APMP Pilot Study on Transmittance Haze

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Wen-Chun; Hwang, Jisoo; Koo, Annette; Wu, Houping; Leecharoen, Rojana; Yu, Hsueh-Ling

2018-02-01

Five NMIs within APMP, including CMS/ITRI, MSL, NIM, NIMT and KRISS from TCPR applied to the APMP technical committee initiative project for funding to carry out a pilot comparison of transmittance haze in 2012. The project started in 2014 and the final report was completed at the end of 2016. In this pilot comparison, three different haze standards were adopted, and transmittance haze for each standard was measured according to ASTM D1003 or ISO 14782. This paper presents the first results of an APMP pilot study of transmittance haze and the analysis of the variation among different haze measurement systems which are commonly used. The study shows that the variables such as sphere multiplier, transmittance distribution, fluorescence of samples and optical path of the incident beam cause discrepancies among NMIs and highlight deficiencies in current documentary standards.

System and Method for Providing Model-Based Alerting of Spatial Disorientation to a Pilot

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Johnson, Steve (Inventor); Conner, Kevin J (Inventor); Mathan, Santosh (Inventor)

2015-01-01

A system and method monitor aircraft state parameters, for example, aircraft movement and flight parameters, applies those inputs to a spatial disorientation model, and makes a prediction of when pilot may become spatially disoriented. Once the system predicts a potentially disoriented pilot, the sensitivity for alerting the pilot to conditions exceeding a threshold can be increased and allow for an earlier alert to mitigate the possibility of an incorrect control input.

Piloted studies of Enhanced or Synthetic Vision display parameters

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Harris, Randall L., Sr.; Parrish, Russell V.

1992-01-01

This paper summarizes the results of several studies conducted at Langley Research Center over the past few years. The purposes of these studies were to investigate parameters of pictorial displays and imaging sensors that affect pilot approach and landing performance. Pictorial displays have demonstrated exceptional tracking performance and improved the pilots' spatial awareness. Stereopsis cueing improved pilot flight performance and reduced pilot stress. Sensor image parameters such as increased field-of-view. faster image update rate, and aiding symbology improved flare initiation. Finer image resolution and magnification improved attitude control performance parameters.

Pilot Study: Foam Wedge Chin Support Static Tolerance Testing

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-10-24

AFRL-SA-WP-SR-2017-0026 Pilot Study : Foam Wedge Chin Support Static Tolerance Testing Austin M. Fischer, BS1; William W...COVERED (From – To) April – October 2017 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE Pilot Study : Foam Wedge Chin Support Static Tolerance Testing 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER...prototype to mitigate the increase in helmet weight and forward center of gravity. The purpose of this pilot study was to determine the feasibility and

Combining destination diversion decisions and critical in-flight event diagnosis in computer aided testing of pilots

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rockwell, T. H.; Giffin, W. C.; Romer, D. J.

1984-01-01

Rockwell and Giffin (1982) and Giffin and Rockwell (1983) have discussed the use of computer aided testing (CAT) in the study of pilot response to critical in-flight events. The present investigation represents an extension of these earlier studies. In testing pilot responses to critical in-flight events, use is made of a Plato-touch CRT system operating on a menu based format. In connection with the typical diagnostic problem, the pilot was presented with symptoms within a flight scenario. In one problem, the pilot has four minutes for obtaining the information which is needed to make a diagnosis of the problem. In the reported research, the attempt has been made to combine both diagnosis and diversion scenario into a single computer aided test. Tests with nine subjects were conducted. The obtained results and their significance are discussed.

Pilot in vivo study of an absorbable polydioxanone vena cava filter.

PubMed

Eggers, Mitchell D; McArthur, Mark J; Figueira, Tomas A; Abdelsalam, Mohamed E; Dixon, Katherine P; Pageon, Laura R; Wallace, Michael J; Huang, Steven Y

2015-10-01

The objectives of this study were to evaluate tensile strength retention of polydioxanone as a function of time in a swine venous system and to assess the feasibility of an absorbable inferior vena cava (IVC) filter made from polydioxanone in a pilot swine study. Twenty strands (60 cm each) of size 1 polydioxanone absorbable suture (Ethicon, Somerville, NJ) were placed in the central venous system of domestic swine. Strands were harvested at weekly intervals during 10 weeks for tensile strength testing. Results were compared with control samples obtained from an in vitro engineered circulation system containing sodium phosphate buffer solution. Three IVC filters braided from polydioxanone suture were also catheter deployed in three swine to assess absorbable IVC filter feasibility. Polydioxanone retained 82% tensile strength in vitro vs 79% in vivo at 35 days (P > .22), the desired prophylactic duration. For IVC filters made from polydioxanone, technical success of placement was achieved in all three filters deployed (100%). Autologous thrombus deployed inferior to the filter remained trapped in the filter until thrombus resorption, with no evidence of pulmonary emboli on follow-up computed tomography. There were no instances of caval penetration, filter-induced IVC thrombosis, filter migration, or tilt >15 degrees with imaging and clinical follow-up carried out to 32 weeks. Strength retention of polydioxanone suture placed in the venous system of swine is similar to earlier in vitro studies out to 10 weeks (P > .06 for all weeks) and is more than sufficient (8.20 ± 0.37 kg mean load at break for size 1) to trap thrombus. Pilot animal study suggests that an absorbable polydioxanone IVC filter can be catheter deployed to capture and to hold iatrogenically administered autologous thrombus through resorption. Copyright © 2015 Society for Vascular Surgery. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A mixed method pilot study: the researchers' experiences.

PubMed

Secomb, Jacinta M; Smith, Colleen

2011-08-01

This paper reports on the outcomes of a small well designed pilot study. Pilot studies often disseminate limited or statistically meaningless results without adding to the body knowledge on the comparative research benefits. The design a pre-test post-test group parallel randomised control trial and inductive content analysis of focus group transcripts was tested specifically to increase outcomes in a proposed larger study. Strategies are now in place to overcome operational barriers and recruitment difficulties. Links between the qualitative and quantitative arms of the proposed larger study have been made; it is anticipated that this will add depth to the final report. More extensive reporting on the outcomes of pilot studies would assist researchers and increase the body of knowledge in this area.

Poststroke dysphagia rehabilitation by repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation: a noncontrolled pilot study.

PubMed

Verin, E; Leroi, A M

2009-06-01

Poststroke dysphagia is frequent and significantly increases patient mortality. In two thirds of cases there is a spontaneous improvement in a few weeks, but in the other third, oropharyngeal dysphagia persists. Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) is known to excite or inhibit cortical neurons, depending on stimulation frequency. The aim of this noncontrolled pilot study was to assess the feasibility and the effects of 1-Hz rTMS, known to have an inhibitory effect, on poststroke dysphagia. Seven patients (3 females, age = 65 +/- 10 years), with poststroke dysphagia due to hemispheric or subhemispheric stroke more than 6 months earlier (56 +/- 50 months) diagnosed by videofluoroscopy, participated in the study. rTMS at 1 Hz was applied for 20 min per day every day for 5 days to the healthy hemisphere to decrease transcallosal inhibition. The evaluation was performed using the dysphagia handicap index and videofluoroscopy. The dysphagia handicap index demonstrated that the patients had mild oropharyngeal dysphagia. Initially, the score was 43 +/- 9 of a possible 120 which decreased to 30 +/- 7 (p < 0.05) after rTMS. After rTMS, there was an improvement of swallowing coordination, with a decrease in swallow reaction time for liquids (p = 0.0506) and paste (p < 0.01), although oral transit time, pharyngeal transit time, and laryngeal closure duration were not modified. Aspiration score significantly decreased for liquids (p < 0.05) and residue score decreased for paste (p < 0.05). This pilot study demonstrated that rTMS is feasible in poststroke dysphagia and improves swallowing coordination. Our results now need to be confirmed by a randomized controlled study with a larger patient population.

SUPERFUND TREATABILITY CLEARINGHOUSE: SOIL STABILIZATION PILOT STUDY, UNITED CHROME NPL SITE PILOT STUDY AND HEALTH AND SAFETY PROGRAM, UNITED CHROME NPL SITE PILOT STUDY

EPA Science Inventory

This document is a project plan for a pilot study at the United Chrome NPL site, Corvallis, Oregon and includes the health and safety and quality assurance/quality control plans. The plan reports results of a bench-scale study of the treatment process as iieasured by the ...

Controlling road rage : a literature review and pilot study

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1999-06-01

This report discusses results of a literature review and pilot study on how to prevent aggressive driving and road rage. The study "Controlling Road Rage: A Literature Review and Pilot Study" defines road rage as "an incident in which an angry or imp...

SPEEDIER Project. Preliminary Report on Social Studies Pilot Projects.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Myers, Charles B.; And Others

This preliminary report describes five social studies pilot programs in the counties of Dauphin, Lancaster, Lebanon, and York, Pennsylvania. It is expected that these pilot endeavors will affect educators in the counties served by SPEEDIER as follows: 1) increase understanding of the newer content, ideas, and strategies in the pilot programs; 2)…

Bowel cancer screening is safe, detects earlier stage cancer and adenomas in 50% of cases: experience of the prevalent round of screening from two first wave centres in the North East of England.

PubMed

Rajasekhar, P T; Clifford, G M; Lee, T J W; Rutter, M D; Waddup, G; Ritchie, M; Nylander, D; Painter, J; Singh, J; Ward, I; Dempsey, N; Bowes, J; Handley, G; Henry, J; Rees, C J

2012-01-01

The NHS Bowel Cancer Screening Programme (BCSP) began roll-out in 2006 aiming to reduce cancer mortality through detection at an earlier stage. We report results from the prevalent round of screening at two first wave centres and compare with the UK pilot study. This is a service evaluation study. Data were collected prospectively for all individuals undergoing faecal occult blood testing (FOBt) and colonoscopy including: uptake and outcomes of FOBt, colonoscopic performance, findings, histological data and complications. Continuous data were compared using a two-tailed test of two proportions. The South of Tyne and Tees Bowel Cancer Screening centres. Participants of the BCSP. 1) Colonoscopy Quality Assurance and 2) Cancer stage shift. 195,772 individuals were invited to participate. Uptake was 54% and FOBt positivity 1.7%. 1524 underwent colonoscopy with caecal intubation in 1485 (97%). 180 (12%) cancers were detected. Dukes stages were: 76 (42%) A; 47 (26%) B; 47 (26%) C; 8 (4%) D and 2 (1%) unknown. This demonstrates a significantly earlier stage at diagnosis compared with data from 2867 non-screening detected cancers (p<0.001). Adenomas were detected in 758 (50%). One perforation occurred (0.07%) and two intermediate bleeds requiring transfusion only (0.12%). Both caecal intubation and adenoma detection were significantly higher than in the UK pilot study (p<0.001). The prevalent round of screening demonstrates a high adenoma and cancer detection rate and significantly earlier stage at diagnosis. Complications were few providing reassurance regarding safety. Efforts are required to improve uptake.

Bowel cancer screening is safe, detects earlier stage cancer and adenomas in 50% of cases: experience of the prevalent round of screening from two first wave centres in the North East of England

PubMed Central

Rajasekhar, P T; Clifford, G M; Lee, T J W; Rutter, M D; Waddup, G; Ritchie, M; Nylander, D; Painter, J; Singh, J; Ward, I; Dempsey, N; Bowes, J; Handley, G; Henry, J; Rees, C J

2012-01-01

Objective The NHS Bowel Cancer Screening Programme (BCSP) began roll-out in 2006 aiming to reduce cancer mortality through detection at an earlier stage. We report results from the prevalent round of screening at two first wave centres and compare with the UK pilot study. Design This is a service evaluation study. Data were collected prospectively for all individuals undergoing faecal occult blood testing (FOBt) and colonoscopy including: uptake and outcomes of FOBt, colonoscopic performance, findings, histological data and complications. Continuous data were compared using a two-tailed test of two proportions. Setting The South of Tyne and Tees Bowel Cancer Screening centres. Patients Participants of the BCSP. Main Outcome Measures 1) Colonoscopy Quality Assurance and 2) Cancer stage shift. Results 195,772 individuals were invited to participate. Uptake was 54% and FOBt positivity 1.7%. 1524 underwent colonoscopy with caecal intubation in 1485 (97%). 180 (12%) cancers were detected. Dukes stages were: 76 (42%) A; 47 (26%) B; 47 (26%) C; 8 (4%) D and 2 (1%) unknown. This demonstrates a significantly earlier stage at diagnosis compared with data from 2867 non-screening detected cancers (p<0.001). Adenomas were detected in 758 (50%). One perforation occurred (0.07%) and two intermediate bleeds requiring transfusion only (0.12%). Both caecal intubation and adenoma detection were significantly higher than in the UK pilot study (p<0.001). Conclusions The prevalent round of screening demonstrates a high adenoma and cancer detection rate and significantly earlier stage at diagnosis. Complications were few providing reassurance regarding safety. Efforts are required to improve uptake. PMID:28839624

Recommendations for Planning Pilot Studies in Clinical and Translational Research

PubMed Central

Moore, Charity G.; Carter, Rickey E.; Nietert, Paul J.; Stewart, Paul W.

2011-01-01

Abstract  Advances in clinical and translation science are facilitated by building on prior knowledge gained through experimentation and observation. In the context of drug development, preclinical studies are followed by a progression of phase I through phase IV clinical trials. At each step, the study design and statistical strategies are framed around research questions that are prerequisites for the next phase. In other types of biomedical research, pilot studies are used for gathering preliminary support for the next research step. However, the phrase “pilot study” is liberally applied to projects with little or no funding, characteristic of studies with poorly developed research proposals, and usually conducted with no detailed thought of the subsequent study. In this article, we present a rigorous definition of a pilot study, offer recommendations for the design, analysis and sample size justification of pilot studies in clinical and translational research, and emphasize the important role that well‐designed pilot studies play in the advancement of science and scientific careers. Clin Trans Sci 2011; Volume 4: 332–337 PMID:22029804

LAM Pilot Study with Imatinib Mesylate (LAMP-1)

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-10-01

AD______________ AWARD NUMBER: W81XWH-14-1-0132 TITLE: LAM Pilot Study with Imatinib Mesylate (LAMP-1) PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR: Charlie...AND SUBTITLE LAM Pilot Study with Imatinib Mesylate (LAMP-1) 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER 5b. GRANT NUMBER W81XWH-14-1-0132 5c. PROGRAM ELEMENT...designed to generate short-term safety and efficacy data regarding imatinib mesylate (imatinib) in the treatment of Lymphangioleiomyomatosis ( LAM

Pilot-scale verification of maximum tolerable hydrodynamic stress for mammalian cell culture.

PubMed

Neunstoecklin, Benjamin; Villiger, Thomas K; Lucas, Eric; Stettler, Matthieu; Broly, Hervé; Morbidelli, Massimo; Soos, Miroslav

2016-04-01

Although several scaling bioreactor models of mammalian cell cultures are suggested and described in the literature, they mostly lack a significant validation at pilot or manufacturing scale. The aim of this study is to validate an oscillating hydrodynamic stress loop system developed earlier by our group for the evaluation of the maximum operating range for stirring, based on a maximum tolerable hydrodynamic stress. A 300-L pilot-scale bioreactor for cultivation of a Sp2/0 cell line was used for this purpose. Prior to cultivations, a stress-sensitive particulate system was applied to determine the stress values generated by stirring and sparging. Pilot-scale data, collected from 7- to 28-Pa maximum stress conditions, were compared with data from classical 3-L cultivations and cultivations from the oscillating stress loop system. Results for the growth behavior, analyzed metabolites, productivity, and product quality showed a dependency on the different environmental stress conditions but not on reactor size. Pilot-scale conditions were very similar to those generated in the oscillating stress loop model confirming its predictive capability, including conditions at the edge of failure.

Pilot Study EURAMET.AUV.V-P1: Bilateral comparison on magnitude of the complex charge sensitivity of accelerometers from 10 Hz to 10 kHz

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bartoli, Claire; Hermawanto, Denny

2017-01-01

The results of a Pilot Study EURAMET.AUV.V-P1 between LNE (France) and RCM-LIPI (Indonesia) are reported. This bilateral comparison of sinusoidal vibration was organized after the implementation of various improvements at RCM-LIPI following a previous (unpublished) comparison that had revealed discrepancies in their results at frequencies above 5 kHz. The results of this Pilot Study, using the same accelerometers as the earlier comparison, demonstrate that the discrepancies at high frequencies have been resolved. For both the back-to-back and the single-ended accelerometers tested, the sensitivities of the RCM-LIPI and the LNE over the frequency range from 10 Hz to 10 kHz now agree within their declared uncertainties. Main text To reach the main text of this paper, click on Final Report. The final report has been peer-reviewed and approved for publication by the CCAUV.

Pilot non dialysis chronic renal insufficiency study (P-ND-CRIS): a pilot study of an open prospective hospital-based French cohort.

PubMed

Massol, Jacques; Janin, Gérard; Bachot, Camille; Gousset, Christophe; Deville, Geoffroy Sainte-Claire; Chalopin, Jean-Marc

2017-02-01

Before establishing a prospective cohort, an initial pilot study is recommended. However, there are no precise guidelines on this subject. This paper reports the findings of a French regional pilot study carried out in three nephrology departments, before realizing a major prospective Non Dialysis Chronic Renal Insufficiency study (ND-CRIS). We carried out an internal pilot study. The objectives of this pilot study were to validate the feasibility (regulatory approval, providing patients with information, availability of variables, refusal rate of eligible patients) and quality criteria (missing data, rate of patients lost to follow-up, characteristics of the patients included and non-included eligible patients, quality control of the data gathered) and estimate the human resources necessary (number of clinical research associates required). The authorizations obtained (CCTIRS - CNIL) and the contracts signed with hospitals have fulfilled the regulatory requirements. After validating the information on the study provided to patients, 1849 of them were included in three centres (university hospital, intercommunal hospital, town hospital) between April 2012 and September 2015. The low refusal rate (51 patients) and the characteristics of non-included patients have confirmed the benefit for patients of participating in the study and provide evidence of the feasibility and representativeness of the population studied. The lack of missing data on the variables studied, the quality of the data analyzed and the low number of patients lost to follow-up are evidence of the quality of the study. By taking into account the time spent by CRAs to enter data and to travel, as well as the annual patient numbers in each hospital, we estimate that five CRAs will be required in total. With no specific guidelines on how to realize a pilot study before implementing a major prospective cohort, we considered it pertinent to report our experience of P-ND-CRIS. This experience confirms

NORTHWEST ORGEON PILOT STUDY AREA (USA): THE USE OF LANDSCAPE SCIENCE FOR ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT PILOT STUDY

EPA Science Inventory

The Northwest Oregon Pilot Study Area encompasses approximately 59,167 km2 and varies in elevation from sea level to 3,200 m. Annual precipitation varies with elevation and meridian and ranges from 25 - 460cm. The study area comprises a mixture of federal, state, and privately ow...

EXPOSURE ASSESSMENT METHODS DEVELOPMENT PILOTS FOR THE NATIONAL CHILDREN'S STUDY

EPA Science Inventory

Accurate exposure classification tools are needed to link exposure with health effects. EPA began methods development pilot studies in 2000 to address general questions about exposures and outcome measures. Selected pilot studies are highlighted in this poster. The “Literature Re...

Rehabilitation Education: A Pilot Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vander Kolk, Charles; Jaques, Marceline E.

1972-01-01

The presentation of undergraduate courses in rehabilitation could serve several purposes: (a) preparation for graduate level work; (b) training for support personnel; and (c) interdisciplinary education. This article describes a pilot study of a course in rehabilitation to investigate through pre- and post measures, attitude change, attainment of…

Breakthrough Listen on MWA Pilot Study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Croft, S.; Siemion, A.; Kaplan, D. L.; Tremblay, S.

2016-07-01

We propose a pilot study, using the Voltage Capture System, for Breakthrough Listen on the MWA. Breakthrough Listen (BL) is a major new project that aims to dramatically improve the coverage of parameter space in the search for intelligent life beyond Earth. BL has already deployed hardware and software to the Green Bank Telescope, and will bring a similar program with the Parkes Telescope online in the second half of 2016. The low frequency sky is however currently very poorly explored. The superb capabilities of the MWA (large field of view, low frequency of operation, and location in a very radio quiet site) provide a unique opportunity for a pilot study to obtain voltage data for a SETI (Search For Extraterrestrial Intelligence) study of the Galactic Plane. We propose commensal observations, piggybacking on the proposed pulsar search of Tremblay et al. Using existing VCS software, combined with the pipeline developed for Breakthrough Listen at GBT and Parkes, we will perform a blind search for candidate signals from extraterrestrial intelligence. Although the chances of a detection are not large, particularly for a pilot study such as that proposed here, the Breakthrough Listen team plan to perform extensive testing and analysis on the data obtained which should be useful for other users of the MWA VCS. We will make the secondary SETI data products and associated documentation available as a resource to the community via the Breakthrough Listen online archive.

Pilot Biofeedback Training in the Cognitive Awareness Training Study (CATS)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Uenking, M.

2000-01-01

One of the ongoing problems that pilots face today is a diminished state of awareness such as boredom, sleepiness, or fatigue during cruise conditions that could result in various pilot errors. This study utilized a cognitive training exercise to sharpen the pilot's awareness during simulated flight thereby providing them with a means to overcome these diminished states of awareness. This study utilizes psychophysiological methods in an attempt to assess a pilot's state of awareness more directly. In turn, the pilots will be able to train themselves to recognize these states of awareness and be more mentally sharp during mundane tasks such as those experienced in cruise conditions. The use of these measurement tools may be beneficial for researchers working within the NASA Aviation Safety Program. This paper will provide the reader with some background information concerning the motivation for the study, a brief description of the experimental setup and design matrix, the dependent and independent variables that were employed, and some preliminary findings based on some of the subjective and objective data that was collected. These preliminary findings are of part of an ongoing study being conducted at the NASA Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia.

76 FR 70152 - Pilot Program for Early Feasibility Study Investigational Device Exemption Applications

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-11-10

...] Pilot Program for Early Feasibility Study Investigational Device Exemption Applications AGENCY: Food and... feasibility study investigational device exemption (IDE) applications. The pilot program will conform to the... Feasibility Medical Device Clinical Studies, Including Certain First in Human (FIH) Studies.'' Under the pilot...

Seaside, Oregon, Tsunami Vulnerability Assessment Pilot Study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dunbar, P. K.; Dominey-Howes, D.; Varner, J.

2006-12-01

The results of a pilot study to assess the risk from tsunamis for the Seaside-Gearhart, Oregon region will be presented. To determine the risk from tsunamis, it is first necessary to establish the hazard or probability that a tsunami of a particular magnitude will occur within a certain period of time. Tsunami inundation maps that provide 100-year and 500-year probabilistic tsunami wave height contours for the Seaside-Gearhart, Oregon, region were developed as part of an interagency Tsunami Pilot Study(1). These maps provided the probability of the tsunami hazard. The next step in determining risk is to determine the vulnerability or degree of loss resulting from the occurrence of tsunamis due to exposure and fragility. The tsunami vulnerability assessment methodology used in this study was developed by M. Papathoma and others(2). This model incorporates multiple factors (e.g. parameters related to the natural and built environments and socio-demographics) that contribute to tsunami vulnerability. Data provided with FEMA's HAZUS loss estimation software and Clatsop County, Oregon, tax assessment data were used as input to the model. The results, presented within a geographic information system, reveal the percentage of buildings in need of reinforcement and the population density in different inundation depth zones. These results can be used for tsunami mitigation, local planning, and for determining post-tsunami disaster response by emergency services. (1)Tsunami Pilot Study Working Group, Seaside, Oregon Tsunami Pilot Study--Modernization of FEMA Flood Hazard Maps, Joint NOAA/USGS/FEMA Special Report, U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, U.S. Geological Survey, U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency, 2006, Final Draft. (2)Papathoma, M., D. Dominey-Howes, D.,Y. Zong, D. Smith, Assessing Tsunami Vulnerability, an example from Herakleio, Crete, Natural Hazards and Earth System Sciences, Vol. 3, 2003, p. 377-389.

Piloted simulation study of two tilt-wing control concepts

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Birckelbaw, Lourdes G.; Corliss, Lloyd D.

1994-01-01

A two-phase piloted simulation study was conducted to investigate alternative wing and flap controls for tilt-wing aircraft. The initial phase of the study compared the flying qualities of both a conventional (programmed) flap and an innovative geared flap. The second phase of the study introduced an alternate method of pilot control for the geared flap and further studied the flying qualities of the programmed flap, and two geared flap configurations. In general, the pilot rating showed little variation between the programmed flap and the geared flap control concepts. Some differences between the two concepts were noticed and are discussed in this paper. The addition of pitch attitude stabilization in the second phase of the study greatly enhanced the aircraft flying qualities. This paper describes the simulated tilt-wing aircraft and the flap control concepts and presents the results of both phases of the simulation study.

Feasibility and Pilot Studies in Palliative Care Research: A Systematic Review.

PubMed

Jones, Terry A; Olds, Timothy S; Currow, David C; Williams, Marie T

2017-07-01

Feasibility and pilot study designs are common in palliative care research. Finding standard guidelines on the structure and reporting of these study types is difficult. In feasibility and pilot studies in palliative care research, to determine 1) how commonly a priori feasibility are criteria reported and whether results are subsequently reported against these criteria? and 2) how commonly are participants' views on acceptability of burden of the study protocol assessed? Four databases (OVID Medline, EMBASE, CINAHL, and PubMed via caresearch.com.au.) were searched. Search terms included palliative care, terminal care, advance care planning, hospice, pilot, feasibility, with a publication date between January 1, 2012 and December 31, 2013. Articles were selected and appraised by two independent reviewers. Fifty-six feasibility and/or pilot studies were included in this review. Only three studies had clear a priori criteria to measure success. Sixteen studies reported participant acceptability or burden with measures. Forty-eight studies concluded feasibility. The terms "feasibility" and "pilot" are used synonymously in palliative care research when describing studies that test for feasibility. Few studies in palliative care research outline clear criteria for success. The assessment of participant acceptability and burden is uncommon. A gold standard for feasibility study design in palliative care research that includes both clear criteria for success and testing of the study protocol for participant acceptability and burden is needed. Such a standard would assist with consistency in the design, conduct and reporting of feasibility and pilot studies. Copyright © 2017 American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Physiological studies on air tanker pilots flying forest fire retardant missions.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1968-10-01

Pre-flight and post-flight studies were carried out on five air tanker pilots; in-flight studies were carried out on four of these five pilots. Pre- and post-flight studies consisted of a questionnaire and determinations of blood pressure, psychomoto...

Structural Differences in Gray Matter between Glider Pilots and Non-Pilots. A Voxel-Based Morphometry Study

PubMed Central

Ahamed, Tosif; Kawanabe, Motoaki; Ishii, Shin; Callan, Daniel E.

2014-01-01

Glider flying is a unique skill that requires pilots to control an aircraft at high speeds in three dimensions and amidst frequent full-body rotations. In the present study, we investigated the neural correlates of flying a glider using voxel-based morphometry. The comparison between gray matter densities of 15 glider pilots and a control group of 15 non-pilots exhibited significant gray matter density increases in left ventral premotor cortex, anterior cingulate cortex, and the supplementary eye field. We posit that the identified regions might be associated with cognitive and motor processes related to flying, such as joystick control, visuo-vestibular interaction, and oculomotor control. PMID:25506339

Structural Differences in Gray Matter between Glider Pilots and Non-Pilots. A Voxel-Based Morphometry Study.

PubMed

Ahamed, Tosif; Kawanabe, Motoaki; Ishii, Shin; Callan, Daniel E

2014-01-01

Glider flying is a unique skill that requires pilots to control an aircraft at high speeds in three dimensions and amidst frequent full-body rotations. In the present study, we investigated the neural correlates of flying a glider using voxel-based morphometry. The comparison between gray matter densities of 15 glider pilots and a control group of 15 non-pilots exhibited significant gray matter density increases in left ventral premotor cortex, anterior cingulate cortex, and the supplementary eye field. We posit that the identified regions might be associated with cognitive and motor processes related to flying, such as joystick control, visuo-vestibular interaction, and oculomotor control.

A model for the pilot's use of motion cues in roll-axis tracking tasks

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Levison, W. H.; Junker, A. M.

1977-01-01

Simulated target-following and disturbance-regulation tasks were explored with subjects using visual-only and combined visual and motion cues. The effects of motion cues on task performance and pilot response behavior were appreciably different for the two task configurations and were consistent with data reported in earlier studies for similar task configurations. The optimal-control model for pilot/vehicle systems provided a task-independent framework for accounting for the pilot's use of motion cues. Specifically, the availability of motion cues was modeled by augmenting the set of perceptual variables to include position, rate, acceleration, and accleration-rate of the motion simulator, and results were consistent with the hypothesis of attention-sharing between visual and motion variables. This straightforward informational model allowed accurate model predictions of the effects of motion cues on a variety of response measures for both the target-following and disturbance-regulation tasks.

76 FR 12367 - Proposed Information Collection; Visibility Valuation Survey Pilot Study

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-03-07

... Survey Pilot Study AGENCY: National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior. ACTION: Notice... Code of Federal Regulations). Updated estimates of visibility benefits are required because the studies... a pilot study to test the survey instrument and implementation procedures prior to the full survey...

Recovery and well-being among Helicopter Emergency Medical Service (HEMS) pilots.

PubMed

Radstaak, Mirjam; Geurts, Sabine A E; Beckers, Debby G J; Brosschot, Jos F; Kompier, Michiel A J

2014-07-01

This study investigated the effects of a compressed working week with high cognitive and emotional work demands within the population of Dutch Helicopter Emergency Medical Service (HEMS) pilots. Work stressors were measured and levels of well-being were examined before, during and after a series of day and night shifts. Results revealed that (i) the start of a series of day shifts was more taxing for well-being than the start of a series of night shifts, (ii) there were no differences in the decrease in well-being during day and night shifts, (iii) distress during shifts was more strongly related to a decrease in well-being during night than during day shifts and (iv) it took HEMS pilots more time to recover from a series of night shifts than from a series of day shifts. It is concluded that HEMS pilots should not start earlier during day shifts, nor have longer series of night shifts. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd and The Ergonomics Society. All rights reserved.

Improving FHWA's Ability to Assess Highway Infrastructure Health : Pilot Study Report

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2012-07-01

This report documents the results of a pilot study conducted as part of a project on improving FHWAs ability to assess highway infrastructure health. As part of the pilot study, a section of Interstate 90 through South Dakota, Minnesota, and Wisco...

The value of a pilot study in breast-feeding research.

PubMed

Carfoot, Sue; Williamson, Paula R; Dickson, Rumona

2004-06-01

To test the integrity of a protocol for a randomised controlled trial (RCT) to examine the effectiveness of skin-to-skin care compared to routine care on the initiation and duration of breast feeding and to provide data to be used in the power calculation for a proposed trial. Randomised pilot study. Warrington Hospital, Cheshire, UK. Women at 36 weeks' gestation with healthy singleton pregnancies, who intended to breast feed, who had 'booked' for care at Warrington Hospital and had given informed consent to participate. Twenty-eight women were randomised in the pilot study. Women were randomly allocated to receive either routine or skin-to-skin care following birth. The first breast feed was assessed using the Breast-feeding Assessment Tool (BAT). Mothers were followed up at discharge from hospital and again at four months to provide details of duration of breast feeding. 66 women were approached to participate in the trial and 44 consented (67% consent rate). Twenty-eight women were randomised in the study and 26 breast feeds were observed (93%). The pilot study identified procedural changes that were required in the design of the main study, provided an estimate of recruitment rates and confirmed the previously calculated sample size. The pilot study demonstrated that a large RCT of skin-to-skin versus routine care was feasible. This is an example of how a pilot study has the ability to identify unforeseen challenges in the conduct of the trial as well as allowing necessary changes to be made to the design that will increase the quality of the subsequent research.

Measuring moment-to-moment pilot workload using synchronous presentations of secondary tasks in a motion-base trainer

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bortolussi, Michael R.; Hart, Sandra G.; Shively, Robert J.

1987-01-01

A simulation was conducted to determine whether the sensitivity of secondary task measures of pilot workload could be improved by synchronizing their presentation to the occurrence of specific events or pilot actions. This synchronous method of presentation was compared to the more typical asynchronous method, where secondary task presentations are independent of pilot's flight-related activities. Twelve pilots flew low- and high-difficulty scenarios in a motion-base trainer with and without concurrent secondary tasks (e.g., choice reaction time and time production). The difficulty of each scenario was manipulated by the addition of 21 flight-related tasks superimposed on a standard approach and landing sequence. The insertion of the secondary tasks did not affect primary flight performance. However, secondary task performance did reflect workload differences between scenarios and among flight segments within scenarios, replicating the results of an earlier study in which the secondary tasks were presented asynchronously (Bortolussi et al., 1986).

Why undertake a pilot in a qualitative PhD study? Lessons learned to promote success.

PubMed

Wray, Jane; Archibong, Uduak; Walton, Sean

2017-01-23

Background Pilot studies can play an important role in qualitative studies. Methodological and practical issues can be shaped and refined by undertaking pilots. Personal development and researchers' competence are enhanced and lessons learned can inform the development and quality of the main study. However, pilot studies are rarely published, despite their potential to improve knowledge and understanding of the research. Aim To present the main lessons learned from undertaking a pilot in a qualitative PhD study. Discussion This paper draws together lessons learned when undertaking a pilot as part of a qualitative research project. Important methodological and practical issues identified during the pilot study are discussed including access, recruitment, data collection and the personal development of the researcher. The resulting changes to the final study are also highlighted. Conclusion Sharing experiences of and lessons learned in a pilot study enhances personal development, improves researchers' confidence and competence, and contributes to the understanding of research. Implications for practice Pilots can be used effectively in qualitative studies to refine the final design, and provide the researcher with practical experience to enhance confidence and competence.

Neck injury criteria formulation and injury risk curves for the ejection environment: a pilot study.

PubMed

Parr, Jeffrey C; Miller, Michael E; Pellettiere, Joseph A; Erich, Roger A

2013-12-01

Helmet mounted displays provide increased pilot capability, but can also increase the risk of injury during ejection. The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration's (NHTSA's) neck injury criteria (Nij) metric is evaluated for understanding the impact of helmet mass on the risk of injury and modified risk curves are developed which are compatible with the needs of the aviation community. Existent human subject data collected under various accelerative and head loading conditions were applied to understand the sensitivity of the Nij construct to changes in acceleration and helmet mass, as well as its stability with respect to gender, body mass, neck circumference, and sitting height. A portion of this data was combined with data from an earlier postmortem human subject study to create pilot study modified risk curves. These curves were compared and contrasted with the NHTSA risk curves. A statistically significant difference in the peak mean Nij was observed when seat acceleration increased by 2 G, but not when helmet mass was varied from 1.6 kg to 2 kg at a constant seat acceleration of 8 G. Although NHTSA risk curves predict a 13% risk of AIS 2+ injury for the 8-G, 2-kg helmet condition mean Nij of 0.138, no AIS 2+ injuries were observed. Modified risk curves were produced which predict a 0.91% risk of AIS 2+ injury under these conditions. The Nij was shown to be sensitive to changes in acceleration and generally robust to anthropometric differences between individuals. Modified risk curves are proposed which improve risk prediction at lower Nij values.

Pilot interaction with cockpit automation 2: An experimental study of pilots' model and awareness of the Flight Management System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sarter, Nadine B.; Woods, David D.

1994-01-01

Technological developments have made it possible to automate more and more functions on the commercial aviation flight deck and in other dynamic high-consequence domains. This increase in the degrees of freedom in design has shifted questions away from narrow technological feasibility. Many concerned groups, from designers and operators to regulators and researchers, have begun to ask questions about how we should use the possibilities afforded by technology skillfully to support and expand human performance. In this article, we report on an experimental study that addressed these questions by examining pilot interaction with the current generation of flight deck automation. Previous results on pilot-automation interaction derived from pilot surveys, incident reports, and training observations have produced a corpus of features and contexts in which human-machine coordination is likely to break down (e.g., automation surprises). We used these data to design a simulated flight scenario that contained a variety of probes designed to reveal pilots' mental model of one major component of flight deck automation: the Flight Management System (FMS). The events within the scenario were also designed to probe pilots' ability to apply their knowledge and understanding in specific flight contexts and to examine their ability to track the status and behavior of the automated system (mode awareness). Although pilots were able to 'make the system work' in standard situations, the results reveal a variety of latent problems in pilot-FMS interaction that can affect pilot performance in nonnormal time critical situations.

Pilot Study: Unit on White Racism.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hurwitz, Alan; Snook, Valerie

This report is an attempt to explore approaches in which white people examine their own racism, understand its nature and its consequences, and then plan self-directed changes in the direction of increasingly anti-racist behavior. In the pilot study described and evaluated in the report, three general purposes indicated were: assisting…

A Study of the Characteristics of Human-Pilot Control Response to Simulated Aircraft Lateral Motions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cheatham, Donald C

1954-01-01

Report presents the results of studies made in an attempt to provide information on the control operations of the human pilot. These studies included an investigation of the ability of pilots to control simulated unstable yawing oscillations, a study of the basic characteristics of human-pilot control response, and a study to determine whether and to what extent pilot control response can be represented in an analytical form.

Introducing technology into medical education: two pilot studies.

PubMed

George, Paul; Dumenco, Luba; Dollase, Richard; Taylor, Julie Scott; Wald, Hedy S; Reis, Shmuel P

2013-12-01

Educators are integrating new technology into medical curriculum. The impact of newer technology on educational outcomes remains unclear. We aimed to determine if two pilot interventions, (1) introducing iPads into problem-based learning (PBL) sessions and (2) online tutoring would improve the educational experience of our learners. We voluntarily assigned 26 second-year medical students to iPad-based PBL sessions. Five students were assigned to Skype for exam remediation. We performed a mixed-method evaluation to determine efficacy. Pilot 1: Seventeen students completed a survey following their use of an iPad during the second-year PBL curriculum. Students noted the iPad allows for researching information in real time, annotating lecture notes, and viewing sharper images. Data indicate that iPads have value in medical education and are a positive addition to the curriculum. Pilot 2: Students agreed that online tutoring is at least or more effective than in-person tutoring. In our pilot studies, students experienced that iPads and Skype are beneficial in medical education and can be successfully employed in areas such as PBL and remediation. Educators should continue to further examine innovative opportunities for introducing technology into medical education. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

78 FR 23941 - Pilot Program for Early Feasibility Study Investigational Device Exemption Applications...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-04-23

...] Pilot Program for Early Feasibility Study Investigational Device Exemption Applications; Extending the... 13343), FDA terminated the acceptance of applications into the program and extended the pilot program for the nine accepted sponsors until May 8, 2013. The pilot program will be further extended for the...

Selected ground-water data, Bonneville Salt Flats and Pilot Valley, western Utah

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lines, Gregory C.

1978-01-01

This report contains ground-water data collected at wells and springs on the Bonneville Salt Flats and in Pilot Valley, western Utah. Most of the data were collected during a study of the hydrology and surface morphology of these two salt-crust areas during the period July 1975 - June 1977. The study was carried out in cooperation with the U.S. Bureau of Land Management. This report is intended to make the basic data conveniently available and to supplement an interpretive report that will be published separately. Some earlier data that were collected by the Geological Survey and other organizations are also included.

Does Speech Emerge from Earlier Appearing Oral Motor Behaviors?.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moore, Christopher A.; Ruark, Jacki L.

1996-01-01

This study of the oral motor behaviors of seven toddlers (age 15 months) may be interpreted to indicate that: (1) mandibular coordination follows a developmental continuum from earlier emerging behaviors, such as chewing and sucking, through babbling, to speech, or (2) unique task demands give rise to distinct mandibular coordinative constraints…

Pilot-model analysis and simulation study of effect of control task desired control response

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Adams, J. J.; Gera, J.; Jaudon, J. B.

1978-01-01

A pilot model analysis was performed that relates pilot control compensation, pilot aircraft system response, and aircraft response characteristics for longitudinal control. The results show that a higher aircraft short period frequency is required to achieve superior pilot aircraft system response in an altitude control task than is required in an attitude control task. These results were confirmed by a simulation study of target tracking. It was concluded that the pilot model analysis provides a theoretical basis for determining the effect of control task on pilot opinions.

Shared responsibility for managing fatigue: Hearing the pilots

PubMed Central

O’Keeffe, Karyn M.; Signal, T. Leigh; Gander, Philippa H.

2018-01-01

In commercial aviation, fatigue is defined as a physiological state of reduced mental or physical performance capability resulting from sleep loss, extended wakefulness, circadian phase, and/or workload. The International Civil Aviation Organisation mandates that responsibility for fatigue risk management is shared between airline management, pilots, and support staff. However, to date, the majority of research relating to fatigue mitigations in long range operations has focused on the mitigations required or recommended by regulators and operators. Little research attention has been paid to the views or operational experience of the pilots who use these (or other) mitigations. This study focused on pilots’ views and experiences of in-flight sleep as the primary fatigue mitigation on long range flights. It also sought information about other fatigue mitigation strategies they use. Thematic analysis was used to explore written comments from diary and survey data collected during long range and ultra-long range trips (N = 291 pilots on three different aircraft types, 17 different out-and-back trips, and four airlines based on three continents). The findings indicate that the recommended fatigue mitigation strategies on long-haul flights (particularly in-flight sleep) are effective and well-utilised, consistent with quantitative findings from the same trips. Importantly however, the analyses also highlight areas that require further investigation, including flight preparation strategies in relation to the uncertainty of in-flight break allocation. There were two strategies for sleep prior to a flight: maximising sleep if pilots were expecting later breaks in the flight; or minimising sleep if they were expecting breaks earlier or at unfavourable times in the circadian cycle. They also provide a broader view of the factors that affect the amount and quality of pilots’ in-flight sleep, about which evidence has previously been largely anecdotal. The study underscores

Scientific Knowledge Suppresses but Does Not Supplant Earlier Intuitions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shtulman, Andrew; Valcarcel, Joshua

2012-01-01

When students learn scientific theories that conflict with their earlier, naive theories, what happens to the earlier theories? Are they overwritten or merely suppressed? We investigated this question by devising and implementing a novel speeded-reasoning task. Adults with many years of science education verified two types of statements as quickly…

77 FR 13343 - Pilot Program for Early Feasibility Study Investigational Device Exemption Applications...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-03-06

...] Pilot Program for Early Feasibility Study Investigational Device Exemption Applications; Termination of... acceptance of nominations for the Early Feasibility Study Investigational Device Exemption (IDE) Applications... technologies to participate in a pilot program for early feasibility study IDE applications. FDA is also...

Life and Microgravity Sciences Spacelab Mission: Human Research Pilot Study

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Arnaud, Sara B. (Editor); Walker, Karen R. (Editor); Hargens, Alan (Editor)

1996-01-01

The Life Sciences, Microgravity Science and Spacelab Mission contains a number of human experiments directed toward identifying the functional, metabolic and neurological characteristics of muscle weakness and atrophy during space flight. To ensure the successful completion of the flight experiments, a ground-based pilot study, designed to mimic the flight protocols as closely as possible, was carried out in the head-down tilt bed rest model. This report records the rationales, procedures, preliminary results and estimated value of the pilot study, the first of its kind, for 12 of the 13 planned experiments in human research. The bed rest study was conducted in the Human Research Facility at Ames Research Center from July 11 - August 28, 1995. Eight healthy male volunteers performed the experiments before, during and after 17 days bed rest. The immediate purposes of this simulation were to integrate the experiments, provide data in a large enough sample for publication of results, enable investigators to review individual experiments in the framework of a multi-disciplinary study and relay the experience of the pilot study to the mission specialists prior to launch.

Use of a Data-Linked Weather Information Display and Effects on Pilot Navigation Decision Making in a Piloted Simulation Study

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Yuchnovicz, Daniel E.; Novacek, Paul F.; Burgess, Malcolm A.; Heck, Michael L.; Stokes, Alan F.

2001-01-01

This study provides recommendations to the FAA and to prospective manufacturers based on an exploration of the effects of data link weather displays upon pilot decision performance. An experiment was conducted with twenty-four current instrument rated pilots who were divided into two equal groups and presented with a challenging but realistic flight scenario involving weather containing significant embedded convective activity. All flights were flown in a full-mission simulation facility within instrument meteorological conditions. The inflight weather display depicted NexRad images, graphical METARs and textual METARs. The objective was to investigate the potential for misuse of a weather display, and incorporate recommendations for the design and use of these displays. The primary conclusion of the study found that the inflight weather display did not improve weather avoidance decision making. Some of the reasons to support this finding include: the pilot's inability to easily perceive their proximity to the storms, increased workload and difficulty in deciphering METAR textual data. The compelling nature of a graphical weather display caused many pilots to reduce their reliance on corroborating weather information from other sources. Minor changes to the weather display could improve the ability of a pilot to make better decisions on hazard avoidance.

Potential determinants of efficacy of mirror therapy in stroke patients--A pilot study.

PubMed

Brunetti, Maddalena; Morkisch, Nadine; Fritzsch, Claire; Mehnert, Jan; Steinbrink, Jens; Niedeggen, Michael; Dohle, Christian

2015-01-01

Mirror therapy (MT) was found to improve motor function after stroke. However, there is high variability between patients regarding motor recovery. The following pilot study was designed to identify potential factors determining this variability between patients with severe upper limb paresis, receiving MT. Eleven sub-acute stroke patients with severe upper limb paresis participated, receiving in-patient rehabilitation. After a set of pre-assessments (including measurement of brain activity at the primary motor cortex and precuneus during the mirror illusion, using near-infrared spectroscopy as described previously), four weeks of MT were applied, followed by a set of post-assessments. Discriminant group analysis for MT responders and non-responders was performed. Six out of eleven patients were defined as responders and five as non-responders on the basis of their functional motor improvement. The initial motor function and the activity shift in both precunei (mirror index) were found to discriminate significantly between responders and non-responders. In line with earlier results, initial motor function was confirmed as crucial determinant of motor recovery. Additionally, activity response to the mirror illusion in both precunei was found to be a candidate for determination of the efficacy of MT.

Design of pilot studies to inform the construction of composite outcome measures.

PubMed

Edland, Steven D; Ard, M Colin; Li, Weiwei; Jiang, Lingjing

2017-06-01

Composite scales have recently been proposed as outcome measures for clinical trials. For example, the Prodromal Alzheimer's Cognitive Composite (PACC) is the sum of z-score normed component measures assessing episodic memory, timed executive function, and global cognition. Alternative methods of calculating composite total scores using the weighted sum of the component measures that maximize signal-to-noise of the resulting composite score have been proposed. Optimal weights can be estimated from pilot data, but it is an open question how large a pilot trial is required to calculate reliably optimal weights. In this manuscript, we describe the calculation of optimal weights, and use large-scale computer simulations to investigate the question of how large a pilot study sample is required to inform the calculation of optimal weights. The simulations are informed by the pattern of decline observed in cognitively normal subjects enrolled in the Alzheimer's Disease Cooperative Study (ADCS) Prevention Instrument cohort study, restricting to n=75 subjects age 75 and over with an ApoE E4 risk allele and therefore likely to have an underlying Alzheimer neurodegenerative process. In the context of secondary prevention trials in Alzheimer's disease, and using the components of the PACC, we found that pilot studies as small as 100 are sufficient to meaningfully inform weighting parameters. Regardless of the pilot study sample size used to inform weights, the optimally weighted PACC consistently outperformed the standard PACC in terms of statistical power to detect treatment effects in a clinical trial. Pilot studies of size 300 produced weights that achieved near-optimal statistical power, and reduced required sample size relative to the standard PACC by more than half. These simulations suggest that modestly sized pilot studies, comparable to that of a phase 2 clinical trial, are sufficient to inform the construction of composite outcome measures. Although these findings

The Pilot Training Study: A Cost-Estimating Model for Advanced Pilot Training (APT).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Knollmeyer, L. E.

The Advanced Pilot Training Cost Model is a statement of relationships that may be used, given the necessary inputs, for estimating the resources required and the costs to train pilots in the Air Force formal flying training schools. Resources and costs are computed by weapon system on an annual basis for use in long-range planning or sensitivity…

Earlier predictors of eating disorder symptoms in 9-year-old children. A longitudinal study.

PubMed

Parkinson, Kathryn N; Drewett, Robert F; Le Couteur, Ann S; Adamson, Ashley J

2012-08-01

The aim of the study was to examine predictors of eating disorder symptoms in a population based sample at the earliest age at which they can be measured using the Children's Eating Attitudes Test. Data were collected from the longitudinal Gateshead Millennium Study cohort; 609 children participated in the 7 year data sweep (and their mothers and teachers), and 589 children participated in the 9 year data sweep. Eating disorder symptoms at 9 years were higher in boys, and in children from more deprived families. Higher eating disorder symptoms were associated with more body dissatisfaction at 9 years. Higher symptoms were predicted by higher levels of dietary restraint and of emotional symptoms, but not greater body dissatisfaction, 2 years earlier. The study showed that some correlates of high eating disorder symptoms found in adolescents and adults are also found in children, before the rise in diagnosable eating disorders over the pubertal period. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Toward Explaining Earlier Retirement after 1970.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ippolito, Richard A.

1990-01-01

Rule changes in the social security system and pension plans suggest that labor force participation rates for men aged 55 to 64 fell by 20 percent from 1970 through 1986 because of the increase in social security benefits and a change in private pension rules encouraging earlier retirement. (Author/JOW)

Pilot Field Test Study

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sherriff, Abigail

2015-01-01

The Field Test study is currently in full swing, preceded by the successful completion of the Pilot Field Test study that paved the way for collecting data on the astronauts in the medical tent in Kazakhstan. Abigail Sherriff worked alongside Logan Dobbe on one Field Test aspect to determine foot clearance over obstacles (5cm, 10cm, and 15cm) using APDM Inc. Internal Measurement Units (IMU) worn by the astronauts. They created a program to accurately calculate foot clearance using the accelerometer, magnetometer, and gyroscope data with the IMUs attached to the top of the shoes. To validate the functionality of their program, they completed a successful study on test subjects performing various tasks in an optical motion studio, considered a gold standard in biomechanics research. Future work will include further validation and expanding the program to include other analyses.

The Pilot Staffing Conundrum: A Delphi Study

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-06-01

Project, AFIT/ GMO /LAL/98J-2. School of Logistics and Acquisition Management, Air Force Institute of Technology (AU), Wright Patterson AFB, OH, June...Kafer, John H. Relationship of Airline Pilot Demand and Air Force Pilot Retention. Graduate Research Project, AFIT/ GMO /LAL/98J-11. School of Logistics

OVERVIEW OF SOURCE WATER PROTECTION (SWP) AND WET-WEATHER FLOW (WWF) ENVIRONMENTAL TECHNOLOGY VERIFICATION (ETV) PILOT PROGRAMS

EPA Science Inventory

The USEPA Environmental Technology Verification (ETV) Program objectives, goals and benefits were described in detail in the presentation for the ETV Package Drinking Water Treatment System pilot earlier in this session. As mentioned in the presentation, three of the twelve piul...

Pilot Certification, Age of Pilot, and Drug Use in Fatal Civil Aviation Accidents.

PubMed

Akparibo, Issaka Y; Stolfi, Adrienne

2017-10-01

This study examined the association between mean age of pilot, pilot license, pilot medical certificate and drug use trends in pilots fatally injured in aircraft accidents. The prevalence of prescription drugs, OTC drugs, controlled drugs and drugs that may be potentially impairing was also examined. This study was a descriptive observational study in which the NTSB Aviation Accident Database was searched from the period beginning January 1, 2012 to December 31, 2014. During the study period a total of 706 accidents involving 711 fatalities were investigated by the NTSB. This study included 633 of these accidents, involving 646 fatalities. Of these pilots, 42.1% had drugs in their biological samples. The prevalence of prescription drugs, controlled drugs, OTC drugs, opioids, and potentially impairing drugs in the fatally injured pilot population over the study period was 28.9%, 15.0%, 20.1%, 5.1%, and 25.5%, respectively. Pilots with any drugs in their samples were significantly older than those without drugs. Medical certificate held was associated with drug use; pilots who held third class certificates had the highest prevalence at 54.1%. Pilot license was not associated with drug use. In 3.8% of the accidents, drugs were a contributing factor in the cause. Despite current FAA medical regulations, potentially impairing drugs are frequently found in biological samples of fatally injured pilots in the U.S. More education of airmen by aviation medical examiners is needed on the safety of drug use.Akparibo IY, Stolfi A. Pilot certification, age of pilot, and drug use in fatal civil aviation accidents. Aerosp Med Hum Perform. 2017; 88(10):931-936.

Pilot age and expertise predict flight simulator performance: a 3-year longitudinal study.

PubMed

Taylor, Joy L; Kennedy, Quinn; Noda, Art; Yesavage, Jerome A

2007-02-27

Expert knowledge may compensate for age-related declines in basic cognitive and sensory-motor abilities in some skill domains. We investigated the influence of age and aviation expertise (indexed by Federal Aviation Administration pilot ratings) on longitudinal flight simulator performance. Over a 3-year period, 118 general aviation pilots aged 40 to 69 years were tested annually, in which their flight performance was scored in terms of 1) executing air-traffic controller communications; 2) traffic avoidance; 3) scanning cockpit instruments; 4) executing an approach to landing; and 5) a flight summary score. More expert pilots had better flight summary scores at baseline and showed less decline over time. Secondary analyses revealed that expertise effects were most evident in the accuracy of executing aviation communications, the measure on which performance declined most sharply over time. Regarding age, even though older pilots initially performed worse than younger pilots, over time older pilots showed less decline in flight summary scores than younger pilots. Secondary analyses revealed that the oldest pilots did well over time because their traffic avoidance performance improved more vs younger pilots. These longitudinal findings support previous cross-sectional studies in aviation as well as non-aviation domains, which demonstrated the advantageous effect of prior experience and specialized expertise on older adults' skilled cognitive performances.

Study to determine the IFR operational profile and problems to the general aviation pilot

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Weislogel, S.

1983-01-01

A study of the general aviation single pilot operating under instrument flight rules (GA SPIFR) has been conducted for NASA Langley Research Center. The objectives of the study were to (1) develop a GA SPIFR operational profile, (2) identify problems experienced by the GA SPIFR pilot, and (3) identify research tasks which have the potential for eliminating or reducing the severity of the problems. To obtain the information necessary to accomplish these objectives, a mail questionnaire survey of instrument rated pilots was conducted. Complete questionnaire data is reported in NASA CR-165805, "Statistical Summary: Study to Determine the IFR Operational Profile and Problems of the General Aviation Single Pilot'-Based upon the results of the GA SPIFR survey, this final report presents the general aviation IFR single pilot operational profile, illustrates selected data analysis, examples, identifies the problems which he is experiencing, and recommends further research.

Spaceborne synthetic aperture radar pilot study

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1974-01-01

A pilot study of a spaceborne sidelooking radar is summarized. The results of the system trade studies are given along with the electrical parameters for the proposed subsystems. The mechanical aspects, packaging, thermal control and dynamics of the proposed design are presented. Details of the data processor are given. A system is described that allows the data from a pass over the U. S. to be in hard copy form within two hours. Also included are the proposed schedule, work breakdown structure, and cost estimate.

Automatic Generation of Test Oracles - From Pilot Studies to Application

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Feather, Martin S.; Smith, Ben

1998-01-01

There is a trend towards the increased use of automation in V&V. Automation can yield savings in time and effort. For critical systems, where thorough V&V is required, these savings can be substantial. We describe a progression from pilot studies to development and use of V&V automation. We used pilot studies to ascertain opportunities for, and suitability of, automating various analyses whose results would contribute to V&V. These studies culminated in the development of an automatic generator of automated test oracles. This was then applied and extended in the course of testing an Al planning system that is a key component of an autonomous spacecraft.

Study of the use of a nonlinear, rate limited, filter on pilot control signals

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Adams, J. J.

1977-01-01

The use of a filter on the pilot's control output could improve the performance of the pilot-aircraft system. What is needed is a filter with a sharp high frequency cut-off, no resonance peak, and a minimum of lag at low frequencies. The present investigation studies the usefulness of a nonlinear, rate limited, filter in performing the needed function. The nonlinear filter is compared with a linear, first order filter, and no filter. An analytical study using pilot models and a simulation study using experienced test pilots was performed. The results showed that the nonlinear filter does promote quick, steady maneuvering. It is shown that the nonlinear filter attenuates the high frequency remnant and adds less phase lag to the low frequency signal than does the linear filter. It is also shown that the rate limit in the nonlinear filter can be set to be too restrictive, causing an unstable pilot-aircraft system response.

NATO/CCMS PILOT STUDY ON CLEAN PRODUCTS & PROCESSES

EPA Science Inventory

Led by the United States, represented by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA's) National Risk Management Research Laboratory, the Pilot Study on Clean Products and Processes was instituted to create an international forum where current trends, developments, and expert...

Peer Mentoring for Male Parolees: A CBPR Pilot Study.

PubMed

Marlow, Elizabeth; Grajeda, William; Lee, Yema; Young, Earthy; Williams, Malcolm; Hill, Karen

2015-01-01

Formerly incarcerated adults are impoverished, have high rates of substance use disorders, and have long histories of imprisonment. This article describes the development of a peer mentoring program for formerly incarcerated adults and the pilot study designed to evaluate it. The research team, which included formerly incarcerated adults and academic researchers, developed the peer mentoring program to support formerly incarcerated adults' transition to the community after prison. The purposes of the pilot evaluation study were to (1) assess the feasibility of implementing a peer-based intervention for recently released men developed using a community-based participatory research (CBPR) approach; (2) establish preliminary data on the program's impact on coping, self-esteem, abstinence self-efficacy, social support, and participation in 12-step meetings; and (3) establish a CBPR team of formerly incarcerated adults and academic researchers to develop, implement, and test interventions for this population. This pilot evaluation study employed a mixed-methods approach with a single group pretest/posttest design with 20 men on parole released from prison within the last 30 days. Quantitative findings showed significant improvement on two abstinence self-efficacy subscales, negative affect and habitual craving. Qualitative findings revealed the relevance and acceptance of peer mentoring for this population. This study demonstrated the feasibility and import of involving formerly incarcerated adults in the design, implementation, and testing of interventions intended to support their reintegration efforts.

Ballet and stress. A pilot study.

PubMed

Tomei, G; Casale, T; Rosati, M V; Melcarne, R; Sinibaldi, F; Capozzella, A; Di Giorgio, V; Giubilati, R; Sacco, C; Tomei, F; Sancini, A

2015-01-01

Work-related stress is a complex problem requiring a work environment-based assessment. Artists like dancers represent a category of atypical workers potentially at high risk for work-related stress. Aim of our pilot study is to evaluate organizational stress in a population of professional dancers, using the HSE Indicator Tool for Work Related Stress. We administered the Italian version of the HSE Indicator Tool to 38 ballet dancers, males and females. The questionnaire evaluates 7 key organizational dimensions: demand, control, managers' support, peer support, relationships, role and change. The standards required-ideal conditions are achieved in none of the above-mentioned dimensions. Change is the only dimension for which results fall between the 20th and the 50th percentile, while for other dimensions results fall below the 20th percentile suggesting the need for immediate corrective action. In male dancers an acceptable situation is highlighted for the dimension "change" compared to female dancers. In both sexes there is a high frequency of subjects complaining of verbal abuse, bullying and harassment. Despite the small sample size, our pilot study highlights the presence of heightened levels of organizational stress. Preventive measures targeted towards improving communication between managers and dancers and aimed at team building should be implemented.

Human Challenge Pilot Study with Cyclospora cayetanensis

PubMed Central

Eberhard, Mark L.; Seed, John R.; Weber, David J.; Won, Kimberly Y.; Nace, Eva K.; Moe, Christine L.

2004-01-01

We describe a pilot study that attempted to infect human volunteers with Cyclospora cayetanensis. Seven healthy volunteers ingested an inoculum of Cyclospora oocysts (approximately 200–49,000 oocysts). The volunteers did not experience symptoms of gastroenteritis, and no oocysts were detected in any stool samples during the 16 weeks volunteers were monitored. PMID:15200870

Behavioral Activation for Depressed Teens: A Pilot Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ritschel, Lorie A.; Ramirez, Cynthia L.; Jones, Meredith; Craighead, W. Edward

2011-01-01

Behavioral activation (BA) is a psychosocial intervention that has shown promising treatment outcome results with depressed adults. The current pilot study evaluated a version of BA adapted for depressed adolescents. Six teens (3 male, 3 female, ages 14-17) who met criteria for major depressive disorder participated in the study. Participants were…

Study Skills Analysis: A Pilot Study Linking a Success and Psychology Course

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Urciuoli, Jannette Alejandra; Bluestone, Cheryl

2013-01-01

This study explored a concept that learning study skills in the context of the content area under study may transfer across courses, multiplying the benefits towards academic success. Methods that have been reported to influence academic growth at the community college level include success courses and applied study skills. In this pilot project…

Image processing of angiograms: A pilot study

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Larsen, L. E.; Evans, R. A.; Roehm, J. O., Jr.

1974-01-01

The technology transfer application this report describes is the result of a pilot study of image-processing methods applied to the image enhancement, coding, and analysis of arteriograms. Angiography is a subspecialty of radiology that employs the introduction of media with high X-ray absorption into arteries in order to study vessel pathology as well as to infer disease of the organs supplied by the vessel in question.

The role of situation assessment and flight experience in pilots' decisions to continue visual flight rules flight into adverse weather.

PubMed

Wiegmann, Douglas A; Goh, Juliana; O'Hare, David

2002-01-01

Visual flight rules (VFR) flight into instrument meteorological conditions (IMC) is a major safety hazard in general aviation. In this study we examined pilots' decisions to continue or divert from a VFR flight into IMC during a dynamic simulation of a cross-country flight. Pilots encountered IMC either early or later into the flight, and the amount of time and distance pilots flew into the adverse weather prior to diverting was recorded. Results revealed that pilots who encountered the deteriorating weather earlier in the flight flew longer into the weather prior to diverting and had more optimistic estimates of weather conditions than did pilots who encountered the deteriorating weather later in the flight. Both the time and distance traveled into the weather prior to diverting were negatively correlated with pilots' previous flight experience. These findings suggest that VFR flight into IMC may be attributable, at least in part, to poor situation assessment and experience rather than to motivational judgment that induces risk-taking behavior as more time and effort are invested in a flight. Actual or potential applications of this research include the design of interventions that focus on improving weather evaluation skills in addition to addressing risk-taking attitudes.

PILOT STUDY: Report on the CCPR Pilot Comparison: Spectral Responsivity 10 nm to 20 nm

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Scholze, Frank; Vest, Robert; Saito, Terubumi

2010-01-01

The CCPR Pilot Comparison on spectral responsivity in the 10 nm to 20 nm spectral range was carried out within the framework of the CIPM Mutual Recognition Arrangement by three laboratories: PTB (Germany), NIST (USA), and NMIJ/AIST (Japan) with PTB acting as the central and reporting laboratory. All participating laboratories used monochromatized synchrotron radiation. PTB and NIST used a cryogenic radiometer as the primary standard detector and NMIJ, an ionization chamber with extrapolation by a wavelength-independent detector. The aim of the pilot comparison was to check the accuracy of the radiometric scale of spectral responsivity in the short wavelength EUV spectral range which has recently gained in technological importance. The wavelengths of measurement were from 11.5 nm to 20 nm in 0.5 nm steps and additionally 12.2 nm. The comparison was carried out through the calibration of a group of transfer standard detectors. Two sets of three diodes of types AXUV and SXUV from International Radiation Detectors, Inc. were used for the comparison. The comparison had the form of a star comparison: Pilot-lab A-pilot-lab B-pilot, PTB acting as the pilot laboratory. All results were communicated directly to the pilot laboratory. The report describes in detail the measurements made at PTB and summarizes the reports submitted by the participants. Measurements carried out by the pilot laboratory before and after the circulation of the detectors proved that the stability of the detectors was sufficient for the comparison. For the type AXUV detectors, however, changes in their responsivity contributed to the uncertainty of the comparison. Measurement results from participants and their associated uncertainties were analyzed in this report according to the Guidelines for CCPR Comparison Report Preparation. The uncertainty contributions were separated, as to whether they are wavelength dependent or not. All bilateral DoE are well within the respective k = 2 expanded uncertainty

Development and pilot testing of daily Interactive Voice Response (IVR) calls to support antiretroviral adherence in India: A mixed-methods pilot study

PubMed Central

Swendeman, Dallas; Jana, Smarajit; Ray, Protim; Mindry, Deborah; Das, Madhushree; Bhakta, Bhumi

2015-01-01

This two-phase pilot study aimed to design, pilot, and refine an automated Interactive Voice Response (IVR) intervention to support antiretroviral adherence for people living with HIV (PLH), in Kolkata, India. Mixed-methods formative research included a community advisory board (CAB) for IVR message development, one-month pre-post pilot, post-pilot focus groups, and further message development. Two IVR calls are made daily, timed to patients’ dosing schedules, with brief messages (<1-minute) on strategies for self-management of three domains: medical (adherence, symptoms, co-infections), mental health (social support, stress, positive cognitions), and nutrition and hygiene (per PLH preferences). Three ART appointment reminders are also sent each month. One-month pilot results (n=46, 80% women, 60% sex workers) found significant increases in self-reported ART adherence, both within past three days (p=0.05) and time since missed last dose (p=0.015). Depression was common. Messaging content and assessment domains were expanded for testing in a randomized trial is currently underway. PMID:25638037

Development and Pilot Testing of Daily Interactive Voice Response (IVR) Calls to Support Antiretroviral Adherence in India: A Mixed-Methods Pilot Study.

PubMed

Swendeman, Dallas; Jana, Smarajit; Ray, Protim; Mindry, Deborah; Das, Madhushree; Bhakta, Bhumi

2015-06-01

This two-phase pilot study aimed to design, pilot, and refine an automated interactive voice response (IVR) intervention to support antiretroviral adherence for people living with HIV (PLH), in Kolkata, India. Mixed-methods formative research included a community advisory board for IVR message development, 1-month pre-post pilot, post-pilot focus groups, and further message development. Two IVR calls are made daily, timed to patients' dosing schedules, with brief messages (<1-min) on strategies for self-management of three domains: medical (adherence, symptoms, co-infections), mental health (social support, stress, positive cognitions), and nutrition and hygiene (per PLH preferences). Three ART appointment reminders are also sent each month. One-month pilot results (n = 46, 80 % women, 60 % sex workers) found significant increases in self-reported ART adherence, both within past three days (p = 0.05) and time since missed last dose (p = 0.015). Depression was common. Messaging content and assessment domains were expanded for testing in a randomized trial currently underway.

Study to determine the IFR operational profile and problems of the general aviation single pilot

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Weislogel, G. S.

1983-01-01

General aviation single pilot operating under instrument flight rules (GA SPIFR) was studied. The objectives of the study were to (1) develop a GA SPIFR operational profile, (2) identify problems experienced by the GA SPIFR pilot, and (3) identify research tasks which have the potential for eliminating or reducing the severity of the problems. To obtain the information necessary to accomplish these objectives, a mail questionnaire survey of instrument rated pilots was conducted. The general aviation IFR single pilot operational profile and selected data analysis examples are presented.

Technical Writing Redesign and Assessment: A Pilot Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Winter, Gaye Bush

2010-01-01

The purpose of this study was to compare scores on writing assignments from traditional, fully online courses in technical writing to pilot, hybrid courses at a southern university. A total of 232 students' assignments were compared in this study. All writing assignments were scored by six trained instructors of English using the same five point…

Defining Feasibility and Pilot Studies in Preparation for Randomised Controlled Trials: Development of a Conceptual Framework.

PubMed

Eldridge, Sandra M; Lancaster, Gillian A; Campbell, Michael J; Thabane, Lehana; Hopewell, Sally; Coleman, Claire L; Bond, Christine M

2016-01-01

We describe a framework for defining pilot and feasibility studies focusing on studies conducted in preparation for a randomised controlled trial. To develop the framework, we undertook a Delphi survey; ran an open meeting at a trial methodology conference; conducted a review of definitions outside the health research context; consulted experts at an international consensus meeting; and reviewed 27 empirical pilot or feasibility studies. We initially adopted mutually exclusive definitions of pilot and feasibility studies. However, some Delphi survey respondents and the majority of open meeting attendees disagreed with the idea of mutually exclusive definitions. Their viewpoint was supported by definitions outside the health research context, the use of the terms 'pilot' and 'feasibility' in the literature, and participants at the international consensus meeting. In our framework, pilot studies are a subset of feasibility studies, rather than the two being mutually exclusive. A feasibility study asks whether something can be done, should we proceed with it, and if so, how. A pilot study asks the same questions but also has a specific design feature: in a pilot study a future study, or part of a future study, is conducted on a smaller scale. We suggest that to facilitate their identification, these studies should be clearly identified using the terms 'feasibility' or 'pilot' as appropriate. This should include feasibility studies that are largely qualitative; we found these difficult to identify in electronic searches because researchers rarely used the term 'feasibility' in the title or abstract of such studies. Investigators should also report appropriate objectives and methods related to feasibility; and give clear confirmation that their study is in preparation for a future randomised controlled trial designed to assess the effect of an intervention.

Reconstructing Cell Lineages from Single-Cell Gene Expression Data: A Pilot Study

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-08-30

Reconstructing cell lineages from single- cell gene expression data: a pilot study The goal of this pilot study is to develop novel mathematical...methods, by leveraging tools developed in the bifurcation theory, to infer the underlying cell -state dynamics from single- cell gene expression data. Our...proposed method contains two steps. The first step is to reconstruct the temporal order of the cells from gene expression data, whereas the second

Cardiac responses to long duration and high magnitude +Gz exposure in pilots: an observational study.

PubMed

Öztürk, Cengiz; İlbasmış, M Savaş; Akın, Ahmet

2012-12-01

In military aviation, high performance aircraft pilots are exposed to +Gz acceleration at longer durations and higher magnitude than transport/helicopter pilots. The purpose of this study was to reveal the negative or positive cardiac responses to this occupational high +Gz exposure. Our study design was cross-sectional and observational. We have evaluated 21 echocardiographic parameters of 63 pilots who applied for aircrew periodic medical examination. Of 63 pilots, 33 were grouped as high performance aircraft pilots group (Group A) and 30 were grouped as control group (Group B) whose aircraft type was transport or helicopter. Means of demographic and echocardiography parameters between two groups were compared statistically with Student's t-test, Mann- Whitney U or Chi-square test as appropriate. Among all echocardiographic parameters, mean TV A (tricuspid valve peak velocity during late diastolic filling) was significantly higher and TV E (peak velocity during early diastolic filling)/ A ratio was significantly lower for Group A pilots (p<0.05). In Group A pilots, mean TV A and TV E/A ratio were (52.12 ± 13.85) and (1.36 ± 0.30) respectively. In Group B pilots, mean TV A and TV E/A ratio were (42.61 ± 6.42) and (1.53 ± 0.20) respectively (p=0.001 for TVA and p=0.005 for TV E/A). Mean pulmonary artery pressure (PAP) of Group A pilots (32.04 ± 9.09) was higher than Group B pilots (28.76 ± 7.9) but it was not statistically significant (p>0.05). We conclude that according to the results of our study, long term +Gz exposure has no effects on cardiac morphologic and systolic functions but has effects on right ventricular diastolic functions. We have considered that these effects may be a result of chronic +Gz adaptation or high PAP levels.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Management of Dyspnea: A Pilot Study.

PubMed

Williams, Marie T; Cafarella, Paul; Paquet, Catherine; Frith, Peter

2015-09-01

In patients with COPD, psychological interventions usually target generalized anxiety and depression rather than the sensation of breathlessness. The objectives of this pilot study were to develop and implement a cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) program specific to the perceptual experience of breathlessness, identify practical issues in the study protocol, and estimate beneficial effects of combining the CBT program with comprehensive pulmonary rehabilitation. The CBT program for the sensation of breathlessness (Breathing: Recognize sensations, Explore thoughts and beliefs, Validate thoughts as useful or harmful, Evolve and change behavior [BREVE]) was developed as a sequential series of 8 modules enabling it to be embedded within an 8-week comprehensive pulmonary rehabilitation program. When appropriate, outcomes from the pilot group (comprehensive pulmonary rehabilitation program + BREVE) were compared with those from a retrospective control group (comprehensive pulmonary rehabilitation program only). Outcomes included feedback provided by pilot study subjects, sensation of breathlessness (volunteered and endorsed descriptors of breathlessness), 6-min walk distance (6MWD), and St George Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ) total score. Within-group analyses were undertaken for descriptors of breathlessness (the McNemar test), whereas between-group analyses (repeated-measures analysis of variance, effect-size comparison) were conducted for the 6MWD and SGRQ total score. Pilot (n = 11) and control (n = 58) groups were not significantly different at baseline. Feedback indicated that the program structure and content were positively received. No significant changes were evident for the sensation of breathlessness or the SGRQ score (< 4 points). The 6MWD improved significantly in both groups, with the pilot group demonstrating greater gains compared with the control group (mean change of 57 m and effect size of 0.73 vs mean change of 27 m and effect size of 0

Outcome evaluation of a pilot study using "nudges"

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Every school day, over 31 million U.S. children eat school lunches. Unfortunately, students often do not choose the healthy options in the school cafeteria. This paper describes outcome results of a pilot study using "nudges" to improve elementary school students' fruits and vegetables selections. A...

Vision improvement in pilots with presbyopia following perceptual learning.

PubMed

Sterkin, Anna; Levy, Yuval; Pokroy, Russell; Lev, Maria; Levian, Liora; Doron, Ravid; Yehezkel, Oren; Fried, Moshe; Frenkel-Nir, Yael; Gordon, Barak; Polat, Uri

2017-11-24

Israeli Air Force (IAF) pilots continue flying combat missions after the symptoms of natural near-vision deterioration, termed presbyopia, begin to be noticeable. Because modern pilots rely on the displays of the aircraft control and performance instruments, near visual acuity (VA) is essential in the cockpit. We aimed to apply a method previously shown to improve visual performance of presbyopes, and test whether presbyopic IAF pilots can overcome the limitation imposed by presbyopia. Participants were selected by the IAF aeromedical unit as having at least initial presbyopia and trained using a structured personalized perceptual learning method (GlassesOff application), based on detecting briefly presented low-contrast Gabor stimuli, under the conditions of spatial and temporal constraints, from a distance of 40 cm. Our results show that despite their initial visual advantage over age-matched peers, training resulted in robust improvements in various basic visual functions, including static and temporal VA, stereoacuity, spatial crowding, contrast sensitivity and contrast discrimination. Moreover, improvements generalized to higher-level tasks, such as sentence reading and aerial photography interpretation (specifically designed to reflect IAF pilots' expertise in analyzing noisy low-contrast input). In concert with earlier suggestions, gains in visual processing speed are plausible to account, at least partially, for the observed training-induced improvements. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Cross-sectional study of neck pain and cervical sagittal alignment in air force pilots.

PubMed

Moon, Bong Ju; Choi, Kyong Ho; Yun, Chul; Ha, Yoon

2015-05-01

There is a high prevalence of neck pain in air force pilots; however, the causes are not clear and are considered work-related. Kyphotic changes in the cervical spine have been known to cause neck pain. In this study, we investigated the association between neck pain and cervical kyphosis in air force pilots. This is a cross-sectional study of 63 Republic of South Korea Air Force pilots. We examined the C2-7 absolute rotation angle (ARA) using the posterior tangent method and other radiologic parameters on whole spine lateral radiographs. We divided the participants into a neck pain group (N = 32) and no neck pain group (N = 31), and subsequently analyzed the difference in radiographic parameters and clinical data between the two groups. There were no significant differences found in age, body mass index, total flight time, or aerobic or anaerobic exercise between the neck pain and control groups. The fighter pilots had higher 1-yr prevalence of neck pain than nonfighter pilots (84.4% vs. 15.6%). The lower C2-7 ARA (OR = 0.91, 95% CI 0.846, 0.979) and fighter type aircrafts (OR = 3.93, 95% CI 1.104, 13.989) were associated with neck pain. Fighter pilots experienced neck pain more frequently than the nonfighter pilots. Those fighter pilots suffering from neck pain were shown to have more kyphotic changes in the cervical spine than control pilots through evaluation of whole spine lateral radiographs using the posterior tangent method. These key findings suggest that the forces involved in flying a fighter type aircraft may affect cervical alignment and neck pain.

75 FR 80827 - Compliance Policy Guide; Radiofrequency Identification Feasibility Studies and Pilot Programs for...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-12-23

... Identification (RFID) Feasibility Studies and Pilot Programs for Drugs'' to December 31, 2012. FOR FURTHER... Sec. 400.210 entitled ``Radiofrequency Identification (RFID) Feasibility Studies and Pilot Programs... FR 65750, November 23, 2007; 73 FR 78371, December 22, 2008). FDA has identified RFID as a promising...

Pilot performance

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nicholls, Jennifer

1988-01-01

For many years, the emphasis has been placed on the performance of the aircraft, rather than on those who fly the aircraft. This is largely due to the relative safety of flying. Just in the last few years there have been several major accidents that have shown that flying is not quite as safe as it was thought to be. Sixty-five percent of these accidents are a result of pilot performance decrements, and so it is obvious that there is a need to reduce that figure. A study has been mandated to evaluate the performance of pilots. This includes workload, circadium rhythms, jet lag, and any other factors which might affect a pilot's performance in the cockpit. The purpose of this study is to find out when and why the decrement in a pilot's performance occur and how to remedy the situation.

Achieving Competence: Army-VOTEC School Partnership Pilot Studies.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stout, Mary W.

To reduce Army training costs, the Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC) investigated use of training at civilian secondary and postsecondary vocational-technical (VOTEC) institutions as an alternative to initial job training in Army service schools. Three models were used in the pilot study: the preservice training model in which…

A remotely piloted aircraft system in major incident management: concept and pilot, feasibility study.

PubMed

Abrahamsen, Håkon B

2015-06-10

Major incidents are complex, dynamic and bewildering task environments characterised by simultaneous, rapidly changing events, uncertainty and ill-structured problems. Efficient management, communication, decision-making and allocation of scarce medical resources at the chaotic scene of a major incident is challenging and often relies on sparse information and data. Communication and information sharing is primarily voice-to-voice through phone or radio on specified radio frequencies. Visual cues are abundant and difficult to communicate between teams and team members that are not co-located. The aim was to assess the concept and feasibility of using a remotely piloted aircraft (RPA) system to support remote sensing in simulated major incident exercises. We carried out an experimental, pilot feasibility study. A custom-made, remotely controlled, multirotor unmanned aerial vehicle with vertical take-off and landing was equipped with digital colour- and thermal imaging cameras, a laser beam, a mechanical gripper arm and an avalanche transceiver. We collected data in five simulated exercises: 1) mass casualty traffic accident, 2) mountain rescue, 3) avalanche with buried victims, 4) fisherman through thin ice and 5) search for casualties in the dark. The unmanned aerial vehicle was remotely controlled, with high precision, in close proximity to air space obstacles at very low levels without compromising work on the ground. Payload capacity and tolerance to wind and turbulence were limited. Aerial video, shot from different altitudes, and remote aerial avalanche beacon search were streamed wirelessly in real time to a monitor at a ground base. Electromagnetic interference disturbed signal reception in the ground monitor. A small remotely piloted aircraft can be used as an effective tool carrier, although limited by its payload capacity, wind speed and flight endurance. Remote sensing using already existing remotely piloted aircraft technology in pre

LAM Pilot Study with Imatinib Mesylate (LAMP-1)

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-10-01

AWARD NUMBER: W81XWH-14-1-0132 TITLE: LAM Pilot Study with Imatinib Mesylate (LAMP-1) PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR: Charlie Strange, MD...completion dates or the percentage of completion. The LAMP-1 study is designed to generate short-term safety and efficacy data...block the growth of LAM cells through initiation of targeted cell death. This study employs a small clinical trial design using 20 participants at two

Minesweeper and Hypothetical Thinking Action Research & Pilot Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Walker, Jacob J.

2010-01-01

This Action Research project and Pilot Study was designed and implemented to improve students' hypothetical thinking abilities by exploring the possibility that learning and playing the computer game Minesweeper may inherently help improve hypothetical thinking. One objective was to use educational tools to make it easier for students to learn the…

Mental Health Services in Pilot Study Areas: Report on a European Study.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

World Health Organization, Copenhagen (Denmark). Regional Office for Europe.

The World Health Organization (WHO) conducted a study to collect data on mental health resources of pilot areas within several European countries. This report presents data from the study and provides a detailed and reliable description of the development of mental health services within the WHO European Region. Part I of the report describes the…

Piloted simulation study of two tilt-wing flap control concepts, phase 2

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Birckelbaw, Lourdes G.; Corliss, Lloyd D.; Hindson, William S.; Churchill, Gary B.

1994-01-01

A two phase piloted simulation study has been conducted in the Ames Vertical Motion Simulator to investigate alternative wing and flap controls for tilt-wing aircraft. This report documents the flying qualities results and findings of the second phase of the piloted simulation study and describes the simulated tilt-wing aircraft, the flap control concepts, the experiment design and the evaluation tasks. The initial phase of the study compared the flying qualities of both a conventional programmed flap and an innovative geared flap. The second phase of the study introduced an alternate method of pilot control for the geared flap and further studied the flying qualities of the programmed flap and two geared flap configurations. In general, the pilot ratings showed little variation between the programmed flap and the geared flap control concepts. Some differences between the two control concepts were noticed and are discussed in this report. The geared flap configurations had very similar results. Although the geared flap concept has the potential to reduce or eliminate the pitch control power requirements from a tail rotor or a tail thruster at low speeds and in hover, the results did not show reduced tail thruster pitch control power usage with the geared flap configurations compared to the programmed flap configuration. The addition of pitch attitude stabilization in the second phase of simulation study greatly enhanced the aircraft flying qualities compared to the first phase.

Later endogenous circadian temperature nadir relative to an earlier wake time in older people

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Duffy, J. F.; Dijk, D. J.; Klerman, E. B.; Czeisler, C. A.

1998-01-01

The contribution of the circadian timing system to the age-related advance of sleep-wake timing was investigated in two experiments. In a constant routine protocol, we found that the average wake time and endogenous circadian phase of 44 older subjects were earlier than that of 101 young men. However, the earlier circadian phase of the older subjects actually occurred later relative to their habitual wake time than it did in young men. These results indicate that an age-related advance of circadian phase cannot fully account for the high prevalence of early morning awakening in healthy older people. In a second study, 13 older subjects and 10 young men were scheduled to a 28-h day, such that they were scheduled to sleep at many circadian phases. Self-reported awakening from scheduled sleep episodes and cognitive throughput during the second half of the wake episode varied markedly as a function of circadian phase in both groups. The rising phase of both rhythms was advanced in the older subjects, suggesting an age-related change in the circadian regulation of sleep-wake propensity. We hypothesize that under entrained conditions, these age-related changes in the relationship between circadian phase and wake time are likely associated with self-selected light exposure at an earlier circadian phase. This earlier exposure to light could account for the earlier clock hour to which the endogenous circadian pacemaker is entrained in older people and thereby further increase their propensity to awaken at an even earlier time.

Piloted Simulation Study of Rudder Pedal Force/Feel Characteristics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hess, Ronald A.

2007-01-01

A piloted, fixed-base simulation was conducted in 2006 to determine optimum rudder pedal force/feel characteristics for transport aircraft. As part of this research, an evaluation of four metrics for assessing rudder pedal characteristics previously presented in the literature was conducted. This evaluation was based upon the numerical handling qualities ratings assigned to a variety of pedal force/feel systems used in the simulation study. It is shown that, with the inclusion of a fifth metric, most of the rudder pedal force/feel system designs that were rated poorly by the evaluation pilots could be identified. It is suggested that these metrics form the basis of a certification requirement for transport aircraft.

Measuring pilot workload in a motion base simulator. III - Synchronous secondary task

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kantowitz, Barry H.; Bortolussi, Michael R.; Hart, Sandra G.

1987-01-01

This experiment continues earlier research of Kantowitz et al. (1983) conducted in a GAT-1 motion-base trainer to evaluate choice-reaction secondary tasks as measures of pilot work load. The earlier work used an asynchronous secondary task presented every 22 sec regardless of flying performance. The present experiment uses a synchronous task presented only when a critical event occurred on the flying task. Both two- and four-choice visual secondary tasks were investigated. Analysis of primary flying-task results showed no decrement in error for altitude, indicating that the key assumption necessary for using a choice secondary task was satisfied. Reaction times showed significant differences between 'easy' and 'hard' flight scenarios as well as the ability to discriminate among flight tasks.

Are You an Online Team Player? A Pilot Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rawlings, Melody

2014-01-01

The purpose of this pilot case study was to answer the following research questions: How do previous experiences affect students' attitudes toward online teamwork? When do students' attitudes toward online teamwork first develop and why? Using a social constructivist framework, a qualitative case study design was utilized to conduct an online…

Brief report: Bereaved parents informing research design: The place of a pilot study.

PubMed

Donovan, L A; Wakefield, C E; Russell, V; Hetherington, Kate; Cohn, R J

2018-02-23

Risk minimization in research with bereaved parents is important. However, little is known about which research methods balance the sensitivity required for bereaved research participants and the need for generalizable results. To explore parental experiences of participating in mixed method bereavement research via a pilot study. A convergent parallel mixed method design assessing bereaved parents' experience of research participation. Eleven parents whose child was treated for cancer at The Royal Children's Hospital, Brisbane completed the questionnaire/interview being piloted (n = 8 mothers; n = 3 fathers; >6 months and <6 years bereaved). Of these, eight parents completed the pilot study evaluation questionnaire, providing feedback on their experience of participation. Participants acknowledged the importance of bereaved parents being central to research design and the development of bereavement programs. Sixty-three per cent (n = 5/8) of parents described completion of the questionnaire as 'not at all/a little bit' of a burden. Seventy-five per cent (n = 6/8) of parents opting into the telephone interview described participation as 'not at all/a little bit' of a burden. When considering the latest timeframes for participation in bereavement research 63% (n = 5/8) of parents indicated 'no endpoint.' Findings from the pilot study enabled important adjustments to be made to a large-scale future study. As a research method, pilot studies may be utilized to minimize harm and maximize the potential benefits for vulnerable research participants. A mixed method approach allows researchers to generalize findings to a broader population while also drawing on the depth of the lived experience.

Answering Fixed Response Items in Chemistry: A Pilot Study.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hateley, R. J.

1979-01-01

Presents a pilot study on student thinking in chemistry. Verbal comments of a group of six college students were recorded and analyzed to identify how each student arrives at the correct answer in fixed response items in chemisty. (HM)

Geothermal pilot study final report: creating an international geothermal energy community

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

Bresee, J.C.; Yen, W.W.S.; Metzler, J.E.

The Geothermal Pilot Study under the auspices of the Committee on the Challenges of Modern Society (CCMS) was established in 1973 to apply an action-oriented approach to international geothermal research and development, taking advantage of the established channels of governmental communication provided by the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). The Pilot Study was composed of five substudies. They included: computer-based information systems; direct application of geothermal energy; reservoir assessment; small geothermal power plants; and hot dry rock concepts. The most significant overall result of the CCMS Geothermal Pilot Study, which is now complete, is the establishment of an identifiable communitymore » of geothermal experts in a dozen or more countries active in development programs. Specific accomplishments include the creation of an international computer file of technical information on geothermal wells and fields, the development of studies and reports on direct applications, geothermal fluid injection and small power plants, and the operation of the visiting scientist program. In the United States, the computer file has aready proven useful in the development of reservoir models and of chemical geothermometers. The state-of-the-art report on direct uses of geothermal energy is proving to be a valuable resource document for laypersons and experts in an area of increasing interest to many countries. Geothermal fluid injection studies in El Salvador, New Zealand, and the United States have been assisted by the Reservoir Assessment Substudy and have led to long-range reservoir engineering studies in Mexico. At least seven small geothermal power plants are in use or have been planned for construction around the world since the Small Power Plant Substudy was instituted--at least partial credit for this increased application can be assigned to the CCMS Geothermal Pilot Study. (JGB)« less

Does the circadian clock drift when pilots fly multiple transpacific flights with 1- to 2-day layovers?

PubMed

Gander, Philippa; Mulrine, Hannah M; van den Berg, Margo J; Wu, Lora; Smith, Alexander; Signal, Leigh; Mangie, Jim

2016-01-01

On trips with multiple transmeridian flights, pilots experience successive non-24 h day/night cycles with circadian and sleep disruption. One study across a 9-day sequence of transpacific flights (no in-flight sleep, 1-day layovers between flights) reported an average period in the core body temperature rhythm of 24.6 h (circadian drift). Consequently, pilots were sometimes flying through the circadian performance nadir and had to readapt to home base time at the end of the trip. The present study examined circadian drift in trip patterns with longer flights and in-flight sleep. Thirty-nine B747-400 pilots (19 captains, 20 first officers, mean age = 55.5 years) were monitored on 9- to 13-day trips with multiple return flights between East Coast USA and Japan (in 4-pilot crews) and between Japan and Hawaii (in 3-pilot crews), with 1-day layovers between each flight. Measures included total in-flight sleep (actigraphy, log books) and top of descent (TOD) measures of sleepiness (Karolinska Sleepiness Scale), fatigue (Samn-Perelli Crew Status Check) and psychomotor vigilance task (PVT) performance. Circadian rhythms of individual pilots were not monitored. To detect circadian drift, mixed-model analysis of variance examined whether for a given flight, total in-flight sleep and TOD measures varied according to when the flight occurred in the trip sequence. In addition, sleep propensity curves for pre-trip and post-trip days were examined (Chi-square periodogram analyses). Limited data suggest that total in-flight sleep of relief crew at landing may have decreased across successive East Coast USA-Japan (flights 1, 3, 5 or 7; median arrival 03:45 Eastern Daylight Time (EDT)). However, PVT response speed at TOD was faster on East Coast USA-Japan flights later in the trip. On these flights, circadian drift would result in flights later in the trip landing closer to the evening wake maintenance zone, when sleep is difficult and PVT response speeds are fastest. On Japan

Fitzmaurice Voicework Pilot Study.

PubMed

Watson, Lynn; Nayak, Sadhana

2015-11-01

A repeated-measures pilot study was used to investigate acoustic changes in the voices of participants in a Fitzmaurice Voicework (FV) teacher certification program. Maximum phonation time (MPT) was also measured. Eleven participants with no reported voice problems were studied. Pretraining and posttraining recordings were made of each participant. Measures of MPT were made, and the recordings were analyzed for jitter, shimmer, and noise-to-harmonics ratio (NHR). The measure of effect size for MPT was moderate, and there was an overall increase in MPT from pretraining to posttraining, with 70% of participants showing an increase in MPT. The measure of effect sizes for jitter, shimmer, and NHR were small, with measurements showing no significant changes from pretraining to posttraining. There were indications that FV training may have positive outcomes for actors and professional voice users, particularly in increasing MPT. Further studies with larger subject groups are needed to investigate the significance of the increase in MPT noted in this study and to test whether FV training can help to lower rates of shimmer and jitter. Copyright © 2015 The Voice Foundation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

STS-79 Commander Readdy and Pilot Wilcutt at slidewire

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1996-01-01

Clad in their launch/entry suits, STS-79 Commander William F. Readdy (left) and Pilot Terrence W. Wilcutt test the fit of a slidewire basket on the emergency egress system at Launch Pad 39A. The six astronauts assigned to the fourth Shuttle-Mir docking flight are completing Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test (TCDT) activities. A dress rehearsal for launch, the TCDT includes emergency egress training at the launch pad and culminates with a simulated countdown. The Space Shuttle Atlantis is undergoing preparations for liftoff on STS-79 no earlier than Sept. 12.

Measuring the Immeasurable: A Pilot Study of Museum Effectiveness.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Borun, Minda

The report describes a one-year pilot study of museum effectiveness conducted at the Franklin Institute Science Museum and Planetarium in Philadelphia. The study was intended to develop models for testing visitor response, provide useable information to museum staff, and test the feasibility of a large-scale investigation of science museums.…

Potential determinants of efficacy of mirror therapy in stroke patients – A pilot study

PubMed Central

Brunetti, Maddalena; Morkisch, Nadine; Fritzsch, Claire; Mehnert, Jan; Steinbrink, Jens; Niedeggen, Michael; Dohle, Christian

2015-01-01

Abstract Background: Mirror therapy (MT) was found to improve motor function after stroke. However, there is high variability between patients regarding motor recovery. Objectives: The following pilot study was designed to identify potential factors determining this variability between patients with severe upper limb paresis, receiving MT. Methods: Eleven sub-acute stroke patients with severe upper limb paresis participated, receiving in-patient rehabilitation. After a set of pre-assessments (including measurement of brain activity at the primary motor cortex and precuneus during the mirror illusion, using near-infrared spectroscopy as described previously), four weeks of MT were applied, followed by a set of post-assessments. Discriminant group analysis for MT responders and non-responders was performed. Results: Six out of eleven patients were defined as responders and five as non-responders on the basis of their functional motor improvement. The initial motor function and the activity shift in both precunei (mirror index) were found to discriminate significantly between responders and non-responders. Conclusions: In line with earlier results, initial motor function was confirmed as crucial determinant of motor recovery. Additionally, activity response to the mirror illusion in both precunei was found to be a candidate for determination of the efficacy of MT. PMID:26409402

Experimental Studies of Intent Information on Cockpit Traffic Displays

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Barhydt, Richard; Hansman, R. John, Jr.

1997-01-01

Intent information provides knowledge of another aircraft's current and future trajectory states. Prototype traffic displays were designed for four different levels of intent: No Intent, Rate, Commanded State, and Flight Management System (FMS)-Path. The TCAS Display was used as a baseline and represents the No Intent Level. The Rate, Commanded State, and FMS-Path Displays show increasing levels of intent information using TCAS-like symbology in addition to incorporating a conflict probe and profile view display. An experiment was run on the MIT Part Task Flight Simulator in which eight airline pilots flew five traffic scenarios with each of the four displays. Results show that pilots had fewer separation violations and maneuvered earlier with the three intent displays. Separation violations were reduced when pilots maneuvered earlier. A second experiment was run to compare performance between displaying intent information directly and incorporating it into a conflict probe. A different set of eight airline pilots flew four traffic scenarios with the TCAS and Commanded State Displays with and without the conflict probe. Conflict probes with two minute and long range look-ahead times were tested. Displaying conflict bands or showing intent information directly both led to fewer separation violations and earlier avoidance maneuvers than the base TCAS Display. Performance was similar between the two minute and long range look-ahead conflict probes. Pilots preferred all intent displays over the TCAS Display.

Piloted simulation study of an ILS approach of a twin-pusher business/commuter turboprop aircraft configuration

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Riley, Donald R.; Brandon, Jay M.; Glaab, Louis J.

1994-01-01

A six-degree-of-freedom nonlinear simulation of a twin-pusher, turboprop business/commuter aircraft configuration representative of the Cessna ATPTB (Advanced turboprop test bed) was developed for use in piloted studies with the Langley General Aviation Simulator. The math models developed are provided, simulation predictions are compared with with Cessna flight-test data for validation purposes, and results of a handling quality study during simulated ILS (instrument landing system) approaches and missed approaches are presented. Simulated flight trajectories, task performance measures, and pilot evaluations are presented for the ILS approach and missed-approach tasks conducted with the vehicle in the presence of moderate turbulence, varying horizontal winds and engine-out conditions. Six test subjects consisting of two research pilots, a Cessna test pilot, and three general aviation pilots participated in the study. This effort was undertaken in cooperation with the Cessna Aircraft Company.

Physiological Effects of Acceleration Observed During a Centrifuge Study of Pilot Performance

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Smedal, Harald A.; Creer, Brent Y.; Wingrove, Rodney C.

1960-01-01

An investigation was conducted by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Ames Research Center, and the Naval Air Development Center, Aviation Medical Acceleration Laboratory, to study the effects of acceleration on pilot performance and to obtain some meaningful data for use in establishing tolerance to acceleration levels. The flight simulator used in the study was the Johnsville centrifuge operated as a closed loop system. The pilot was required to perform a control task in various sustained acceleration fields typical of those that Might be encountered by a pilot flying an entry vehicle in which he is seated in a forward-facing position. A special restraint system was developed and designed to increase the pilot's tolerance to these accelerations. The results of this study demonstrated that a well-trained subject, such as a test pilot, can adequately carry out a control task during moderately high accelerations for prolonged periods of time. The maximum levels of acceleration tolerated were approximately 6 times that of gravity for approximately 6 minutes, and varied slightly with the acceleration direction. The tolerance runs were in each case terminated by the subject. In all but two instances, the cause was extreme fatigue. On two occasions the subject terminated the run when he "grayed out." Although there were subjective and objective findings involving the visual and cardiovascular systems, the respiratory system yielded the more critical limiting factors. It would appear that these limiting factors were less severe during the "eyeballs-out" accelerations when compared with the "eyeballs-in" accelerations. These findings are explained on the basis of the influence that the inertial forces of acceleration have on the mechanics of respiration. A condensed version of this report was presented at the Annual Meeting of the Aerospace Medical Association, Miami Beach, May 5-11, 1960, in a paper entitled "Ability of Pilots to Perform a Control Task in

A pilot feasibility study of neurofeedback for children with autism.

PubMed

Steiner, Naomi J; Frenette, Elizabeth; Hynes, Caitlin; Pisarik, Elizabeth; Tomasetti, Kathryn; Perrin, Ellen C; Rene, Kirsten

2014-06-01

Neurofeedback (NFB) is an emerging treatment for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). This pilot study examined the feasibility of NFB for children with ASD. Ten children ages 7-12 with high functioning ASD and attention difficulties received a NFB attention training intervention. A standardized checklist captured feasibility, including focus during exercises and academic tasks, as well as off-task behaviors. Active behaviors and vocalizations were the most frequent off-task behaviors. Positive reinforcement and breaks including calm breathing exercises were the most common supports. Low motivation was associated with higher feasibility challenges, yet parental involvement and accommodations were helpful. This pilot study shows that it is feasible to conduct NFB sessions with children with high functioning autism and attention difficulties.

Performance of strip seals in Iowa bridges, pilot study.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2001-01-01

A pilot study was conducted on the premature failures of neoprene strip seals in : expansion joints in Iowa bridges. In a relatively large number of bridges, strip seals have : pulled out of the steel extrusions or otherwise failed well before the ex...

BIMOMASS GASIFICATION PILOT PLANT STUDY

EPA Science Inventory

The report gives results of a gasification pilot program using two biomass feedstocks: bagasse pellets and wood chips. he object of the program was to determine the properties of biomass product gas and its suitability as a fuel for gas-turbine-based power generation cycles. he f...

Fighter Pilot Ejection Study as an Educational Tool

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Robinson, Garry; Jovanoski, Zlatko

2010-01-01

In this article, we apply the well-known equations of projectile motion to the case of a fighter pilot ejecting from an aircraft, the aim being to establish under what conditions there is danger of impact with the rear vertical stabilizer. The drag force on the pilot after ejection is assumed to vary as the velocity squared and the aircraft motion…

The Internet and Some International Regulatory Issues Relating to Content: A Pilot Comparative Study.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Australian Broadcasting Authority.

In December 1996 UNESCO commissioned the Australian Broadcasting Authority to conduct a pilot study which considered a range of online issues; this report outlines the findings of the pilot study, based on data collected between February and May 1997 and updated in July 1997. The objective is to identify the main types of Internet content which…

Integrating Virtual Worlds with Tangible User Interfaces for Teaching Mathematics: A Pilot Study.

PubMed

Guerrero, Graciela; Ayala, Andrés; Mateu, Juan; Casades, Laura; Alamán, Xavier

2016-10-25

This article presents a pilot study of the use of two new tangible interfaces and virtual worlds for teaching geometry in a secondary school. The first tangible device allows the user to control a virtual object in six degrees of freedom. The second tangible device is used to modify virtual objects, changing attributes such as position, size, rotation and color. A pilot study on using these devices was carried out at the "Florida Secundaria" high school. A virtual world was built where students used the tangible interfaces to manipulate geometrical figures in order to learn different geometrical concepts. The pilot experiment results suggest that the use of tangible interfaces and virtual worlds allowed a more meaningful learning (concepts learnt were more durable).

Integrating Virtual Worlds with Tangible User Interfaces for Teaching Mathematics: A Pilot Study

PubMed Central

Guerrero, Graciela; Ayala, Andrés; Mateu, Juan; Casades, Laura; Alamán, Xavier

2016-01-01

This article presents a pilot study of the use of two new tangible interfaces and virtual worlds for teaching geometry in a secondary school. The first tangible device allows the user to control a virtual object in six degrees of freedom. The second tangible device is used to modify virtual objects, changing attributes such as position, size, rotation and color. A pilot study on using these devices was carried out at the “Florida Secundaria” high school. A virtual world was built where students used the tangible interfaces to manipulate geometrical figures in order to learn different geometrical concepts. The pilot experiment results suggest that the use of tangible interfaces and virtual worlds allowed a more meaningful learning (concepts learnt were more durable). PMID:27792132

Accident rates for novice glider pilots vs. pilots with experience.

PubMed

Jarvis, Steve; Harris, Don

2007-12-01

It is a popular notion in gliding that newly soloed pilots have a low accident rate. The intention of this study was to review the support for such a hypothesis from literature and to explore it using UK accident totals and measures of flying exposure. Log sheets from UK gliding clubs were used to estimate flying exposure for inexperienced glider pilots. This was used along with accident data and annual flight statistics for the period 2004-2006 in order to estimate accident rates that could be compared between the pilot groups. The UK accident rate for glider pilots from 2004-2006 was 1 accident in every 3534 launches and 1590 flying hours. The lowest estimated rate for pilots with up to 1 h of experience was 1 accident every 976 launches and 149 h flown. For pilots with up to 10 h of experience the figures were 1 accident in 1274 launches and 503 h. From 2004-2006 UK glider pilots with 10 h or less experience in command had twice the number of accidents per launch and three times as many accidents per hour flown than average for UK glider pilots. Pilots with only 1 h of experience or less were involved in at least 10 times the number of accidents per hour flown than the UK average and had more than 3.5 times the number of accidents per launch.

Hazing in the Military: A Pilot Study

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-05-14

while an education program to reduce workplace bullying will not likely transfer to decrease hazing. HAZING IN THE MILITARY: A PILOT STUDY 3...different. It is important not to assume they are the same in policy or treatment. A policy covering hazing may enable workplace bullying to go unnoticed...however, it is also found in the adult workplace . Bullying behaviors, like hazing, may be psychological or physical in nature, vary in severity, and

Restoring effective sleep tranquility (REST): A feasibility and pilot study.

PubMed

Eakman, Aaron M; Schmid, Arlene A; Henry, Kimberly L; Rolle, Natalie R; Schelly, Catherine; Pott, Christine E; Burns, Joshua E

2017-06-01

The purpose of this pilot study was to establish the feasibility of completing a future controlled trial of a multi-component cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia program for military veterans with sleep disturbance. This was a single-arm feasibility and pilot study. Participants were United States post-9/11 veterans with service-connected injuries, university students, and had self-reported sleep disturbances. Restoring Effective Sleep Tranquility was a multi-component cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia intervention consisting of seven sessions of group therapy and eight 1:1 sessions delivered by occupational therapists. Feasibility and pilot indicators were process, resources, management, and scientific, including pre-post-assessments of sleep difficulties, dysfunctional sleep beliefs, participation, and pain interference. Indicators were supportive of feasibility, including reduced sleep difficulties (for example Medical Outcomes Study Sleep Measure [ t  = 3.29, p  = .02]), reduced nightmares: t  = 2.79, p  = .03; fewer dysfunctional sleep beliefs: t  = 3.63, p  = .01, and greater ability to participate in social roles: t  = -2.86, p  = .03, along with trends towards improved satisfaction with participation and reduced pain interference. The Restoring Effective Sleep Tranquility program may reduce sleep difficulties and improve participation in US veterans with service-connected injuries, and evidence indicates a controlled trial would be feasible to deliver.

Restoring effective sleep tranquility (REST): A feasibility and pilot study

PubMed Central

Schmid, Arlene A; Henry, Kimberly L; Rolle, Natalie R; Schelly, Catherine; Pott, Christine E; Burns, Joshua E

2017-01-01

Introduction The purpose of this pilot study was to establish the feasibility of completing a future controlled trial of a multi-component cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia program for military veterans with sleep disturbance. Method This was a single-arm feasibility and pilot study. Participants were United States post-9/11 veterans with service-connected injuries, university students, and had self-reported sleep disturbances. Restoring Effective Sleep Tranquility was a multi-component cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia intervention consisting of seven sessions of group therapy and eight 1:1 sessions delivered by occupational therapists. Feasibility and pilot indicators were process, resources, management, and scientific, including pre–post-assessments of sleep difficulties, dysfunctional sleep beliefs, participation, and pain interference. Findings Indicators were supportive of feasibility, including reduced sleep difficulties (for example Medical Outcomes Study Sleep Measure [t = 3.29, p = .02]), reduced nightmares: t = 2.79, p = .03; fewer dysfunctional sleep beliefs: t = 3.63, p = .01, and greater ability to participate in social roles: t = –2.86, p = .03, along with trends towards improved satisfaction with participation and reduced pain interference. Conclusion The Restoring Effective Sleep Tranquility program may reduce sleep difficulties and improve participation in US veterans with service-connected injuries, and evidence indicates a controlled trial would be feasible to deliver. PMID:28626295

Evaluation Study of "Language, Literacy, & Vocabulary!" Spring 2006 Pilot

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McNabb, Mary

2006-01-01

Purpose: A pilot study of the "Language, Literacy, & Vocabulary!" program was conducted by Learning Gauger, Inc., for National Geographic School Publishing, in spring 2006. The program evaluation examined the classroom adoption approaches used by participating teachers and the subsequent impact of the "Language, Literacy, &…

An analytical study of aircraft lateral-directional handling qualities using pilot models

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Adams, J. J.; Moore, F. L.

1976-01-01

A procedure for predicting lateral-directional pilot ratings on the basis of the characteristics of the pilot model and the closed-loop system characteristics is demonstrated. A correlation is shown to exist between experimentally obtained pilot ratings and the computed pilot ratings.

An experimental study of the effect of a pilot flame on technically pre-mixed, self-excited combustion instabilities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

O'Meara, Bridget C.

Combustion instabilities are a problem facing the gas turbine industry in the operation of lean, pre-mixed combustors. Secondary flames known as "pilot flames" are a common passive control strategy for eliminating combustion instabilities in industrial gas turbines, but the underlying mechanisms responsible for the pilot flame's stabilizing effect are not well understood. This dissertation presents an experimental study of a pilot flame in a single-nozzle, swirl-stabilized, variable length atmospheric combustion test facility and the effect of the pilot on combustion instabilities. A variable length combustor tuned the acoustics of the system to excite instabilities over a range of operating conditions without a pilot flame. The inlet velocity was varied from 25 -- 50 m/s and the equivalence ratio was varied from 0.525 -- 0.65. This range of operating conditions was determined by the operating range of the combustion test facility. Stability at each operating condition and combustor length was characterized by measurements of pressure oscillations in the combustor. The effect of the pilot flame on the magnitude and frequency of combustor stability was then investigated. The mechanisms responsible for the pilot flame effect were studied using chemiluminescence flame images of both stable and unstable flames. Stable flame structure was investigated using stable flame images of CH* chemiluminescence emission. The effect of the pilot on stable flame metrics such as flame length, flame angle, and flame width was investigated. In addition, a new flame metric, flame base distance, was defined to characterize the effect of the pilot flame on stable flame anchoring of the flame base to the centerbody. The effect of the pilot flame on flame base anchoring was investigated because the improved stability with a pilot flame is usually attributed to improved flame anchoring through the recirculation of hot products from the pilot to the main flame base. Chemiluminescence images

Pilot study of enhanced tobacco-cessation services coverage for low-income smokers.

PubMed

Doescher, Mark P; Whinston, Melicent A; Goo, Alvin; Cummings, Diane; Huntington, Jane; Saver, Barry G

2002-01-01

This study explored the feasibility of covering nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) and paying for pharmacist-delivered smoking cessation counseling at the time of NRT pick-up for low-income, managed Medicaid and Basic Health Plan (a state insurance program) enrollees. A prospective pilot intervention was used at two community health centers (CHCs) and two community pharmacies. Participants were adult managed-Medicaid or Basic Health Plan enrollees who attended the pilot CHCs and smoked. An innovative insurance benefit that included coverage for NRT and $15 payment to the pharmacist to deliver cessation counseling with each prescription fill. Proportion of eligible patients who used the cessation benefit and patient and pharmacist satisfaction with the intervention. During the 9-month intervention, 32 patients at the pilot clinics were referred for NRT and pharmacist-delivered counseling. This number represented roughly 5% of eligible smokers. Of these, 26 received NRT with concomitant pharmacist-delivered cessation counseling at least once. Recipients reported a high level of satisfaction with this intervention. Pharmacists indicated they would continue providing counseling if reimbursement remained adequate and if counseling lasted no longer than 5-10 min. However, 12 (38%) who were referred were no longer insured by the sponsoring plan by the end of the 9-month pilot period. Pharmacist-delivered cessation counseling may be feasible and merits further study. More importantly, this pilot reveals two key obstacles in our low-income, culturally diverse setting: low participation and rapid turnover of insureds. Future interventions will need to address these barriers.

Research promises earlier warning for grapevine canker diseases

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

When it comes to detecting and treating vineyards for grapevine canker diseases (also called trunk diseases), like Botryosphaeria dieback (Bot canker), Esca, Eutypa dieback and Phomopsis dieback, the earlier the better, says plant pathologist Kendra Baumgartner, with the USDA’s Agricultural Research...

Acceleration effects on neck muscle strength: pilots vs. non-pilots.

PubMed

Seng, Kok-Yong; Lam, Pin-Min; Lee, Vee-Sin

2003-02-01

Conditioning of neck muscles, if any, due to repeated exposures to +Gz forces has received little research attention. This study was conducted to evaluate and compare the neck muscle strength of test volunteers representative of the general populations of fighter aircraft pilots and non-pilots. The tests were performed using a special attachment device on a computerized dynamometer. Ten pilots and ten non-pilots volunteered as test subjects. Each individual's maximal isometric neck muscle strength was evaluated in the extension, flexion, and left and right lateral bending directions in a single day. Peak values from the measurements were used for data analysis. Overall neck strength was calculated as the mean values for the four directions in each group. The overall muscular strength of the necks of pilots did not differ significantly from that of non-pilots, nor did exposure to +Gz forces lead to specific changes in isometric muscle strength across any of the four principal directions. Neck muscle strength in the four measured directions pooled across the two subgroups were statistically significant. The widespread practice of adopting protective head-positioning strategies to minimize neck strains, coupled with results from this research study, suggest that the neck muscles are subjected to reduced in-flight strengthening workouts during exposures to +Gz forces. To maximize in-flight performance and minimize +Gz-induced neck injuries, fighter pilots should be encouraged to perform on-land neck muscle strengthening exercise and in-flight head-positioning techniques. More research is needed to fine-tune this countermeasure strategy against cervical spine injury.

Trend of earlier spring in central Europe continued

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ungersböck, Markus; Jurkovic, Anita; Koch, Elisabeth; Lipa, Wolfgang; Scheifinger, Helfried; Zach-Hermann, Susanne

2013-04-01

Modern phenology is the study of the timing of recurring biological events in the animal and plant world, the causes of their timing with regard to biotic and abiotic forces, and the interrelation among phases of the same or different species. The relationship between phenology and climate explains the importance of plant phenology for Climate Change studies. Plants require light, water, oxygen mineral nutrients and suitable temperature to grow. In temperate zones the seasonal life cycle of plants is primarily controlled by temperature and day length. Higher spring air temperatures are resulting in an earlier onset of the phenological spring in temperate and cool climate. On the other hand changes in phenology due to climate change do have impact on the climate system itself. Vegetation is a dynamic factor in the earth - climate system and has positive and negative feedback mechanisms to the biogeochemical and biogeophysical fluxes to the atmosphere Since the mid of the 1980s spring springs earlier in Europe and autumn is shifting back to the end of the year resulting in a longer vegetation period. The advancement of spring can be clearly attributed to temperature increase in the months prior to leaf unfolding and flowering, the timing of autumn is more complex and cannot easily be attributed to one or some few parameters. To demonstrate that the observed advancement of spring since the mid of 1980s is pro-longed in 2001 to 2010 and the delay of fall and the lengthening of the growing season is confirmed in the last decade we picked out several indicator plants from the PEP725 database www.pep725.eu. The PEP725 database collects data from different European network operators and thus offers a unique compilation of phenological observations; the database is regularly updated. The data follow the same classification scheme, the so called BBCH coding system so they can be compared. Lilac Syringa vulgaris, birch Betula pendula, beech Fagus and horse chestnut Aesculus

Critical Thinking in Nurse Anesthesia Education: A Pilot Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Burns, Shari; Mendel, Shaun; Fisher, Rodney; Cooper, Kimball; Fisher, Michael

2013-01-01

Critical thinking is pivotal for student success in health professions education. Knowing the critical thinking ability of the learner helps educators tailor curriculum to enhance critical thinking. A quantitative comparative pilot study assessed critical thinking ability for students at two distinct points in a nurse anesthesia program…

Pilot In-Trail Procedure Validation Simulation Study

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bussink, Frank J. L.; Murdoch, Jennifer L.; Chamberlain, James P.; Chartrand, Ryan; Jones, Kenneth M.

2008-01-01

A Human-In-The-Loop experiment was conducted at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Langley Research Center (LaRC) to investigate the viability of the In-Trail Procedure (ITP) concept from a flight crew perspective, by placing participating airline pilots in a simulated oceanic flight environment. The test subject pilots used new onboard avionics equipment that provided improved information about nearby traffic and enabled them, when specific criteria were met, to request an ITP flight level change referencing one or two nearby aircraft that might otherwise block the flight level change. The subject pilots subjective assessments of ITP validity and acceptability were measured via questionnaires and discussions, and their objective performance in appropriately selecting, requesting, and performing ITP flight level changes was evaluated for each simulated flight scenario. Objective performance and subjective workload assessment data from the experiment s test conditions were analyzed for statistical and operational significance and are reported in the paper. Based on these results, suggestions are made to further improve the ITP.

Airplane pilot mental health and suicidal thoughts: a cross-sectional descriptive study via anonymous web-based survey.

PubMed

Wu, Alexander C; Donnelly-McLay, Deborah; Weisskopf, Marc G; McNeely, Eileen; Betancourt, Theresa S; Allen, Joseph G

2016-12-15

The Germanwings Flight 9525 crash has brought the sensitive subject of airline pilot mental health to the forefront in aviation. Globally, 350 million people suffer from depression-a common mental disorder. This study provides further information on this important topic regarding mental health especially among female airline pilots. This is the first study to describe airline pilot mental health-with a focus on depression and suicidal thoughts-outside of the information derived from aircraft accident investigations, regulated health examinations, or identifiable self-reports, which are records protected by civil aviation authorities and airline companies. This is a descriptive cross-sectional study via an anonymous web-based survey administered between April and December 2015. Pilots were recruited from unions, airline companies, and airports via convenience sampling. Data analysis included calculating absolute number and prevalence of health characteristics and depression scores. One thousand eight hundred thirty seven (52.7%) of the 3485 surveyed pilots completed the survey, with 1866 (53.5%) completing at least half of the survey. 233 (12.6%) of 1848 airline pilots responding to the Patient Health Questionnaire 9 (PHQ-9), and 193 (13.5%) of 1430 pilots who reported working as an airline pilot in the last seven days at time of survey, met depression threshold-PHQ-9 total score ≥ 10. Seventy-five participants (4.1%) reported having suicidal thoughts within the past two weeks. We found a significant trend in proportions of depression at higher levels of use of sleep-aid medication (trend test z = 6.74, p < 0.001) and among those experiencing sexual harassment (z = 3.18, p = 0.001) or verbal harassment (z = 6.13, p < 0.001). Hundreds of pilots currently flying are managing depressive symptoms perhaps without the possibility of treatment due to the fear of negative career impacts. This study found 233 (12.6%) airline pilots meeting

Biotelemetry implant volume and weight in rats: A pilot study report

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Somps, Chris J.

1994-01-01

This paper reports the results of a pilot study in which a 240-gram rat was implanted for 41 days with biotelemetry devices weighing a total of 36 gm (18 cc). The implanted animal showed no differences in weight gain, food and water consumption, and postnecropsy organ weights when compared to both an unoperated control animal and an animal that underwent surgery but did not receive an implant. The implanted animal also had temperature and activity rhythms similar to those reported using much smaller implants. Thus, this pilot study showed that a 240-gm rat could be implanted with biotelemetry devices weighing nearly 15 percent of body weight without significant changes in health or behavior. A larger study involving more animals and similar implant sizes is recommended.

An earlier de motu cordis.

PubMed Central

Daly, Walter J.

2004-01-01

Thirteenth century medical science, like medieval scholarship in general, was directed at reconciliation of Greek philosophy/science with prevailing medieval theology and philosophy. Peter of Spain [later Pope John XXI] was the leading medical scholar of his time. Peter wrote a long book on the soul. Imbedded in it was a chapter on the motion of the heart. Peter's De Motu was based on his own medical experience and Galen's De Usu Partium and De Usu Respirationis and De Usu Pulsuum. This earlier De Motu defines a point on the continuum of intellectual development leading to us and into the future. Thirteenth century scholarship relied on past authority to a degree that continues to puzzle and beg explanation. Images Fig. 1 PMID:17060956

Complexity and Pilot Workload Metrics for the Evaluation of Adaptive Flight Controls on a Full Scale Piloted Aircraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hanson, Curt; Schaefer, Jacob; Burken, John J.; Larson, David; Johnson, Marcus

2014-01-01

Flight research has shown the effectiveness of adaptive flight controls for improving aircraft safety and performance in the presence of uncertainties. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA)'s Integrated Resilient Aircraft Control (IRAC) project designed and conducted a series of flight experiments to study the impact of variations in adaptive controller design complexity on performance and handling qualities. A novel complexity metric was devised to compare the degrees of simplicity achieved in three variations of a model reference adaptive controller (MRAC) for NASA's F-18 (McDonnell Douglas, now The Boeing Company, Chicago, Illinois) Full-Scale Advanced Systems Testbed (Gen-2A) aircraft. The complexity measures of these controllers are also compared to that of an earlier MRAC design for NASA's Intelligent Flight Control System (IFCS) project and flown on a highly modified F-15 aircraft (McDonnell Douglas, now The Boeing Company, Chicago, Illinois). Pilot comments during the IRAC research flights pointed to the importance of workload on handling qualities ratings for failure and damage scenarios. Modifications to existing pilot aggressiveness and duty cycle metrics are presented and applied to the IRAC controllers. Finally, while adaptive controllers may alleviate the effects of failures or damage on an aircraft's handling qualities, they also have the potential to introduce annoying changes to the flight dynamics or to the operation of aircraft systems. A nuisance rating scale is presented for the categorization of nuisance side-effects of adaptive controllers.

Interactive Video in the Special Classroom: A Pilot Study.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Browning, Philip; And Others

1986-01-01

Describes a courseware development project at the University of Oregon which explored use of interactive video with mentally disabled students to teach life enhancement skills. Discussion of the results of a pilot study of one of the modules includes information on student achievement and teacher and student reactions. (MBR)

Cardiac Complications, Earlier Treatment, and Initial Disease Severity in Kawasaki Disease.

PubMed

Abrams, Joseph Y; Belay, Ermias D; Uehara, Ritei; Maddox, Ryan A; Schonberger, Lawrence B; Nakamura, Yosikazu

2017-09-01

To assess if observed higher observed risks of cardiac complications for patients with Kawasaki disease (KD) treated earlier may reflect bias due to confounding from initial disease severity, as opposed to any negative effect of earlier treatment. We used data from Japanese nationwide KD surveys from 1997 to 2004. Receipt of additional intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) (data available all years) or any additional treatment (available for 2003-2004) were assessed as proxies for initial disease severity. We determined associations between earlier or later IVIG treatment (defined as receipt of IVIG on days 1-4 vs days 5-10 of illness) and cardiac complications by stratifying by receipt of additional treatment or by using logistic modeling to control for the effect of receiving additional treatment. A total of 48 310 patients with KD were included in the analysis. In unadjusted analysis, earlier IVIG treatment was associated with a higher risk for 4 categories of cardiac complications, including all major cardiac complications (risk ratio, 1.10; 95% CI, 1.06-1.15). Stratifying by receipt of additional treatment removed this association, and earlier IVIG treatment became protective against all major cardiac complications when controlling for any additional treatment in logistic regressions (OR, 0.90; 95% CI, 0.80-1.00). Observed higher risks of cardiac complications among patients with KD receiving IVIG treatment on days 1-4 of the illness are most likely due to underlying higher initial disease severity, and patients with KD should continue to be treated with IVIG as early as possible. Published by Elsevier Inc.

14 CFR 61.94 - Student pilot seeking a sport pilot certificate or a recreational pilot certificate: Operations...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... 14 Aeronautics and Space 2 2012-01-01 2012-01-01 false Student pilot seeking a sport pilot... Student pilot seeking a sport pilot certificate or a recreational pilot certificate: Operations at... operational control tower in other airspace. (a) A student pilot seeking a sport pilot certificate or a...

14 CFR 61.94 - Student pilot seeking a sport pilot certificate or a recreational pilot certificate: Operations...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... 14 Aeronautics and Space 2 2013-01-01 2013-01-01 false Student pilot seeking a sport pilot... Student pilot seeking a sport pilot certificate or a recreational pilot certificate: Operations at... operational control tower in other airspace. (a) A student pilot seeking a sport pilot certificate or a...

14 CFR 61.94 - Student pilot seeking a sport pilot certificate or a recreational pilot certificate: Operations...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... 14 Aeronautics and Space 2 2014-01-01 2014-01-01 false Student pilot seeking a sport pilot... Student pilot seeking a sport pilot certificate or a recreational pilot certificate: Operations at... operational control tower in other airspace. (a) A student pilot seeking a sport pilot certificate or a...

14 CFR 61.94 - Student pilot seeking a sport pilot certificate or a recreational pilot certificate: Operations...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... 14 Aeronautics and Space 2 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Student pilot seeking a sport pilot... Student pilot seeking a sport pilot certificate or a recreational pilot certificate: Operations at... operational control tower in other airspace. (a) A student pilot seeking a sport pilot certificate or a...

14 CFR 61.94 - Student pilot seeking a sport pilot certificate or a recreational pilot certificate: Operations...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 14 Aeronautics and Space 2 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Student pilot seeking a sport pilot... Student pilot seeking a sport pilot certificate or a recreational pilot certificate: Operations at... operational control tower in other airspace. (a) A student pilot seeking a sport pilot certificate or a...

Defining Feasibility and Pilot Studies in Preparation for Randomised Controlled Trials: Development of a Conceptual Framework

PubMed Central

Eldridge, Sandra M.; Lancaster, Gillian A.; Campbell, Michael J.; Thabane, Lehana; Hopewell, Sally; Coleman, Claire L.; Bond, Christine M.

2016-01-01

We describe a framework for defining pilot and feasibility studies focusing on studies conducted in preparation for a randomised controlled trial. To develop the framework, we undertook a Delphi survey; ran an open meeting at a trial methodology conference; conducted a review of definitions outside the health research context; consulted experts at an international consensus meeting; and reviewed 27 empirical pilot or feasibility studies. We initially adopted mutually exclusive definitions of pilot and feasibility studies. However, some Delphi survey respondents and the majority of open meeting attendees disagreed with the idea of mutually exclusive definitions. Their viewpoint was supported by definitions outside the health research context, the use of the terms ‘pilot’ and ‘feasibility’ in the literature, and participants at the international consensus meeting. In our framework, pilot studies are a subset of feasibility studies, rather than the two being mutually exclusive. A feasibility study asks whether something can be done, should we proceed with it, and if so, how. A pilot study asks the same questions but also has a specific design feature: in a pilot study a future study, or part of a future study, is conducted on a smaller scale. We suggest that to facilitate their identification, these studies should be clearly identified using the terms ‘feasibility’ or ‘pilot’ as appropriate. This should include feasibility studies that are largely qualitative; we found these difficult to identify in electronic searches because researchers rarely used the term ‘feasibility’ in the title or abstract of such studies. Investigators should also report appropriate objectives and methods related to feasibility; and give clear confirmation that their study is in preparation for a future randomised controlled trial designed to assess the effect of an intervention. PMID:26978655

An experimental study of human pilot's scanning behavior

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Washizu, K.; Tanaka, K.; Osawa, T.

1982-01-01

The scanning behavior and the control behavior of the pilot who manually controls the two-variable system, which is the most basic one of multi-variable systems are investigated. Two control tasks which simulate the actual airplane attitude and airspeed control were set up. In order to simulate the change of the situation where the pilot is placed, such as changes of flight phase, mission and others, the subject was requested to vary the weightings, as his control strategy, upon each task. Changes of human control dynamics and his canning properties caused by the modification of the situation were investigated. By making use of the experimental results, the optimal model of the control behavior and the scanning behavior of the pilot in the two-variable system is proposed from the standpoint of making the performance index minimal.

76 FR 54095 - Pilot in Command Proficiency Check and Other Changes to the Pilot and Pilot School Certification...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-08-31

... Command Proficiency Check and Other Changes to the Pilot and Pilot School Certification Rules AGENCY... regulations concerning pilot, flight instructor, and pilot school certification. This rule will require pilot... and permits pilot schools and provisional pilot schools to apply for a combined private pilot...

Preliminary Hydrogeologic Characterization Results from the Wallula Basalt Pilot Study

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

B.P. McGrail; E. C. Sullivan; F. A. Spane

2009-12-01

The DOE's Big Sky Regional Carbon Sequestration Partnership has completed drilling the first continental flood basalt sequestration pilot borehole to a total depth (TD) of 4,110 feet on the Boise White Paper Mill property at Wallula, Washington. Site suitability was assessed prior to drilling by the 2007-2008 acquisition, processing and analysis of a four-mile, five-line three component seismic swath, which was processed as a single data-dense line. Analysis of the seismic survey data indicated a composite basalt formation thickness of {approx}8,000 feet and absence of major geologic structures (i.e., faults) along the line imaged by the seismic swath. Drilling ofmore » Wallula pilot borehole was initiated on January 13, 2009 and reached TD on April 6, 2009. Based on characterization results obtained during drilling, three basalt breccia zones were identified between the depth interval of 2,716 and 2,910 feet, as being suitable injection reservoir for a subsequent CO2 injection pilot study. The targeted injection reservoir lies stratigraphically below the massive Umtanum Member of the Grande Ronde Basalt, whose flow-interior section possesses regionally recognized low-permeability characteristics. The identified composite injection zone reservoir provides a unique and attractive opportunity to scientifically study the reservoir behavior of three inter-connected reservoir intervals below primary and secondary caprock confining zones. Drill cuttings, wireline geophysical logs, and 31one-inch diameter rotary sidewall cores provided geologic data for characterization of rock properties. XRF analyses of selected rock samples provided geochemical characterizations of the rocks and stratigraphic control for the basalt flows encountered by the Wallula pilot borehole. Based on the geochemical results, the pilot borehole was terminated in the Wapshilla Ridge 1 flow of the Grande Ronde Basalt Formation. Detailed hydrologic test characterizations of 12 basalt interflow

Travelling for earlier surgical treatment: the patient's view.

PubMed Central

Stewart, M; Donaldson, L J

1991-01-01

As part of the northern region's programme within the national waiting list initiative, schemes have been funded to test the feasibility and acceptability of offering patients the opportunity to travel further afield in order to receive earlier treatment. A total of 484 patients experiencing a long wait for routine surgical operations in the northern region were offered the opportunity to receive earlier treatment outside their local health district; 74% of the patients accepted the offer. The initiative was well received by the participating patients and the majority stated that if the need arose on a future occasion they would prefer to travel for treatment rather than have to wait for lengthy periods for treatment at their local hospital. These findings, interpreted in the light of the National Health Service reforms introduced in April 1991, suggest that for some types of care, patients would welcome greater flexibility in the placing of contracts, not merely reinforcement of historical patterns of referral. PMID:1823553

Development of a Coordinated National Soil Moisture Network: A Pilot Study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lucido, J. M.; Quiring, S. M.; Verdin, J. P.; Pulwarty, R. S.; Baker, B.; Cosgrove, B.; Escobar, V. M.; Strobel, M.

2014-12-01

Soil moisture data is critical for accurate drought prediction, flood forecasting, climate modeling, prediction of crop yields and water budgeting. However, soil moisture data are collected by many agencies and organizations in the United States using a variety of instruments and methods for varying applications. These data are often distributed and represented in disparate formats, posing significant challenges for use. In recognition of these challenges, the President's Climate Action Plan articulated the need for a coordinated national soil moisture network. In response to this action plan, a team led by the National Integrated Drought Information System has begun to develop a framework for this network and has instituted a proof-of-concept pilot study. This pilot is located in the south-central plains of the US, and will serve as a reference architecture for the requisite data systems and inform the design of the national network. The pilot comprises both in-situ and modeled soil moisture datasets (historical and real-time) and will serve the following use cases: operational drought monitoring, experimental land surface modeling, and operational hydrological modeling. The pilot will be implemented using a distributed network design in order to serve dispersed data in real-time directly from data providers. Standard service protocols will be used to enable future integration with external clients. The pilot network will additionally contain a catalog of data sets and web service endpoints, which will be used to broker web service calls. A mediation and aggregation service will then intelligently request, compile, and transform the distributed datasets from their native formats into a standardized output. This mediation framework allows data to be hosted and maintained locally by the data owners while simplifying access through a single service interface. These data services will then be used to create visualizations, for example, views of the current soil

Insight Into Illness and Cognition in Schizophrenia in Earlier and Later Life.

PubMed

Gerretsen, Philip; Voineskos, Aristotle N; Graff-Guerrero, Ariel; Menon, Mahesh; Pollock, Bruce G; Mamo, David C; Mulsant, Benoit H; Rajji, Tarek K

2017-04-01

Impaired insight into illness in schizophrenia is associated with illness severity and deficits in premorbid intellectual function, executive function, and memory. A previous study of patients aged 60 years and older found that illness severity and premorbid intellectual function accounted for variance in insight impairment. As such, we aimed to test whether similar relationships would be observed in earlier life. A retrospective analysis was performed on 1 large sample of participants (n = 171) with a DSM-IV-TR diagnosis of schizophrenia aged 19 to 79 years acquired from 2 studies: (1) a psychosocial intervention trial for older persons with schizophrenia (June 2008 to May 2014) and (2) a diffusion tensor imaging and genetics study of psychosis across the life span (February 2007 to December 2013). We assessed insight into illness using the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) item G12 and explored its relationship to illness severity (PANSS total modified), premorbid intellectual function (Wechsler Test of Adult Reading [WTAR]), and cognition. Insight impairment was more severe in later life (≥ 60 years) than in earlier years (t = -3.75, P < .001). Across the whole sample, the variance of impaired insight was explained by PANSS total modified (Exp[B] = 1.070, P < .001) and WTAR scores (Exp[B] = 0.970, P = .028). Although age and cognition were correlated with impaired insight, they did not independently contribute to its variance. However, the relationships between impaired insight and illness severity and between impaired insight and cognition, particularly working memory, were stronger in later life than in earlier life. These results suggest an opportunity for intervention may exist with cognitive-enhancing neurostimulation or medications to improve insight into illness in schizophrenia across the life span. Original study registered on ClinicalTrials.gov (identifier: NCT00832845). © Copyright 2017 Physicians Postgraduate Press, Inc.

Physical activity in Georgia state parks: A pilot study

Treesearch

Lincoln R. Larson; Jason W. Whiting; Gary T. Green

2012-01-01

This pilot study assessed the role of Georgia State Parks in the promotion of physical activity among different racial/ethnic and age groups. Data were collected at three state parks in north Georgia during the summer of 2009 using two research methods: behavior observations (N=2281) and intercept surveys (N=473).

Parent-Implemented Social-Pragmatic Communication Intervention: A Pilot Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Meadan, Hedda; Angell, Maureen E.; Stoner, Julia B.; Daczewitz, Marcus E.

2014-01-01

This pilot study investigated the feasibility and effectiveness of a home-based parent training and coaching program on the use of naturalistic and visual teaching strategies by parents of children (aged 2-5 years) with Down syndrome to promote and enhance these children's social-pragmatic communication skills. Five parent interventionist-child…

Consumer Understanding of Nutrition Marketing Terms: A Pilot Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Haroldson, Amber; Yen, Chih-Lun

2016-01-01

The purpose of this pilot study was to examine the validity of a questionnaire developed to assess adult consumer understanding of nutrition marketing terms and the resulting impact on consumer behavior. Participants (n = 40) completed an electronic questionnaire. Efforts to establish validity and reliability suggest that the questionnaire is a…

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

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

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

2017-03-01

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

Pilot study on doctors working in departments of forensic medicine in German-speaking areas.

PubMed

Gauthier, S; Buddeberg-Fischer, B; Bucher, M; Thali, M; Bartsch, Ch

2013-11-01

Several directors of institutes of forensic and legal medicine in German-speaking areas have noticed a lack of young doctors with specialty qualifications (full board certification) in forensic medicine during recent years. The pilot study was intended to brainstorm the possible reasons for this shortage, by carrying out a survey of doctors working in departments of forensic medicine, paying particular attention to job satisfaction and opinions as to why there are fewer forensic specialists. We sent the link to an online questionnaire to all members of the societies of forensic medicine in Germany, Switzerland and Austria. Altogether, 129 respondents completed the questionnaire and were included in the study. Slightly more men than women replied; the mean age of all respondents was 41. Most respondents had completed their specialty training and worked full-time. In general, participants were moderately satisfied with their careers. Men reported greater career success than women, as determined by objective criteria. Career support was considered to be suboptimal. For most of the respondents, the level of enjoyment of working in forensic medicine was either higher than or approximately the same as the level recalled from five years earlier. Possible reasons for the lack of qualified doctors in forensic medicine institutes are the non-availability of both senior posts and specialty training posts. Career opportunities in forensic medicine are not considered to be attractive. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd and Faculty of Forensic and Legal Medicine. All rights reserved.

Peer-Directed, Brief Mindfulness Training with Adolescents: A Pilot Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jennings, Samuel J.; Jennings, Jerry L.

2013-01-01

This pilot study studied the impact of brief mindfulness meditation training with adolescents. Whereas adult mindfulness training programs typically entail weekly 2.5 hour sessions over an eight week period, this program delivered four 50-minute sessions within a three week period. Each session was comprised of two mindfulness exercises delivered…

Indonesian EFL Students' Perspective on Writing Process: A Pilot Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hermilinda Abas, Imelda; Aziz, Noor Hashima Abd

2016-01-01

The study was aimed at understanding the EFL Indonesian students' perspective on the writing process. The pilot study involved two male Indonesian postgraduate students in Universiti Utara Malaysia. The Indonesian students were selected based on the following criteria: (1) had enough knowledge in English writing, indicated by the completion of…

Linking the Pilot Structural Model and Pilot Workload

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bachelder, Edward; Hess, Ronald; Aponso, Bimal; Godfroy-Cooper, Martine

2018-01-01

Behavioral models are developed that closely reproduced pulsive control response of two pilots using markedly different control techniques while conducting a tracking task. An intriguing find was that the pilots appeared to: 1) produce a continuous, internally-generated stick signal that they integrated in time; 2) integrate the actual stick position; and 3) compare the two integrations to either issue or cease a pulse command. This suggests that the pilots utilized kinesthetic feedback in order to sense and integrate stick position, supporting the hypothesis that pilots can access and employ the proprioceptive inner feedback loop proposed by Hess's pilot Structural Model. A Pilot Cost Index was developed, whose elements include estimated workload, performance, and the degree to which the pilot employs kinesthetic feedback. Preliminary results suggest that a pilot's operating point (parameter values) may be based on control style and index minimization.

Phase III gross solids removal devices pilot study, 2002-2005.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2005-12-01

The objective of the Phase III Gross Solids Removal Devices (GSRDs) Pilot study was to : evaluate the performance of non-proprietary devices that can capture gross solids and that can be : incorporated into existing highway drainage systems or implem...

Compulsive Buying: Earlier Illicit Drug Use, Impulse Buying, Depression, and Adult ADHD Symptoms

PubMed Central

Brook, Judith S.; Zhang, Chenshu; Brook, David W.; Leukefeld, Carl G.

2015-01-01

This longitudinal study examined the association between psychosocial antecedents, including illicit drug use, and adult compulsive buying (CB) across a 29-year time period from mean age 14 to mean age 43. Participants originally came from a community-based random sample of residents in two upstate New York counties. Multivariate linear regression analysis was used to study the relationship between the participant’s earlier psychosocial antecedents and adult CB in the fifth decade of life. The results of the multivariate linear regression analyses showed that gender (female), earlier adult impulse buying (IB), depressive mood, illicit drug use, and concurrent ADHD symptoms were all significantly associated with adult CB at mean age 43. It is important that clinicians treating CB in adults should consider the role of drug use, symptoms of ADHD, IB, depression, and family factors in CB. PMID:26165963

Manned Systems Utilization Analysis. Study 2.1: Space Servicing Pilot Program Study. [for automated payloads

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wolfe, R. R.

1975-01-01

Space servicing automated payloads was studied for potential cost benefits for future payload operations. Background information is provided on space servicing in general, and on a pilot flight test program in particular. An fight test is recommended to demonstrate space servicing. An overall program plan is provided which builds upon the pilot program through an interim servicing capability. A multipayload servicing concept for the time when the full capability tug becomes operational is presented. The space test program is specifically designed to provide low-cost booster vehicles and a flight test platform for several experiments on a single flight.

Prescription stimulant use is associated with earlier onset of psychosis.

PubMed

Moran, Lauren V; Masters, Grace A; Pingali, Samira; Cohen, Bruce M; Liebson, Elizabeth; Rajarethinam, R P; Ongur, Dost

2015-12-01

A childhood history of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is common in psychotic disorders, yet prescription stimulants may interact adversely with the physiology of these disorders. Specifically, exposure to stimulants leads to long-term increases in dopamine release. We therefore hypothesized that individuals with psychotic disorders previously exposed to prescription stimulants will have an earlier onset of psychosis. Age of onset of psychosis (AOP) was compared in individuals with and without prior exposure to prescription stimulants while controlling for potential confounding factors. In a sample of 205 patients recruited from an inpatient psychiatric unit, 40% (n = 82) reported use of stimulants prior to the onset of psychosis. Most participants were prescribed stimulants during childhood or adolescence for a diagnosis of ADHD. AOP was significantly earlier in those exposed to stimulants (20.5 vs. 24.6 years stimulants vs. no stimulants, p < 0.001). After controlling for gender, IQ, educational attainment, lifetime history of a cannabis use disorder or other drugs of abuse, and family history of a first-degree relative with psychosis, the association between stimulant exposure and earlier AOP remained significant. There was a significant gender × stimulant interaction with a greater reduction in AOP for females, whereas the smaller effect of stimulant use on AOP in males did not reach statistical significance. In conclusion, individuals with psychotic disorders exposed to prescription stimulants had an earlier onset of psychosis, and this relationship did not appear to be mediated by IQ or cannabis. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Human Exposures to PAHs: an Eastern United States Pilot Study

EPA Science Inventory

Personal exposure monitoring for select polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) was performed as part of the National Human Exposure Assessment Survey (NHEXAS) Pilot Study in Baltimore, MD and in four surrounding counties (NHEXAS-Maryland). An objective of this effort was to esta...

Phase IV gross solids removal devices pilot study, 2004-2005.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2005-12-01

The objective of the Phase IV Gross Solids Removal Device (GSRD) Pilot study was to evaluate : the performance of one non-proprietary device that can capture gross solids and that can be : incorporated into existing highway drainage systems or implem...

A preliminary study of maximal control force capability of female pilots.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1972-07-01

The growing number of female pilots entering the field of civil aviation has suggested the need for a study of the maximum allowable forces which should be specified for operating aircraft controls. : Therefore, a study was made of the maximal volunt...

Pilot Fullerton examines SE-81-8 Insect Flight Motion Study

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1982-01-01

Pilot Fullerton examines Student Experiment 81-8 (SE-81-8) Insect Flight Motion Study taped to the airlock on aft middeck. Todd Nelson, a high school senior from Minnesota, won a national contest to fly his experiment on this particular flight. Moths, flies, and bees were studied in the near weightless environment.

A palliative care hotline for multiple sclerosis: A pilot feasibility study.

PubMed

Knies, Andrea K; Golla, Heidrun; Strupp, Julia; Galushko, Maren; Schipper, Sabine; Voltz, Raymond

2015-08-01

Research findings suggest that patients severely affected by multiple sclerosis benefit from palliative care. Our objectives were to (1) implement a pilot palliative care counseling hotline for severely affected multiple sclerosis patients and their caregivers in order to connect them to palliative care, and (2) evaluate its preliminary feasibility through a pilot study. The hotline was designed in cooperation with the local state association of the German Multiple Sclerosis Society and based on a review of the literature. The initial study setting for the hotline was the broader region of the cities Cologne and Bonn in Germany. The hotline was introduced through a magazine published by the German Multiple Sclerosis Society and leaflets sent to local healthcare providers. Calls were conducted using a semistructured interview guide and documented by a standardized case report form. Measures to assess feasibility were both quantitative (e.g., number of calls) and qualitative (e.g., criteria for eligibility for palliative care). During its pilot year, the hotline received 18 calls. Some 15 callers were included in the analysis, and 10 of these 15 were deemed eligible for palliative care due to such criteria as medical characteristics, care or nursing conditions, caregiver strain, and concerns regarding death and dying. Access to palliative care services could be provided for all 10 callers. Based on our pilot feasibility study, the hotline seems to be a valuable service for patients severely affected by multiple sclerosis (MS) and their caregivers in order to gain information about and access to palliative care. It will be extended on a nationwide scale through a grant of the German Multiple Sclerosis Society. Awareness of the hotline needs to be enhanced in order to attract and support a significant number of new callers.

GIS data for the Seaside, Oregon, Tsunami Pilot Study to modernize FEMA flood hazard maps

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wong, Florence L.; Venturato, Angie J.; Geist, Eric L.

2007-01-01

A Tsunami Pilot Study was conducted for the area surrounding the coastal town of Seaside, Oregon, as part of the Federal Emergency Management's (FEMA) Flood Insurance Rate Map Modernization Program (Tsunami Pilot Study Working Group, 2006). The Cascadia subduction zone extends from Cape Mendocino, California, to Vancouver Island, Canada. The Seaside area was chosen because it is typical of many coastal communities subject to tsunamis generated by far- and near-field (Cascadia) earthquakes. Two goals of the pilot study were to develop probabilistic 100-year and 500-year tsunami inundation maps using Probabilistic Tsunami Hazard Analysis (PTHA) and to provide recommendations for improving tsunami hazard assessment guidelines for FEMA and state and local agencies. The study was an interagency effort by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, U.S. Geological Survey, and FEMA, in collaboration with the University of Southern California, Middle East Technical University, Portland State University, Horning Geoscience, Northwest Hydraulics Consultants, and the Oregon Department of Geological and Mineral Industries. The pilot study model data and results are published separately as a geographic information systems (GIS) data report (Wong and others, 2006). The flood maps and GIS data are briefly described here.

Modeling Pilot Pulse Control

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bachelder, Edward; Hess, Ronald; Godfroy-Cooper, Martine; Aponso, Bimal

2017-01-01

In this study, behavioral models are developed that closely reproduced pulsive control response of two pilots from the experimental pool using markedly different control techniques (styles) while conducting a tracking task. An intriguing find was that the pilots appeared to: 1) produce a continuous, internally-generated stick signal that they integrated in time; 2) integrate the actual stick position; and 3) compare the two integrations to issue and cease pulse commands. This suggests that the pilots utilized kinesthetic feedback in order to perceive and integrate stick position, supporting the hypothesis that pilots can access and employ the proprioceptive inner feedback loop proposed by Hess' pilot Structural Model. The Pulse Models used in conjunction with the pilot Structural Model closely recreated the pilot data both in the frequency and time domains during closed-loop simulation. This indicates that for the range of tasks and control styles encountered, the models captured the fundamental mechanisms governing pulsive and control processes. The pilot Pulse Models give important insight for the amount of remnant (stick output uncorrelated with the forcing function) that arises from nonlinear pilot technique, and for the remaining remnant arising from different sources unrelated to tracking control (i.e. neuromuscular tremor, reallocation of cognitive resources, etc.).

Participation of informal caregivers in the hospital care of elderly patients and their evaluations of the care given: pilot study in three different hospitals.

PubMed

Laitinen, P

1992-10-01

This action research is an ongoing study which will last from 1991 to 1993. The main purpose of the study is to increase the participation of informal caregivers in the hospital care of elderly patients without decreasing the quality of care. The data reported here are from a pilot study. This study had three aims: (a) to test reliability and validity of the measure used, (b) to investigate the current participation of informal caregivers in the hospital care of elderly patients (aged over 75), and (c) to evaluate and compare the quality of care from both the patients' and the informal caregivers' point of view in three different hospitals. The measure of quality of care was developed on the basis of need theories, mainly those of Maslow and Alderfer. Patients and caregivers were also asked to rate the participation of the caregivers in the hospital care of elderly patients. Participation consisted of 18 activities of daily living. The pilot test with 18 elderly hospital patients and seven family members or significant others showed differences between the two groups in perception of care received. Statistically significant differences (P < 0.001) were found in the following categories: mainly social needs, psychic and spiritual needs and totals. The results supported earlier findings that elderly patients are satisfied with and do not criticize their care. The younger generation (i.e. their children) is more demanding and has precise perceptions about the care given. Relatives could be used more in planning, evaluation and even implementation of care; however, their current participation in patient hospital care is minimal.

Pasadena City College SIGI Project Research Design. Pilot Study.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Risser, John J.; Tulley, John E.

A pilot study evaluation of SIGI (System of Interactive Guidance and Information) at Pasadena City College in 1974-75 tested the effectiveness of an experimental research design for an expanded field test of the system the following year. (SIGI is a computer based career guidance program designed by Educational Testing Service to assist community…

A study of pilot modeling in multi-controller tasks

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Whitbeck, R. F.; Knight, J. R.

1972-01-01

A modeling approach, which utilizes a matrix of transfer functions to describe the human pilot in multiple input, multiple output control situations, is studied. The approach used was to extend a well established scalar Wiener-Hopf minimization technique to the matrix case and then study, via a series of experiments, the data requirements when only finite record lengths are available. One of these experiments was a two-controller roll tracking experiment designed to force the pilot to use rudder in order to coordinate and reduce the effects of aileron yaw. One model was computed for the case where the signals used to generate the spectral matrix are error and bank angle while another model was computed for the case where error and yaw angle are the inputs. Several anomalies were observed to be present in the experimental data. These are defined by the descriptive terms roll up, break up, and roll down. Due to these algorithm induced anomalies, the frequency band over which reliable estimates of power spectra can be achieved is considerably less than predicted by the sampling theorem.

78 FR 48715 - Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request: NPS Study of Value of Natural Sounds: A Pilot...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-08-09

....NS0000] Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request: NPS Study of Value of Natural Sounds: A Pilot Study AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior. ACTION: Notice; request for comments. SUMMARY: We.... This is a new collection. Title: NPS Study of Value of Natural Sounds: A Pilot Study. Type of Request...

Pilot study of six Colorado dental hygiene independent practices.

PubMed

Astroth, D B; Cross-Poline, G N

1998-01-01

The purpose of this pilot study was to gather demographic data about six Colorado dental hygienists who were practicing independently and their practices as well as assess productivity and service mix, evaluate structure and process, and compare the findings in these practices to those of a study of California Health Manpower Pilot Project #139. A convenience sample of six dental hygiene independent practices was studied. A 21-item survey was distributed by mail to obtain demographic and practice information. Weekly surveys tracking patient visits and services provided were completed for three months. A general office audit to evaluate structure and a record audit of 22 patient records to evaluate process were conducted during visits at each practice site. The overall responses for each phase of this study were tabulated and frequencies were calculated using the SPSS/PC+ statistical package. The dental hygienists had practiced for an average of 13 years prior to establishing their practices. Four of the six practices were office-based, one was institution-based, and one was office- and institution-based. Health history, extraoral/intraoral examination, periodontal probing, adult prophylaxis, and oral hygiene instruction were provided during a majority of patient visits. The general office audit revealed compliance with infection control, office protocols for emergency situations, and practice management protocols. The patient record audit indicated a high standard for process of care for the practice sites. The six practices revealed a variety of backgrounds among the dental hygienists and diverse practice characteristics regarding both the populations served and practice settings. The services provided were consistent with allowable services for unsupervised practice. Compliance with specific guidelines was verified during the general office and patient record audits. Consistent with the findings of California Health Manpower Pilot Project #139, the care provided

Pilot study of digital tools to support multimodal hand hygiene in a clinical setting.

PubMed

Thirkell, Gary; Chambers, Joanne; Gilbart, Wayne; Thornhill, Kerrill; Arbogast, James; Lacey, Gerard

2018-03-01

Digital tools for hand hygiene do not share data, limiting their potential to support multimodal programs. The Christie NHS Foundation Trust, United Kingdom, worked with GOJO (in the United States), MEG (in Ireland), and SureWash (in Ireland) to integrate their systems and pilot their combined use in a clinical setting. A 28-bed medical oncology unit piloted the system for 5 weeks. Live data from the tools were combined to create a novel combined risk status metric that was displayed publicly and via a management Web site. The combined risk status reduced over the pilot period. However, larger and longer duration studies are required to reach statistical significance. Staff and especially patient reaction was positive in that 70% of the hand hygiene training events were by patients. The digital tools did not negatively impact clinical workflow and received positive engagement from staff and patients. The combined risk status did not change significantly over the short pilot period because there was also no specific hand hygiene improvement campaign underway at the time of the pilot study. The results indicate that integrated digital tools can provide both rich data and novel tools that both measure impact and provide feedback to support the implementation of multimodal hand hygiene campaigns, reducing the need for significant additional personnel resources. Copyright © 2018 Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology, Inc. All rights reserved.

Compulsive buying: Earlier illicit drug use, impulse buying, depression, and adult ADHD symptoms.

PubMed

Brook, Judith S; Zhang, Chenshu; Brook, David W; Leukefeld, Carl G

2015-08-30

This longitudinal study examined the association between psychosocial antecedents, including illicit drug use, and adult compulsive buying (CB) across a 29-year time period from mean age 14 to mean age 43. Participants originally came from a community-based random sample of residents in two upstate New York counties. Multivariate linear regression analysis was used to study the relationship between the participant's earlier psychosocial antecedents and adult CB in the fifth decade of life. The results of the multivariate linear regression analyses showed that gender (female), earlier adult impulse buying (IB), depressive mood, illicit drug use, and concurrent ADHD symptoms were all significantly associated with adult CB at mean age 43. It is important that clinicians treating CB in adults should consider the role of drug use, symptoms of ADHD, IB, depression, and family factors in CB. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Nursing Student Perceptions of Digital Textbooks: A Pilot Study.

PubMed

Mennenga, Heidi A

2016-01-01

Digital textbooks are increasing in popularity, often resulting from the perception that students demand the use of technology in academics. However, few studies have been done on student perceptions of digital textbooks. A pilot study was conducted with students enrolled in a nursing research course; 123 nursing students participated. This study found that students overwhelmingly preferred print textbooks over digital textbooks. More research needs to be done before assuming students would prefer digital textbooks over print.

Incidence of cancer among Nordic airline pilots over five decades: occupational cohort study

PubMed Central

Pukkala, Eero; Aspholm, Rafael; Auvinen, Anssi; Eliasch, Harald; Gundestrup, Maryanne; Haldorsen, Tor; Hammar, Niklas; Hrafnkelsson, Jón; Kyyrönen, Pentti; Linnersjö, Anette; Rafnsson, Vilhjálmur; Storm, Hans; Tveten, Ulf

2002-01-01

Objective To assess the incidence of cancer among male airline pilots in the Nordic countries, with special reference to risk related to cosmic radiation. Design Retrospective cohort study, with follow up of cancer incidence through the national cancer registries. Setting Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden. Participants 10 032 male airline pilots, with an average follow up of 17 years. Main outcome measures Standardised incidence ratios, with expected numbers based on national cancer incidence rates; dose-response analysis using Poisson regression. Results 466 cases of cancer were diagnosed compared with 456 expected. The only significantly increased standardised incidence ratios were for skin cancer: melanoma 2.3 (95% confidence interval 1.7 to 3.0), non-melanoma 2.1 (1.7 to 2.8), basal cell carcinoma 2.5 (1.9 to 3.2). The relative risk of skin cancers increased with the estimated radiation dose. The relative risk of prostate cancer increased with increasing number of flight hours in long distance aircraft. Conclusions This study does not indicate a marked increase in cancer risk attributable to cosmic radiation, although some influence of cosmic radiation on skin cancer cannot be entirely excluded. The suggestion of an association between number of long distance flights (possibly related to circadian hormonal disturbances) and prostate cancer needs to be confirmed. What is already known on this topicAirline pilots are occupationally exposed to cosmic radiation and other potentially carcinogenic elementsIn the studies published so far, dose-response patterns have not been characterisedWhat this study addsNo marked risk of cancer attributable to cosmic radiation is observed in airline pilotsA threefold excess of skin cancers is seen among pilots with longer careers, but the influence of recreational exposure to ultraviolet light cannot be quantifiedA slight increase in risk of prostate cancer with increasing number of long haul flights suggests a need

Results of the "In Control: No Alcohol!" Pilot Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mares, Suzanne H. W.; van der Vorst, Haske; Vermeulen-Smit, Evelien; Lichtwarck-Aschoff, Anna; Verdurmen, Jacqueline E. E.; Engels, Rutger C. M. E.

2012-01-01

More than 50% of Dutch 12-year olds already started drinking. Since it is known that delaying the onset of alcohol use results in a lower risk of alcohol-related problems, the recently developed "In control: No alcohol!" prevention program is targeted at elementary school children and their mothers. In this pilot study, the success of…

Stability of Playfulness across Environmental Settings: A Pilot Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rigby, Patricia; Gaik, Sandy

2007-01-01

The Test of Playfulness (ToP) was used in this pilot study to examine the stability of playfulness of 16 children with cerebral palsy (CP), aged 4-8 years, across three environmental settings: home, community, and school. Each videotaped play segment was scored using the ToP. The ANOVA statistic demonstrated a significant variance (p less than…

An earlier age of breast cancer diagnosis related to more frequent use of antiperspirants/deodorants and underarm shaving.

PubMed

McGrath, K G

2003-12-01

Breast cancer incidence suggests a lifestyle cause. A lifestyle factor used near the breast is the application of antiperspirants/deodorants accompanied by axillary shaving. A previous study did not support a link with breast cancer. If these habits have a role in breast cancer development, women using antiperspirants/deodorants and shaving their underarms frequently would be expected to have an earlier age of diagnosis than those doing so less often. An earlier age of diagnosis would also be expected in those starting to use deodorants and shaving at an earlier age. This is the first study to investigate the intensity of underarm exposure in a cohort of breast cancer survivors. Four hundred and thirty-seven females diagnosed with breast cancer were surveyed. Once grouped by their frequency of underarm hygiene habits, the mean age of diagnosis was the primary end point. Secondary end points included the overall frequency of these habits, and potential usage group confounding variables were evaluated. All statistical tests were two-sided. Frequency and earlier onset of antiperspirant/deodorant usage with underarm shaving were associated with an earlier age of breast cancer diagnosis. Combined habits are likely for this earlier age of diagnosis. In conclusion, underarm shaving with antiperspirant/deodorant use may play a role in breast cancer. It is not clear which of these components are involved. Reviewed literature insinuates absorption of aluminium salts facilitated by dermal barrier disruption. Case-controlled investigations are needed before alternative underarm hygiene habits are suggested.

Effect of motion cues during complex curved approach and landing tasks: A piloted simulation study

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Scanlon, Charles H.

1987-01-01

A piloted simulation study was conducted to examine the effect of motion cues using a high fidelity simulation of commercial aircraft during the performance of complex approach and landing tasks in the Microwave Landing System (MLS) signal environment. The data from these tests indicate that in a high complexity MLS approach task with moderate turbulence and wind, the pilot uses motion cues to improve path tracking performance. No significant differences in tracking accuracy were noted for the low and medium complexity tasks, regardless of the presence of motion cues. Higher control input rates were measured for all tasks when motion was used. Pilot eye scan, as measured by instrument dwell time, was faster when motion cues were used regardless of the complexity of the approach tasks. Pilot comments indicated a preference for motion. With motion cues, pilots appeared to work harder in all levels of task complexity and to improve tracking performance in the most complex approach task.

Biological consequences of earlier snowmelt from desert dust deposition in alpine landscapes.

PubMed

Steltzer, Heidi; Landry, Chris; Painter, Thomas H; Anderson, Justin; Ayres, Edward

2009-07-14

Dust deposition to mountain snow cover, which has increased since the late 19(th) century, accelerates the rate of snowmelt by increasing the solar radiation absorbed by the snowpack. Snowmelt occurs earlier, but is decoupled from seasonal warming. Climate warming advances the timing of snowmelt and early season phenological events (e.g., the onset of greening and flowering); however, earlier snowmelt without warmer temperatures may have a different effect on phenology. Here, we report the results of a set of snowmelt manipulations in which radiation-absorbing fabric and the addition and removal of dust from the surface of the snowpack advanced or delayed snowmelt in the alpine tundra. These changes in the timing of snowmelt were superimposed on a system where the timing of snowmelt varies with topography and has been affected by increased dust loading. At the community level, phenology exhibited a threshold response to the timing of snowmelt. Greening and flowering were delayed before seasonal warming, after which there was a linear relationship between the date of snowmelt and the timing of phenological events. Consequently, the effects of earlier snowmelt on phenology differed in relation to topography, which resulted in increasing synchronicity in phenology across the alpine landscape with increasingly earlier snowmelt. The consequences of earlier snowmelt from increased dust deposition differ from climate warming and include delayed phenology, leading to synchronized growth and flowering across the landscape and the opportunity for altered species interactions, landscape-scale gene flow via pollination, and nutrient cycling.

In-Service Training Argumentation Application for Elementary School Teachers: Pilot Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alkis-Küçükaydin, Mensure; Uluçinar Sagir, Safak; Kösterelioglu, Ilker

2016-01-01

Science Course Curriculum was revised in Turkey in 2013 and some methods and strategies were suggested to be included such as argumentation. This study includes the evaluation of in-service training applied as pilot study for introducing argumentation to elementary school teachers. The study consists of applying needs analysis, preparing and…

A pilot study to test multiple medication usage and driving functioning

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2008-06-01

The use of medications and multiple medications becomes more prevalent with increasing age. This pilot study explored the relationship between polypharmacy and driving functioning through separate but related research activities. A patient-level admi...

Informing efficient randomised controlled trials: exploration of challenges in developing progression criteria for internal pilot studies

PubMed Central

Williamson, Paula R; Gamble, Carrol; O'Connell Francischetto, Elaine; Metcalfe, Chris; Davidson, Peter; Williams, Hywel; Blazeby, Jane M

2017-01-01

Objectives Designing studies with an internal pilot phase may optimise the use of pilot work to inform more efficient randomised controlled trials (RCTs). Careful selection of preagreed decision or ‘progression’ criteria at the juncture between the internal pilot and main trial phases provides a valuable opportunity to evaluate the likely success of the main trial and optimise its design or, if necessary, to make the decision not to proceed with the main trial. Guidance on the appropriate selection and application of progression criteria is, however, lacking. This paper outlines the key issues to consider in the optimal development and review of operational progression criteria for RCTs with an internal pilot phase. Design A structured literature review and exploration of stakeholders' opinions at a Medical Research Council (MRC) Hubs for Trials Methodology Research workshop. Key stakeholders included triallists, methodologists, statisticians and funders. Results There is considerable variation in the use of progression criteria for RCTs with an internal pilot phase, although 3 common issues predominate: trial recruitment, protocol adherence and outcome data. Detailed and systematic reporting around the decision-making process for stopping, amending or proceeding to a main trial is uncommon, which may hamper understanding in the research community about the appropriate and optimal use of RCTs with an internal pilot phase. 10 top tips for the development, use and reporting of progression criteria for internal pilot studies are presented. Conclusions Systematic and transparent reporting of the design, results and evaluation of internal pilot trials in the literature should be encouraged in order to facilitate understanding in the research community and to inform future trials. PMID:28213598

Field Collection Methods for an EPA Pilot Study Evaluating ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

This compilation of field collection standard operating procedures (SOPs) was assembled for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Pilot Study add-on to the Green Housing Study (GHS). A detailed description of this add-on study can be found in the peer reviewed research protocol entitled “An EPA Pilot Study Evaluating Personal, Housing, and Community Factors Influencing Children’s Potential Exposures to Indoor Contaminants at Various Lifestages –Research Protocol” 1. Briefly, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Green Housing Study (GHS) follows changes in environmental measurements [pesticides, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), particulate matter (i.e., PM2.5 and 1.0), indoor allergens, and fungi] in both U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) green-renovated and comparison (no renovation) homes and relates these changes to asthma morbidity in children ages 7-12 years. Green-renovations include (but are not limited to) use of low VOC materials, use of energy efficient appliances, and integrated pest management. The EPA has leveraged this opportunity to collect additional multimedia measurements and questionnaire data from the index children actively participating in the GHS and a sibling in order to characterize personal, housing, and community factors. The purpose of this document is to publish the methodology EPA used for a specific study for reference and use by other scientists both within the Agency

VoIP for Telerehabilitation: A Pilot Usability Study for HIPAA Compliance

PubMed Central

Watzlaf, Valerie R.; Ondich, Briana

2012-01-01

Consumer-based, free Voice and video over the Internet Protocol (VoIP) software systems such as Skype and others are used by health care providers to deliver telerehabilitation and other health-related services to clients. Privacy and security applications as well as HIPAA compliance within these protocols have been questioned by practitioners, health information managers, and other healthcare entities. This pilot usability study examined whether four respondents who used the top three, free consumer-based, VoIP software systems perceived these VoIP technologies to be private, secure, and HIPAA compliant; most did not. While the pilot study limitations include the number of respondents and systems assessed, the protocol can be applied to future research and replicated for instructional purposes. Recommendations are provided for VoIP companies, providers, and clients/consumers. PMID:25945194

Missed opportunities for earlier diagnosis of HIV in patients who presented with advanced HIV disease: a retrospective cohort study

PubMed Central

Levy, Itzchak; Maor, Yasmin; Mahroum, Naim; Olmer, Liraz; Wieder, Anat; Litchevski, Vladislav; Mor, Orna; Rahav, Galia

2016-01-01

Objective To quantify and characterise missed opportunities for earlier HIV diagnosis in patients diagnosed with advanced HIV. Design A retrospective observational cohort study. Setting A central tertiary medical centre in Israel. Measures The proportion of patients with advanced HIV, the proportion of missed opportunities to diagnose them earlier, and the rate of clinical indicator diseases (CIDs) in those patients. Results Between 2010 and 2015, 356 patients were diagnosed with HIV, 118 (33.4%) were diagnosed late, 57 (16%) with advanced HIV disease. Old age (OR=1.45 (95% CI 1.16 to 1.74)) and being heterosexual (OR=2.65 (95% CI 1.21 to 5.78)) were significant risk factors for being diagnosed late. All patients with advanced disease had at least one CID that did not lead to an HIV test in the 5 years prior to AIDS diagnosis. The median time between CID and AIDS diagnosis was 24 months (IQR 10–30). 60% of CIDs were missed by a general practitioner and 40% by a specialist. Conclusions Missed opportunities to early diagnosis of HIV occur in primary and secondary care. Lack of national guidelines, lack of knowledge regarding CIDs and communication barriers with patients may contribute to a late diagnosis of HIV. PMID:28186940

[Yield of starch extraction from plantain (Musa paradisiaca). Pilot plant study].

PubMed

Flores-Gorosquera, Emigdia; García-Suárez, Francisco J; Flores-Huicochea, Emmanuel; Núñez-Santiago, María C; González-Soto, Rosalia A; Bello-Pérez, Luis A

2004-01-01

In México, the banana (Musa paradisiaca) is cooked (boiling or deep frying) before being eaten, but the consumption is not very popular and a big quantity of the product is lost after harvesting. The unripe plantain has a high level of starch and due to this the use of banana can be diversified as raw material for starch isolation. The objective of this work was to study the starch yield at pilot plant scale. Experiments at laboratory scale were carried out using the pulp with citric acid to 0,3 % (antioxidant), in order to evaluate the different unitary operations of the process. The starch yield, based on starch presence in the pulp that can be isolated, were between 76 and 86 %, and the values at pilot plant scale were between 63 and 71 %, in different lots of banana fruit. Starch yield values were similar among the diverse lots, showing that the process is reproducible. The lower values of starch recovery at pilot plant scale are due to the loss during sieving operations; however, the amount of starch recovery is good.

Evaluating the Effectiveness of a Morphological Awareness Intervention: A Pilot Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brimo, Danielle

2016-01-01

Researchers have established that morphological awareness is an important skill because it contributes unique variance to word-level reading and reading comprehension; however, few studies include students with reading disorders. The purpose of this pilot study was to investigate whether training morphological awareness would improve morphological…

Danish Health Professionals' Experiences of Being Coached: A Pilot Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ammentorp, Jette; Jensen, Hanne Irene; Uhrenfeldt, Lisbeth

2013-01-01

Introduction: In recent years, coaching, as a supplement to professional development, has received increased attention, especially in nursing. Still, only little is known about how health professionals experience participating in coaching sessions. The purpose of this pilot study was to describe and analyze health professionals' experiences from…

CSO DISINFECTION PILOT STUDY: SPRING CREEK CSO STORAGE FACILITY UPGRADE

EPA Science Inventory

This research summary presents the results of a pilot-scale disinfection study performed for the New York City Department of Environmental Protection and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA) under a contract to Camp Dresser & McKee of Woodbury, New York. The main ob...

Congestive heart failure adherence redesign trial: a pilot study

PubMed Central

Mangla, Ashvarya; Doukky, Rami; Powell, Lynda H; Avery, Elizabeth; Richardson, DeJuran; Calvin, James E

2014-01-01

Objective Heart failure (HF) continues to be a leading cause of hospital admissions, particularly in underserved patients. We hypothesised that providing individualised self-management support to patients and feedback on use of evidence-based HF therapies (EBT) to physicians could lead to improvements in care and decrease hospitalisations. To assess the feasibility of conducting a larger trial testing the efficacy of this dual-level intervention, we conducted the Congestive Heart failure Adherence Redesign Trial Pilot (CHART-P), a proof-of-concept, quasi-experimental, feasibility pilot study. Setting A large tertiary care medical centre in Chicago. Participants Low-income patients (study. Interventions Physicians received HF guidelines and periodic individualised feedback on their adherence to EBT. Patients received HF education, support and self-management training for diet and medication adherence by a trained nurse through 11 interactive sessions over a 4-month period. Evaluations were conducted pre-enrolment and 1 month postintervention completion. Outcome measures Feasibility was assessed by the ability to deliver intervention to patients and physicians. Exploratory outcomes included changes in medication and sodium intake for patients and adherence to EBT for physicians. Results Eighty-seven per cent and 82% of patients received >80% of interventions at 1 month and by study completion, respectively. Median sodium intake declined (3.5 vs 2.0 g; p<0.01). There was no statistically significant change in medication adherence based on electronic pill cap monitoring or the Morisky Medication Adherence Scale (MMAS); however, there was a trend towards improved adherence based on MMAS. All physicians received timely intervention. Conclusions This pilot study

Congestive heart failure adherence redesign trial: a pilot study.

PubMed

Mangla, Ashvarya; Doukky, Rami; Powell, Lynda H; Avery, Elizabeth; Richardson, DeJuran; Calvin, James E

2014-12-04

Heart failure (HF) continues to be a leading cause of hospital admissions, particularly in underserved patients. We hypothesised that providing individualised self-management support to patients and feedback on use of evidence-based HF therapies (EBT) to physicians could lead to improvements in care and decrease hospitalisations. To assess the feasibility of conducting a larger trial testing the efficacy of this dual-level intervention, we conducted the Congestive Heart failure Adherence Redesign Trial Pilot (CHART-P), a proof-of-concept, quasi-experimental, feasibility pilot study. A large tertiary care medical centre in Chicago. Low-income patients (study. Physicians received HF guidelines and periodic individualised feedback on their adherence to EBT. Patients received HF education, support and self-management training for diet and medication adherence by a trained nurse through 11 interactive sessions over a 4-month period. Evaluations were conducted pre-enrolment and 1 month postintervention completion. Feasibility was assessed by the ability to deliver intervention to patients and physicians. Exploratory outcomes included changes in medication and sodium intake for patients and adherence to EBT for physicians. Eighty-seven per cent and 82% of patients received >80% of interventions at 1 month and by study completion, respectively. Median sodium intake declined (3.5 vs 2.0 g; p<0.01). There was no statistically significant change in medication adherence based on electronic pill cap monitoring or the Morisky Medication Adherence Scale (MMAS); however, there was a trend towards improved adherence based on MMAS. All physicians received timely intervention. This pilot study demonstrated that the protocol was feasible. It provided important insights about the need for

Pilot study of erlotinib in patients with acute myeloid leukemia.

PubMed

Sayar, Hamid; Czader, Magdalena; Amin, Chirag; Cangany, Mary; Konig, Heiko; Cripe, Larry D

2015-02-01

We conducted a pilot study to investigate clinical efficacy of tyrosine kinase inhibitor erlotinib in the treatment of acute myeloid leukemia (AML). A total of 11 patients with de novo AML were treated, including 2 with relapsed and/or refractory disease and 9 older patients with previously untreated AML. Patients with high baseline leukocyte count were excluded. Erlotinib was given orally at 150 mg per day continuously in 28-day cycles. The treatment was tolerated well, and no toxicities were observed. An initial reduction in circulating blasts, followed by disease progression, was observed in 2 patients. Nine other patients did not demonstrate any response in blood or bone marrow. Baseline and post-cycle 1 flow-cytometry were performed on bone marrow blasts to investigate signs of differentiation. No immunophenotypic changes suggestive of differentiation were observed. This pilot study did not demonstrate response to standard doses of erlotinib in patients with AML. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Supporting Stroke Motor Recovery Through a Mobile Application: A Pilot Study.

PubMed

Lawson, Sonia; Tang, Ziying; Feng, Jinjuan

Neuroplasticity and motor learning are promoted with repetitive movement, appropriate challenge, and performance feedback. ARMStrokes, a smartphone application, incorporates these qualities to support motor recovery. Engaging exercises are easily accessible for improved compliance. In a multiple-case, mixed-methods pilot study, the potential of this technology for stroke motor recovery was examined. Exercises calibrated to the participant's skill level targeted forearm, elbow, and shoulder motions for a 6-wk protocol. Visual, auditory, and vibration feedback promoted self-assessment. Pre- and posttest data from 6 chronic stroke survivors who used the app in different ways (i.e., to measure active or passive motion, to track endurance) demonstrated improvements in accuracy of movements, fatigue, range of motion, and performance of daily activities. Statistically significant changes were not obtained with this pilot study. Further study on the efficacy of this technology is supported. Copyright © 2017 by the American Occupational Therapy Association, Inc.

Environmental readiness pilot study at the Badger Army Ammunition Plant, Baraboo, Wisconsin

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

Mays, D.; Bhinge, D.; Patel, J.

1994-12-31

The Badger Army Ammunition Plant (BAAP) has been on standby status since the mid-1970s, prior to the enactment of the majority of Federal environmental regulations. As a result, BAAP is unprepared to begin production without the implementation of pollution prevention and treatment measures. The Army contracted SAIC to conduct a pilot study to develop an environmental readiness plan for BAAP in the event that the plant is reactivated to produce explosives and propellants for ammunition requirements during mobilization. This paper describes the process developed by SAIC to conduct this pilot study at BAAP and the relationship between this effort andmore » the Army`s overall environmental mission.« less

A pilot study to evaluate mindfulness as a strategy to improve inpatient nurse and patient experiences.

PubMed

Horner, Janice K; Piercy, Brigit S; Eure, Lois; Woodard, Elizabeth K

2014-08-01

The purpose of the Mindful Nursing Pilot Study was to explore the impact of mindfulness training for nursing staff on levels of mindfulness, compassion satisfaction, burnout, and stress. In addition, the study attempted to determine the impact on patient satisfaction scores. The pilot was designed as a quasi-experimental research study; staff on one nursing unit participated in the 10-week mindfulness training program while another, similar nursing unit served as the control group. The intervention group showed improvement in levels of mindfulness, burnout, and stress as well as patient satisfaction while the control group remained largely the same. This pilot provides encouraging results that suggest that replication and further study of mindfulness in the workplace would be beneficial. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Pilots 2.0: DIRAC pilots for all the skies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stagni, F.; Tsaregorodtsev, A.; McNab, A.; Luzzi, C.

2015-12-01

In the last few years, new types of computing infrastructures, such as IAAS (Infrastructure as a Service) and IAAC (Infrastructure as a Client), gained popularity. New resources may come as part of pledged resources, while others are opportunistic. Most of these new infrastructures are based on virtualization techniques. Meanwhile, some concepts, such as distributed queues, lost appeal, while still supporting a vast amount of resources. Virtual Organizations are therefore facing heterogeneity of the available resources and the use of an Interware software like DIRAC to hide the diversity of underlying resources has become essential. The DIRAC WMS is based on the concept of pilot jobs that was introduced back in 2004. A pilot is what creates the possibility to run jobs on a worker node. Within DIRAC, we developed a new generation of pilot jobs, that we dubbed Pilots 2.0. Pilots 2.0 are not tied to a specific infrastructure; rather they are generic, fully configurable and extendible pilots. A Pilot 2.0 can be sent, as a script to be run, or it can be fetched from a remote location. A pilot 2.0 can run on every computing resource, e.g.: on CREAM Computing elements, on DIRAC Computing elements, on Virtual Machines as part of the contextualization script, or IAAC resources, provided that these machines are properly configured, hiding all the details of the Worker Nodes (WNs) infrastructure. Pilots 2.0 can be generated server and client side. Pilots 2.0 are the “pilots to fly in all the skies”, aiming at easy use of computing power, in whatever form it is presented. Another aim is the unification and simplification of the monitoring infrastructure for all kinds of computing resources, by using pilots as a network of distributed sensors coordinated by a central resource monitoring system. Pilots 2.0 have been developed using the command pattern. VOs using DIRAC can tune pilots 2.0 as they need, and extend or replace each and every pilot command in an easy way. In this

Pilot study of proposed revisions to specifications for hydraulic cement concrete.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1985-01-01

This report summarizes the results of a pilot study of the statistical acceptance procedures proposed for adoption by the Virginia Department of Highways and Transportation. The proposed procedures were recommended in the report titled "Improved Spec...

78 FR 52548 - The National Children's Study, Vanguard (Pilot) Study Proposed Collection; 60-day Comment Request

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-08-23

... the initiation of methodological substudies. The NCS Vanguard Study is a prospective, longitudinal pilot study of child health and development that will inform the design of the Main Study of the... variables and designed to collect core data at every study visit contact from the time that the enrolled...

RESULTS FROM EXPOSURE MONITORING PERFORMED DURING THE 1997 BALTIMORE PM PILOT STUDY

EPA Science Inventory

An eighteen day winter-time ambient and personal exposure monitoring study of particulate matter (PM) was conducted as part of an.integrated epidemiological-exposure pilot study of an aged population. Goals of the study were to determine the feasibility of performing active per...

The Pilot Training Study: A Cost-Estimating Model for Undergraduate Pilot Training.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Allison, S. L.

A means for estimating the resource requirements and attendant costs of any configuration of the undergraduate pilot training system (UPT) is described by inputs that are supplied by the user of the model. The inputs consist of data such as UPT graduate requirements, course syllabus requirements, instructor-student ratios, administrative and…

Group Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy for Auditory Hallucinations: A Pilot Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pinkham, Amy E.; Gloege, Andrew T.; Flanagan, Steven; Penn, David L.

2004-01-01

In this article, we describe a pilot study that investigated the effectiveness of group cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) for auditory hallucinations. Eleven inpatients with either chronic schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder participated in 2 CBT groups of differing treatment duration (i.e., 7 versus 20 sessions). The results showed that…

Job Rotation at Cardiff University Library Service: A Pilot Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Earney, Sally; Martins, Ana

2009-01-01

This paper presents case study research of a job rotation pilot involving six library assistants in Cardiff University Library Service (ULS). Firstly, it investigates whether job rotation improves motivation and secondly, whether there is an improvement in skills, both technical and "soft". Following a review of the literature,…

PILOT STUDY OF FLUORIDE AND ARSENIC REMOVAL FROM POTABLE WATER

EPA Science Inventory

Pilot plant studies were conducted on the removal of fluoride and arsenic from potable water using activated alumina as the adsorbent. The tests were run using water from the community of Why, Arizona, that contained 3 mg/L fluoride and 0.15 mg/L arsenic. The experimental data sh...

Study on Combustion Oscillation of Premixed Flame with Pilot Fuel at Elevated Pressures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ohtsuka, Masaya; Yoshida, Shohei; Hirata, Yoshitaka; Kobayashi, Nariyoshi

Acoustically-coupled combustion oscillation is studied for premixed flame with pilot fuel to be used in gas turbine combustors. Premixed gas is passed through swirl vanes and burnt with the centrally injected pilot fuel. The dependencies of pressure, fuel to air ratio, premixed fuel rate, inlet velocity and air temperature on the combustion oscillation are investigated. Two kinds of oscillation modes of ˜100Hz and ˜350Hz are activated according to inlet velocities. Fluctuating pressures are amplified when the premixed fuel rate is over ˜80% at elevated pressures. The fluctuating pressure peak moves to a higher premixed fuel ratio region with increased pressure or fuel to air ratio for the Helmholz type mode. Combustion oscillation occurs when the pilot fuel velocity is changed proportionally with the flame length.

Occupational cosmic radiation exposure in Portuguese airline pilots: study of a possible correlation with oxidative biological markers.

PubMed

Silva, Rodrigo; Folgosa, Filipe; Soares, Paulo; Pereira, Alice S; Garcia, Raquel; Gestal-Otero, Juan Jesus; Tavares, Pedro; Gomes da Silva, Marco D R

2013-05-01

Several studies have sought to understand the health effects of occupational exposure to cosmic radiation. However, only few biologic markers or associations with disease outcomes have so far been identified. In the present study, 22 long- and 26 medium-haul male Portuguese airline pilots and 36 factory workers who did not fly regularly were investigated. The two groups were comparable in age and diet, were non-smokers, never treated with ionizing radiation and other factors. Cosmic radiation exposure in pilots was quantified based on direct monitoring of 51 flights within Europe, and from Europe to North and South America, and to Africa. Indirect dose estimates in pilots were performed based on the SIEVERT (Système informatisé d'évaluation par vol de l'exposition au rayonnement cosmique dans les transports aériens) software for 6,039 medium- and 1,366 long-haul flights. Medium-haul pilots had a higher cosmic radiation dose rate than long-haul pilots, that is, 3.3 ± 0.2 μSv/h and 2.7 ± 0.3 μSv/h, respectively. Biological tests for oxidative stress on blood and urine, as appropriate, at two time periods separated by 1 year, included measurements of antioxidant capacity, total protein, ferritin, hemoglobin, creatinine and 8-hydroxy-2-deoxyguanosine (8OHdG). Principal components analysis was used to discriminate between the exposed and unexposed groups based on all the biological tests. According to this analysis, creatinine and 8OHdG levels were different for the pilots and the unexposed group, but no distinctions could be made among the medium- and the long-haul pilots. While hemoglobin levels seem to be comparable between the studied groups, they were directly correlated with ferritin values, which were lower for the airline pilots.

Informing efficient randomised controlled trials: exploration of challenges in developing progression criteria for internal pilot studies.

PubMed

Avery, Kerry N L; Williamson, Paula R; Gamble, Carrol; O'Connell Francischetto, Elaine; Metcalfe, Chris; Davidson, Peter; Williams, Hywel; Blazeby, Jane M

2017-02-17

Designing studies with an internal pilot phase may optimise the use of pilot work to inform more efficient randomised controlled trials (RCTs). Careful selection of preagreed decision or 'progression' criteria at the juncture between the internal pilot and main trial phases provides a valuable opportunity to evaluate the likely success of the main trial and optimise its design or, if necessary, to make the decision not to proceed with the main trial. Guidance on the appropriate selection and application of progression criteria is, however, lacking. This paper outlines the key issues to consider in the optimal development and review of operational progression criteria for RCTs with an internal pilot phase. A structured literature review and exploration of stakeholders' opinions at a Medical Research Council (MRC) Hubs for Trials Methodology Research workshop. Key stakeholders included triallists, methodologists, statisticians and funders. There is considerable variation in the use of progression criteria for RCTs with an internal pilot phase, although 3 common issues predominate: trial recruitment, protocol adherence and outcome data. Detailed and systematic reporting around the decision-making process for stopping, amending or proceeding to a main trial is uncommon, which may hamper understanding in the research community about the appropriate and optimal use of RCTs with an internal pilot phase. 10 top tips for the development, use and reporting of progression criteria for internal pilot studies are presented. Systematic and transparent reporting of the design, results and evaluation of internal pilot trials in the literature should be encouraged in order to facilitate understanding in the research community and to inform future trials. 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/.

Student Perceptions of International Education and Study Abroad: A Pilot Study at York University, Canada

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Trilokekar, Roopa Desai; Rasmi, Sarah

2011-01-01

International student mobility has been identified as a key strategy for the internationalization of higher education. Although an institutional priority, Canada has among the lowest levels of international student mobility, with only 2% of full-time university students participating in study-abroad programs. This pilot study, conducted at a large…

Pilots using selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors compared to other fatally injured pilots.

PubMed

Rogers, Paul; Hileman, Christy; Salazar, Guillermo; Cliburn, Kacey; Paskoff, Lawrence; Hathaway, William; Gildea, Kevin; Tejera Villalaz, Victor Hugo

2017-10-01

Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRI) were a disqualifying medication for U.S. civil pilots before April 5, 2010. After this date, a Federal Aviation Administration policy was created that allowed airmen, on select SSRIs, a pathway to hold a valid medical certificate. The purpose of this study was to provide a detailed look at SSRIs in the U.S. pilot population since the inception of this new policy. We examined the toxicology results from fatally injured airmen in addition to outcomes concerning pilots who are participating in the program. This study examined data from the Civil Aerospace Medical Institute's Bioaeronautical Sciences Research Laboratory in conjunction with the Medical Analysis Tracking Registry and the Document Imaging and Workflow System. A count-based regression model quantified the relationships between positive SSRI findings with additional factors of interest. These factors included pilot rating, ethanol, and first generation antihistamines. There were 1484 fatally injured airmen over the six year study period, of which 44-tested positive for an SSRI. First-generation antihistamines were statistically associated with positive findings of SSRIs. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Pilot study of a budget-tailored culinary nutrition education program for undergraduate food science students

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kerrison, Dorothy Adair

The primary objective of this pilot study is to provide evidence that a budget-tailored culinary nutrition program is both appropriate and applicable to undergraduate food science students both in everyday life as well as their future health careers. Two validated programs were combined into one program in order to evaluate their combined effects: Cooking With a Chef and Cooking Matters at the Store. The secondary objective of this pilot study is to evaluate the components and reliability of a questionnaire created specifically for this pilot study. A review of past literature was written, which included culinary nutrition as a source of primary prevention, the importance of incorporating cost with culinary nutrition, and the importance of incorporating cost with culinary nutrition. Based on the literature review, it was determined that a budget-tailored culinary nutrition program was appropriate and applicable to undergraduate food science students interested in pursuing health-related careers. The pilot study design was a semi-crossover study: all four groups received the program, however, two groups were first treated as the control groups. All fifty-four participants received 5 sessions of culinary nutrition information from Cooking With a Chef, collaboratively delivered by a nutrition educator and a chef, and one session of information about shopping healthy on a budget from Cooking Matters at the Store in the form of a grocery store tour led by the nutrition educator. Three questionnaires were administered to the participants that evaluated culinary nutrition and price knowledge, cooking attitudes, and opinions of the programs' relevance to participants' everyday lives and careers. Two of the questionnaires, including a questionnaire developed specifically for the pilot study, were delivered as a pre- and post-test while the third questionnaire was delivered as a post-test. Eight random participants also partook in a focus group session led by the nutrition

Feasibility Pilot Study: Training Soft Skills in Virtual Worlds.

PubMed

Abshier, Patricia

2012-04-01

In a world where funding is limited, training for healthcare professionals is turning more and more to distance learning in an effort to maintain a knowledgeable and skilled work force. In 2010, Cicatelli Associates, Inc. began exploring the feasibility of using games and virtual worlds as an alternative means to teach skills-training in a distance-learning environment. The pilot study was conducted with six individuals familiar with general counseling and communication skills used by the healthcare industry to promote behavior change. Participants reported that the venue, although challenging at first, showed great potential for use with healthcare providers, as it allowed for more interaction and activities than traditional Webinars. However, there are significant limitations that must be overcome in order for this healthcare training modality to be utilized on a large scale. These limitations included a lack of microgestures and issues regarding the technology being used. In spite of the limitations, however, the potential use of virtual worlds for the training of healthcare providers exists and should be researched further. This article discusses the need and intended benefits of virtual world training as well as the results and conclusions of the pilot study.

Music therapy assessment for severely emotionally disturbed children: a pilot study.

PubMed

Layman, Deborah L; Hussey, David L; Laing, Sarah J

2002-01-01

The purpose of this study was to pilot a music therapy assessment instrument for severely emotionally disturbed children. The subjects in this pilot were 20 children, 13 male and 7 female, at a residential treatment center in Cleveland, Ohio. After conducting an extensive literature review, the authors developed a music therapy assessment instrument measuring 4 relevant domains: behavioral/social functioning, emotional responsiveness, language/communication abilities, and music skills. Responses were coded into 3 categories: defensive/withdrawn, target behavior, and disruptive/intrusive. Results demonstrated that subjects displayed significantly more behaviors in the disruptive/intrusive domain. High inter-rater reliability scores of 91.5% for percent agreement and .808 for Cohen's kappa were achieved utilizing this assessment instrument.

Bruxism in military pilots and non-pilots: tooth wear and psychological stress.

PubMed

Lurie, Orit; Zadik, Yehuda; Einy, Shmuel; Tarrasch, Ricardo; Raviv, Gil; Goldstein, Liav

2007-02-01

Bruxism is the diurnal or nocturnal para-functional habit of clenching or grinding the teeth and affects 5-10% of the general western population. Bruxism can cause pain and irreversible damage to the teeth, periodontium, masticatory muscles, and temporo-mandibular joint. Variables such as general stress, work-related stress, and personality traits have been increasingly considered as initiating, predisposing, and perpetuating factors for bruxism. We sought to evaluate the potential of work-related stress and personality factors to induce bruxism among military pilots and non-pilot officers. Subjects were 57 healthy male Israel Air Force officers (mean age 25.8+/-4.3 yr). Of these, 17 were jet-pilots, 18 helicopter-pilots, and 22 non-pilot officers. Tooth-wear was classified according to a six-point scale. In addition, the subjects responded to a battery of psychological questionnaires for self-assessment of stress at the workplace and their coping behavior. Bruxism of clinical importance (i.e., with dentin exposure) was found in 69% of the aircrew members but only 27% of the non-pilot group. No difference was found between groups regarding stress levels. Military aircrews may be relatively vulnerable to deleterious bruxism as well as other signs of chronic stress. Among bruxers, pilots tended to show coping strategies that were significantly more emotional and less task-oriented than non-pilots, whereas non-bruxers showed no significant differences in coping behavior. This study suggest that integrating dental and psychological preventive intervention may be helpful.

Cancer, Employment, and American Indians: A Participatory Action Research Pilot Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Johnson, Sharon R.; Finifrock, DeAnna; Marshall, Catherine A.; Jaakola, Julia; Setterquist, Janette; Burross, Heidi L.; Hodge, Felicia Schanche

2011-01-01

American Indian cancer survivors are an underserved and understudied group. In this pilot study we attempted to address, through participatory action research, missing information about those factors that serve to either facilitate employment or hinder it for adult cancer survivors. One task of the study was to develop and/or modify…

Introducing Preschool Children to Novel Fruits and Vegetables: A Pilot Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tande, D. L.; Niemeier, B. S.; Hwang, J. H.; Stastny, S.; Bezbaruah, N.; Hektner, J. M.; Habedank, D.

2014-01-01

Purpose/Objectives: The purpose of this pilot study was to compare changes in preschool children's identification, preferences, and beliefs related to fruits and vegetables introduced to a child care center's menu before and after a nutrition education and food exposure intervention. The study also sought to determine how these changes were…

Online Activities of Urban Malaysian Adolescents: Report of a Pilot Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tan, Kok Eng; Yen Abdullah, Melissa Ng Lee; Guan Saw, Kim

2012-01-01

The literacy practices of many communities today show new ways of meaning making in the contemporary, technological and digital culture. A number of Malaysian adolescents belong to this culture. This pilot study reports the preliminary findings of a larger study aimed at describing the online activities of Malaysian adolescents. Fifty-four…

Assessing the Flipped Classroom in Operations Management: A Pilot Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Prashar, Anupama

2015-01-01

The author delved into the results of a flipped classroom pilot conducted for an operations management course module. It assessed students' perception of a flipped learning environment after making them experience it in real time. The classroom environment was construed using a case research approach and students' perceptions were studied using…

Motivation and Performance of Older Australian Academics: A Pilot Study.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Little, Len; Peter, Hollis

A pilot study of the Australian higher education system was conducted to determine the following: (1) whether department heads follow a client-centered, diagnostic/prescriptive model as developed by the Australian Committee of Directors and Principals in Advanced Education (ACDP), and if not, which process is used; (2) which developmental…

Using CALMERSS to Enhance Teacher Well-Being: A Pilot Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Taylor, Mark J.

2018-01-01

Prior research has shown that cognitive behavioural therapy, relaxation, mindfulness, exercise and positive psychology interventions, when conducted as single interventions, have a useful effect on depression and also increasing well-being. The purpose of this study was to conduct a pilot programme to determine the efficacy of a multi-modal…

Nutrition education program for food bank clients: A pilot study

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Many low income families depend on foods from food banks. The objective of the study was to determine program content and examine feasibility of a pilot nutrition education program for food bank clients. Formative research was conducted with staff at a local food bank and its pantries and adult clie...

Successful Indicators Study (SIS) Methodology Report: Deviant Case Analysis Pilot.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bailey, Jerry; Hafner, Anne

A deviant case analysis pilot study analyzed California local education agency data to determine the usefulness of regression analysis in predicting change in achievement from 1984 to 1989 and identified outliers or districts that show greater achievement changes than would be expected given changed demographic conditions. This report on the…

Earlier Mother's Age at Menarche Predicts Rapid Infancy Growth and Childhood Obesity

PubMed Central

Ong, Ken K; Northstone, Kate; Wells, Jonathan CK; Rubin, Carol; Ness, Andy R; Golding, Jean; Dunger, David B

2007-01-01

Background Early menarche tends to be preceded by rapid infancy weight gain and is associated with increased childhood and adult obesity risk. As age at menarche is a heritable trait, we hypothesised that age at menarche in the mother may in turn predict her children's early growth and obesity risk. Methods and Findings We tested associations between mother's age at menarche, mother's adult body size and obesity risk, and her children's growth and obesity risk in 6,009 children from the UK population-based Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC) birth cohort who had growth and fat mass at age 9 y measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. A subgroup of 914 children also had detailed infancy and childhood growth data. In the mothers, earlier menarche was associated with shorter adult height (by 0.64 cm/y), increased weight (0.92 kg/y), and body mass index (BMI, 0.51 kg/m2/y; all p < 0.001). In contrast, in her children, earlier mother's menarche predicted taller height at 9 y (by 0.41 cm/y) and greater weight (0.80 kg/y), BMI (0.29 kg/m2/y), and fat mass index (0.22 kg/m2/year; all p < 0.001). Children in the earliest mother's menarche quintile (≤11 y) were more obese than the oldest quintile (≥15 y) (OR, 2.15, 95% CI 1.46 to 3.17; p < 0.001, adjusted for mother's education and BMI). In the subgroup, children in the earliest quintile showed faster gains in weight (p < 0.001) and height (p < 0.001) only from birth to 2 y, but not from 2 to 9 y (p = 0.3–0.8). Conclusions Earlier age at menarche may be a transgenerational marker of a faster growth tempo, characterised by rapid weight gain and growth, particularly during infancy, and leading to taller childhood stature, but likely earlier maturation and therefore shorter adult stature. This growth pattern confers increased childhood and adult obesity risks. PMID:17455989

"Gun-shooting hearing loss": A pilot study.

PubMed

Sataloff, Joseph; Hawkshaw, Mary J; Sataloff, Robert T

2010-01-01

Gun-shooting deafness is the common terminology applied to sensorineural hearing loss caused by shooting firearms. Many characteristics of gun-shooting hearing loss have been proposed, but they have not been defined clearly or established conclusively. We studied 37 users of recreational firearms to obtain pilot data to help determine if it is true that right-handed gun shooters develop more hearing loss in the left ear and vice versa, whether everyone who frequently shoots guns develops sensorineural hearing loss, and whether significant hearing loss is typically prevented by wearing commercially available ear protectors while shooting.

Human factors in aviation crashes involving older pilots.

PubMed

Li, Guohua; Baker, Susan P; Lamb, Margaret W; Grabowski, Jurek G; Rebok, George W

2002-02-01

Pilot errors are recognized as a contributing factor in as many as 80% of aviation crashes. Experimental studies using flight simulators indicate that due to decreased working memory capacity, older pilots are outperformed by their younger counterparts in communication tasks and flight summary scores. This study examines age-related differences in crash circumstances and pilot errors in a sample of pilots who flew commuter aircraft or air taxis and who were involved in airplane or helicopter crashes. A historical cohort of 3306 pilots who in 1987 flew commuter aircraft or air taxis and were 45-54 yr of age was constructed using the Federal Aviation Administration's airmen information system. Crash records of the study subjects for the years 1983-1997 were obtained from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) by matching name and date of birth. NTSB's investigation reports were reviewed to identify pilot errors and other contributing factors. Comparisons of crash circumstances and human factors were made between pilots aged 40-49 yr and pilots aged 50-63 yr. A total of 165 crash records were studied, with 52% of these crashes involving pilots aged 50-63 yr. Crash circumstances, such as time and location of crash, type and phase of flight, and weather conditions, were similar between the two age groups. Pilot error was a contributing factor in 73% of the crashes involving younger pilots and in 69% of the crashes involving older pilots (p = 0.50). Age-related differences in the pattern of pilot errors were statistically insignificant. Overall, 23% of pilot errors were attributable to inattentiveness, 20% to flawed decisions, 18% to mishandled aircraft kinetics, and 18% to mishandled wind/runway conditions. Neither crash circumstances nor the prevalence and patterns of pilot errors appear to change significantly as age increases from the 40s to the 50s and early 60s.

14 CFR 61.73 - Military pilots or former military pilots: Special rules.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 14 Aeronautics and Space 2 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Military pilots or former military pilots... Ratings and Pilot Authorizations § 61.73 Military pilots or former military pilots: Special rules. (a... a disciplinary action involving aircraft operations, a U.S. military pilot or former military pilot...

SUPERFUND TREATABILITY CLEARINGHOUSE: PILOT STUDY OF ENCLOSED THERMAL SOIL AERATION FOR REMOVAL OF VOLATILE ORGANIC CONTAMINATION AT THE MCKIN SUPERFUND SITE

EPA Science Inventory

This paper reports on the results of a pilot study that treated vadose zone soil contaminated with VOCs in an enclosed thermal aeration system. The McKin site, an NPL site in Grey, Maine, was the location of the pilot study. The pilot study was chosen to demonstrate the viabili...

The Effects of Longitudinal Control-System Dynamics on Pilot Opinion and Response Characteristics as Determined from Flight Tests and from Ground Simulator Studies

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sadoff, Melvin

1958-01-01

The results of a fixed-base simulator study of the effects of variable longitudinal control-system dynamics on pilot opinion are presented and compared with flight-test data. The control-system variables considered in this investigation included stick force per g, time constant, and dead-band, or stabilizer breakout force. In general, the fairly good correlation between flight and simulator results for two pilots demonstrates the validity of fixed-base simulator studies which are designed to complement and supplement flight studies and serve as a guide in control-system preliminary design. However, in the investigation of certain problem areas (e.g., sensitive control-system configurations associated with pilot- induced oscillations in flight), fixed-base simulator results did not predict the occurrence of an instability, although the pilots noted the system was extremely sensitive and unsatisfactory. If it is desired to predict pilot-induced-oscillation tendencies, tests in moving-base simulators may be required. It was found possible to represent the human pilot by a linear pilot analog for the tracking task assumed in the present study. The criterion used to adjust the pilot analog was the root-mean-square tracking error of one of the human pilots on the fixed-base simulator. Matching the tracking error of the pilot analog to that of the human pilot gave an approximation to the variation of human-pilot behavior over a range of control-system dynamics. Results of the pilot-analog study indicated that both for optimized control-system dynamics (for poor airplane dynamics) and for a region of good airplane dynamics, the pilot response characteristics are approximately the same.

FMP study of pilot workload. Qualification of workload via instrument scan

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tolel, J. R.; Vivaudou, M.; Harris, R. L., Sr.; Ephrath, A.

1982-01-01

Various methods of measuring a pilot's mental workload are discussed. Scanning the various flight instruments with good scan pattern and other verbal tasks during instrument landings is given special attention for measuring pilot workload.

Improving collaborative care in managing eating disorders: a pilot study.

PubMed

Heath, Olga; English, Denise; Simms, Joanne; Ward, Pamela; Hollett, Ann; Dominic, Anna

2013-01-01

The purpose of this pilot study was to evaluate the impact of a continuing interprofessional educational workshop focused on eating disorders in a rural area in Newfoundland and Labrador (NL), Canada. The pilot study helped determine if the eating disorder workshop was feasible for implementation to a broader audience. A conceptual model developed by our eating disorder team and described in the article guided this innovative program. The intensive 2-day workshop was piloted in one community with 41 health and education professionals in attendance. A key element was the focus on creating and sustaining collaborative care for eating disorders. Participants completed pre-post workshop measures of interprofessional attitudes and skills, self-reported knowledge, confidence, and intention to change practice (post questionnaire only). A 6-month follow-up survey measured self-reported practice change. There were significant positive changes in interprofessional attitudes and skills as well as knowledge and confidence in collaborative management of eating disorders. Post-workshop, 69% (n = 24/35) of participants indicated intention to change practice, and on follow-up, 7 of 10 respondents reported implementing changes in practice as a result of the workshop. Low response rate at follow-up was a limitation. Results support the impact of the workshop in improving knowledge, confidence, and attitudes toward collaboration and changing practice and the value of implementing the program province-wide. Copyright © 2013 The Alliance for Continuing Education in the Health Professions, the Society for Academic Continuing Medical Education, and the Council on CME, Association for Hospital Medical Education.

PILOT STUDY FOR ESTABLISHMENT OF A NETWORK OF COASTAL REFERENCE SITES

EPA Science Inventory

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) have joined in partnership for a pilot study for the establishment of a network of reference sites, the Coastal Int...

A study on aircraft map display location and orientation. [effects of map display location on manual piloting performance

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Baty, D. L.; Wempe, T. E.; Huff, E. M.

1973-01-01

Six airline pilots participated in a fixed-base simulator study to determine the effects of two Horizontal Situation Display (HSD/map) panel locations relative to the Vertical Situation Display (VSD), and of three map orientations on manual piloting performance. Pilot comments and opinions were formally obtained. Significant performance differences were found between wind conditions, and among pilots, but not between map locations and orientations. The results also illustrate the potential tracking accuracy of such a display. Recommendations concerning display location and map orientation are made.

The Association of Paternal Mood and Infant Temperament: A Pilot Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dave, Shreya; Nazareth, Irwin; Sherr, Lorraine; Senior, Rob

2005-01-01

Maternal depression is associated with adverse child development, but little is known about the effects of paternal depression. This pilot study estimated the prevalence of paternal depression and mood state, and assessed the relationship between paternal mood and infant temperament. The participants in the study were 98 fathers of newborn babies.…

Developing Emotional Literacy through Individual Dance Movement Therapy: A Pilot Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Meekums, Bonnie

2008-01-01

This paper reports a pragmatic mixed methods pilot study of teacher perceptions regarding a school-based Dance Movement therapy (DMT) service for six children aged four to seven in a North of England primary school. No previous studies have systematically evaluated DMT in terms of the development of Emotional Literacy (EL), though theoretical…

Low protein content of drainage fluid is a good predictor for earlier chest tube removal after lobectomy.

PubMed

Olgac, Guven; Cosgun, Tugba; Vayvada, Mustafa; Ozdemir, Atilla; Kutlu, Cemal Asim

2014-10-01

Owing to the great absorption capability of the pleura for transudates, the protein content of draining pleural fluid may be considered as a more adequate determinant than its daily draining amount in the decision-making for earlier chest tube removal. In an a priori pilot study, we observed that the initially draining protein-rich exudate converts to a transudate quickly in most patients after lobectomies. Thus, chest tubes draining high-volume but low-protein fluids can safely be removed earlier in the absence of an air leak. This randomized study aims to investigate the validity and clinical applicability of this hypothesis as well as its influence on the timing for chest tube removal and earlier discharge after lobectomy. Seventy-two consecutive patients undergoing straightforward lobectomy were randomized into two groups. Patients with conditions affecting postoperative drainage and with persisting air leaks beyond the third postoperative day were excluded. Drains were removed if the pleural fluid to blood protein ratio (PrRPl/B) was ≤0.5, regardless of its daily draining amount in the study arm (Group S; n = 38), and patients in the control arm (Group C; n = 34) had their tubes removed if daily drainage was ≤250 ml regardless of its protein content. Patients were discharged home immediately or the following morning after removal of the last drain. All cases were followed up regarding the development of symptomatic pleural effusions and hospital readmissions for a redrainage procedure. Demographic and clinical characteristics as well as the pattern of decrease in PrRPl/B were the same between groups. The mean PrRPl/B was 0.65 and 0.67 (95% CI = 0.60-0.69 and 0.62-0.72) on the first postoperative day, and it remarkably dropped down to 0.39 and 0.33 (95% CI = 0.33-0.45 and 0.27-0.39) on the second day in Groups S and C, respectively, and remained below 0.5 on the third day (repeated-measures of ANOVA design, post hoc 'within-group' comparison of the first

Case studies of energy efficiency financing in the original five pilot states, 1993-1996

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

Farhar, B C; Collins, N E; Walsh, R W

1997-05-01

The purpose of this report is to document progress in state-level programs in energy efficiency financing programs that are linked with home energy rating systems. Case studies are presented of programs in five states using a federal pilot program to amortize the costs of home energy improvements. The case studies present background information, describe the states` program, list preliminary evaluation data and findings, and discuss problems and solution encountered in the programs. A comparison of experiences in pilot states will be used to provide guidelines for program implementers, federal agencies, and Congress. 5 refs.

Can Markers Detect Contract Cheating? Results from a Pilot Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dawson, Phillip; Sutherland-Smith, Wendy

2018-01-01

Contract cheating is the purchasing of custom-made university assignments with the intention of submitting them. Websites providing contract cheating services often claim this form of cheating is undetectable, and no published research has examined this claim. This paper documents a pilot study where markers were paid to mark a mixture of real…

Final Report of NATO/SPS Pilot Study on Clean Products and Processes (Phase I and II)

EPA Science Inventory

Early in 1998 the NATO Committee for Challenges to Modern Society (SPS) (Science for Peace and Security) approved the Pilot Study on Clean Products and Processes for an initial period of five years. The pilot was to provide a forum for member country representatives to discuss t...

The immediate effect of a brief energy psychology intervention (Emotional Freedom Techniques) on specific phobias: a pilot study.

PubMed

Salas, Martha M; Brooks, Audrey J; Rowe, Jack E

2011-01-01

Specific phobia is one of the most prevalent anxiety disorders. Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT) has been shown to improve anxiety symptoms; however, their application to specific phobias has received limited attention. This pilot study examined whether EFT, a brief exposure therapy that combines cognitive and somatic elements, had an immediate effect on the reduction of anxiety and behavior associated with specific phobias. The study utilized a crossover design with participants randomly assigned to either diaphragmatic breathing or EFT as the first treatment. The study was conducted at a regional university in the Southwestern United States. Twenty-two students meeting criteria for a phobic response to a specific stimulus (≥8 on an 11-point subjective units of distress scale). Participants completed a total of five two-minute rounds in each treatment intervention. Study measures included a behavioral approach test (BAT), Subjective Units of Distress Scale (SUDS), and Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI). Emotional Freedom Techniques significantly reduced phobia-related anxiety (BAI P = .042; SUDS P = .002) and ability to approach the feared stimulus (BAT P = .046) whether presented as an initial treatment or following diaphragmatic breathing. When presented as the initial treatment, the effects of EFT remained through the presentation of the comparison intervention. The efficacy of EFT in treating specific phobias demonstrated in several earlier studies is corroborated by the current investigation. Comparison studies between EFT and the most effective established therapies for treating specific phobias are recommended. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Progressive Staging of Pilot Studies to Improve Phase III Trials for Motor Interventions

PubMed Central

Dobkin, Bruce H.

2014-01-01

Based on the suboptimal research pathways that finally led to multicenter randomized clinical trials (MRCTs) of treadmill training with partial body weight support and of robotic assistive devices, strategically planned successive stages are proposed for pilot studies of novel rehabilitation interventions Stage 1, consideration-of-concept studies, drawn from animal experiments, theories, and observations, delineate the experimental intervention in a small convenience sample of participants, so the results must be interpreted with caution. Stage 2, development-of-concept pilots, should optimize the components of the intervention, settle on most appropriate outcome measures, and examine dose-response effects. A well-designed study that reveals no efficacy should be published to counterweight the confirmation bias of positive trials. Stage 3, demonstration-of-concept pilots, can build out from what has been learned to test at least 15 participants in each arm, using random assignment and blinded outcome measures. A control group should receive an active practice intervention aimed at the same primary outcome. A third arm could receive a substantially larger dose of the experimental therapy or a combinational intervention. If only 1 site performed this trial, a different investigative group should aim to reproduce positive outcomes based on the optimal dose of motor training. Stage 3 studies ought to suggest an effect size of 0.4 or higher, so that approximately 50 participants in each arm will be the number required to test for efficacy in a stage 4, proof-of-concept MRCT. By developing a consensus around acceptable and necessary practices for each stage, similar to CONSORT recommendations for the publication of phase III clinical trials, better quality pilot studies may move quickly into better designed and more successful MRCTs of experimental interventions. PMID:19240197

Pilots' monitoring strategies and performance on automated flight decks: an empirical study combining behavioral and eye-tracking data.

PubMed

Sarter, Nadine B; Mumaw, Randall J; Wickens, Christopher D

2007-06-01

The objective of the study was to examine pilots' automation monitoring strategies and performance on highly automated commercial flight decks. A considerable body of research and operational experience has documented breakdowns in pilot-automation coordination on modern flight decks. These breakdowns are often considered symptoms of monitoring failures even though, to date, only limited and mostly anecdotal data exist concerning pilots' monitoring strategies and performance. Twenty experienced B-747-400 airline pilots flew a 1-hr scenario involving challenging automation-related events on a full-mission simulator. Behavioral, mental model, and eye-tracking data were collected. The findings from this study confirm that pilots monitor basic flight parameters to a much greater extent than visual indications of the automation configuration. More specifically, they frequently fail to verify manual mode selections or notice automatic mode changes. In other cases, they do not process mode annunciations in sufficient depth to understand their implications for aircraft behavior. Low system observability and gaps in pilots' understanding of complex automation modes were shown to contribute to these problems. Our findings describe and explain shortcomings in pilot's automation monitoring strategies and performance based on converging behavioral, eye-tracking, and mental model data. They confirm that monitoring failures are one major contributor to breakdowns in pilot-automation interaction. The findings from this research can inform the design of improved training programs and automation interfaces that support more effective system monitoring.

Using Game Theoretic Models to Predict Pilot Behavior in NextGen Merging and Landing Scenario

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Yildiz, Yildiray; Lee, Ritchie; Brat, Guillaume

2012-01-01

In this paper, we present an implementation of the Semi Network-Form Game framework to predict pilot behavior in a merging and landing scenario. In this scenario, two aircraft are approaching to a freeze horizon with approximately equal distance when they become aware of each other via an ADS-B communication link that will be available in NextGen airspace. Both pilots want to gain advantage over the other by entering the freeze horizon earlier and obtain the first place in landing. They re-adjust their speed accordingly. However, they cannot simply increase their speed to the maximum allowable values since they are concerned with safety, separation distance, effort, possibility of being vectored-off from landing and possibility of violating speed constraints. We present how to model these concerns and the rest of the system using semi network-from game framework. Using this framework, based on certain assumptions on pilot utility functions and on system configuration, we provide estimates of pilot behavior and overall system evolution in time. We also discuss the possible employment of this modeling tool for airspace design optimization. To support this discussion, we provide a case where we investigate the effect of increasing the merging point speed limit on the commanded speed distribution and on the percentage of vectored aircraft.

Traumatic Brain Injury History is Associated with Earlier Age of Onset of Alzheimer Disease

PubMed Central

LoBue, Christian; Wadsworth, Hannah; Wilmoth, Kristin; Clem, Matthew; Hart, John; Womack, Kyle B.; Didehbani, Nyaz; Lacritz, Laura H.; Rossetti, Heidi C.; Cullum, C. Munro

2016-01-01

Objective This study examined whether a history of traumatic brain injury (TBI) is associated with earlier onset of Alzheimer disease (AD), independent of apolipoprotein ε4 status (Apoe4) and gender. Method Participants with a clinical diagnosis of AD (n=7625) were obtained from the National Alzheimer’s Coordinating Center Uniform Data Set, and categorized based on self-reported lifetime TBI with loss of consciousness (LOC) (TBI+ vs TBI-) and presence of Apoe4. ANCOVAs, controlling for gender, race, and education were used to examine the association between history of TBI, presence of Apoe4, and an interaction of both risk factors on estimated age of AD onset. Results Estimated AD onset differed by TBI history and Apoe4 independently (p’s <.001). The TBI+ group had a mean age of onset 2.5 years earlier than the TBI- group. Likewise, Apoe4 carriers had a mean age of onset 2.3 years earlier than non-carriers. While the interaction was non-significant (p = .34), participants having both a history of TBI and Apoe4 had the earliest mean age of onset compared to those with a TBI history or Apoe4 alone (MDifference = 2.8 & 2.7 years, respectively). These results remained unchanged when stratified by gender. Conclusions History of self-reported TBI can be associated with an earlier onset of AD-related cognitive decline, regardless of Apoe4 status and gender. TBI may be related to an underlying neurodegenerative process in AD, but the implications of age at time of injury, severity, and repetitive injuries remain unclear. PMID:27855547

Geographic Region, Weather, Pilot Age and Air Carrier Crashes: a Case-Control Study

PubMed Central

Li, Guohua; Pressley, Joyce C.; Qiang, Yandong; Grabowski, Jurek G.; Baker, Susan P.; Rebok, George W.

2009-01-01

Background Information about risk factors of aviation crashes is crucial for developing effective intervention programs. Previous studies assessing factors associated with crash risk were conducted primarily in general aviation, air taxis and commuter air carriers. Methods A matched case-control design was used to examine the associations of geographic region, basic weather condition, and pilot age with the risk of air carrier (14 CFR Part 121) crash involvement. Cases (n=373) were air carrier crashes involving aircraft made by Boeing, McDonnell Douglas, and Airbus, recorded in the National Transportation Safety Board’s aviation crash database during 1983 through 2002, and controls (n=746) were air carrier incidents involving aircraft of the same three makes selected at random from the Federal Aviation Administration’s aviation incident database. Each case was matched with two controls on the calendar year when the index crash occurred. Conditional logistic regression was used for statistical analysis. Results With adjustment for basic weather condition, pilot age, and total flight time, the risk of air carrier crashes in Alaska was more than three times the risk for other regions [adjusted odds ratio (OR) 3.18, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.35 – 7.49]. Instrument meteorological conditions were associated with an increased risk for air carrier crashes involving pilot error (adjusted OR 2.26, 95% CI 1.15 – 4.44) and a decreased risk for air carrier crashes without pilot error (adjusted OR 0.57, 95% CI 0.40 – 0.87). Neither pilot age nor total flight time was significantly associated with the risk of air carrier crashes. Conclusions The excess risk of air carrier crashes in Alaska and the effect of adverse weather on pilot-error crashes underscore the importance of environmental hazards in flight safety. PMID:19378910

Geographic region, weather, pilot age, and air carrier crashes: a case-control study.

PubMed

Li, Guohua; Pressley, Joyce C; Qiang, Yandong; Grabowski, Jurek G; Baker, Susan P; Rebok, George W

2009-04-01

Information about risk factors of aviation crashes is crucial for developing effective intervention programs. Previous studies assessing factors associated with crash risk were conducted primarily in general aviation, air taxis, and commuter air carriers. A matched case-control design was used to examine the associations of geographic region, basic weather condition, and pilot age with the risk of air carrier (14 CFR Part 121) crash involvement. Cases (N = 373) were air carrier crashes involving aircraft made by Boeing, McDonnell Douglas, and Airbus recorded in the National Transportation Safety Board's aviation crash database during 1983 through 2002, and controls (N = 746) were air carrier incidents involving aircraft of the same three makes selected at random from the Federal Aviation Administration's aviation incident database. Each case was matched with two controls on the calendar year when the index crash occurred. Conditional logistic regression was used for statistical analysis. With adjustment for basic weather condition, pilot age, and total flight time, the risk of air carrier crashes in Alaska was more than three times the risk for other regions ladjusted odds ratio (OR) 3.18, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.35-7.49]. Instrument meteorological conditions were associated with an increased risk for air carrier crashes involving pilot error (adjusted OR 2.26, 95% CI 1.15-4.44) and a decreased risk for air carrier crashes without pilot error (adjusted OR 0.60, 95% CI 0.37-0.96). Neither pilot age nor total flight time were significantly associated with the risk of air carrier crashes. The excess risk of air carrier crashes in Alaska and the effect of adverse weather on pilot-error crashes underscore the importance of environmental hazards in flight safety.

Pilot Interactions in an Over-Constrained Conflict Scenario as Studied in a Piloted Simulation of Autonomous Aircraft Operations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wing, David J.; Barhydt, Richard; Barmore, Bryan; Krishnamurthy, Karthik

2003-01-01

Feasibility and safety of autonomous aircraft operations were studied in a multi-piloted simulation of overconstrained traffic conflicts to determine the need for, and utility of, priority flight rules to maintain safety in this extraordinary and potentially hazardous situation. An overconstrained traffic conflict is one in which the separation assurance objective is incompatible with other objectives. In addition, a proposed scheme for implementing priority flight rules by staggering the alerting time between the two aircraft in conflict was tested for effectiveness. The feasibility study was conducted through a simulation in the Air Traffic Operations Laboratory at the NASA Langley Research Center. This research activity is a continuation of the Distributed Air-Ground Traffic Management feasibility analysis reported in the 4th USA/Europe Air Traffic Management R&D Seminar in December 2001 (paper #48). The over-constrained conflict scenario studied here consisted of two piloted aircraft that were assigned an identical en-route waypoint arrival time and altitude crossing restriction. The simulation results indicated that the pilots safely resolved the conflict without the need for a priority flight rule system. Occurrences of unnecessary maneuvering near the common waypoint were traced to false conflict alerts, generated as the result of including waypoint constraint information in the broadcast data link message issued from each aircraft. This result suggests that, in the conservative interests of safety, broadcast intent information should be based on the commanded trajectory and not on the Flight Management System flight plan, to which the aircraft may not actually adhere. The use of priority flight rules had no effect on the percentage of the aircraft population meeting completely predictable which aircraft in a given pair would meet the constraints and which aircraft would make the first maneuver to yield right-of-way. Therefore, the proposed scheme for

Cost analysis of an exercise program for older women with respect to social welfare and healthcare costs: a pilot study.

PubMed

Timonen, L; Rantanen, T; Mäkinen, E; Timonen, T E; Törmäkangas, T; Sulkava, R

2008-12-01

The aim of this study was to analyze social welfare and healthcare costs and fall-related healthcare costs after a group-based exercise program. The 10-week exercise program, which started after discharge from the hospital, was designed to improve physical fitness, mood, and functional abilities in frail elderly women. Sixty-eight acutely hospitalized and mobility-impaired women (mean age 83.0, SD 3.9 years) were randomized into either group-based (intervention) or home exercise (control) groups. Information on costs was collected during 1 year after hospital discharge. There were no differences between the intervention and control groups in the mean individual healthcare costs: 4381 euros (SD 3829 euros) vs 3539 euros (SD 3967 euros), P=0.477, in the social welfare costs: 3336 euros (SD 4418 euros) vs 4073 euros (SD 5973 euros), P=0.770, or in the fall-related healthcare costs: 996 euros (SD 2612 euros) vs 306 euros (SD 915), P=0.314, respectively. This exercise intervention, which has earlier proved to be effective in improving physical fitness and mood, did not result in any financial savings in municipal costs. These results serve as a pilot study and further studies are needed to establish the cost-effectiveness of this exercise intervention for elderly people.

[Perception of ethical aspects in psychiatric patient care: a pilot study].

PubMed

Rabenschlag, Franziska; Steinauer, Regine; Heimann, Regine; Reiter-Theil, Stella

2014-10-01

Research on staff perception of ethical aspects of psychiatric patient care are scarce; little is known about systematic supplies of ethics support in psychiatric institutions. The goal of this pilot study is to inform the implementation of Clinical Ethics Support Services in psychiatric institutions by assessing which topics of psychiatric practice are considered ethically challenging by the staff. Explorative survey as pilot study by questionnaire with clinical staff, quantitative (descriptive) and qualitative (coding) data-analysis. Involuntary treatment, the relationship between healthcare professionals and patients, staff shortage and the collaboration between the professions as well as dealing with patient relatives came up as ethical challenges. Clinical Ethics Support in psychiatric patient care should not only cover aspects that are specific for psychiatry, but also structural topics such as short resources, interprofessional collaboration and communication with relatives. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

An old dietary regimen as a new lifestyle change for Gastro esophageal reflux disease: A pilot study.

PubMed

Randhawa, Mohammad Akram; Mahfouz, Salah Al-Din Mahmoud; Selim, Noor Ahmed; Yar, Taley; Gillessen, Anton

2015-09-01

Treatment of gastro esophageal reflux disease (GERD) is becoming a challenge for medical profession. Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) are commonly recommended but many disadvantages of these drugs are being reported, particularly when used for long term. Transient lower esophageal sphincter relaxations (TLESRs) are important cause of acid reflux. Gastric distention in upper stomach is the strongest stimulus for generation of TLESRs and is aggravated by intake of food in between meals. In an earlier cases report, two meals a day with intake of only fluids in between was suggested as a remedy for GERD. Present pilot study was conducted on 20 patients with endoscopically proven reflux esophagitis (Los Angles Grade a, b or c), who followed our advice to take meal twice a day with consumption of only soft drinks (fruit juices, tea, coffee, water, etc) in between and no medication for two weeks. On 14th day 15 patients (75%) were free of reflux symptoms, 2 (10%) had partial improvement and 3 (15%) reported no difference. It is concluded that two meals a day with intake of only fluids in between, whenever the patient feels hungry or thirsty, is a useful dietary regimen for the management of GERD. Further investigations are needed to confirm the benefits of this physiological lifestyle change.

The Effect of Background Music on Bullying: A Pilot Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ziv, Naomi; Dolev, Einat

2013-01-01

School bullying is a source of growing concern. A number of intervention programs emphasize the importance of a positive school climate in preventing bullying behavior. The aim of the presented pilot study was to examine whether calming background music, through its effect on arousal and mood, could create a pleasant atmosphere and reduce bullying…

14 CFR 61.73 - Military pilots or former military pilots: Special rules.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... 14 Aeronautics and Space 2 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Military pilots or former military pilots... TRANSPORTATION (CONTINUED) AIRMEN CERTIFICATION: PILOTS, FLIGHT INSTRUCTORS, AND GROUND INSTRUCTORS Aircraft Ratings and Pilot Authorizations § 61.73 Military pilots or former military pilots: Special rules. (a...

Medical symptoms among pilots associated with work and home environments: a 3-year cohort study.

PubMed

Fu, Xi; Lindgren, Torsten; Norbäck, Dan

2015-05-01

To study associations between the cockpit environment, psychosocial work environment, home environment, and medical symptoms in a cohort of commercial pilots followed over 3 yr. A standardized questionnaire was mailed in February-March 1997 to all Stockholm-based pilots on duty in a Scandinavian flight company (N = 622); 577 (93%) participated. During this time smoking was allowed on long haul flights, but not on shorter flights. Smoking was prohibited on all flights after September 1997. The same questionnaire was sent to the cohort of 577 pilots in February-March 2000; 436 participated (76%). The questionnaire contained questions on symptoms, the psychosocial work environment, and the home environment. Associations were investigated using multiple logistic and ordinal regression. Symptoms were common, especially eye symptoms (38.5%), nose symptoms (39.9%), and tiredness (29.9%). Pilots exposed to environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) on long haul flights had more eye symptoms (odds ratio = 1.91) and tiredness (odds ratio = 2.73). These symptoms were reduced when no longer exposed to ETS. Those who started working on long haul flights developed more nose symptoms. Pilots reporting increased work demands developed more nose and dermal symptoms and tiredness and those with decreased work control developed more eye symptoms. Pilots living in new houses, multifamily houses, and in recently painted homes reported more symptoms. Eliminating ETS exposure on board reduced medical symptoms. Further work to reduce ETS exposure globally is needed. Psychosocial aspects of the work environment for commercial pilots should be considered, as well as the home environment.

Pilot Fullerton examines SE-81-8 Insect Flight Motion Study

NASA Image and Video Library

1982-03-30

STS003-23-178 (22-30 March 1982) --- Astronaut C. Gordon Fullerton, STS-3 pilot, examines Student Experiment 81-8 (SE-81-8) Insect Flight Motion Study taped to the airlock on aft middeck. Todd Nelson, a high school senior from Minnesota, won a national contest to fly his experiment on this particular flight. Moths, flies, and bees were studied in the near weightless environment. Photo credit: NASA

Dementia and Depression in Elders with Mental Retardation: A Pilot Study.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Harper, Dennis C.; Wadsworth, John S.

1990-01-01

This article investigates cognitive decline and depressive symptomatology among older adults with mental retardation. A pilot study of assessment instruments is reported. Findings reveal that decreasing cognitive ability is associated with higher rates of observed depression and reported behavioral problems. Cognitive decline was associated with…

Seaside, Oregon, Tsunami Pilot Study-Modernization of FEMA Flood Hazard Maps: GIS Data

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wong, Florence L.; Venturato, Angie J.; Geist, Eric L.

2006-01-01

Introduction: The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Federal Insurance Rate Map (FIRM) guidelines do not currently exist for conducting and incorporating tsunami hazard assessments that reflect the substantial advances in tsunami research achieved in the last two decades; this conclusion is the result of two FEMA-sponsored workshops and the associated Tsunami Focused Study (Chowdhury and others, 2005). Therefore, as part of FEMA's Map Modernization Program, a Tsunami Pilot Study was carried out in the Seaside/Gearhart, Oregon, area to develop an improved Probabilistic Tsunami Hazard Analysis (PTHA) methodology and to provide recommendations for improved tsunami hazard assessment guidelines (Tsunami Pilot Study Working Group, 2006). The Seaside area was chosen because it is typical of many coastal communities in the section of the Pacific Coast from Cape Mendocino to the Strait of Juan de Fuca, and because State agencies and local stakeholders expressed considerable interest in mapping the tsunami threat to this area. The study was an interagency effort by FEMA, U.S. Geological Survey, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), in collaboration with the University of Southern California, Middle East Technical University, Portland State University, Horning Geoscience, Northwest Hydraulics Consultants, and the Oregon Department of Geological and Mineral Industries. We present the spatial (geographic information system, GIS) data from the pilot study in standard GIS formats and provide files for visualization in Google Earth, a global map viewer.

Tai Chi for People with Visual Impairments: A Pilot Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Miszko, Tanya A.; Ramsey, Vincent K.; Blasch, Bruce B.

2004-01-01

This pilot study assessed the physical and psychological outcomes of a tai chi exercise program for eight adults with visual impairments. It found that after eight weeks of orientation and mobility training and tai chi practice, the participants' single leg-stance time and total knee flexion work and power improved, as did their frequency of,…

Causes of Mortality among American College Students: A Pilot Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Turner, James C.; Leno, E. Victor; Keller, Adrienne

2013-01-01

This pilot study from self-selected institutions of higher education provides an estimate of the causes and rates of mortality among college students between the ages of 18 and 24 years old. One hundred fifty-seven 4-year colleges participated in an online survey of student deaths during one academic year. A total of 254 deaths were reported. The…

Library Use and Library Skills of Research Assistants: Pilot Study.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jacob, Lisa Hall; And Others

This paper presents the results of a pilot study of University of Illinois at Chicago faculty members, their assistants who use the library for them, and the role of the Library of the Health Sciences in that process. The Library of the Health Sciences public services staff members, College of Pharmacy faculty, and their assistants were…

Results of the promoting effective advance care planning for elders (PEACE) randomized pilot study.

PubMed

Radwany, Steven M; Hazelett, Susan E; Allen, Kyle R; Kropp, Denise J; Ertle, Denise; Albanese, Teresa H; Fosnight, Susan M; Moore, Pamela S

2014-04-01

The specific aim of the PEACE pilot study was to determine the feasibility of a fully powered study to test the effectiveness of an in-home geriatrics/palliative care interdisciplinary care management intervention for improving measures of utilization, quality of care, and quality of life in enrollees of Ohio's community-based long-term care Medicaid waiver program, PASSPORT. This was a randomized pilot study (n=40 intervention [IG], n=40 usual care) involving new enrollees into PASSPORT who were >60 years old. This was an in-home interdisciplinary chronic illness care management intervention by PASSPORT care managers collaborating with a hospital-based geriatrics/palliative care specialist team and the consumer's primary care physician. This pilot was not powered to test hypotheses; instead, it was hypothesis generating. Primary outcomes measured symptom control, mood, decision making, spirituality, and quality of life. Little difference was seen in primary outcomes; however, utilization favored the IG. At 12 months, the IG had fewer hospital visits (50% vs. 55%, P=0.65) and fewer nursing facility admissions (22.5% vs. 32.5%, P=0.32). Using hospital-based specialists interfacing with a community agency to provide a team-based approach to care of consumers with chronic illnesses was found to be feasible. Lack of change in symptom control or quality of life outcome measures may be related to the tools used, as these were validated in populations closer to the end of life. Data from this pilot study will be used to calculate the sample size needed for a fully powered trial.

The psychophysiological assessment method for pilot's professional reliability.

PubMed

Zhang, L M; Yu, L S; Wang, K N; Jing, B S; Fang, C

1997-05-01

Previous research has shown that a pilot's professional reliability depends on two relative factors: the pilot's functional state and the demands of task workload. The Psychophysiological Reserve Capacity (PRC) is defined as a pilot's ability to accomplish additive tasks without reducing the performance of the primary task (flight task). We hypothesized that the PRC was a mirror of the pilot's functional state. The purpose of this study was to probe the psychophysiological method for evaluating a pilot's professional reliability on a simulator. The PRC Comprehensive Evaluating System (PRCCES) which was used in the experiment included four subsystems: a) quantitative evaluation system for pilot's performance on simulator; b) secondary task display and quantitative estimating system; c) multiphysiological data monitoring and statistical system; and d) comprehensive evaluation system for pilot PRC. Two studies were performed. In study one, 63 healthy and 13 hospitalized pilots participated. Each pilot performed a double 180 degrees circuit flight program with and without secondary task (three digit operation). The operator performance, score of secondary task and cost of physiological effort were measured and compared by PRCCES in the two conditions. Then, each pilot's flight skill in training was subjectively scored by instructor pilot ratings. In study two, 7 healthy pilots volunteered to take part in the experiment on the effects of sleep deprivation on pilot's PRC. Each participant had PRC tested pre- and post-8 h sleep deprivation. The results show that the PRC values of a healthy pilot was positively correlated with abilities of flexibility, operating and correcting deviation, attention distribution, and accuracy of instrument flight in the air (r = 0.27-0.40, p < 0.05), and negatively correlated with emotional anxiety in flight (r = -0.40, p < 0.05). The values of PRC in healthy pilots (0.61 +/- 0.17) were significantly higher than that of hospitalized pilots

Airflow Hazard Visualization for Helicopter Pilots: Flight Simulation Study Results

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Aragon, Cecilia R.; Long, Kurtis R.

2005-01-01

Airflow hazards such as vortices or low level wind shear have been identified as a primary contributing factor in many helicopter accidents. US Navy ships generate airwakes over their decks, creating potentially hazardous conditions for shipboard rotorcraft launch and recovery. Recent sensor developments may enable the delivery of airwake data to the cockpit, where visualizing the hazard data may improve safety and possibly extend ship/helicopter operational envelopes. A prototype flight-deck airflow hazard visualization system was implemented on a high-fidelity rotorcraft flight dynamics simulator. Experienced helicopter pilots, including pilots from all five branches of the military, participated in a usability study of the system. Data was collected both objectively from the simulator and subjectively from post-test questionnaires. Results of the data analysis are presented, demonstrating a reduction in crash rate and other trends that illustrate the potential of airflow hazard visualization to improve flight safety.

STS-112 Pilot Melroy inspects cables prior to launch

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2002-01-01

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - STS-112 Pilot Pamela Ann Melroy (left) conducts a last-minute inspection of some cables inside Space Shuttle Atlantis at Launch Pad 39B prior to the launch of her mission. The STS-112 crew also includes Commander Jeffrey S. Ashby and Mission Specialists David A. Wolf, Sandra H. Magnus, Piers J. Sellers, and Fyodor N. Yurchikhin of the Russian Space Agency. Launch of the mission was postponed today to no earlier than Thursday, Oct. 3, while weather forecasters and the mission management team assess the possible effect Hurricane Lili may have on the Mission Control Center located at the Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas.

The DOE water cycle pilot study.

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

Miller, N. L.; King, A. W.; Miller, M. A.

In 1999, the U.S. Global Change Research Program (USGCRP) formed a Water Cycle Study Group (Hornberger et al. 2001) to organize research efforts in regional hydrologic variability, the extent to which this variability is caused by human activity, and the influence of ecosystems. The USGCRP Water Cycle Study Group was followed by a U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Water Cycle Research Plan (Department of Energy 2002) that outlined an approach toward improving seasonal-to-interannual hydroclimate predictability and closing a regional water budget. The DOE Water Cycle Research Plan identified key research areas, including a comprehensive long-term observational database to support modelmore » development, and to develop a better understanding of the relationship between the components of local water budgets and large scale processes. In response to this plan, a multilaboratory DOE Water Cycle Pilot Study (WCPS) demonstration project began with a focus on studying the water budget and its variability at multiple spatial scales. Previous studies have highlighted the need for continued efforts to observationally close a local water budget, develop a numerical model closure scheme, and further quantify the scales in which predictive accuracy are optimal. A concerted effort within the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)-funded Global Energy and Water Cycle Experiment (GEWEX) Continental-scale International Project (GCIP) put forth a strategy to understand various hydrometeorological processes and phenomena with an aim toward closing the water and energy budgets of regional watersheds (Lawford 1999, 2001). The GCIP focus on such regional budgets includes the measurement of all components and reduction of the error in the budgets to near zero. To approach this goal, quantification of the uncertainties in both measurements and modeling is required. Model uncertainties within regional climate models continue to be evaluated within the Program to

Reducing State Communication Anxiety for Public Speakers: An Energy Psychology Pilot Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fitch, John, III; Schmuldt, Laura; Rudick, Karen L.

2011-01-01

This mixed-method pilot study investigates the efficacy of implementing primordial energy activation and transcendence to address public speaking anxiety. Speech anxiety was significantly reduced from pretest to posttest, as measured by the Communication Anxiety Inventory State. Suggestions for future research, limitations of the current study,…

Experimental Studies of the Effect of Intent Information on Cockpit Traffic Displays

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Barhydt, Richard; Hansman, R. John

1997-01-01

Intent information provides knowledge of another aircraft's current and future trajectory states. Prototype traffic displays were designed for four different levels of intent: Position, Rate, Commanded State, and FMS (Flight Management System)-Path. The current TCAS (traffic collision avoidance systems) Display, which shows altitude rate in addition to current position and altitude, was used as a baseline and represents the lowest level of intent. The Rate, Commanded State, and FMS-Path Displays show increasing levels of intent information using TCAS-like symbology in addition to incorporating a conflict probe and profile view display. An initial experiment was run on the MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) Part Task Flight Simulator in which eight airline pilots flew five traffic scenarios with each of the four displays. Results show that pilots had fewer separation violations and maneuvered earlier with the three intent displays. Separation violations were reduced when pilots maneuvered earlier. A second experiment was run to compare performance between displaying intent information directly and incorporating it into a conflict probe. A different set of eight airline pilots flew four traffic scenarios with the TCAS and Commanded State Displays with and without the conflict probe. Conflict probes with two minute and long range look-ahead times were tested. Displaying conflict bands or showing intent information directly both led to fewer separation violations and earlier avoidance maneuvers than the base TCAS Display. Performance was similar between the two minute and long range look-ahead conflict probes. Pilots preferred all intent displays over the TCAS Display.

[Dental caries and early childhood development: a pilot study].

PubMed

Núñez, F Loreto; Sanz, B Javier; Mejía, L Gloria

2015-01-01

To investigate the association between dental caries and early childhood development in 3-year-olds from Talca, Chile. A pilot study with a convenience sample of 3-year-olds from Talca (n = 39) who attend public healthcare centers. Child development was measured by the Psychomotor Development Index (PDI), a screening tool used nationally among pre-school children to assess language development, fine motor skills and coordination areas. Dental caries prevalence was evaluated by decayed, missing, filled teeth (DFMT) and decayed, missing, filled tooth surfaces (DFMS) ceo-d and ceo-s indexes. The children were divided into two groups according to the PDIscore: those with a score of 40 or more were considered developmentally normal (n = 32), and those with a score below 40 were considered as having impaired development (n = 7). The severity of caries (DMFT) was negatively correlated with PDI (r = -0.82), and children with the lowest TEPSI score had the highest DFMT values. The average DMFT in children with normal development was 1.31, and 3.57 for those with impaired development. This pilot study indicates that the severity of dental caries is correlated with early childhood development. Copyright © 2015. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U.

Oral health sentinel-based surveillance: a pilot study on dentinal hypersensitivity pain.

PubMed

Guerra, F; Corridore, D; Cocco, F; Arrica, M; Rinaldo, F; Mazur, M; Sanavia, C; Nardi, G M; Campus, G; Ottolenghi, L

2017-01-01

Aim of the study is to assess the development of a structured sentinel system for oral health data collection at national level. Furthermore, this pilot study aims to investigate the prevalence data on dentinal sensitivity pain collected through a nationwide network of epidemiological sentinels (dental hygienists). Each sentinel was given a specific number of examinees and periodicity of data collection. Overall, 116 adults were recruited from 19 Regions, 42,24% male and 57,76% female, with a mean age of 26. DH result was consistent with literature data, being 45%. All sentinel completed the standard forms and assured a good compliance. The overall good customer satisfaction assures adhesion of the sentinels to the procedure, and the regular data collection. The pilot study proved the effectiveness of a structured nationwide network of epidemiological sentinels (dental hygienists) for oral health data collection at national level. This methodology can be an essential starting point for periodic comparative studies.

Pilot Non-Conformance to Alerting System Commands

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pritchett, Amy R.; Hansman, R. John

1997-01-01

Instances of pilot non-conformance to alerting system commands have been identified in previous studies. Pilot non-conformance changes the final behavior of the system, and therefore may reduce actual performance from that anticipated. A simulator study has examined pilot non-conformance, using the task of collision avoidance during closely spaced parallel approaches as a case study. Consonance between the display and the alerting system was found to significantly improve subject agreement with automatic alerts. Based on these results, a more general discussion of the factors involved in pilot conformance is given, and design guidelines for alerting systems are given.

Digital Family History Data Mining with Neural Networks: A Pilot Study.

PubMed

Hoyt, Robert; Linnville, Steven; Thaler, Stephen; Moore, Jeffrey

2016-01-01

Following the passage of the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) Act of 2009, electronic health records were widely adopted by eligible physicians and hospitals in the United States. Stage 2 meaningful use menu objectives include a digital family history but no stipulation as to how that information should be used. A variety of data mining techniques now exist for these data, which include artificial neural networks (ANNs) for supervised or unsupervised machine learning. In this pilot study, we applied an ANN-based simulation to a previously reported digital family history to mine the database for trends. A graphical user interface was created to display the input of multiple conditions in the parents and output as the likelihood of diabetes, hypertension, and coronary artery disease in male and female offspring. The results of this pilot study show promise in using ANNs to data mine digital family histories for clinical and research purposes.

Field Collection Methods for an EPA Pilot Study Evaluating Personal, Housing, and Community Factors Influencing Children’s Potential Exposures to Indoor Contaminants at Various Lifestages (EPA Pilot Study Add-On to the GreenHousing Study)

EPA Science Inventory

This compilation of field collection standard operating procedures (SOPs) was assembled for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Pilot Study add-on to the Green Housing Study (GHS). A detailed description of this add-on study can be found in the peer reviewed research...

Connecting Primary Health Care: A Comprehensive Pilot Study.

PubMed

Maghsoudloo, Mehran; Abolhassani, Farid; Lotfibakhshaiesh, Nasrin

2016-07-01

The collection of data within the primary health care facilities in Iran is essentially paper-based. It is focused on family's health, monitoring of non-infectious and infectious diseases. Clearly due to the paper-based nature of the tasks, timely decision making at most can be difficult if not impossible. As part of an on-going electronic health record implementation project at Tehran University of Medical Sciences, for the first time in the region, based on a comprehensive pilot project, four urban healthcare facilities are connected to their headquarters and beyond, covering all aspects of primary health care, for the last four years. Without delving into the technical aspects of its software engineering processes, the progress of the implementation is reported, selection of summarized data is presented, and experience gained thus far are discussed. Four years passed and if time is any important reason to go by, then it is safe to accept that the software architecture and electronic health record structural model implemented are robust and yet extensible. Aims and duration of a pilot study should be clearly defined prior to start and managed till its completion. Resistance to change and particularly to information technology, apart from its technical aspects, is also based on human factors.

An EPA Pilot Study Evaluating Personal, Housing, and ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

EPA pilot studyAddresses how young children’s exposures to various indoor pollutants (both chemical and biological agents) change as a result of building renovation-based interventions, potentially affecting their asthma exacerbation and morbidityProvide additional information on chemical exposures and children’s interactions with their environments to enhance ongoing research in the Green Housing Study’s evaluation of green housing and impacts on childhood asthma Invited presentation to the NC Lead and Healthy Homes Task Force Meeting, Wednesday, February 24, 2016, UNC Institute for the Environment, Chapel Hill, NC

Naturalistic Driving Study Investigating Self-Regulation Behavior in Early Alzheimer's Disease: A Pilot Study.

PubMed

Paire-Ficout, Laurence; Lafont, Sylviane; Conte, Fanny; Coquillat, Amandine; Fabrigoule, Colette; Ankri, Joël; Blanc, Frédéric; Gabel, Cécilia; Novella, Jean-Luc; Morrone, Isabella; Mahmoudi, Rachid

2018-05-16

Because cognitive processes decline in the earliest stages of Alzheimer's disease (AD), the driving abilities are often affected. The naturalistic driving approach is relevant to study the driving habits and behaviors in normal or critical situations in a familiar environment of participants. This pilot study analyzed in-car video recordings of naturalistic driving in patients with early-stage AD and in healthy controls, with a special focus on tactical self-regulation behavior. Twenty patients with early-stage AD (Diagnosis and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition [DSM-IV] criteria), and 21 healthy older adults were included in the study. Data collection equipment was installed in their personal vehicles. Two expert psychologists assessed driving performance using a specially designed Naturalistic Driving Assessment Scale (NaDAS), paying particular attention to tactical self-regulation behavior, and they recorded all critical safety events. Poorer driving performance was observed among AD drivers: their tactical self-regulation behavior was of lower quality. AD patients had also twice as many critical events as healthy drivers and three times more "unaware" critical events. This pilot study using a naturalistic approach to accurately show that AD drivers have poorer tactical self-regulation behavior than healthy older drivers. Future deployment of assistance systems in vehicles should specifically target tactical self-regulation components.

Manual flying of curved precision approaches to landing with electromechanical instrumentation. A piloted simulation study

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Knox, Charles E.

1993-01-01

A piloted simulation study was conducted to examine the requirements for using electromechanical flight instrumentation to provide situation information and flight guidance for manually controlled flight along curved precision approach paths to a landing. Six pilots were used as test subjects. The data from these tests indicated that flight director guidance is required for the manually controlled flight of a jet transport airplane on curved approach paths. Acceptable path tracking performance was attained with each of the three situation information algorithms tested. Approach paths with both multiple sequential turns and short final path segments were evaluated. Pilot comments indicated that all the approach paths tested could be used in normal airline operations.

Critical care staff rotation: outcomes of a survey and pilot study.

PubMed

Richardson, Annette; Douglas, Margaret; Shuttler, Rachel; Hagland, Martin R

2003-01-01

Staff rotation is defined as a reciprocal exchange of staff between two or more clinical areas for a predetermined period of time. The rationale for introducing a 'Critical Care Nurse Rotation Programme' includes important issues such as improving nurses' knowledge and skills, providing development opportunities, networking, the ability to recruit and retain nurses and the provision of a more versatile and flexible workforce. To gain the understanding of nurses' views and opinions on critical care rotation programmes, evidence was collected by means of questionnaires involving 153 critical care nurses and by undertaking semi-structured interviews with four nurses. On the basis of the responses, a pilot of three Critical Care Nurse Rotation Programmes was introduced. An evaluation of the pilot project assessed participants, supervisors and senior nurses' experience of rotation and revealed very positive experiences being reported. The benefits highlighted included improving clinical skills and experience, improving interdepartmental relationships, heightened motivation and opportunities to network. The disadvantages focused on the operational and managerial issues, such as difficulties maintaining supervision and providing an adequate supernumerary period. Evidence from the survey and pilot study suggests that in the future, providing rotational programmes for critical care nurses would be a valuable strategy for recruitment, retention and developing the workforce.

Melodic Intonation Therapy in Chronic Aphasia: Evidence from a Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial

PubMed Central

Van Der Meulen, Ineke; Van De Sandt-Koenderman, Mieke W. M. E.; Heijenbrok, Majanka H.; Visch-Brink, Evy; Ribbers, Gerard M.

2016-01-01

Melodic Intonation Therapy (MIT) is a language production therapy for severely non-fluent aphasic patients using melodic intoning and rhythm to restore language. Although many studies have reported its beneficial effects on language production, randomized controlled trials (RCT) examining the efficacy of MIT are rare. In an earlier publication, we presented the results of an RCT on MIT in subacute aphasia and found that MIT was effective on trained and untrained items. Further, we observed a clear trend in improved functional language use after MIT: subacute aphasic patients receiving MIT improved considerably on language tasks measuring connected speech and daily life verbal communication. Here, we present the results of a pilot RCT on MIT in chronic aphasia and compare these to the results observed in subacute aphasia. We used a multicenter waiting-list RCT design. Patients with chronic (>1 year) post-stroke aphasia were randomly allocated to the experimental group (6 weeks MIT) or to the control group (6 weeks no intervention followed by 6 weeks MIT). Assessments were done at baseline (T1), after 6 weeks (T2), and 6 weeks later (T3). Efficacy was evaluated at T2 using univariable linear regression analyses. Outcome measures were chosen to examine several levels of therapy success: improvement on trained items, generalization to untrained items, and generalization to verbal communication. Of 17 included patients, 10 were allocated to the experimental condition and 7 to the control condition. MIT significantly improved repetition of trained items (β = 13.32, p = 0.02). This effect did not remain stable at follow-up assessment. In contrast to earlier studies, we found only a limited and temporary effect of MIT, without generalization to untrained material or to functional communication. The results further suggest that the effect of MIT in chronic aphasia is more restricted than its effect in earlier stages post stroke. This is in line with studies showing larger

Reading-Related Skills in Earlier- and Later-Schooled Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cunningham, Anna J.; Carroll, Julia M.

2011-01-01

We investigate the effects of age-related factors and formal instruction on the development of reading-related skills in children aged 4 and 7 years. Age effects were determined by comparing two groups of children at the onset of formal schooling; one aged 7 (later-schooled) and one aged 4 (earlier-schooled). Schooling effects were measured by…

Mindfulness meditation in older adults with postherpetic neuralgia: a randomized controlled pilot study.

PubMed

Meize-Grochowski, Robin; Shuster, George; Boursaw, Blake; DuVal, Michelle; Murray-Krezan, Cristina; Schrader, Ron; Smith, Bruce W; Herman, Carla J; Prasad, Arti

2015-01-01

This parallel-group, randomized controlled pilot study examined daily meditation in a diverse sample of older adults with postherpetic neuralgia. Block randomization was used to allocate participants to a treatment group (n = 13) or control group (n = 14). In addition to usual care, the treatment group practiced daily meditation for six weeks. All participants completed questionnaires at enrollment in the study, two weeks later, and six weeks after that, at the study's end. Participants recorded daily pain and fatigue levels in a diary, and treatment participants also noted meditation practice. Results at the 0.10 level indicated improvement in neuropathic, affective, and total pain scores for the treatment group, whereas affective pain worsened for the control group. Participants were able to adhere to the daily diary and meditation requirements in this feasibility pilot study. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Group Therapy for Children after Homicide and Violence: A Pilot Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Salloum, Alison

2008-01-01

Objective: This pilot study evaluated a group intervention designed to reduce posttraumatic stress among children after homicide and/or violence. Method: Employing a secondary data analysis of 117 participants in 21 group interventions, pretest and posttest differences in posttraumatic stress levels and between child witnesses and nonwitnesses,…

Maintenance Decision Support System : Pilot Study and Cost-Benefit Analysis (Phase 2)

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2014-07-01

This project focused on several tasks: development of in-vehicle hardware that permits implementation of an MDSS, development of software to collect and process road and weather data, a cost-benefit study, and pilot-scale implementation. Two Automati...

Longitudinal Study of the Health Status of U.S. Navy Combat Pilots.

DTIC Science & Technology

1985-04-01

included such diagnoses as helminthiasis , amoebiasis, avitaminoses, and dermatophytosis. In examining long-term health effects, results of the study of...consisted of ancylostomiasis, other intestinal helminthiasis , intestinal parasitism, and other infective- parasitic disease. These pilots also had higher

Perceptual sensitivity to spectral properties of earlier sounds during speech categorization.

PubMed

Stilp, Christian E; Assgari, Ashley A

2018-02-28

Speech perception is heavily influenced by surrounding sounds. When spectral properties differ between earlier (context) and later (target) sounds, this can produce spectral contrast effects (SCEs) that bias perception of later sounds. For example, when context sounds have more energy in low-F 1 frequency regions, listeners report more high-F 1 responses to a target vowel, and vice versa. SCEs have been reported using various approaches for a wide range of stimuli, but most often, large spectral peaks were added to the context to bias speech categorization. This obscures the lower limit of perceptual sensitivity to spectral properties of earlier sounds, i.e., when SCEs begin to bias speech categorization. Listeners categorized vowels (/ɪ/-/ɛ/, Experiment 1) or consonants (/d/-/g/, Experiment 2) following a context sentence with little spectral amplification (+1 to +4 dB) in frequency regions known to produce SCEs. In both experiments, +3 and +4 dB amplification in key frequency regions of the context produced SCEs, but lesser amplification was insufficient to bias performance. This establishes a lower limit of perceptual sensitivity where spectral differences across sounds can bias subsequent speech categorization. These results are consistent with proposed adaptation-based mechanisms that potentially underlie SCEs in auditory perception. Recent sounds can change what speech sounds we hear later. This can occur when the average frequency composition of earlier sounds differs from that of later sounds, biasing how they are perceived. These "spectral contrast effects" are widely observed when sounds' frequency compositions differ substantially. We reveal the lower limit of these effects, as +3 dB amplification of key frequency regions in earlier sounds was enough to bias categorization of the following vowel or consonant sound. Speech categorization being biased by very small spectral differences across sounds suggests that spectral contrast effects occur

Smoking is associated with earlier time to revision of total knee arthroplasty.

PubMed

Lim, Chin Tat; Goodman, Stuart B; Huddleston, James I; Harris, Alex H S; Bhowmick, Subhrojyoti; Maloney, William J; Amanatullah, Derek F

2017-10-01

Smoking is associated with early postoperative complications, increased length of hospital stay, and an increased risk of revision after total knee arthroplasty (TKA). However, the effect of smoking on time to revision TKA is unknown. A total of 619 primary TKAs referred to an academic tertiary center for revision TKA were retrospectively stratified according to the patient smoking status. Smoking status was then analyzed for associations with time to revision TKA using a Chi square test. The association was also analyzed according to the indication for revision TKA. Smokers (37/41, 90%) have an increased risk of earlier revision for any reason compared to non-smokers (274/357, 77%, p=0.031). Smokers (37/41, 90%) have an increased risk of earlier revision for any reason compared to ex-smokers (168/221, 76%, p=0.028). Subgroup analysis did not reveal a difference in indication for revision TKA (p>0.05). Smokers are at increased risk of earlier revision TKA when compared to non-smokers and ex-smokers. The risk for ex-smokers was similar to that of non-smokers. Smoking appears to have an all-or-none effect on earlier revision TKA as patients who smoked more did not have higher risk of early revision TKA. These results highlight the need for clinicians to urge patients not to begin smoking and encourage smokers to quit smoking prior to primary TKA. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Brief Report: Prevalence of Pervasive Developmental Disorder in Brazil--A Pilot Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Paula, Cristiane S.; Ribeiro, Sabrina H.; Fombonne, Eric; Mercadante, Marcos T.

2011-01-01

This pilot study presents preliminary results concerning the prevalence of Pervasive Developmental Disorder (PDD) in South America. It was a three-phase study conducted in a typical town in Southeast Brazil. Case definition was based in a combination of standardized instruments and clinical evaluations by experts. The prevalence of PDD was…

Voluntariness of consent to HIV clinical research: A conceptual and empirical pilot study.

PubMed

Mamotte, Nicole; Wassenaar, Douglas

2017-09-01

Obtaining voluntary informed consent for research participation is an ethical imperative, yet there appears to be little consensus regarding what constitutes a voluntary consent decision. An instrument to assess influences on participants' consent decision and perceived voluntariness was developed and piloted in two South African HIV clinical trials. The pilot study found high levels of perceived voluntariness. The feeling of having no choice but to participate was significantly associated with lower perceived voluntariness. Overall the data suggest that it is possible to obtain voluntary and valid consent for research participants in ethically complex HIV clinical trials in a developing country context.

PRACA Enhancement Pilot Study Report: Engineering for Complex Systems Program (formerly Design for Safety), DFS-IC-0006

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Korsmeyer, David; Schreiner, John

2002-01-01

This technology evaluation report documents the findings and recommendations of the Engineering for Complex Systems Program (formerly Design for Safety) PRACA Enhancement Pilot Study of the Space Shuttle Program's (SSP's) Problem Reporting and Corrective Action (PRACA) System. A team at NASA Ames Research Center (ARC) performed this Study. This Study was initiated as a follow-on to the NASA chartered Shuttle Independent Assessment Team (SIAT) review (performed in the Fall of 1999) which identified deficiencies in the current PRACA implementation. The Pilot Study was launched with an initial qualitative assessment and technical review performed during January 2000 with the quantitative formal Study (the subject of this report) started in March 2000. The goal of the PRACA Enhancement Pilot Study is to evaluate and quantify the technical aspects of the SSP PRACA systems and recommend enhancements to address deficiencies and in preparation for future system upgrades.

76 FR 63183 - Pilot in Command Proficiency Check and Other Changes to the Pilot and Pilot School Certification...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-10-12

...-0938; Amendment Nos. 61-128, 91-324, 141-15, and 142-7] RIN 2120-AJ18 Pilot in Command Proficiency..., the FAA expanded the obligation for a pilot-in-command (PIC) proficiency check to pilots of all... as follows: Sec. 61.58 Pilot-in-command proficiency check: Operation of aircraft requiring more than...

Predictors of Home Care Expenditures and Death at Home for Cancer Patients in an Integrated Comprehensive Palliative Home Care Pilot Program

PubMed Central

Howell, Doris M.; Abernathy, Tom; Cockerill, Rhonda; Brazil, Kevin; Wagner, Frank; Librach, Larry

2011-01-01

Purpose: Empirical understanding of predictors for home care service use and death at home is important for healthcare planning. Few studies have examined these predictors in the context of the publicly funded Canadian home care system. This study examined predictors for home care use and home death in the context of a “gold standard” comprehensive palliative home care program pilot in Ontario where patients had equal access to home care services. Methods: Secondary clinical and administrative data sources were linked using a unique identifier to examine multivariate factors (predisposing, enabling, need) on total home care expenditures and home death for a cohort of cancer patients enrolled in the HPCNet pilot. Results: Subjects with gastrointestinal symptoms (OR: 1.64; p=0.03) and those with higher income had increased odds of dying at home (OR: 1.14; p<0.001), whereas age, number of GP visits, gastrointestinal symptoms (i.e., nausea, vomiting, bowel obstruction) and eating problems (i.e., anorexia/cachexia) predicted home care expenditures. Conclusions: Predictors of home death found in earlier studies appeared less important in this comprehensive palliative home care pilot. An income effect for home death observed in this study requires examination in future controlled studies. Relevance: Access to palliative home care that is adequately resourced and organized to address the multiple domains of issues that patients/families experience at the end of life has the potential to enable home death and shift care appropriately from limited acute care resources. PMID:22294993

14 CFR 61.113 - Private pilot privileges and limitations: Pilot in command.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

...: Pilot in command. 61.113 Section 61.113 Aeronautics and Space FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION... INSTRUCTORS Private Pilots § 61.113 Private pilot privileges and limitations: Pilot in command. (a) Except as... act as pilot in command of an aircraft that is carrying passengers or property for compensation or...

14 CFR 61.113 - Private pilot privileges and limitations: Pilot in command.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

...: Pilot in command. 61.113 Section 61.113 Aeronautics and Space FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION... INSTRUCTORS Private Pilots § 61.113 Private pilot privileges and limitations: Pilot in command. (a) Except as... act as pilot in command of an aircraft that is carrying passengers or property for compensation or...

14 CFR 61.113 - Private pilot privileges and limitations: Pilot in command.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

...: Pilot in command. 61.113 Section 61.113 Aeronautics and Space FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION... INSTRUCTORS Private Pilots § 61.113 Private pilot privileges and limitations: Pilot in command. (a) Except as... act as pilot in command of an aircraft that is carrying passengers or property for compensation or...

14 CFR 61.113 - Private pilot privileges and limitations: Pilot in command.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

...: Pilot in command. 61.113 Section 61.113 Aeronautics and Space FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION... INSTRUCTORS Private Pilots § 61.113 Private pilot privileges and limitations: Pilot in command. (a) Except as... act as pilot in command of an aircraft that is carrying passengers or property for compensation or...

14 CFR 61.113 - Private pilot privileges and limitations: Pilot in command.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

...: Pilot in command. 61.113 Section 61.113 Aeronautics and Space FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION... INSTRUCTORS Private Pilots § 61.113 Private pilot privileges and limitations: Pilot in command. (a) Except as... act as pilot in command of an aircraft that is carrying passengers or property for compensation or...

Cosmic Radiation and Cataracts in Airline Pilots

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rafnsson, V.; Olafsdottir, E.; Hrafnkelsson, J.; de Angelis, G.; Sasaki, H.; Arnarson, A.; Jonasson, F.

Nuclear cataracts have been associated with ionising radiation exposure in previous studies. A population based case-control study on airline pilots has been performed to investigate whether employment as a commercial pilot and consequent exposure to cosmic radiation were associated to lens opacification, when adjusted for known risk factors for cataracts. Cases of opacification of the ocular lens were found in surveys among pilots and a random sample of the Icelandic population. Altogether 445 male subjects underwent a detailed eye examination and answered a questionnaire. Information from the airline company on the 79 pilots employment time, annual hours flown per aircraft type, the timetables and the flight profiles made calculation of individual cumulated radiation dose (mSv) possible. Lens opacification were classified and graded according to WHO simplified cataracts grading system using slit lamp. The odds ratio from logistic regression of nuclear cataracts risk among cases and controls was 3.02 (95% CI 1.44 to 6.35) for pilots compared with non-pilots, adjusted for age, smoking and sunbathing habits, whereas that of cortical cataracts risk among cases and controls was lower than unity (non significant) for pilots compared with non-pilots in a logistic regression analysis adjusted for same factors. Length of employment as a pilot and cumulated radiation dose (mSv) were significantly related to the risk of nuclear cataracts. So the association between radiation exposure of pilots and the risk of nuclear cataracts, adjusted for age, smoking and sunbathing habits, indicates that cosmic radiation may be cause of nuclear cataract among commercial pilots.

The associations of earlier trauma exposures and history of mental disorders with PTSD after subsequent traumas

PubMed Central

Kessler, Ronald C.; Aguilar-Gaxiola, Sergio; Alonso, Jordi; Bromet, Evelyn J.; Gureje, Oye; Karam, Elie G.; Koenen, Karestan C.; Lee, Sing; Liu, Howard; Pennell, Beth-Ellen; Petukhova, Maria V.; Sampson, Nancy A.; Shahly, Victoria L.; Stein, Dan J.; Atwoli, Lukoye; Borges, Guilherme; Bunting, Brendan; de Girolamo, Giovanni; Gluzman, Semyon; Haro, Josep Maria; Hinkov, Hristo; Kawakami, Norito; Kovess-Masfety, Viviane; Navarro-Mateu, Fernando; Posada-Villa, Jose; Scott, Kate M.; Shalev, Arieh Y.; Have, Margreet ten; Torres, Yolanda; Viana, Maria Carmen; Zaslavsky, Alan M.

2017-01-01

Although earlier trauma exposure is known to predict post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) after subsequent traumas, it is unclear if this association is limited to cases where the earlier trauma led to PTSD. Resolution of this uncertainty has important implications for research on pre-trauma vulnerability to PTSD. We examined this issue in the WHO World Mental Health (WMH) Surveys with 34,676 respondents who reported lifetime trauma exposure. One lifetime trauma was selected randomly for each respondent. DSM-IV PTSD due to that trauma was assessed. We reported in a previous paper that four earlier traumas involving interpersonal violence significantly predicted PTSD after subsequent random traumas (OR=1.3–2.5). We also assessed 14 lifetime DSM-IV mood, anxiety, disruptive behavior, and substance disorders prior to random traumas. We show in the current report that only prior anxiety disorders significantly predicted PTSD in a multivariate model (OR=1.5–4.3) and that these disorders interacted significantly with three of the earlier traumas (witnessing atrocities, physical violence victimization, rape). History of witnessing atrocities significantly predicted PTSD after subsequent random traumas only among respondents with prior PTSD (OR=5.6). Histories of physical violence victimization (OR=1.5) and rape after age 17 (OR=17.6) significantly predicted only among respondents with no history of prior anxiety disorders. Although only preliminary due to reliance on retrospective reports, these results suggest that history of anxiety disorders and history of a limited number of earlier traumas might usefully be targeted in future prospective studies as distinct foci of research on individual differences in vulnerability to PTSD after subsequent traumas. PMID:28924183

Social Studies Innovations 1968-1969; A Report of the Social Studies Pilots of the SPEEDIER Project.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Myers, Charles B.

Five pilot programs were selected as vehicles to introduce new social studies curriculum ideas into the 52 school systems served by the project. The objectives of this ESEA Title III project were: 1) to improve social studies instruction and teacher classroom behavior; 2) to increase local educator understanding of the new curriculum; 3) to…

Floodplains within reservoirs promote earlier spawning of white crappies Pomoxis annularis

USGS Publications Warehouse

Miranda, Leandro E.; Dagel, Jonah D.; Kaczka, Levi J.; Mower, Ethan; Wigen, S. L.

2015-01-01

Reservoirs impounded over floodplain rivers are unique because they may include within their upper reaches extensive shallow water stored over preexistent floodplains. Because of their relatively flat topography and riverine origin, floodplains in the upper reaches of reservoirs provide broad expanses of vegetation within a narrow range of reservoir water levels. Elsewhere in the reservoir, topography creates a band of shallow water along the contour of the reservoir where vegetation often does not grow. Thus, as water levels rise, floodplains may be the first vegetated habitats inundated within the reservoir. We hypothesized that shallow water in reservoir floodplains would attract spawning white crappies Pomoxis annularis earlier than reservoir embayments. Crappie relative abundance over five years in floodplains and embayments of four reservoirs increased as spawning season approached, peaked, and decreased as fish exited shallow water. Relative abundance peaked earlier in floodplains than embayments, and the difference was magnified with higher water levels. Early access to suitable spawning habitat promotes earlier spawning and may increase population fitness. Recognition of the importance of reservoir floodplains, an understanding of how reservoir water levels can be managed to provide timely connectivity to floodplains, and conservation of reservoir floodplains may be focal points of environmental management in reservoirs.

Self-regulation workshop and Occupational Performance Coaching with teachers: A pilot study.

PubMed

Hui, Caroline; Snider, Laurie; Couture, Mélanie

2016-04-01

Teachers' occupational role and performance can be undermined when working with students with disruptive classroom behaviours. This pilot study aimed to explore the impact of school-based occupational therapy intervention on teachers' classroom management self-efficacy and perceived performance/satisfaction in their management of students with disruptive behaviours. This pilot study used a multiple-case replication study design. A cohort of regular classroom elementary school teachers (n = 11) participated in a 1-day workshop on sensorimotor strategies for supporting student self-regulation followed by eight individual sessions of Occupational Performance Coaching (OPC). Measurement tools were the Canadian Occupational Performance Measure, Goal Attainment Scaling (GAS), and Teachers' Self-Efficacy Scale-Classroom Management. Improvement in teachers' perception of performance, satisfaction, and classroom management was seen. GAS showed clinically significant improvement. Improvements were sustained at 7 weeks follow-up. Preliminary results support the use of sensorimotor education combined with OPC to enable teachers' occupational performance. © CAOT 2016.

Using "Swivl" Robotic Technology in Teacher Education Preparation: A Pilot Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Franklin, Robin Kesterson; O'Neill Mitchell, Justin; Walters, Kari Siko; Livingston, Beth; Lineberger, Matthew Blake; Putman, Cynthia; Yarborough, Reba; Karges-Bone, Linda

2018-01-01

Based on requirements to promote for reflective practice, both CAEP and edTPA suggest adding a video component to clinical practice. This qualitative pilot study evaluated "Swivl" as that potential recording technological device for clinical practice. During a clinical practice cycle at a private university in the southeastern region of…

Lecturer Perspectives on Dyslexia within One Greek University: A Pilot Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stampoltzis, Aglaia; Tsitsou, Elisavet; Plesti, Helen; Kalouri, Rani

2015-01-01

Introduction: Dyslexia is a learning difficulty which affects people in different ways. During the last decades the number of students with dyslexia entering higher education increased steadily. Method: This paper reports a pilot study exploring the attitudes, views and experiences of faculty members at one small size Greek university regarding…

Findings from a Pilot Study into Student Retention beyond Year 10

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cranston, Neil; Allen, Jeanne Maree; Watson, Jane; Hay, Ian; Beswick, Kim

2012-01-01

This paper reports on early findings from a pilot study into student retention beyond Year 10. Located in rural, regional and disadvantaged communities in Tasmania, the research has implications at State, national and international levels. It is being funded by a nationally competitive Australian Research Council Linkage grant and the Tasmanian…

Improving Understanding about Tanning Behaviors in College Students: A Pilot Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Basch, Corey Hannah; Hillyer, Grace Clarke; Basch, Charles E.; Neugut, Alfred I.

2012-01-01

Objective: Melanoma is the second most common cancer diagnosed among 15- to 29-year-olds. This pilot study assessed behaviors, barriers, and beliefs relevant to sun exposure and protective behaviors. Participants: The sample comprised 153 undergraduate students at a large state university in western New York. Methods: Participants completed an…

A chiropractic service arrangement for musculoskeletal complaints in industry: a pilot study.

PubMed

Jay, T C; Jones, S L; Coe, N; Breen, A C

1998-09-01

Chiropractic services are commonly used by workers with musculoskeletal problems, especially low back and neck complaints. Research into the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of this approach is, however, difficult to design without prior pilot studies. This study followed 32 workers with these complaints attending one such service and used five measures of outcome over a 6-month period. These measured pain (VAS), disability (FLP), quality of life (SF-36), perceived benefit and satisfaction with care. Additionally, sickness costs to the companies were recorded over two years encompassing the study period. Treatment utilization was also monitored. Over half the population were chronic sufferers. The effect sizes were large for pain and for seven out of eight dimensions of the SF-36 questionnaire at 6-month follow-up, although not for disability (FLP). High levels of satisfaction and perceived improvement were reported and sickness costs to the companies fell. However, the sample size in this pilot study was small and did not include controls. We would, therefore, recommend a full cost-effectiveness study incorporating a randomized trial in this area.

View northeast, wharf A, portion AA, details showing earlier piers ...

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

View northeast, wharf A, portion AA, details showing earlier piers and braces sloping toward water, reused charred plates for existing decking - U.S. Coast Guard Sandy Hook Station, Western Docking Structure, West of intersection of Canfield Road & Hartshorne Drive, Highlands, Monmouth County, NJ

A Pilot Opinion Study of Lateral Control Requirements for Fighter-Type Aircraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Creer, Brent Y.; Stewart, John D.; Merrick, Robert B.; Drinkwater, Fred J., III

1959-01-01

As part of a continuing NASA program of research on airplane handling qualities, a pilot opinion investigation has been made on the lateral control requirements of fighter aircraft flying in their combat speed range. The investigation was carried out using a stationary flight simulator and a moving flight simulator, and the flight simulator results were supplemented by research tests in actual flight. The flight simulator study was based on the presumption that the pilot rates the roll control of an airplane primarily on a single-degree-of-freedom basis; that is, control of angle of roll about the aircraft body axis being of first importance. From the assumption of a single degree of freedom system it follows that there are two fundamental parameters which govern the airplane roll response, namely the roll damping expressed as a time constant and roll control power in terms of roll acceleration. The simulator study resulted in a criterion in terms of these two parameters which defines satisfactory, unsatisfactory, and unacceptable roll performance from a pilot opinion standpoint. The moving simulator results were substantiated by the in-flight investigation. The derived criterion was compared with the roll performance criterion based upon wing tip helix angle and also with other roll performance concepts which currently influence the roll performance design of military fighter aircraft flying in their combat speed range.

Variations in a university subject pool as a function of earlier or later participation and self-report: a replication and extension.

PubMed

Bernard, Larry C; Walsh, R Patricia

2002-10-01

The present study replicated and extended earlier research on temporal sampling effects in university subject pools. Data were obtained from 236 participants, 79 men and 157 women, in a university subject pool during a 15-wk. semester. Without knowing the purpose of the study, participants self-selected to participate earlier (Weeks 4 and 5; n = 105) or later (Weeks 14 and 15; n = 131). Three hypotheses were investigated: (1) that the personality patterns of earlier and later participants on the NEO Personality Inventory-Revised and the Personality Research Form differ significantly, with earlier participants scoring higher on the latter scales reflecting social responsibility and higher on former Conscientiousness and Neuroticism scales; (2) that there are similar significant differences between participants in the earlier and later groups compared to the male and female college normative samples for the two tests: and (3) that earlier participants will have higher actual Scholastic Assessment Test scores and Grade Point Averages. Also investigated was whether participants' foreknowledge that their actual Scholastic Assessment Test scores and Grade Point Averages would be obtained would affect their accuracy of self-report. In contrast to prior research, neither the first nor second hypothesis was supported by the current study; there do not appear to be consistent differences on personality variables. However, the third hypothesis was supported. Earlier participants had higher actual high school Grade Point Average, college Grade Point Average, and Scholastic Assessment Test Verbal scores. Foreknowledge that actual Scholastic Assessment Test scores and Grade Point Averages would be obtained did not affect the accuracy of self-report. In addition, later participants significantly over-reported their scores, and significantly more women than men and more first-year than senior-year subjects participated in the early group.

A Pilot Study Evaluating the Feasibility of Psychological First Aid for Nursing Home Residents.

PubMed

Brown, Lisa M; Bruce, Martha L; Hyer, Kathryn; Mills, Whitney L; Vongxaiburana, Elizabeth; Polivka-West, Lumarie

2009-07-01

OBJECTIVES: The objectives of the pilot study were to modify existing psychological first aid (PFA) materials so they would be appropriate for use with institutionalized elders, evaluate the feasibility of using nursing home staff to deliver the intervention to residents, and solicit feedback from residents about the intervention. The STORM Study, an acronym for "services for treating older residents' mental health", is the first step in the development of an evidence-based disaster mental health intervention for this vulnerable and underserved population. METHOD: Demographic characteristics were collected on participating residents and staff. Program evaluation forms were completed by staff participants during the pilot test and nurse training session. Staff and resident discussion groups were conducted during the pilot test to collect qualitative data on the use of PFA in nursing homes. RESULTS: Results demonstrate the feasibility of the PFA program to train staff to provide residents with PFA during disasters. CONCLUSIONS: Future research should focus on whether PFA improves coping and reduces stress in disaster exposed nursing home residents.

SUPERFUND TREATABILITY CLEARINGHOUSE: FINAL REPORT: SOIL TREATMENT PILOT STUDY BRIO/DOP SITE

EPA Science Inventory

Bench and pilot-scale studies were conducted to demonstrate the feasibility of using solid-phase biodegradation for destroying portions of organic constituents present in the soil. The predominant constituents at the BRIO DOP site located in Texas were volatile compounds such...

What Do Children Know? Comparative Education Review. International Studies on Educational Achievement. Vol. 18, No. 2.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Postlethwaite, T. Neville, Ed.

1974-01-01

This issue of the Comparative Education Review focuses on analysis of data gathered by 19 countries participating in a six-subject survey conducted by the International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement (IEA). The purpose of this and earlier IEA research (a pilot study and a mathematics study undertaken on the basis of the…

Earlier Parental Set Bedtimes as a Protective Factor Against Depression and Suicidal Ideation

PubMed Central

Gangwisch, James E.; Babiss, Lindsay A.; Malaspina, Dolores; Turner, J. Blake; Zammit, Gary K.; Posner, Kelly

2010-01-01

Study Objectives: To examine the relationships between parental set bedtimes, sleep duration, and depression as a quasi-experiment to explore the potentially bidirectional relationship between short sleep duration and depression. Short sleep duration has been shown to precede depression, but this could be explained as a prodromal symptom of depression. Depression in an adolescent can affect his/her chosen bedtime, but it is less likely to affect a parent's chosen set bedtime which can establish a relatively stable upper limit that can directly affect sleep duration. Design: Multivariate cross-sectional analyses of the ADD Health using logistic regression. Setting: United States nationally representative, school-based, probability-based sample in 1994-96. Participants: Adolescents (n = 15,659) in grades 7 to 12. Measurements and Results: Adolescents with parental set bedtimes of midnight or later were 24% more likely to suffer from depression (OR = 1.24, 95% CI 1.04-1.49) and 20% more likely to have suicidal ideation (1.20, 1.01-1.41) than adolescents with parental set bedtimes of 10:00 PM or earlier, after controlling for covariates. Consistent with sleep duration and perception of getting enough sleep acting as mediators, the inclusion of these variables in the multivariate models appreciably attenuated the associations for depression (1.07, 0.88-1.30) and suicidal ideation (1.09, 0.92-1.29). Conclusions: The results from this study provide new evidence to strengthen the argument that short sleep duration could play a role in the etiology of depression. Earlier parental set bedtimes could therefore be protective against adolescent depression and suicidal ideation by lengthening sleep duration. Citation: Gangwisch JE; Babiss LA; Malaspina D; Turner JB; Zammit GK; Posner K. Earlier parental set bedtimes as a protective factor against depression and suicidal ideation. SLEEP 2010;33(1):97-106. PMID:20120626

Retrospective study of reasons for improved survival in patients with breast cancer in east Anglia: earlier diagnosis or better treatment.

PubMed Central

Stockton, D.; Davies, T.; Day, N.; McCann, J.

1997-01-01

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the recent fall in mortality from breast cancer in England and Wales, and to determine the relative contributions of improvements in treatment and earlier detection of tumours. DESIGN: Retrospective study of all women with breast cancer registered by the East Anglian cancer registry and diagnosed between 1982 and 1989. SUBJECTS: 3965 patients diagnosed 1982-5 compared with 4665 patients diagnosed 1986-9, in three age groups 0-49, 50-64, > or = 65 years, with information on stage at diagnosis and survival. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Three year relative survival rates by time period, age group, and stage; relative hazard ratios for each time period and age group derived from Cox's proportional hazards model, adjusted for single year of age and stage. RESULTS: Survival improved in the later time period, although there was little stage specific improvement. The proportion of early stage tumours increased especially in the 50-64 year age group, and adjustment for stage accounted for over half of the improvement in survival in women aged under 65 years. CONCLUSION: Over half of the drop in mortality in women aged under 65 years seems to be attributable to earlier detection of tumours, which has been observed since the mid-1980s. This could have resulted from an increase in breast awareness predating the start of the breast screening programme. PMID:9056796

Career Development Interventions and Academic Self-Efficacy and Motivation: A Pilot Study.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dykeman, Cass; Wood, Chris; Ingram, Michael; Herr, Edwin L.

The impact of career development interventions on career and technical education (CTE) students' academic self-efficacy and motivation was explored in a pilot study that elicited responses from 293 students at 20 high schools across the United States. The study included a literature review, survey of high school seniors that examined 44…

Alcohol rehabilitation of airline pilots.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1985-10-01

This study involves a survey of medical records for over 500 airline pilots who have been medically certified by the FAA after a diagnosis of alcoholism. The program demonstrates an 85% rate of success since 1976. If a pilot experiences a relapse, he...

Analysis of Fractured Teeth Utilizing Digital Microscopy: A Pilot Study

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-06-01

ANALYSIS OF FRACTURED TEETH UTILIZING DIGITAL MICROSCOPY: A PILOT STUDY by Thomas Gene Cooper, D.M.D., M.P.H. Lieutenant Commander, Dental Corps...United States Navy A thesis submitted to the Faculty of the Endodontic Graduate Program Naval Postgraduate Dental School Uniformed Services...Postgraduate Dental School Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences Bethesda, Maryland CERTIFICATE OF APPROVAL MASTER’S THESIS This is to

Combining simulated patients and simulators: pilot study of hybrid simulation in teaching cardiac auscultation.

PubMed

Friederichs, Hendrik; Weissenstein, Anne; Ligges, Sandra; Möller, David; Becker, Jan C; Marschall, Bernhard

2014-12-01

Auscultation torsos are widely used to teach position-dependent heart sounds and murmurs. To provide a more realistic teaching experience, both whole body auscultation mannequins and torsos have been used in clinical examination skills training at the Medical Faculty of the University of Muenster since the winter term of 2008-2009. This training has since been extended by simulated patients, which are normal, healthy subjects who have undergone attachment of the electronic components of the auscultation mannequins to their chests to mimic pathophysiological conditions ("hybrid models"). The acceptance of this new learning method was examined in the present pilot study. In total, 143 students in their second preclinical year who were participating in auscultation training were randomized into an intervention group (hybrid models) and a control group (auscultation mannequins). One hundred forty-two (99.3%) of these students completed a self-assessment Likert-scale questionnaire regarding different teaching approaches (where 1 = "very poor" to 100 = "very good"). The questionnaire focused on the "value of learning" of different teaching approaches. Direct comparison showed that students evaluated the hybrid models to be significantly more effective than the auscultation mannequins (median: 83 vs. 64, P < 0.001). The cardiac auscultation training was generally assessed positively (median: 88). Additionally, verbal feedback was obtained from simulated patients and tutors (trained students who had successfully passed the course a few semesters earlier). Personal feedback showed high satisfaction from student tutors and simulated patients. Hybrid simulators for teaching cardiac auscultation elucidated positive responses from students, tutors, and simulated patients. Copyright © 2014 The American Physiological Society.

How automatic is the hand's automatic pilot? Evidence from dual-task studies.

PubMed

McIntosh, Robert D; Mulroue, Amy; Brockmole, James R

2010-10-01

The ability to correct reaching movements for changes in target position has been described as the hand's 'automatic pilot'. These corrections are preconscious and occur by default in double-step reaching tasks, even if the goal is to react to the target jump in some other way, for instance by stopping the movement (STOP instruction). Nonetheless, corrections are strongly modulated by conscious intention: participants make more corrections when asked to follow the target (GO instruction) and can suppress them when explicitly asked not to follow the target (NOGO instruction). We studied the influence of a cognitively demanding (auditory 1-back) task upon correction behaviour under GO, STOP and NOGO instructions. Correction rates under the STOP instruction were unaffected by cognitive load, consistent with the assumption that they reflect the default behaviour of the automatic pilot. Correction rates under the GO instruction were also unaffected, suggesting that minimal cognitive resources are required to enhance online correction. By contrast, cognitive load impeded the ability to suppress online corrections under the NOGO instruction. These data reveal a constitutional bias in the automatic pilot system: intentional suppression of the default correction behaviour is cognitively demanding, but enhancement towards greater responsiveness is seemingly effortless.

Exploring the Utility of Workload Models in Academe: A Pilot Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Boyd, Leanne

2014-01-01

The workload of academics in Australia is increasing. Among the potential ramifications of this are work-related stress and burnout. Unions have negotiated workload models in employment agreements as a means of distributing workload in a fair and transparent manner. This qualitative pilot study aimed to explore how academics perceive their current…

How Newspaper Advertising Sales Managers Spend Their Time: A Pilot Study.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hudson, Jerry C.; Saathoff, Roger C.

A pilot study examined how newspaper advertising sales managers in five southwestern states spend their time during a typical work day. Of the 360 questionnaires mailed, 176 responses were received. The largest number of responses (93) came from retail sales managers of newspapers in markets with less than 50,000 population. The questionnaire…

Binary constructs of forensic psychiatric nursing: a pilot study.

PubMed

Mason, T; Dulson, J; King, L

2009-03-01

The aim was to develop an Information Gathering Schedule (IGS) relevant to forensic psychiatric nursing in order to establish the perceived differences in the three levels of security, high, medium and low. Perceived differences in the role constructs of forensic psychiatric nursing is said to exist but the evidence is qualitative or anecdotal. This paper sets out a pilot study beginning in 2004 relating to the development of two rating scales for inclusion into an IGS to acquire data on the role constructs of nurses working in these environments. Following a thematic analysis from the literature two sets of binary frameworks were constructed and a number of questions/statements relating to them were tested. The Thurstone Scaling test was applied to compute medians resulting in a reduction to 48 and 20 items for each respective framework. Two 7-point Likert scales were constructed and test-retest procedures were applied on a sample population of forensic psychiatric nurses. Student's t-test was conducted on the data and the results suggest that the IGS is now suitable for application on a larger study. The IGS was piloted on a small sample of forensic psychiatric nurses. The two scales were validated to coefficient values ranging from 0.7 to 0.9. Amendments were made and the IGS was considered acceptable.

HL-10 pilots assist with pilot entry into lifting body

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1969-01-01

Not every moment of a test pilot's day is serious business. In a moment of levity, NASA pilots Bill Dana (left) and John A. Manke try to drag Air Force test pilot Peter Hoag away from the HL-10 lifting body while Air Force Major Jerauld R. Gentry helps from the cockpit. These four men were the principal pilots for the HL-10 program. This was not the only prank involving the HL-10 and its pilots. Once 'Captain Midnight' (Gentry) and the 'Midnight skulkers' sneaked into the NASA hangar and put 'U.S. Air Force' on the aircraft using stick-on letters. Later, while Gentry was making a lifting-body flight, his 1954 Ford was 'borrowed' from the parking lot, painted with yellow-green zinc-chromate primer, and decorated with large stick-on flowers about one foot in diameter. After Gentry returned from the flight, he was surprised to see what had happened to his car. The HL-10 was one of five heavyweight lifting-body designs flown at NASA's Flight Research Center (FRC--later Dryden Flight Research Center), Edwards, California, from July 1966 to November 1975 to study and validate the concept of safely maneuvering and landing a low lift-over-drag vehicle designed for reentry from space. Northrop Corporation built the HL-10 and M2-F2, the first two of the fleet of 'heavy' lifting bodies flown by the NASA Flight Research Center. The contract for construction of the HL-10 and the M2-F2 was $1.8 million. 'HL' stands for horizontal landing, and '10' refers to the tenth design studied by engineers at NASA's Langley Research Center, Hampton, Va. After delivery to NASA in January 1966, the HL-10 made its first flight on Dec. 22, 1966, with research pilot Bruce Peterson in the cockpit. Although an XLR-11 rocket engine was installed in the vehicle, the first 11 drop flights from the B-52 launch aircraft were powerless glide flights to assess handling qualities, stability, and control. In the end, the HL-10 was judged to be the best handling of the three original heavy-weight lifting

Association between plasma endocannabinoids and appetite in hemodialysis patients: a pilot study

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Weight loss is a well-recognized complication in subjects undergoing hemodialysis for impaired kidney function. This pilot study explored whether plasma levels of compounds known to mediate appetite, the endocannabinoids (EC) and EC-like compounds derived from polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), ar...

PILOT-SCALE STUDIES ON THE EFFECT OF BROMINE ADDITION ON THE EMISSIONS OF CHLORINATED ORGANIC COMBUSTION BY-PRODUCTS

EPA Science Inventory

The paper reports on a study to evaluate organic combustion by-product emissions while feeding varying amounts of bromine (Br) and chlorine (Cl) into a pilot-scale incinerator burning surrogate waste materials. (NOTE: Adding brominated organic compounds to a pilot-scale incinerat...

Effects of sculpture based art therapy in dementia patients-A pilot study.

PubMed

Seifert, Kathrin; Spottke, Annika; Fliessbach, Klaus

2017-11-01

Art and art therapy open up interesting possibilities for dementia patients. However, it has not been evaluated scientifically so far, whether the art of sculpting has any benefits. In this non-randomized pilot study with twelve participants, we investigated the feasibility and acceptance of sculptural activity in patients with dementia and the effects on their well-being. A questionnaire was custom-designed to investigate five key aspects of well-being: mental state and concentration, corporeal memory, self-reliance, self-esteem and physicality. Remarkable improvements were seen in several subscales in the sculptural activity group, but not the control group: Mental state and concentration (nine of thirteen key aspects), self-reliance (four of five), self-esteem (one of one) and physicality (two of two). The results of this pilot study indicate the multidimensional effects of sculptural activity on patients living with dementia. The field would benefit greatly from further research.

Understanding Teachers' Pedagogical Knowledge: Report on an International Pilot Study. OECD Education Working Papers, No. 159

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sonmark, Kristina; Révai, Nóra; Gottschalk, Francesca; Deligiannidi, Karolina; Burns, Tracey

2017-01-01

What is the nature of teachers' pedagogical knowledge? The Innovative Teaching for Effective Learning Teacher Knowledge Survey (ITEL TKS) set out to answer this question in a pilot study that ran in five countries: Estonia, Greece, Hungary Israel, and the Slovak Republic. Using convenience samples, the pilot assessed the pedagogical knowledge base…

UV disinfection pilot plant study at the Savannah River Site

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

Huffines, R.L.; Beavers, B.A.

1993-05-01

An ultraviolet light disinfection system pilot plant was operated at the Savannah River Site Central Shops sanitary wastewater treatment package plant July 14, 1992 through August 13, 1992. The purpose was to determine the effectiveness of ultraviolet light disinfection on the effluent from the small package-type wastewater treatment plants currently used on-site. This pilot plant consisted of a rack of UV lights suspended in a stainless steel channel through which a sidestream of effluent from the treatment plant clarifier was pumped. Fecal coliform analyses were performed on the influent to and effluent from the pilot unit to verify the disinfectionmore » process. UV disinfection was highly effective in reducing fecal coliform colonies within NPDES permit limitations even under process upset conditions. The average fecal coliform reduction exceeded 99.7% using ultraviolet light disinfection under normal operating conditions at the package treatment plants.« less

UV disinfection pilot plant study at the Savannah River Site

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

Huffines, R.L.; Beavers, B.A.

1993-01-01

An ultraviolet light disinfection system pilot plant was operated at the Savannah River Site Central Shops sanitary wastewater treatment package plant July 14, 1992 through August 13, 1992. The purpose was to determine the effectiveness of ultraviolet light disinfection on the effluent from the small package-type wastewater treatment plants currently used on-site. This pilot plant consisted of a rack of UV lights suspended in a stainless steel channel through which a sidestream of effluent from the treatment plant clarifier was pumped. Fecal coliform analyses were performed on the influent to and effluent from the pilot unit to verify the disinfectionmore » process. UV disinfection was highly effective in reducing fecal coliform colonies within NPDES permit limitations even under process upset conditions. The average fecal coliform reduction exceeded 99.7% using ultraviolet light disinfection under normal operating conditions at the package treatment plants.« less

Earlier versus later continuous Kangaroo Mother Care (KMC) for stable low-birth-weight infants: a randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Nagai, S; Andrianarimanana, D; Rabesandratana, N; Yonemoto, N; Nakayama, T; Mori, R

2010-06-01

The aim of this study was to examine the effectiveness of earlier continuous Kangaroo Mother Care (KMC) for relatively stable low-birth-weight (LBW) infants in a resource-limited country. A randomized controlled trial was performed in LBW infants at a referral hospital in Madagascar. Earlier continuous KMC (intervention) was begun as soon as possible, within 24 h postbirth, and later continuous KMC (control: conventional care) was begun after complete stabilization (generally after 24 h postbirth). Main outcome measure was mortality during the first 28 days postbirth. This trial was registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT00531492. A total of 73 infants (intervention 37, control 36) were included. Earlier continuous KMC had higher but no statistically different mortality in the first 28 days postbirth (1 vs. 2; risk ratio, 1.95; 95% CIs, 0.18-20.53; p = 1.00). There were no differences in incidence of morbidities. Body weight loss from birth to 24 h postbirth was significantly less in earlier KMC infants compared with later KMC infants. (-34.81 g vs. -73.97 g; mean difference, 39.16 g; 95% CIs, 10.30-68.03; p = 0.01; adjusted p = 0.02). Adverse events and duration of hospitalization were not different between the two groups. Further evaluations of earlier continuous KMC including measurement of KMC dose, are needed in resource-limited countries.

77 FR 12312 - Electronic Submission of Nonclinical Study Data; Notice of Pilot Project

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-02-29

...] Electronic Submission of Nonclinical Study Data; Notice of Pilot Project AGENCY: Food and Drug Administration... the electronic submission of nonclinical study data using the Standard for Exchange of Nonclinical Data (SEND), a new electronic data standard format, which can be used to support review activity...

Pilot Comments From the Boeing High Speed Research Aircraft, Cycle 3, Simulation Study of the Effects of Aeroservoelasticity (LaRC.3)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bailey, Melvin L. (Editor)

2000-01-01

This is a compilation of pilot comments from the Boeing High Speed Research Aircraft, Cycle 3, simulation study (LaRC.3) of the effects of aeroservoelasticity, conducted from October to December 1997 at NASA Langley Research Center. This simulation study was conducted using the Visual Motion Simulator. The comments are from direct tape transcriptions and have been edited for spelling only. These comments were made on tape following the completion of each flight card, immediately after the pilot was satisfied with his practice and data recording runs. Six pilots were used in the evaluation and they are identified as pilots A through F.

Spatial displays as a means to increase pilot situational awareness

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fadden, Delmar M.; Braune, Rolf; Wiedemann, John

1989-01-01

Experiences raise a number of concerns for future spatial-display developers. While the promise of spatial displays is great, the cost of their development will be correspondingly large. The knowledge and skills which must be coordinated to ensure successful results is unprecedent. From the viewpoint of the designer, basic knowledge of how human beings perceive and process complex displays appears fragmented and largely unquantified. Methodologies for display development require prototyping and testing with subject pilots for even small changes. Useful characterizations of the range of differences between individual users is nonexistent or at best poorly understood. The nature, significance, and frequency of interpretation errors associated with complex integrated displays is unexplored and undocumented territory. Graphic displays have intuitive appeal and can achieve face validity much more readily than earlier symbolic displays. The risk of misleading the pilot is correspondingly greater. Thus while some in the research community are developing the tools and techniques necessary for effective spatial-display development, potential users must be educated about the issues so that informed choices can be made. The scope of the task facing all is great. The task is challenging and the potential for meaningful contributions at all levels is high indeed.

Study of Synthetic Vision Systems (SVS) and Velocity-vector Based Command Augmentation System (V-CAS) on Pilot Performance

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Liu, Dahai; Goodrich, Ken; Peak, Bob

2006-01-01

This study investigated the effects of synthetic vision system (SVS) concepts and advanced flight controls on single pilot performance (SPP). Specifically, we evaluated the benefits and interactions of two levels of terrain portrayal, guidance symbology, and control-system response type on SPP in the context of lower-landing minima (LLM) approaches. Performance measures consisted of flight technical error (FTE) and pilot perceived workload. In this study, pilot rating, control type, and guidance symbology were not found to significantly affect FTE or workload. It is likely that transfer from prior experience, limited scope of the evaluation task, specific implementation limitations, and limited sample size were major factors in obtaining these results.

The associations of earlier trauma exposures and history of mental disorders with PTSD after subsequent traumas.

PubMed

Kessler, R C; Aguilar-Gaxiola, S; Alonso, J; Bromet, E J; Gureje, O; Karam, E G; Koenen, K C; Lee, S; Liu, H; Pennell, B-E; Petukhova, M V; Sampson, N A; Shahly, V; Stein, D J; Atwoli, L; Borges, G; Bunting, B; de Girolamo, G; Gluzman, S F; Haro, J M; Hinkov, H; Kawakami, N; Kovess-Masfety, V; Navarro-Mateu, F; Posada-Villa, J; Scott, K M; Shalev, A Y; Ten Have, M; Torres, Y; Viana, M C; Zaslavsky, A M

2017-09-19

Although earlier trauma exposure is known to predict posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) after subsequent traumas, it is unclear whether this association is limited to cases where the earlier trauma led to PTSD. Resolution of this uncertainty has important implications for research on pretrauma vulnerability to PTSD. We examined this issue in the World Health Organization (WHO) World Mental Health (WMH) Surveys with 34 676 respondents who reported lifetime trauma exposure. One lifetime trauma was selected randomly for each respondent. DSM-IV (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th Edition) PTSD due to that trauma was assessed. We reported in a previous paper that four earlier traumas involving interpersonal violence significantly predicted PTSD after subsequent random traumas (odds ratio (OR)=1.3-2.5). We also assessed 14 lifetime DSM-IV mood, anxiety, disruptive behavior and substance disorders before random traumas. We show in the current report that only prior anxiety disorders significantly predicted PTSD in a multivariate model (OR=1.5-4.3) and that these disorders interacted significantly with three of the earlier traumas (witnessing atrocities, physical violence victimization and rape). History of witnessing atrocities significantly predicted PTSD after subsequent random traumas only among respondents with prior PTSD (OR=5.6). Histories of physical violence victimization (OR=1.5) and rape after age 17 years (OR=17.6) significantly predicted only among respondents with no history of prior anxiety disorders. Although only preliminary due to reliance on retrospective reports, these results suggest that history of anxiety disorders and history of a limited number of earlier traumas might usefully be targeted in future prospective studies as distinct foci of research on individual differences in vulnerability to PTSD after subsequent traumas.Molecular Psychiatry advance online publication, 19 September 2017; doi:10.1038/mp.2017.194.

76 FR 19267 - Pilot, Flight Instructor, and Pilot School Certification; Technical Amendment

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-04-07

.... No. 61-127] RIN 2120-AI86 Pilot, Flight Instructor, and Pilot School Certification; Technical... for pilots, flight instructors, ground instructors, and pilot schools. This document reinstates two... Aviation and Commercial Division, Flight Standards Service, Federal Aviation Administration, 800...

AAC Modeling with the iPad during Shared Storybook Reading Pilot Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sennott, Samuel C.; Mason, Linda H.

2016-01-01

This pilot study describes an intervention package, MODELER for Read and Talk, designed to provide enriched language interaction for children with complex communication needs who require augmentative and alternative communication (AAC). MODELER (Model, Encourage, Respond) includes (a) modeling AAC as you speak, (b) encouraging communication…

A Pilot Study of a Pictorial Bilingual Nutrition Education Game to Improve the Consumption of Healthful Foods in a Head Start Population

PubMed Central

Piziak, Veronica

2012-01-01

The prevalence of early childhood obesity has increased dramatically particularly among the Mexican American population. Obesity leads to earlier onset of related diseases such as type 2 diabetes. The Head Start population of Texas is largely Mexican American. Dietary intake in this population demonstrated a diet very low in fiber, high in salt, and containing excessive calories with a low intake of fruit and vegetables. This study was performed in a Texas Head Start population to evaluate a bilingual pictorial nutrition education game. Acceptance of the bilingual concept and the game had been previously studied in a Head Start population in five Texas counties. The effectiveness in producing a change in eating habits was studied as a pilot project 413 children and their parents at the Bastrop County Head Start. Parents were asked to supply data about at home food frequency at the beginning and the end of the school year and the results compared. The parents were given a demonstration of the educational objectives and the students played the game throughout the year. By the end of the school year there was a statistically significant increase in the vegetables offered to this population both during the week at home (p = 0.009) and on the weekends (p = 0.02). PMID:22690195

A pilot study of a pictorial bilingual nutrition education game to improve the consumption of healthful foods in a head start population.

PubMed

Piziak, Veronica

2012-04-01

The prevalence of early childhood obesity has increased dramatically particularly among the Mexican American population. Obesity leads to earlier onset of related diseases such as type 2 diabetes. The Head Start population of Texas is largely Mexican American. Dietary intake in this population demonstrated a diet very low in fiber, high in salt, and containing excessive calories with a low intake of fruit and vegetables. This study was performed in a Texas Head Start population to evaluate a bilingual pictorial nutrition education game. Acceptance of the bilingual concept and the game had been previously studied in a Head Start population in five Texas counties. The effectiveness in producing a change in eating habits was studied as a pilot project 413 children and their parents at the Bastrop County Head Start. Parents were asked to supply data about at home food frequency at the beginning and the end of the school year and the results compared. The parents were given a demonstration of the educational objectives and the students played the game throughout the year. By the end of the school year there was a statistically significant increase in the vegetables offered to this population both during the week at home (p = 0.009) and on the weekends (p = 0.02).

Initial Development and Pilot Study Design of Interactive Lecture Demonstrations for ASTRO 101

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schwortz, Andria C.; French, D. A; Gutierrez, Joseph V; Sanchez, Richard L; Slater, Timothy F.; Tatge, Coty

2014-06-01

Interactive lecture demonstrations (ILDs) have repeatedly shown to be effective tools for improving student achievement in the context of learning physics. As a first step toward systematic development of interactive lecture demonstrations in ASTRO 101, the introductory astronomy survey course, a systematic review of education research, describing educational computer simulations (ECSs) reveals that initial development requires a targeted study of how ASTRO 101 students respond to ECSs in the non-science majoring undergraduate lecture setting. In this project we have adopted the process by which ILDs were designed, pilot-tested, and successfully implemented in the context of physics teaching (Sokoloff & Thornton, 1997; Sokoloff & Thornton, 2004). We have designed the initial pilot-test set of ASTRO 101 ILD instructional materials relying heavily on ECSs. Both an instructor’s manual and a preliminary classroom-ready student workbook have been developed, and we are implementing a pilot study to explore their effectiveness in communicating scientific content, and the extent to which they might enhance students’ knowledge of and perception about astronomy and science in general. The study design uses a pre-/post-test quasi-experimental study design measuring students’ normalized gain scores, calculated as per Hake (1998) and Prather (2009), using a slightly modified version of S. Slater’s (2011) Test Of Astronomy STandards TOAST combined with other instruments. The results of this initial study will guide the iterative development of ASTRO 101 ILDs that are intended to both be effective at enhancing student achievement and easy for instructors to successfully implement.

Pilot Designed Aircraft Displays in General Aviation: An Exploratory Study and Analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Conaway, Cody R.

From 2001-2011, the General Aviation (GA) fatal accident rate remained unchanged (Duquette & Dorr, 2014) with an overall stagnant accident rate between 2004 and 2013. The leading cause, loss of control in flight (NTSB, 2015b & 2015c) due to pilot inability to recognize approach to stall/spin conditions (NTSB, 2015b & 2016b). In 2013, there were 1,224 GA accidents in the U.S., accounting for 94% of all U.S. aviation accidents and 90% of all U.S. aviation fatalities that year (NTSB, 2015c). Aviation entails multiple challenges for pilots related to task management, procedural errors, perceptual distortions, and cognitive discrepancies. While machine errors in airplanes have continued to decrease over the years, human error still has not (NTSB, 2013). A preliminary analysis of a PC-based, Garmin G1000 flight deck was conducted with 3 professional pilots. Analyses revealed increased task load, opportunities for distraction, confusing perceptual ques, and hindered cognitive performance. Complex usage problems were deeply ingrained in the functionality of the system, forcing pilots to use fallible work arounds, add unnecessary steps, and memorize knob turns or button pushes. Modern computing now has the potential to free GA cockpit designs from knobs, soft keys, or limited display options. Dynamic digital displays might include changes in instrumentation or menu structuring depending on the phase of flight. Airspeed indicators could increase in size to become more salient during landing, simultaneously highlighting pitch angle on Attitude Indicators and automatically decluttering unnecessary information for landing. Likewise, Angle-of-Attack indicators demonstrate a great safety and performance advantage for pilots (Duquette & Dorr, 2014; NTSB, 2015b & 2016b), an instrument typically found in military platforms and now the Icon A5, light-sport aircraft (Icon, 2016). How does the design of pilots' environment---the cockpit---further influence their efficiency and

Costing Educational Wastage: A Pilot Simulation Study. Current Surveys and Research in Statistics.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Berstecher, D.

This pilot simulation study examines the important methodological problems involved in costing educational wastage, focusing specifically on the cost implications of educational wastage in primary education. Purpose of the study is to provide a clearer picture of the underlying rationale and interrelated consequences of reducing educational…

The Necessity of ASEAN Community in Producing Pilots

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Saowaros, Thanoo; Puncreobutr, Vichian

2016-01-01

The main objectives of this study are to identify the reasons for the shortage of pilots; the necessity of producing Pilots and the obstacles and problems faced by ASEAN Community in producing pilots. The study is conducted by official documents, observations, in-depth interview from personnel who are working for Airports Authority of Thailand,…

How to Train an Injured Brain? A Pilot Feasibility Study of Home-Based Computerized Cognitive Training.

PubMed

Verhelst, Helena; Vander Linden, Catharine; Vingerhoets, Guy; Caeyenberghs, Karen

2017-02-01

Computerized cognitive training programs have previously shown to be effective in improving cognitive abilities in patients suffering from traumatic brain injury (TBI). These studies often focused on a single cognitive function or required expensive hardware, making it difficult to be used in a home-based environment. This pilot feasibility study aimed to evaluate the feasibility of a newly developed, home-based, computerized cognitive training program for adolescents who suffered from TBI. Additionally, feasibility of study design, procedures, and measurements were examined. Case series, longitudinal, pilot, feasibility intervention study with one baseline and two follow-up assessments. Nine feasibility outcome measures and criteria for success were defined, including accessibility, training motivation/user experience, technical smoothness, training compliance, participation willingness, participation rates, loss to follow-up, assessment timescale, and assessment procedures. Five adolescent patients (four boys, mean age = 16 years 7 months, standard deviation = 9 months) with moderate to severe TBI in the chronic stage were recruited and received 8 weeks of cognitive training with BrainGames. Effect sizes (Cohen's d) were calculated to determine possible training-related effects. The new cognitive training intervention, BrainGames, and study design and procedures proved to be feasible; all nine feasibility outcome criteria were met during this pilot feasibility study. Estimates of effect sizes showed small to very large effects on cognitive measures and questionnaires, which were retained after 6 months. Our pilot study shows that a longitudinal intervention study comprising our novel, computerized cognitive training program and two follow-up assessments is feasible in adolescents suffering from TBI in the chronic stage. Future studies with larger sample sizes will evaluate training-related effects on cognitive functions and underlying brain structures.

Executive Function Computerized Training in Very Preterm-Born Children: A Pilot Study.

PubMed

Aarnoudse-Moens, Cornelieke S H; Twilhaar, E Sabrina; Oosterlaan, Jaap; van Veen, Heske G; Prins, Pier J M; van Kaam, Anton H L C; van Wassenaer-Leemhuis, Aleid G

2018-06-01

Attention problems are one of the most pronounced and documented consequences of very preterm birth (gestational age ≤32 weeks). However, up to now, there is no research published on suitable interventions at school age aimed to overcome these problems. Research in this population did show that executive functions (EFs) are strongly associated with inattention. BrainGame Brian is a newly developed computerized training, in which, in 25 training sessions, the core EFs, including working memory, impulse control, and cognitive flexibility, are trained. This pilot study aimed to examine the feasibility of studying BrainGame Brian in very preterm-born children with attention problems. Pilot feasibility intervention study with one baseline and one follow-up assessment. Feasibility was measured by the participation rate, dropout rate, and user experiences with regard to effort, training characteristics, and recommendation to others. From a larger cohort study, 15 very preterm-born children at age 10 years with parent-reported attention problems on the Child Behavior Checklist/6-18 years were invited to participate in this pilot study. BrainGame Brian was performed for a period of 6 weeks. Training outcome measures included visual working memory, impulse control, cognitive flexibility, speed variability, and parent-rated attention, for which pre- and post-training differences were examined at the group level by the Wilcoxon signed-rank test as well as for each individual child separately by the reliable change index. Twelve of 15 children and their parents agreed to participate and 11 children successfully completed BrainGame Brian in the 6-week period. Parents were positive about training characteristics and lack of interference with schooling, but scored the effort as high. We found clinically significant changes in visual working memory and speed variability in post-training assessments. BrainGame Brian is a feasible intervention for very preterm-born children with

Pilot age and error in air taxi crashes.

PubMed

Rebok, George W; Qiang, Yandong; Baker, Susan P; Li, Guohua

2009-07-01

The associations of pilot error with the type of flight operations and basic weather conditions are well documented. The correlation between pilot characteristics and error is less clear. This study aims to examine whether pilot age is associated with the prevalence and patterns of pilot error in air taxi crashes. Investigation reports from the National Transportation Safety Board for crashes involving non-scheduled Part 135 operations (i.e., air taxis) in the United States between 1983 and 2002 were reviewed to identify pilot error and other contributing factors. Crash circumstances and the presence and type of pilot error were analyzed in relation to pilot age using Chi-square tests. Of the 1751 air taxi crashes studied, 28% resulted from mechanical failure, 25% from loss of control at landing or takeoff, 7% from visual flight rule conditions into instrument meteorological conditions, 7% from fuel starvation, 5% from taxiing, and 28% from other causes. Crashes among older pilots were more likely to occur during the daytime rather than at night and off airport than on airport. The patterns of pilot error in air taxi crashes were similar across age groups. Of the errors identified, 27% were flawed decisions, 26% were inattentiveness, 23% mishandled aircraft kinetics, 15% mishandled wind and/or runway conditions, and 11% were others. Pilot age is associated with crash circumstances but not with the prevalence and patterns of pilot error in air taxi crashes. Lack of age-related differences in pilot error may be attributable to the "safe worker effect."

Pilot Age and Error in Air-Taxi Crashes

PubMed Central

Rebok, George W.; Qiang, Yandong; Baker, Susan P.; Li, Guohua

2010-01-01

Introduction The associations of pilot error with the type of flight operations and basic weather conditions are well documented. The correlation between pilot characteristics and error is less clear. This study aims to examine whether pilot age is associated with the prevalence and patterns of pilot error in air-taxi crashes. Methods Investigation reports from the National Transportation Safety Board for crashes involving non-scheduled Part 135 operations (i.e., air taxis) in the United States between 1983 and 2002 were reviewed to identify pilot error and other contributing factors. Crash circumstances and the presence and type of pilot error were analyzed in relation to pilot age using Chi-square tests. Results Of the 1751 air-taxi crashes studied, 28% resulted from mechanical failure, 25% from loss of control at landing or takeoff, 7% from visual flight rule conditions into instrument meteorological conditions, 7% from fuel starvation, 5% from taxiing, and 28% from other causes. Crashes among older pilots were more likely to occur during the daytime rather than at night and off airport than on airport. The patterns of pilot error in air-taxi crashes were similar across age groups. Of the errors identified, 27% were flawed decisions, 26% were inattentiveness, 23% mishandled aircraft kinetics, 15% mishandled wind and/or runway conditions, and 11% were others. Conclusions Pilot age is associated with crash circumstances but not with the prevalence and patterns of pilot error in air-taxi crashes. Lack of age-related differences in pilot error may be attributable to the “safe worker effect.” PMID:19601508

A simulation study of control and display requirements for zero-experience general aviation pilots

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stewart, Eric C.

1993-01-01

The purpose of this simulation study was to define the basic human factor requirements for operating an airplane in all weather conditions. The basic human factors requirements are defined as those for an operator who is a complete novice for airplane operations but who is assumed to have automobile driving experience. These operators thus have had no piloting experience or training of any kind. The human factor requirements are developed for a practical task which includes all of the basic maneuvers required to go from one airport to another airport in limited visibility conditions. The task was quite demanding including following a precise path with climbing and descending turns while simultaneously changing airspeed. The ultimate goal of this research is to increase the utility of general aviation airplanes - that is, to make them a practical mode of transportation for a much larger segment of the general population. This can be accomplished by reducing the training and proficiency requirements of pilots while improving the level of safety. It is believed that advanced technologies such as fly-by-wire (or light), and head-up pictorial displays can be of much greater benefit to the general aviation pilot than to the full-time, professional pilot.

Are Elementary School Teachers Prepared to Tackle Bullying? A Pilot Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Oldenburg, Beau; Bosman, Rie; Veenstra, René

2016-01-01

The aim of this pilot study was to investigate to what extent elementary school teachers were prepared to tackle bullying. Interview data from 22 Dutch elementary school teachers (M[subscript age]?=?43.3, 18 classrooms in eight schools) were combined with survey data from 373 students of these teachers (M age?=?10.7, grades 3-6, ages 8- to…

Factors Influencing Hearing Aid Use in the Classroom: A Pilot Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gustafson, Samantha J.; Davis, Hilary; Hornsby, Benjamin W. Y.; Bess, Fred H.

2015-01-01

Purpose: This pilot study examined factors influencing classroom hearing aid use in school-age children with hearing loss. Method: The research team visited classrooms of 38 children with mild-to-moderate hearing loss (Grades 1-7) on 2 typical school days, twice per day, to document hearing aid use. In addition, parents reported the number of…

Maternal morbidity measurement tool pilot: study protocol.

PubMed

Say, Lale; Barreix, Maria; Chou, Doris; Tunçalp, Özge; Cottler, Sara; McCaw-Binns, Affette; Gichuhi, Gathari Ndirangu; Taulo, Frank; Hindin, Michelle

2016-06-09

While it is estimated that for every maternal death, 20-30 women suffer morbidity, these estimates are not based on standardized methods and measures. Lack of an agreed-upon definition, identification criteria, standardized assessment tools, and indicators has limited valid, routine, and comparable measurements of maternal morbidity. The World Health Organization (WHO) convened the Maternal Morbidity Working Group (MMWG) to develop standardized methods to improve estimates of maternal morbidity. To date, the MMWG has developed a definition and provided input into the development of a set of measurement tools. This protocol outlines the pilot test for measuring maternal morbidity in antenatal and postnatal clinical populations using these new tools. In each setting, the tools will be piloted on approximately 250 women receiving antenatal care (ANC) (at least 28 weeks pregnant) and 250 women receiving postpartum care (PPC) (at least 6 weeks postpartum). The tools will be administered by trained health care workers. Each tool has three modules as follows: 1. personal history - socio-economic information, and risk-factors (such as violence and substance abuse) 2. patient symptoms - WHO Disability Assessment Schedule (WHODAS) 12-item, and mental health questionnaires, General Anxiety Disorder, 7-item (GAD-7) and Personal Health Questionnaire, 9-item (PHQ-9) 3. physical examination - signs, laboratory tests and results. This pilot (planned for Jamaica, Kenya and Malawi) will allow for comparing the types of morbidities women experience between and across settings, and determine the feasibility, acceptability and utility of using a modified, streamlined tool for routine measurement and summary estimates of morbidity to inform resource allocation and service provision. As part of the post-2015 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) estimating and measuring maternal morbidity will be essential to ensure appropriate resources are allocated to address its impact and improve

Earlier time to aerobic exercise is associated with faster recovery following acute sport concussion.

PubMed

Lawrence, David Wyndham; Richards, Doug; Comper, Paul; Hutchison, Michael G

2018-01-01

To determine whether earlier time to initiation of aerobic exercise following acute concussion is associated with time to full return to (1) sport and (2) school or work. A retrospective stratified propensity score survival analysis of acute (≤14 days) concussion was used to determine whether time (days) to initiation of aerobic exercise post-concussion was associated with, both, time (days) to full return to (1) sport and (2) school or work. A total of 253 acute concussions [median (IQR) age, 17.0 (15.0-20.0) years; 148 (58.5%) males] were included in this study. Multivariate Cox regression models identified that earlier time to aerobic exercise was associated with faster return to sport and school/work adjusting for other covariates, including quintile propensity strata. For each successive day in delay to initiation of aerobic exercise, individuals had a less favourable recovery trajectory. Initiating aerobic exercise at 3 and 7 days following injury was associated with a respective 36.5% (HR, 0.63; 95% CI, 0.53-0.76) and 73.2% (HR, 0.27; 95% CI, 0.16-0.45) reduced probability of faster full return to sport compared to within 1 day; and a respective 45.9% (HR, 0.54; 95% CI, 0.44-0.66) and 83.1% (HR, 0.17; 95% CI, 0.10-0.30) reduced probability of faster full return to school/work. Additionally, concussion history, symptom severity, LOC deleteriously influenced concussion recovery. Earlier initiation of aerobic exercise was associated with faster full return to sport and school or work. This study provides greater insight into the benefits and safety of aerobic exercise within the first week of the injury.

Integrating Research-Informed Teaching within an Undergraduate Level 4 (Year 1) Diagnostic Radiography Curriculum: A Pilot Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Higgins, Robert; Hogg, Peter; Robinson, Leslie

2013-01-01

This article discusses the piloting and evaluation of the Research-informed Teaching experience (RiTe) project. The aim of RiTe was to link teaching and learning with research within an undergraduate diagnostic radiography curriculum. A preliminary pilot study of RiTe was undertaken with a group of level 4 (year 1) volunteer BSc (Hons) diagnostic…

Lessons from a One-to-One Laptop Pilot

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Peterson, Lana; Scharber, Cassandra

2017-01-01

The purpose of this study was to document the process one district used to design, develop, and implement a one-to-one pilot at its high school as part of its broader commitment to contemporary learning. Specifically, this qualitative case study (a) outlines the process of the laptop pilot, (b) describes the pilot implementation experience for…

A piloted simulation study of data link ATC message exchange

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Waller, Marvin C.; Lohr, Gary W.

1989-01-01

Data link Air Traffic Control (ATC) and Air Traffic Service (ATS) message and data exchange offers the potential benefits of increased flight safety and efficiency by reducing communication errors and allowing more information to be transferred between aircraft and ground facilities. Digital communication also presents an opportunity to relieve the overloading of ATC radio frequencies which hampers message exchange during peak traffic hours in many busy terminal areas. A piloted simulation study to develop pilot factor guidelines and assess potential flight crew benefits and liabilities from using data link ATC message exchange was completed. The data link ATC message exchange concept, implemented on an existing navigation computer Control Display Unit (CDU) required maintaining a voice radio telephone link with an appropriate ATC facility. Flight crew comments, scanning behavior, and measurements of time spent in ATC communication activities for data link ATC message exchange were compared to similar measures for simulated conventional voice radio operations. The results show crew preference for the quieter flight deck environment and a perception of lower communication workload.

An analytical approach for predicting pilot induced oscillations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hess, R. A.

1981-01-01

The optimal control model (OCM) of the human pilot is applied to the study of aircraft handling qualities. Attention is focused primarily on longitudinal tasks. The modeling technique differs from previous applications of the OCM in that considerable effort is expended in simplifying the pilot/vehicle analysis. After briefly reviewing the OCM, a technique for modeling the pilot controlling higher order systems is introduced. Following this, a simple criterion or determining the susceptability of an aircraft to pilot induced oscillations (PIO) is formulated. Finally, a model-based metric for pilot rating prediction is discussed. The resulting modeling procedure provides a relatively simple, yet unified approach to the study of a variety of handling qualities problems.

Balancing Direction and Independence in Second Language Vocabulary Learning: A Gesture Pilot Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mathison, Lake

2017-01-01

This pilot study looks at the effect of learning second language vocabulary with gesture. Specifically, this current study asks whether researcher-instructed or student-constructed gestures are more effective. Depth of processing theories (Craik and Lockhart 1972) as well as more recent educational frameworks like ICAP ("Interactive,"…

Pilot Decision-Making in Irreversible Emergencies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Winter, Scott R.

2013-01-01

The purpose of this study was to determine if a reflexive learning treatment utilizing select case studies could enhance the decision-making of pilots who encounter an irreversible emergency. Participants, who consisted of members of the subject university's professional pilot program, were divided into either a control or experimental group and…

Noise exposure and auditory thresholds of German airline pilots: a cross-sectional study

PubMed Central

Müller, Reinhard; Schneider, Joachim

2017-01-01

Objective The cockpit workplace of airline pilots is a noisy environment. This study examines the hearing thresholds of pilots with respect to ambient noise and communication sound. Methods The hearing of 487 German pilots was analysed by audiometry in the frequency range of 125 Hz–16 kHz in varying age groups. Cockpit noise (free-field) data and communication sound (acoustic manikin) measurements were evaluated. Results The ambient noise levels in cockpits were found to be between 74 and 80 dB(A), and the sound pressure levels under the headset were found to be between 84 and 88 dB(A). The left–right threshold differences at 3, 4 and 6 kHz show evidence of impaired hearing at the left ear, which worsens by age. In the age groups <40/≥40 years the mean differences at 3 kHz are 2/3 dB, at 4 kHz 2/4 dB and at 6 kHz 1/6 dB. In the pilot group which used mostly the left ear for communication tasks (43 of 45 are in the older age group) the mean difference at 3 kHz is 6 dB, at 4 kHz 7 dB and at 6 kHz 10 dB. The pilots who used the headset only at the right ear also show worse hearing at the left ear of 2 dB at 3 kHz, 3 dB at 4 kHz and at 6 kHz. The frequency-corrected exposure levels under the headset are 7–11 dB(A) higher than the ambient noise with an averaged signal-to-noise ratio for communication of about 10 dB(A). Conclusions The left ear seems to be more susceptible to hearing loss than the right ear. Active noise reduction systems allow for a reduced sound level for the communication signal below the upper exposure action value of 85 dB(A) and allow for a more relaxed working environment for pilots. PMID:28559452

The impact of transition training on adapting to Technically Advanced Aircraft at regional airlines: Perceptions of pilots and instructor pilots

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

di Renzo, John Carl, Jr.

Scope and method of study. The purpose of this study was to test a hypothesis about pilot and instructor pilot perceptions of how effectively pilots learn and use new technology, found in Technically Advanced Aircraft (TAA), given initial type of instrumentation training. New aviation technologies such as Glass Cockpits in technically advanced aircraft are complex and can be difficult to learn and use. The research questions focused on the type of initial instrumentation training to determine the differences among pilots trained using various types of instrumentation ranging from aircraft equipped with traditional analog instrumentation to aircraft equipped with glass cockpits. A convenience sample of Pilots in Training (PT) and Instructor Pilots (IP) was selected from a regional airline. The research design used a mixed methodology. Pilots in training completed a thirty-two question quantitative questionnaire and instructor pilots completed a five question qualitative questionnaire. Findings and conclusions. This investigation failed to disprove the null hypothesis. The type of instrumentation training has no significant effect on newly trained regional airline pilot perceived ability to adapt to advanced technology cockpits. Therefore, no evidence exists from this investigation to support the early introduction and training of TAA. While the results of this investigation were surprising, they are nonetheless, instructive. Even though it would seem that there would be a relationship between exposure to and use of technically advanced instrumentation, apparently there was no perceived relationship for this group of airline transport pilots. However, a point of interest is that these pilots were almost evenly divided in their opinion of whether or not their previous training had prepared them for transition to TAA. The majority also believed that the type of initial instrumentation training received does make a difference when transitioning to TAA. Pilots believed

Australian seafood compositional profiles: A pilot study. Vitamin D and mercury content.

PubMed

Padula, David; Greenfield, Heather; Cunningham, Judy; Kiermeier, Andreas; McLeod, Catherine

2016-02-15

Given the scarcity of comprehensive nutritional data for Australia's >400 commercially produced seafood species a pilot study was undertaken to collect and analyse 22 species of wild and aquaculture seafood in order to develop a model for future comprehensive surveys. The species analysed were: Atlantic salmon, Australian sardine, prawn (six species), barramundi, abalone (three species), blue sprat, burrowing blackfish, gummy shark, oyster (four species), ocean trout and yellowtail kingfish. The analyses undertaken in this pilot study were: moisture, protein, total fat, cholesterol, fatty acids, vitamin C, vitamins A and D, and 21 mineral elements (including total mercury and methyl mercury). The data reported here are for vitamin D and mercury only. Comprehensive data have already been published elsewhere. Issues identified that should be addressed prior to undertaking a more extensive and representative study of the remaining major edible commercial Australian seafood species include: choice of samples and nutrients for analysis, facilities for sample handling and storage, data management and scrutiny, and laboratory quality control. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A Pilot Study of Naltrexone and BASICS for Heavy Drinking Young Adults

PubMed Central

Leeman, Robert F.; Palmer, Rebekka S.; Corbin, William R.; Romano, Denise M.; Meandzija, Boris; O’Malley, Stephanie S.

2008-01-01

Heavy drinking young adults often have limited motivation to change their drinking behavior. Adding pharmacotherapy to brief counseling is a novel approach to treating this population. A small open-label pilot study was conducted to assess the feasibility of offering eight weeks of daily and targeted (i.e., taken as needed in anticipation of drinking) naltrexone with BASICS (brief motivational) counseling to heavy drinking young adults; to assess the tolerability of the medication in this population and to obtain preliminary efficacy data. The sample (N = 14) showed strong adherence to study appointments and medication taking, supporting the feasibility of this approach. Overall, the medication was well-tolerated. Significant reductions from baseline were observed in drinks per drinking day and in percent heavy drinking days and these gains were maintained one month after treatment ended. A significant decrease in alcohol-related consequences was also observed. Findings from this small pilot study suggest that naltrexone in combination with BASICS represents a promising strategy to reduce heavy drinking among young adults. PMID:18502591

Design of the Blood Pressure Goals in Dialysis pilot study.

PubMed

Gul, Ambreen; Miskulin, Dana; Gassman, Jennifer; Harford, Antonia; Horowitz, Bruce; Chen, Joline; Paine, Susan; Bedrick, Edward; Kusek, John W; Unruh, Mark; Zager, Philip

2014-02-01

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is markedly increased among hemodialysis (HD) patients. Optimizing blood pressure (BP) among HD patients may present an important opportunity to reduce the disparity in CVD rates between HD patients and the general population. The optimal target predialysis systolic BP (SBP) among HD patients is unknown. Current international guidelines, calling for a predialysis SBP < 140 mm Hg, are based on the opinion and extrapolation from the general population. Existing randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were small and did not include prespecified BP targets. The authors described the design of the Blood Pressure in Dialysis (BID) Study, a pilot, multicenter RCT where HD patients are randomized to either a target-standardized predialysis SBP of 110 to 140 mm Hg or 155 to 165 mm Hg. This is the first study to randomize HD patients to 2 different SBP targets. Primary outcomes are feasibility and safety. Feasibility parameters include recruitment and retention rates, adherence with prescribed BP measurements and achievement and maintenance of selected BP targets. Safety parameters include rates of hypotension and other adverse and serious adverse events. The authors obtained preliminary data on changes in left ventricular mass, aortic pulse wave velocity, vascular access thromboses and health-related quality of life across study arms, which may be the secondary outcomes in the full-scale study. The data acquired in the pilot RCT will determine the feasibility and safety and inform the design of a full-scale trial, powered for hard outcomes, which may require 2000 participants.

Prevalence of fatigue in a group of airline pilots.

PubMed

Reis, Cátia; Mestre, Catarina; Canhão, Helena

2013-08-01

Fatigue is a common phenomenon in airline pilots that can impair alertness and ability of crewmembers to safely operate an aircraft and perform safety related tasks. Fatigue can increase the risk of an incident or even an accident. This study provides the first prevalence values for clinically significant fatigue in Portuguese airline pilots. The hypothesis that medium/short-haul pilots may currently present different levels of fatigue than long-haul pilots was also tested. A survey was conducted by requesting Portuguese airline pilots to complete questionnaires placed in the pilots' personal lockers from 1 April until 15 May 2012. The questionnaire included the self-response Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS) to measure subjective fatigue and some additional questions concerning perception of fatigue by pilots. The prevalence values for total and mental fatigue achieved in the Portuguese airline pilots were: 89.3% (FSS > or = 4) and 94.1% (FSS > or = 4) when splitting the sample in two subsamples, long- and medium/short-haul pilots. Levels of total and mental fatigue were higher for medium/short-haul pilots. The analysis of fatigue levels in each type of aviator showed that medium/short-haul pilots presented the highest levels of total and mental fatigue. This study produced the first prevalence values of total and mental fatigue among Portuguese airline pilots, which represents a great step to understanding and addressing this critical phenomenon.

Roll paper pilot. [mathematical model for predicting pilot rating of aircraft in roll task

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Naylor, F. R.; Dillow, J. D.; Hannen, R. A.

1973-01-01

A mathematical model for predicting the pilot rating of an aircraft in a roll task is described. The model includes: (1) the lateral-directional aircraft equations of motion; (2) a stochastic gust model; (3) a pilot model with two free parameters; and (4) a pilot rating expression that is a function of rms roll angle and the pilot lead time constant. The pilot gain and lead time constant are selected to minimize the pilot rating expression. The pilot parameters are then adjusted to provide a 20% stability margin and the adjusted pilot parameters are used to compute a roll paper pilot rating of the aircraft/gust configuration. The roll paper pilot rating was computed for 25 aircraft/gust configurations. A range of actual ratings from 2 to 9 were encountered and the roll paper pilot ratings agree quite well with the actual ratings. In addition there is good correlation between predicted and measured rms roll angle.

Motivational Engineering for Pilot Training.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Herzberg, Frederick I.; And Others

The study was an investigation of student pilot motivation for, and toward, the Air Training Command's undergraduate pilot training (UPT) program. The motivation hygiene approach was used to identify the motivational factors operating in the UPT program systematically. This approach has been used extensively in industry and with success in a…

Principals Reflecting on Their Leadership Learning with an Heuristic: A Pilot Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dempster, Neil; Fluckiger, Bev; Lovett, Susan

2012-01-01

The purpose of this paper is to report on a small pilot study in which an heuristic was used to enable principals to reflect on the confidence they have in their existing leadership knowledge and how they might add to that knowledge in the future. The motivation for the study arose from a literature review of strategies for leadership development…

Comprehensive methods for earlier detection and monitoring of forest decline

Treesearch

Jennifer Pontius; Richard Hallett

2014-01-01

Forested ecosystems are threatened by invasive pests, pathogens, and unusual climatic events brought about by climate change. Earlier detection of incipient forest health problems and a quantitatively rigorous assessment method is increasingly important. Here, we describe a method that is adaptable across tree species and stress agents and practical for use in the...

Rehabilitation of balance disturbances due to chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy: a pilot study.

PubMed

Cammisuli, Sharon; Cavazzi, Enrico; Baldissarro, Eleonora; Leandri, Massimo

2016-08-01

Cancer patients with chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) have sensory and motor deficits leading to inappropriate proprioceptive feedback, impaired postural control, and fall risk. Balance training with computerized force platforms has been successfully used in rehabilitation of balance disturbances, but programs specifically developed for CIPN patients are lacking. This pilot study evaluated a rehabilitation protocol exclusively based on visual computer-feedback balance training (VCFBT) to improve balance in patients with CIPN. Open-label, non-randomized pilot study, 4-week intervention with pre- vs. post-treatment evaluation. Outpatients of the Rehabilitation Institute of the Salvatore Maugeri Foundation, in Genoa, Italy. Seven out-patients with clinical-instrumental diagnosis of CIPN. At admission, patients were administered the Berg Balance Scale (BBS) and underwent static-dynamic posturography using a computerized force platform to objectively quantify their balance impairment. Their performance was compared to values of a normal age-matched population. Patients then underwent 4 weeks of VCFBT (three 60-minute sessions/week). At discharge, BBS and posturography were repeated and the results compared with those at admission. A significant pre- vs. post-treatment improvement was found in balance as measured by static-dynamic posturography (P=0.004) and BBS (P<0.002). Despite caution needed for the low sample size, this pilot study has shown preliminary evidence that intensive rehabilitation, based on VCFBT can produce a significant improvement in balance outcomes. To our knowledge, this is the first report in CIPN patients of a rehabilitation program based exclusively on VCFBT.

Recreational Pilot and Private Pilot Knowledge Test Guide

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1995-01-01

The Flight Standards Service of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has developed this guide to help : applicants meet the knowledge requirements for recreational pilot and private pilot certification. : This guide contains information about el...

Maintenance Decision Support System: Pilot Study and Cost-Benefit Analysis (Phase 2.5)

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2014-07-01

This project focused on several tasks: development of in-vehicle hardware that permits implementation of an MDSS, development of software to collect and process road and weather data, a cost-benefit study, and pilot-scale implementation. Two Automati...

Indicators of quality of antenatal care: a pilot study.

PubMed

Vause, S; Maresh, M

1999-03-01

To pilot a list of indicators of quality of antenatal care across a range of maternity care settings. For each indicator to determine what is achieved in current clinical practice, to facilitate the setting of audit standards and calculation of appropriate sample sizes for audit. A multicentre retrospective observational study. Nine maternity units in the United Kingdom. 20,771 women with a singleton pregnancy, who were delivered between 1 August 1994 and 31 July 1995. Nine of the eleven suggested indicators were successfully piloted. Two indicators require further development. In seven of the nine hospitals external cephalic version was not commonly performed. There were wide variations in the proportions of women screened for asymptomatic bacteriuria. Screening of women from ethnic minorities for haemoglobinopathy was more likely in hospitals with a large proportion of non-caucasian women. A large number of Rhesus negative women did not have a Rhesus antibody check performed after 28 weeks of gestation and did not receive anti-D immunoglobulin after a potentially sensitising event during pregnancy. As a result of the study appropriate sample sizes for future audit could be calculated. Measuring the extent to which evidence-based interventions are used in routine clinical practice provides a more detailed picture of the strengths and weaknesses in an antenatal service than traditional outcomes such as perinatal mortality rates. Awareness of an appropriate sample size should prevent waste of time and resources on inconclusive audits.

Conflict Resolution Automation and Pilot Situation Awareness

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dao, Arik-Quang V.; Brandt, Summer L.; Bacon, Paige; Kraut, Josh; Nguyen, Jimmy; Minakata, Katsumi; Raza, Hamzah; Rozovski, David; Johnson, Walter W.

2010-01-01

This study compared pilot situation awareness across three traffic management concepts. The Concepts varied in terms of the allocation of traffic avoidance responsibility between the pilot on the flight deck, the air traffic controllers, and a conflict resolution automation system. In Concept 1, the flight deck was equipped with conflict resolution tools that enable them to fully handle the responsibility of weather avoidance and maintaining separation between ownship and surrounding traffic. In Concept 2, pilots were not responsible for traffic separation, but were provided tools for weather and traffic avoidance. In Concept 3, flight deck tools allowed pilots to deviate for weather, but conflict detection tools were disabled. In this concept pilots were dependent on ground based automation for conflict detection and resolution. Situation awareness of the pilots was measured using online probes. Results showed that individual situation awareness was highest in Concept 1, where the pilots were most engaged, and lowest in Concept 3, where automation was heavily used. These findings suggest that for conflict resolution tasks, situation awareness is improved when pilots remain in the decision-making loop.

Telehealth Consultation in a Self-Contained Classroom for Behavior: A Pilot Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Knowles, Christen; Massar, Michelle; Raulston, Tracy Jane; Machalicek, Wendy

2017-01-01

Students with challenging behavior severe enough to warrant placement in a self-contained special education classroom statistically have poor school and post-school outcomes compared to typical peers. Teachers in these classrooms often lack sufficient training to meet student needs. This pilot study investigated the use of a telehealth…

Pilot study of mold populations inside and outside of Puerto Rican residences

EPA Science Inventory

Puerto Rico has the highest asthma prevalence in the US. In the states, mold exposures have been linked to the development and exacerbation of asthma. For a pilot study of mold populations in Puerto Rico, dust and air samples were collected in January 2013 inside and outside of...

Pilot study of mold population inside and outside of Puerto Rican residences

EPA Science Inventory

Abstract: Puerto Rico has the highest asthma prevalence in the US. In the states, mold exposures have been linked to the development and exacerbation of asthma. For a pilot study of mold populations in Puerto Rico, dust and air samples were collected in January 2013 inside and ou...

Pilot error in air carrier accidents: does age matter?

PubMed

Li, Guohua; Grabowski, Jurek G; Baker, Susan P; Rebok, George W

2006-07-01

The relationship between pilot age and safety performance has been the subject of research and controversy since the "Age 60 Rule" became effective in 1960. This study aimed to examine age-related differences in the prevalence and patterns of pilot error in air carrier accidents. Investigation reports from the National Transportation Safety Board for accidents involving Part 121 operations in the United States between 1983 and 2002 were reviewed to identify pilot error and other contributing factors. Accident circumstances and the presence and type of pilot error were analyzed in relation to pilot age using Chi-square tests. Of the 558 air carrier accidents studied, 25% resulted from turbulence, 21% from mechanical failure, 16% from taxiing events, 13% from loss of control at landing or takeoff, and 25% from other causes. Accidents involving older pilots were more likely to be caused by turbulence, whereas accidents involving younger pilots were more likely to be taxiing events. Pilot error was a contributing factor in 34%, 38%, 35%, and 34% of the accidents involving pilots ages 25-34 yr, 35-44 yr, 45-54 yr, and 55-59 yr, respectively (p = 0.87). The patterns of pilot error were similar across age groups. Overall, 26% of the pilot errors identified were inattentiveness, 22% flawed decisions, 22% mishandled aircraft kinetics, and 11% poor crew interactions. The prevalence and patterns of pilot error in air carrier accidents do not seem to change with pilot age. The lack of association between pilot age and error may be due to the "safe worker effect" resulting from the rigorous selection processes and certification standards for professional pilots.

Exploring the Technical Expression of Academic Knowledge: The Science-in-CTE Pilot Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pearson, Donna; Young, R. Brent; Richardson, George B.

2013-01-01

The Science-in-CTE pilot study tested a curriculum integration model that enhanced the science that oc-curs in CTE curricula. The study replicated the National Research Center for Career and Technical Ed-ucation's (NRCCTE) Math-in-CTE experimental research design (Stone, Alfeld, & Pearson, 2008) with applied science in secondary agricultural…

A Pilot Study of Integrated Listening Systems for Children with Sensory Processing Problems

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schoen, Sarah A.; Miller, Lucy J.; Sullivan, Jillian

2015-01-01

This pilot study explored the effects of Integrated Listening Systems (iLs) Focus Series on individualized parent goals for children with sensory processing impairments. A nonconcurrent multiple baseline, repeated measure across participants, single-case study design was employed (n = 7). The 40-session intervention was delivered at home and in…

A Pilot Study of Collective Parent Engagement and Children's Academic Achievement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alameda-Lawson, Tania

2014-01-01

Parent involvement (PI) programs typically represent an important improvement strategy for schools serving low-income children of color. This pilot study offers an alternative to conventional PI approaches, collective parent engagement (CPE). The study relied on a post hoc, quasiexperimental design, and data were collected from 32 low-income,…

Cellular Phone Use in Class: Implications for Teaching and Learning a Pilot Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Burns, Shari M.; Lohenry, Kevin

2010-01-01

Students equipped with the cell phones enter college classrooms daily. Realizing the impact of technology on fellow learners and faculty represents an area of concern. A pilot study was conducted to determine student and faculty perception regarding cellular phone use in the classroom. A quantitative descriptive study examined the perception of…

NATO/CCMS PILOT STUDY CLEAN PRODUCTS AND PROCESSES (PHASE II) 2003 ANNUAL REPORT

EPA Science Inventory

The 6th annual meeting of the NATO CCMS Pilot Study, Clean Products and Processes, was held in Cetraro, Italy, from May 11 to 15, 2003. This was also the first meeting of its Phase II study. 24 country representatives attended this meeting. This meeting was very ably run by th...

Statistical analysis plan of the head position in acute ischemic stroke trial pilot (HEADPOST pilot).

PubMed

Olavarría, Verónica V; Arima, Hisatomi; Anderson, Craig S; Brunser, Alejandro; Muñoz-Venturelli, Paula; Billot, Laurent; Lavados, Pablo M

2017-02-01

Background The HEADPOST Pilot is a proof-of-concept, open, prospective, multicenter, international, cluster randomized, phase IIb controlled trial, with masked outcome assessment. The trial will test if lying flat head position initiated in patients within 12 h of onset of acute ischemic stroke involving the anterior circulation increases cerebral blood flow in the middle cerebral arteries, as measured by transcranial Doppler. The study will also assess the safety and feasibility of patients lying flat for ≥24 h. The trial was conducted in centers in three countries, with ability to perform early transcranial Doppler. A feature of this trial was that patients were randomized to a certain position according to the month of admission to hospital. Objective To outline in detail the predetermined statistical analysis plan for HEADPOST Pilot study. Methods All data collected by participating researchers will be reviewed and formally assessed. Information pertaining to the baseline characteristics of patients, their process of care, and the delivery of treatments will be classified, and for each item, appropriate descriptive statistical analyses are planned with comparisons made between randomized groups. For the outcomes, statistical comparisons to be made between groups are planned and described. Results This statistical analysis plan was developed for the analysis of the results of the HEADPOST Pilot study to be transparent, available, verifiable, and predetermined before data lock. Conclusions We have developed a statistical analysis plan for the HEADPOST Pilot study which is to be followed to avoid analysis bias arising from prior knowledge of the study findings. Trial registration The study is registered under HEADPOST-Pilot, ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier NCT01706094.

ENabling Reduction of Low-grade Inflammation in SEniors Pilot Study: Concept, Rationale, and Design.

PubMed

Manini, Todd M; Anton, Stephen D; Beavers, Daniel P; Cauley, Jane A; Espeland, Mark A; Fielding, Roger A; Kritchevsky, Stephen B; Leeuwenburgh, Christiaan; Lewis, Kristina H; Liu, Christine; McDermott, Mary M; Miller, Michael E; Tracy, Russell P; Walston, Jeremy D; Radziszewska, Barbara; Lu, Jane; Stowe, Cindy; Wu, Samuel; Newman, Anne B; Ambrosius, Walter T; Pahor, Marco

2017-09-01

To test two interventions to reduce interleukin (IL)-6 levels, an indicator of low-grade chronic inflammation and an independent risk factor for impaired mobility and slow walking speed in older adults. The ENabling Reduction of low-Grade Inflammation in SEniors (ENRGISE) Pilot Study was a multicenter, double-blind, placebo-controlled randomized pilot trial of two interventions to reduce IL-6 levels. Five university-based research centers. Target enrollment was 300 men and women aged 70 and older with an average plasma IL-6 level between 2.5 and 30 pg/mL measured twice at least 1 week apart. Participants had low to moderate physical function, defined as self-reported difficulty walking one-quarter of a mile or climbing a flight of stairs and usual walk speed of less than 1 m/s on a 4-m usual-pace walk. Participants were randomized to losartan, omega-3 fish oil (ω-3), combined losartan and ω-3, or placebo. Randomization was stratified depending on eligibility for each group. A titration schedule was implemented to reach a dose that was safe and effective for IL-6 reduction. Maximal doses were 100 mg/d for losartan and 2.8 g/d for ω-3. IL-6, walking speed over 400 m, physical function (Short Physical Performance Battery), other inflammatory markers, safety, tolerability, frailty domains, and maximal leg strength were measured. Results from the ENRGISE Pilot Study will provide recruitment yields, feasibility, medication tolerance and adherence, and preliminary data to help justify a sample size for a more definitive randomized trial. The ENRGISE Pilot Study will inform a larger subsequent trial that is expected to have important clinical and public health implications for the growing population of older adults with low-grade chronic inflammation and mobility limitations. © 2017, Copyright the Authors Journal compilation © 2017, The American Geriatrics Society.

[Emotion Recognition in Patients with Peripheral Facial Paralysis - A Pilot Study].

PubMed

Konnerth, V; Mohr, G; von Piekartz, H

2016-02-01

The perception of emotions is an important component in enabling human beings to social interaction in everyday life. Thus, the ability to recognize the emotions of the other one's mime is a key prerequisite for this. The following study aimed at evaluating the ability of subjects with 'peripheral facial paresis' to perceive emotions in healthy individuals. A pilot study was conducted in which 13 people with 'peripheral facial paresis' participated. This assessment included the 'Facially Expressed Emotion Labeling-Test' (FEEL-Test), the 'Facial-Laterality-Recognition Test' (FLR-Test) and the 'Toronto-Alexithymie-Scale 26' (TAS 26). The results were compared with data of healthy people from other studies. In contrast to healthy patients, the subjects with 'facial paresis' show more difficulties in recognizing basic emotions; however the results are not significant. The participants show a significant lower level of speed (right/left: p<0.001) concerning the perception of facial laterality compared to healthy people. With regard to the alexithymia, the tested group reveals significantly higher results (p<0.001) compared to the unimpaired people. The present pilot study does not prove any impact on this specific patient group's ability to recognize emotions and facial laterality. For future studies the research question should be verified in a larger sample size. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

Modified African Ngoma Healing Ceremony for Stress Reduction: A Pilot Study.

PubMed

Vinesett, Ava LaVonne; Whaley, Riitta Rutanen; Woods-Giscombe, Cheryl; Dennis, Paul; Johnson, Medina; Li, Yin; Mounzeo, Pline; Baegne, Mabiba; Wilson, Kenneth H

2017-10-01

Indigenous people's ceremonies using rhythm and dance have been used for countless generations throughout the world for healing, conflict resolution, social bonding, and spiritual experience. A previous study reported that a ceremony based on the Central African ngoma tradition was favorably received by a group of Americans. The present trial compared the effects of the modified ngoma ceremony (Ngoma) with those of mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) in a randomized pilot study. Twenty-one women were randomized to either Ngoma or MBSR. Both groups had sessions on a weekly basis for 8 weeks and completed questionnaires at baseline, week 8, and 1 month after the intervention. Participants completed questionnaires, which included self-report of depressive and anxiety symptoms, health status (e.g., quality of life and functioning), social bonding, and perception of the credibility of the two interventions. Both groups showed improvements in depression, anxiety, emotional well being, and social functioning as measured by respective scales. Social bonding also increased in both groups during the study and may be a mechanism for both interventions. Participants found both interventions credible. In this pilot study, Ngoma showed significant and durable beneficial effects comparable to MBSR. The effects of Ngoma and other indigenous rhythm-dance ceremonies on distress and health status in western culture should be investigated in larger clinical studies.

The size of a pilot study for a clinical trial should be calculated in relation to considerations of precision and efficiency.

PubMed

Sim, Julius; Lewis, Martyn

2012-03-01

To investigate methods to determine the size of a pilot study to inform a power calculation for a randomized controlled trial (RCT) using an interval/ratio outcome measure. Calculations based on confidence intervals (CIs) for the sample standard deviation (SD). Based on CIs for the sample SD, methods are demonstrated whereby (1) the observed SD can be adjusted to secure the desired level of statistical power in the main study with a specified level of confidence; (2) the sample for the main study, if calculated using the observed SD, can be adjusted, again to obtain the desired level of statistical power in the main study; (3) the power of the main study can be calculated for the situation in which the SD in the pilot study proves to be an underestimate of the true SD; and (4) an "efficient" pilot size can be determined to minimize the combined size of the pilot and main RCT. Trialists should calculate the appropriate size of a pilot study, just as they should the size of the main RCT, taking into account the twin needs to demonstrate efficiency in terms of recruitment and to produce precise estimates of treatment effect. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Quantum Physics Principles and Communication in the Acute Healthcare Setting: A Pilot Study.

PubMed

Helgeson, Heidi L; Peyerl, Colleen Kraft; Solheim-Witt, Marit

This pilot study explores whether clinician awareness of quantum physics principles could facilitate open communication between patients and providers. In the spirit of action research, this study was conceptualized with a holistic view of human health, using a mixed method design of grounded theory as an emergent method. Instrumentation includes surveys and a focus group discussion with twelve registered nurses working in an acute care hospital setting. Findings document that the preliminary core phenomenon, energy as information, influences communication in the healthcare environment. Key emergent themes include awareness, language, validation, open communication, strategies, coherence, incoherence and power. Research participants indicate that quantum physics principles provide a language and conceptual framework for improving their awareness of communication and interactions in the healthcare environment. Implications of this pilot study support the feasibility of future research and education on awareness of quantum physics principles in other clinical settings. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A vantage from space can detect earlier drought onset: an approach using relative humidity.

PubMed

Farahmand, Alireza; AghaKouchak, Amir; Teixeira, Joao

2015-02-25

Each year, droughts cause significant economic and agricultural losses across the world. The early warning and onset detection of drought is of particular importance for effective agriculture and water resource management. Previous studies show that the Standard Precipitation Index (SPI), a measure of precipitation deficit, detects drought onset earlier than other indicators. Here we show that satellite-based near surface air relative humidity data can further improve drought onset detection and early warning. This paper introduces the Standardized Relative Humidity Index (SRHI) based on the NASA Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS) observations. The results indicate that the SRHI typically detects the drought onset earlier than the SPI. While the AIRS mission was not originally designed for drought monitoring, we show that its relative humidity data offers a new and unique avenue for drought monitoring and early warning. We conclude that the early warning aspects of SRHI may have merit for integration into current drought monitoring systems.

A Vantage from Space Can Detect Earlier Drought Onset: An Approach Using Relative Humidity

PubMed Central

Farahmand, Alireza; AghaKouchak, Amir; Teixeira, Joao

2015-01-01

Each year, droughts cause significant economic and agricultural losses across the world. The early warning and onset detection of drought is of particular importance for effective agriculture and water resource management. Previous studies show that the Standard Precipitation Index (SPI), a measure of precipitation deficit, detects drought onset earlier than other indicators. Here we show that satellite-based near surface air relative humidity data can further improve drought onset detection and early warning. This paper introduces the Standardized Relative Humidity Index (SRHI) based on the NASA Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS) observations. The results indicate that the SRHI typically detects the drought onset earlier than the SPI. While the AIRS mission was not originally designed for drought monitoring, we show that its relative humidity data offers a new and unique avenue for drought monitoring and early warning. We conclude that the early warning aspects of SRHI may have merit for integration into current drought monitoring systems. PMID:25711500

Earlier Violent Television Exposure and Later Drug Dependence

PubMed Central

Brook, David W.; Katten, Naomi S.; Ning, Yuming; Brook, Judith S.

2013-01-01

This research examined the longitudinal pathways from earlier violent television exposure to later drug dependence. African American and Puerto Rican adolescents were interviewed during three points in time (N = 463). Violent television exposure in late adolescence predicted violent television exposure in young adulthood, which in turn was related to tobacco/marijuana use, nicotine dependence, and later drug dependence. Some policy and clinical implications suggest: a) regulating the times when violent television is broadcast; b) creating developmentally targeted prevention/treatment programs; and c) recognizing that watching violent television may serve as a cue regarding increased susceptibility to nicotine and drug dependence. PMID:18612881

Recruitment and accrual of women in a placebo-controlled clinical pilot study on manual therapy.

PubMed

Cambron, Jerrilyn A; Hawk, Cheryl; Evans, Roni; Long, Cynthia R

2004-06-01

To investigate the accrual rates and recruitment processes among 3 Midwestern sites during a pilot study on manual therapy for chronic pelvic pain. Multisite pilot study for a randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial. Three chiropractic institutions in or near major metropolitan cities in the Midwestern United States. Thirty-nine women aged 18 to 45 with chronic pelvic pain of at least 6 months duration, diagnosed by a board certified gynecologist. The method of recruitment was collected for each individual who responded to an advertisement and completed an interviewer-administered telephone screen. Participants who were willing and eligible after 3 baseline visits were entered into a randomized clinical trial. The number of responses and accrual rates were determined for the overall study, each of the 3 treatment sites, and each of the 5 recruitment efforts. In this study, 355 women were screened over the telephone and 39 were randomized, making the rate of randomization approximately 10%. The most effective recruitment methods leading to randomization were direct mail (38%) and radio advertisements (34%). However, success of the recruitment process differed by site. Based on the accrual of this multisite pilot study, a full-scale trial would not be feasible using this study's parameters. However, useful information was gained on recruitment effectiveness, eligibility criteria, and screening protocols among the 3 metropolitan sites.

NATO/CCMS PILOT STUDY - CLEAN PRODUCTS AND PROCESSES

EPA Science Inventory

The proposed objective of the NATO/CCMS Pilot on clean products and processes is to facilitate further gains in pollution prevention, waste minimization, and design for the environment. It is anticipated that the free exchange of knowledge, experience, data, and models will fost...

100-OL-1 Operable Unit Pilot Study: XRF Evaluation of Select Pre-Hanford Orchards

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

Bunn, Amoret L.; Fritz, Brad G.; Pulsipher, Brent A.

Prior to the acquisition of land by the U.S. Department of War in February 1943 and the creation of the Hanford Site, the land along the Columbia River was home to over 1000 people. Farming and orchard operations by both homesteaders and commercial organizations were prevalent. Orchard activities and the associated application of lead arsenate pesticide ceased in 1943, when residents were moved from the Hanford Site at the beginning of the Manhattan Project. Today, the residues from historical application of lead arsenate pesticide persist in some locations on the Hanford Site. In 2012, the U.S. Department of Energy, U.S.more » Environmental Protection Agency, and Washington State Department of Ecology established the 100-OL-1 Operable Unit (OU) through the Hanford Federal Facility Agreement and Consent Order, known as the Tri-Party Agreement. The pre-Hanford orchard lands identified as the 100-OL-1 OU are located south of the Columbia River and east of the present-day Vernita Bridge, and extend southeast to the former Hanford townsite. The discontinuous orchard lands within 100-OL-1 OU are approximately 20 km2 (5000 ac). A pilot study was conducted to support the approval of the remedial investigation/feasibility study work plan to evaluate the 100-OL-1 OU. This pilot study evaluated the use of a field portable X-ray fluorescence (XRF) analyzer for evaluating lead and arsenic concentrations on the soil surface as an indicator of lead arsenate pesticide residues in the OU. The objectives of the pilot study included evaluating a field portable XRF analyzer as the analytical method for decision making, estimating the nature and extent of lead and arsenic in surface soils in four decision units, evaluating the results for the purpose of optimizing the sampling approach implemented in the remedial investigation, and collecting information to improve the cost estimate and planning the cultural resources review for sampling activities in the remedial investigation

Higher Childhood Red Meat Intake Frequency Is Associated with Earlier Age at Menarche.

PubMed

Jansen, Erica C; Marín, Constanza; Mora-Plazas, Mercedes; Villamor, Eduardo

2016-03-09

Early age at menarche is associated with increased breast cancer risk. Red meat consumption in adolescence predicts breast cancer risk, but it is unknown whether it is also related to earlier menarche. We studied the association between intake of red meat at ages 5-12 y and age at menarche in a prospective study. We assessed usual diets with a food-frequency questionnaire in a group of 456 girls aged 8.4 ± 1.7 y and followed them for a median 5.6 y in Bogotá, Colombia. Girls were asked periodically about the occurrence and date of menarche. Median age at menarche was estimated with use of Kaplan-Meier survival probabilities by categories of red meat intake frequency. Cox proportional hazards models were used to compare the incidence of menarche by red meat intake frequency, adjusting for potential sociodemographic and dietary confounders including total energy intake and intake frequency of other animal food groups (dairy, poultry, freshwater fish, tuna/sardines, eggs, and innards). Median age at menarche was 12.4 y. After adjustment for total energy intake, maternal parity, and socioeconomic status, red meat intake frequency was inversely associated with age at menarche. When compared with girls with red meat intake <4 times/wk, those consuming it ≥2 times/d had a significantly earlier age at menarche (HR: 1.64; 95% CI: 1.11, 2.41; P-trend = 0.0009). Incidentally, we found that girls with tuna/sardine intake >1 time/wk had a significantly later age at menarche (HR: 0.62; 95% CI: 0.42, 0.90; P = 0.01) than those with intake <1 time/mo. Intake frequency of other animal food groups was not significantly associated with age at menarche. Higher red meat intake frequency during childhood is associated with an earlier age at menarche, whereas greater fatty fish intake frequency is associated with a later menarcheal age. © 2016 American Society for Nutrition.

Illuminating the "Boy Problem" from Children's and Teachers' Perspectives: A Pilot Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hamilton, Paula Louise; Jones, Louise

2016-01-01

The apparent educational underperformance of boys has received phenomenal attention worldwide for many years. In the UK, it has led to various government reports and policies aimed at raising boys' achievement. This small-scale qualitative-interpretive pilot study, undertaken in one urban primary school in North Wales, reports the findings from…

The Incredible Years Therapeutic Social and Emotional Skills Programme: A Pilot Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hutchings, Judy; Bywater, Tracey; Gridley, Nicole; Whitaker, Christopher J.; Martin-Forbes, Pam; Gruffydd, Stella

2012-01-01

The Incredible Years (IY) universal child Classroom Dinosaur and Teacher Classroom Management programmes are delivered in all 102 primary schools in Gwynedd County, Wales. This article describes a pilot study of the IY Therapeutic (small group) Dinosaur School social and emotional coaching programme, developed as a treatment programme, in one such…

Impact of Latino Parent Engagement on Student Academic Achievement: A Pilot Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Araque, Juan Carlos; Wietstock, Cathy; Cova, Heather M.; Zepeda, Steffanie

2017-01-01

The current pilot study examines the impact of the "Ten Education Commandments for Parents" program on (1) new immigrant Latino parents' knowledge of the U.S. public education system, (2) parent engagement, and (3) their children's academic achievement. Utilizing a pre-experimental, pre- and post-test research design, four schools with…

Analysis of empty ATLAS pilot jobs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Love, P. A.; Alef, M.; Dal Pra, S.; Di Girolamo, A.; Forti, A.; Templon, J.; Vamvakopoulos, E.; ATLAS Collaboration

2017-10-01

In this analysis we quantify the wallclock time used by short empty pilot jobs on a number of WLCG compute resources. Pilot factory logs and site batch logs are used to provide independent accounts of the usage. Results show a wide variation of wallclock time used by short jobs depending on the site and queue, and changing with time. For a reference dataset of all jobs in August 2016, the fraction of wallclock time used by empty jobs per studied site ranged from 0.1% to 0.8%. Aside from the wall time used by empty pilots, we also looked at how many pilots were empty as a fraction of all pilots sent. Binning the August dataset into days, empty fractions between 2% and 90% were observed. The higher fractions correlate well with periods of few actual payloads being sent to the site.

A Pilot Study of a Behavioral Parent Training in the Republic of Macedonia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hansen, Blake D.; Orton, Emma Lucy; Adams, Chase; Knecht, Laura; Rindlisbaker, Sophie; Jurtoski, Filip; Trajkovski, Vladimir

2017-01-01

Parenting children with autism in countries with limited professional and financial resources can be overwhelming. Parent training led by non-governmental organizations may help alleviate some of these burdens. The present pilot study was conducted in the Republic of Macedonia, a country located in Southeastern Europe. The purpose of the study was…

Pilot-optimal augmentation synthesis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schmidt, D. K.

1978-01-01

An augmentation synthesis method usable in the absence of quantitative handling qualities specifications, and yet explicitly including design objectives based on pilot-rating concepts, is presented. The algorithm involves the unique approach of simultaneously solving for the stability augmentation system (SAS) gains, pilot equalization and pilot rating prediction via optimal control techniques. Simultaneous solution is required in this case since the pilot model (gains, etc.) depends upon the augmented plant dynamics, and the augmentation is obviously not a priori known. Another special feature is the use of the pilot's objective function (from which the pilot model evolves) to design the SAS.

Effects of alcohol on pilot performance in simulated flight

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Billings, C. E.; Demosthenes, T.; White, T. R.; O'Hara, D. B.

1991-01-01

Ethyl alcohol's known ability to produce reliable decrements in pilot performance was used in a study designed to evaluate objective methods for assessing pilot performance. Four air carrier pilot volunteers were studied during eight simulated flights in a B727 simulator. Total errors increased linearly and significantly with increasing blood alcohol. Planning and performance errors, procedural errors and failures of vigilance each increased significantly in one or more pilots and in the group as a whole.

Diversity Considerations for Promoting Early Childhood Oral Health: A Pilot Study

PubMed Central

Prowse, Sarah; Schroth, Robert J.; Wilson, Alexandria; Edwards, Jeanette M.; Sarson, Janet; Levi, Jeremy A.; Moffatt, Michael E.

2014-01-01

Objectives. Several groups in Manitoba, Canada, experience early childhood caries (ECC), including Aboriginal, immigrant, and refugee children and those from select rural regions. The purpose of this pilot study was to explore the views of parents and caregivers from four cultural groups on early childhood oral health and ECC. Methods. A qualitative descriptive study design using focus groups recruited parents and caregivers from four cultural groups. Discussions were documented, audio-recorded, transcribed, and then analyzed for content based on themes. Results. Parents and caregivers identified several potential barriers to good oral health practice, including child's temperament, finances, and inability to control sugar intake. Both religion and genetics were found to influence perceptions of oral health. Misconceptions regarding breastfeeding and bottle use were present. One-on-one discussions, parental networks, and using laypeople from similar backgrounds were suggested methods to promote oral health. The immigrant and refugee participants placed emphasis on the use of visuals for those with language barriers while Hutterite participants suggested a health-education approach. Conclusions. These pilot study findings provide initial insight into the oral health-related knowledge and beliefs of these groups. This will help to inform planning of ECC prevention and research strategies, which can be tailored to specific populations. PMID:24624141

Respiratory muscle endurance training reduces chronic neck pain: A pilot study.

PubMed

Wirth, B; Ferreira, T Duarte; Mittelholzer, M; Humphreys, B K; Boutellier, U

2016-11-21

Patients with chronic neck pain show also respiratory dysfunctions. To investigate the effects of respiratory muscle endurance training (RMET) on chronic neck pain. In this pilot study (single-subject design: 3 baseline measurements, 4 measurements during RMET), 15 neck patients (49.3 ± 13.7 years; 13 females) conducted 20 sessions of home-based RMET using a SpiroTiger® (normocapnic hyperpnoea). Maximal voluntary ventilation (MVV), maximal inspiratory (Pimax) and expiratory (Pemax) pressure were measured before and after RMET. Neck flexor endurance, cervical and thoracic mobility, forward head posture, chest wall expansion and self-assessed neck disability [Neck Disability Index (NDI), Bournemouth questionnaire] were weekly assessed. Repeated measure ANOVA (Bonferroni correction) compared the first and last baseline and the last measurement after RMET. RMET significantly increased MVV (p= 0.025), Pimax (p= 0.001) and Pemax (p< 0.001). During RMET, neck disability significantly decreased (NDI: p= 0.001; Bournemouth questionnaire: p= 0.002), while neck flexor endurance (p< 0.001) and chest wall expansion (p< 0.001) increased. The changes in respiratory and musculoskeletal parameters did not correlate. RMET emerged from this pilot study as a feasible and effective therapy for reducing disability in patients with chronic neck pain. The underlying mechanisms, including blood gas analyses, need further investigation in a randomized controlled study.

Identifying the support needs of fathers affected by post-partum depression: a pilot study.

PubMed

Letourneau, N; Duffett-Leger, L; Dennis, C-L; Stewart, M; Tryphonopoulos, P D

2011-02-01

The purpose of this pilot study was to describe the experiences, support needs, resources, and barriers to support for fathers whose partners had post-partum depression (PPD) in preparation for a larger study. Qualitative methods and community-based research approaches were used in this exploratory/descriptive multi-site study, conducted in New Brunswick and Alberta. Telephone interviews were conducted with a total of 11 fathers in New Brunswick (n= 7) and Alberta (n= 4). Fathers experienced a number of depressive symptoms including: anxiety, lack of time and energy, irritability, feeling sad or down, changes in appetite, and thoughts of harm to self or baby. The most common barriers for fathers were lack of information regarding PPD resources and difficulty seeking support. This pilot study establishes the feasibility of the larger-scale exploration of fathers' experiences in supporting their spouses affected by PPD. © 2010 Blackwell Publishing.

Earlier time to aerobic exercise is associated with faster recovery following acute sport concussion

PubMed Central

Richards, Doug; Comper, Paul; Hutchison, Michael G.

2018-01-01

Objective To determine whether earlier time to initiation of aerobic exercise following acute concussion is associated with time to full return to (1) sport and (2) school or work. Methods A retrospective stratified propensity score survival analysis of acute (≤14 days) concussion was used to determine whether time (days) to initiation of aerobic exercise post-concussion was associated with, both, time (days) to full return to (1) sport and (2) school or work. Results A total of 253 acute concussions [median (IQR) age, 17.0 (15.0–20.0) years; 148 (58.5%) males] were included in this study. Multivariate Cox regression models identified that earlier time to aerobic exercise was associated with faster return to sport and school/work adjusting for other covariates, including quintile propensity strata. For each successive day in delay to initiation of aerobic exercise, individuals had a less favourable recovery trajectory. Initiating aerobic exercise at 3 and 7 days following injury was associated with a respective 36.5% (HR, 0.63; 95% CI, 0.53–0.76) and 73.2% (HR, 0.27; 95% CI, 0.16–0.45) reduced probability of faster full return to sport compared to within 1 day; and a respective 45.9% (HR, 0.54; 95% CI, 0.44–0.66) and 83.1% (HR, 0.17; 95% CI, 0.10–0.30) reduced probability of faster full return to school/work. Additionally, concussion history, symptom severity, LOC deleteriously influenced concussion recovery. Conclusion Earlier initiation of aerobic exercise was associated with faster full return to sport and school or work. This study provides greater insight into the benefits and safety of aerobic exercise within the first week of the injury. PMID:29668716

A Review of Quality of Life after Predictive Testing for and Earlier Identification of Neurodegenerative Diseases

PubMed Central

Paulsen, Jane S.; Nance, Martha; Kim, Ji-In; Carlozzi, Noelle E.; Panegyres, Peter K.; Erwin, Cheryl; Goh, Anita; McCusker, Elizabeth; Williams, Janet K.

2013-01-01

The past decade has witnessed an explosion of evidence suggesting that many neurodegenerative diseases can be detected years, if not decades, earlier than previously thought. To date, these scientific advances have not provoked any parallel translational or clinical improvements. There is an urgency to capitalize on this momentum so earlier detection of disease can be more readily translated into improved health-related quality of life for families at risk for, or suffering with, neurodegenerative diseases. In this review, we discuss health-related quality of life (HRQOL) measurement in neurodegenerative diseases and the importance of these “patient reported outcomes” for all clinical research. Next, we address HRQOL following early identification or predictive genetic testing in some neurodegenerative diseases: Huntington disease, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, Dementia with Lewy bodies, frontotemporal dementia, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, prion diseases, hereditary ataxias, Dentatorubral-pallidoluysian atrophy and Wilson's disease. After a brief report of available direct-to-consumer genetic tests, we address the juxtaposition of earlier disease identification with assumed reluctance towards predictive genetic testing. Forty-one studies examining health related outcomes following predictive genetic testing for neurodegenerative disease suggested that (a) extreme or catastrophic outcomes are rare; (b) consequences commonly include transiently increased anxiety and/or depression; (c) most participants report no regret; (d) many persons report extensive benefits to receiving genetic information; and (e) stigmatization and discrimination for genetic diseases are poorly understood and policy and laws are needed. Caution is appropriate for earlier identification of neurodegenerative diseases but findings suggest further progress is safe, feasible and likely to advance clinical care. PMID:24036231

100-OL-1 Operable Unit Field Portable X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF) Analyzer Pilot Study Plans

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

Bunn, Amoret L.; Fritz, Brad G.; Wellman, Dawn M.

A pilot study is being conducted to support the approval of the Remedial Investigation/Feasibility Study (RI/FS) Work Plan to evaluate the 100-OL-1 Operable Unit (OU) pre-Hanford orchard lands. Based on comments received by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Washington State Department of Ecology, the pilot study will evaluate the use of field portable X-ray fluorescence (XRF) spectrometry measurements for evaluating lead and arsenic concentrations on the soil surface as an indicator of past use of lead arsenate pesticide residue in the OU. The work will be performed in the field during the summer of 2014, and assist inmore » the planning for the characterization activities in the RI/FS.« less

Predicting Pilot Error in Nextgen: Pilot Performance Modeling and Validation Efforts

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wickens, Christopher; Sebok, Angelia; Gore, Brian; Hooey, Becky

2012-01-01

We review 25 articles presenting 5 general classes of computational models to predict pilot error. This more targeted review is placed within the context of the broader review of computational models of pilot cognition and performance, including such aspects as models of situation awareness or pilot-automation interaction. Particular emphasis is placed on the degree of validation of such models against empirical pilot data, and the relevance of the modeling and validation efforts to Next Gen technology and procedures.

Effects of additional team-based learning on students' clinical reasoning skills: a pilot study.

PubMed

Jost, Meike; Brüstle, Peter; Giesler, Marianne; Rijntjes, Michel; Brich, Jochen

2017-07-14

In the field of Neurology good clinical reasoning skills are essential for successful diagnosing and treatment. Team-based learning (TBL), an active learning and small group instructional strategy, is a promising method for fostering these skills. The aim of this pilot study was to examine the effects of a supplementary TBL-class on students' clinical decision-making skills. Fourth- and fifth-year medical students participated in this pilot study (static-group comparison design). The non-treatment group (n = 15) did not receive any additional training beyond regular teaching in the neurology course. The treatment group (n = 11) took part in a supplementary TBL-class optimized for teaching clinical reasoning in addition to the regular teaching in the neurology course. Clinical decision making skills were assessed using a key-feature problem examination. Factual and conceptual knowledge was assessed by a multiple-choice question examination. The TBL-group performed significantly better than the non-TBL-group (p = 0.026) in the key-feature problem examination. No significant differences between the results of the multiple-choice question examination of both groups were found. In this pilot study participants of a supplementary TBL-class significantly improved clinical decision-making skills, indicating that TBL may be an appropriate method for teaching clinical decision making in neurology. Further research is needed for replication in larger groups and other clinical fields.

Effects of hydration on cognitive function of pilots.

PubMed

Lindseth, Paul D; Lindseth, Glenda N; Petros, Thomas V; Jensen, Warren C; Caspers, Julie

2013-07-01

The objective of this study was to examine the effect of fluid intake and possible dehydration on cognitive flight performance of pilots. A repeated-measures, counterbalanced, mixed study design was used to examine differences in working memory, spatial orientation, and cognitive flight performance of 40 randomly selected healthy pilots after having high and low fluid intakes. Serial weights were also analyzed to determine differences in cognitive flight performance of the dehydrated (1-3% weight loss) and hydrated study participants. Results showed flight performance and spatial cognition test scores were significantly (p < 0.05) poorer for pilots who had low fluid intakes and experienced dehydration in comparison to the hydrated pilots. These findings indicate fluid intake differences resulting in dehydration may have safety implications because peak cognitive performance among pilots is critical for flight safety. Reprint & Copyright © 2013 Association of Military Surgeons of the U.S.

Intermittent Renewable Management Pilot Phase 2

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

Kiliccote, Sila; Homan, Gregory; Anderson, Robert

The Intermittent Renewable Management Pilot - Phase 2 (IRM2) was designed to study the feasibility of demand-side resources to participate into the California Independent System Operator (CAISO) wholesale market as proxy demand resources (PDR). The pilot study focused on understanding the issues related with direct participation of third-parties and customers including customer acceptance; market transformation challenges (wholesale market, technology); technical and operational feasibility; and value to the rate payers, DR resource owners and the utility on providing an enabling mechanism for DR resources into the wholesale markets. The customer had the option of committing to either three contiguous hour blocksmore » for 24 days or six contiguous hours for 12 days a month with day-ahead notification that aligned with the CAISO integrated forward market. As a result of their being available, the customer was paid $10/ kilowatt (kW)-month for capacity in addition to CAISO energy settlements. The participants were limited to no more than a 2 megawatt (MW) capacity with a six-month commitment. Four participants successfully engaged in the pilot. In this report, we provide the description of the pilot, participant performance results, costs and value to participants as well as outline some of the issues encountered through the pilot. Results show that participants chose to participate with storage and the value of CAISO settlements were significantly lower than the capacity payments provided by the utility as incentive payments. In addition, this pilot revealed issues both on the participant side and system operations side. These issues are summarized in the report.The Intermittent Renewable Management Pilot - Phase 2 (IRM2) was designed to study the feasibility of demand-side resources to participate into the California Independent System Operator (CAISO) wholesale market as proxy demand resources (PDR). The pilot study focused on understanding the issues related

Economic Costs Avoided by Diagnosing Melanoma Six Months Earlier Justify >100 Benign Biopsies.

PubMed

Aires, Daniel J; Wick, Jo; Shaath, Tarek S; Rajpara, Anand N; Patel, Vikas; Badawi, Ahmed H; Li, Cicy; Fraga, Garth R; Doolittle, Gary; Liu, Deede Y

2016-05-01

New melanoma drugs bring enormous benefits but do so at significant costs. Because melanoma grows deeper and deadlier over time, deeper lesions are costlier due to increased sentinel lymph node biopsy, chemotherapy, and disease-associated income loss. Prior studies have justified pigmented lesion biopsies on a "value per life" basis; by contrast we sought to assess how many biopsies are justified per melanoma found on a purely economic basis. We modeled how melanomas in the United States would behave if diagnosis were delayed by 6 months, eg, not biopsied, only observed until the next surveillance visit. Economic loss from delayed biopsy is the obverse of economic benefit of performing biopsy earlier. Growth rates were based on Liu et al. The results of this study can be applied to all patients presenting to dermatologists with pigmented skin lesions suspicious for melanoma. In-situ melanomas were excluded because no studies to date have modeled growth rates analogous to those for invasive melanoma. We assume conservatively that all melanomas not biopsied initially will be biopsied and treated 6 months later. Major modeled costs are (1) increased sentinel lymph node biopsy, (2) increased chemotherapy for metastatic lesions using increased 5-yr death as metastasis marker, and (3) income loss per melanoma death at $413,370 as previously published. Costs avoided by diagnosing melanoma earlier justify 170 biopsies per melanoma found. Efforts to penalize "unnecessary" biopsies may be economically counterproductive.

J Drugs Dermatol. 2016;15(5):527-532.

Oligofructose promotes satiety in healthy human: a pilot study.

PubMed

Cani, P D; Joly, E; Horsmans, Y; Delzenne, N M

2006-05-01

The administration of a fermentable dietary fibre (oligofructose) in rats increases satietogenic gut peptides and lowered spontaneous energy intake. The aim of the study was to assess the relevance of those effects of oligofructose on satiety and energy intake in humans. Single-blinded, crossover, placebo-controlled design, pilot study. Volunteers included five men and five women aged 21-39 years, BMI ranging from 18.5 to 27.4 kg/m(2), were randomly assigned as described below. Subjects were included in two 2-week experimental phases during which they received either fibre (oligofructose (OFS)) or placebo (dextrine maltose (DM)); a 2-week washout period was included between crossover phases. In total, 8 g OFS or 8 g DM were ingested twice daily (16 g/day in total). Energy intake, hunger, satiety, fullness and prospective food consumption were assessed with analogue scales at the end of each experimental phase. During breakfast, OFS significantly increases the satiety (P=0.04) without any difference on other sensations as compared to DM treatment periods. After lunch, no significant differences are observed between treatment period. At dinner, OFS significantly increases satiety (P=0.04), reduces hunger (P=0.04) and prospective food consumption (P=0.05). The energy intake at breakfast and lunch are significantly lower (P=0.01, 0.03, respectively) after OFS treatment than after DM treatment. Total energy intake per day is 5% lower during OFS than in DM period. Oligofructose treatment increases satiety following breakfast and dinner, reduces hunger and prospective food consumption following dinner. This pilot study presents a rationale to propose oligofructose supplements in the management of food intake in overweight and obese patients.

Perceptions of Adolescents With Cancer Related to a Pain Management App and Its Evaluation: Qualitative Study Nested Within a Multicenter Pilot Feasibility Study

PubMed Central

Stevens, Bonnie J; Nathan, Paul C; Seto, Emily; Cafazzo, Joseph A; Johnston, Donna L; Hum, Vanessa; Stinson, Jennifer N

2018-01-01

Background Pain in adolescents with cancer is common and negatively impacts health-related quality of life. The Pain Squad+ smartphone app, capable of providing adolescents with real-time pain management support, was developed to enhance pain management using a phased approach (ie, systematic review, consensus conference and vetting, iterative usability testing cycles). A 28-day Pain Squad+ pilot was conducted with 40 adolescents with cancer to evaluate the feasibility of implementing the app in a future clinical trial and to obtain estimates of treatment effect. Objective The objective of our nested qualitative study was to elucidate the perceptions of adolescents with cancer to determine the acceptability and perceived helpfulness of Pain Squad+, suggestions for app improvement, and satisfaction with the pilot study protocol. Methods Post pilot study participation, telephone-based, semistructured, and audio-recorded exit interviews were conducted with 20 adolescents with cancer (12-18 years). All interviews were transcribed and independently coded by 2 study team members. Content analysis was conducted to identify data categories and overarching themes. Results Five major themes comprising multiple categories and codes emerged. These themes focused on the acceptability of the intervention, acceptability of the study, the perceived active ingredients of the intervention, the suitability of the intervention to adolescents’ lives, and recommendations for intervention improvement. Conclusions Overall, Pain Squad+ and the pilot study protocol were acceptable to adolescents with cancer. Suggestions for intervention and study improvements will be incorporated into the design of a future randomized clinical trial (RCT) aimed at assessing the effectiveness of Pain Squad+ on adolescents with cancer health outcomes. PMID:29625951

Examining the Hospital Elder Life Program in a rehabilitation setting: a pilot feasibility study.

PubMed

Huson, Kelsey; Stolee, Paul; Pearce, Nancy; Bradfield, Corrie; Heckman, George A

2016-07-18

The Hospital Elder Life Program (HELP) has been shown to effectively prevent delirium and functional decline in older patients in acute care, but has not been examined in a rehabilitation setting. This pilot study examined potential successes and implementation factors of the HELP in a post-acute rehabilitation hospital setting. A mixed methods (quantitative and qualitative) evaluation, incorporating a repeated measures design, was used. A total of 100 patients were enrolled; 58 on the pilot intervention unit and 42 on a usual care unit. Group comparisons were made using change scores (pre-post intervention) on outcome measures between pilot unit patients and usual care patients (separate analyses compared usual care patients with pilot unit patients who did or did not receive the HELP). Qualitative data were collected using focus group and individual interviews, and analyzed using emergent coding procedures. Delirium prevalence reduced from 10.9 % (n = 6) to 2.5 % (n = 1) in the intervention group, while remaining the same in the usual care group (2.5 % at both measurement points). Those who received the HELP showed greater improvement on cognitive and functional outcomes, particularly short-term memory and recall, and a shorter average length of stay than patients who did not. Participant groups discussed perceived barriers, benefits, and recommendations for further implementation of the HELP in a rehabilitation setting. This study adds to the limited research on delirium and the effectiveness of the HELP in post-acute rehabilitation settings. The HELP was found to be feasible and have potential benefits for reduced delirium and improved outcomes among rehabilitation patients.

DIETARY EXPOSURE FROM PESTICIDE APPLICATION ON FARMS IN THE AGRICULTURAL HEALTH PILOT STUDY

EPA Science Inventory

As part of total human exposure measurements performed on six farms in Iowa and North Carolina during the Agricultural Health Pilot Study, a household duplicate diet, several locally grown foods, an applicator meal, a child duplicate diet, and drinking water samples were collecte...

A PILOT STUDY FOR NEAR REAL-TIME AEROSOL MODELING AND AIR QUALITY CHARACTERIZATION

EPA Science Inventory

The poster will present the objectives and initial results of a pilot study conducted as a partnership between the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and the New York State Department of Environmental Conservat...

Managing Emotion in a Maltreating Context: A Pilot Study Examining Child Neglect

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shipman, Kimberly; Edwards, Anna; Brown, Amy; Swisher, Lisa; Jennings, Ernestine

2005-01-01

Objective: The primary goal of this pilot study was to examine emotion management skills (i.e., emotional understanding, emotion regulation) in children who had experienced neglect and a control group to determine the ways that neglect may interfere with children's emotional development. Method: Participants included children 6-12 years of age and…

Treatment of Comorbid Conduct Problems and Depression in Youth: A Pilot Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wolff, Jennifer C.; Ollendick, Thomas H.

2012-01-01

The purpose of this study was to pilot a cognitive behavioral treatment protocol for adolescents with co-occurring conduct problems and depression. A non-concurrent multiple baseline design was used to assess the effectiveness of the intervention. A sample of five adolescents, aged 11 to 14 years, participated; all five families completed the…

Increasing Physical Activity in Preschool: A Pilot Study to Evaluate Animal Trackers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Williams, Christine L.; Carter, Betty Jean; Kibbe, Debra L.; Dennison, David

2009-01-01

Objective: This report describes a pilot study to evaluate Animal Trackers (AT), a preschool program designed to (1) increase structured physical activity (PA) during the preschool day; (2) increase practice of gross motor skills; (3) provide teachers with an easy-to-use PA program regardless of teacher experience; and (4) implement a teacher…

Research Teaching Pedagogy: Lessons Learned from an Arabic Language Intervention Pilot Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Christ, Thomas W.; Elmetaher, Hosam

2012-01-01

Teaching mixed methods and action research to graduate students has great advantages but also poses interesting challenges. The purpose of this article is to make transparent the process by which a mixed methods research instructor helped inform a student-researcher of the limitations in a pilot study that was compromised by methodology, including…

Pilot of integrated, colocated neurology in a primary care medical home.

PubMed

Young, Nathan P; Elrashidi, Muhamad Y; Crane, Sarah J; Ebbert, Jon O

2017-06-01

Novel health care delivery models are needed to reduce health care use while delivering effective and safe care. We developed a model of a neurologist integrated and colocated in primary care leveraging "curbside," electronic, and traditional consultations. Our objective was to examine the impact on health care resource use of diagnostic testing and referrals for face-to-face neurological consultation and adverse outcomes associated with electronic and curbside consultations. Consecutive patients from December 1, 2014, to March 13, 2015, were included in the analysis about whom contact was made between a primary care clinician and a colocated neurologist. Over 3.5 months of the pilot, 359 unique patients generated 429 consultations (179 curbsides, 68 electronic consultations, and 182 face-to-face visits). The integrated model resulted in avoidance of 78 face-to-face tertiary neurology consultations, 39 brain magnetic resonance imaging, 50 electromyograms, and 53 other advanced imaging studies. Earlier curbside consultation may have prevented unnecessary testing or face-to-face tertiary neurology consultations in 40 (22%) patients. Earlier face-to-face consultation may have avoided expensive testing in 31 (17%) patients. No cases met criteria for an adverse outcome. The number of referrals to tertiary neurology declined by 64%, and the total number of face-to-face visits per month declined by 25%. Colocated neurology in a primary care medical home offers a promising intervention to deliver high-value care. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

A Pilot Study of CPAP Adherence Promotion by Peer Buddies with Sleep Apnea

PubMed Central