of quality management, several published reports have shown that there is no single solution for quality management. Peer supervision or the support provided by it to nursing managers have rarely been a subject of study. This study was carried out at Tampere University Hospital between 1996 and 1998. The peer supervision intervention was organized once a month, 2 hours at a time and in closed supervisor-led groups of nine nurse managers. Data were collected by themed interviews. Fifteen nurse managers participated in the study. The data were analysed using the phenomenographic method. Two main categories were formed of nurse managers' conceptions. The first described supportive and reflective characteristics of peer supervision. This main category was described by horizontal, hierarchical categories of support from peer group and reflection. The second main category described nurse managers' conceptions of individual development of leadership during peer supervision. This main category was also described by three horizontal categories: personal growth, finding psychological resources and internalization of leadership. The finding of this study show that peer supervision benefited nurse managers in quality management through reflection and support. The reflective and supportive characteristics of peer supervision promoted the nurse managers' individual development, but also that of leadership. It can be concluded that peer supervision promotes quality management in nurse managers' work.

Work-related acute physical injuries, chronic overuse complaints, and the psychosocial work environment in Danish primary care chiropractic practice - a cross-sectional study.

PubMed

Hansen, Mille Charlotte; Aagaard, Tine; Christensen, Henrik Wulff; Hartvigsen, Jan

2018-01-01

Little is known about the physical and psychosocial work environment of chiropractors and their work-related health complaints, and this has never been described for Danish chiropractors. The aim of this study was, therefore, to describe work-related acute physical injuries, overuse complaints, and psychosocial stress in Danish chiropractic work settings. We developed a questionnaire specifically for this study and distributed it electronically in August 2016 using SurveyXact to all 575 members of the Danish Chiropractors' Association working in primary care clinics. Chiropractors were asked about their work-related acute physical injuries and overuse complaints as well as any psychosocial stress they experienced at work during the previous year. We described our sample and variables using means, medians, ranges, and confidence intervals where appropriate. Statistically significant differences between genders, types of complaints and injuries, and between clinic owners and associates were examined using Chi-square and Fischer's exact tests, where appropriate, or by examining confidence intervals for non-overlap. 355 (65.2%) chiropractors answered the survey. Of these, 216 (61%, 95% CI 56-66) had experienced a work-related acute physical injury and/or overuse complaint during the previous year. Work-related overuse complaints were most commonly reported in the low back, wrist, thumb, and shoulder, and were more common among women (63%, 95% CI 56-70) than men (51%, 95% CI 43-59). Chiropractors with more than five years in practice (59%, 95% CI 52-64) reported significantly fewer work-related acute injuries and overuse complaints during the previous year compared with chiropractors with less than five years in practice (83%, 95% CI 73-91). In general, these practicing Danish chiropractors reported having a good psychosocial work environment, and 90% of chiropractors "always" or "often" felt that they were motivated and committed to their work. This sample of Danish practicing chiropractors commonly reported work-related acute physical injuries or overuse complaints. Overuse complaints were most commonly reported in the low back, wrist, thumb, and shoulder and were more common among women than men. Newly educated chiropractors reported more overuse complaints than experienced chiropractors. Collectively, this sample of Danish chiropractors reported that they had a good psychosocial work environment.

Informed consent document improvement does not increase patients' comprehension in biomedical research

PubMed Central

Paris, Adeline; Brandt, Christian; Cornu, Catherine; Maison, Patrick; Thalamas, Claire; Cracowski, Jean-Luc

2010-01-01

AIMS International guidelines on ethics in biomedical research require that the informed consent of all enrolled participants is obtained. A written document describing the research, the informed consent (IC) document, must be given to all participants by the investigator. Most IC documents are long, containing much information. The aim of the present study was to determine whether the modification of the IC document by a working group or systematic improvement in its lexicosyntactic readability can improve comprehension of the written information given to patients participating in biomedical research. METHODS One hundred and fifty-nine patients were randomized to read one of the three versions of the IC document: unchanged document, document modified using systematic improvement of lexicosyntactic readability and document modified by a working group. RESULTS Neither the improvement in the lexicosyntactic readability, nor the intervention of the working group significantly improved the score of objective comprehension for the subjects included in this study: it was 66.6 (95% confidence interval 64.0, 69.2) for the control group, 68.8 (66.2, 71.4) for the group with the document improved for lexicosyntactic readability and 69.2 (66.0, 72.4) for the group who read the document improved by the working group (P= 0.38). CONCLUSIONS We failed to show that improving IC document comprehension through a lexicosyntactic approach or by a working group leads to better comprehension. PMID:20233193

Risky alcohol use among migrant women in entertainment venues in China.

PubMed

Zaller, Nickolas; Huang, Wen; He, Huan; Dong, Yanyan; Song, Dandan; Zhang, Hongbo; Operario, Don

2014-01-01

The aims of this study are to describe the prevalence of hazardous drinking among migrant women working in entertainment venues in an urban setting in China and to identify specific risk factors and locations where hazardous drinking occurs. From March to July 2012, we conducted a cross-sectional survey of 358 young migrant women working in entertainment venues in the capital city of Hefei, Anhui Province, China. Participants were asked about information regarding their demographic characteristics, sexual behavior, mental health, alcohol use and drug use. Overall, 203 (57%) participants had an AUDIT score ≥8 (risky drinking) and 95 (27%) women had an AUDIT ≥16 (probable dependence). Greater likelihood of probable alcohol dependence was associated with being younger (OR = 0.85, 95% CI: 0.76-0.95), working at an affluent venue (OR = 2.46, 95% CI: 1.13-5.36) and depressive symptoms during the past week (OR = 2.74, 95% CI = 1.10-6.83). Our study documents risky drinking practices among female migrants, irrespective of whether or not women reported engaging in commercial sex, working in entertainment venues. Our data suggest that entertainment venues, particularly those that are higher end (i.e. affluent) venues, should be targeted for public health interventions aimed to reduce harmful drinking practices.

[Participation of radiotherapy in interdisciplinary palliative care units--challenge and chance].

PubMed

Momm, Felix; Becker, Gerhild; Ewald, Hermann; Baumgartner, Johann; Adamietz, Irenäus A; Frommhold, Hermann

2004-02-01

In Germany, a sufficient system of palliative care does not exist. Possibilities for participation of radiooncologists in the further development of this promising part of medical action are reported. Experiences from interdisciplinary work in the field of palliative care are described. This experience is communicated for use in the actual discussion about the future of palliative care in Germany, especially in the field of radiooncology. A palliative care unit can only work in a team of different professions, which means different physicians, but also nurses, social workers, psychologists or pastors. A palliative care unit will benefit from working with radiooncologists as well as radiooncologists will do from working in the field of palliative care. In times of growing interest in and need for palliative care, radiooncologists should actively participate in the development of palliative care units in Germany. The aim of this participation should be to reasonably arrange the treatment of incurably ill patients with the chances of modern radiotherapy. Another aim should be to improve the treatment of "classic" radiation oncology patients by ideas of palliative care. The further development of palliative care in Germany should not take place without the participation of radiooncologists. This will meet the interests of palliative care and radiotherapy and-most importantly-the patients' interests.

Workplace health promotion: a meta-analysis of effectiveness.

PubMed

Rongen, Anne; Robroek, Suzan J W; van Lenthe, Frank J; Burdorf, Alex

2013-04-01

An unhealthy lifestyle may contribute to ill health, absence due to sickness, productivity loss at work, and reduced ability to work. Workplace health promotion programs (WHPPs) aim to improve lifestyle and consequently improve health, work ability, and work productivity. However, systematic reviews on intervention studies have reported small effects, and the overall evaluation of effectiveness of WHPPs is hampered by a large heterogeneity in interventions and study populations. This systematic review aims to investigate the influence of population, study and intervention characteristics, and study quality on the effectiveness of workplace health promotion programs. A systematic literature search was conducted identifying RCTs, published before June 2012, evaluating the effect of a WHPP aimed at smoking cessation, physical activity, healthy nutrition, and/or obesity on self-perceived health, work absence due to sickness, work productivity, or work ability. Studies were included in the meta-analyses if quantitative information was present to calculate an effect size (ES). A meta-analysis, stratified meta-analyses, and meta-regression analyses were performed in Spring 2012 using Comprehensive Meta-analysis software 2.0 and PAWS 17.0.2. In 18 studies describing 21 interventions, the overall effect of a WHPP was small (ES=0.24, 95% CI=0.14, 0.34). The effectiveness of a WHPP was larger in younger populations, in interventions with weekly contacts, and in studies in which the control group received no health promotion. A 2.6-fold lower effectiveness was observed for studies performing an intention-to-treat analysis and a 1.7-fold lower effectiveness for studies controlling for confounders. Studies of poor methodologic quality reported a 2.9-fold higher effect size of the WHPP. The effectiveness of a WHPP is partly determined by intervention characteristics and statistical analysis. High-quality RCTs reported lower effect sizes. It is important to determine the effectiveness of WHPPs in RCTs of high quality. Copyright © 2013 American Journal of Preventive Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Implementation of an improved adaptive-implicit method in a thermal compositional simulator

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

Tan, T.B.

1988-11-01

A multicomponent thermal simulator with an adaptive-implicit-method (AIM) formulation/inexact-adaptive-Newton (IAN) method is presented. The final coefficient matrix retains the original banded structure so that conventional iterative methods can be used. Various methods for selection of the eliminated unknowns are tested. AIM/IAN method has a lower work count per Newtonian iteration than fully implicit methods, but a wrong choice of unknowns will result in excessive Newtonian iterations. For the problems tested, the residual-error method described in the paper for selecting implicit unknowns, together with the IAN method, had an improvement of up to 28% of the CPU time over the fullymore » implicit method.« less

New data in France on the trematode Alaria alata (Goeze, 1792) obtained during Trichinella inspections

PubMed Central

Portier, J.; Jouet, D.; Ferté, H.; Gibout, O.; Heckmann, A.; Boireau, P.; Vallée, I.

2011-01-01

The trematode Alaria alata is a cosmopolite parasite found in red foxes (Vulpes vulpes), the main definitive host in Europe. In contrast only few data are reported in wild boars (Sus scrofa), a paratenic host. The aim of this paper is to describe the importance and distribution of Alaria alata mesocercariae in wild boars, information is given by findings of these larvae during Trichinella mandatory meat inspection on wild boars’ carcasses aimed for human consumption. More than a hundred cases of mesocercariae positive animals are found every year in the East of France. First investigations on the parasite’s resistance to deep-freezing in meat are presented in this work. PMID:21894269

Healthy work environments for the ageing nursing workforce.

PubMed

Stichler, Jaynelle F

2013-10-01

The aim of this article is to describe the physical challenges that ageing nurses experience and the facility design features that can promote healthy work environments to motivate nurses to continue working. Older nurses are working longer and beyond the usual retirement age. They often experience chronic fatigue and the usual physical and cognitive changes associated with aging. Nursing is a physically demanding profession and many older nurses work in pain while providing direct patient care. The literature is replete with studies focusing on the organisational factors that retain older nurses, but little research addresses design factors that facilitate nurses working longer and more safely in direct patient care. Electronic databases in medicine, nursing, psychology, and architecture were searched and evidence-based, non-evidence-based, and review articles and government and organisational newsletters were evaluated. Hospital design can help address the physical work challenges that older nurses experience. Older nurses have a wealth of knowledge and expertise, and the design of nursing units can optimize their work experience. Nurse Managers must participate in design efforts and advocate designs that support aging nurses. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

[Reactive anxiety crisis: a unique case of work injury].

PubMed

Taino, G; Gazzoldi, T; Marandola, P; Valoti, E; Fabris, F; Imbriani, M

2007-01-01

The present study aims to describe a unique case in view of the disease diagnosed, the conditions of onset and the management by INAIL (Italian National Institute of Insurance for Injuries at Work and Occupational Diseases). A worker, after a verbal, animated dispute with some collegues, had an acute psychiatric agitation attack and went to the nearest emergency room, where he was investigated. No neuropsychiatric alteration was diagnosed, but based on anamnestic data, the physicians diagnosed an anxiety crisis reactive to work environment. A medical certificate for injury at work was produced and sent to the Insurance Board (INAIL). The worker was off work for 105 days diagnosed with a persistent anxious depressive syndrome, secondary to the traumatic event. INAIL reassessed the case later and confirmed only the first 30 days as due to work accident, while the following period was judged as related to affectivity disturbance due to common disease, not to work environment. Our case opens new perspective for the occupational physician in the assessment of ASD as work injury and of PTSD as professional disease, suggesting to give more attention to psychiatric health of workers.

Swedish Sonographers' perceptions of ergonomic problems at work and their suggestions for improvement.

PubMed

Gemark Simonsen, Jenny; Gard, Gunvor

2016-09-15

Sonographers' perceptions of ergonomic and work-related pain problems at work have so far mostly been researched in quantitative studies by questionnaires. There is a need of experience-based research to deepen the knowledge about how sonographers perceive ergonomic problems at work. Therefore, the aim of this qualitative study was to describe sonographers' perceptions of ergonomic problems at work, and their suggestions for improvement strategies. Twenty-two female sonographers were individually interviewed regarding different aspects of their physical working environment. Content analysis was applied. The sonographers perceived different ergonomic problems in their working environment, but to offer patient comfort and to obtain the best possible images were often prioritized over working posture. Echocardiography was considered demanding as the examination is performed with little variation in posture. Ergonomic improvements included reducing the manual handling of the transducer, optimizing the adjustability of equipment, and taking the patient's physique and health into account. As some examinations were perceived to be more ergonomically demanding, variation between examinations was suggested, however, this requires broader skills. Sonography, especially echocardiography is ergonomically demanding but the improvement strategies suggested were perceived useful and applicable.

The role of locally-designed organizational artifacts in supporting nurses’ work: an ethnographic study on the wards

PubMed

Talamo, Alessandra; Mellini, Barbara; Barbieri, Barbara

2017-01-01

This paper aims to describe how nurses' planning and coordination work is performed through the use of locally designed tools (i.e., diaries, planners, reminders, and organizers). These tools are investigated as the materialization of organizational work, thus offering a complementary perspective on nursing practice to that proposed by the professional mandate and supported by official artifacts in use. Ethnographic study. By analyzing locally designed artifacts, the rationale that enables nurses to make the flow of activities work is highlighted and explained. Evidence is provided by a description of how nurses' tacit knowledge is reified and embedded into objects produced by the nurses themselves. Implications for the design of digital systems supporting nursing practice are discussed. The analysis of these artifacts has allowed an understanding of practices used by the nurses to manage the workflow in the wards.

Workplace Bullying Among Teachers: An Analysis From the Job Demands-Resources (JD-R) Model Perspective.

PubMed

Ariza-Montes, Antonio; Muniz R, Noel M; Leal-Rodríguez, Antonio L; Leal-Millán, Antonio G

2016-08-01

This paper adopts the Job Demands-Resources (JD-R) model to analyze workplace bullying among teachers. The data used for this research are obtained from the 5th European Working Conditions Survey. Given the objective of this work, a subsample of 261 education employees is collected: 48.7% of these teachers report having experienced workplace bullying (N = 127), while 51.3% indicate not considering themselves as bullied at work (N = 134). In order to test the research model and hypotheses, this study relies on the use of partial least squares (PLS-SEM), a variance-based structural equation modeling method. The study describes a workplace bullying prevalence rate of 4.4% among education employees. This work summarizes an array of outcomes with the aim of proposing, in general, that workplace bullying may be reduced by limiting job demands and increasing job resources.

Merging of the USGS Atlas of Mercury 1:5,000,000 Geologic Series

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Frigeri, A.; Federico, C.; Pauselli, C.; Coradini, A.

2008-01-01

After 30 years, the planet Mercury is going to give us new information. The NASA MESSENGER [1] already made its first successful flyby on December 2007 while the European Space Agency and the Japanese Space Agency ISAS/JAXA are preparing the upcoming mission BepiColombo [2]. In order to contribute to current and future analyses on the geology of Mercury, we have started to work on the production of a single digital geologic map of Mercury derived from the merging process of the geologic maps of the Atlas of Mercury, produced by the United States Geological Survey, based on Mariner 10 data. The aim of this work is to merge the nine maps so that the final product reflects as much as possible the original work. Herein we describe the data we used, the working environment and the steps made for producing the final map.

A model of adaptation of overseas nurses: exploring the experiences of Japanese nurses working in Australia.

PubMed

Kishi, Yuka; Inoue, Kumiyo; Crookes, Patrick; Shorten, Allison

2014-04-01

The purpose of the study was to investigate the experiences of Japanese nurses and their adaptation to their work environment in Australia. Using a qualitative research method and semistructured interviews, the study aimed to discover, describe, and analyze the experiences of 14 Japanese nurses participating in the study. A qualitative study. Fourteen Japanese registered nurses working in Australian hospitals participated in the study. Individual semistructured interviews were conducted from April to June in 2008. Thematic analysis was used to identify themes within the data. Analysis of qualitative open-ended questions revealed the participants' adaptation process. It consists of three themes or phases: seeking (S), acclimatizing (A), and settling (S), subsequently named the S.A.S. model. The conceptual model of the adaptation processes of 14 Japanese nurses working in Australia includes the seeking, acclimatizing, and settling phases. Although these phases are not mutually exclusive and the process is not necessarily uniformly linear, all participants in this study passed through this S.A.S. model in order to adapt to their new environment. The S.A.S. model of adaptation helps to describe the experiences of Japanese overseas qualified nurses working in Australian hospitals. Future research is needed to examine whether this model can be applied to nurses from other countries and in other settings outside Australia.

Staff-family relationships in nursing home care: a typology of challenging behaviours.

PubMed

Bauer, Michael

2007-09-01

Aim.  This paper draws on data from a study which investigated how Australian nursing home staff constructed staff-family relationships. Background.  Working with the family in aged care to provide the best care possible is consistent with modern nursing philosophy which espouses holistic care. The quality and enjoyment of the experience however, is frequently fraught with problems and challenges for both the staff and the family involved. Design.  A qualitative constructivist design as described by Guba and Lincoln [Fourth Generation Evaluation. Sage Publications, London.] was used. Method.  Thirty paid caregivers drawn from eight nursing homes were interviewed about their experiences of working with residents' families. A constant comparative method of data analysis was used to arrive at the findings. Results.  This paper reports on seven themes under the category of 'unacceptable behaviours'. These themes describe a range of attitudes and behaviours exhibited by families which staff members found undesirable. Conclusions.  Staff members found a number of family behaviours challenging. Nursing home staff perceives the family as subordinate to their needs and want to retain control of the work environment. Relevance to clinical practice.  Nursing home staff need to move away from custodial models of care focused on 'getting the work done' and develop more family friendly work practices that are inclusive of the needs of the family and view them as equal partners in care.

Human rights and mental health in post-apartheid South Africa: lessons from health care professionals working with suicidal inmates in the prison system.

PubMed

Bantjes, Jason; Swartz, Leslie; Niewoudt, Pieter

2017-10-12

During the era of apartheid in South Africa, a number of mental health professionals were vocal about the need for socio-economic and political reform. They described the deleterious psychological and social impact of the oppressive and discriminatory Nationalist state policies. However, they remained optimistic that democracy would usher in positive changes. In this article, we consider how mental health professionals working in post-apartheid South Africa experience their work. Our aim was to describe the experience of mental health professionals working in prisons who provide care to suicidal prisoners. Data were collected from in-depth semi-structured interviews and were analyzed using thematic content analysis. Findings draw attention to the challenges mental health professionals in post-apartheid South Africa face when attempting to provide psychological care in settings where resources are scarce and where the environment is anti-therapeutic. Findings highlight the significant gap between current policies, which protect prisoners' human rights, and every-day practices within prisons. The findings imply that there is still an urgent need for activism in South Africa, particularly in the context of providing mental health care services in settings which are anti-therapeutic and inadequately resourced, such as prisons.

The Healthy Aging Research Network: Resources for Building Capacity for Public Health and Aging Practice

PubMed Central

Wilcox, Sara; Altpeter, Mary; Anderson, Lynda A.; Belza, Basia; Bryant, Lucinda; Jones, Dina L.; Leith, Katherine H.; Phelan, Elizabeth A.; Satariano, William A.

2015-01-01

There is an urgent need to translate science into practice and help enhance the capacity of professionals to deliver evidence-based programming. We describe contributions of the Healthy Aging Research Network in building professional capacity through online modules, issue briefs, monographs, and tools focused on health promotion practice, physical activity, mental health, and environment and policy. We also describe practice partnerships and research activities that helped inform product development and ways these products have been incorporated into real-world practice to illustrate possibilities for future applications. Our work aims to bridge the research-to-practice gap to meet the demands of an aging population. PMID:24000962

Evolving telemedicine/ehealth technology.

PubMed

Ferrante, Frank E

2005-06-01

This paper describes emerging technologies to support a rapidly changing and expanding scope of telemedicine/telehealth applications. Of primary interest here are wireless systems, emerging broadband, nanotechnology, intelligent agent applications, and grid computing. More specifically, the paper describes the changes underway in wireless designs aimed at enhancing security; some of the current work involving the development of nanotechnology applications and research into the use of intelligent agents/artificial intelligence technology to establish what are termed "Knowbots"; and a sampling of the use of Web services, such as grid computing capabilities, to support medical applications. In addition, the expansion of these technologies and the need for cost containment to sustain future health care for an increasingly mobile and aging population is discussed.

Health technology assessment process of a cardiovascular medical device in four different settings.

PubMed

Olry de Labry Lima, Antonio; Espín Balbino, Jaime; Lemgruber, Alexandre; Caro Martínez, Araceli; García-Mochón, Leticia; Martín Ruiz, Eva; Lessa, Fernanda

2017-10-01

Health technology assessment (HTA) is a tool to help the decision-making process. The aim is to describe methods and processes used in the reimbursement decision making for drug-eluting stents (DES) in four different settings. DES as a technology under study was selected according to different criteria, all of them agreed by a working group. A survey of key informants was designed. DES was evaluated following well-structured HTA processes. Nonetheless, scope for improvement was observed in relation to the data considered for the final decision, the transparency and inclusiveness of the process as well as in the methods employed. An attempt to describe the HTA processes of a well-known medical device.

Everyone's business: developing an integrated model of care to respond to child abuse in a pediatric hospital setting.

PubMed

Connolly, Sarah

2012-01-01

In pediatric hospitals, social work plays a central role in the prevention, identification, and management of child abuse. Children who are suspected of having been abused or neglected require an evaluation of their psychosocial situation. As an integral member of the health care team, the social worker is well placed to undertake comprehensive psychosocial assessments including information on the child's development, parental capacity, family, and community supports. Current practice approaches have seen a shift away from a narrow, "expert" approach to child protection. This article describes the development of an integrated model of social work service delivery to better respond to vulnerable and at-risk children in a pediatric hospital setting. Developing a new model of service required strategic planning, consultation, and endorsement from senior hospital management. The new model aimed to ensure a high quality, responsive social work service to children at risk of physical abuse, neglect, or cumulative harm. The change necessitated understanding of current research evidence, development of best practice guidelines, and effective communication with staff and external stakeholders. Policy development, implementation of practice guidelines, staff training, data collection, and service evaluation are described. The role of social work management and leadership were central in creating change. Visionary leadership is widely regarded as key to successful organizational change. The management approach included consultation with staff, building commitment to the need for change, addressing staff concerns, and providing a vision of enhanced client outcomes as a result of the change process. This article provides a candid overview of challenges and barriers to change. Change strategies described are easily transferable to other social work settings. Copyright © Taylor & Francis Group, LLC

Sex work and the claim for grassroots legislation.

PubMed

Fassi, Marisa N

2015-01-01

The aim of this paper is to contribute to understanding of legal models that aim to control sex work, and the policy implications of these, by discussing the experience of developing a grassroots legislation bill proposal by organised sex workers in Córdoba, Argentina. The term 'grassroots legislation' here refers to a legal response that derives from the active involvement of local social movements and thus incorporates the experiential knowledge and claims of these particular social groupings in the proposal. The experience described in this paper excludes approaches that render sex workers as passive victims or as deviant perpetrators; instead, it conceives of sex workers in terms of their political subjectivity and of political subjectivity in its capacity to speak, to decide, to act and to propose. This means challenging current patterns of knowledge/power that give superiority to 'expert knowledge' above and beyond the claims, experiences, knowledge and needs of sex workers themselves as meaningful sources for law making.

Evaluation of an interprofessional educational curriculum pilot course for practitioners working with post-stroke patients.

PubMed

Olaisen, Rho Henry; Mariscal-Hergert, Cheryl; Shaw, Alissa; Macchiavelli, Cecilia; Marsheck, Joanna

2014-03-01

This report describes the design and evaluation of an interprofessional pilot training course aimed at pre-licensure practitioners working with post-stroke patients in community-based settings. The course was developed by community-based practitioners from nine health professions. Course learning activities included traditional methods (lectures) and interactive modules (problem-based learning and exchange-based learning). The study's aim was to assess the program's effectiveness in adapting and incorporating knowledge, skills and self-confidence when delivering tertiary care in therapeutic pool environments; gauge adoption of course principles into practice, and assess overall course satisfaction. Methods of evaluation included conceptual mapping of course format, pre- and post-questionnaires, daily reflection questionnaires, course satisfaction survey and adoption survey, 10 weeks follow-up. Overall, the findings indicate students' knowledge, skills and self-confidence in delivering effective post-stroke care increased following the training. Students reported adopting clinical practices in 10 weeks follow-up. Implications for designing interprofessional curricula are discussed.

Towards rigorous analysis of the Levitov-Mirlin-Evers recursion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fyodorov, Y. V.; Kupiainen, A.; Webb, C.

2016-12-01

This paper aims to develop a rigorous asymptotic analysis of an approximate renormalization group recursion for inverse participation ratios P q of critical powerlaw random band matrices. The recursion goes back to the work by Mirlin and Evers (2000 Phys. Rev. B 62 7920) and earlier works by Levitov (1990 Phys. Rev. Lett. 64 547, 1999 Ann. Phys. 8 697-706) and is aimed to describe the ensuing multifractality of the eigenvectors of such matrices. We point out both similarities and dissimilarities between the LME recursion and those appearing in the theory of multiplicative cascades and branching random walks and show that the methods developed in those fields can be adapted to the present case. In particular the LME recursion is shown to exhibit a phase transition, which we expect is a freezing transition, where the role of temperature is played by the exponent q. However, the LME recursion has features that make its rigorous analysis considerably harder and we point out several open problems for further study.

AIM - Agile Instrumented Monitoring for Improving User Experience of Participation in HealthIT Development.

PubMed

Pitkänen, Janne; Nieminen, Marko

2017-01-01

Participation of healthcare professionals in information technology development has emerged as an important challenge. As end-users, the professionals are willing to participate in the development activities, but their experiences on the current methods of participation remain mostly negative. There is lack of applicable methods for meeting the needs of agile development approach and scaling up to the largest implementation projects, while maintaining the interest of the professional users to participate in development activities and keeping up their ability to continue working in a productive manner. In this paper, we describe the Agile Instrumented Monitoring as a methodology, based on the methods of instrumented usability evaluation, for improving user experience in HealthIT development. The contribution of the proposed methodology is analyzed in relation to activities of whole iteration cycle and chosen usability evaluation methods, while the user experience of participation is addressed regarding healthcare professionals. Prospective weak and strong market tests for AIM are discussed in the conclusions for future work.

Work hours and sleep/wake behavior of Australian hospital doctors.

PubMed

Ferguson, Sally A; Thomas, Matthew J W; Dorrian, Jillian; Jay, Sarah M; Weissenfeld, Adrian; Dawson, Drew

2010-07-01

The objective of the study was to describe the work and sleep patterns of doctors working in Australian hospitals. Specifically, the aim was to examine the influence of work-related factors, such as hospital type, seniority, and specialty on work hours and their impact on sleep. A total of 635 work periods from 78 doctors were analyzed together with associated sleep history. Work and sleep diary information was validated against an objective measure of sleep/wake activity to provide the first comprehensive database linking work and sleep for individual hospital doctors in Australia. Doctors in large and small facilities had fewer days without work than those doctors working in medium-sized facilities. There were no significant differences in the total hours worked across these three categories of seniority; however, mid-career and senior doctors worked more overnight and weekend on-call periods than junior doctors. With respect to sleep, although higher work hours were related to less sleep, short sleeps (< 5 h in the 24 h prior to starting work) were observed at all levels of prior work history (including no work). In this population of Australian hospital doctors, total hours worked do impact sleep, but the pattern of work, together with other nonwork factors are also important mediators.

[Approach to syncope in the elderly].

PubMed

Erdoğan, Okan

2017-09-01

Elderly syncope currently accounts a substantial number of emergency admissions. Unfortunately, in elderly syncope we are faced with major difficulties while providing diagnostic and therapeutic decisions. It is quite necessary to distinguish between syncope and non-syncopal causes which create further difficulties during diagnostic work-up because of co-morbid conditions and poly-pharmacy used by the elderly. The present article aims to describe causes of elderly syncope and its differential diagnosis as well as tips and tricks during diagnostic process.

g-factor measurements of isomeric states in 174W

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rocchini, M.; Nannini, A.; Benzoni, G.; Melon, B.; John, P. R.; Ur, C. A.; Avigo, R.; Bazzacco, D.; Blasi, N.; Bocchi, G.; Bottoni, S.; Bracco, A.; Camera, F.; Ceruti, S.; Crespi, F. C. L.; Georgiev, G.; Giaz, A.; Gottardo, A.; Leoni, S.; Menegazzo, R.; Mengoni, D.; Michelagnoli, C.; Million, B.; Modamio, V.; Morales, A. I.; Napoli, D. R.; Ottanelli, M.; Pellegri, L.; Perego, A.; Valiente-Dobon, J. J.; Wieland, O.

2016-05-01

The experimental setup GAMIPE used for gyro magnetic factor measurements at Laboratori Nazionali di Legnaro and a recent experimental work regarding K-isomers in 174W are described. Aim of the experiment is to study the detailed structure of the isomeric states wave functions, by the measurement of the magnetic dipole moments. This piece of information can provide interesting hints for theoretical models. Preliminary results concerning the population of the isomers of interest and half-lives are presented.

Bioconductor: open software development for computational biology and bioinformatics

PubMed Central

Gentleman, Robert C; Carey, Vincent J; Bates, Douglas M; Bolstad, Ben; Dettling, Marcel; Dudoit, Sandrine; Ellis, Byron; Gautier, Laurent; Ge, Yongchao; Gentry, Jeff; Hornik, Kurt; Hothorn, Torsten; Huber, Wolfgang; Iacus, Stefano; Irizarry, Rafael; Leisch, Friedrich; Li, Cheng; Maechler, Martin; Rossini, Anthony J; Sawitzki, Gunther; Smith, Colin; Smyth, Gordon; Tierney, Luke; Yang, Jean YH; Zhang, Jianhua

2004-01-01

The Bioconductor project is an initiative for the collaborative creation of extensible software for computational biology and bioinformatics. The goals of the project include: fostering collaborative development and widespread use of innovative software, reducing barriers to entry into interdisciplinary scientific research, and promoting the achievement of remote reproducibility of research results. We describe details of our aims and methods, identify current challenges, compare Bioconductor to other open bioinformatics projects, and provide working examples. PMID:15461798

[The emergence of positive occupational health psychology].

PubMed

Bakker, Arnold B; Rodríguez-Muñoz, Alfredo; Derks, Daantje

2012-02-01

The aim of this paper is to provide an overview of the emerging concept of Positive Occupational Health Psychology (POHP). We discuss the usefulness of focusing on positive constructs in order to understand the path to health and well-being at work. We describe research findings on several POHP topics, including engagement, psychological capital, and job crafting. Additionally, we review the first positive interventions in this field and conclude by identifying some specific questions for future research.

Using robotics construction kits as metacognitive tools: a research in an Italian primary school.

PubMed

La Paglia, Filippo; Caci, Barbara; La Barbera, Daniele; Cardaci, Maurizio

2010-01-01

The present paper is aimed at analyzing the process of building and programming robots as a metacognitive tool. Quantitative data and qualitative observations from a research performed in a sample of children attending an Italian primary school are described in this work. Results showed that robotics activities may be intended as a new metacognitive environment that allows children to monitor themselves and control their learning actions in an autonomous and self-centered way.

A fragment-based approach leading to the discovery of a novel binding site and the selective CK2 inhibitor CAM4066.

PubMed

De Fusco, Claudia; Brear, Paul; Iegre, Jessica; Georgiou, Kathy Hadje; Sore, Hannah F; Hyvönen, Marko; Spring, David R

2017-07-01

Recently we reported the discovery of a potent and selective CK2α inhibitor CAM4066. This compound inhibits CK2 activity by exploiting a pocket located outside the ATP binding site (αD pocket). Here we describe in detail the journey that led to the discovery of CAM4066 using the challenging fragment linking strategy. Specifically, we aimed to develop inhibitors by linking a high-affinity fragment anchored in the αD site to a weakly binding warhead fragment occupying the ATP site. Moreover, we describe the remarkable impact that molecular modelling had on the development of this novel chemical tool. The work described herein shows potential for the development of a novel class of CK2 inhibitors. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Analysis of terahertz dielectric properties of pork tissue

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, Yuqing; Xie, Qiaoling; Sun, Ping

2017-10-01

Seeing that about 70% component of fresh biological tissues is water, many scientists try to use water models to describe the dielectric properties of biological tissues. The classical water dielectric models are Debye model, Double Debye model and Cole-Cole model. This work aims to determine a suitable model by comparing three models above with experimental data. These models are applied to fresh pork tissue. By means of least square method, the parameters of different models are fitted with the experimental data. Comparing different models on both dielectric function, the Cole-Cole model is verified the best to describe the experiments of pork tissue. The correction factor α of the Cole-Cole model is an important modification for biological tissues. So Cole-Cole model is supposed to be a priority selection to describe the dielectric properties for biological tissues in the terahertz range.

Virtual tutorials, Wikipedia books, and multimedia-based teaching for blended learning support in a course on algorithms and data structures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Knackmuß, Jenny; Creutzburg, Reiner

2014-02-01

The aim of this paper is to describe the benefit and support of virtual tutorials, Wikipedia books and multimedia-based teaching in a course on Algorithms and Data Structures. We describe our work and experiences gained from using virtual tutorials held in Netucate iLinc sessions and the use of various multimedia and animation elements for the support of deeper understanding of the ordinary lectures held in the standard classroom on Algorithms and Data Structures for undergraduate computer sciences students. We will describe the benefits, form, style and contents of those virtual tutorials. Furthermore, we mention the advantage of Wikipedia books to support the blended learning process using modern mobile devices. Finally, we give some first statistical measures of improved student's scores after introducing this new form of teaching support.

How can we help employees with chronic diseases to stay at work? A review of interventions aimed at job retention and based on an empowerment perspective.

PubMed

Varekamp, Inge; Verbeek, Jos H A M; van Dijk, Frank J H

2006-11-01

A growing number of persons aged 16-65 is hampered by a chronic condition in performing job activities. Some of them quit the labour market prematurely. Vocational rehabilitation used to focus on (re)entering the labour market. Recently more attention is paid to interventions aimed at job retention. Some of these use an empowerment perspective. The objective of this study is to describe the characteristics, feasibility and effectiveness of such vocational rehabilitation interventions in order to decide which approaches are fruitful. The Medline, Embase, Cinahl and Psycinfo databases were systematically researched for studies published between 1988 and March 2004. Studies were included if they were experimental, included an intervention that aimed at job retention by means of solving work-related problems, used an empowerment perspective and concerned employees with one of the following chronic illnesses: diabetes mellitus, rheumatic diseases, hearing disorders, multiple sclerosis, inflammatory bowel disease, epilepsy, chronic kidney failure, COPD and asthma. Nine studies were detected. The aims of the intervention programs were to improve psychosocial skills or implement work accommodations. They were structured as individual (6x) or group programmes (3x). They used methods like education (9x), assessment (7x), counselling (5x), training or role playing (5x). The most important outcome measures were employment status (5x), actions to arrange work accommodations (3x), and psychosocial measures like self-efficacy and social competence (3x). Employment status was claimed to be positively influenced in four out of five studies, obtaining work accommodations was successful in all three studies and psychological outcome measures improved in two out of three studies. There is some evidence that vocational rehabilitation interventions that pay attention to training in requesting work accommodations and feelings of self-confidence or self-efficacy in dealing with work-related problems are effective. There is no evidence for greater effectiveness of group programs compared to individual programs. Attention has to be paid to feasibility aspects such as recruitment of participants and cooperation between medical professionals, occupational physicians, and vocational rehabilitation experts. Medical specialists and nursing specialists should pay more attention to work. Although many studies claim effectiveness, evidence for this was often weak due to short follow-up and the lack of control groups. More rigorous evaluation is needed.

Prerequisites and driving forces behind an extended working life among older workers.

PubMed

Hovbrandt, Pia; Håkansson, Carita; Albin, Maria; Carlsson, Gunilla; Nilsson, Kerstin

2017-11-28

Reforms are changing pension systems in many European countries, in order to both restrict early retirement and force people to extend their working life. From occupational therapy and occupational science perspectives, studies focusing on aspects of working life that motivate the older worker is urgent. The aim was to describe incentives behind an extended working life among people over age 65. Focus group methodology was used, with participants ages 66-71, from varying work fields: construction and technical companies and the municipal elderly care sector. Work was considered important and valuable to the degree of how challenging work was, the possibilities for inclusion in a team of colleagues and the chances for better personal finances. Amongst all, the participants expressed a feeling of a strengthened identity by being challenged and having the opportunity to manage working tasks. The finding showed the actual reasons behind an extended working life among older workers. However, a risk of rising social inequity may appear with increased working life if older people are forced to extend their working life due to a difficult financial situation as a pensioner. A variety of retirement options and initiatives in order to support older workers are justified.

Effects of work ability and health promoting interventions for women with musculoskeletal symptoms: A 9-month prospective study

PubMed Central

Larsson, Agneta; Karlqvist, Lena; Gard, Gunvor

2008-01-01

Background Women working in the public human service sector in 'overstrained' situations run the risk of musculoskeletal symptoms and long-term sick leave. In order to maintain the level of health and work ability and strengthen the potential resources for health, it is important that employees gain greater control over decisions and actions affecting their health – a process associated with the concept of self-efficacy. The aim of this study was to describe the effects of a self-efficacy intervention and an ergonomic education intervention for women with musculoskeletal symptoms, employed in the public sector. Methods The design of the study was a 9-month prospective study describing the effects of two interventions, a comprehensive self-efficacy intervention (n = 21) and an ergonomic education intervention (n = 21). Data were obtained by a self-report questionnaire on health- and work ability-related factors at baseline, and at ten weeks and nine months follow-up. Within-group differences over time were analysed. Results Over the time period studied there were small magnitudes of improvements within each group. Within the self-efficacy intervention group positive effects in perceived work ability were shown. The ergonomic education group showed increased positive beliefs about future work ability and a more frequent use of pain coping strategies. Conclusion Both interventions showed positive effects on women with musculoskeletal symptoms, but in different ways. Future research in this area should tailor interventions to participants' motivation and readiness to change. PMID:18644154

Providing NHS staff with height-adjustable workstations and behaviour change strategies to reduce workplace sitting time: protocol for the Stand More AT (SMArT) Work cluster randomised controlled trial.

PubMed

O'Connell, S E; Jackson, B R; Edwardson, C L; Yates, T; Biddle, S J H; Davies, M J; Dunstan, D; Esliger, D; Gray, L; Miller, P; Munir, F

2015-12-09

High levels of sedentary behaviour (i.e., sitting) are a risk factor for poor health. With high levels of sitting widespread in desk-based office workers, office workplaces are an appropriate setting for interventions aimed at reducing sedentary behaviour. This paper describes the development processes and proposed intervention procedures of Stand More AT (SMArT) Work, a multi-component randomised control (RCT) trial which aims to reduce occupational sitting time in desk-based office workers within the National Health Service (NHS). SMArT Work consists of 2 phases: 1) intervention development: The development of the SMArT Work intervention takes a community-based participatory research approach using the Behaviour Change Wheel. Focus groups will collect detailed information to gain a better understanding of the most appropriate strategies, to sit alongside the provision of height-adjustable workstations, at the environmental, organisational and individual level that support less occupational sitting. 2) intervention delivery and evaluation: The 12 month cluster RCT aims to reduce workplace sitting in the University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust. Desk-based office workers (n = 238) will be randomised to control or intervention clusters, with the intervention group receiving height-adjustable workstations and supporting techniques based on the feedback received from the development phase. Data will be collected at four time points; baseline, 3, 6 and 12 months. The primary outcome is a reduction in sitting time, measured by the activPAL(TM) micro at 12 months. Secondary outcomes include objectively measured physical activity and a variety of work-related health and psycho-social measures. A process evaluation will also take place. This study will be the first long-term, evidence-based, multi-component cluster RCT aimed at reducing occupational sitting within the NHS. This study will help form a better understanding and knowledge base of facilitators and barriers to creating a healthier work environment and contribute to health and wellbeing policy. ISRCTN10967042 . Registered 2 February 2015.

An Optical Method for the In-Vivo Characterization of the Biomechanical Response of the Right Ventricle.

PubMed

Soltani, A; Lahti, J; Järvelä, K; Curtze, S; Laurikka, J; Hokka, M; Kuokkala, V-T

2018-05-01

The intraoperative in-vivo mechanical function of the left ventricle has been studied thoroughly using echocardiography in the past. However, due to technical and anatomical issues, the ultrasound technology cannot easily be focused on the right side of the heart during open-heart surgery, and the function of the right ventricle during the intervention remains largely unexplored. We used optical imaging and digital image correlation for the characterization of the right ventricle motion and deformation during open-heart surgery. This work is a pilot study focusing on one patient only with the aim of establishing the framework for long term research. These experiments show that optical imaging and the analysis of the images can be used to obtain similar parameters, and partly at higher accuracy, for describing the mechanical functioning of the heart as the ultrasound technology. This work describes the optical imaging based method to characterize the mechanical response of the heart in-vivo, and offers new insight into the mechanical function of the right ventricle.

Users perspectives on interactive distance technology enabling home-based motor training for stroke patients.

PubMed

Ehn, Maria; Hansson, Pär; Sjölinder, Marie; Boman, Inga-Lill; Folke, Mia; Sommerfeld, Disa; Borg, Jörgen; Palmcrantz, Susanne

2015-01-01

The aim of this work has been to develop a technical support enabling home-based motor training after stroke. The basis for the work plan has been to develop an interactive technical solution supporting three different groups of stroke patients: (1) patients with stroke discharged from hospital with support from neuro team; (2) patients with stroke whose support from neuro team will be phased out and (3) patients living with impaired motor functions long-term. The technology has been developed in close collaboration with end-users using a method earlier evaluated and described [12]. This paper describes the main functions of the developed technology. Further, results from early user-tests with end-users, performed to identify needs for improvements to be carried out during further technical development. The developed technology will be tested further in a pilot study of the safety and, usefulness of the technology when applied as a support for motor training in three different phases of the post-stroke rehabilitation process.

Interaction initiatives between regulatory, health technology assessment and coverage bodies, and industry.

PubMed

Frønsdal, Katrine; Pichler, Franz; Mardhani-Bayne, Logan; Henshall, Chris; Røttingen, John-Arne; Mørland, Berit; Klemp, Marianne

2012-10-01

There has been an increased focus on the relationship between health technology assessment (HTA) and regulatory assessments and how regulatory, HTA and coverage bodies, and industry can work better together to improve efficiency and alignment of processes. There is increasingly agreement across sectors that improved communication and coordination could contribute to facilitating timely patient access to effective, affordable treatments that offer value to the health system. Discussions on aspects of this relationship are being held in different forums and various forms of coordination and collaboration are being developed or piloted within several jurisdictions. It is therefore both timely and of value to stakeholders to describe and reflect on current initiatives intended to improve interactions between regulatory, HTA and coverage bodies, and industry. Drawing on 2011 meetings of the HTAi Policy Forum and the Center for Innovation in Regulatory Science (CIRS), this study aims to describe and compare initiatives, and point to success factors and challenges that are likely to inform future work and collaboration.

The data operation centre tool. Architecture and population strategies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dal Pra, Stefano; Crescente, Alberto

2012-12-01

Keeping track of the layout of the informatic resources in a big datacenter is a complex task. DOCET is a database-based webtool designed and implemented at INFN. It aims at providing a uniform interface to manage and retrieve needed information about one or more datacenter, such as available hardware, software and their status. Having a suitable application is however useless until most of the information about the centre are not inserted in the DOCET'S database. Manually inserting all the information from scratch is an unfeasible task. After describing DOCET'S high level architecture, its main features and current development track, we present and discuss the work done to populate the DOCET database for the INFN-T1 site by retrieving information from a heterogenous variety of authoritative sources, such as DNS, DHCP, Quattor host profiles, etc. We then describe the work being done to integrate DOCET with some common management operation, such as adding a newly installed host to DHCP and DNS, or creating a suitable Quattor profile template for it.

Statistical Analysis of Large-Scale Structure of Universe

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tugay, A. V.

While galaxy cluster catalogs were compiled many decades ago, other structural elements of cosmic web are detected at definite level only in the newest works. For example, extragalactic filaments were described by velocity field and SDSS galaxy distribution during the last years. Large-scale structure of the Universe could be also mapped in the future using ATHENA observations in X-rays and SKA in radio band. Until detailed observations are not available for the most volume of Universe, some integral statistical parameters can be used for its description. Such methods as galaxy correlation function, power spectrum, statistical moments and peak statistics are commonly used with this aim. The parameters of power spectrum and other statistics are important for constraining the models of dark matter, dark energy, inflation and brane cosmology. In the present work we describe the growth of large-scale density fluctuations in one- and three-dimensional case with Fourier harmonics of hydrodynamical parameters. In result we get power-law relation for the matter power spectrum.

Military Interprofessional Health Care Teams: How USU is Working to Harness the Power of Collaboration.

PubMed

D'Angelo, Matthew R; Saperstein, Adam K; Seibert, Diane C; Durning, Steven J; Varpio, Lara

2016-11-01

Despite efforts to increase patient safety, hundreds of thousands of lives are lost each year to preventable health care errors. The Institute of Medicine and other organizations have recommended that facilitating effective interprofessional health care team work can help address this problem. While the concept of interprofessional health care teams is known, understanding and organizing effective team performance have proven to be elusive goals. Although considerable research has been conducted in the civilian sector, scholars have yet to extend research to the military context. Indeed, delivering the highest caliber of health care to our service men and women is vitally important. This commentary describes a new initiative as the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences aimed at researching the characteristics of successful military interprofessional teams and why those characteristics are important. It also describes the interprofessional education initiative that Uniformed Services University is launching to help optimize U.S. military health care. Reprint & Copyright © 2016 Association of Military Surgeons of the U.S.

The impact of work culture on quality of care in nursing homes--a review study.

PubMed

André, Beate; Sjøvold, Endre; Rannestad, Toril; Ringdal, Gerd I

2014-09-01

The main aim of this review study was to identify which factors that characterise the relationship between work culture and quality of care in nursing homes. This review study was structured through systematic search methods to identify articles that describe the relationship between work culture and quality of care in nursing homes. The database search yielded 14510 hits. Closer examination showed that 10401 of these hits were duplicates. Of the remaining 4109 articles, only 10 were related to our aim for the study. A qualitative method were used to explain and understand phenomena of work culture and quality if care in nursing homes. Nine out of 10 articles in this review study emphasise the importance of leadership style and supportive management to increase quality of care in nursing homes. Increased empowerment, participation and influence were important factors for improving quality of care. Significant associations between work culture and quality of care and between empowerment and quality of care were reported. Nursing management and leaders must take in consideration that work culture is crucial for improving quality of care in nursing homes, and this study can be used to increase the focus on the work culture among healthcare personnel in nursing homes. Changes are necessary to increase healthcare personnel's job satisfaction, empowerment, autonomy and influence in nursing homes. Giving empowerment to the healthcare personnel working in nursing homes is both an organisational and an interpersonal issue. Being given empowerment and influence over their own work situation, the healthcare workers can be more committed and involved in the goal of obtaining best possible care to the residents. © 2013 Nordic College of Caring Science.

Characteristics of Effective Mentorship for Academic Surgeons: A Grounded Theory Model.

PubMed

Cochran, Amalia; Elder, William B; Neumayer, Leigh A

2017-08-23

The authors sought to describe characteristics of effective mentoring relationships in academic surgery based upon lived experiences of mid-career and senior female academic surgeons. Prior qualitative work describes characteristics of successful mentoring relationships. However, no model exists of effective mentorship that is specific to academic surgery. The authors conducted in-depth interviews with mid-career and senior female US academic surgeons about the impact of mentoring on professional development during 2014 and 2015. Purposive selection aimed to maximize institutional, specialty, years in career, and racial diversity. Grounded theory method was used to generate a conceptual model of effective mentoring relationships. Data saturation occurred following 15 interviews. Interviewees described the need for multiple mentors over time with each mentor addressing a unique domain. Interviewees suggested that mentees should seek mentors who will serve as strategic advisors, who will be unselfish, and who engage with diverse mentees. This study identified a need for multiple mentors across time and disciplines, and identified 3 key characteristics of effective mentoring relationships in academic surgery. Future work in this area should generate an operational definition of mentorship that supports quantitative evaluation of mentor and mentoring panel performance.

Continuous monitoring of brain dynamics with functional near infrared spectroscopy as a tool for neuroergonomic research: empirical examples and a technological development

PubMed Central

Ayaz, Hasan; Onaral, Banu; Izzetoglu, Kurtulus; Shewokis, Patricia A.; McKendrick, Ryan; Parasuraman, Raja

2013-01-01

Functional near infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) is a non-invasive, safe, and portable optical neuroimaging method that can be used to assess brain dynamics during skill acquisition and performance of complex work and everyday tasks. In this paper we describe neuroergonomic studies that illustrate the use of fNIRS in the examination of training-related brain dynamics and human performance assessment. We describe results of studies investigating cognitive workload in air traffic controllers, acquisition of dual verbal-spatial working memory skill, and development of expertise in piloting unmanned vehicles. These studies used conventional fNIRS devices in which the participants were tethered to the device while seated at a workstation. Consistent with the aims of mobile brain imaging (MoBI), we also describe a compact and battery-operated wireless fNIRS system that performs with similar accuracy as other established fNIRS devices. Our results indicate that both wired and wireless fNIRS systems allow for the examination of brain function in naturalistic settings, and thus are suitable for reliable human performance monitoring and training assessment. PMID:24385959

Preliminary model and validation of molten carbonate fuel cell kinetics under sulphur poisoning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Audasso, E.; Nam, S.; Arato, E.; Bosio, B.

2017-06-01

MCFC represents an effective technology to deal with CO2 capture and relative applications. If used for these purposes, due to the working conditions and the possible feeding, MCFC must cope with a different number of poisoning gases such as sulphur compounds. In literature, different works deal with the development of kinetic models to describe MCFC performance to help both industrial applications and laboratory simulations. However, in literature attempts to realize a proper model able to consider the effects of poisoning compounds are scarce. The first aim of the present work is to provide a semi-empirical kinetic formulation capable to take into account the effects that sulphur compounds (in particular SO2) have on the MCFC performance. The second aim is to provide a practical example of how to effectively include the poisoning effects in kinetic models to simulate fuel cells performances. To test the reliability of the proposed approach, the obtained formulation is implemented in the kinetic core of the SIMFC (SIMulation of Fuel Cells) code, an MCFC 3D model realized by the Process Engineering Research Team (PERT) of the University of Genova. Validation is performed through data collected at the Korea Institute of Science and Technology in Seoul.

The impact of adjustment latitude on self-assessed work ability in regard to gender and occupational type.

PubMed

Johansson, Gun; Hultin, Hanna; Möller, Jette; Hallqvist, Johan; Kjellberg, Katarina

2012-07-01

Adjustment latitude describes opportunities to change demands at work when ill and may affect work ability. The aim here is to study the association between adjustment latitude and self-assessed work ability among men and women and employees from different occupational sectors. This cross-sectional study used data from a questionnaire sent to 3020 employees in three occupational sectors in Sweden; 1430 responded. Subjects were divided into: full, moderately reduced, and greatly reduced work ability. Presence of nine adjustment opportunities was requested and subjects were divided into three groups. Each specific opportunity was also analyzed in relation to work ability. Multinomial logistic regression was used for analyses. Number of opportunities to adjust was associated with work ability among men and employees in health care. "Shortening the working day" was associated with work ability in most groups. For men and industrial employees, "postponing work", "going home and working later", and "working without disturbance" were associated with work ability. "To work from home" was associated with work ability among women and employees in insurance. The assumption that adjustment latitude affects work ability is supported. Associations differ with regard to gender and occupational sectors. Further studies with longitudinal design and alternative samples are needed.

Stroke patients' experiences of return to work.

PubMed

Medin, Jennie; Barajas, Josefin; Ekberg, Kerstin

2006-09-15

Purpose. The aim of this study was to describe the experience of return to work (RTW) after stroke from the patient's perspective.Method. Six patients who had their first ever stroke in 2001, were <65 years of age and were working at the time of their stroke were included. Information was obtained via an open-ended interview. The material was transcribed verbatim and analysed using Giorgi's empirical phenomenology.Results. Rehabilitation was perceived as primarily aimed at restoring bodily functions and a return to everyday activities, rather than at promoting a return to work. It was not experienced as adapted to the participants' needs or their age. The workplace was experienced as very important in the rehabilitation process. When the informants experienced that the rehabilitation professionals were not taking action, they took control of the situation themselves. The informants expressed pride in their own capacity to take the initiative and in their ability to take action. Both self-employed and employed informants said they had possibilities and opportunities to take action since their work situation was flexible. The informants' adaptation to a new role at work was perceived as facilitated by the understanding and positive attitude of co-workers.Conclusion. Among this group of stroke patients, the individual patient's capacity and ability to return to work was enhanced by motivation or "will" and self-efficacy in combination with external support. Self-efficacy was not only a personal trait or internal factor; it was enhanced and encouraged in interaction with contextual conditions. There are similarities between the RTW process and processes of health promotion.

Linking the NIH strategic plan to the research agenda for social workers in health and aging.

PubMed

Raveis, Victoria H; Gardner, Daniel S; Berkman, Barbara; Harootyan, Linda

2010-01-01

Although social work has a long and distinctive tradition of practice-relevant research aimed at enhancing the health and well-being of older adults, the profession has been underrepresented among the ranks of academic researchers and the National Institutes of Health's (NIH) scientific endeavors. In this article, the inherent capacities of social workers to generate and disseminate empirical health-related knowledge are discussed and recent developments in social work's geriatric research infrastructure are described. Emerging domains for advancing the profession's contribution to practice-relevant geriatric research on the federal level are identified and the next steps toward advancing the field's research agenda are posed.

Determining organisation-specific factors for developing health interventions in companies by a Delphi procedure: Organisational Mapping.

PubMed

van Scheppingen, Arjella R; ten Have, Kristin C J M; Zwetsloot, Gerard J I M; Kok, Gerjo; van Mechelen, Willem

2015-12-01

Companies, seen as social communities, are major health promotion contexts. However, health promotion in the work setting is often less successful than intended. An optimal adjustment to the organisational context is required. Knowledge of which organisation-specific factors are relevant to health promotion is scarce. A Delphi procedure is used to identify these factors. The aim is to contribute to more effective workplace health promotion. The identified factors are described and embedded into a practical methodology (Intervention Mapping). A systematic use of these factors (called 'Organisational Mapping') is likely to contribute to more effective health promotion in the work setting. © The Author(s) 2014.

Efficient synthesis of phosphatidylserine in 2-methyltetrahydrofuran.

PubMed

Duan, Zhang-Qun; Hu, Fei

2013-01-10

2-Methyltetrahydrofuran has recently been described as a promising and green solvent. Herein, it was successfully used as the reaction medium for enzyme-mediated transphosphatidylation of phosphatidylcholine with L-serine with the aim of phosphatidylserine synthesis for the first time. Our results indicated that as high as 90% yield of phosphatidylserine could be achieved after 12 h combined with no byproduct (phosphatidic acid) forming. The present work accommodated a facilely and efficiently enzymatic strategy for preparing phosphatidylserine, which possessed obvious advantages over the reported processes in terms of high efficiency and environmental friendliness. This work is also a proof-of-concept opening the use of 2-methyltetrahydrofuran in biosynthesis as well. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Pedagogical processes in healthcare: an exploratory study of pedagogic work with patients and next of kin.

PubMed

Hult, Håkan; Lindblad Fridh, Marianne; Lindh Falk, Annika; Thörne, Karin

2009-12-01

Care and education have much in common, and work in the healthcare sector is closely associated with learning and teaching. It is felt that many in the healthcare and medical services are not aware of their pedagogic skills and how they can be developed. FRAME OF REFERENCE: Belonging to a community of practice means that you share perspectives, methods and language. The aim is to describe the pedagogical discourse by identifying pedagogical processes and studying the staff's awareness of such processes or situations in which a pedagogical approach would be useful in their work with patients and next of kin. A qualitative study based on individual and group interviews. The analysis is directed by grounded theory. The pedagogical processes varied in length and quality. Most were unplanned and were usually embedded in treatment. The pedagogical process is linear (planning, goal setting, teaching and evaluating) in an educational setting but we found that the beginning and end can be unclear and the goals can be vague or non-existent. The pedagogical process is best described using the concepts Read, Guide and Provide learning support. The pedagogical discourse in healthcare is almost silent. Data indicate that at the collective level there is very little support for professional development of pedagogical ability. Tacit knowledge may therefore remain silent even though it may be possible to formulate and describe it. There is a strong need to focus on the pedagogical parts of the work and to encourage and support the development of professional pedagogical knowledge.

Root cause analysis to support infection control in healthcare premises.

PubMed

Venier, A-G

2015-04-01

Infection control teams (ICTs) seek to prevent healthcare-associated infections (HCAIs). They undertake surveillance and prevention, promote safety and quality of care, and evaluate and manage risk. Root cause analysis (RCA) can support this work but is not widely used by ICTs. This paper describes how ICTs can use RCA to enhance their day-to-day work. Many different tools and methods exist for RCA. Its primary aim is to identify the factors that have led to HCAI, but RCA can also be used for near-misses. A team effort and multidisciplinary work are usually required. Published accounts and personal experience in the field indicate that an ICT that correctly uses RCA implements more effective prevention measures, improves practice and collaborative working, enhances teamwork, and reduces the risk of HCAI. RCA should be promoted among ICTs because it adds value to their work and helps to develop a hospital culture that anticipates and pre-empts problems. Copyright © 2014 The Healthcare Infection Society. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Job demands and resting and napping opportunities for nurses during night shifts: impact on sleepiness and self-evaluated quality of healthcare.

PubMed

Barthe, Béatrice; Tirilly, Ghislaine; Gentil, Catherine; Toupin, Cathy

2016-01-01

The aim of this field study is to describe night shift resting and napping strategies and to examine their beneficial effects on sleepiness and quality of work. The study was carried out with 16 nurses working in an intensive care unit. Data collected during 20 night shifts were related to job demands (systematic observations), to the duration and timing of rests and naps taken by nurses (systematic observations, sleep diaries), to sleepiness (Karolinska Sleepiness Scale), and to quality of work scores (visual analog scale). The results showed that the number of rests and naps depended on the job demands. Resting and napping lowered the levels of sleepiness at the end of the shift. There was no direct relationship between sleepiness and the quality of work score. Discussions about the choice of indicators for the quality of work are necessary. Suggestions for implementing regulations for prescribed napping during night shifts are presented.

Working conditions and workplace health and safety promotion in home care: A mixed-method study from Swedish managers' perspectives.

PubMed

Gard, Gunvor; Larsson, Agneta

2017-11-02

Today, we can see a trend toward increased psychosocial strain at work among home-care managers and staff. The aim of this study is to describe home care managers' views on their own psychosocial working conditions and on how to promote workplace health and safety in a municipality in northern Sweden. A mixed-methods design was used, including questionnaire and qualitative focus group data. The qualitative data were analyzed by manifest content analysis. The results indicate that most managers perceived increased variety in work and opportunities for development at work, but at the same time increased demands. The managers suggested that workplace health and safety could be improved by risk assessment and improved communication, a clear communication chain by a real as well as a virtual platform for communication. In summary, workplace health and safety could be improved by risk assessments and by a physical as well as a virtual platform for communication.

Wired to the Workplace: The Relationship Between Electronic Connectedness to Work and Nurse Manager Satisfaction.

PubMed

Gardner, Candace; Hailey, Amy; Nguyen, Christi; Prichard, Charlsea; Newcomb, Patricia

2017-01-01

The aim of this study is to describe the beliefs and behaviors of nurse leaders regarding electronic connectedness with their workplace and workplace support. Electronic communication enables leaders' continuous availability to the workplace. This may blur home-work boundaries and contribute to burnout. This mixed-methods study surveyed nurses in 6 acute care hospitals in north Texas. A qualitative phase employed focus groups composed of nurses from participating hospitals to validate and enrich data collected in the quantitative phase. Data showed that leader support directly influenced work-related electronic communication by influencing expectations regarding connectedness. Furthermore, leaders who frequently thought of leaving employment reported significantly lower levels of supervisor support and stronger beliefs that work interfered with home life than other respondents did. Focus group data supported survey findings. Electronic availability of nurse leaders did not directly affect satisfaction, but supervisor support and perception that work interferes with home life strongly and directly affected satisfaction.

Working practices and success of infection prevention and control teams: a scoping study.

PubMed

Hale, R; Powell, T; Drey, N S; Gould, D J

2015-02-01

Little research has been undertaken on how infection prevention and control (IPC) teams operate and how their effectiveness is assessed. This review aimed to explore how IPC teams embed IPC throughout hospitals, balance outbreak management with strategic aspects of IPC work (e.g. education), and how IPC team performance is measured. A scoping exercise was performed combining literature searches, evidence synthesis, and intelligence from expert advisers. Eleven publications were identified. One paper quantified how IPC nurses spend their time, two described daily activities of IPC teams, five described initiatives to embed IPC across organizations following legislation since 1999 in the UK or changes in the delivery of healthcare, and three explored the contribution of IPC intermediaries (link nurses and champions). Eight publications reported research findings. The others reported how IPC teams are embedding IPC practice in UK hospitals. In conclusion, there is scope for research to explore different models of IPC team-working and effectiveness, and cost-effectiveness. Other topics that need addressing are the willingness and ability of ward staff to assume increased responsibility for IPC and the effectiveness of intermediaries. Copyright © 2014 The Healthcare Infection Society. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Searching for the mechanisms of change: a protocol for a realist review of batterer treatment programmes.

PubMed

Velonis, Alisa J; Cheff, Rebecca; Finn, Debbie; Davloor, Whitney; O'Campo, Patricia

2016-04-06

Conflicting results reported by evaluations of typical batterer intervention programmes leave many judicial officials and policymakers uncertain about the best way to respond to domestic violence, and whether to recommend and fund these programmes. Traditional evaluations and systematic reviews tend to focus predominantly on whether the programmes 'worked' (eg, reduced recidivism) often at the exclusion of understanding for whom they may or may not have worked, under what circumstances, and why. We are undertaking a realist review of the batterer treatment programme literature with the aim of addressing this gap. Keeping with the goals of realist review, our primary aims are to identify the theory that underlies these programmes, highlight the mechanisms that trigger changes in participant behaviour and finally explain why these programmes help some individuals reduce their use of violence and under what conditions they are effective or not effective. We begin by describing the process of perpetrator treatment, and by proposing an initial theoretical model of behaviour change that will be tested by our review. We then describe the criteria for inclusion of an evaluation into the review, the search strategy we will use to identify the studies, and the plan for data extraction and analysis. The results of this review will be written up using the RAMESES Guidelines for Realist Synthesis, and disseminated through peer-reviewed publications aimed at the practitioner community as well as presented at community forums, and at violence against women conferences. Ethics approval was not needed. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/

Moral mindfulness: The ethical concerns of healthcare professionals working in a psychiatric intensive care unit.

PubMed

Salzmann-Erikson, Martin

2018-06-22

Healthcare professionals working on inpatient wards face the externalizing or challenging behaviour of the patients who are admitted. Ethical values and principles in psychiatric nursing have been reported to be important when approaching patients during the most acute phase of deterioration in their mental health. Hence, the aim of this study was to discover and describe staff members' ethical and moral concerns about their work as healthcare professionals in a psychiatric intensive care unit. The study has a qualitative descriptive design and makes use of Framework Analysis. Registered nurses and psychiatric aides in a psychiatric intensive care unit in Sweden were observed during ethical reflection meetings. Four to six staff attended the 90-min meetings. The data comprise observations from six meetings, which provided 94 pages of text. The results demonstrate that the work was described as being both motivating and exhausting. The staff faced ethical concerns in their daily work, as patients often demonstrated challenging behaviours. Three themes were identified as follows: (i) concerns about the staff impacting on patients' experience of care, (ii) concerns about establishing a safe working environment, and (iii) concerns about becoming unprofessional due to expectations and a high workload. Ethical concerns included simultaneously taking into account both the patients' dignity and safety aspects, while also being exposed to high workloads. These elements of work are theorized as influencing complex psychiatric nursing. If we are to bring these influential factors to light in the workplace, advanced nursing practice must be grounded in moral mindfulness. © 2018 Australian College of Mental Health Nurses Inc.

With or without the group: Swedish midwives' and child healthcare nurses' experiences in leading parent education groups.

PubMed

Forslund Frykedal, Karin; Rosander, Michael; Berlin, Anita; Barimani, Mia

2016-12-01

The aim of the study was to describe and to understand midwives' and child healthcare nurses' experiences of working with parent education groups through their descriptions of the role and what they find rewarding and challenging in that work. Data were collected through three open-ended questions from a web survey: 'How do you refer to your role when working in parent education?', 'What is the biggest challenge or difficulty for you when working in parent education?' and 'What is most rewarding when working in parent education?' The answers were analysed by using qualitative content analysis and correlation analysis. The results show that the midwives and child healthcare nurses either included or excluded the group when describing their role as leaders and their influence on parents. The same applies to what they found rewarding and what was difficult and challenging for them in working with the groups. Primarily, the leaders who excluded the group expressed a lack of competence on a professional level in managing groups and using the right teaching methods to process the knowledge content. One important question to deal with is how to best support midwives and nurses in child healthcare to be prepared for working with parent education groups. One obvious thing is to provide specialized training in an educational sense. An important aspect could also be providing supervision, individually or in groups. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Serious Games for Health: The Potential of Metadata.

PubMed

Göbel, Stefan; Maddison, Ralph

2017-02-01

Numerous serious games and health games exist, either as commercial products (typically with a focus on entertaining a broad user group) or smaller games and game prototypes, often resulting from research projects (typically tailored to a smaller user group with a specific health characteristic). A major drawback of existing health games is that they are not very well described and attributed with (machine-readable, quantitative, and qualitative) metadata such as the characterizing goal of the game, the target user group, or expected health effects well proven in scientific studies. This makes it difficult or even impossible for end users to find and select the most appropriate game for a specific situation (e.g., health needs). Therefore, the aim of this article was to motivate the need and potential/benefit of metadata for the description and retrieval of health games and to describe a descriptive model for the qualitative description of games for health. It was not the aim of the article to describe a stable, running system (portal) for health games. This will be addressed in future work. Building on previous work toward a metadata format for serious games, a descriptive model for the formal description of games for health is introduced. For the conceptualization of this model, classification schemata of different existing health game repositories are considered. The classification schema consists of three levels: a core set of mandatory descriptive fields relevant for all games for health application areas, a detailed level with more comprehensive, optional information about the games, and so-called extension as level three with specific descriptive elements relevant for dedicated health games application areas, for example, cardio training. A metadata format provides a technical framework to describe, find, and select appropriate health games matching the needs of the end user. Future steps to improve, apply, and promote the metadata format in the health games market are discussed.

Cornell Astronomy REU: Casting a Wide Net to Increase Access to Research Opportunities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fernandez de Castro, Patricia; Haynes, Martha P.

2018-01-01

We describe a Research Experience for Undergraduates program in astrophysics and planetary science hosted in a major university setting that is geared especially but not exclusively to students who matriculate at smaller colleges and universities without major astronomy research programs, have not previously had off-campus research experiences and/or have non-traditional academic backgrounds.Individual research projects which students undertake with faculty mentors and their research groups are the keystone of the program. Built around this central activity are a set of other components that aim to expose students to the broad areas of astrophysical and planetary science research and to foster their appreciation of the research enterprise and their possible place within it. We describe the professional development activities that are offered to students, including lectures and workshops on a broad range of topics in astrophysics and planetary science, research group meetings, tutorials on research and scientific presentation skills, participation in outreach, education on the graduate school experience and application process, and discussions of the scientific enterprise, career paths and options in astronomy and related fields as well as the role REU group meetings with the program director (which complement meetings students attend within the context of their research group) play in developing students’ scientific competencies and pre-professional development. Also described are program elements that aim to make the program accessible to all students, including older students, those in relationships or with children as well as cohort building. Finally, we discuss lessons learned on how recruiting on merit and suitability to the research projects on offer, with a strong emphasis on smaller colleges and universities without major astronomy research programs can work towards a broader and more inclusive recruitment.This work was supported by NSF award AST-1156780.

The Importance of Nonlinear Transformations Use in Medical Data Analysis.

PubMed

Shachar, Netta; Mitelpunkt, Alexis; Kozlovski, Tal; Galili, Tal; Frostig, Tzviel; Brill, Barak; Marcus-Kalish, Mira; Benjamini, Yoav

2018-05-11

The accumulation of data and its accessibility through easier-to-use platforms will allow data scientists and practitioners who are less sophisticated data analysts to get answers by using big data for many purposes in multiple ways. Data scientists working with medical data are aware of the importance of preprocessing, yet in many cases, the potential benefits of using nonlinear transformations is overlooked. Our aim is to present a semi-automated approach of symmetry-aiming transformations tailored for medical data analysis and its advantages. We describe 10 commonly encountered data types used in the medical field and the relevant transformations for each data type. Data from the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative study, Parkinson's disease hospital cohort, and disease-simulating data were used to demonstrate the approach and its benefits. Symmetry-targeted monotone transformations were applied, and the advantages gained in variance, stability, linearity, and clustering are demonstrated. An open source application implementing the described methods was developed. Both linearity of relationships and increase of stability of variability improved after applying proper nonlinear transformation. Clustering simulated nonsymmetric data gave low agreement to the generating clusters (Rand value=0.681), while capturing the original structure after applying nonlinear transformation to symmetry (Rand value=0.986). This work presents the use of nonlinear transformations for medical data and the importance of their semi-automated choice. Using the described approach, the data analyst increases the ability to create simpler, more robust and translational models, thereby facilitating the interpretation and implementation of the analysis by medical practitioners. Applying nonlinear transformations as part of the preprocessing is essential to the quality and interpretability of results. ©Netta Shachar, Alexis Mitelpunkt, Tal Kozlovski, Tal Galili, Tzviel Frostig, Barak Brill, Mira Marcus-Kalish, Yoav Benjamini. Originally published in JMIR Medical Informatics (http://medinform.jmir.org), 11.05.2018.

[A Group Cognitive-Behavioural Intervention to Prevent Depression Relapse in Individuals Having Recently Returned to Work: Protocol and Feasibility].

PubMed

Lecomte, Tania; Corbière, Marc

Workplace depression is one of the major causes for sick leave and loss of productivity at work. Many studies have investigated factors predicting return to work for people with depression, including studies evaluating return to work programs and organizational factors. Yet, a paucity of studies have targeted the prevention of depressive relapses at work, even though more than half of those having had a depression will have a depressive relapse in the near future.Objectives This article describes a research protocol involving a novel group intervention based on cognitive behavioural principles with the aim to optimize return to work and diminish risk of depressive relapses.Method This pilot study follows a randomized controlled trial design, with half the participants (N=25) receiving the group intervention and the other half (N=25) receiving usual services. The theoretical and empirical underpinnings of the intervention are described, along with a detailed presentation of the intervention and of the study's objectives. The group intervention consists of 8 sessions whereby Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) principles and techniques are applied to the following themes: (1) Coping with stress at work; (2) Recognizing and modifying my dysfunctional beliefs linked to work; (3) Overcoming obstacles linked to work functioning and maintaining work; (4) Negotiating needed work adjustments with the support of the immediate supervisor; (5) Finding my strengths and competencies related to work; (6) Accepting criticism and asserting myself appropriately at work; (7) Uncovering my best coping strategies for work.Results Qualitative information pertaining to the first two cohorts' participants' subjective appreciation of the group experience revealed that the intervention was perceived as very useful by all, with group support, namely harmony and interpersonal support, as well as CBT strategies being mentioned specifically.Conclusion Finally, the potential relevance of the group intervention will be brought forward.

Ko wai ahau? (Who am I?) How cultural identity issues are experienced by Maori psychiatrists and registrars working with children and adolescents.

PubMed

Elder, Hinemoa

2008-06-01

This paper aimed to investigate narratives regarding the experience of Maori cultural identity of Maori psychiatrists and registrars who have worked with tamariki (children), taiohi (adolescents) and whanau (families). This was a Kaupapa Maori (Maori-centred) qualitative study where a total of five Maori psychiatrists and registrars were interviewed using a semi-structured questionnaire informed by Tikanga Maori (Maori custom and protocol). This paper presents one significant theme, that of "doing the work differently". Within this theme, the perceived 'mismatch' between psychiatric training, seeming to value opacity in clinical sessions, compared to Tikanga Maori aspects of the doctor's identity which values whakawhanaungatanga (connectivity and relationships) was consistently described. This paper has implications for registrar training needs, workforce development, service development and cultural competency.

Trends in occupational hygiene in Finland.

PubMed

Pääkkönen, Rauno; Koponen, Milja

2018-03-01

The aim of this work is to evaluate and describe the current status of, and prospects for, the future of occupational hygiene in Finland. The main sources of information include a seminar held in the annual meeting of Finnish Occupational Hygiene Society and interviews with different stakeholders. Nanotechnology and other new materials, changing work environments, circular economy including green jobs, new medical methods and advances of construction methods were recognized as future challenges. Future work opportunities for occupational hygiene experts included exposure assessments in indoor air surveys, private consulting and entrepreneurship in general, international activities and product safety issues. Unclear topics needing more attention in the future were thought to be in new exposures, sensitive persons, combined effects, skin exposures and applicability of personal protective equipment. Occupational hygiene should broaden its view; occupational hygienists should have to cooperate with other specialists and grasp new challenges.

The significance of routines in nursing practice.

PubMed

Rytterström, Patrik; Unosson, Mitra; Arman, Maria

2011-12-01

The aim of this study was to illuminate the significance of routines in nursing practice. Clinical nursing is performed under the guidance of routines to varying degrees. In the nursing literature, routine is described as having both negative and positive aspects, but use of the term is inconsistent, and empirical evidence is sparse. In the research on organisational routines, a distinction is made between routine as a rule and routine as action. A qualitative design using a phenomenological-hermeneutic approach. Data collection from three focus groups focused on nurses' experience of routines. Seventeen individual interviews from a previous study focusing on caring culture were also analysed in a secondary qualitative analysis. All participants were employed as 'qualified nursing pool' nurses. Routines are experienced as pragmatic, obstructive and meaningful. The aim of the pragmatic routine was to ensure that daily working life works; this routine is practised more on the basis of rational arguments and obvious intentions. The obstructive routine had negative consequences for nursing practice and was described as nursing losing its humanity and violating the patient's integrity. The meaningful routine involved becoming one with the routine and for the nurses, it felt right and meaningful to adapt to it. Routines become meaningful when the individual action is in harmony with the cultural pattern on which the nursing work is based. Instead of letting contemporary practice passively become routine, routines can be assessed and developed using research and theoretical underpinnings as a starting point for nursing practice. Leaders have a special responsibility to develop and support meaningful routines. One approach could be to let wards examine their routines from a patient perspective on the basis of the themes of pragmatic, meaningful and obstructive routine. © 2010 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Physical aspects of total-body irradiation at the Middlesex Hospital (UCL group of hospitals), London 1988-1993: I. Phantom measurements and planning methods.

PubMed

Planskoy, B; Bedford, A M; Davis, F M; Tapper, P D; Loverock, L T

1996-11-01

This paper, which is divided into parts I and II, describes the physical aspects of work on total-body irradiation (TBI) at the Middlesex Hospital, London, from 1988 to 1993. Irradiation is fractionated and bi-lateral with horizontal accelerator photon beams of 8 MV (1988-1992) at a source-surface distance (SSD) of 3.36 m and 10 MV (1992-1993) at an SSD of 4.62 m. The main aims were maximum patient comfort, a simple, accurate set-up with overall times per fraction of 30 min or less, dose homogeneity throughout the body within +/- 10 to +/- 15%, pre-irradiation treatment planning on nine CT slices using our commercial IGE RTplan (1988-1992) and Target 2 (1992-1993) treatment planning systems and, most important, verification of the plans by in vivo dosimetry to within +/- 5%. Verification of the planned lung doses, which are distributed over five CT slices, was given special attention. In part I of this paper we describe the preliminary work, most of which was done prior to patient treatment. This consisted of standard dosimetric measurements (central axis depth doses, beam profiles at several depths, build-up and build-down curves, beam output calibrations, effect of body compensators, etc), in evaluating silicon diode dosimeters for in vivo dosimetry and of adapting and verifying the methods of treatment planning for TBI conditions. The results obtained with phantoms, including a Rando body phantom, showed that, in principle, our aims could be achieved. The final proof depended, however, on an analysis of the results of the in vivo work and this forms the subject of part II of this paper.

“A lot of sacrifices:” Work-family spillover and the food choice coping strategies of low wage employed parents

PubMed Central

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

2006-01-01

Integrating their work and family lives is an everyday challenge for employed parents. Competing demands for parents’ time and energy may contribute to fewer meals prepared or eaten at home and poorer nutritional quality of meals. Thus, work-family spillover (feelings, attitudes, and behaviors carried over from one role to another) is a phenomenon with implications for nutrition and health. The aim of this theory-guided constructivist research was to understand how low-wage employed parents’ experiences of work-family spillover affected their food choice coping strategies. Participants were 69 black, white and Latino mothers and fathers in a Northeastern U.S. city. We explored participants’ understandings of family and work roles, spillover, and food choice strategies using open-ended qualitative interviews. Data analysis was based on the constant comparative method. These parents described affective, evaluative, and behavioral instances of work-family spillover and role overload as normative parts of everyday life and dominant influences on their food choices. They used food choice coping strategies to: 1) manage feelings of stress and fatigue, 2) reduce the time and effort for meals, 3) redefine meanings and reduce expectations for food and eating, and 4) set priorities and trade off food and eating against other family needs. Only a few parents used adaptive strategies that changed work or family conditions to reduce the experience of conflict. Most coping strategies were aimed at managing feelings and redefining meanings, and were inadequate for reducing the everyday hardships from spillover and role overload. Some coping strategies exacerbated feelings of stress. These findings have implications for family nutrition, food expenditures, nutritional self-efficacy, social connections, food assistance policy, and work place strategies. PMID:16889881

"A lot of sacrifices:" work-family spillover and the food choice coping strategies of low-wage employed parents.

PubMed

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

2006-11-01

Integrating their work and family lives is an everyday challenge for employed parents. Competing demands for parents' time and energy may contribute to fewer meals prepared or eaten at home and poorer nutritional quality of meals. Thus, work-family spillover (feelings, attitudes, and behaviors carried over from one role to another) is a phenomenon with implications for nutrition and health. The aim of this theory-guided constructivist research was to understand how low-wage employed parents' experiences of work-family spillover affected their food choice coping strategies. Participants were 69 black, white and Latino mothers and fathers in a Northeastern US city. We explored participants' understandings of family and work roles, spillover, and food choice strategies using open-ended qualitative interviews. Data analysis was based on the constant comparative method. These parents described affective, evaluative, and behavioral instances of work-family spillover and role overload as normative parts of everyday life and dominant influences on their food choices. They used food choice coping strategies to: (1) manage feelings of stress and fatigue, (2) reduce the time and effort for meals, (3) redefine meanings and reduce expectations for food and eating, and (4) set priorities and trade off food and eating against other family needs. Only a few parents used adaptive strategies that changed work or family conditions to reduce the experience of conflict. Most coping strategies were aimed at managing feelings and redefining meanings, and were inadequate for reducing the everyday hardships from spillover and role overload. Some coping strategies exacerbated feelings of stress. These findings have implications for family nutrition, food expenditures, nutritional self-efficacy, social connections, food assistance policy, and work place strategies.

Alternative Refrigerant Evaluation for High-Ambient Temperature Environments: R-22 and R-410A Alternatives for Mini-Split Air Conditioners

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

Abdelaziz, Omar; Munk, Jeffrey D.; Shrestha, Som S.

The Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) High-Ambient Temperature Testing Program for Low-GWP Refrigerants aims to develop an understanding of the performance of low-Global Warming Potential (low-GWP) alternatives to Hydrochlorofluorocarbon (HCFC) and Hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) refrigerants in mini-split air conditioners under high ambient temperature conditions. This interim working paper describes the parties involved, the alternative refrigerants selection process, the test procedures, and the preliminary results.

Kh. A. Rakhmatulin's scientific legacy in the field of mechanics of deformable rigid bodies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Goldstein, R. V.; Dem'yanov, Yu. A.; Nikitin, L. V.; Smirnov, N. N.; Shemyakin, E. I.

2010-02-01

Kh. A. Rakhmatulin's scientific activity was aimed at solving the most important scientific and technical problems encountered by the country. Khalil Akhmetovich was a unique combination of a theorist and an experimenter, an engineer and an inventor, a talented teacher and a scientific research manager. He fruitfully worked in mechanics of deformable solids (the corresponding results are surveyed in the present paper) as well as in fluid mechanics (as described in detail in the journal [1] dedicated to his memory).

ITEMS Project: An online sequence for teaching mathematics and astronomy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Martínez, Bernat; Pérez, Josep

2010-10-01

This work describes an elearning sequence for teaching geometry and astronomy in lower secondary school created inside the ITEMS (Improving Teacher Education in Mathematics and Science) project. It is based on results from the astronomy education research about studentsŠ difficulties in understanding elementary astronomical observations and models. The sequence consists of a set of computer animations embedded in an elearning environment aimed at supporting students in learning about astronomy ideas that require the use of geometrical concepts and visual-spatial reasoning.

[Diverticular disease of the large bowel - surgical treatment].

PubMed

Levý, M; Herdegen, P; Sutoris, K; Simša, J

2013-07-01

Surgical treatment, despite the rapid development of the numerous modern miniinvasive intervention techniques, remains essential in the treatment of complicated diverticular disease. The aim of this work is to summarize indications for surgical treatment in both acute and elective patients suffering from diverticular disease of the large bowel. Review of the literature and recent findings concerning indications for surgical intervention in patients with diverticulosis of the colon. The article describes indications, types of procedures, techniques and postoperative care in patients undergoing surgical intervention for diverticular disease.

Automated systems for the analysis of meteor spectra: The SMART Project

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Madiedo, José M.

2017-09-01

This work analyzes a meteor spectroscopy survey called SMART (Spectroscopy of Meteoroids in the Atmosphere by means of Robotic Technologies), which is being conducted since 2006. In total, 55 spectrographs have been deployed at 10 different locations in Spain with the aim to obtain information about the chemical nature of meteoroids ablating in the atmosphere. The main improvements in the hardware and the software developed in the framework of this project are described, and some results obtained by these automatic devices are also discussed.

Research in advanced formal theorem-proving techniques

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rulifson, J. F.

1971-01-01

The present status is summarized of a continuing research program aimed at the design and implementation of a language for expressing problem-solving procedures in several areas of artificial intelligence, including program synthesis, robot planning, and theorem proving. Notations, concepts, and procedures common to the representation and solution of many of these problems were abstracted and incorporated as features into the language. The areas of research covered are described, and abstracts of six papers that contain extensive description and technical detail of the work are presented.

History of the Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Residency Program at Universidad el Bosque, Bogotá, Colombia.

PubMed

Castro-Núñez, Jaime

2012-01-01

The formal training of oral and maxillofacial surgeons in Colombia started in 1958 at Hospital Sanjos6, thanks to the titanic work of Waldemar Wilhelm, a German-born surgeon who settled in BogotA in 1950. Today there are seven institutions in Colombia that offer residency programs in oral and maxillofacial surgery. The aim of this article is to describe the history of the Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Residency Program at Universidad El Bosque in Bogota.

Recovering gold from thiosulfate leach pulps via ion exchange

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nicol, Michael J.; O'Malley, Glen

2002-10-01

Increasing environmental and occupational safety concerns about the use of cyanide in gold processing has increased interest in more acceptable alternative lixiviants, the most promising of which is thiosulfate. However, the thiosulfate process lacks a proven inpulp method of recovering the dissolved gold because activated carbon is not effective for the absorption of the gold-thiosulfate complex. This paper describes work aimed at evaluating the effectiveness of commercially available anion exchange resins for the recovery of gold from thiosulfate leach liquors and pulps.

[The Arab medicine and the way of teaching it in the Golden Age. al-Râzî, one of the best representatives!].

PubMed

Zouaoui Boudjeltia, K

2008-01-01

In the collective psyche, the Arabs only passed the inheritance of the Greek medicine on to the Western countries. In fact, they were great developers and great discoverers. The Arab contribution in medicine was not just technical but also conceptual. The aim of this work is to describe a part of that contribution regarding the organization and the teaching of medicine and to introduce one of its best representatives, al-Râzî.

Climate Change and Its Impact on the Incarcerated Population: A Descriptive Review.

PubMed

Motanya, Njideka C; Valera, Pamela

2016-01-01

This descriptive review article describes climate change and its detrimental effects on incarcerated populations. Case examples are provided of specific natural disasters and deaths due to overheating temperatures. Because public health and social work aims to improve the health and social welfare of vulnerable populations, the authors explain why climate change should be considered a priority area in both fields. Examples are provided on how to improve conditions for the 2.4 million men, women, and youth who are incarcerated.

Electrotherapy for melancholia: the pioneering contributions of Benjamin Franklin and Giovanni Aldini.

PubMed

Bolwig, Tom G; Fink, Max

2009-03-01

The electrical induction of seizures with a therapeutic aim began in 1938, but the history of electric currents to relieve mental illness began 2 centuries earlier with the pioneering work of the Italian Giovanni Aldini and the American Benjamin Franklin.These early experiments are described demonstrating that the electrical force encouraged hopeful applications. This history emphasizes the unique contribution in the induction of grand mal seizures as the therapeutic basis rather than the role of electricity alone.

[Supervisors and Employment Counselors in Messidor Transitional Social Firms Supporting People with Psychiatric Disability to Gain Competitive Employment].

PubMed

de Pierrefeu, Inès; Corbière, Marc; Pachoud, Bernard

Objectives Some programs have been developed in France for helping people with a psychiatric disability to get competitive employment, especially prevocational programs such as transitional social firms. However, these programs have not been studied until now. Studies on supported employment programs (evidence-based practices) conducted in other countries demonstrated that variation of work outcomes is due, among other factors, to employment specialists' competencies. These results highlight the need for describing more specifically the work of the two professionals, employment counselors and supervisors, working in transitional social firms in order to better understand their role, tasks and competencies. Therefore, the objective of this study aims at describing the roles, tasks and competencies of these two professionals working in transitional social firms, to better understand how they support people with psychiatric disability for eventually obtaining competitive employment.Methods A qualitative method was used to describe roles, tasks and competencies of employment counselors and supervisors working in the transitional social firms of the Messidor's association (7 regions). In sum, 24 individual interviews with employment counselors and supervisors of these social firms as well as 7 focus groups with the two types of professionals, were conducted.Results This study allowed to define the work of the two professionals (role and tasks) and a list of 110 competencies for employment counselors as well as 155 competencies for supervisors working in these transitional social firms, emerged from qualitative analyses. This "double support" has been defined as a complementary approach helping workers to change their own perceptions, becoming more confident in their work abilities, and thus helping them to gain competitive employment. On the one hand, the employment counselor supports each worker in developing strategies and actions to reach competitive employment, and put in place "job development skills" to coordinate his role with key stakeholders (e.g. psychiatrist, employers) involved in the work integration of people with severe mental disorders. On the other hand, the supervisor is following each worker all day long, training and helping them to overcome potential difficulties regarding the work to do, and building confidence and self-esteem in the workers under their supervision, which are all key elements to gain competitive employment.Conclusion Clinical implications are suggested regarding the recruitment of professionals working in transitional social firms, and thus improving work outcomes for people with a severe mental illness.

Ready! Aim! Fire! targeting the right medical science journal.

PubMed

Hardman, Timothy C; Serginson, James M

2017-09-01

Inadvertently submitting a paper to a journal that is unlikely to publish it is a waste of resources and ultimately delays dissemination of one's research. A high proportion of manuscripts are rejected by their author's first-choice journal. The aim of the present work was to review guidance provided within the literature for journal selection that might minimize the chance of manuscript rejection. We also consider papers that encompass more than one main medical science and describe the selection process that we used with a paper that was published in Cardiovascular Endocrinology . A database search (Embase, PubMed and Medworm) was performed for all articles published in the scientific literature providing guidance on journal selection. Articles were identified that either had journal selection as their principal topic or included journal selection as part of a broader discussion of publishing. The relative performance of four free-to-use, web-based applications that claim to provide guidance on journal selection was compared. The searches identified 286 hits, of which 249 were in English. Of these papers, 16 discussed journal selection and a further 10 articles were identified from citations within the original 16 articles. Only one article described a comprehensive model for submission decision-making. Identification of appropriate candidate journals by various web-based applications was erratic, with the Jane database providing the most robust suggestions. Our work suggests that little attention has been focused in the scientific literature on the mechanisms that authors use to select a journal for their work. Nevertheless, scientists for the most part seem to have a good sense of where their papers are most likely to be accepted. Beyond ensuring that a manuscript fulfils all the target journal's requirements, the literature suggests that it is important to have an objective view of the scientific contribution or 'value' of your work.

Ready! Aim! Fire! targeting the right medical science journal

PubMed Central

Serginson, James M.

2017-01-01

Objective Inadvertently submitting a paper to a journal that is unlikely to publish it is a waste of resources and ultimately delays dissemination of one’s research. A high proportion of manuscripts are rejected by their author’s first-choice journal. The aim of the present work was to review guidance provided within the literature for journal selection that might minimize the chance of manuscript rejection. We also consider papers that encompass more than one main medical science and describe the selection process that we used with a paper that was published in Cardiovascular Endocrinology. Methods A database search (Embase, PubMed and Medworm) was performed for all articles published in the scientific literature providing guidance on journal selection. Articles were identified that either had journal selection as their principal topic or included journal selection as part of a broader discussion of publishing. The relative performance of four free-to-use, web-based applications that claim to provide guidance on journal selection was compared. Results The searches identified 286 hits, of which 249 were in English. Of these papers, 16 discussed journal selection and a further 10 articles were identified from citations within the original 16 articles. Only one article described a comprehensive model for submission decision-making. Identification of appropriate candidate journals by various web-based applications was erratic, with the Jane database providing the most robust suggestions. Conclusion Our work suggests that little attention has been focused in the scientific literature on the mechanisms that authors use to select a journal for their work. Nevertheless, scientists for the most part seem to have a good sense of where their papers are most likely to be accepted. Beyond ensuring that a manuscript fulfils all the target journal’s requirements, the literature suggests that it is important to have an objective view of the scientific contribution or ‘value’ of your work. PMID:28884050

Perception of effort in Exercise Science: Definition, measurement and perspectives.

PubMed

Pageaux, Benjamin

2016-11-01

Perception of effort, also known as perceived exertion or sense of effort, can be described as a cognitive feeling of work associated with voluntary actions. The aim of the present review is to provide an overview of what is perception of effort in Exercise Science. Due to the addition of sensations other than effort in its definition, the neurophysiology of perceived exertion remains poorly understood. As humans have the ability to dissociate effort from other sensations related to physical exercise, the need to use a narrower definition is emphasised. Consequently, a definition and some brief guidelines for its measurement are provided. Finally, an overview of the models present in the literature aiming to explain its neurophysiology, and some perspectives for future research are offered.

The cognitive atlas: toward a knowledge foundation for cognitive neuroscience.

PubMed

Poldrack, Russell A; Kittur, Aniket; Kalar, Donald; Miller, Eric; Seppa, Christian; Gil, Yolanda; Parker, D Stott; Sabb, Fred W; Bilder, Robert M

2011-01-01

Cognitive neuroscience aims to map mental processes onto brain function, which begs the question of what "mental processes" exist and how they relate to the tasks that are used to manipulate and measure them. This topic has been addressed informally in prior work, but we propose that cumulative progress in cognitive neuroscience requires a more systematic approach to representing the mental entities that are being mapped to brain function and the tasks used to manipulate and measure mental processes. We describe a new open collaborative project that aims to provide a knowledge base for cognitive neuroscience, called the Cognitive Atlas (accessible online at http://www.cognitiveatlas.org), and outline how this project has the potential to drive novel discoveries about both mind and brain.

Nurses' views of shared leadership in ICU: a case study.

PubMed

Rosengren, Kristina; Bondas, Terese; Nordholm, Lena; Nordström, Gun

2010-08-01

New management models develop; one of them is shared leadership where two nurse managers share tasks and responsibility for a unit. The overall aim of this study was to describe the view of the staff about shared leadership at an ICU in Sweden and to study if there were any differences in perceptions between staff groups. This unit had changed the management organisation from single leadership (one nurse manager) to shared leadership (two nurse managers). Sixty-four (79%) registered nurses and assistant nurses responded to a 72 item questionnaire measuring social and organisational factors at work, especially leadership and shared leadership. The results showed that staff reported positive views in relation to the dimensions 'Organisational culture', 'Social interactions', 'Work satisfaction', 'Leadership', 'Shared leadership' and 'Work motives'. Registered nurses reported more positive views than assistant nurses in relation to the dimensions: 'Organisational culture', 'Social interactions', 'Work satisfaction' and 'Leadership'. Further, females had more positive views than males on the dimension 'Social interactions'. Staff described that shared leadership positively influenced the work in terms of confidence. In conclusion, staff reported positive views of work and the model shared leadership in the investigated ICU. One implication is that nurse managers have to be conscious of different health professionals in the unit and it is important to offer a good working environment for all staff. However, more research is needed within the area of shared leadership. A future research project could be to add a qualitative research question about how work and shared leadership affects different health professionals in the day to day practice both at the managerial as well as the team level to improve health care. Copyright 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Assessment formats in dental medicine: An overview

PubMed Central

Gerhard-Szep, Susanne; Güntsch, Arndt; Pospiech, Peter; Söhnel, Andreas; Scheutzel, Petra; Wassmann, Torsten; Zahn, Tugba

2016-01-01

Aim: At the annual meeting of German dentists in Frankfurt am Main in 2013, the Working Group for the Advancement of Dental Education (AKWLZ) initiated an interdisciplinary working group to address assessments in dental education. This paper presents an overview of the current work being done by this working group, some of whose members are also actively involved in the German Association for Medical Education's (GMA) working group for dental education. The aim is to present a summary of the current state of research on this topic for all those who participate in the design, administration and evaluation of university-specific assessments in dentistry. Method: Based on systematic literature research, the testing scenarios listed in the National Competency-based Catalogue of Learning Objectives (NKLZ) have been compiled and presented in tables according to assessment value. Results: Different assessment scenarios are described briefly in table form addressing validity (V), reliability (R), acceptance (A), cost (C), feasibility (F), and the influence on teaching and learning (EI) as presented in the current literature. Infoboxes were deliberately chosen to allow readers quick access to the information and to facilitate comparisons between the various assessment formats. Following each description is a list summarizing the uses in dental and medical education. Conclusion: This overview provides a summary of competency-based testing formats. It is meant to have a formative effect on dental and medical schools and provide support for developing workplace-based strategies in dental education for learning, teaching and testing in the future. PMID:27579365

Comparison of different two-pathway models for describing the combined effect of DO and nitrite on the nitrous oxide production by ammonia-oxidizing bacteria.

PubMed

Lang, Longqi; Pocquet, Mathieu; Ni, Bing-Jie; Yuan, Zhiguo; Spérandio, Mathieu

2017-02-01

The aim of this work is to compare the capability of two recently proposed two-pathway models for predicting nitrous oxide (N 2 O) production by ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB) for varying ranges of dissolved oxygen (DO) and nitrite. The first model includes the electron carriers whereas the second model is based on direct coupling of electron donors and acceptors. Simulations are confronted to extensive sets of experiments (43 batches) from different studies with three different microbial systems. Despite their different mathematical structures, both models could well and similarly describe the combined effect of DO and nitrite on N 2 O production rate and emission factor. The model-predicted contributions for nitrifier denitrification pathway and hydroxylamine pathway also matched well with the available isotopic measurements. Based on sensitivity analysis, calibration procedures are described and discussed for facilitating the future use of those models.

Chapter 1 Historical Background on Gamete and Embryo Cryopreservation.

PubMed

Ali, Jaffar; AlHarbi, Naif H; Ali, Nafisa

2017-01-01

This chapter describes the development of the science of cryopreservation of gametes and embryos of various species including human. It attempts to record in brief the main contributions of workers in their attempts to cryopreserve gametes and embryos. The initial difficulties faced and subsequent developments and triumphs leading to present-day state of the art are given in a concise manner. The main players and their contributions are mentioned and the authors' aim is to do justice to them. This work also attempts to ensure that credit is correctly attributed for significant advances in gamete and embryo cryopreservation. In general this chapter has tried to describe the historical development of the science of cryopreservation of gametes and embryos as accurately as possible without bias or partiality.

Runtime Verification in Context : Can Optimizing Error Detection Improve Fault Diagnosis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dwyer, Matthew B.; Purandare, Rahul; Person, Suzette

2010-01-01

Runtime verification has primarily been developed and evaluated as a means of enriching the software testing process. While many researchers have pointed to its potential applicability in online approaches to software fault tolerance, there has been a dearth of work exploring the details of how that might be accomplished. In this paper, we describe how a component-oriented approach to software health management exposes the connections between program execution, error detection, fault diagnosis, and recovery. We identify both research challenges and opportunities in exploiting those connections. Specifically, we describe how recent approaches to reducing the overhead of runtime monitoring aimed at error detection might be adapted to reduce the overhead and improve the effectiveness of fault diagnosis.

Standardization efforts in IP telephony

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sengodan, Senthil; Bansal, Raj

1999-11-01

The recent interest in IP telephony has led to a tremendous increase of standardization activities in the area. The three main standards bodies in the area of IP telephony are the International Telecommunication Union's (ITU-T) Study Group (SG) 16, the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) and the European Telecommunication Standards Institute's (ETSI) TIPHON project. In addition, forums such as the International Multimedia Teleconferencing Consortium (IMTC), the Intelligent Network Forum (INF), the International Softswitch Consortium (ISC), the Electronic Computer Telephony Forum (ECTF), and the MIT's Internet Telephony Consortium (ITC) are looking into various other aspects that aim at the growth of this industry. This paper describes the main tasks (completed and in progress) undertaken by these organizations. In describing such work, an overview of the underlying technology is also provided.

Multidisciplinary Optimization Methods for Aircraft Preliminary Design

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kroo, Ilan; Altus, Steve; Braun, Robert; Gage, Peter; Sobieski, Ian

1994-01-01

This paper describes a research program aimed at improved methods for multidisciplinary design and optimization of large-scale aeronautical systems. The research involves new approaches to system decomposition, interdisciplinary communication, and methods of exploiting coarse-grained parallelism for analysis and optimization. A new architecture, that involves a tight coupling between optimization and analysis, is intended to improve efficiency while simplifying the structure of multidisciplinary, computation-intensive design problems involving many analysis disciplines and perhaps hundreds of design variables. Work in two areas is described here: system decomposition using compatibility constraints to simplify the analysis structure and take advantage of coarse-grained parallelism; and collaborative optimization, a decomposition of the optimization process to permit parallel design and to simplify interdisciplinary communication requirements.

Well-being at work--overview and perspective.

PubMed

Schulte, Paul; Vainio, Harri

2010-09-01

This paper provides an overview of and perspective on the concept of well-being at work. Well-being is a term that reflects not only on one's health but satisfaction with work and life. Well-being is a summative concept that characterizes the quality of working lives, including occupational safety and health (OSH) aspects, and it may be a major determinant of productivity at the individual, enterprise and societal levels. Based on a review of the literature and a recent conference, we suggest a model linking workforce well-being, productivity, and population well-being. To appraise the validity of the model, we consider five questions: (i) is there a robust and usable definition of workplace well-being? (ii) have the variables that influence well-being been aptly described and can they be measured and used in risk assessments? (iii) what is the nature of evidence that well-being is linked to productivity? (iv) what is the state of knowledge on the effectiveness of interventions to promote workplace well-being? and (v) should interventions aimed at improving well-being at work focus on more than work-related factors?

Work Safety Climate, Safety Behaviors, and Occupational Injuries of Youth Farmworkers in North Carolina

PubMed Central

Rodriguez, Guadalupe; Quandt, Sara A.; Arcury, Justin T.; Arcury, Thomas A.

2015-01-01

Objectives. The aims of this project were to describe the work safety climate and the association between occupational safety behaviors and injuries among hired youth farmworkers in North Carolina (n = 87). Methods. We conducted personal interviews among a cross-sectional sample of youth farmworkers aged 10 to 17 years. Results. The majority of youths reported that work safety practices were very important to management, yet 38% stated that supervisors were only interested in “doing the job quickly and cheaply.” Few youths reported appropriate work safety behavior, and 14% experienced an injury within the past 12 months. In bivariate analysis, perceptions of work safety climate were significantly associated with pesticide exposure risk factors for rewearing wet shoes (P = .01), wet clothes (P = .01), and shorts (P = .03). Conclusions. Youth farmworkers perceived their work safety climate as being poor. Although additional research is needed to support these findings, these results strengthen the need to increase employer awareness to improve the safety climate for protecting youth farmworkers from harmful exposures and injuries. PMID:25973817

A Preliminary Data Model for Orbital Flight Dynamics in Shuttle Mission Control

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

ONeill, John; Shalin, Valerie L.

2000-01-01

The Orbital Flight Dynamics group in Shuttle Mission Control is investigating new user interfaces in a project called RIOTS [RIOTS 2000]. Traditionally, the individual functions of hardware and software guide the design of displays, which results in an aggregated, if not integrated interface. The human work system has then been designed and trained to navigate, operate and integrate the processors and displays. The aim of RIOTS is to reduce the cognitive demands of the flight controllers by redesigning the user interface to support the work of the flight controller. This document supports the RIOTS project by defining a preliminary data model for Orbital Flight Dynamics. Section 2 defines an information-centric perspective. An information-centric approach aims to reduce the cognitive workload of the flight controllers by reducing the need for manual integration of information across processors and displays. Section 3 describes the Orbital Flight Dynamics domain. Section 4 defines the preliminary data model for Orbital Flight Dynamics. Section 5 examines the implications of mapping the data model to Orbital Flight Dynamics current information systems. Two recurring patterns are identified in the Orbital Flight Dynamics work the iteration/rework cycle and the decision-making/information integration/mirroring role relationship. Section 6 identifies new requirements on Orbital Flight Dynamics work and makes recommendations based on changing the information environment, changing the implementation of the data model, and changing the two recurring patterns.

Job dissatisfaction and the older worker: baseline findings from the Health and Employment After Fifty study

PubMed Central

D’Angelo, Stefania; Coggon, David; Harris, E Clare; Linaker, Cathy; Sayer, Avan Aihie; Gale, Catharine R; Evandrou, Maria; van Staa, Tjeerd; Cooper, Cyrus; Walker-Bone, Karen; Palmer, Keith T

2016-01-01

Objectives Demographic changes are requiring people to work longer. Labour force participation might be promoted by tackling sources of job dissatisfaction. We aimed to describe the epidemiology of job dissatisfaction in older British workers, to explore which perceptions of work contribute most importantly, and to assess possible impacts on health. Methods Subjects aged 50-64 years were recruited from 24 English general practices. At baseline, those currently in work (N=5,437) reported on their demographic and employment circumstances, overall job satisfaction, perceptions of their work that might contribute to dissatisfaction, and their general health, mood and well-being. Associations of job dissatisfaction with risk factors and potential health outcomes were assessed cross-sectionally by logistic regression and the potential contributions of different negative perceptions to overall dissatisfaction were summarised by population attributable fractions (PAFs). Results Job dissatisfaction was more common among men, below age 60 years, those living in London and the South East, in the more educated and in those working for larger employers. The main contributors to job dissatisfaction among employees were feeling unappreciated and/or lacking a sense of achievement (PAF 55%-56%), while in the self-employed, job insecurity was the leading contributor (PAF 79%). Job dissatisfaction was associated with all of the adverse health outcomes examined (odds ratios of 3-5), as were most of the negative perceptions of work that contributed to overall dissatisfaction. Conclusions Employment policies aimed at improving job satisfaction in older workers may benefit from focussing particularly on relationships in the workplace, fairness, job security and instilling a sense of achievement. PMID:27152012

Everyday territories: homelessness, outreach work and city space.

PubMed

Smith, Robin James; Hall, Tom

2018-06-01

This article develops a situational approach to understanding urban public life and, in particular, the production of urban territories. Our aim is to examine the ways in which city space might be understood as comprising multiple, shifting, mobile and rhythmed territories. We argue that such territories are best understood through attending to their everyday production and negotiation, rather than handling territory as an a priori construct. We develop this argument from the particular case of the street-level politics of homelessness and street care. The experience of street homelessness and the provision of care in the public spaces of the city is characterised by precarious territorial claims made and lost. We describe some of the ways in which care work with rough sleepers is itself precarious; 'homeless', in lacking a distinct setting in which it might get done. Indeed, outreach work takes place within and affirms homeless territories. The affirmation of territory is shown to be central to the relationship developed between the workers and their rough sleeping clients. We also show, however, the ways in which outreach workers operate on territory not their own, twice over. Outreach work is precarious in that it is practised within, and can run counter to, other territorial productions in which the experience of urban need and the work and politics of care are entangled. In sum, this article aims to move beyond static and binary understandings by developing a mobile and situational approach to city space which recognises the intensive yet overlooked work of territorial production. © London School of Economics and Political Science 2017.

A conceptual framework to facilitate the mental health of student nurses working with persons with intellectual disabilities.

PubMed

van Rensburg, Elsie S Janse; Poggenpoel, Marie; Myburgh, Chris

2015-11-25

Student nurses (SNs) experience emotional discomfort during placement in the clinical psychiatric learning environment. This may negatively influence their mental health. Limited support is available to assist both SNs working with persons with intellectual disabilities and nurse educators during clinical accompaniment. This article aims to discuss the generation of this framework to enhance student support. A theory-generative, qualitative, exploratory, descriptive, contextual design was utilised to develop the framework by applying four steps. In step 1 concept analysis identified the central concept through field work. Data were collected from 13 SNs purposively selected from a specific higher educational institution in Gauteng through two focus group interviews, reflective journals, a reflective letter, naïve sketches, drawings and field notes and analysed with thematic coding. The central concept was identified from the results, supported by a literature review and defined by essential attributes. The central concept was classified through a survey list and demonstrated in a model case. In step 2 the central concepts were placed into relationships with each other. The conceptual framework was described and evaluated in step 3 and guidelines for implementation were described in step 4. The focus of this article will be on generating the conceptual framework. The central concept was 'the facilitation of engagement on a deeper emotional level of SNs'. The conceptual framework was described and evaluated. The conceptual framework can enhance the educational practices of nurse educators and can SN's practices of care for persons with intellectual disabilities.

Computational Nanophotonics: modeling optical interactions and transport in tailored nanosystem architectures

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

Schatz, George; Ratner, Mark

2014-02-27

This report describes research by George Schatz and Mark Ratner that was done over the period 10/03-5/09 at Northwestern University. This research project was part of a larger research project with the same title led by Stephen Gray at Argonne. A significant amount of our work involved collaborations with Gray, and there were many joint publications as summarized later. In addition, a lot of this work involved collaborations with experimental groups at Northwestern, Argonne, and elsewhere. The research was primarily concerned with developing theory and computational methods that can be used to describe the interaction of light with noble metalmore » nanoparticles (especially silver) that are capable of plasmon excitation. Classical electrodynamics provides a powerful approach for performing these studies, so much of this research project involved the development of methods for solving Maxwell’s equations, including both linear and nonlinear effects, and examining a wide range of nanostructures, including particles, particle arrays, metal films, films with holes, and combinations of metal nanostructures with polymers and other dielectrics. In addition, our work broke new ground in the development of quantum mechanical methods to describe plasmonic effects based on the use of time dependent density functional theory, and we developed new theory concerned with the coupling of plasmons to electrical transport in molecular wire structures. Applications of our technology were aimed at the development of plasmonic devices as components of optoelectronic circuits, plasmons for spectroscopy applications, and plasmons for energy-related applications.« less

Domestic work division and satisfaction in cohabiting adults: Associations with life satisfaction and self-rated health.

PubMed

Wagman, Petra; Nordin, Maria; Alfredsson, Lars; Westerholm, Peter J M; Fransson, Eleonor I

2017-01-01

The amount and perception of domestic work may affect satisfaction with everyday life, but further knowledge is needed about the relationship between domestic work division and health and well-being. To describe the division of, and satisfaction with, domestic work and responsibility for home/family in adults living with a partner. A further aim was to investigate the associations between these aspects and self-rated life satisfaction and health. Data from the Work, Lipids and Fibrinogen survey collected 2009 were used, comprising 4924 participants living with a partner. Data were analyzed using logistic regression. The majority shared domestic work and responsibility for home/family equally with their partner. However, more women conducted the majority of the domestic work and were less satisfied with its division. When both division and satisfaction with division was included in the analysis, solely satisfaction with the division and the responsibility were associated with higher odds for good life satisfaction. Regarding health, higher odds for good self-rated health were seen in those who were satisfied with their division of responsibility. The results highlight the importance of taking into account not solely the actual division of domestic work but also the satisfaction with it.

How behavioural science can contribute to health partnerships: the case of The Change Exchange.

PubMed

Byrne-Davis, Lucie M T; Bull, Eleanor R; Burton, Amy; Dharni, Nimarta; Gillison, Fiona; Maltinsky, Wendy; Mason, Corina; Sharma, Nisha; Armitage, Christopher J; Johnston, Marie; Byrne, Ged J; Hart, Jo K

2017-06-12

Health partnerships often use health professional training to change practice with the aim of improving quality of care. Interventions to change practice can learn from behavioural science and focus not only on improving the competence and capability of health professionals but also their opportunity and motivation to make changes in practice. We describe a project that used behavioural scientist volunteers to enable health partnerships to understand and use the theories, techniques and assessments of behavioural science. This paper outlines how The Change Exchange, a collective of volunteer behavioural scientists, worked with health partnerships to strengthen their projects by translating behavioural science in situ. We describe three case studies in which behavioural scientists, embedded in health partnerships in Uganda, Sierra Leone and Mozambique, explored the behaviour change techniques used by educators, supported knowledge and skill development in behaviour change, monitored the impact of projects on psychological determinants of behaviour and made recommendations for future project developments. Challenges in the work included having time and space for behavioural science in already very busy health partnership schedules and the difficulties in using certain methods in other cultures. Future work could explore other modes of translation and further develop methods to make them more culturally applicable. Behavioural scientists could translate behavioural science which was understood and used by the health partnerships to strengthen their project work.

Healthy offshore workforce? A qualitative study on offshore wind employees' occupational strain, health, and coping.

PubMed

Mette, Janika; Velasco Garrido, Marcial; Harth, Volker; Preisser, Alexandra M; Mache, Stefanie

2018-01-23

Offshore work has been described as demanding and stressful. Despite this, evidence regarding the occupational strain, health, and coping behaviors of workers in the growing offshore wind industry in Germany is still limited. The purpose of our study was to explore offshore wind employees' perceptions of occupational strain and health, and to investigate their strategies for dealing with the demands of offshore work. We conducted 21 semi-structured telephone interviews with employees in the German offshore wind industry. The interviews were transcribed and analyzed in a deductive-inductive approach following Mayring's qualitative content analysis. Workers generally reported good mental and physical health. However, they also stated perceptions of stress at work, fatigue, difficulties detaching from work, and sleeping problems, all to varying extents. In addition, physical health impairment in relation to offshore work, e.g. musculoskeletal and gastrointestinal complaints, was documented. Employees described different strategies for coping with their job demands. The strategies comprised of both problem and emotion-focused approaches, and were classified as either work-related, health-related, or related to seeking social support. Our study is the first to investigate the occupational strain, health, and coping of workers in the expanding German offshore wind industry. The results offer new insights that can be utilized for future research in this field. In terms of practical implications, the findings suggest that measures should be carried out aimed at reducing occupational strain and health impairment among offshore wind workers. In addition, interventions should be initiated that foster offshore wind workers' health and empower them to further expand on effective coping strategies at their workplace.

Investigating burnout situations, nurses' stress perception and effect of a post-graduate education program in health care organizations of northern Italy: a multicenter study.

PubMed

Arrigoni, Cristina; Caruso, Rosario; Campanella, Francesca; Berzolari, Francesca Gigli; Miazza, Daniela; Pelissero, Gabriele

2015-01-01

Burnout (BO) is increasingly considered a public health problem: it is not only harmful to the individual, but also for the organization. Therefore, in recent years, research has given particular attention to the study of the phenomenon and its antecedents among the nursing profession. In the last ten years, the literature shows the prevalence of BO in different clinical settings, but there are few recent data describing the phenomenon and its relationship with educational preventive programs. The aims of this study are: a) to describe the prevalence of nurses' risk of BO in the northern Italy area b) to describe nurses' coping and their perception of the BO antecedents. c) to describe the effects of education on the nurses' coping and their recognition of BO antecedents. The study is structured into two main parts. The first was cross-sectional, the second was prospective. Burnout Potential Inventory (BPI) questionnaire was used in the cross-sectional part to survey risk of BO in three big hospitals in Northern Italy. The Health Profession Stress and Coping Scale (HPSCS) was used in the prospective part to survey the nurses' stress perception and their coping mechanisms in a post-graduate educational program. Nurses' BO risk is within the normal range, although the BPI highlighted three borderline subscales: poor team work, work overload and poor feedback. Post-graduate education had a positive effect on the stress perception, but it is not sufficient to improve coping mechanisms. The study revealed the more stressful work situations and the effect of post-graduate education to prevent the effects of stress. This topic needs further investigation in the light of the result of this study.

The function of prehistoric lithic tools: a combined study of use-wear analysis and FTIR microspectroscopy.

PubMed

Nunziante Cesaro, Stella; Lemorini, Cristina

2012-02-01

The application of combined use-wear analysis and FTIR micro spectroscopy for the investigation of the flint and obsidian tools from the archaeological sites of Masseria Candelaro (Foggia, Italy) and Sant'Anna di Oria (Brindisi, Italy) aiming to clarify their functional use is described. The tools excavated in the former site showed in a very high percentage spectroscopically detectable residues on their working edges. The identification of micro deposits is based on comparison with a great number of replicas studied in the same experimental conditions. FTIR data confirmed in almost all cases the use-wear analysis suggestions and added details about the material processed and about the working procedures. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Identification of gas powered motor propulsion group for small unmanned aerial vehicles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Oldziej, Daniel; Walendziuk, Wojciech; Mirek, Karol

2016-09-01

The present work aims at the dynamics identification of gas powered motor propulsion applied in remotely piloted aircraft (RPA) of the small or medium class. In subsequent chapters, the criteria indicating the choice of an electric or a gas power system are described. Moreover, the classification and characteristics of gas powered motor propulsions are presented. The main body of the article contains a laboratory stand dedicated to test the fumes from the motor propulsions in order to measure their static and dynamic characteristics. A wireless solution of acquiring the measurement data from the laboratory stand reflecting real working conditions of the repulsion is suggested. In further parts, the dynamics identification is done, and the transfer function of the object is presented.

Evaluation of Supercapacitors Effects on Hybrid Energy Systems for Automotive

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lungoci, Carmen; Helerea, Elena

This work aims at evaluating the effects of the supercapacitors presence in hybrid energy systems used in automotive. The design and the electrical schema of a hybrid energy system that contains batteries and supercapacitors and propel a synchronous motor are purposed. The motor operating regime is described, detailing the drive evolution of the cycle speed imposed. In these conditions, to model the systems behavior, simulations developed in Matlab/Simulink environment are carried out. Two energies management strategies for the ensemble energy system-motor are implemented. Simulations are done and the energy management is discussed, making the comparative analyses. Applying a current control strategy on the supercapacitors, under two working conditions, functional diagrams are showed and compared. The results obtained highlight the advantages of the supercapacitors.

Mapping the audit traces of interdisciplinary collaboration: bridging and blending between choreography and cognitive science.

PubMed

Barnard, Philip; deLahunta, Scott

2017-01-01

Two long-term sci-art research projects are described and positioned in the broader conceptual landscape of interdisciplinary collaboration. Both projects were aimed at understanding and augmenting choreographic decision-making and both were grounded in research conducted within a leading contemporary dance company. In each case, the work drew upon methods and theory from the cognitive sciences, and both had a direct impact on the way in which the company made new work. In the synthesis presented here the concept of an audit trace is introduced. Audit traces identify how specific classes of knowledge are used and transformed not only within the arts or sciences but also when arts practice is informed by science or when arts practice informs science.

[Mercosur's regional health agenda: architecture and themes].

PubMed

Queiroz, Luisa Guimaraes; Giovanella, Ligia

2011-08-01

This article describes the shaping of institutional health spaces in the Mercosur, with analysis of themes and results and considerations on the construction of the regional agenda and on the effects of regional economic integration processes on health policies and systems. We discuss the organization, operation, focus topics, and results achieved in specific health forums (Meeting of Ministers of Health and Sub-Working Group 11), seeking to analyze the architecture and issues addressed by the regional agenda and drawing parallels with the European experience. The aim of this reflection is to identify how the work done by Mercosur structures contributes to building a regional agenda, with the expectation that the integration can contribute to reducing inequalities in access to health care in the region.

Perception of occupational balance by people with mental illness: A new methodology.

PubMed

Eklund, Mona; Argentzell, Elisabeth

2016-07-01

Aims The aims were to (i) investigate initial construct validity of a tool for assessment of time allocation in occupational balance, and (ii) describe perceived occupational balance and its relationship with socio-demographics, well-being, and personal recovery among people with mental illness. Methods Satisfaction with Daily Occupations and Occupational Balance (SDO-OB) was administered to 226 persons. SDO-OB reflects balance in five occupational domains: work, leisure, home chores, self-care, and overall occupational balance. Indicators for assessing construct validity were: satisfaction with everyday occupations, occupational value, symptom severity, and psychosocial functioning. For the second aim, the data collection included socio-demographics, life quality, self-esteem, self-mastery, and personal recovery. Results Occupational balance ratings indicated the participants were either under-occupied or in balance. Few were over-occupied. Feeling in balance was related to greater well-being and recovery compared with being under-occupied. Risk factors for under-occupation were younger age (in relation to work), and higher education (in relation to overall balance). Conclusions Associations with the indicators suggest initial construct validity. The SDO-OB is promising for assessment of occupational balance among people with mental illness. Being under-occupied was detrimental to well-being and recovery, and this indicates the importance of offering more occupational opportunities for people with mental illness.

Does interpersonal behavior of psychotherapy trainees differ in private and professional relationships?

PubMed Central

Fincke, Janna I.; Möller, Heidi; Taubner, Svenja

2015-01-01

Aim: The present study aimed to evaluate the effect of trainees’ interpersonal behavior on work involvement (WI) and compared their social behavior within professional and private relationships as well as between different psychotherapeutic orientations. Methods: The interpersonal scales of the Intrex short-form questionnaire and the Work Involvement Scale (WIS) were used to evaluate two samples of German psychotherapy trainees in psychoanalytic, psychodynamic, and cognitive behavioral therapy training. Trainees from Sample 1 (N = 184) were asked to describe their interpersonal behavior in relation to their patients when filling out the Intrex, whereas trainees from Sample 2 (N = 135) were asked to describe the private relationship with a significant other. Results: Interpersonal affiliation in professional relationships significantly predicted the level of healing involvement, while stress involvement was predicted by interpersonal affiliation and interdependence in trainees’ relationships with their patients. Social behavior within professional relationships provided higher correlations with WI than private interpersonal behavior. Significant differences were found between private and professional relation settings in trainees’ interpersonal behavior with higher levels of affiliation and interdependence with significant others. Differences between therapeutic orientation and social behavior could only be found when comparing trainees’ level of interdependence with the particular relationship setting. Conclusion: Trainees’ interpersonal level of affiliation in professional relationships is a predictor for a successful psychotherapeutic development. Vice versa, controlling behavior in professional settings can be understood as a risk factor against psychotherapeutic growth. Both results strengthen an evidence-based approach for competence development during psychotherapy training. PMID:26106347

Mothers of Infants With Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia Describe "Breastfeeding" in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit: "As Long as It's My Milk, I'm Happy".

PubMed

Froh, Elizabeth B; Deatrick, Janet A; Curley, Martha A Q; Spatz, Diane L

2017-08-01

Very little is known about the breastfeeding experience of mothers of infants born with congenital anomalies and cared for in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). Often, studies related to breastfeeding and lactation in the NICU setting are focused on the mothers of late preterm, preterm, low-birth-weight, and very-low-birth-weight infants. Congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) is an anatomic malformation of the diaphragm and affects 1 in every 2,000 to 4,000 live births. Currently, there are no studies examining the health outcomes of infants with CDH and the effect of human milk. Research aim: This study aimed to describe the breastfeeding experience of mothers of infants with CDH cared for in the NICU. A prospective, longitudinal qualitative descriptive design was used. Phased interviews were conducted with a purposive sample of 11 CDH infant-mother dyads from a level 3 NICU in a children's hospital. Six themes emerged from the data: (a) hopeful for breastfeeding, (b) latching on . . . to the pump, (c) we've already worked so hard, (d) getting the hang of it-it's getting easier, (e) a good safety net, and (f) finding a way that works for us. For this population of CDH infant-mother dyads, the term breastfeeding is not exclusive to direct feeding at the breast and the mothers emphasized the significance of providing their own mother's milk through a combination of feeding mechanisms to their infants with CDH.

Exploring the experiences of rehabilitated stroke survivors and stakeholders with regard to returning to work in South- West Nigeria.

PubMed

Soeker, Mogammad Shaheed; Olaoye, Olumide Ayoola

2017-01-01

Stroke has been identified as a global cause of neurological disability with a resultant burden shared not only by the survivor but also by society. The resumption of an individual's role as a worker after having a stroke, is an important rehabilitation goal. South-West Nigeria has experienced a high incidence and prevalence of stroke, leaving a quarter of survivors with severe disabilities and difficulties in community integration after rehabilitation. The study was aimed at exploring and describing the experiences of rehabilitated stroke survivors and perceptions of stakeholders about stroke survivors returning to work in South-West Nigeria. A qualitative research design was used to explore these experiences and perceptions from 19 participants, comprising nine stroke survivors, two key informants, who were rehabilitation specialists, and eight caregivers of the respective stroke survivors. The researcher made use of focus groups with the caregivers and semi-structured interviews with the stroke survivors and rehabilitation specialists. The data from the study were analysed using thematic analysis. Three themes emerged: Themes one and two described the barriers experienced by the stroke survivors on returning to work. Theme three described the factors that facilitated the resumption of the worker role. The study findings clearly depicted the many barriers experienced by stroke survivors and how these negatively impact their worker roles. Limited facilitatory factors exist to assist stroke survivors in regard to adapting to their worker roles. Promoting participation of stroke survivors in work emanating from government policies was deemed to be a necessary recommendation for the study. These policies were seen to be achievable if rehabilitation resources were improved.

A Logic-Based Psychotherapy Approach to Treating Patients Which Focuses on Faultless Logical Functioning: A Case Study Method

PubMed Central

Almeida, Fernando; Moreira, Diana

2017-01-01

Many clinical patients present to mental health clinics with depressive symptoms, anxiety, psychosomatic complaints, and sleeping problems. These symptoms which originated may originate from marital problems, conflictual interpersonal relationships, problems in securing work, and housing issues, among many others. These issues might interfere which underlie the difficulties that with the ability of the patients face in maintaining faultless logical reasoning (FLR) and faultless logical functioning (FLF). FLR implies to assess correctly premises, rules, and conclusions. And FLF implies assessing not only FLR, but also the circumstances, life experience, personality, events that validate a conclusion. Almost always, the symptomatology is accompanied by intense emotional changes. Clinical experience shows that a logic-based psychotherapy (LBP) approach is not practiced, and that therapists’ resort to psychopharmacotherapy or other types of psychotherapeutic approaches that are not focused on logical reasoning and, especially, logical functioning. Because of this, patients do not learn to overcome their reasoning and functioning errors. The aim of this work was to investigate how LBP works to improve the patients’ ability to think and function in a faultless logical way. This work describes the case studies of three patients. For this purpose we described the treatment of three patients. With this psychotherapeutic approach, patients gain knowledge that can then be applied not only to the issues that led them to the consultation, but also to other problems they have experienced, thus creating a learning experience and helping to prevent such patients from becoming involved in similar problematic situations. This highlights that LBP is a way of treating symptoms that interfere on some level with daily functioning. This psychotherapeutic approach is relevant for improving patients’ quality of life, and it fills a gap in the literature by describing original case analyses. PMID:29312088

Protecting the self: a descriptive qualitative exploration of how registered nurses cope with working in surgical areas.

PubMed

Mackintosh, Carolyn

2007-08-01

This paper aims to explore and describe how qualified nurses working with in, in-patient surgical areas cope with the daily experiences they are exposed to. It has long been recognised that many aspects of nursing work can result in high levels of stress, with negative consequences for the individual nurse and patient care. Difficulties in coping with nursing work can also result in burnout, as well as raising concerns about cognitive dissonance, emotional labour and the use of emotional barriers. Why some nurses are more prone to experience these phenomena than others, is unclear. A descriptive qualitative approach is taken using a purposive, theoretically congruent sample of 16 qualified registered nurses all of whom participated in a semi-structured interview during 2002. All interviews were tape recorded and transcribed verbatim and then analysed using the four stages outlined by Morse and Field [Morse, J.M., Field, P.A., 1996. Nursing Research: The Application of Qualitative Approaches. Chapman & Hall, London]. Three key themes emerged from analysis; relationships with patients, being a person and the effect of experience. All three interlink to describe a process whereby the individual switches off from the environment around them by adopting a working persona which is different but related to their own personal persona and is beneficially enhanced as a consequence of experience. Working as a nurse results in exposure to potentially distressing and stressful events from which it is important to protect the self. Participants in this study achieve protection by the development of a working persona which facilitates switching off and is beneficially enhanced by experience.

Corporate solutions to caseload management -- an evaluation.

PubMed

Hoskins, Robert; Gow, Ann; McDowell, Joan

2007-09-01

This paper describes an evaluation of a change in health visiting service delivery from GP caseload management to corporate caseload working, in one inner city health centre located in a deprived area of Glasgow. The aim of the study was to identify if moving to corporate caseload working provides the reported benefits cited in the limited literature available. A purposive sample consisting of ten health visitors, one GP, one manager and three clients volunteered to participate in this mixed methods evaluation study. Data were collected by means of a stress questionnaire, public health nursing diary, focus groups and semi-structured interviews. Findings show that immediate improvements were seen in team working, staff communication, sharing practice, enhanced clinical reflection and standards of documentation. However, corporate caseload working did not appear to reduce staff stress levels, increase public health nursing activity or improve quality of client service. Further research conducted over a longer time period with a full staffing complement is needed to validate these findings.

Working With Children in Families With Parental Substance Abuse: Nurses' Experiences and Complexity in Relationships.

PubMed

Wallström, Rebecca; Persson, Renée Ståleborg; Salzmann-Erikson, Martin

2016-06-01

Children who grow up in families with parental substance abuse are exposed to increased risk of developing a variety of disorders. As nurses encounter these children, it is important for them to be supportive. The aim of the current study was to describe nurses' experiences and reflections regarding their work with children in families with parental substance abuse. A qualitative descriptive approach was adopted. Seven nurses were interviewed, and data were analyzed using inductive content analysis. The results were presented in four categories: (a) nurses' responsibilities; (b) identification of children's social network; (c) ethical concerns; and (d) assessment and evaluation of children's behavior. Nurses' preventive work and intervention in dysfunctional families may have direct consequences on children's present and future development and well-being. [Journal of Psychosocial Nursing and Mental Health Services, 54(6), 38-44.]. Copyright 2016, SLACK Incorporated.

Advanced Aerodynamic Design of Passive Porosity Control Effectors

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hunter, Craig A.; Viken, Sally A.; Wood, Richard M.; Bauer, Steven X. S.

2001-01-01

This paper describes aerodynamic design work aimed at developing a passive porosity control effector system for a generic tailless fighter aircraft. As part of this work, a computational design tool was developed and used to layout passive porosity effector systems for longitudinal and lateral-directional control at a low-speed, high angle of attack condition. Aerodynamic analysis was conducted using the NASA Langley computational fluid dynamics code USM3D, in conjunction with a newly formulated surface boundary condition for passive porosity. Results indicate that passive porosity effectors can provide maneuver control increments that equal and exceed those of conventional aerodynamic effectors for low-speed, high-alpha flight, with control levels that are a linear function of porous area. This work demonstrates the tremendous potential of passive porosity to yield simple control effector systems that have no external moving parts and will preserve an aircraft's fixed outer mold line.

Articulating learning activities for design between university and the workplace. A didactic analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zaid, Abdelkarim

2013-08-01

This paper accounts for research looking at the following question: in what way can university-located training activities be articulated with those in companies for work-based engineering students? Here, we will present an overview of research about both training periods, i.e. in the companies and at university. We focus on the trainee's actual activities and written work from a didactic point of view, a perspective which has been rarely mentioned in previous studies about work-based training in engineering. We aim to describe the activities of trainee engineers during industrial and academic training. Training activities in design engineering will be analysed in terms of knowledge acquisition and how this knowledge is put into practice during the two parts of the training. In doing so, we will obtain a better picture of what trainees, trainers and tutors really do.

[Changes in the forms of industrial production and their effects on workers' health].

PubMed

Fernandes, Rita de Cássia Pereira; Assunção, Ada Avila; Carvalho, Fernando Martins

2010-06-01

This study aimed to identify determinants of health in workers of plastic industries. Production organization, machinery from maintenance and productive areas, and workers' characteristics of 14 plastic industries from Greater Salvador, Bahia State, Brazil, were described. Data were collected about development policy of each company; marketing, operational procedures; production and quality requirements, and formal rules of work organization. High strain management techniques for production time reduction have been implemented. The increase of work rhythm, reduction of break time, and a situation of high cognitive demand impose to workers anomalous body positioning for performing tasks that imply repetitive movements. Physical and psychosocial demands (repetitive work, lower control of the worker on his own tasks, time pressure and job dissatisfaction) compose a complex of conditions adverse to workers' health. Changes in production management, personnel and business impose new strains into the development of task by the workers and bringing in new risk factors to workers' health.

[Pregnancy-related and work-related sick leave of pregnant women].

PubMed

Tophøj, A; Mortensen, J T

1999-09-06

Pregnant women are allowed sick leave (SL) due to obstetrical or occupational risk factors. The aim was to describe reasons for SL during pregnancy. Pregnant women in a Danish county applying for SL were consecutively included in the study during 12 months in 1991-92. Data were obtained by questionnaires mailed to the women and their medical doctors. Of 1483 pregnant women on SL, 994 participated. Approximately 96% were on SL due to obstetrical risk factors. Occupational factors contributed to SL in at least 50% of the cases, mainly when working in a standing or walking position or when lifting. The women were rarely replaced in other jobs before leaving work. On average the women were absent for 83 days before official pregnancy leave started. Although SL during pregnancy is overwhelmingly due to obstetrical risk factors, occupational factors often contribute. Occupational Health and Safety Organizations are rarely involved at the workplace before issuing a sick leave certificate.

[Neurosciences in Bordeaux].

PubMed

Le Moal, Michel; Battin, Jacques; Bioulac, Bernard; Bourgeois, Marc Louis; Henry, Patrick; Vital, Claude; Vincent, Jean-Didier

2008-04-01

The Bordeaux Neuroscience Institute brings together all the disciplines that constitute the clinical and experimental neurosciences. Outside of the Paris region, the Institute represents the largest community of researchers working on the nervous system. The aim of this brief historical piece is to describe how neuroscientists in Bordeaux are the heirs to a long neuropsychiatric tradition established by pioneers of national and international renown. This tradition has been maintained, without interruption, through many generations. The careers and scientific work of these great neurologists and psychiatrists are briefly evoked, and particularly those of A. Pitres, E. Régis and E. Azam in the 19th century; and, in the 20th century, J. Abadie, H. Verger and R. Cruchet. The determining influence of P Delmas-Marsalet (1898-1977), Professor of Neuropsychiatry, on the development of modern neurosciences in Bordeaux is recalled through his work, his teachings, and his numerous students.

Universality of physicians' burnout syndrome as a result of experiencing difficulty in relationship with patients.

PubMed

Sablik, Zbigniew; Samborska-Sablik, Anna; Drożdż, Jarosław

2013-06-20

The aim of our work is to present the universality of burnout syndrome among physicians worldwide and to demonstrate selected aspects of the relationship between patients and doctors as a common factor predisposing to burnout. We looked up 20 original pieces of research from the Medline database published in the last 10 years to determine the prevalence of burnout among doctors in different countries. In all quoted works a remarkable percentage of doctors of interventional and non-interventional specialties suffered burnout. Because it is the relationship with patients that constitutes a key denominator for their work, in the discussion we have exposed an important aspect of it, destructive patient games, described on the basis of transactional analysis. Since universal burnout causes a deterioration of doctors' service, for the optimal good of the patient to survive preservation of the doctor's well-being in the patient-doctor relationship is needed everywhere.

Maintaining Research Integrity While Balancing Cultural Sensitivity: A Case Study and Lessons From the Field.

PubMed

Sibbald, Rebekah; Loiseau, Bethina; Darren, Benedict; Raman, Salem A; Dimaras, Helen; Loh, Lawrence C

2016-04-01

Contemporary emphasis on creating culturally relevant and context specific knowledge increasingly drives researchers to conduct their work in settings outside their home country. This often requires researchers to build relationships with various stakeholders who may have a vested interest in the research. This case study examines the tension between relationship development with stakeholders and maintaining study integrity, in the context of potential harms, data credibility and cultural sensitivity. We describe an ethical breach in the conduct of global health research by a arising from the ad-hoc participation of a community stakeholder external to the visiting research group. A framework for reflection is developed from a careful examination of underlying factors and presented with a discussion of consequences and mitigation measures. This framework aims to present lessons learned for researchers working abroad who might face similar situations in their work. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Mondani intraoral welding: historical process and main practical applications.

PubMed

Dal Carlo, L; Pasqualini, M E; Mondani, P M; Rossi, F; Moglioni, E; Shulman, M

2017-01-01

The intraoral welder was invented by Dr. Pierluigi Mondani during the early 70’s to weld titanium needle implants to a titanium bar in patient’s mouth and to load them immediately by means of resin prosthesis. The clinical use documented dates back to 1972. Over the years, many practical applications have been added to the initial one, which have expanded the use of this device. In this scientific work, main applications are described. The aim of the work was to trace the historical process of intra-oral welding according to Mondani and describe the main practical applications. Intra-oral welding is a process introduced by dr. Pier Luigi Mondani of Genova (Italy) which allows to firmly conjoin titanium implants of any shape by means of a titanium bar or also directly between them in the mouth during surgery. The immediate stabilization achieved by intraoral welding increases implants success rate, allows immediate loading even in situations of bone atrophy, saves implants that are running into failure, re-evaluates fractured implants, allows to stabilize submerged implants postponing prosthesis management, allows to achieve efficient rehabilitation protocols to deal with difficult cases. The 40-years’ experience with intra-oral welding described in this article, confirms the ease of use and efficiency in providing immediate stabilization of titanium implants of all types.

Good work ability among unemployed individuals: Association of sociodemographic, work-related and well-being factors.

PubMed

Hult, Marja; Pietilä, Anna-Maija; Koponen, Päivikki; Saaranen, Terhi

2018-05-01

The aims of this study were to describe the perceived work ability of unemployed individuals and to explore the association between perceived good work ability and sociodemographic, work-related and well-being factors. The data were derived from the Finnish Regional Health and Well-being Study (ATH) collected by postal and Internet-based questionnaires in 2014-2015. The random sample was selected from the Finnish National Population Register. The present study includes data from unemployed or laid-off respondents ( n=1975) aged 20-65 years. Logistic regression was used in the statistical analysis. Perceived work ability was measured with the Work Ability Score. Factors significantly associated with good work ability were having young children living in the household, short-term unemployment, low or moderate physical strain in most recent job, moderate mental strain in most recent job, satisfaction with most recent job, good self-rated health and good quality of life. Good self-rated health (odds ratio=10.53, 95% confidence interval 5.90-18.80) was the most substantial factor in the multivariate model. The findings provide further evidence on the factors related to good work ability of the unemployed. These factors should be considered when designing interventions for promoting work ability and to minimise the harmful effects of long-term unemployment.

Physical and postural aspects of teachers during work activity.

PubMed

da Silva, Nilson Rogério; Almeida, Maria Amélia

2012-01-01

Studies indicate that teachers constitute a professional segment, in which the work characteristics and the demands originating from the act of teaching, favor the emergence of sickness, concerning physical or emotional aspects. The present work aimed to describe physical and postural aspects during the working activity of teachers. A total of 120 elementary school teachers (1st to 8th grade) took part in the survey. For data collection, a questionnaire was applied: it included personal and occupational information, perception of discomfort and being off work; physical strength activities; posture at work and physical conditioning activities. The average age of teachers of the present sample corresponds to 35,8 years. In relation to activities which generate more physical strength, the answer none of the activities was predominant with 30 answers; followed by writing on the board, standing up during the period of classes, explanation of the subjects, class elaboration, correction of homework and others. The area of the body with higher amount of occurrences and prevalent discomfort referred to the lower limbs and spinal cord. These data inform the necessity of investing in prevention programs for the teachers, in order to develop strategies into the organizational context and interventions at the work environment.

Enhanced Ligand Sampling for Relative Protein–Ligand Binding Free Energy Calculations

PubMed Central

2016-01-01

Free energy calculations are used to study how strongly potential drug molecules interact with their target receptors. The accuracy of these calculations depends on the accuracy of the molecular dynamics (MD) force field as well as proper sampling of the major conformations of each molecule. However, proper sampling of ligand conformations can be difficult when there are large barriers separating the major ligand conformations. An example of this is for ligands with an asymmetrically substituted phenyl ring, where the presence of protein loops hinders the proper sampling of the different ring conformations. These ring conformations become more difficult to sample when the size of the functional groups attached to the ring increases. The Adaptive Integration Method (AIM) has been developed, which adaptively changes the alchemical coupling parameter λ during the MD simulation so that conformations sampled at one λ can aid sampling at the other λ values. The Accelerated Adaptive Integration Method (AcclAIM) builds on AIM by lowering potential barriers for specific degrees of freedom at intermediate λ values. However, these methods may not work when there are very large barriers separating the major ligand conformations. In this work, we describe a modification to AIM that improves sampling of the different ring conformations, even when there is a very large barrier between them. This method combines AIM with conformational Monte Carlo sampling, giving improved convergence of ring populations and the resulting free energy. This method, called AIM/MC, is applied to study the relative binding free energy for a pair of ligands that bind to thrombin and a different pair of ligands that bind to aspartyl protease β-APP cleaving enzyme 1 (BACE1). These protein–ligand binding free energy calculations illustrate the improvements in conformational sampling and the convergence of the free energy compared to both AIM and AcclAIM. PMID:25906170

Perceived Quality of Work Life and Risk for Compassion Fatigue Among Oncology Nurses: A Mixed-Methods Study.

PubMed

Denigris, Jami; Fisher, Kathleen; Maley, MaryKay; Nolan, Elizabeth

2016-05-01

To examine factors that influenced the nurse's perceived quality of work life and risk for compassion fatigue (CF). The specific aims of the study were to describe the (a) relationship among nurse characteristics and perceived quality of work life, (b) relationship between personal life stress and perceived quality of work life, and (c) the nurse's beliefs about his or her risk for CF.
. A descriptive, mixed-methods study.
. A hematology-oncology unit in a large urban teaching hospital in Pennsylvania.
. 20 oncology nurses. 
. Descriptive study using questionnaires and in-depth interviews. The variables were nurse characteristics, personal life stress, and quality of work life. Data were analyzed descriptively and thematically. Scores on the self-report questionnaires were compared to themes.
. Personal life stressors, measured by combining the Impact of Events Scale and Life Events Scale, identified powerful or severe impacts on well-being for 30% of nurse respondents in this study, theoretically placing them at risk for CF. However, qualitative data did not complement the results of the Life Events Scale, and 55% of the nurses described their overall work experiences as "life-affirming and rewarding." The participants provided multiple sources of their work-related stress, including subcategories of communication breakdown, work environment/institution, and care-driven factors. 
. Overall, oncology nurses experienced positive reinforcement at work and they had little concern about individual or organizational effectiveness. Positive experiences offset the negative and balanced out the risk for CF.
. The identification of personal and social contributors, as well as solutions to work-related stress, supports the philosophical premises (i.e., conceptual model) that the circumstances that place a nurse at risk for CF are socially constructed. Nurses can achieve greater empathy through self-understanding and translate this learning to patient care.

Timing Calibration of the NEMO Optical Sensors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Circella, M.; de Marzo, C.; Megna, R.; Ruppi, M.

2006-04-01

This paper describes the timing calibration system for the NEMO underwater neutrino telescope. The NEMO Project aims at the construction of a km3 detector, equipped with a large number of photomultipliers, in the Mediterranean Sea. We foresee a redundant system to perform the time calibration of our apparatus: 1) A two-step procedure for measuring the offsets in the time measurements of the NEMO optical sensors, so as to measure separately the time delay for the synchronization signals to reach the offshore electronics and the response time of the photomultipliers to calibration signals delivered from optical pulsers through an optical fibre distribution system; 2) an all-optical procedure for measuring the differences in the time offsets of the different optical modules illuminated by calibration pulses. Such a system can be extended to work for a very large apparatus, even for complex arrangements of widely spaced sensors. The NEMO prototyping activities ongoing at a test site off the coast of Sicily will allow the system described in this work to be operated and tested in situ next year.

Numerical study and modeling of the spatial and temporal distribution of the solar field at Khouribga and the 20 Moroccan cities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nfaoui, M.; El-Hami, K.

2018-02-01

The study or applications of solar energy at a given site are dependent on more complete and detailed data on the solar radiation of this site, the aim of this work is presented the method used in the calculation and describe the available data by trying to extract some useful information. We present the method used in the calculation and describe the available data by trying to extract some useful information. In our study we use programs through MATLAB to estimate the totality of the solar radiation on any inclined surface. Moreover, we will study in the last part the influence of exposure (orientation and inclination) on the amount of solar radiation received on a surface of 1m2. Then in order to study the theoretical solar field available in Khouribga, a series of insolation and irradiation data calculate, and then we apply the same strategy of this work to the 20 Moroccan cities in different time scales (every 3min, every day, every month and all year).

Work, Weight, and Wellness: the 3W Program: a worksite obesity prevention and intervention trial.

PubMed

Williams, Andrew E; Vogt, Thomas M; Stevens, Victor J; Albright, Cheryl A; Nigg, Claudio R; Meenan, Richard T; Finucane, Melissa L

2007-11-01

In this paper, we describe the aims, intervention, and design of the Work, Weight, and Wellness program, a group-randomized worksite obesity prevention and intervention trial being conducted at 31 hotels with 11,559 employees on the island of Oahu in Hawaii. We report baseline prevalence of overweight and obesity, and the distribution of BMI (kilograms per meter squared) across sex, race, and job categories. We also describe factors that have influenced intervention adoption and employee participation. The study's primary outcome is change in BMI among hotel employees over a 2-year intervention period. The intervention includes environmental and group components that target diet, physical activity, and weight management. Men, Pacific Islanders, and individuals employed in managerial or facility maintenance roles had higher prevalence of obesity and higher mean BMI than women and individuals from other races or in other occupational categories. These results may be helpful in guiding choices about the adoption or design of future worksite and community interventions addressing at-risk ethnically diverse populations and are especially relevant to the hotel industry and similar industries.

It Is Tough and Tiring but It Works--Children's Experiences of Undergoing Radiotherapy.

PubMed

Engvall, Gunn; Ångström-Brännström, Charlotte; Mullaney, Tara; Nilsson, Kristina; Wickart-Johansson, Gun; Svärd, Anna-Maja; Nyholm, Tufve; Lindh, Jack; Lindh, Viveca

2016-01-01

Approximately 300 children ages 0 to 18 are diagnosed with cancer in Sweden every year, and 80 to 90 of them undergo radiotherapy treatment. The aim was to describe children's experiences of preparing for and undergoing radiotherapy, and furthermore to describe children's suggestions for improvement. Thirteen children between the ages of 5 and 15 with various cancer diagnoses were interviewed. Data was analyzed using qualitative content analysis. The findings revealed five categories: positive and negative experiences with hospital stays and practical arrangements; age-appropriate information, communication, and guidance to various degrees; struggle with emotions; use of distraction and other suitable coping strategies; and children's suggestions for improvement during radiotherapy. An overarching theme emerged: "It is tough and tiring but it works". Some key areas were: explanatory visits, the need for information and communication, being afraid, discomfort and suffering, the need for media distraction, dealing with emotions, and the need for support. A systematic, family-centered preparation program could possible help families prepare and individualized distraction during radiotherapy could contribute to reducing distress. Further studies with interventions could clarify successful programs.

Polyhedral Boranes: A Versatile Building Block for Nanoporous Materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Clingerman, Daniel Jon

The studies described in this dissertation examine several new concepts related to polyhedral boranes and their applications towards the synthesis of novel nanoporous materials. The unique thermal and chemical robustness, rigidity, quasi-spherical geometry, and high boron content of polyhedral boranes are explored to generate materials not possible with typical organic synthons. Aside from the fundamental synthetic work, this work was also aimed at solving larger global issues such as energy storage and new routes to therapeutics. Chapter 2 highlights the discovery of the first highly porous carborane-based metal-organic framework, where the spherical nature of the carborane increases volumetric surface area without reducing pore volume. Chapter 3 examines the first tritopic carborane-based ligand and the stabilizing effect the rigid, sterically bulky carboranyl groups have on highly porous topologies not stable with typical organic ligands. Chapters 4 and 5 describe the use of polyhedral borane-based ligands as a means to influence and generate unexpected topologies. Lastly, chapter 6 explores using a simple carborane-based ligand that harnesses the power of coordination-driven assembly to rapidly generate a high boron-containing supramolecular cuboctahedron.

Survey process quality: a question of healthcare manager approach.

PubMed

Nilsson, Petra; Blomqvist, Kerstin

2017-08-14

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore how healthcare first-line managers think about and act regarding workplace survey processes. Design/methodology/approach This interview study was performed at a hospital in south Sweden. First-line healthcare managers ( n=24) volunteered. The analysis was inspired by phenomenography, which aims to describe the ways in which different people experience a phenomenon. The phenomenon was a workplace health promotion (WHP) survey processes. Findings Four main WHP survey process approaches were identified among the managers: as a possibility, as a competition, as a work task among others and as an imposition. For each, three common subcategories emerged; how managers: stated challenges and support from hospital management; described their own work group and collaboration with other managers; and expressed themselves and their situation in their roles as first-line managers. Practical implications Insights into how hospital management can understand their first-line managers' motivation for survey processes and practical suggestions and how managers can work proactively at organizational, group and individual level are presented. Originality/value Usually these studies focus on those who should respond to a survey; not those who should run the survey process. Focusing on managers and not co-workers can lead to more committed and empowered managers and thereby success in survey processes.

Stress Exposure, Food Intake, and Emotional State

PubMed Central

Ulrich-Lai, Yvonne M.; Fulton, Stephanie; Wilson, Mark; Petrovich, Gorica; Rinaman, Linda

2016-01-01

This manuscript summarizes the proceedings of the symposium entitled, “Stress, Palatable Food and Reward”, that was chaired by Drs. Linda Rinaman and Yvonne Ulrich-Lai at the 2014 Neurobiology of Stress Workshop held in Cincinnati, OH. This symposium comprised research presentations by four neuroscientists whose work focuses on the biological bases for complex interactions among stress, food intake and emotion. First, Dr. Ulrich-Lai describes her rodent research exploring mechanisms by which the rewarding properties of sweet palatable foods confer stress relief. Second, Dr. Stephanie Fulton discusses her work in which excessive, long-term intake of dietary lipids, as well as their subsequent withdrawal, promotes stress-related outcomes in mice. Third, Dr. Mark Wilson describes his group’s research examining the effects of social hierarchy-related stress on food intake and diet choice in group-housed female rhesus macaques, and compared the data from monkeys to results obtained in analogous work using rodents. Lastly, Dr. Gorica Petrovich discusses her research program that is aimed at defining cortical–amygdalar–hypothalamic circuitry responsible for curbing food intake during emotional threat (i.e., fear anticipation) in rats. Their collective results reveal the complexity of physiological and behavioral interactions that link stress, food intake and emotional state, and suggest new avenues of research to probe the impact of genetic, metabolic, social, experiential, and environmental factors. PMID:26303312

Stress exposure, food intake and emotional state.

PubMed

Ulrich-Lai, Yvonne M; Fulton, Stephanie; Wilson, Mark; Petrovich, Gorica; Rinaman, Linda

2015-01-01

This manuscript summarizes the proceedings of the symposium entitled, "Stress, Palatable Food and Reward", that was chaired by Drs. Linda Rinaman and Yvonne Ulrich-Lai at the 2014 Neurobiology of Stress Workshop held in Cincinnati, OH. This symposium comprised research presentations by four neuroscientists whose work focuses on the biological bases for complex interactions among stress, food intake and emotion. First, Dr Ulrich-Lai describes her rodent research exploring mechanisms by which the rewarding properties of sweet palatable foods confer stress relief. Second, Dr Stephanie Fulton discusses her work in which excessive, long-term intake of dietary lipids, as well as their subsequent withdrawal, promotes stress-related outcomes in mice. Third, Dr Mark Wilson describes his group's research examining the effects of social hierarchy-related stress on food intake and diet choice in group-housed female rhesus macaques, and compared the data from monkeys to results obtained in analogous work using rodents. Finally, Dr Gorica Petrovich discusses her research program that is aimed at defining cortical-amygdalar-hypothalamic circuitry responsible for curbing food intake during emotional threat (i.e. fear anticipation) in rats. Their collective results reveal the complexity of physiological and behavioral interactions that link stress, food intake and emotional state, and suggest new avenues of research to probe the impact of genetic, metabolic, social, experiential and environmental factors on these interactions.

Confidence in public institutions: A focus group study on views on the Swedish Social Insurance Agency.

PubMed

Holmgren, K; Rosstorp, F; Rohdén, H

2016-09-27

From a public health perspective among the working population, it is very important that confidence in the welfare system is high, ensuring the citizens economic security and protecting them from economic stress when falling ill. The aim of this study was to explore how people with experience of health insurance perceive their confidence in the Swedish Social Insurance Agency (SSIA). Eight focus groups (n = 41) were conducted and each group met on one occasion. The participants described a systemic change in the work of the SSIA where the rule-of-law was disregarded, with arbitrary assessment, and no transparency. The reception by the SSIA shaped the image of the SSIA. The participants described vulnerability in relation to the SSIA. They felt mistrusted, which left a feeling of impotence that worsened their health. Experiencing vulnerability left a strong impression and affected the participants' confidence negatively. The following has to be acknowledged to prevent clients from experiencing impaired health, promote return-to-work possibilities, and to push public confidence in the institution in a more positive direction: Politicians and public administrators need to clarify the regulations. The decision-making process needs to be transparent and just. The entire procedure, including continuity as well as a personal, nice reception, has to be ensured.

Practical implementation of the concept of converted electric vehicle with advanced traction and dynamic performance and environmental safety indicators

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sidorov, K. M.; Yutt, V. E.; Grishchenko, A. G.; Golubchik, T. V.

2018-02-01

The objective of the work presented in this paper is to describe the implementation of the technical solutions have been developed, with regard to structure, composition, and characteristics, for an experimental prototype of an electric vehicle which has been converted from a conventional vehicle. The methodology of the study results is based on the practical implementation of the developed concept of the conversion of conventional vehicles into electric vehicles. The main components of electric propulsion system of the experimental prototype of electric vehicle are developed and manufactured on the basis of computational researches, taking into account the criteria and principles of conversion within the framework of presented work. The article describes a schematic and a design of power conversion and commutation electrical equipment, traction battery, electromechanical transmission. These results can serve as guidance material in the design and implementation of electric propulsion system (EPS) components of electric vehicles, facilitate the development of optimal technical solutions in the development and manufacture of vehicles, including those aimed at autonomy of operation and the use of perspective driver assistance systems. As part of this work, was suggested a rational structure for an electric vehicle experimental prototype, including technical performance characteristics of the components of EPS.

'They bring AIDS to us and say we give it to them': Socio-structural context of female sex workers' vulnerability to HIV infection in Ibadan, Nigeria.

PubMed

Muñoz, Jennifer; Adedimeji, Adebola; Alawode, Olayemi

2010-08-01

The aim of the study was to examine and describe the individual and structural-environmental factors that shape the vulnerability of brothel-based female sex workers (FSWs) in Ibadan, southwest Nigeria to HIV infection. A descriptive qualitative research design was utilised to elicit data, using in-depth interviews and focus group discussions, from 60 randomly selected participants in four brothels. A thematic analysis of data was undertaken following transcription and validation of interviews. Five themes emerged from the data: (i) flawed knowledge and fatalistic attitudes; (ii) the psychosocial and economic context of sex work; (iii) religious beliefs, stigma and risk taking; (iv) barriers to HIV testing; and (v) legal and policy constraints to sex work. We describe the complex interaction between these themes and how they combine to increase the risk of HIV infection among FSWs. The impact of previous interventions to reduce the risk of HIV infection among FSWs has been limited by personal and structural factors; hence we recommend that new strategies that recognise the practical constraints to HIV prevention among FSWs are urgently needed to make the environment of commercial work safer for FSWs, their clients, and by extension the general population.

How do consumers describe wine astringency?

PubMed

Vidal, Leticia; Giménez, Ana; Medina, Karina; Boido, Eduardo; Ares, Gastón

2015-12-01

Astringency is one of the most important sensory characteristics of red wine. Although a hierarchically structured vocabulary to describe the mouthfeel sensations of red wine has been proposed, research on consumers' astringency vocabulary is lacking. In this context, the aim of this work was to gain an insight on the vocabulary used by wine consumers to describe the astringency of red wine and to evaluate the influence of wine involvement on consumers' vocabulary. One hundred and twenty-five wine consumers completed and on-line survey with five tasks: an open-ended question about the definition of wine astringency, free listing the sensations perceived when drinking an astringent wine, free listing the words they would use to describe the astringency of a red wine, a CATA question with 44 terms used in the literature to describe astringency, and a wine involvement questionnaire. When thinking about wine astringency consumers freely elicited terms included in the Mouth-feel Wheel, such as dryness and harsh. The majority of the specific sub-qualities of the Mouth-feel Wheel were not included in consumer responses. Also, terms not classified as astringency descriptors were elicited (e.g. acid and bitter). Only 17 out of the 31 terms from the Mouth-feel Wheel were used by more than 10% of participants when answering the CATA question. There were no large differences in the responses of consumer segments with different wine involvement. Results from the present work suggest that most of the terms of the Mouth-feel Wheel might not be adequate to communicate the astringency characteristics of red wine to consumers. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A self-organizing neural network for job scheduling in distributed systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Newman, Harvey B.; Legrand, Iosif C.

2001-08-01

The aim of this work is to describe a possible approach for the optimization of the job scheduling in large distributed systems, based on a self-organizing Neural Network. This dynamic scheduling system should be seen as adaptive middle layer software, aware of current available resources and making the scheduling decisions using the "past experience." It aims to optimize job specific parameters as well as the resource utilization. The scheduling system is able to dynamically learn and cluster information in a large dimensional parameter space and at the same time to explore new regions in the parameters space. This self-organizing scheduling system may offer a possible solution to provide an effective use of resources for the off-line data processing jobs for future HEP experiments.

Benchmarking and validation activities within JEFF project

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cabellos, O.; Alvarez-Velarde, F.; Angelone, M.; Diez, C. J.; Dyrda, J.; Fiorito, L.; Fischer, U.; Fleming, M.; Haeck, W.; Hill, I.; Ichou, R.; Kim, D. H.; Klix, A.; Kodeli, I.; Leconte, P.; Michel-Sendis, F.; Nunnenmann, E.; Pecchia, M.; Peneliau, Y.; Plompen, A.; Rochman, D.; Romojaro, P.; Stankovskiy, A.; Sublet, J. Ch.; Tamagno, P.; Marck, S. van der

2017-09-01

The challenge for any nuclear data evaluation project is to periodically release a revised, fully consistent and complete library, with all needed data and covariances, and ensure that it is robust and reliable for a variety of applications. Within an evaluation effort, benchmarking activities play an important role in validating proposed libraries. The Joint Evaluated Fission and Fusion (JEFF) Project aims to provide such a nuclear data library, and thus, requires a coherent and efficient benchmarking process. The aim of this paper is to present the activities carried out by the new JEFF Benchmarking and Validation Working Group, and to describe the role of the NEA Data Bank in this context. The paper will also review the status of preliminary benchmarking for the next JEFF-3.3 candidate cross-section files.

The development of a primary dental care outreach course.

PubMed

Waterhouse, P; Maguire, A; Tabari, D; Hind, V; Lloyd, J

2008-02-01

The aim of this work was to develop the first north-east based primary dental care outreach (PDCO) course for clinical dental undergraduate students at Newcastle University. The process of course design will be described and involved review of the existing Bachelor of Dental Surgery (BDS) degree course in relation to previously published learning outcomes. Areas were identified where the existing BDS course did not meet fully these outcomes. This was followed by setting the PDCO course aims and objectives, intended learning outcomes, curriculum and structure. The educational strategy and methods of teaching and learning were subsequently developed together with a strategy for overall quality control of the teaching and learning experience. The newly developed curriculum was aligned with appropriate student assessment methods, including summative, formative and ipsative elements.

The Cognitive Atlas: Toward a Knowledge Foundation for Cognitive Neuroscience

PubMed Central

Poldrack, Russell A.; Kittur, Aniket; Kalar, Donald; Miller, Eric; Seppa, Christian; Gil, Yolanda; Parker, D. Stott; Sabb, Fred W.; Bilder, Robert M.

2011-01-01

Cognitive neuroscience aims to map mental processes onto brain function, which begs the question of what “mental processes” exist and how they relate to the tasks that are used to manipulate and measure them. This topic has been addressed informally in prior work, but we propose that cumulative progress in cognitive neuroscience requires a more systematic approach to representing the mental entities that are being mapped to brain function and the tasks used to manipulate and measure mental processes. We describe a new open collaborative project that aims to provide a knowledge base for cognitive neuroscience, called the Cognitive Atlas (accessible online at http://www.cognitiveatlas.org), and outline how this project has the potential to drive novel discoveries about both mind and brain. PMID:21922006

How can the rehabilitation planning process at the workplace be improved? A qualitative study from employers' perspective.

PubMed

Larsson, Agneta; Gard, Gunvor

2003-09-01

Employers in Sweden are by law responsible for planning and controlling the working environment situation in their companies and for ensuring that any need for rehabilitation is noted as soon as possible and that action is taken. This includes developing a plan for rehabilitation. The aim of this study is to describe employers' experiences of the work rehabilitation planning process at the workplace, and how it can be improved with a focus on quality and cost-effectiveness. Qualitative interviews were performed with 10 employers of employee/s that had participated in vocational rehabilitation at a rehabilitation center in the North of Sweden. The results showed that employers were interested in detecting work rehabilitation needs and in taking action early. Rehabilitation at the workplace could be improved by development of routines, improved work relations and work technique, and environment in-service training at the workplace. Prevention was perceived as a prerequisite for a good result of rehabilitation. Attention to social and geographic conditions is needed. Organizational and financial limitations exist.

A historical approach to scorpion studies with special reference to the 20th and 21st centuries

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

This work provides historical context about scorpion studies from the end of the 19th century to the present day. The content is mainly addressed to non-zoologists, working in research fields that embrace scorpion biology, notably to those working with venoms and toxins. The historical aspects described include academic professional scholars who worked on scorpion classification and general distribution patterns; and to a lesser extent, on studies of ecology and natural history. The aim is not to provide an exhaustive description of all scholars who in one way or another became involved with scorpions, but rather of those who greatly contributed during a given period to the research of these organisms. No critical analysis of the work of previous researchers is undertaken, but some comments are proposed to bring clarification on ‘who’s who’. Since a global consensus in relation to classification and/or distribution patterns has not been reached among modern experts, these different approaches are also presented without judgment. Consequently, distinct approaches remain open for discussion. PMID:24618067

Ethical dilemmas experienced by speech-language pathologists working in private practice.

PubMed

Flatley, Danielle R; Kenny, Belinda J; Lincoln, Michelle A

2014-06-01

Speech-language pathologists experience ethical dilemmas as they fulfil their professional roles and responsibilities. Previous research findings indicated that speech-language pathologists working in publicly funded settings identified ethical dilemmas when they managed complex clients, negotiated professional relationships, and addressed service delivery issues. However, little is known about ethical dilemmas experienced by speech-language pathologists working in private practice settings. The aim of this qualitative study was to describe the nature of ethical dilemmas experienced by speech-language pathologists working in private practice. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with 10 speech-language pathologists employed in diverse private practice settings. Participants explained the nature of ethical dilemmas they experienced at work and identified their most challenging and frequently occurring ethical conflicts. Qualitative content analysis was used to analyse transcribed data and generate themes. Four themes reflected the nature of speech-language pathologists' ethical dilemmas; balancing benefit and harm, fidelity of business practices, distributing funds, and personal and professional integrity. Findings support the need for professional development activities that are specifically targeted towards facilitating ethical practice for speech-language pathologists in the private sector.

Sickness absence and sickness attendance--what people with neck or back pain think.

PubMed

Hansson, Margareta; Boström, Carina; Harms-Ringdahl, Karin

2006-05-01

This study explores the decision of 33 men and women to be sick-listed from work for neck pain or low-back pain. Qualitative interviews with the subjects, who lived in a city or a sparsely populated area of Sweden, were tape-recorded, transcribed and analysed in the interpretive tradition by the three authors. New, intense and threatening pain quickly made persons report sick. For other pain, sickness absence, its timing and duration, were negotiated on the basis of the subjects' self-image, work-duty norms, organisational and extra-organisational work factors. Thirty-one people aimed to return to work, but spine-related pain was a hindrance. Five strategies to avoid, delay or shorten sickness absence were identified. Concepts of the illness flexibility model well described how the workers balanced the factors driving them from work and those forcing them or attracting them to remain. The conclusion is that reporting sick is neither undertaken lightly nor for short-term reasons only. Instead, personal history and anticipated future, spine-related pain, workplace and labour market factors are also important considerations.

Effects of Shift and Night Work in the Offshore Petroleum Industry: A Systematic Review

PubMed Central

FOSSUM, Ingrid Nesdal; BJORVATN, Bjørn; WAAGE, Siri; PALLESEN, Ståle

2013-01-01

Shift and night work are associated with several negative outcomes. The aim of this study was to make a systematic review of all studies which examine effects of shift and night work in the offshore petroleum industry, to synthesize the knowledge of how shift work offshore may affect the workers. Searches for studies concerning effects on health, sleep, adaptation, safety, working conditions, family- and social life and turnover were conducted via the databases Web of Knowledge, PsycINFO and PubMed. Search was also conducted through inspection of reference lists of relevant literature. We identified studies describing effects of shift work in terms of sleep, adaptation and re-adaptation of circadian rhythms, health outcomes, safety and accidents, family and social life, and work perceptions. Twenty-nine studies were included. In conclusion, the longitudinal studies were generally consistent in showing that adaptation to night work was complete within one to two weeks of work, while re-adaptation to a daytime schedule was slower. Shift workers reported more sleep problems than day workers. The data regarding mental and physical health, family and social life, and accidents yielded inconsistent results, and were insufficient as a base for drawing general conclusions. More research in the field is warranted. PMID:23803497

The Predatory Bird Monitoring Scheme: identifying chemical risks to top predators in Britain.

PubMed

Walker, Lee A; Shore, Richard F; Turk, Anthony; Pereira, M Glória; Best, Jennifer

2008-09-01

The Predatory Bird Monitoring Scheme (PBMS) is a long term (>40 y), UK-wide, exposure monitoring scheme that determines the concentration of selected pesticides and pollutants in the livers and eggs of predatory birds. This paper describes how the PBMS works, and in particular highlights some of the key scientific and policy drivers for monitoring contaminants in predatory birds and describes the specific aims, scope, and methods of the PBMS. We also present previously unpublished data that illustrates how the PBMS has been used to demonstrate the success of mitigation measures in reversing chemical-mediated impacts; identify and evaluate chemical threats to species of high conservation value; and finally to inform and refine monitoring methodologies. In addition, we discuss how such schemes can also address wider conservation needs.

Specificity and non-specificity in RNA–protein interactions

PubMed Central

Jankowsky, Eckhard; Harris, Michael E.

2016-01-01

Gene expression is regulated by complex networks of interactions between RNAs and proteins. Proteins that interact with RNA have been traditionally viewed as either specific or non-specific; specific proteins interact preferentially with defined RNA sequence or structure motifs, whereas non-specific proteins interact with RNA sites devoid of such characteristics. Recent studies indicate that the binary “specific vs. non-specific” classification is insufficient to describe the full spectrum of RNA–protein interactions. Here, we review new methods that enable quantitative measurements of protein binding to large numbers of RNA variants, and the concepts aimed as describing resulting binding spectra: affinity distributions, comprehensive binding models and free energy landscapes. We discuss how these new methodologies and associated concepts enable work towards inclusive, quantitative models for specific and non-specific RNA–protein interactions. PMID:26285679

Bilateral Ewing Sarcoma/Primitive Neuroectodermal Tumor of the Breast: A Very Rare Entity and Review of the Literature

PubMed Central

Majid, N.; Amrani, M.; Ghissassi, I.; El Cadi, M.; El Bouzidi, M.; El Kabous, M.; Kherbach, A.; Errihani, H.

2013-01-01

Peripheral primitive neuroectodermal tumors (PNET) are rare malignant tumors, affecting mostly children and adolescents and have been described in breast in eight case reports only. In this paper, we present a case of bilateral mammary ES/PNET where distinction between primary and metastatic diseases was discussed through a literature review. The aim of this work is to demonstrate that although rare, the possibility of PNET should be kept in mind while evaluating a palpable breast abnormality in a young female. PMID:23819085

Rational design of vaccine targets and strategies for HIV: a crossroad of statistical physics, biology, and medicine.

PubMed

Chakraborty, Arup K; Barton, John P

2017-03-01

Vaccination has saved more lives than any other medical procedure. Pathogens have now evolved that have not succumbed to vaccination using the empirical paradigms pioneered by Pasteur and Jenner. Vaccine design strategies that are based on a mechanistic understanding of the pertinent immunology and virology are required to confront and eliminate these scourges. In this perspective, we describe just a few examples of work aimed to achieve this goal by bringing together approaches from statistical physics with biology and clinical research.

Synthetic Lectins: New Tools for Detection and Management of Prostate Cancer

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-08-01

providing a new paradigm for the development of a prostate cancer diagnostic. AIM 1 describes a library based approach for the discovery of SLs...This work was supported by funds provided from NIH COBRE grant P20RR17698.Notes and references 1 D. H. Dube and C. R. Bertozzi, Nat. Rev. Drug... Discovery , 2005, 4, 477–488. 2 V. Harmat and G. Naray-Szabo, Croat. Chim. Acta, 2009, 82, 277– 282. 3 J. J. Lavigne and E. V. Anslyn, Angew. Chem., Int. Ed

A fast algorithm for computer aided collimation gamma camera (CACAO)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jeanguillaume, C.; Begot, S.; Quartuccio, M.; Douiri, A.; Franck, D.; Pihet, P.; Ballongue, P.

2000-08-01

The computer aided collimation gamma camera is aimed at breaking down the resolution sensitivity trade-off of the conventional parallel hole collimator. It uses larger and longer holes, having an added linear movement at the acquisition sequence. A dedicated algorithm including shift and sum, deconvolution, parabolic filtering and rotation is described. Examples of reconstruction are given. This work shows that a simple and fast algorithm, based on a diagonal dominant approximation of the problem can be derived. Its gives a practical solution to the CACAO reconstruction problem.

Chemical Resistance of Ornamental Compound Stone Produced with Marble Waste and Unsaturated Polyester

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ribeiro, Carlos E. Gomes; Rodriguez, Rubén J. Sánchez; Vieira, Carlos M. Fontes

Ornamental compound stone are produced by industry for decades, however, few published studies describe these materials. Brazil has many deposits of stone wastes and a big potential to produce these materials. This work aims to evaluate the chemical resistance of ornamental compound stones produced with marble waste and unsaturated polyester. An adaptation of Annex H of ABNT NBR 13818:97 standard, with reagents commonly used in household products, was used. The results were compared with those obtained for natural stone used in composite production.

Fraction eutectic measurements in slowly cooled Pb - 15 wt percent Sn alloys

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Studer, Anthony C.; Laxmanan, V.

1988-01-01

A space shuttle experiment employing the General Purpose Furnace in its isothermal mode of operation is currently manifested for flight circa 1989. The aim of this experiment was to investigate the role of gravity in a slowly, and isothermally, cooled sample of a binary Pb - 15 wt percent Sn alloy. Ground based work in support of the microgravity experiment is discussed. In particular, it is shown that fraction eutectic measurements using an image analyzer, can be used to satisfactorily describe macrosegregation occurring in these slowly cooled ingots.

System of HPC content archiving

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bogdanov, A.; Ivashchenko, A.

2017-12-01

This work is aimed to develop a system, that will effectively solve the problem of storing and analyzing files containing text data, by using modern software development tools, techniques and approaches. The main challenge of storing a large number of text documents defined at the problem formulation stage, have to be resolved with such functionality as full text search and document clustering depends on their contents. Main system features could be described with notions of distributed multilevel architecture, flexibility and interchangeability of components, achieved through the standard functionality incapsulation in independent executable modules.

Occupational rhinitis.

PubMed

Petrick, Maria M; Slavin, Raymond G

2003-05-01

This article aims to define occupational rhinitis, classify its various causes, review the steps in its diagnosis, and describe its nonpharmacologic and pharmacologic principles of management. Occupational rhinitis frequently coexists with asthma but also occurs alone. Although it does not have the same impact as occupational asthma, occupational rhinitis causes distress, discomfort, and work inefficiency. By concentrating on the patient's workplace, the clinician has an opportunity to practice preventive medicine: to recognize substances in the patient's micro- and macroenvironment that are causing the problems and then to intervene by altering the environment or removing the patient from the environment.

Knowledge Management within the Medical University.

PubMed

Rauzina, Svetlana Ye; Tikhonova, Tatiana A; Karpenko, Dmitriy S; Bogopolskiy, Gennady A; Zarubina, Tatiana V

2015-01-01

The aim of the work is studying the possibilities of ontological engineering in managing of medical knowledge. And also practical implementation of knowledge management system (KMS) in medical university. The educational process model is established that allows analyzing learning results within time scale. Glossary sub-system has been developed; ontologies of educational disciplines are constructed; environment for setup and solution of situational cases is established; ontological approach to assess competencies is developed. The possibilities of the system for solving situation tasks have been described. The approach to the evaluation of competence has been developed.

Bite Force Recording Devices - A Review

PubMed Central

Kumathalli, Kanteshwari Iranagouda; Jain, Vinay; Kumar, Rajesh

2017-01-01

In dental research, bite force serves as a valuable parameter to evaluate the efficacy of masticatory system. A variety of devices with different design and working principle have been used to record bite force, but no single device is capable to record all the required forces. One may find it difficult to choose a device that will fulfil the purpose of recording bite force for research. So, the present review aims to report and compare the wide range of devices and will help in describing their uses for recording bite force. PMID:29207848

Cross-border healthcare in Spain and the implementation of the Directive 2011/24/EU on the Application of Patient's Rights in Cross-border Healthcare.

PubMed

Requejo, M Teresa

2014-03-01

This work describes and assesses the implementation of the Cross-border Healthcare Directive in Spain. Although implementation has not yet taken place, the Government has already adopted a draft implementing regulation, on which this article is based. In addition, this article deals with a number of other rules that have been adopted in Spain, which are not strictly aimed at the implementation of the Directive but which are expected to facilitate its implementation and to help cement its effectiveness.

The Definition of Mathematics: Philosophical and Pedagogical Aspects

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Khait, Alexander

There is a strange fact that many works written with the purpose to explain what is mathematics, somehow avoid the issue. This paper is aimed at filling this gap. After discussing various descriptions of mathematics as they appear in literature, it is suggested that mathematics is an essentially linguistic activity characterized by association of words with precise meanings. Educational implications of this idea are considered in the light of(1) a strong tendency of most humans to the fuzzy way of thought as described by the dual-process theory developed by researchers of human reasoning;

Food-packaging migration models: A critical discussion.

PubMed

Gavriil, Gavriil; Kanavouras, Antonis; Coutelieris, Frank A

2017-06-14

The widely accepted and used migration models that describe the mass transport from polymeric packaging material to food and food simulants are confirmed here. A critical review of the most accepted models is presented in detail. Their main advantages and weak points, regarding their predictive accuracy, are discussed and weighted toward their usage extensiveness. By identifying the specific areas where using such models may not provide a strong correlation between theoretical and actual results, this work also aims in outlining some particular directions regarding further research on food - packaging interactions.

Rational design of vaccine targets and strategies for HIV: a crossroad of statistical physics, biology, and medicine

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chakraborty, Arup K.; Barton, John P.

2017-03-01

Vaccination has saved more lives than any other medical procedure. Pathogens have now evolved that have not succumbed to vaccination using the empirical paradigms pioneered by Pasteur and Jenner. Vaccine design strategies that are based on a mechanistic understanding of the pertinent immunology and virology are required to confront and eliminate these scourges. In this perspective, we describe just a few examples of work aimed to achieve this goal by bringing together approaches from statistical physics with biology and clinical research.

Automation for nondestructive inspection of aircraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Siegel, M. W.

1994-01-01

We discuss the motivation and an architectural framework for using small mobile robots as automated aids to operators of nondestructive inspection (NDI) equipment. We review the need for aircraft skin inspection, and identify the constraints in commercial airlines operations that make small mobile robots the most attractive alternative for automated aids for NDI procedures. We describe the design and performance of the robot (ANDI) that we designed, built, and are testing for deployment of eddy current probes in prescribed commercial aircraft inspections. We discuss recent work aimed at also providing robotic aids for visual inspection.

Antifungal Activity of Decyl Gallate against Several Species of Pathogenic Fungi

PubMed Central

de Paula e Silva, Ana Carolina Alves; Costa-Orlandi, Caroline Barcelos; Gullo, Fernanda Patrícia; Sangalli-Leite, Fernanda; de Oliveira, Haroldo Cesar; da Silva, Julhiany de Fátima; Rossi, Suélen Andrea; Benaducci, Tatiane; Wolf, Vanessa Gonçalves; Regasini, Luis Octávio; Petrônio, Maicon Segalla; Silva, Dulce Helena Siqueira; Bolzani, Vanderlan S.; Mendes-Giannini, Maria José Soares

2014-01-01

This work aims to demonstrate that the gallic acid structure modification to the decyl gallate (G14) compound contributed to increase the antifungal activity against several species of pathogenic fungi, mainly, Candida spp., Cryptococcus spp., Paracoccidioides spp., and Histoplasma capsulatum, according to standardized microdilution method described by Clinical Laboratory Standard Institute (CLSI) documents. Moreover this compound has a particularly good selectivity index value, which makes it an excellent candidate for broad-spectrum antifungal prototype and encourages the continuation of subsequent studies for the discovery of its mechanism of action. PMID:25505923

The patient safety culture as perceived by staff at two different emergency departments before and after introducing a flow-oriented working model with team triage and lean principles: a repeated cross-sectional study.

PubMed

Burström, Lena; Letterstål, Anna; Engström, Marie-Louise; Berglund, Anders; Enlund, Mats

2014-07-09

Patient safety is of the utmost importance in health care. The patient safety culture in an institution has great impact on patient safety. To enhance patient safety and to design strategies to reduce medical injuries, there is a current focus on measuring the patient safety culture. The aim of the present study was to describe the patient safety culture in an ED at two different hospitals before and after a Quality improvement (QI) project that was aimed to enhance patient safety. A repeated cross-sectional design, using the Hospital Survey On Patient Safety Culture questionnaire before and after a quality improvement project in two emergency departments at a county hospital and a university hospital. The questionnaire was developed to obtain a better understanding of the patient safety culture of an entire hospital or of specific departments. The Swedish version has 51 questions and 15 dimensions. At the county hospital, a difference between baseline and follow-up was observed in three dimensions. For two of these dimensions, Team-work within hospital and Communication openness, a higher score was measured at the follow-up. At the university hospital, a higher score was measured at follow-up for the two dimensions Team-work across hospital units and Team-work within hospital. The result showed changes in the self-estimated patient safety culture, mainly regarding team-work and communication openness. Most of the improvements at follow-up were seen by physicians, and mainly at the county hospital.

Job dissatisfaction and the older worker: baseline findings from the Health and Employment After Fifty study.

PubMed

D'Angelo, Stefania; Coggon, David; Harris, E Clare; Linaker, Cathy; Sayer, Avan Aihie; Gale, Catharine R; Evandrou, Maria; van Staa, Tjeerd; Cooper, Cyrus; Walker-Bone, Karen; Palmer, Keith T

2016-08-01

Demographic changes are requiring people to work longer. Labour force participation might be promoted by tackling sources of job dissatisfaction. We aimed to describe the epidemiology of job dissatisfaction in older British workers, to explore which perceptions of work contribute most importantly, and to assess possible impacts on health. Participants aged 50-64 years were recruited from 24 English general practices. At baseline, those currently in work (N=5437) reported on their demographic and employment circumstances, overall job satisfaction, perceptions of their work that might contribute to dissatisfaction, and their general health, mood and well-being. Associations of job dissatisfaction with risk factors and potential health outcomes were assessed cross-sectionally by logistic regression, and the potential contributions of different negative perceptions to overall dissatisfaction were summarised by population attributable fractions (PAFs). Job dissatisfaction was more common among men, below age 60 years, those living in London and the South East, in the more educated and in those working for larger employers. The main contributors to job dissatisfaction among employees were feeling unappreciated and/or lacking a sense of achievement (PAF 55-56%), while in the self-employed, job insecurity was the leading contributor (PAF 79%). Job dissatisfaction was associated with all of the adverse health outcomes examined (ORs of 3-5), as were most of the negative perceptions of work that contributed to overall dissatisfaction. Employment policies aimed at improving job satisfaction in older workers may benefit from focussing particularly on relationships in the workplace, fairness, job security and instilling a sense of achievement. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/

Radiographers' perceptions of their professional rights in diagnostic radiography: a qualitative interview study.

PubMed

Matilainen, Kati; Ahonen, Sanna-Mari; Kankkunen, Päivi; Kangasniemi, Mari

2017-03-01

Considering the ethics of each profession is important as inter-professional collaboration increases. Professional ethics creates a basis for radiographers' work, as it includes values and principles, together with rights and duties that guide and support professionals. However, little is known about radiographers' rights when it comes to professional ethics. The aim of this study was to describe radiographers' perceptions and experiences of their professional rights. The ultimate aim was to increase the understanding of professional ethics in this context and support radiographers' ethical pondering in diagnostic radiography. A qualitative method was used. Semistructured group interviews with 15 radiographers were conducted in spring 2013 at two publicly provided diagnostic imaging departments in Finland. Data were analysed by inductive content analysis. All the participants were women, and they had worked as radiographers for an average of 18 years. Based on our analysis, radiographers' professional rights consisted of rights related to their expertise in radiography and the rights related to working conditions that ensured their wellbeing. Expertise-based rights included rights to plan, conduct and assess radiological care with patient advocacy. Radiographers have the right to contribute to a culture of safe radiation in their organisation and to use their professional knowledge to achieve their main target, which is the safe imaging of patients. Radiographers also have right to work in conditions that support their well-being, including the legal rights stated in their employment contract, as well as their rights concerning resources at work. Radiographers' professional rights are an elementary and multidimensional part of their clinical practice. In future, more theoretical and empirical research is needed to deepen the understanding of their rights in the clinical practice and support radiographers on issues related to this aspect of their work. © 2016 Nordic College of Caring Science.

Does Finnish hospital staff job satisfaction vary across occupational groups?

PubMed

Kvist, Tarja; Mäntynen, Raija; Vehviläinen-Julkunen, Katri

2013-10-02

Job satisfaction of staff is an essential outcome variable in research when describing the work environment of successful hospitals. Numerous studies have evaluated the topic, but few previous studies have assessed the job satisfaction of all staff in hospital settings. It is important to discover if there are any unsatisfied groups of people working in hospitals, the aspects they are unsatisfied with and why. The aim of this study was to evaluate job satisfaction of all staff working at a Finnish university hospital, identify differences in job satisfaction between staff groups, and explore the relationship between their self-evaluated quality of work and job satisfaction. Data were collected from 1424 employees of the hospital using the web-based Kuopio University Job Satisfaction Scale survey instrument in autumn 2010. The research data were analysed by using SPSS 19.0 for Windows. Frequency and percentage distributions, as well as mean values, were used to describe the data. A non-parametric test (Kruskal-Wallis test) was used to determine the significance of differences in scores between different groups of staff members and between quality evaluations. The overall job satisfaction of the employees was good. They rated both motivating factors of their work and work welfare as excellent. The areas causing most dissatisfaction were work demands and participation in decision making. Physicians formed the most satisfied group, nurses and maintenance staff were the least satisfied, and office and administrative staff were fairly satisfied. Staff who rated the quality of work in their units as high usually also considered their job satisfaction to be excellent. Every staff member has an influence on job satisfaction in her/his unit. A culture of participation should be developed and maintained in the units and the whole hospital to ensure that all staff feel they play important roles in the hospital. A university hospital is a complex, continuously changing work environment. Managers of the hospital should continuously evaluate job satisfaction and quickly react to the results gained.

Connecting rehabilitation and everyday life--the lived experiences among women with stress-related ill health.

PubMed

Hellman, Therese; Jonsson, Hans; Johansson, Ulla; Tham, Kerstin

2013-10-01

The aim was to describe and understand how connecting rehabilitation experiences and everyday life was characterised in the lived experiences during the rehabilitation in women with stress-related ill health. Five women were interviewed on three occasions during a rehabilitation programme and once 3 months later. Data were analysed using the Empirical, Phenomenological and Psychological method. The participants experienced connections between their rehabilitation and their previous, present and future everyday life influencing both rehabilitation and everyday life in a back-and-forth process. These connections were experienced in mind or in doing, mostly targeting the private arena in everyday life. Connecting rehabilitation experiences to their working situations was more challenging and feelings of frustration and being left alone were experienced. Although the participants described constructive connections between rehabilitation experiences and the private arena in everyday life, they mostly failed to experience connections that facilitated a positive return to work. Recommended support in the return to work process in rehabilitation comprises the provision of practical work-related activities during rehabilitation; being supportive in a constructive dialogue between the participant and the workplace, and continuing this support in follow-ups after the actual rehabilitation period. Rehabilitation for persons with stress-related ill health needs to focus on the private arena as well as the work situation in everyday life. Creative activities may enable experiences that inspire connections in mind and connections targeting the private arena in everyday life. The work situation needs to be thoroughly discussed during rehabilitation for enabling the participants to experience a support in the return to work process. Rehabilitation including practical work-related activities, support in a constructive dialogue between the participant and the manager at the workplace, and continued support in follow-ups targeting the workplace might be beneficial for successfully return to work.

General practitioners and sickness certification for injury in Australia.

PubMed

Mazza, Danielle; Brijnath, Bianca; Singh, Nabita; Kosny, Agnieszka; Ruseckaite, Rasa; Collie, Alex

2015-08-15

Strong evidence supports an early return to work after injury as a way to improve recovery. In Australia, General Practitioners (GPs) see about 96 % of injured workers, making them the main gatekeepers to workers' entitlements. Most people with compensable injuries in Australia are certified as "unfit to work" by their GP, with a minority of patients certified for modified work duties. The reasons for this apparent dissonance between evidence and practice remain unexplored. Little is known about the factors that influence GP sickness certification behaviour in Australia. The aim of this study is to describe the factors influencing Australian GPs certification practice through qualitative interviews with four key stakeholders. From September to December 2012, 93 semi-structured interviews were undertaken in Melbourne, Australia. Participants included GPs, injured workers, employers and compensation agents. Data were thematically analysed. Five themes describing factors influencing GP certification were identified: 1. Divergent stakeholder views about the GP's role in facilitating return to work; 2. Communication between the four stakeholder groups; 3. Conflict between the stakeholder groups; 4. Allegations of GPs and injured workers misusing the compensation system and 5. The layout and content of the sickness certificate itself. By exploring GP certification practice from the perspectives of four key stakeholders, this study suggests that certification is an administrative and clinical task underpinned by a host of social and systemic factors. The findings highlight opportunities such as practice guideline development and improvements to the sickness certificate itself that may be targeted to improve GP sickness certification behaviour and return to work outcomes in an Australian context.

A qualitative study about immigrant workers' perceptions of their working conditions in Spain.

PubMed

Ahonen, E Q; Porthé, V; Vázquez, M L; García, A M; López-Jacob, M J; Ruiz-Frutos, C; Ronda-Pérez, E; Benach, J; Benavides, F G

2009-11-01

Spain has recently become an inward migration country. Little is known about the occupational health of immigrant workers. This study aimed to explore the perceptions that immigrant workers in Spain had of their working conditions. Qualitative, exploratory, descriptive study. Criterion sampling. Data collected between September 2006 and May 2007 through semi-structured focus groups and individual interviews, with a topic guide. One hundred and fifty-eight immigrant workers (90 men/68 women) from Colombia (n = 21), Morocco (n = 39), sub-Saharan Africa (n = 29), Romania (n = 44) and Ecuador (n = 25), who were authorised (documented) or unauthorised (undocumented) residents in five medium to large cities in Spain. Participants described poor working conditions, low pay and health hazards. Perception of hazards appeared to be related to gender and job sector. Informants were highly segregated into jobs by sex, however, so this issue will need further exploration. Undocumented workers described poorer conditions than documented workers, which they attributed to their documentation status. Documented participants also felt vulnerable because of their immigrant status. Informants believed that deficient language skills, non-transferability of their education and training and, most of all, their immigrant status and economic need left them with little choice but to work under poor conditions. The occupational health needs of immigrant workers must be addressed at the job level, while improving the enforcement of existing health and safety regulations. The roles that documentation status and economic need played in these informants' work experiences should be considered and how these may influence health outcomes.

Fifth-year dental students' visions of leadership-A qualitative study.

PubMed

Taipale, H; Tuononen, T A; Suominen, A L

2018-04-22

Leadership skills are important in dentists' work. Leadership education already in undergraduate curriculum is noteworthy. The aim of this qualitative study was to describe dental students' visions of leadership: how they imagined they end up in leadership position, factors supporting either staying in or leaving the position and their future views. The data were gathered after participants, fifth-year dental students, attended a "Dentist as a Leader" study module. A method of empathy-based stories was utilised. Based on contrasting frame stories, students were divided into two groups and wrote essays about an imagined situation in which they either enjoyed their leadership position ("Stayers") or considered leaving it ("Leavers"). The data were analysed using the content analysis method. The reasons for ending up in a leadership position were similar in the two groups: accidentally drifting into or intentionally heading for it. Factors supporting staying or leaving the leadership position were more diverse and were divided into personal and working community levels. These factors were common and group-specific. Clinical work, personal life and the ability to improve the organisations were common factors. Good working community was a "Stayer"-specific factor. "Leaver"-specific factors included loneliness, stress and lack of public sector resources. Future career plans were similar in both groups emphasising clinical work. After having attended leadership training, dental students were able to describe their future careers and list factors supporting either staying or leaving an imagined leadership position. These factors can be utilised by organisations to develop better working environments for future dentist leaders. By recognising the factors, students themselves are able to plan their future career choices and prepare to become leaders. © 2018 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

The CHOICE pilot project: Challenges of implementing a combined peer work and shared decision-making programme in an early intervention service.

PubMed

Simmons, Magenta B; Coates, Dominiek; Batchelor, Samantha; Dimopoulos-Bick, Tara; Howe, Deborah

2017-12-12

Youth participation is central to early intervention policy and quality frameworks. There is good evidence for peer support (individuals with lived experience helping other consumers) and shared decision making (involving consumers in making decisions about their own care) in adult settings. However, youth programs are rarely tested or described in detail. This report aims to fill this gap by describing a consumer focused intervention in an early intervention service. This paper describes the development process, intervention content and implementation challenges of the Choices about Healthcare Options Informed by Client Experiences and Expectations (CHOICE) Pilot Project. This highly novel and innovative project combined both youth peer work and youth shared decision making. Eight peer workers were employed to deliver an online shared decision-making tool at a youth mental health service in New South Wales, Australia. The intervention development involved best practice principles, including international standards and elements of co-design. The implementation of the peer workforce in the service involved a number of targeted strategies designed to support this new service model. However, several implementation challenges were experienced which resulted in critical learning about how best to deliver these types of interventions. Delivering peer work and shared decision making within an early intervention service is feasible, but not without challenges. Providing adequate detail about interventions and implementation strategies fills a critical gap in the literature. Understanding optimal youth involvement strategies assists others to deliver acceptable and effective services to young people who experience mental ill health. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.

[Drug, food, alcohol abuse and smoking in young workers. Methodology of a survey aimed at developing preventive interventions targeted to different type of workers: the Valentino Study].

PubMed

Manzoli, L; Mensorio, M; Di Virgilio, M; Rosetti, A; Angeli, G; Panell, M; Cicchetti, A; Di Stanislao, F; Siliquini, Roberta

2007-01-01

Current epidemiological data suggest that the number of preventive interventions aimed at controlling alcohol, drug, food abuse and smoking achieved only partial success, especially in young individuals. In order to improve preventive action efficacy, the literature suggests the adoption of contents and communication instruments specifically targeted to different groups of individuals. The Valentino Project is a comprehensive survey on the characteristics of abuse of a representative sample of 3000 young workers (aged 18-35 years)from the Abruzzo Region of Italy. This paper describes its main methodological issues and the complete version of the questionnaire HW-80 (Healthy-Worker 80), that will be administered. HW-80 questionnaire includes 80 items on demographic characteristics, self-reported health, job-related stress, work organization, pattern of abuse, physical activity and others, and several of these items have been taken or derived from repeatedly validated questionnaires (SF-12, CAGE, Job-Strain, Effort-Reward, EU-DAP, etc.). The aims of the Valentino Project are to quantify the prevalence of obesity, alcohol use, smoking and drug addiction in diverse typologies of workers, and to describe their pattern of use. The ultimate purpose is to provide the necessary knowledge for the development of preventive strategies targeted to different professions, in order to maximize their efficacy.

Solar tower cavity receiver aperture optimization based on transient optical and thermo-hydraulic modeling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schöttl, Peter; Bern, Gregor; van Rooyen, De Wet; Heimsath, Anna; Fluri, Thomas; Nitz, Peter

2017-06-01

A transient simulation methodology for cavity receivers for Solar Tower Central Receiver Systems with molten salt as heat transfer fluid is described. Absorbed solar radiation is modeled with ray tracing and a sky discretization approach to reduce computational effort. Solar radiation re-distribution in the cavity as well as thermal radiation exchange are modeled based on view factors, which are also calculated with ray tracing. An analytical approach is used to represent convective heat transfer in the cavity. Heat transfer fluid flow is simulated with a discrete tube model, where the boundary conditions at the outer tube surface mainly depend on inputs from the previously mentioned modeling aspects. A specific focus is put on the integration of optical and thermo-hydraulic models. Furthermore, aiming point and control strategies are described, which are used during the transient performance assessment. Eventually, the developed simulation methodology is used for the optimization of the aperture opening size of a PS10-like reference scenario with cavity receiver and heliostat field. The objective function is based on the cumulative gain of one representative day. Results include optimized aperture opening size, transient receiver characteristics and benefits of the implemented aiming point strategy compared to a single aiming point approach. Future work will include annual simulations, cost assessment and optimization of a larger range of receiver parameters.

Update on Medicinal Plants with Potency on Mycobacterium ulcerans

PubMed Central

Tsouh Fokou, Patrick Valere; Nyarko, Alexander Kwadwo; Appiah-Opong, Regina; Tchokouaha Yamthe, Lauve Rachel; Ofosuhene, Mark; Boyom, Fabrice Fekam

2015-01-01

Mycobacterium ulcerans disease has been a serious threat for people living in rural remote areas. Due to poverty or availability of traditional medicine these populations rely on herbal remedies. Currently, data on the anti-Mycobacterium ulcerans activity of plants, so far considered community-based knowledge, have been scientifically confirmed, concomitantly with some medicinal plants used to treat infectious diseases in general. Products derived from plants usually responsible for the biological properties may potentially control Mycobacterium ulcerans disease; numerous studies have aimed to describe the chemical composition of these plant antimicrobials. Thus, the present work provides the first compilation of medicinal plants that demonstrated inhibitory potential on Mycobacterium ulcerans. This work shows that the natural products represent potential alternatives to standard therapies for use as curative medicine for Mycobacterium ulcerans disease. PMID:26779539

[In vitro cell culture technology in cosmetology research].

PubMed

Gojniczek, Katarzyna; Garncarczyk, Agnieszka; Pytel, Agata

2005-01-01

For ages the humanity has been looking for all kind of active substances, which could be used in improving the health and the appearance of our skin. People try to find out how to protect the skin from harmful, environmental factors. Every year a lot of new natural and synthetic, chemical substances are discovered. All of them potentially could be used as a cosmetic ingredient. In cosmetology research most of new xenobiotics were tested in vivo on animals. Alternative methods to in vivo tests are in vitro tests with skin cell culture system. The aim of this work was to describe two-dimensional and tree-dimensional skin cell cultures. Additionally, in this work we wanted to prove the usefulness of in vitro skin cell cultures in cosmetology research.

Composing Science

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Atkins, Leslie

2015-03-01

The course Scientific Inquiry at California State University was developed by faculty in biology, physics and English to meet ``writing proficiency'' requirements for non-science majors. Drawing from previous work in composition studies, the position that we take in this course is that we should be engaging students in writing that replicates the work that writing does in science, rather than replicating the particular structural conventions characteristic of scientific writing. That is, scientists use writing to have, remember, share, vet, challenge, and stabilize ideas, and our course requires students use writing to achieve those aims, rather than produce writing that obeys particular conventions of scientific writing. This talk will describe how we have integrated findings from composition studies with a course on scientific inquiry, and provide examples of how scientific communication has resulted from this dialogue. Funding by NSF #1140860.

[Pierre Bourdieu and health: a sociological analysis of Actes de la Recherche en Sciences Sociales].

PubMed

Montagner, Miguel Angelo

2008-07-01

This study aimed to highlight, illustrate, describe, and comment on the presence of the health category in the work of Pierre Bourdieu, by underlining the themes traditionally related to the sociology of the body. After a systematic analysis of his work in the sociology of medicine and health, the article also addresses the main vehicle for his line of thought, namely Actes de la Recherche en Sciences Sociales, viewed here as the prime channel for most of the research taking Bourdieu's "genetic structuralism" as the main theoretical reference. We analyze the articles published from 1975 to 2001, from the thematic and theoretical/conceptual perspective, by comparing the changes appearing in this journal in opposition to the model previously adopted by the Revue Française de Sociologie.

Realistic option for the Work Injury Rehabilitation System in China.

PubMed

Li, Zhong

2008-01-01

This paper aims to describe the current Work Injury Rehabilitation (WIR) System in China with its background, basic principles and the attempts to explore and build up different types of WIR system in different areas in China in accordance with the existing situation. Seven points taken as the focus of perfecting and building up new WIR have been presented: the study and formulation of an overall development plan for the WIR system in China, improving WIR policy, establishing a system of standards for WIR, improving the administration system for WIR, developing a WIR service system, strengthening the training of professional staff for WIR, conducting scientific study and international cooperation for WIR. These points may serve as guidelines for future development of the WIR system in China.

Confronting structural violence in sex work: lessons from a community-led HIV prevention project in Mysore, India.

PubMed

Argento, Elena; Reza-Paul, Sushena; Lorway, Robert; Jain, Jinendra; Bhagya, M; Fathima, Mary; Sreeram, S V; Hafeezur, Rahman Syed; O'Neil, John

2011-01-01

Evidence from community-led HIV prevention projects suggests that structural interventions may result in reduced rates of HIV and STIs. The complex relationship between empowerment and confronting stigma, discrimination and physical abuse necessitates further investigation into the impact that such interventions have on the personal risks for sex workers. This article aims to describe lived experiences of members from a sex worker's collective in Mysore, India and how they have confronted structural violence. The narratives highlight experiences of violence and the development and implementation of strategies that have altered the social, physical, and emotional environment for sex workers. Building an enabling environment was key to reducing personal risks inherent to sex work, emphasizing the importance of community-led structural interventions for sex workers in India.

Mapping the audit traces of interdisciplinary collaboration: bridging and blending between choreography and cognitive science

PubMed Central

Barnard, Philip; deLahunta, Scott

2017-01-01

ABSTRACT Two long-term sci–art research projects are described and positioned in the broader conceptual landscape of interdisciplinary collaboration. Both projects were aimed at understanding and augmenting choreographic decision-making and both were grounded in research conducted within a leading contemporary dance company. In each case, the work drew upon methods and theory from the cognitive sciences, and both had a direct impact on the way in which the company made new work. In the synthesis presented here the concept of an audit trace is introduced. Audit traces identify how specific classes of knowledge are used and transformed not only within the arts or sciences but also when arts practice is informed by science or when arts practice informs science. PMID:29308084

Taking Aim at the Cognitive Side of Learning in Sensorimotor Adaptation Tasks.

PubMed

McDougle, Samuel D; Ivry, Richard B; Taylor, Jordan A

2016-07-01

Sensorimotor adaptation tasks have been used to characterize processes responsible for calibrating the mapping between desired outcomes and motor commands. Research has focused on how this form of error-based learning takes place in an implicit and automatic manner. However, recent work has revealed the operation of multiple learning processes, even in this simple form of learning. This review focuses on the contribution of cognitive strategies and heuristics to sensorimotor learning, and how these processes enable humans to rapidly explore and evaluate novel solutions to enable flexible, goal-oriented behavior. This new work points to limitations in current computational models, and how these must be updated to describe the conjoint impact of multiple processes in sensorimotor learning. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Supervisors' Strategies to Facilitate Work Functioning among Employees with Musculoskeletal Complaints: A Focus Group Study

PubMed Central

Magnussen, Liv Heide

2015-01-01

Aim. To explore what strategies the supervisors found beneficial to prevent or reduce sickness absence among employees with musculoskeletal complaints. Methods. Five focus groups were conducted and 26 supervisors from health and social sector participated. Commonly used strategies to prevent sickness absence and interdisciplinary cooperation in this work were discussed in the focus groups. Systematic text condensation was used to analyse the data. Results. The supervisors described five strategies for sick leave management: (1) promoting well-being and a healthy working environment, (2) providing early support and adjustments, (3) making employees more responsible, (4) using confrontational strategies in relation to employees on long-term sick leave, and (5) cooperation with general practitioners (GPs). Conclusions. Strategies of promoting a healthy working environment and facilitating early return to work were utilised in the follow-up of employees with musculoskeletal complaints. Supportive strategies were found most useful especially in the early phases, while finding a balance between being supportive, on one side, and confronting the employee, on the other, was endeavoured in cases of recurrent or long-term sick leave. Further, the supervisors requested a closer cooperation with the GPs, which they believed would facilitate return to work. PMID:26380370

Work Process in Primary Health Care: action research with Community Health Workers.

PubMed

Cordeiro, Luciana; Soares, Cassia Baldini

2015-11-01

The aim of this article was to describe and analyze the work of community health workers (CHW). The main objective of study was to analyze the development process of primary health care practices related to drug consumption. The study is based on the Marxist theoretical orientation and the action research methodology, which resulted in the performance of 15 emancipatory workshops. The category work process spawned the content analysis. It exposed the social abandonment of the environment in which the CHWs work is performed. The latter had an essential impact on the identification of the causes of drug-related problems. These findings made it possible to criticize the reiterative, stressful actions that are being undertaken there. Such an act resulted in raising of the awareness and creating the means for political action. The CHWs motivated themselves to recognize the object of the work process in primary health care, which they found to be the disease or addiction in the case of drug users. They have criticized this categorization as well as discussed the social division of work and the work itself whilst recognizing themselves as mere instruments in the work process. The latter has inspired the CHW to become subjects, or co-producers of transformations of social needs.

Parents’ experiences of participating in an intervention on tobacco prevention in Child Health Care

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Child health care is an important arena for tobacco prevention in Sweden. The aim of this study was to describe parents’ experiences from participating in a nursebased tobacco prevention intervention. Methods Eleven parents were interviewed using semi-structured interviews. The material was analysed in a qualitative content analysis process. Results The analysis emerged four categories; Receiving support, Respectful treatment, Influence on smoking habits and Receiving information. The parents described how the CHC nurses treated them with support and respect. They described the importance of being treated with respect for their autonomy in their decisions about smoking. They also claimed that they had received little or no information about health consequences for children exposed to environmental tobacco smoke (ETS). The findings also indicate that both the questionnaire used and the urine-cotinine test had influenced parents’ smoking. Conclusion The clinical implication is that CHC is an important arena for preventive work aiming to minimize children’s tobacco smoke exposure. CHC nurses can play an important role in tobacco prevention but should be more explicit in their communication with parents about tobacco issues. The SiCET was referred to as an eye-opener and can be useful in the MI dialogues nurses perform in order to support parents in their efforts to protect their children from ETS. PMID:24612749

[Reactive anxiety crisis and chronic adjustment disorder: a unique case of work injury and suspected occupational disease].

PubMed

Taino, Giuseppe; Pizzuto, Cristina; Pezzuto, Cristina; Pucci, Ennio; Imbriani, Marcello

2014-01-01

The present study aims to describe a case of work injury and occupational disease which is unique for the type of disease diagnosed, conditions of onset and mode of management by INAIL (Italian National Institute of Insurance for Injuries at Work and Occupational Diseases). A worker, after a verbal animated dispute with some collegues and superiors, had an acute psychiatric agitation attack and went to the nearest emergency room, where he was subjected to clinical exams. No neuropsychiatric alteration was found, but the physicians diagnosed an anxiety crisis reactive to the work environment. Consequently, the medical certificate for work injury was edited and sent to INAIL. The worker has been off work for 110 days because of a anxious and depressive syndrome, due to the verbal conflict. In a later assessment, INAIL recognized only the first 30 days of the employee's time off as injury at work, while judging the following period off work as related to affectivity disturbance due to common disease, not related to work environment. The following year, "anxious-depressive syndrome" is worsened and attributed by the same worker to the recurrence of acts of persecution and discrimination against him at work. For this reason he applied for recognition of occupational disease diagnosed as "Chronic Adjustment Disorder with prolonged depressive reaction and somatic anxiety, which developed into a protracted conflict marked the employment situation". INAIL rejected that request, but in the same year the employee has submitted the complaint for "mobbing". Even this request was rejected. Literature shows many examples of traumatic events during working activities which cause psychiatric disturbances. These events include industrial disasters, explosions, transport and mining accidents, accidents in psychiatric units with high risks of assaults, armed conflicts, war, assault and sexual assault, natural disasters. Victims show symptoms of acute stress disorder (ASD) or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Cases of acute stress disorder resulting only from verbal conflict recognised as work injury aren't currently described. This case opens new perspective for the occupational physician in the assessment of ASD as work injury and of PTSD as professional disease, suggesting to put more attention to psychiatric health of workers.

Environment and brain plasticity: towards an endogenous pharmacotherapy.

PubMed

Sale, Alessandro; Berardi, Nicoletta; Maffei, Lamberto

2014-01-01

Brain plasticity refers to the remarkable property of cerebral neurons to change their structure and function in response to experience, a fundamental theoretical theme in the field of basic research and a major focus for neural rehabilitation following brain disease. While much of the early work on this topic was based on deprivation approaches relying on sensory experience reduction procedures, major advances have been recently obtained using the conceptually opposite paradigm of environmental enrichment, whereby an enhanced stimulation is provided at multiple cognitive, sensory, social, and motor levels. In this survey, we aim to review past and recent work concerning the influence exerted by the environment on brain plasticity processes, with special emphasis on the underlying cellular and molecular mechanisms and starting from experimental work on animal models to move to highly relevant work performed in humans. We will initiate introducing the concept of brain plasticity and describing classic paradigmatic examples to illustrate how changes at the level of neuronal properties can ultimately affect and direct key perceptual and behavioral outputs. Then, we describe the remarkable effects elicited by early stressful conditions, maternal care, and preweaning enrichment on central nervous system development, with a separate section focusing on neurodevelopmental disorders. A specific section is dedicated to the striking ability of environmental enrichment and physical exercise to empower adult brain plasticity. Finally, we analyze in the last section the ever-increasing available knowledge on the effects elicited by enriched living conditions on physiological and pathological aging brain processes.

Transforming data into action: the Sonoma County Human Services Department.

PubMed

Harrison, Lindsay

2012-01-01

In order to centralize data-based initiatives, the Director of the Department worked with the Board of Supervisors and the executive team to develop a new Planning, Research, and Evaluation (PRE) division. PRE is establishing rules for data-based decision making and consolidating data collection to ensure quality and consistency. It aims to target resources toward visionary, pro-active program planning and implementation, and inform the public about the role of Human Services in creating a healthy, safe and productive environment. PRE staff spent several months studying the job functions of staff, to determine how they use information to inform practice, consulting other counties about their experiences. The PRE team developed Datascript, outlining two agency aims: (a) foster a decision-making environment that values and successfully uses empirical evidence for strategic change, and (b) manage the role and image of the Human Services Department in the external environment. The case study describes action steps developed to achieve each aim. Copyright © Taylor & Francis Group, LLC

Peer-led Aboriginal parent support: Program development for vulnerable populations with participatory action research.

PubMed

Munns, Ailsa; Toye, Christine; Hegney, Desley; Kickett, Marion; Marriott, Rhonda; Walker, Roz

2017-10-01

Participatory action research (PAR) is a credible, culturally appropriate methodology that can be used to effect collaborative change within vulnerable populations. This PAR study was undertaken in a Western Australian metropolitan setting to develop and evaluate the suitability, feasibility and effectiveness of an Aboriginal peer-led home visiting programme. A secondary aim, addressed in this paper, was to explore and describe research methodology used for the study and provide recommendations for its implementation in other similar situations. PAR using action learning sets was employed to develop the parent support programme and data addressing the secondary, methodological aim were collected through focus groups using semi-structured and unstructured interview schedules. Findings were addressed throughout the action research process to enhance the research process. The themes that emerged from the data and addressed the methodological aim were the need for safe communication processes; supportive engagement processes and supportive organisational processes. Aboriginal peer support workers (PSWs) and community support agencies identified three important elements central to their capacity to engage and work within the PAR methodology. This research has provided innovative data, highlighting processes and recommendations for child health nurses to engage with the PSWs, parents and community agencies to explore culturally acceptable elements for an empowering methodology for peer-led home visiting support. There is potential for this nursing research to credibly inform policy development for Aboriginal child and family health service delivery, in addition to other vulnerable population groups. Child health nurses/researchers can use these new understandings to work in partnership with Aboriginal communities and families to develop empowering and culturally acceptable strategies for developing Aboriginal parent support for the early years. Impact Statement Child health nurses and Aboriginal communities can collaborate through participatory action research to develop peer-led support for the early years. Indigenous Australian peoples are people who identify as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander. Respectfully, throughout this paper, they will be described as Aboriginal.

A community engaged curriculum for public service psychiatry fellowship training.

PubMed

Sowers, Wesley; Marin, Robert

2014-01-01

Transforming the mental health system into a recovery oriented, integrated system of care requires a psychiatric work force that understands the relationship between recovery processes and community living. Fellowship programs in public and community psychiatry contribute to this transformation by educating psychiatrists about recovery, system dynamics, leadership, effective administration and community involvement. This paper describes a novel approach to fellowship programming that accomplishes these aims through an organizational strategy that emphasizes community engagement. After describing the administrative background for the program, we describe how the content curriculum and teaching process focus on the engagement of community members-both service users and service providers-as participating faculty. The faculty includes over 100 consumers, family members, advocacy group representatives, clinicians, and administrators. We present evaluation data obtained from 45 of the 100 community and university faculty who participated in the first 2 years' of the fellowship and conclude with a critique and recommendations for further progress in community engaged fellowship training.

Nurse-client interactions in community-based practice: creating common ground.

PubMed

Kristjanson, L; Chalmers, K

1990-12-01

Although research activity is increasingly aimed at examining health outcomes of community health nursing care, little empirical literature systematically describes the nurse-client interaction. In this pilot study nurse-client interactions were evaluated to describe their detailed elements. Nineteen such interactions occurring in a Canadian public health department were videotaped by a professional filming crew. The clinical situations included home visits, school health interviews and screening, health classes, and clinic work. The audio portion of the nurse-client exchanges were transcribed from the videotapes onto a computer and analyzed using content analysis. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with nurses and clients after the filming to elicit their perceptions of the interactions. Field notes describing nonverbal and contextual data were also collected and analyzed. The central process identified during the interactions was called "creating common ground." This integrating conceptual schema captured the give and take as each participant defined territory and revealed information. The process varied depending on care context, process skills of the nurse, and willingness of the client to engage.

Implementing “insider” ethnography: lessons from the Public Conversations about HIV/AIDS project in rural South Africa

PubMed Central

Angotti, Nicole; Sennott, Christie

2015-01-01

We describe the conceptualization and implementation of a research methodology in which “insider” community members work with “outsider” investigators as participant observers to document everyday conversations taking place in public settings in their communities. Our study took place in a resource-poor area of rural South Africa and focused on HIV/AIDS, yet we aim here to provide a road map for those interested in implementing this approach in other contexts for various empirical ends. Because this approach is unusual, we highlight considerations in selecting a team of ethnographers, describe the training process, and offer ways to ensure the data collected are trustworthy and confidential. We describe the advantages and limitations of utilizing “insider ethnography” in contexts where being indigenous to the study site provides access to perspectives that cannot be obtained through other methods. Finally, we examine how mutuality and the positionality of the research team affect data collection and quality. PMID:26451131

Variation between seated and standing/walking postures among male and female call centre operators.

PubMed

Toomingas, Allan; Forsman, Mikael; Mathiassen, Svend Erik; Heiden, Marina; Nilsson, Tohr

2012-03-02

The dose and time-pattern of sitting has been suggested in public health research to be an important determinant of risk for developing a number of diseases, including cardiovascular disorders and diabetes. The aim of the present study was to assess the time-pattern of seated and standing/walking postures amongst male and female call centre operators, on the basis of whole-shift posture recordings, analysed and described by a number of novel variables describing posture variation. Seated vs. standing/walking was recorded using dichotomous inclinometers throughout an entire work shift for 43 male and 97 female call centre operators at 16 call centres. Data were analysed using an extensive set of variables describing occurrence of and switches between seated and standing/walking, posture similarity across the day, and compliance with standard recommendations for computer work. The majority of the operators, both male and female, spent more than 80% of the shift in a seated posture with an average of 10.4 switches/hour between seated and standing/walking or vice versa. Females spent, on average, 11% of the day in periods of sustained sitting longer than 1 hour; males 4.6% (p = 0.013). Only 38% and 11% of the operators complied with standard recommendations of getting an uninterrupted break from seated posture of at least 5 or 10 minutes, respectively, within each hour of work. Two thirds of all investigated variables showed coefficients of variation between subjects above 0.5. Since work tasks and contractual break schedules were observed to be essentially similar across operators and across days, this indicates that sedentary behaviours differed substantially between individuals. The extensive occurrence of uninterrupted seated work indicates that efforts should be made at call centres - and probably in other settings in the office sector - to introduce more physical variation in terms of standing/walking periods during the work day. We suggest the metrics used in this study for quantifying variation in sedentary behaviour to be of interest even for other dichotomous exposures relevant to occupational and public health, for instance physical activity/inactivity.

Locum doctors in general practice: motivation and experiences.

PubMed Central

McKevitt, C; Morgan, M; Hudson, M

1999-01-01

BACKGROUND: There is evidence of dissatisfaction with locum doctors' performance, but little is known about doctors who work as locums in general practice or about their experiences of this work. AIM: To describe the motivations and experiences of doctors providing locum cover in general practices. METHOD: A postal questionnaire survey distributed to locums through organizations such as locum groups, commercial agencies, and general practices. RESULTS: Questionnaires were returned by 111 doctors currently working as locums in general practice. Four main reasons for working as a locum GP were: as a short-term option while between posts, to gain experience of different practices before commitment to one practice, to balance work and family or other commitments, to continue part-time work after retirement. One-quarter of responders intended to continue working as a locum indefinitely. The drawbacks of locum work included frustration with low status, lack of security, and difficulty accessing structured training and education. CONCLUSION: Locum doctors in general practice are a heterogeneous group that includes those who have chosen this type of work. The doctors who intend to continue as locums indefinitely represent a useful resource in primary care whose ability to provide short-term cover could be maximized. The need to control the quality of 'freelance' doctors should not overshadow the need to control the quality of their working environments. PMID:10621983