Identity threat at work: how social identity threat and situational cues contribute to racial and ethnic disparities in the workplace.

PubMed

Emerson, Katherine T U; Murphy, Mary C

2014-10-01

Significant disparities remain between racial and ethnic minorities' and Whites' experiences of American workplaces. Traditional prejudice and discrimination approaches explain these gaps in hiring, promotion, satisfaction, and well-being by pointing to the prejudice of people within organizations such as peers, managers, and executives. Grounded in social identity threat theory, this theoretical review instead argues that particular situational cues-often communicated by well-meaning, largely unprejudiced employees and managers-signal to stigmatized groups whether their identity is threatened and devalued or respected and affirmed. First, we provide an overview of how identity threat shapes the psychological processes of racial and ethnic minorities by heightening vigilance to certain situational cues in the workplace. Next, we outline several of these cues and their role in creating and sustaining perceptions of identity threat (or safety). Finally, we provide empirically grounded suggestions that organizations may use to increase identity safety among their employees of color. Taken together, the research demonstrates how situational cues contribute to disparate psychological experiences for racial and ethnic minorities at work, and suggests that by altering threatening cues, organizations may create more equitable, respectful, and inclusive environments where all people may thrive. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2014 APA, all rights reserved).

Reviewing responsibilities and renewing relationships: an intervention with men on violence against women in India.

PubMed

Das, Abhijit; Mogford, Elizabeth; Singh, Satish K; Barbhuiya, Ruhul Amin; Chandra, Shishir; Wahl, Rachel

2012-01-01

Violence against women is increasingly seen as a key women's rights issue in India. Some efforts to address it have started to engage men. The current study focuses on the impacts of Men's Action to Stop Violence Against Women (MASVAW), a network of men working on gender-based violence in the state of Uttar Pradesh, in India. The purpose of the study was to determine the extent to which MASVAW activists incorporate gender-equitable attitudes and practices into their own lives and to identify their influence on men around them. The cross-sectional study includes three groups: activists, men living in an area where activists conducted outreach activities and a control group living in an area with no MASVAW activities. Both activists and activist influenced men scored higher on measures of gender-equitable beliefs and practices than controls, suggesting that MASVAW activism is successful. Furthermore, men from the activist influenced group scored higher in gender progressiveness even if they did not have contact with MASVAW themselves, suggesting a diffusion effect of social change. However, there were some areas where the activists had low scores, suggesting need for additional inputs.

The BioMedical Admissions Test for medical student selection: issues of fairness and bias.

PubMed

Emery, Joanne L; Bell, John F; Vidal Rodeiro, Carmen L

2011-01-01

The BioMedical Admissions Test (BMAT) forms part of the undergraduate medical admission process at the University of Cambridge. The fairness of admissions tests is an important issue. Aims were to investigate the relationships between applicants' background variables and BMAT scores, whether they were offered a place or rejected and, for those admitted, performance on the first year course examinations. Multilevel regression models were employed with data from three combined applicant cohorts. Admission rates for different groups were investigated with and without controlling for BMAT performance. The fairness of the BMAT was investigated by determining, for those admitted, whether scores predicted examination performance equitably. Despite some differences in applicants' BMAT performance (e.g. by school type and gender), BMAT scores predicted mean examination marks equitably for all background variables considered. The probability of achieving a 1st class examination result, however, was slightly under-predicted for those admitted from schools and colleges entering relatively few applicants. Not all differences in admission rates were accounted for by BMAT performance. However, the test constitutes only one part of a compensatory admission system in which other factors, such as interview performance, are important considerations. Results are in support of the equity of the BMAT.

Does Integrating Family Planning into HIV Services Improve Gender Equitable Attitudes? Results from a Cluster Randomized Trial in Nyanza, Kenya.

PubMed

Newmann, Sara J; Rocca, Corinne H; Zakaras, Jennifer M; Onono, Maricianah; Bukusi, Elizabeth A; Grossman, Daniel; Cohen, Craig R

2016-09-01

This study investigated whether integrating family planning (FP) services into HIV care was associated with gender equitable attitudes among HIV-positive adults in western Kenya. Surveys were conducted with 480 women and 480 men obtaining HIV services from 18 clinics 1 year after the sites were randomized to integrated FP/HIV services (N = 12) or standard referral for FP (N = 6). We used multivariable regression, with generalized estimating equations to account for clustering, to assess whether gender attitudes (range 0-12) were associated with integrated care and with contraceptive use. Men at intervention sites had stronger gender equitable attitudes than those at control sites (adjusted mean difference in scores = 0.89, 95 % CI 0.03-1.74). Among women, attitudes did not differ by study arm. Gender equitable attitudes were not associated with contraceptive use among men (AOR = 1.06, 95 % CI 0.93-1.21) or women (AOR = 1.03, 95 % CI 0.94-1.13). Further work is needed to understand how integrating FP into HIV care affects gender relations, and how improved gender equity among men might be leveraged to improve contraceptive use and other reproductive health outcomes.

Attention bias for social threat in youth with tic disorders: Links with tic severity and social anxiety.

PubMed

Pile, Victoria; Robinson, Sally; Topor, Marta; Hedderly, Tammy; Lau, Jennifer Y F

2018-06-07

Many individuals with Tourette syndrome and chronic tic disorders (TS/CTDs) report poor social functioning and comorbid social anxiety. Yet limited research has investigated the role of cognitive factors that highlight social threats in youth with TS/CTD, and whether these biases underlie tic severity and co-occurring social anxiety. This study examined whether selective attention to social threat is enhanced young people with TS/CTDs compared to healthy controls, and whether attention biases are associated with tic severity and social anxiety. Twenty seven young people with TS/CTDs and 25 matched control participants completed an experimental measure of attention bias toward/away from threat stimuli. A clinician-rated interview measuring tic severity/impairment (YGTSS Total Score) and questionnaire measures of social anxiety were completed by participants and their parents. Young people with TS/CTD showed an attention bias to social threat words (relative to benign words) compared to controls but no such bias for social threat faces. Attention bias for social threat words was associated with increasing YGTSS Total Score and parent-reported social anxiety in the TS/CTDs group. Mediation analysis revealed a significant indirect path between YGTSS Total Score and social anxiety, via attention to social threat. Tentatively, these associations appeared to be driven by impairment rather than tic severity scores. Preliminary data suggests that youth with TS/CTD have enhanced attention to threat, compared to controls, and this is associated with impairment and social anxiety. Attention to threat could offer a cognitive mechanism connecting impairment and social anxiety, and so be a valuable trans-diagnostic treatment target.

Do frequent exposures to threats and violence at work affect later workforce participation?

PubMed

Biering, Karin; Andersen, Lars Peter Sønderbo; Hogh, Annie; Andersen, Johan Hviid

2018-05-01

Threats and violence at work are common problems in the human service sector. It can result in physical and psychological health symptoms. The aim of this study was to examine the association between exposure to threats and violence and workforce participation in four human service sectors. 5170 employees answered questionnaires about threats and violence in 2010 and were followed in a register for public transfer incomes for 3.5 years to identify episodes of sick leave, general workforce participation, and permanent health-related benefits. We found associations between exposures to threats and violence at work and workforce participation, though only a few specific types of threats and violence were associated on their own. Self-rated severity of both threatening and violent episodes was associated with overall low workforce participation, new sick leave episodes, and permanent health-related benefits. However, the latter was not statistically significant. The same pattern seems to be present in the relation between the total amount of exposure to threats and violence (threats score and violence score), respectively, and overall low workforce participation and new sick leave episodes. The threats score was also related to permanent health-related benefits. Exposure to threats and violence is associated with temporary and permanent health-related benefits as well as with low workforce participation in general, although some of the associations were not statistically significant.

Using needs-based frameworks for evaluating new technologies: an application to genetic tests.

PubMed

Rogowski, Wolf H; Schleidgen, Sebastian

2015-02-01

Given the multitude of newly available genetic tests in the face of limited healthcare budgets, the European Society of Human Genetics assessed how genetic services can be prioritized fairly. Using (health) benefit maximizing frameworks for this purpose has been criticized on the grounds that rather than maximization, fairness requires meeting claims (e.g. based on medical need) equitably. This study develops a prioritization score for genetic tests to facilitate equitable allocation based on need-based claims. It includes attributes representing health need associated with hereditary conditions (severity and progression), a genetic service's suitability to alleviate need (evidence of benefit and likelihood of positive result) and costs to meet the needs. A case study for measuring the attributes is provided and a suggestion is made how need-based claims can be quantified in a priority function. Attribute weights can be informed by data from discrete-choice experiments. Further work is needed to measure the attributes across the multitude of genetic tests and to determine appropriate weights. The priority score is most likely to be considered acceptable if developed within a decision process which meets criteria of procedural fairness and if the priority score is interpreted as "strength of recommendation" rather than a fixed cut-off value. Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd.

[The interplay of diagnostic and antimicrobial stewardship for the management of septic patients: the Tuscan model.

PubMed

Forni, Silvia; Toccafondi, Giulio; Viaggi, Bruno; Grazzini, Maddalena; D'Arienzo, Sara; Gemmi, Fabrizio; Vannucci, Andrea; Tulli, Giorgio

2018-02-01

Antimicrobial resistance is a global threat caused by the rapid spread of multiresistant microorganisms. Antimicrobial stewardship (AS) is a coordinated intervention designed to improve the appropriate use of antimicrobials by promoting the selection of the optimal drug regimen, dose, duration of therapy and route of administration. AS programs have proved effective in reducing antimicrobial resistance, inappropriate antimicrobial use and in improving patient outcomes. Recently developed rapid diagnostic technologies in microbiology (RDTM) allows a faster and etiological diagnosis of infection and a reduction in the use of unnecessary empirical therapies. This may result in important advancement in time-critical care pathways for septic patients. Nevertheless, RDTM are costly and if not rationally positioned may consume resources and hinder the efficacy of AS programs. In this regard, Tuscany Region is engaged in designing, through a systemic approach, an effective high-quality clinical microbiological service grid. In order to develop a sustainable and equitable model for integrating diagnostic and antimicrobial stewardship we conducted a survey in the regional network of 14 microbiological laboratories. The results shows that in order to develop a sustainable service we need to improve the communication at the interface between laboratories and care unit, harmonize the time windows for processing samples and to devise a robust score for stratifying patient with suspected sepsis.

Threat Assessment & Remediation Analysis (TARA): Methodology Description Version 1.0

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-10-01

collectively support this practice. v Table of Contents 1 Introduction...4 1.3.2.3 Common Vulnerability Scoring System (CVSS) ........................................ 4 1.3.2.4 Microsoft Threat Modeling ...6 2.1.1.3 Eliminate Implausible TTPs ........................................................................ 6 2.1.1.4 Apply Scoring Model

Development of an Instrument to Assess Prospective Elementary Teacher Self-Efficacy Beliefs about Equitable Science Teaching and Learning (SEBEST)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ritter, Jennifer M.; Boone, William J.; Rubba, Peter A.

2001-06-01

This paper presents an overview of the procedures used to develop and validate an instrument to measure the self-efficacy beliefs of prospective elementary teachers about equitable science teaching and learning. The instrument, titled the SEBEST, was based on the work of Ashton and Webb (1986a, 1986b) and Bandura (1977, 1986). It was modeled after the Science Teaching Efficacy Belief Instrument (STEBI) (Riggs, 1988) and the Science Teaching Efficacy Belief Instrument for Prospective Teachers (STEBI-B) (Enochs & Riggs, 1990). Based on the standardized development procedures used and associated evidence, the SEBEST appears to be a content and construct valid instrument, with high internal reliability qualities. "Most probable response" plots are introduced and used to bring meaning to SEBEST raw scores.

NIH Peer Review: Scored Review Criteria and Overall Impact

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lindner, Mark D.; Vancea, Adrian; Chen, Mei-Ching; Chacko, George

2016-01-01

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is the largest source of funding for biomedical research in the world. Funding decisions are made largely based on the outcome of a peer review process that is intended to provide a fair, equitable, timely, and unbiased review of the quality, scientific merit, and potential impact of the research. There have…

Updating Algebra for All?: Evidence of a Middle-Grades Math Acceleration Policy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dougherty, Shaun M.; Goodman, Joshua; Hill, Darryl; Litke, Erica; Page, Lindsay

2014-01-01

The Wake County Public School System (WCPSS) in North Carolina recently addressed the issue of advancement in and equitable access to advanced mathematics. Under a recent policy, WCPSS uses a SAS-generated predicted probabilities of students' success in obtaining a passing score on the NC Algebra I End-of-Course (EOC) exam, to determine…

Gender Differences in Mathematics Achievement in Jordan: A Differential Item Functioning Analysis of the 2015 TIMSS

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Innabi, Hanan; Dodeen, Hamzeh

2018-01-01

This study is within the framework of the United Nations sustainable development goals related to equitable quality education. The total score on the 2015 Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study that indicated eighth-grade girls in Jordan significantly outperformed boys is hiding many details related to the quality of mathematics…

Holistic and Individualistic Evaluations of Digital Visual Art Portfolios: A Mixed Methods Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cavill, William D., Jr.

2017-01-01

The high-stakes nature of portfolio evaluation makes it necessary to perform such assessments in the fairest and most equitable manner possible. Determining whether or not there is a difference between holistically and individualistically derived scores for digital visual art portfolios and how those differences can be explained was the focus of…

System for ranking relative threats of U.S. volcanoes

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ewert, J.W.

2007-01-01

A methodology to systematically rank volcanic threat was developed as the basis for prioritizing volcanoes for long-term hazards evaluations, monitoring, and mitigation activities. A ranking of 169 volcanoes in the United States and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (U.S. volcanoes) is presented based on scores assigned for various hazard and exposure factors. Fifteen factors define the hazard: Volcano type, maximum known eruptive explosivity, magnitude of recent explosivity within the past 500 and 5,000 years, average eruption-recurrence interval, presence or potential for a suite of hazardous phenomena (pyroclastic flows, lahars, lava flows, tsunami, flank collapse, hydrothermal explosion, primary lahar), and deformation, seismic, or degassing unrest. Nine factors define exposure: a measure of ground-based human population in hazard zones, past fatalities and evacuations, a measure of airport exposure, a measure of human population on aircraft, the presence of power, transportation, and developed infrastructure, and whether or not the volcano forms a significant part of a populated island. The hazard score and exposure score for each volcano are multiplied to give its overall threat score. Once scored, the ordered list of volcanoes is divided into five overall threat categories from very high to very low. ?? 2007 ASCE.

A novel method for reproducibly measuring the effects of interventions to improve emotional climate, indices of team skills and communication, and threat to patient outcome in a high-volume thoracic surgery center.

PubMed

Nurok, Michael; Lipsitz, Stuart; Satwicz, Paul; Kelly, Andrea; Frankel, Allan

2010-05-01

To create and test a reproducible method for measuring emotional climate, surgical team skills, and threats to patient outcome by conducting an observational study to assess the impact of a surgical team skills and communication improvement intervention on these measurements. Observational study. Operating rooms in a high-volume thoracic surgery center from September 5, 2007, through June 30, 2008. Thoracic surgery operating room teams. Two 90-minute team skills training sessions focused on findings from a standardized safety culture survey administered to all participants and highlighting positive and problematic aspects of team skills, communication, and leadership. The sessions created an interactive forum to educate team members on the importance of communication and to role-play optimal interactive and communication strategies. Calculated indices of emotional climate, team skills, and threat to patient outcome. The calculated communication and team skills score improved from the preintervention to postintervention periods, but the improvement extinguished during the 3 months after the intervention (P < .001). The calculated threat-to-outcome score improved following the team training intervention and remained statistically improved 3 months later (P < .001). Using a new method for measuring emotional climate, teamwork, and threats to patient outcome, we were able to determine that a teamwork training intervention can improve a calculated score of team skills and communication and decrease a calculated score of threats to patient outcome. However, the effect is only durable for threats to patient outcome.

Predicting self-construal from authoritarianism: a pilot study of perceived threat.

PubMed

Shaffer, Barbara A; Hollen, Ryan D; Hastings, Brad M

2007-12-01

This pilot study investigated the association of perceived threat and scores on a measure of Authoritarianism. Undergraduate students (29 women, 8 men; ages 18-32, M=21, SD=3.1), completed the Right-wing Authoritarianism scale and then the Self-construal scale after reading a nonthreatening or threatening news article. In the threatening condition, Authoritarian scores accounted for a significant amount of variance (R2= .26) in Interdependent Self-construal scores, but not for Independent Self-construal scores. No significant associations were found in the non-threatening condition.

The Effect of Behavioral Commitment and Ability Discrepancy on Attitudinal Persistence.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

DasGupta, Bikram; Liang, Ann

1988-01-01

Manipulated behavioral commitment and negative task discrepancy to observe effects on attitudinal persistence on feminist issues and perceived threat of trivia test score. Results indicated that non-active feminists (N=20) perceived greater threat from discrepant test score than did active feminists (N=20) and showed greater agreement to feminist…

Marine biotechnologies and synthetic biology, new issues for a fair and equitable profit-sharing commercial use.

PubMed

Bloch, Jean-François; Tardieu-Guigues, Elisabeth

2014-10-01

The sea will be a source of economic development in the next years. Today the research works in marine biotechnologies supply new products and processes. The introduction in the laboratories of a new technology, synthesis biology, is going to increase the possibilities of creation of new products. Exploitation of product stemming from marine biodiversity has to be made with regard to various rights among which industrial property law, maritime law and the Convention on BioDiversity. All participants involved in the promotion of research in marine biotechnology must address the fair and equitable sharing of any commercial exploitation. Carrying out work involving synthetic biology has increased the number of unanswered questions about how operators should manage in order to avoid any threat of being sued for infringements of IP rights or for alleged bio-piracy. This paper, by no means exhaustive in the field, analyzes some of the issues raised on the modification to the landscape in marine biotechnology by the advent of synthetic biology. Such issues indicate how important the collaboration between researchers, industrialists, lawyers is for allowing proper use of marine biotech. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A simple strategy to reduce stereotype threat for orthopedic residents.

PubMed

Gomez, Everlyne; Wright, James G

2014-04-01

Stereotype threat, defined as the predicament felt by people in either positive or negative learning experiences where they could conform to negative stereotypes associated with their own group membership, can interfere with learning. The purpose of this study was to determine if a simple orientation session could reduce stereotype threat for orthopedic residents. The intervention group received an orientation on 2 occasions focusing on their possible responses to perceived poor performance in teaching rounds and the operating room (OR). Participants completed a survey with 7 questions typical for stereotype threat evaluating responses to their experiences. The questions had 7 response options with a maximum total score of 49, where higher scores indicated greater degree of experiences typical of stereotype threat. Of the 84 eligible residents, 49 participated: 22 in the nonintervention and 27 in the intervention group. The overall scores were 29 and 29.4, and 26.2 and 25.8 in the nonintervention and intervention groups for their survey responses to perceived poor performance in teaching rounds (p = 0.85) and the OR (p = 0.84), respectively. Overall, responses typical of stereotype threat were greater for perceived poor performance at teaching rounds than in the OR (p = 0.001). Residents experience low self-esteem following perceived poor performance, particularly at rounds. A simple orientation designed to reduce stereotype threat was unsuccessful in reducing this threat overall. Future research will need to consider longer-term intervention as possible strategies to reduce perceived poor performance at teaching rounds and in the OR.

Attitudes toward Stillbirth and Death Threat Level in a Sample of Obstetricians.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kirkley-Best, Elizabeth; And Others

1985-01-01

Obstetricians and obstetrical residents (N=70) were polled on their attitudes regarding stillbirth and simultaneously were assessed for their level of death threat as measured by the Threat Index. No effect of death threat level on attitudes toward stillbirth was observed, even when extreme scores were isolated and compared. (Author/NRB)

Influence of negative stereotypes and beliefs on neuropsychological test performance in a traumatic brain injury population.

PubMed

Kit, Karen A; Mateer, Catherine A; Tuokko, Holly A; Spencer-Rodgers, Julie

2014-02-01

The impact of stereotype threat and self-efficacy beliefs on neuropsychological test performance in a clinical traumatic brain injury (TBI) population was investigated. A total of 42 individuals with mild-to-moderate TBI and 42 (age-, gender-, educationally matched) healthy adults were recruited. The study consisted of a 2 (Type of injury: control, TBI) × 2 (Threat Condition: reduced threat, heightened threat) between-participants design. The purpose of the reduced threat condition was to reduce negative stereotyped beliefs regarding cognitive effects of TBI and to emphasize personal control over cognition. The heightened threat condition consisted of an opposing view. Main effects included greater anxiety, motivation, and dejection but reduced memory self-efficacy for head-injured-groups, compared to control groups. On neuropsychological testing, the TBI-heightened-threat-group displayed lower scores on Initial Encoding (initial recall) and trended toward displaying lower scores on Attention (working memory) compared to the TBI-reduced-threat-group. No effect was found for Delayed Recall measures. Memory self-efficacy mediated the relation between threat condition and neuropsychological performance, indicating a potential mechanism for the threat effect. The findings highlight the impact of stereotype threat and self-referent beliefs on neuropsychological test performance in a clinical TBI population.

Impact of multiple radar reflectivity data assimilation on the numerical simulation of a flash flood event during the HyMeX campaign

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maiello, Ida; Gentile, Sabrina; Ferretti, Rossella; Baldini, Luca; Roberto, Nicoletta; Picciotti, Errico; Alberoni, Pier Paolo; Silvio Marzano, Frank

2017-11-01

An analysis to evaluate the impact of multiple radar reflectivity data with a three-dimensional variational (3-D-Var) assimilation system on a heavy precipitation event is presented. The main goal is to build a regionally tuned numerical prediction model and a decision-support system for environmental civil protection services and demonstrate it in the central Italian regions, distinguishing which type of observations, conventional and not (or a combination of them), is more effective in improving the accuracy of the forecasted rainfall. In that respect, during the first special observation period (SOP1) of HyMeX (Hydrological cycle in the Mediterranean Experiment) campaign several intensive observing periods (IOPs) were launched and nine of which occurred in Italy. Among them, IOP4 is chosen for this study because of its low predictability regarding the exact location and amount of precipitation. This event hit central Italy on 14 September 2012 producing heavy precipitation and causing several cases of damage to buildings, infrastructure, and roads. Reflectivity data taken from three C-band Doppler radars running operationally during the event are assimilated using the 3-D-Var technique to improve high-resolution initial conditions. In order to evaluate the impact of the assimilation procedure at different horizontal resolutions and to assess the impact of assimilating reflectivity data from multiple radars, several experiments using the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model are performed. Finally, traditional verification scores such as accuracy, equitable threat score, false alarm ratio, and frequency bias - interpreted by analysing their uncertainty through bootstrap confidence intervals (CIs) - are used to objectively compare the experiments, using rain gauge data as a benchmark.

Precipitation From a Multiyear Database of Convection-Allowing WRF Simulations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Goines, D. C.; Kennedy, A. D.

2018-03-01

Convection-allowing models (CAMs) have become frequently used for operational forecasting and, more recently, have been utilized for general circulation model downscaling. CAM forecasts have typically been analyzed for a few case studies or over short time periods, but this limits the ability to judge the overall skill of deterministic simulations. Analysis over long time periods can yield a better understanding of systematic model error. Four years of warm season (April-August, 2010-2013)-simulated precipitation has been accumulated from two Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) models with 4 km grid spacing. The simulations were provided by the National Center for Environmental Prediction (NCEP) and the National Severe Storms Laboratory (NSSL), each with different dynamic cores and parameterization schemes. These simulations are evaluated against the NCEP Stage-IV precipitation data set with similar 4 km grid spacing. The spatial distribution and diurnal cycle of precipitation in the central United States are analyzed using Hovmöller diagrams, grid point correlations, and traditional verification skill scoring (i.e., ETS; Equitable Threat Score). Although NCEP-WRF had a high positive error in total precipitation, spatial characteristics were similar to observations. For example, the spatial distribution of NCEP-WRF precipitation correlated better than NSSL-WRF for the Northern Plains. Hovmöller results exposed a delay in initiation and decay of diurnal precipitation by NCEP-WRF while both models had difficulty in reproducing the timing and location of propagating precipitation. ETS was highest for NSSL-WRF in all domains at all times. ETS was also higher in areas of propagating precipitation compared to areas of unorganized diurnal scattered precipitation. Monthly analysis identified unique differences between the two models in their abilities to correctly simulate the spatial distribution and zonal motion of precipitation through the warm season.

Can Online Course-Based Assessment Methods Be Fair and Equitable? Relationships between Students' Preferences and Performance within Online and Offline Assessments

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hewson, C.

2012-01-01

To address concerns raised regarding the use of online course-based summative assessment methods, a quasi-experimental design was implemented in which students who completed a summative assessment either online or offline were compared on performance scores when using their self-reported "preferred" or "non-preferred" modes.…

75 FR 19348 - Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA): Section 515 Rural Rental Housing Program for New...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-04-14

... this program will be equitably distributed across the country, and applied to all Five (5) Climate Zones within the U.S. as defined by the Department of Energy. A map of the 5 climate zones can be found at: http://www.eia.doe.gov/emeu/recs/climate_zone.html . The four highest scoring applications in...

A simple strategy to reduce stereotype threat for orthopedic residents

PubMed Central

Gomez, Everlyne; Wright, James G.

2014-01-01

Background Stereotype threat, defined as the predicament felt by people in either positive or negative learning experiences where they could conform to negative stereotypes associated with their own group membership, can interfere with learning. The purpose of this study was to determine if a simple orientation session could reduce stereotype threat for orthopedic residents. Methods The intervention group received an orientation on 2 occasions focusing on their possible responses to perceived poor performance in teaching rounds and the operating room (OR). Participants completed a survey with 7 questions typical for stereotype threat evaluating responses to their experiences. The questions had 7 response options with a maximum total score of 49, where higher scores indicated greater degree of experiences typical of stereotype threat. Results Of the 84 eligible residents, 49 participated: 22 in the nonintervention and 27 in the intervention group. The overall scores were 29 and 29.4, and 26.2 and 25.8 in the nonintervention and intervention groups for their survey responses to perceived poor performance in teaching rounds (p = 0.85) and the OR (p = 0.84), respectively. Overall, responses typical of stereotype threat were greater for perceived poor performance at teaching rounds than in the OR (p = 0.001). Conclusion Residents experience low self-esteem following perceived poor performance, particularly at rounds. A simple orientation designed to reduce stereotype threat was unsuccessful in reducing this threat overall. Future research will need to consider longer-term intervention as possible strategies to reduce perceived poor performance at teaching rounds and in the OR. PMID:24666454

One Health contributions towards more effective and equitable approaches to health in low- and middle-income countries

PubMed Central

Sharp, J.; Abela-Ridder, B.; Allan, K. J.; Buza, J.; Crump, J. A.; Davis, A.; Del Rio Vilas, V. J.; de Glanville, W. A.; Kazwala, R. R.; Kibona, T.; Lankester, F. J.; Lugelo, A.; Mmbaga, B. T.; Rubach, M. P.; Swai, E. S.; Waldman, L.; Haydon, D. T.; Hampson, K.

2017-01-01

Emerging zoonoses with pandemic potential are a stated priority for the global health security agenda, but endemic zoonoses also have a major societal impact in low-resource settings. Although many endemic zoonoses can be treated, timely diagnosis and appropriate clinical management of human cases is often challenging. Preventive ‘One Health’ interventions, e.g. interventions in animal populations that generate human health benefits, may provide a useful approach to overcoming some of these challenges. Effective strategies, such as animal vaccination, already exist for the prevention, control and elimination of many endemic zoonoses, including rabies, and several livestock zoonoses (e.g. brucellosis, leptospirosis, Q fever) that are important causes of human febrile illness and livestock productivity losses in low- and middle-income countries. We make the case that, for these diseases, One Health interventions have the potential to be more effective and generate more equitable benefits for human health and livelihoods, particularly in rural areas, than approaches that rely exclusively on treatment of human cases. We hypothesize that applying One Health interventions to tackle these health challenges will help to build trust, community engagement and cross-sectoral collaboration, which will in turn strengthen the capacity of fragile health systems to respond to the threat of emerging zoonoses and other future health challenges. One Health interventions thus have the potential to align the ongoing needs of disadvantaged communities with the concerns of the broader global community, providing a pragmatic and equitable approach to meeting the global goals for sustainable development and supporting the global health security agenda. This article is part of the themed issue ‘One Health for a changing world: zoonoses, ecosystems and human well-being’. PMID:28584176

Fair and Equitable Measurement of Student Learning in MOOCS: An Introduction to Item Response Theory, Scale Linking, and Score Equating

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Meyer, J. Patrick; Zhu, Shi

2013-01-01

Massive open online courses (MOOCs) are playing an increasingly important role in higher education around the world, but despite their popularity, the measurement of student learning in these courses is hampered by cheating and other problems that lead to unfair evaluation of student learning. In this paper, we describe a framework for maintaining…

Environmental and health impacts of fine and ultrafine metallic particles: Assessment of threat scores

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

Goix, Sylvaine; UMR 5245 CNRS-INP-UPS, EcoLab; Lévêque, Thibaut

2014-08-15

This study proposes global threat scores to prioritize the harmfulness of anthropogenic fine and ultrafine metallic particles (FMP) emitted into the atmosphere at the global scale. (Eco)toxicity of physicochemically characterized FMP oxides for metals currently observed in the atmosphere (CdO, CuO, PbO, PbSO{sub 4}, Sb{sub 2}O{sub 3}, and ZnO) was assessed by performing complementary in vitro tests: ecotoxicity, human bioaccessibility, cytotoxicity, and oxidative potential. Using an innovative methodology based on the combination of (eco)toxicity and physicochemical results, the following hazard classification of the particles is proposed: CdCl{sub 2}∼CdO>CuO>PbO>ZnO>PbSO{sub 4}>Sb{sub 2}O{sub 3}. Both cadmium compounds exhibited the highest threat score duemore » to their high cytotoxicity and bioaccessible dose, whatever their solubility and speciation, suggesting that cadmium toxicity is due to its chemical form rather than its physical form. In contrast, the Sb{sub 2}O{sub 3} threat score was the lowest due to particles with low specific area and solubility, with no effects except a slight oxidative stress. As FMP physicochemical properties reveal differences in specific area, crystallization systems, dissolution process, and speciation, various mechanisms may influence their biological impact. Finally, this newly developed and global approach could be widely used in various contexts of pollution by complex metal particles and may improve risk management. - Highlights: • Seven micro- and nano- monometallic characterized particles were studied as references. • Bioaccessibility, eco and cytotoxicity, and oxidative potential assays were performed. • According to calculated threat scores: CdCl{sub 2}∼CdO>CuO>PbO>ZnO>PbSO{sub 4}>Sb{sub 2}O{sub 3}.« less

Ethnic Identity, Stereotype Threat, and Perceived Discrimination Among Native American Adolescents.

PubMed

Jaramillo, Jamie; Mello, Zena R; Worrell, Frank C

2016-12-01

In this study, ethnic identity, stereotype threat, and perceived discrimination were examined in relationship to academic achievement and hopelessness in a sample of 129 Native American adolescents aged 14-19. Regression analyses with self-reported data indicated two major findings. Ethnic identity interacted with stereotype threat to predict academic achievement, where participants with high ethnic identity and low stereotype threat scores reported higher grade point averages. Ethnic identity also interacted with perceived discrimination to predict hopelessness, where participants with low ethnic identity and high perceived discrimination scores were higher in hopelessness. Findings are discussed in light of the joint role that ethnic identity and perceived bias have in relationship to developmental outcomes in Native American adolescents. © 2015 The Authors. Journal of Research on Adolescence © 2015 Society for Research on Adolescence.

Eight habitats, 38 threats and 55 experts: Assessing ecological risk in a multi-use marine region

PubMed Central

Jones, Alice R.; Deveney, Marty R.; Ward, Tim M.; Gillanders, Bronwyn M.

2017-01-01

Identifying the relative risk human activities pose to a habitat, and the ecosystem services they provide, can guide management prioritisation and resource allocation. Using a combination of expert elicitation to assess the probable effect of a threat and existing data to assess the level of threat exposure, we conducted a risk assessment for 38 human-mediated threats to eight marine habitats (totalling 304 threat-habitat combinations) in Spencer Gulf, Australia. We developed a score-based survey to collate expert opinion and assess the relative effect of each threat to each habitat, as well as a novel and independent measure of knowledge-based uncertainty. Fifty-five experts representing multiple sectors and institutions participated in the study, with 6 to 15 survey responses per habitat (n = 81 surveys). We identified key threats specific to each habitat; overall, climate change threats received the highest risk rankings, with nutrient discharge identified as a key local-scale stressor. Invasive species and most fishing-related threats, which are commonly identified as major threats to the marine environment, were ranked as low-tier threats to Spencer Gulf, emphasising the importance of regionally-relevant assessments. Further, we identified critical knowledge gaps and quantified uncertainty scores for each risk. Our approach will facilitate prioritisation of resource allocation in a region of increasing social, economic and environmental importance, and can be applied to marine regions where empirical data are lacking. PMID:28489912

Delivery of affordable and equitable cancer care in India.

PubMed

Pramesh, C S; Badwe, Rajendra A; Borthakur, Bibhuti B; Chandra, Madhu; Raj, Elluswami Hemanth; Kannan, T; Kalwar, Ashok; Kapoor, Sanjay; Malhotra, Hemant; Nayak, Sukdev; Rath, Goura K; Sagar, T G; Sebastian, Paul; Sarin, Rajiv; Shanta, V; Sharma, Suresh C; Shukla, Shilin; Vijayakumar, Manavalan; Vijaykumar, D K; Aggarwal, Ajay; Purushotham, Arnie; Sullivan, Richard

2014-05-01

The delivery of affordable and equitable cancer care is one of India's greatest public health challenges. Public expenditure on cancer in India remains below US$10 per person (compared with more than US$100 per person in high-income countries), and overall public expenditure on health care is still only slightly above 1% of gross domestic product. Out-of-pocket payments, which account for more than three-quarters of cancer expenditures in India, are one of the greatest threats to patients and families, and a cancer diagnosis is increasingly responsible for catastrophic expenditures that negatively affect not only the patient but also the welfare and education of several generations of their family. We explore the complex nature of cancer care systems across India, from state to government levels, and address the crucial issues of infrastructure, manpower shortages, and the pressing need to develop cross-state solutions to prevention and early detection of cancer, in addition to governance of the largely unregulated private sector and the cost of new technologies and drugs. We discuss the role of public insurance schemes, the need to develop new political mandates and authority to set priorities, the necessity to greatly improve the quality of care, and the drive to understand and deliver cost-effective cancer care programmes. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Camera formation and more, but what comes next? an analysis of volcanic threat of Nisyros island, Greece

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Winson, A.; Kinvig, H.; Gottsmann, J.; Partington, E.; Geyer, A.

2008-10-01

We present an analysis of volcanic threat of Nisyros island (Greece) based on a catalogue of questions compiled for the USGS National Volcano Early Warning System (NVEWS). We find that the score puts Nisyros in the league of volcanoes posing a very high threat. US volcanoes with a comparable threat level include Mt. St. Helens, Augustine and the Long Valley caldera.

Stereotype Threat, Identity Salience, and Spatial Reasoning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McGlone, Matthew S.; Aronson, Joshua

2006-01-01

Stereotype threat research provides insight into how the low standardized test scores of students from stigmatized social groups may derive in part from the negative performance expectations about these groups. Because these students belong to many social groups, one means of mitigating the threat is to remind them of their membership in groups…

Reducing the Effect of Stereotype Threat: The Role of Coaction Contexts and Regulatory Fit

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wen, Fangfang; Zuo, Bin; Wu, Yang; Dong, Xuanhao; Wang, Wei

2016-01-01

Two experiments examined the effects of competition and cooperation contexts, as well as regulatory fit, on reducing the negative influence of stereotype threat. Experiment 1 demonstrated that in high stereotype threat conditions, participants in the cooperation context scored significantly higher on a math test than those in the competition…

Affordable antiretroviral drugs for the under-served markets: how to expand equitable access against the backdrop of challenging scenarios?

PubMed

Dionisio, Daniele; Cao, Yunzhen; Hongzhou, Lu; Kraisintu, Krisana; Messeri, Daniela

2006-01-01

Threats by enforced Intellectual Property (IP) rights to equitable HIV treatment access by poor populations are impending. India and China's policy directions in the field will be crucial in ultimately affecting the affordability and accessibility of antiretroviral (ARV) therapy in the under-served markets. These directions, together with the exploitation level of IP-bound flexibilities and the evolutionary modelling in partnerships and trade agreements between research-based and generic pharmaceutical industry, will also affect the outcomes of self-sufficiency efforts now at their beginning in the developing world as far as domestic manufacturing of generic ARV drugs is concerned. This paper explores key issues, implications and interaction dynamics across these challenging scenarios while attempting to provide equitable solution glimpses into the near future. Access-oriented long-term drug policy strategies entitled to pass muster of governments, research-based as well as generic industries in both developed and developing countries are needed if equitable access to affordable ARV treatments by poor people has to be achieved despite enforced IP rights. Predictable dynamics between western multinationals and transitional country generic corporations let regard IP-bound Voluntary License flexibilities as a fitting measure into just mentioned needs especially if substantial incentives to generic corporations are concurrently secured. Efforts to equitably expand ARV drug access through exploiting IP opportunities should encompass attainment of self-sufficiency in domestic drug manufacturing whenever basic requirements are in place in the developing world as a whole. A credible industrial potential would act, indeed, as a boosting factor for drawing branded drug producers into technology transfer agreements, the terms of which would let all contractors enjoy substantial advantages. These perspectives consistently bind up with the foreseeable long-term trade and drug policy directions of India and China according to frontier crossing implications of their key IP management trends as well as their multifaceted penetration strategies of both the wealthy and under-served markets worldwide. As coherent with these perspectives, more disbursement by wealthy country governments and donors to basic infrastructure development in sub-Saharan African nations with stable governments in place is urged both as a priority for improving Africa's economy and a prerequisite for allowing domestic industrial plants to take off. Aiming at the targets just underscored, WHO's brokering role in negotiated agreements between wealthy and developing country-based firms as well as its technical guidance in setting international standards have always to be sought if equitable and appropriate end results are to be attained. Overall insights in this paper would mean that, while research-based corporations are to be praised whenever waiving, on humanitarian purposes, part of their profits, the trade and profit rules cannot basically be given up if long-term sustainable results are the goal to look for. Only negotiated agreements securing all contracting parties lasting advantages may ensure shifting of such a goal from mere vision to a really sustainable attainment.

78 FR 8601 - AXA Equitable Life Insurance Company, et al; Notice of Application

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-02-06

... SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION [Release No. IC-30373; File No. 812-14036] AXA Equitable Life... the Act. Applicants: AXA Equitable Life Insurance Company (``AXA Equitable''), Separate Account 45 of...: Steven M. Joenk, Senior Vice President, AXA Equitable Life Insurance Company, 1290 Avenue of Americas...

Self-esteem, authoritarianism, and democratic values in the face of threat.

PubMed

Shaffer, Barbara A; Hastings, Brad M

2004-08-01

This study investigated the associations among terrorist threat, right-wing authoritarianism, self-esteem, and their relations in support for democratic values. Students (n = 140) completed Altemeyer's Right-Wing Authoritarianism Scale, Rosenberg's Self-esteem Scale, and the Democratic Values Scale. The participants also read an editorial regarding the events of 9/11/01 and completed two mortality-salience questions to induce a sense of threat. Results showed that self-esteem was a significant contributor to the prediction of scores on the Democratic Values Scale. Furthermore, the interaction between self-esteem and right-wing authoritarianism explained significant variance in the Democratic Values Scale scores. The results are interpreted in light of theories addressing authoritarianism and self-esteem.

Negotiation of gender responsibilities in resettled refugee populations through Relationship Enhancement training.

PubMed

Bellinger, Goli Amin

2013-06-01

Being uprooted, displaced, and resettled can produce great tension in refugee marriages. This paper details a technique to help refugees recognize and manage changes and threats to traditional gender roles after resettlement to western countries. A case study from a multisite psycho-educational marriage project illustrates the application of the Relationship Enhancement model with a Bhutanese couple. Through empathy and structured dialogue, the couple is coached to identify their core concerns about the changes in their lives and come up with mutually beneficial solutions. Focusing on the redistribution of each gender's prescribed responsibilities allows the clinician to respond to the cultural structuring of equitable division of labor while helping families to address new responsibilities in managing household duties, parenting, employment, and finances.

EPA's Safe and Sustainable Water Resources Research ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Increasing demands for sources of clean water—combined with changing land use practices, population growth, aging infrastructure, and climate change and variability—pose significant threats to our water resources. Failure to manage the Nation’s waters in an integrated, sustainable manner can jeopardize human and aquatic ecosystem health, which can impact our society and economy.Through innovative science and engineering, the SSWR Research Program is developing cost-effective, sustainable solutions to 21st century complex water issues and proactively developing solutions to emerging concerns. Our research is helping to ensure that clean, adequate, and equitable supplies of water are available to support human health and resilient aquatic ecosystems, now and into the future. To share information on EPA's water research program

Assimilation of ZDR Columns for Improving the Spin-Up and Forecasts of Convective Storms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carlin, J.; Gao, J.; Snyder, J.; Ryzhkov, A.

2017-12-01

A primary motivation for assimilating radar reflectivity data is the reduction of spin-up time for modeled convection. To accomplish this, cloud analysis techniques seek to induce and sustain convective updrafts in storm-scale models by inserting temperature and moisture increments and hydrometeor mixing ratios into the model analysis from simple relations with reflectivity. Polarimetric radar data provide additional insight into the microphysical and dynamic structure of convection. In particular, the radar meteorology community has known for decades that convective updrafts cause, and are typically co-located with, differential reflectivity (ZDR) columns - vertical protrusions of enhanced ZDR above the environmental 0˚C level. Despite these benefits, limited work has been done thus far to assimilate dual-polarization radar data into numerical weather prediction models. In this study, we explore the utility of assimilating ZDR columns to improve storm-scale model analyses and forecasts of convection. We modify the existing Advanced Regional Prediction System's (ARPS) cloud analysis routine to adjust model temperature and moisture state variables using detected ZDR columns as proxies for convective updrafts, and compare the resultant cycled analyses and forecasts with those from the original reflectivity-based cloud analysis formulation. Results indicate qualitative and quantitative improvements from assimilating ZDR columns, including more coherent analyzed updrafts, forecast updraft helicity swaths that better match radar-derived rotation tracks, more realistic forecast reflectivity fields, and larger equitable threat scores. These findings support the use of dual-polarization radar signatures to improve storm-scale model analyses and forecasts.

Environmental and health impacts of fine and ultrafine metallic particles: assessment of threat scores.

PubMed

Goix, Sylvaine; Lévêque, Thibaut; Xiong, Tian-Tian; Schreck, Eva; Baeza-Squiban, Armelle; Geret, Florence; Uzu, Gaëlle; Austruy, Annabelle; Dumat, Camille

2014-08-01

This study proposes global threat scores to prioritize the harmfulness of anthropogenic fine and ultrafine metallic particles (FMP) emitted into the atmosphere at the global scale. (Eco)toxicity of physicochemically characterized FMP oxides for metals currently observed in the atmosphere (CdO, CuO, PbO, PbSO(4), Sb(2)O(3), and ZnO) was assessed by performing complementary in vitro tests: ecotoxicity, human bioaccessibility, cytotoxicity, and oxidative potential. Using an innovative methodology based on the combination of (eco)toxicity and physicochemical results, the following hazard classification of the particles is proposed: CdCl2~CdO>CuO>PbO>ZnO>PbSO(4)>Sb(2)O(3). Both cadmium compounds exhibited the highest threat score due to their high cytotoxicity and bioaccessible dose, whatever their solubility and speciation, suggesting that cadmium toxicity is due to its chemical form rather than its physical form. In contrast, the Sb(2)O(3) threat score was the lowest due to particles with low specific area and solubility, with no effects except a slight oxidative stress. As FMP physicochemical properties reveal differences in specific area, crystallization systems, dissolution process, and speciation, various mechanisms may influence their biological impact. Finally, this newly developed and global approach could be widely used in various contexts of pollution by complex metal particles and may improve risk management. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Association between problematic alcohol use and reactivity to uncertain threat in two independent samples

PubMed Central

Gorka, Stephanie M.; Lieberman, Lynne; Phan, K. Luan; Shankman, Stewart A.

2016-01-01

Background Recent laboratory studies have shown that acute alcohol intoxication selectively and effectively dampens aversive responding to an uncertain threat. An emerging hypothesis is that individuals who exhibit heightened reactivity to an uncertain threat may be especially motivated to use alcohol to dampen their distress, setting the stage for negative reinforcement processes to drive excessive alcohol use. However, no study to date has directly examined whether current problematic drinkers exhibit heightened reactivity to an uncertain threat as would be expected. Methods The present study was therefore designed to examine the association between current problematic alcohol use and reactivity to an uncertain threat during sobriety in two, independent samples. In Study 1 (n = 221) and Study 2 (n = 74), adult participants completed the same well-validated threat-of-shock task which separately probes responses to temporally predictable and unpredictable threat. Startle potentiation was measured as an index of aversive responding. Problematic alcohol use was defined as number of binge episodes within the past 30 days in Study 1 and total scores on a self-report measure of hazardous drinking in Study 2. Results As hypothesized, across both studies greater levels of problematic drinking were associated with greater startle potentiation to an unpredictable threat. In Study 2, hazardous drinking scores were also positively associated with startle potentiation to predictable threat. Conclusions The findings are notably consistent with the notion that heightened reactivity to an uncertain threat is an important individual difference factor associated with the onset and/or maintenance of problematic drinking behaviors and may therefore be a novel prevention and intervention target. PMID:27173662

Avoidance temperament and social-evaluative threat in college students' math performance: a mediation model of math and test anxiety.

PubMed

Liew, Jeffrey; Lench, Heather C; Kao, Grace; Yeh, Yu-Chen; Kwok, Oi-man

2014-01-01

Standardized testing has become a common form of student evaluation with high stakes, and limited research exists on understanding the roles of students' personality traits and social-evaluative threat on their academic performance. This study examined the roles of avoidance temperament (i.e., fear and behavioral inhibition) and evaluative threat (i.e., fear of failure and being viewed as unintelligent) in standardized math test and course grades in college students. Undergraduate students (N=184) from a large public university were assessed on temperamental fear and behavioral inhibition. They were then given 15 minutes to complete a standardized math test. After the test, students provided data on evaluative threat and their math performance (scores on standardized college entrance exam and average grades in college math courses). Results indicate that avoidance temperament was linked to social-evaluative threat and low standardized math test scores. Furthermore, evaluative threat mediated the influence of avoidance temperament on both types of math performance. Results have educational and clinical implications, particularly for students at risk for test anxiety and underperformance. Interventions targeting emotion regulation and stress management skills may help individuals reduce their math and test anxieties.

Investigating hypervigilance for social threat of lonely children.

PubMed

Qualter, Pamela; Rotenberg, Ken; Barrett, Louise; Henzi, Peter; Barlow, Alexandra; Stylianou, Maria; Harris, Rebecca A

2013-02-01

The hypothesis that lonely children show hypervigilance for social threat was examined in a series of three studies that employed different methods including advanced eye-tracking technology. Hypervigilance for social threat was operationalized as hostility to ambiguously motivated social exclusion in a variation of the hostile attribution paradigm (Study 1), scores on the Children's Rejection-Sensitivity Questionnaire (Study 2), and visual attention to socially rejecting stimuli (Study 3). The participants were 185 children (11 years-7 months to 12 years-6 months), 248 children (9 years-4 months to 11 years-8 months) and 140 children (8 years-10 months to 12 years-10 months) in the three studies, respectively. Regression analyses showed that, with depressive symptoms covaried, there were quadratic relations between loneliness and these different measures of hypervigilance to social threat. As hypothesized, only children in the upper range of loneliness demonstrated elevated hostility to ambiguously motivated social exclusion, higher scores on the rejection sensitivity questionnaire, and disengagement difficulties when viewing socially rejecting stimuli. We found that very lonely children are hypersensitive to social threat.

Factors that promote success in women enrolled in STEM disciplines in rural North Carolina community colleges

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kincaid, Shannon D.

Women have historically been underrepresented in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM fields). The underrepresentation of women in STEM may be attributable to a variety of factors. These may include different choices men and women typically make in response to incentives in STEM education. For example, STEM career paths may be less accommodating to people who are less resilient. Another factor may be that there are relatively few female STEM role models. Perhaps strong gender stereotypes discourage women from pursuing STEM education and STEM jobs. The factors that contribute to success and the barriers that impeded success must be identified before any steps can be taken to improve the educational outcomes for women in STEM disciplines. Consequently, relatively little is known about the role of resilience in academically successful adult women in rural community colleges enrolled in STEM disciplines and the mechanisms that underlie the performance deficits that occur as a result of stereotype threat effect. This mixed method study addressed those knowledge gaps by determining: (1) if high resilience is positively correlated to high grade point average for women enrolled in STEM disciplines in rural community colleges in North Carolina, and (2) if stereotype threat effect is a risk factor for these women. Quantitative data were collected by using "The Resilience Scale" (Wagnild & Young, 1987) and through examination of grade point average of students from Datatel data management software. Qualitative data were collected through semi-structured focus group interviews. Findings from this study indicate high resilience is positively correlated to high grade point average for women enrolled in STEM disciplines in rural community colleges in North Carolina, and stereotype threat effect was a risk factor for low-scoring women (i.e. those women who reported resilience scores less than 121 and grade point averages lower than 2.70) and was not a risk factor for high-scoring women (i.e. those women who reported resilience scores of 147 or higher and grade point averages of 2.70 or higher). Overall, qualitative data analysis revealed both high-scoring and low-scoring women in STEM disciplines were affected by stereotype threat effect. However, low-scoring women were negatively impacted by stereotype threat and high-scoring women were able to use pressures associated with stereotype threat as motivation for success. Based on results from this study four principal factors were found that influence the success of women in STEM disciplines. These factors include elimination of stereotype threat, enhancement of resilience of female students, expansion of female gender representation on community college campuses, and development of positive instructor-student and advisor-student relationships. While this study does not, and cannot, explain why gender differences in STEM exist, it does provide data and insight that will enable more informed policymaking for community college administrators in order to increase success of women in STEM disciplines. The findings provide definitive evidence of a need to encourage and support women in STEM education with a goal of gender parity.

Health Sector Reform and Social Determinants of Health: building up theoretical and methodological interconnections to approach complex global challenges.

PubMed

Junior, Garibaldi Dantas Gurgel

2014-01-01

Health Sector Reform and Social Determinants of Health are central issues for the current international policy debate, considering the turbulent scenario and the threat of economic recession in a global scale. Although these themes have been discussed for a long time, three major issues still calls the attention of the scientific community and health policymakers. The first one is the matter of how to approach scientifically the intricate connections between them in order to understand the consequences of policies for healthcare services, once this debate will become much more tensioned in the coming years. The second one is the lack of explanatory frameworks to investigate the policies of reform strategies, simultaneously observed in a variety of countries within distinct health services, which aim to achieve multiple and contradictory goals vis-à-vis the so-called social determinants of health. The third one is the challenge that governments face in developing and sustaining equitable health services, bearing in mind the intense political dispute behind the health sector reform processes. This article discusses an all-embracing theoretical and methodological scheme to address these questions. The aim is to connect macro- and middle-range theories to examine Social Determinants and Health Sector Reform interdependent issues, with view to developing new knowledge and attaining scientific understanding upon the role of universal and equitable healthcare systems, in order to avoid deepening economic crises.

Deployment guidelines for diplomats: current policy and practice.

PubMed

Dunn, R; Kemp, V; Patel, D; Williams, R; Greenberg, N

2015-10-01

Diplomatic organizations routinely send staff to high-threat postings (HTPs) and consequentially have moral and legal obligations to protect their health as far as is reasonably practicable. To carry out an international survey of diplomatic organizations that send personnel to HTPs to establish how they deal practically with their obligations to protect the mental health of their staff. An online anonymous survey about their organizations' policies relating to HTPs completed by international diplomatic organizations. Fourteen of 30 organizations approached completed the questionnaire, with a response rate of 47%. Deployment length varied: no minimum (15%), a minimum of 2 years (39%) and a maximum of 2 (31%), 3 (15%) or 4 years (31%); one organization did not state any maximum. HTP and low-threat postings had the same policies in 46% of organizations. Additional care and support (66%), additional preparation (50%), enhanced leave (33%) and additional physical and mental health assessments were informally adopted to address psychosocial risks of deployment to HTPs. There was little consensus on policies and practice for HTP deployment. We suggest that formal, consistently written guidelines, based on available quality evidence, and associated training and quality assurance should be formulated to make international practice more consistent and equitable. © Crown copyright 2015.

7 CFR 1400.8 - Equitable treatment.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 10 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Equitable treatment. 1400.8 Section 1400.8... AND SUBSEQUENT CROP, PROGRAM, OR FISCAL YEARS General Provisions § 1400.8 Equitable treatment. (a... Administrator deems necessary to provide fair and equitable treatment to such person or legal entity. (b...

Efficacy of HBM-Based Dietary Education Intervention on Knowledge, Attitude, and Behavior in Medical Students.

PubMed

Tavakoli, Hamid Reza; Dini-Talatappeh, Hossein; Rahmati-Najarkolaei, Fatemeh; Gholami Fesharaki, Mohammad

2016-11-01

Using various models of behavior change, a number of studies in the area of nutrition education have confirmed that nutrition habits and behaviors can be improved. This study sought to determine the effects of education on patterns of dietary consumption among medical students at the military university of Tehran, with a view to correcting those patterns. In this quasi-experimental study, 242 medical students from the Military University of Tehran were chosen by convenience sampling and then divided into control (n = 107) and intervention groups (n = 135) by block randomization. The self-administered questionnaire involving six categories of item (knowledge, perceived benefits, perceived barriers, perceived threats, self-efficacy and behavior) has been validated (Cronbach alpha > 0.7 for each). Following the educational intervention, the mean score of knowledge, health belief model (HBM) structure, and behavior of students in relation to healthy patterns of food intake increased significantly (P < 0.05). The mean pre-intervention knowledge score was 6.76 (1.452), referring to threats to HBM constructs including perceived threat 2.93 (1.147), perceived benefits 7.28 (1.07), perceived barriers 5.44 (1.831), self- efficacy 4.28 (1.479), and behavior 8.84 (2.527). The post-intervention scores all improved as follows: knowledge 8.3 (1.503), perceived threats 3.29 (1.196), perceived benefits 7.71 (0.762), perceived barriers 5.9 (1.719), self- efficacy 4.6 (1.472), and behavior 9.45 (2.324). This difference in mean scores for knowledge, health belief structures and employee behavior before and after educational intervention was significant (P ≤ 0.05). The significant improvement in the experimental group's mean knowledge, HBM structures , and behavior scores indicates the positive effect of the intervention.

The psychological effects of improvised explosive devices (IEDs) on UK military personnel in Afghanistan.

PubMed

Jones, Norman; Thandi, Gursimran; Fear, Nicola T; Wessely, Simon; Greenberg, Neil

2014-07-01

To explore the psychological consequences of improvised explosive device (IED) exposure as IEDs have been the greatest threat to UK military personnel in Afghanistan though the mental health consequences of IED exposure are largely unknown. Deployed UK military personnel completed a survey while deployed in Afghanistan. Combat personnel and those dealing specifically with the IED threat were compared with all other deployed personnel; the relationship between IED exposure, general combat experiences, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Checklist-Civilian Version (PCL-C) and General Health Questionnaire scores were evaluated. The response rate was 98% (n=2794). Half reported IED-related concerns, a third experienced exploding IEDs and a quarter gave medical aid to IED casualties. Combat and counter-IED threat personnel had higher levels of IED exposure than other deployed personnel. 18.8% of personnel who witnessed exploding IEDs scored positive for common mental disorder (General Health Questionnaire-12 scores ≥4) and 7.6% scored positive for probable PTSD symptoms (PTSD Checklist-Civilian Version scores ≥44). After adjusting for general combat exposure and other observed confounders, PTSD symptoms were associated with IED exposure whereas common mental disorder symptoms were not. IED exposure, IED-related concerns and functional impairment accumulated during deployment but functional impairment was related to factors other than IED exposure alone. In Afghanistan, a substantial proportion of personnel were exposed to exploding IEDs however, the majority of exposed personnel were psychologically healthy. Psychological effects were similar for combat personnel and those dealing specifically with the IED threat but both groups were at greater psychological risk than other deployed personnel. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

Local Equating Using the Rasch Model, the OPLM, and the 2PL IRT Model--or--What Is It Anyway if the Model Captures Everything There Is to Know about the Test Takers?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

von Davier, Matthias; González B., Jorge; von Davier, Alina A.

2013-01-01

Local equating (LE) is based on Lord's criterion of equity. It defines a family of true transformations that aim at the ideal of equitable equating. van der Linden (this issue) offers a detailed discussion of common issues in observed-score equating relative to this local approach. By assuming an underlying item response theory model, one of…

Factors associated with gender equality among church-going young men in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo: a cross-sectional study.

PubMed

Lusey, Hendrew; San Sebastian, Miguel; Christianson, Monica; Edin, Kerstin E

2017-12-11

While women and girls are made vulnerable by inequitable and violent versions of masculinities, there is increasing evidence that gender equality will not be achieved without partnering with men. The aim of this study was to assess gender-equitable norms and their determinants among church-going young men in Kinshasa, the Democratic Republic of Congo. A cross-sectional study was carried out among 289 church-going young men, aged 18-24 years, residing in three disadvantaged communes of Kinshasa. Variables included sociodemographic characteristics, attitudes towards gender equality and responses to issues related to the Gender-Equitable Men (GEM) scale. Logistic regression was applied to identify the associations between sociodemographic characteristics, attitudes and the GEM scale. The findings provide evidence of attitudes and beliefs that act as barriers to gender equality. For instance, the majority of church-going young men (83.74%) agreed that a man is the only decision maker in the home and about half (50.87%) of the respondents supported the statement "There are times a woman deserves to be beaten". Similarly, around half of the participants agreed with the idea of men's uncontrollable sex drive (50.87%) and men's toughness (50.17%). Close to half of the participants (44.29%) agreed that it is women's responsibility to prevent pregnancy. These attitudes co-existed with a few gender-equitable norms as 82.70% agreed on the importance of joint decisions concerning family planning. An association between education, certain places of residence, being single or separated, and supportive attitudes towards gender equality was found with higher scores for the GEM. Our study findings indicate that a high proportion of church-going young men do not endorse gender-equitable norms. Therefore, churches urgently need comprehensive gender equality and masculinity policies and programmes to influence young men's attitudes and behaviours. The promotion of gender equality in schools and the wider community also need to be encouraged.

75 FR 39994 - AXA Equitable Life Insurance Company, et al.; Notice of Application

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-07-13

... SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION [Release No. IC-29338; File No. 812-13686] AXA Equitable Life... securities and for an order of exemption pursuant to Section 17(b) of the Act. APPLICANTS: AXA Equitable Life... Equitable Separate Accounts''), MONY Life Insurance Company of America (``MLOA'') and MONY America Variable...

Beyond the Dirty Dozen: A Proposed Methodology for Assessing Future Bioweapon Threats.

PubMed

Cieslak, Theodore J; Kortepeter, Mark G; Wojtyk, Ronald J; Jansen, Hugo-Jan; Reyes, Ricardo A; Smith, James O

2018-01-01

Defense policy planners and countermeasure developers are often faced with vexing problems involving the prioritization of resources and efforts. This is especially true in the area of Biodefense, where each new emerging infectious disease outbreak brings with it questions regarding the causative agent's potential for weaponization. Recent experience with West Nile Virus, Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome, Monkeypox, and H1N1 Influenza highlights this problem. Appropriately, in each of these cases, the possibility of bioterrorism was raised, although each outbreak ultimately proved to have a natural origin. In fact, determining whether an outbreak has an unnatural origin can be quite difficult. Thus, the questions remain: could the causative agents of these and other emerging infectious disease outbreaks pose a future weaponization threat? And how great is that threat? Should precious resources be diverted from other defense efforts in order to prepare for possible hostile employment of novel diseases by belligerents? Answering such critical questions requires some form of systematic threat assessment. Through extensive collaborative work conducted within NATO's Biomedical Advisory Council, we developed a scoring matrix for evaluating the weaponization potential of the causative agents of such diseases and attempted to validate our matrix by examining the reproducibility of data using known threat agents. Our matrix included 12 attributes of a potential weapon and was provided, along with detailed scoring instructions, to 12 groups of biodefense experts in 6 NATO nations. Study participants were asked to score each of these 12 attributes on a scale of 0-3: Infectivity, Infection-to-Disease Ratio (Reliability), Predictability (& Incubation Period), Morbidity & Mortality (Virulence), Ease of Large-Scale Production & Storage, Aerosol Stability, Atmospheric Stability, Ease of Dispersal, Communicability, Prophylactic Countermeasure Availability, Therapeutic Countermeasure Availability, and Ease of Detection. Reproducibility of scoring data was assessed by examining the standard deviations (SD) of mean scores. Our results were unexpected. Several familiar biothreat diseases such as anthrax and tularemia were judged, by our experts, to be less threatening than many others owing to a number of factors including ease of detection, lack of communicability, and the ready availability of countermeasures. Conversely, several toxins were judged by experts to have very high potential as threat agents owing, in part, to their reliability, virulence, and a lack of available countermeasures. Agreement among experts, as determined by lower SD about a mean score, was greater for more familiar threats. Our study was designed to provide a concise and east-to-apply set of criteria that could be used by NATO nations to evaluate emerging infectious disease threats with respect to their weaponization potential. Our results were unexpected. We believe that a lack of appropriate weighting factors may explain these results and suggest that future studies weigh each of the 12 proposed criteria based on the intended use of the assessment data and other situational factors. We believe that the greatest value of our study lies in a codification of the attributes of a biological weapon. © Association of Military Surgeons of the United States 2017. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com

Threat driven modeling framework using petri nets for e-learning system.

PubMed

Khamparia, Aditya; Pandey, Babita

2016-01-01

Vulnerabilities at various levels are main cause of security risks in e-learning system. This paper presents a modified threat driven modeling framework, to identify the threats after risk assessment which requires mitigation and how to mitigate those threats. To model those threat mitigations aspects oriented stochastic petri nets are used. This paper included security metrics based on vulnerabilities present in e-learning system. The Common Vulnerability Scoring System designed to provide a normalized method for rating vulnerabilities which will be used as basis in metric definitions and calculations. A case study has been also proposed which shows the need and feasibility of using aspect oriented stochastic petri net models for threat modeling which improves reliability, consistency and robustness of the e-learning system.

Equitability, mutual information, and the maximal information coefficient.

PubMed

Kinney, Justin B; Atwal, Gurinder S

2014-03-04

How should one quantify the strength of association between two random variables without bias for relationships of a specific form? Despite its conceptual simplicity, this notion of statistical "equitability" has yet to receive a definitive mathematical formalization. Here we argue that equitability is properly formalized by a self-consistency condition closely related to Data Processing Inequality. Mutual information, a fundamental quantity in information theory, is shown to satisfy this equitability criterion. These findings are at odds with the recent work of Reshef et al. [Reshef DN, et al. (2011) Science 334(6062):1518-1524], which proposed an alternative definition of equitability and introduced a new statistic, the "maximal information coefficient" (MIC), said to satisfy equitability in contradistinction to mutual information. These conclusions, however, were supported only with limited simulation evidence, not with mathematical arguments. Upon revisiting these claims, we prove that the mathematical definition of equitability proposed by Reshef et al. cannot be satisfied by any (nontrivial) dependence measure. We also identify artifacts in the reported simulation evidence. When these artifacts are removed, estimates of mutual information are found to be more equitable than estimates of MIC. Mutual information is also observed to have consistently higher statistical power than MIC. We conclude that estimating mutual information provides a natural (and often practical) way to equitably quantify statistical associations in large datasets.

20 CFR 404.365 - When an equitably adopted child is dependent.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... 20 Employees' Benefits 2 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false When an equitably adopted child is dependent...; Period of Disability Child's Benefits § 404.365 When an equitably adopted child is dependent. If you are the insured's equitably adopted child, as defined in § 404.359, you are considered dependent upon him...

20 CFR 404.359 - Who is the insured's equitably adopted child?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... 20 Employees' Benefits 2 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Who is the insured's equitably adopted child...; Period of Disability Child's Benefits § 404.359 Who is the insured's equitably adopted child? You may be eligible for benefits as an equitably adopted child if the insured had agreed to adopt you as his or her...

Salience of the Nuclear Threat: Operationalization through Spontaneous Concern.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mayton, Daniel M., II

An indirect/nonreactive technique of assessing spontaneous concern should be used to examine the salience of the threat of nuclear war. Direct/reactive techniques may produce inconsistent results and inadvertently enhance a false consensus. The procedures for the administration, scoring, and interpretation of a spontaneous concern measure along…

Validation of Satellite Precipitation (trmm 3B43) in Ecuadorian Coastal Plains, Andean Highlands and Amazonian Rainforest

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ballari, D.; Castro, E.; Campozano, L.

2016-06-01

Precipitation monitoring is of utmost importance for water resource management. However, in regions of complex terrain such as Ecuador, the high spatio-temporal precipitation variability and the scarcity of rain gauges, make difficult to obtain accurate estimations of precipitation. Remotely sensed estimated precipitation, such as the Multi-satellite Precipitation Analysis TRMM, can cope with this problem after a validation process, which must be representative in space and time. In this work we validate monthly estimates from TRMM 3B43 satellite precipitation (0.25° x 0.25° resolution), by using ground data from 14 rain gauges in Ecuador. The stations are located in the 3 most differentiated regions of the country: the Pacific coastal plains, the Andean highlands, and the Amazon rainforest. Time series, between 1998 - 2010, of imagery and rain gauges were compared using statistical error metrics such as bias, root mean square error, and Pearson correlation; and with detection indexes such as probability of detection, equitable threat score, false alarm rate and frequency bias index. The results showed that precipitation seasonality is well represented and TRMM 3B43 acceptably estimates the monthly precipitation in the three regions of the country. According to both, statistical error metrics and detection indexes, the coastal and Amazon regions are better estimated quantitatively than the Andean highlands. Additionally, it was found that there are better estimations for light precipitation rates. The present validation of TRMM 3B43 provides important results to support further studies on calibration and bias correction of precipitation in ungagged watershed basins.

The Impact of the Assimilation of AIRS Radiance Measurements on Short-term Weather Forecasts

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

McCarty, Will; Jedlovec, Gary; Miller, Timothy L.

2009-01-01

Advanced spaceborne instruments have the ability to improve the horizontal and vertical characterization of temperature and water vapor in the atmosphere through the explicit use of hyperspectral thermal infrared radiance measurements. The incorporation of these measurements into a data assimilation system provides a means to continuously characterize a three-dimensional, instantaneous atmospheric state necessary for the time integration of numerical weather forecasts. Measurements from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS) are incorporated into the gridpoint statistical interpolation (GSI) three-dimensional variational (3D-Var) assimilation system to provide improved initial conditions for use in a mesoscale modeling framework mimicking that of the operational North American Mesoscale (NAM) model. The methodologies for the incorporation of the measurements into the system are presented. Though the measurements have been shown to have a positive impact in global modeling systems, the measurements are further constrained in this system as the model top is physically lower than the global systems and there is no ozone characterization in the background state. For a study period, the measurements are shown to have positive impact on both the analysis state as well as subsequently spawned short-term (0-48 hr) forecasts, particularly in forecasted geopotential height and precipitation fields. At 48 hr, height anomaly correlations showed an improvement in forecast skill of 2.3 hours relative to a system without the AIRS measurements. Similarly, the equitable threat and bias scores of precipitation forecasts of 25 mm (6 hr)-1 were shown to be improved by 8% and 7%, respectively.

Placement, support, and retention of health professionals: national, cross-sectional findings from medical and dental community service officers in South Africa.

PubMed

Hatcher, Abigail M; Onah, Michael; Kornik, Saul; Peacocke, Julia; Reid, Stephen

2014-02-26

In South Africa, community service following medical training serves as a mechanism for equitable distribution of health professionals and their professional development. Community service officers are required to contribute a year towards serving in a public health facility while receiving supervision and remuneration. Although the South African community service programme has been in effect since 1998, little is known about how placement and practical support occur, or how community service may impact future retention of health professionals. National, cross-sectional data were collected from community service officers who served during 2009 using a structured self-report questionnaire. A Supervision Satisfaction Scale (SSS) was created by summing scores of five questions rated on a three-point Likert scale (orientation, clinical advising, ongoing mentorship, accessibility of clinic leadership, and handling of community service officers' concerns). Research endpoints were guided by community service programmatic goals and analysed as dichotomous outcomes. Bivariate and multivariate logistical regressions were conducted using Stata 12. The sample population comprised 685 doctors and dentists (response rate 44%). Rural placement was more likely among unmarried, male, and black practitioners. Rates of self-reported professional development were high (470 out of 539 responses; 87%). Participants with higher scores on the SSS were more likely to report professional development. Although few participants planned to continue work in rural, underserved communities (n = 171 out of 657 responses, 25%), those serving in a rural facility during the community service year had higher intentions of continuing rural work. Those reporting professional development during the community service year were twice as likely to report intentions to remain in rural, underserved communities. Despite challenges in equitable distribution of practitioners, participant satisfaction with the compulsory community service programme appears to be high among those who responded to a 2009 questionnaire. These data offer a starting point for designing programmes and policies that better meet the health needs of the South African population through more appropriate human resource management. An emphasis on professional development and supervision is crucial if South Africa is to build practitioner skills, equitably distribute health professionals, and retain the medical workforce in rural, underserved areas.

Factors that influence the efficiency of beef and dairy cattle recording system in Kenya: A SWOT-AHP analysis.

PubMed

Wasike, Chrilukovian B; Magothe, Thomas M; Kahi, Alexander K; Peters, Kurt J

2011-01-01

Animal recording in Kenya is characterised by erratic producer participation and high drop-out rates from the national recording scheme. This study evaluates factors influencing efficiency of beef and dairy cattle recording system. Factors influencing efficiency of animal identification and registration, pedigree and performance recording, and genetic evaluation and information utilisation were generated using qualitative and participatory methods. Pairwise comparison of factors was done by strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats-analytical hierarchical process analysis and priority scores to determine their relative importance to the system calculated using Eigenvalue method. For identification and registration, and evaluation and information utilisation, external factors had high priority scores. For pedigree and performance recording, threats and weaknesses had the highest priority scores. Strengths factors could not sustain the required efficiency of the system. Weaknesses of the system predisposed it to threats. Available opportunities could be explored as interventions to restore efficiency in the system. Defensive strategies such as reorienting the system to offer utility benefits to recording, forming symbiotic and binding collaboration between recording organisations and NARS, and development of institutions to support recording were feasible.

[Reactance proneness, collectivism, uniqueness, and resistance to persuasion].

PubMed

Imajo, Shuzo

2002-10-01

This study examined the reliability and validity of Japanese psychological reactance scales. A total of 167 undergraduates completed a questionnaire of Therapeutic Reactance Scale (TRS), the Hong Reactance Scale (HRS), the Uniqueness Scale, and the Collectivism Scale. They also received messages involving three persuasion situations that were either high or low in terms of threat, and were asked to describe their reactions to them. The author categorized the reactions into three: acceptance, indirect resistance, and direct resistance. Reliabilities of the reactance scales were satisfactory. Their scores positively correlated with uniqueness scores, and negatively with collectivism scores. Those high on reactance proneness were less persuaded in two of the three situations. But in the third, an HRS by threat interaction was observed, indicating that only those who were high on reactance proneness under the high-threat condition showed resistance to persuasion. These results suggest that the Japanese versions of reactance scale were reliable and valid. However, the assertiveness aspect of TRS may not be appropriate for the definition of reactance. The influence of culture on psychological reactance was also discussed.

Using the Folstein Mini Mental State Exam (MMSE) to explore methodological issues in cognitive aging research.

PubMed

Monroe, Todd; Carter, Michael

2012-09-01

Cognitive scales are used frequently in geriatric research and practice. These instruments are constructed with underlying assumptions that are a part of their validation process. A common measurement scale used in older adults is the Folstein Mini Mental State Exam (MMSE). The MMSE was designed to screen for cognitive impairment and is used often in geriatric research. This paper has three aims. Aim one was to explore four potential threats to validity in the use of the MMSE: (1) administering the exam without meeting the underlying assumptions, (2) not reporting that the underlying assumptions were assessed prior to test administration, (3) use of variable and inconsistent cut-off scores for the determination of presence of cognitive impairment, and (4) failure to adjust the scores based on the demographic characteristics of the tested subject. Aim two was to conduct a literature search to determine if the assumptions of (1) education level assessment, (2) sensory assessment, and (3) language fluency were being met and clearly reported in published research using the MMSE. Aim three was to provide recommendations to minimalize threats to validity in research studies that use cognitive scales, such as the MMSE. We found inconsistencies in published work in reporting whether or not subjects meet the assumptions that underlie a reliable and valid MMSE score. These inconsistencies can pose threats to the reliability of exam results. Fourteen of the 50 studies reviewed reported inclusion of all three of these assumptions. Inconsistencies in reporting the inclusion of the underlying assumptions for a reliable score could mean that subjects were not appropriate to be tested by use of the MMSE or that an appropriate test administration of the MMSE was not clearly reported. Thus, the research literature could have threats to both validity and reliability based on misuse of or improper reported use of the MMSE. Six recommendations are provided to minimalize these threats in future research.

Validity threats: overcoming interference with proposed interpretations of assessment data.

PubMed

Downing, Steven M; Haladyna, Thomas M

2004-03-01

Factors that interfere with the ability to interpret assessment scores or ratings in the proposed manner threaten validity. To be interpreted in a meaningful manner, all assessments in medical education require sound, scientific evidence of validity. The purpose of this essay is to discuss 2 major threats to validity: construct under-representation (CU) and construct-irrelevant variance (CIV). Examples of each type of threat for written, performance and clinical performance examinations are provided. The CU threat to validity refers to undersampling the content domain. Using too few items, cases or clinical performance observations to adequately generalise to the domain represents CU. Variables that systematically (rather than randomly) interfere with the ability to meaningfully interpret scores or ratings represent CIV. Issues such as flawed test items written at inappropriate reading levels or statistically biased questions represent CIV in written tests. For performance examinations, such as standardised patient examinations, flawed cases or cases that are too difficult for student ability contribute CIV to the assessment. For clinical performance data, systematic rater error, such as halo or central tendency error, represents CIV. The term face validity is rejected as representative of any type of legitimate validity evidence, although the fact that the appearance of the assessment may be an important characteristic other than validity is acknowledged. There are multiple threats to validity in all types of assessment in medical education. Methods to eliminate or control validity threats are suggested.

Paranoid thinking, cognitive bias and dangerous neighbourhoods: Implications for perception of threat and expectations of victimisation.

PubMed

Jack, Alexander; Egan, Vincent

2016-03-01

Paranoid thinking is prevalent in the non-clinical population and cognitive mechanisms of heuristic reasoning and jumping to conclusions bias contributes to its formation and maintenance. This study investigated the degree to which paranoia, perceived environmental risk, heuristic reasoning and jumping to conclusions bias (measured with the beads task) contribute to misinterpretation of neutral stimuli, and whether this informed judgements regarding vulnerability to threat and crime. It is also investigated whether impulsiveness is a confounding factor on the beads task. Two hundred participants were recruited using a snowball-sampling method for a quantitative cross-sectional study. Participants reported demographic information, three psychometric questionnaires and two experimental tasks via an online paradigm hosted by the Bristol Online Survey tool. Participants with high paranoia scores perceived their environment to be more dangerous than those with low scores. Participants with high paranoia scores also overestimated threat in neutral stimuli and had high expectations of future victimisation. Jumping to conclusions on the beads task did not predict fear of crime outcomes, but was predicted by impulsivity. Participants who demonstrated paranoid thinking were more likely to reside in perceived dangerous neighbourhoods and overestimate threat. While this could indicate a paranoid heuristic, it is a potentially rational response to prior experiences of crime and victimisation. Implications and suggestions for future research are discussed. © The Author(s) 2015.

When sexual threat cues shape attitudes toward immigrants: the role of insecurity and benevolent sexism

PubMed Central

Sarrasin, Oriane; Fasel, Nicole; Green, Eva G. T.; Helbling, Marc

2015-01-01

Drawing on psychological and political science research on individuals’ sensitivity to threat cues, the present study examines reactions to political posters that depict male immigrants as a sexual danger. We expect anti-immigrant attitudes to be more strongly predicted by feelings of insecurity or representations of men and women as strong and fragile when individuals are exposed to sexual threat cues than when they are not. Results from two online experiments conducted in Switzerland and Germany largely confirmed these assumptions. Comparing two anti-immigrant posters (general and non-sexual threat vs. sexual threat), Experiment 1 (n = 142) showed that feelings of insecurity were related to an increased support for expelling immigrants from the host country in both cases. However, only in the sexual threat cues condition and among female participants, were perceptions of women as fragile—as measured with benevolent sexism items—related to support for expelling immigrants. Further distinguishing between different forms of violence threat cues, Experiment 2 (n = 181) showed that collective feelings of insecurity were most strongly related to support for expelling immigrants when a male immigrant was presented as a violent criminal. In contrast, benevolent sexist beliefs were related to anti-immigrant stances only when participants were exposed to a depiction of a male immigrant as a rapist. In both cases attitudes were polarized: on the one hand, representations of immigrants as criminals provoked reactance reactions—that is, more positive attitudes—among participants scoring low in insecurity feelings or benevolent sexism. On the other hand, those scoring high in these dimensions expressed slightly more negative attitudes. Overall, by applying social psychological concepts to the study of anti-immigrant political campaigning, the present study demonstrated that individuals are sensitive to specific threat cues in posters. PMID:26283985

When sexual threat cues shape attitudes toward immigrants: the role of insecurity and benevolent sexism.

PubMed

Sarrasin, Oriane; Fasel, Nicole; Green, Eva G T; Helbling, Marc

2015-01-01

Drawing on psychological and political science research on individuals' sensitivity to threat cues, the present study examines reactions to political posters that depict male immigrants as a sexual danger. We expect anti-immigrant attitudes to be more strongly predicted by feelings of insecurity or representations of men and women as strong and fragile when individuals are exposed to sexual threat cues than when they are not. Results from two online experiments conducted in Switzerland and Germany largely confirmed these assumptions. Comparing two anti-immigrant posters (general and non-sexual threat vs. sexual threat), Experiment 1 (n = 142) showed that feelings of insecurity were related to an increased support for expelling immigrants from the host country in both cases. However, only in the sexual threat cues condition and among female participants, were perceptions of women as fragile-as measured with benevolent sexism items-related to support for expelling immigrants. Further distinguishing between different forms of violence threat cues, Experiment 2 (n = 181) showed that collective feelings of insecurity were most strongly related to support for expelling immigrants when a male immigrant was presented as a violent criminal. In contrast, benevolent sexist beliefs were related to anti-immigrant stances only when participants were exposed to a depiction of a male immigrant as a rapist. In both cases attitudes were polarized: on the one hand, representations of immigrants as criminals provoked reactance reactions-that is, more positive attitudes-among participants scoring low in insecurity feelings or benevolent sexism. On the other hand, those scoring high in these dimensions expressed slightly more negative attitudes. Overall, by applying social psychological concepts to the study of anti-immigrant political campaigning, the present study demonstrated that individuals are sensitive to specific threat cues in posters.

Equitable Estoppel: Its Genesis, Development, and Application in Government Contracting

DTIC Science & Technology

1988-09-30

NO. CCESSION NO. ,1. T:ITLE (include Security Classification) (UNCLASSIFIED) Equitable Estoppel : Its Genesis, Development, and Application in...sE.UkRm/ CLASSIFICATION OF THIS PAGE AFIT/CI’ "OVERPRINT" Equitable Estoppel : Its Genesis, Development, and Application in Government CoritractingQ By...John Cibinic,Jr. and Ralph C. Nash,Jr. Professors of Law 90 02 12 031 -Table of Contents 1. The Doctrine of Equitable Estoppel -................... 1

From self-construal to threat appraisal: Understanding cultural differences in social anxiety between Asian Americans and European Americans.

PubMed

Krieg, Alexander; Xu, Yiyuan

2018-05-21

Abundant research has shown that Asian Americans tend to score higher on standardized social anxiety measures than do European Americans. The current study explored how this cultural difference in social anxiety may be explained by cultural differences in self-construals and threat appraisal between Asian Americans and European Americans. Participants were 310 Asian Americans and 249 European Americans recruited from a large university in Hawaii who completed questionnaires online in exchange for course credit. Using structural equation modeling, we compared a series of competing models in which cultural differences in social anxiety were specified to be mediated by cultural differences in self-construals and threat appraisal. Compared with European Americans, Asian Americans scored higher on measures of social anxiety, threat appraisal, and interdependent self-construal, and lower on independent self-construal. We found support for the mediating roles of both self-construals and threat appraisal. Specifically, higher interdependent and lower independent self-construal reported by Asian Americans were related to higher threat appraisal, which were, in turn, associated with higher social anxiety. Higher interdependent and lower independent self-construal were also directly related to higher social anxiety over and above the influence of threat appraisal. These findings provide initial evidence on how cultural group differences in beliefs about the self in relation to others may shape what is attended to in a social situation, and contribute to cultural differences in subsequent affective response between Asian Americans and European Americans. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved).

Global health and climate change: moving from denial and catastrophic fatalism to positive action.

PubMed

Costello, Anthony; Maslin, Mark; Montgomery, Hugh; Johnson, Anne M; Ekins, Paul

2011-05-13

The health effects of climate change have had relatively little attention from climate scientists and governments. Climate change will be a major threat to population health in the current century through its potential effects on communicable disease, heat stress, food and water security, extreme weather events, vulnerable shelter and population migration. This paper addresses three health-sector strategies to manage the health effects of climate change-promotion of mitigation, tackling the pathways that lead to ill-health and strengthening health systems. Mitigation of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions is affordable, and low-carbon technologies are available now or will be in the near future. Pathways to ill-health can be managed through better information, poverty reduction, technological innovation, social and cultural change and greater coordination of national and international institutions. Strengthening health systems requires increased investment in order to provide effective public health responses to climate-induced threats to health, equitable treatment of illness, promotion of low-carbon lifestyles and renewable energy solutions within health facilities. Mitigation and adaptation strategies will produce substantial benefits for health, such as reductions in obesity and heart disease, diabetes, stress and depression, pneumonia and asthma, as well as potential cost savings within the health sector. The case for mitigating climate change by reducing GHGs is overwhelming. The need to build population resilience to the global health threat from already unavoidable climate change is real and urgent. Action must not be delayed by contrarians, nor by catastrophic fatalists who say it is all too late. © 2011 Royal Society

Problems in the Pipeline: Stereotype Threat and Women's Achievement in High-Level Math Courses

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Good, Catherine; Aronson, Joshua; Harder, Jayne Ann

2008-01-01

It is well established that negative stereotypes can undermine women's performance on mathematics tests. Despite considerable laboratory evidence for the role of "stereotype threat" in girls' and women's math test performance, the relevance of such findings for the "real world" gender test-score gap remains unclear and debates about causes focus…

The Influence of an NCLB Accountability Plan on the Distribution of Student Test Score Gains

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Springer, Matthew G.

2008-01-01

Previous research on the effect of accountability programs on the distribution of student test score gains is decidedly mixed. This study examines the issue by estimating an educational production function in which test score gains are a function of the incentives schools have to focus instruction on below-proficient students. NCLB's threat of…

Personality and defensive reactions: fear, trait anxiety, and threat magnification.

PubMed

Perkins, Adam M; Cooper, Andrew; Abdelall, Maura; Smillie, Luke D; Corr, Philip J

2010-06-01

The revised Reinforcement Sensitivity Theory (rRST) of personality (Gray & McNaughton, 2000) maintains that trait individual differences in the operation of defensive systems relate to facets of human personality, most notably anxiety and fear. We investigated this theory in 2 separate studies (total N=270) using a threat scenario research strategy (Blanchard, Hynd, Minke, Minemoto, & Blanchard, 2001). Consistent with rRST, results showed that individuals with high fear questionnaire scores tended to select defensive responses entailing orientation away from threat (e.g., run away) and that fear-prone individuals also tended to perceive threats as magnified. The extent of this threat magnification mediated the positive association observed between fear and orientation away from threat. Overall, results suggest that interindividual variance in defensive reactions is associated with a variety of existing personality constructs but that further research is required to determine the precise relationship between personality and defensive reactions.

Global Conservation Priorities for Marine Turtles

PubMed Central

Wallace, Bryan P.; DiMatteo, Andrew D.; Bolten, Alan B.; Chaloupka, Milani Y.; Hutchinson, Brian J.; Abreu-Grobois, F. Alberto; Mortimer, Jeanne A.; Seminoff, Jeffrey A.; Amorocho, Diego; Bjorndal, Karen A.; Bourjea, Jérôme; Bowen, Brian W.; Briseño Dueñas, Raquel; Casale, Paolo; Choudhury, B. C.; Costa, Alice; Dutton, Peter H.; Fallabrino, Alejandro; Finkbeiner, Elena M.; Girard, Alexandre; Girondot, Marc; Hamann, Mark; Hurley, Brendan J.; López-Mendilaharsu, Milagros; Marcovaldi, Maria Angela; Musick, John A.; Nel, Ronel; Pilcher, Nicolas J.; Troëng, Sebastian; Witherington, Blair; Mast, Roderic B.

2011-01-01

Where conservation resources are limited and conservation targets are diverse, robust yet flexible priority-setting frameworks are vital. Priority-setting is especially important for geographically widespread species with distinct populations subject to multiple threats that operate on different spatial and temporal scales. Marine turtles are widely distributed and exhibit intra-specific variations in population sizes and trends, as well as reproduction and morphology. However, current global extinction risk assessment frameworks do not assess conservation status of spatially and biologically distinct marine turtle Regional Management Units (RMUs), and thus do not capture variations in population trends, impacts of threats, or necessary conservation actions across individual populations. To address this issue, we developed a new assessment framework that allowed us to evaluate, compare and organize marine turtle RMUs according to status and threats criteria. Because conservation priorities can vary widely (i.e. from avoiding imminent extinction to maintaining long-term monitoring efforts) we developed a “conservation priorities portfolio” system using categories of paired risk and threats scores for all RMUs (n = 58). We performed these assessments and rankings globally, by species, by ocean basin, and by recognized geopolitical bodies to identify patterns in risk, threats, and data gaps at different scales. This process resulted in characterization of risk and threats to all marine turtle RMUs, including identification of the world's 11 most endangered marine turtle RMUs based on highest risk and threats scores. This system also highlighted important gaps in available information that is crucial for accurate conservation assessments. Overall, this priority-setting framework can provide guidance for research and conservation priorities at multiple relevant scales, and should serve as a model for conservation status assessments and priority-setting for widespread, long-lived taxa. PMID:21969858

7 CFR 636.20 - Equitable relief.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 6 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Equitable relief. 636.20 Section 636.20 Agriculture Regulations of the Department of Agriculture (Continued) NATURAL RESOURCES CONSERVATION SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE LONG TERM CONTRACTING WILDLIFE HABITAT INCENTIVES PROGRAM § 636.20 Equitable relief. (a) If a...

7 CFR 636.20 - Equitable relief.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 6 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Equitable relief. 636.20 Section 636.20 Agriculture Regulations of the Department of Agriculture (Continued) NATURAL RESOURCES CONSERVATION SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE LONG TERM CONTRACTING WILDLIFE HABITAT INCENTIVE PROGRAM § 636.20 Equitable relief. (a) If a...

7 CFR 636.20 - Equitable relief.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 6 2014-01-01 2014-01-01 false Equitable relief. 636.20 Section 636.20 Agriculture Regulations of the Department of Agriculture (Continued) NATURAL RESOURCES CONSERVATION SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE LONG TERM CONTRACTING WILDLIFE HABITAT INCENTIVE PROGRAM § 636.20 Equitable relief. (a) If a...

7 CFR 636.20 - Equitable relief.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 6 2012-01-01 2012-01-01 false Equitable relief. 636.20 Section 636.20 Agriculture Regulations of the Department of Agriculture (Continued) NATURAL RESOURCES CONSERVATION SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE LONG TERM CONTRACTING WILDLIFE HABITAT INCENTIVE PROGRAM § 636.20 Equitable relief. (a) If a...

7 CFR 636.20 - Equitable relief.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 6 2013-01-01 2013-01-01 false Equitable relief. 636.20 Section 636.20 Agriculture Regulations of the Department of Agriculture (Continued) NATURAL RESOURCES CONSERVATION SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE LONG TERM CONTRACTING WILDLIFE HABITAT INCENTIVE PROGRAM § 636.20 Equitable relief. (a) If a...

20 CFR 222.34 - Relationship resulting from equitable adoption.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... 20 Employees' Benefits 1 2014-04-01 2012-04-01 true Relationship resulting from equitable adoption. 222.34 Section 222.34 Employees' Benefits RAILROAD RETIREMENT BOARD REGULATIONS UNDER THE RAILROAD RETIREMENT ACT FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS Relationship as Child § 222.34 Relationship resulting from equitable...

20 CFR 222.34 - Relationship resulting from equitable adoption.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... 20 Employees' Benefits 1 2013-04-01 2012-04-01 true Relationship resulting from equitable adoption. 222.34 Section 222.34 Employees' Benefits RAILROAD RETIREMENT BOARD REGULATIONS UNDER THE RAILROAD RETIREMENT ACT FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS Relationship as Child § 222.34 Relationship resulting from equitable...

The Contribution of Equitation Science to Minimising Horse-Related Risks to Humans.

PubMed

Starling, Melissa; McLean, Andrew; McGreevy, Paul

2016-02-23

Equitation science is an evidence-based approach to horse training and riding that focuses on a thorough understanding of both equine ethology and learning theory. This combination leads to more effective horse training, but also plays a role in keeping horse riders and trainers safe around horses. Equitation science underpins ethical equitation, and recognises the limits of the horse's cognitive and physical abilities. Equitation is an ancient practice that has benefited from a rich tradition that sees it flourishing in contemporary sporting pursuits. Despite its history, horse-riding is an activity for which neither horses nor humans evolved, and it brings with it significant risks to the safety of both species. This review outlines the reasons horses may behave in ways that endanger humans and how training choices can exacerbate this. It then discusses the recently introduced 10 Principles of Equitation Science and explains how following these principles can minimise horse-related risk to humans and enhance horse welfare.

Combined impacts of global changes on biodiversity across the USA

PubMed Central

Bellard, C.; Leclerc, C.; Courchamp, F.

2015-01-01

Most studies of the effects of global changes on biodiversity focus on a single threat, but multiple threats lead to species extinction. We lack spatially explicit assessments of the intensity of multiple threats and their impacts on biodiversity. Here, we used a novel metric of cumulative threats and impacts to assess the consequences of multiple threats on 196 endemic species across the USA. We predict that large areas with high cumulative impact scores for amphibians, birds, mammals, and reptiles will be concentrated in the eastern part of the USA by the 2050 s and 2080 s. These high cumulative impact values are due mainly to the presence of invasive species, climate change, cropland and pasture areas; additionally, a significant proportion of endemic species are vulnerable to some of these threats where they occur. This analysis provides a useful means of identifying where conservation measures and monitoring programs that should consider multiple threats should be implemented in the future. PMID:26149694

A Critical Review of Some Qualitative Research Methods Used to Explore Rater Cognition

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Suto, Irenka

2012-01-01

Internationally, many assessment systems rely predominantly on human raters to score examinations. Arguably, this facilitates the assessment of multiple sophisticated educational constructs, strengthening assessment validity. It can introduce subjectivity into the scoring process, however, engendering threats to accuracy. The present objectives…

Multiple crises and global health: New and necessary frontiers of health politics

PubMed Central

Schrecker, Ted

2012-01-01

The world economy is entering an era of multiple crises, involving finance, food security and global environmental change. This article assesses the implications for global public health, describes the contours of post-2007 crises in food security and finance, and then briefly indicates the probable health impacts. There follows a discussion of the crisis of climate change, one that will unfold over a longer time frame but with manifestations that may already be upon us. The article then discusses the political economy of responses to these crises, noting the formidable obstacles that exist to equitable resolution. The article concludes by noting the threat that such crises present to recent progress in global health, arguing that global health researchers and practitioners must become more familiar with the relevant social processes, and that proposed solutions that neglect the continuing importance of the nation-state are misdirected. PMID:22657093

A systematic review and critical assessment of incentive strategies for discovery and development of novel antibiotics

PubMed Central

Renwick, Matthew J; Brogan, David M; Mossialos, Elias

2016-01-01

Despite the growing threat of antimicrobial resistance, pharmaceutical and biotechnology firms are reluctant to develop novel antibiotics because of a host of market failures. This problem is complicated by public health goals that demand antibiotic conservation and equitable patient access. Thus, an innovative incentive strategy is needed to encourage sustainable investment in antibiotics. This systematic review consolidates, classifies and critically assesses a total of 47 proposed incentives. Given the large number of possible strategies, a decision framework is presented to assist with the selection of incentives. This framework focuses on addressing market failures that result in limited investment, public health priorities regarding antibiotic stewardship and patient access, and implementation constraints and operational realities. The flexible nature of this framework allows policy makers to tailor an antibiotic incentive package that suits a country's health system structure and needs. PMID:26464014

Multiple crises and global health: new and necessary frontiers of health politics.

PubMed

Schrecker, Ted

2012-01-01

The world economy is entering an era of multiple crises, involving finance, food security and global environmental change. This article assesses the implications for global public health, describes the contours of post-2007 crises in food security and finance, and then briefly indicates the probable health impacts. There follows a discussion of the crisis of climate change, one that will unfold over a longer time frame but with manifestations that may already be upon us. The article then discusses the political economy of responses to these crises, noting the formidable obstacles that exist to equitable resolution. The article concludes by noting the threat that such crises present to recent progress in global health, arguing that global health researchers and practitioners must become more familiar with the relevant social processes, and that proposed solutions that neglect the continuing importance of the nation-state are misdirected.

Understanding Men's Elevated Alcohol Use, Gender Equity Ideologies, and Intimate Partner Violence Among Married Couples in Rural India.

PubMed

Dasgupta, Anindita; Silverman, Jay; Saggurti, Niranjan; Ghule, Mohan; Donta, Balaiah; Battala, Madhusudana; Nair, Saritha; Gajanan, Velhal; Raj, Anita

2018-07-01

Qualitative evidence suggests that husbands' inequitable gender equity (GE) ideologies may influence associations between husbands' alcohol use and intimate partner violence (IPV) against wives. However, little quantitative research exists on the subject. To address this gap in the literature, associations of husbands' elevated alcohol use and GE ideologies with wives' reports of IPV victimization among a sample of married couples in Maharashtra, India, were examined. Cross-sectional analyses were conducted using data from the baseline sample of the Counseling Husbands to Achieve Reproductive Health and Marital Equity (CHARM) study. Participants included couples aged 18 to 30 years ( N = 1081). Regression models assessed the relationship between husbands' elevated alcohol use and GE ideologies (using the Gender-Equitable Men [GEM] Scale) and wives' history of physical and/or sexual IPV victimization ever in marriage. Husbands and wives were 18 to 30 years of age, and married on average of 3.9 years ( SD ± 2.7). Few husbands (4.6%) reported elevated alcohol use. Husbands had mean GEM scores of 47.3 ( SD ± 5.4, range: 35-67 out of possible range of 24-72; least equitable to most equitable). Approximately one fifth (22.3%) of wives reported a history of physical and/or sexual IPV. Wives were less likely to report IPV if husbands reported greater GE ideologies (adjusted odds ratio [AOR]: 0.97, 95% CI [0.95, 0.99]), and husband's elevated alcohol use was associated with increased risk of IPV in the final adjusted model (AOR: 1.89, 95% CI [1.01, 3.40]). Findings from this study indicate the need for male participation in violence intervention and prevention services and, specifically, the need to integrate counseling on alcohol use and GE into such programming.

Psychometric Properties of the Children's Automatic Thoughts Scale (CATS) in Chinese Adolescents.

PubMed

Sun, Ling; Rapee, Ronald M; Tao, Xuan; Yan, Yulei; Wang, Shanshan; Xu, Wei; Wang, Jianping

2015-08-01

The Children's Automatic Thoughts Scale (CATS) is a 40-item self-report questionnaire designed to measure children's negative thoughts. This study examined the psychometric properties of the Chinese translation of the CATS. Participants included 1,993 students (average age = 14.73) from three schools in Mainland China. A subsample of the participants was retested after 4 weeks. Confirmatory factor analysis replicated the original structure with four first-order factors loading on a single higher-order factor. The convergent and divergent validity of the CATS were good. The CATS demonstrated high internal consistency and test-retest reliability. Boys scored higher on the CATS-hostility subscale, but there were no other gender differences. Older adolescents (15-18 years) reported higher scores than younger adolescents (12-14 years) on the total score and on the physical threat, social threat, and hostility subscales. The CATS proved to be a reliable and valid measure of automatic thoughts in Chinese adolescents.

Evaluating Weather Research and Forecasting Model Sensitivity to Land and Soil Conditions Representative of Karst Landscapes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Johnson, Christopher M.; Fan, Xingang; Mahmood, Rezaul; Groves, Chris; Polk, Jason S.; Yan, Jun

2018-03-01

Due to their particular physiographic, geomorphic, soil cover, and complex surface-subsurface hydrologic conditions, karst regions produce distinct land-atmosphere interactions. It has been found that floods and droughts over karst regions can be more pronounced than those in non-karst regions following a given rainfall event. Five convective weather events are simulated using the Weather Research and Forecasting model to explore the potential impacts of land-surface conditions on weather simulations over karst regions. Since no existing weather or climate model has the ability to represent karst landscapes, simulation experiments in this exploratory study consist of a control (default land-cover/soil types) and three land-surface conditions, including barren ground, forest, and sandy soils over the karst areas, which mimic certain karst characteristics. Results from sensitivity experiments are compared with the control simulation, as well as with the National Centers for Environmental Prediction multi-sensor precipitation analysis Stage-IV data, and near-surface atmospheric observations. Mesoscale features of surface energy partition, surface water and energy exchange, the resulting surface-air temperature and humidity, and low-level instability and convective energy are analyzed to investigate the potential land-surface impact on weather over karst regions. We conclude that: (1) barren ground used over karst regions has a pronounced effect on the overall simulation of precipitation. Barren ground provides the overall lowest root-mean-square errors and bias scores in precipitation over the peak-rain periods. Contingency table-based equitable threat and frequency bias scores suggest that the barren and forest experiments are more successful in simulating light to moderate rainfall. Variables dependent on local surface conditions show stronger contrasts between karst and non-karst regions than variables dominated by large-scale synoptic systems; (2) significant sensitivity responses are found over the karst regions, including pronounced warming and cooling effects on the near-surface atmosphere from barren and forested land cover, respectively; (3) the barren ground in the karst regions provides conditions favourable for convective development under certain conditions. Therefore, it is suggested that karst and non-karst landscapes should be distinguished, and their physical processes should be considered for future model development.

Assimilation of radar quantitative precipitation estimations in the Canadian Precipitation Analysis (CaPA)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fortin, Vincent; Roy, Guy; Donaldson, Norman; Mahidjiba, Ahmed

2015-12-01

The Canadian Precipitation Analysis (CaPA) is a data analysis system used operationally at the Canadian Meteorological Center (CMC) since April 2011 to produce gridded 6-h and 24-h precipitation accumulations in near real-time on a regular grid covering all of North America. The current resolution of the product is 10-km. Due to the low density of the observational network in most of Canada, the system relies on a background field provided by the Regional Deterministic Prediction System (RDPS) of Environment Canada, which is a short-term weather forecasting system for North America. For this reason, the North American configuration of CaPA is known as the Regional Deterministic Precipitation Analysis (RDPA). Early in the development of the CaPA system, weather radar reflectivity was identified as a very promising additional data source for the precipitation analysis, but necessary quality control procedures and bias-correction algorithms were lacking for the radar data. After three years of development and testing, a new version of CaPA-RDPA system was implemented in November 2014 at CMC. This version is able to assimilate radar quantitative precipitation estimates (QPEs) from all 31 operational Canadian weather radars. The radar QPE is used as an observation source and not as a background field, and is subject to a strict quality control procedure, like any other observation source. The November 2014 upgrade to CaPA-RDPA was implemented at the same time as an upgrade to the RDPS system, which brought minor changes to the skill and bias of CaPA-RDPA. This paper uses the frequency bias indicator (FBI), the equitable threat score (ETS) and the departure from the partial mean (DPM) in order to assess the improvements to CaPA-RDPA brought by the assimilation of radar QPE. Verification focuses on the 6-h accumulations, and is done against a network of 65 synoptic stations (approximately two stations per radar) that were withheld from the station data assimilated by CaPA-RDPA. It is shown that the ETS and the DPM scores are both improved for precipitation events between 0.2 mm and 25 mm per 6-h, and that the FBI is unchanged.

Fear of Ebola: The Influence of Collectivism on Xenophobic Threat Responses.

PubMed

Kim, Heejung S; Sherman, David K; Updegraff, John A

2016-07-01

In response to the Ebola scare in 2014, many people evinced strong fear and xenophobia. The present study, informed by the pathogen-prevalence hypothesis, tested the influence of individualism and collectivism on xenophobic response to the threat of Ebola. A nationally representative sample of 1,000 Americans completed a survey, indicating their perceptions of their vulnerability to Ebola, ability to protect themselves from Ebola (protection efficacy), and xenophobic tendencies. Overall, the more vulnerable people felt, the more they exhibited xenophobic responses, but this relationship was moderated by individualism and collectivism. The increase in xenophobia associated with increased vulnerability was especially pronounced among people with high individualism scores and those with low collectivism scores. These relationships were mediated by protection efficacy. State-level collectivism had the same moderating effect on the association between perceived vulnerability and xenophobia that individual-level value orientation did. Collectivism-and the set of practices and rituals associated with collectivistic cultures-may serve as psychological protection against the threat of disease. © The Author(s) 2016.

20 CFR 222.57 - When an equitably adopted child is dependent.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... 20 Employees' Benefits 1 2014-04-01 2012-04-01 true When an equitably adopted child is dependent. 222.57 Section 222.57 Employees' Benefits RAILROAD RETIREMENT BOARD REGULATIONS UNDER THE RAILROAD RETIREMENT ACT FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS Child Support and Dependency § 222.57 When an equitably adopted child is...

20 CFR 222.57 - When an equitably adopted child is dependent.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... 20 Employees' Benefits 1 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false When an equitably adopted child is dependent. 222.57 Section 222.57 Employees' Benefits RAILROAD RETIREMENT BOARD REGULATIONS UNDER THE RAILROAD RETIREMENT ACT FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS Child Support and Dependency § 222.57 When an equitably adopted child is...

20 CFR 222.57 - When an equitably adopted child is dependent.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... 20 Employees' Benefits 1 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false When an equitably adopted child is dependent. 222.57 Section 222.57 Employees' Benefits RAILROAD RETIREMENT BOARD REGULATIONS UNDER THE RAILROAD RETIREMENT ACT FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS Child Support and Dependency § 222.57 When an equitably adopted child is...

20 CFR 222.57 - When an equitably adopted child is dependent.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... 20 Employees' Benefits 1 2013-04-01 2012-04-01 true When an equitably adopted child is dependent. 222.57 Section 222.57 Employees' Benefits RAILROAD RETIREMENT BOARD REGULATIONS UNDER THE RAILROAD RETIREMENT ACT FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS Child Support and Dependency § 222.57 When an equitably adopted child is...

20 CFR 222.57 - When an equitably adopted child is dependent.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... 20 Employees' Benefits 1 2012-04-01 2012-04-01 false When an equitably adopted child is dependent. 222.57 Section 222.57 Employees' Benefits RAILROAD RETIREMENT BOARD REGULATIONS UNDER THE RAILROAD RETIREMENT ACT FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS Child Support and Dependency § 222.57 When an equitably adopted child is...

Principles and Guidelines for Equitable Mathematics Teaching Practices and Materials for English Language Learners

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moschkovich, Judit

2013-01-01

In this essay, the author describes principles for equitable mathematics teaching practices for English Language Learners (ELLs) and outlines guidelines for materials to support such practices. Although research cannot provide a recipe for equitable teaching practices for ELLs, teachers, educators, and administrators can use this set of…

How Well Can Young People with Asperger's Disorder Recognize Threat and Learn about Affect in Faces?: A Pilot Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Miyahara, Motohide; Ruffman, Ted; Fujita, Chikako; Tsujii, Masatsugu

2010-01-01

The abilities to identify threat and learn about affect in facial photographs were compared between a non-autistic university student group (NUS), a matched Asperger's group (MAS) on the Standard Progressive Matrices (SPM), and an unmatched Asperger's group (UAS) who scored lower on the SPM. Participants were given pairs of faces and asked which…

Do Accountability and Voucher Threats Improve Low-Performing Schools? NBER Working Paper No. 11597

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Figlio, David N.; Rouse, Cecilia

2005-01-01

In this paper we study the effects of the threat of school vouchers and school stigma in Florida on the performance of "low-performing" schools using student-level data from a subset of districts. Estimates of the change in school-level high-stakes test scores from the first year of the reform are consistent with the early results used…

76 FR 20426 - Self-Regulatory Organizations; Notice of Filing and Immediate Effectiveness of Proposed Rule...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-04-12

... provides for the equitable allocation of reasonable dues, fees, and other charges among its members and other persons using its facilities. The Exchange believes the proposal is an equitable allocation of... equitable allocation of reasonable credits among BOX Options Participants. \\5\\ 15 U.S.C. 78f(b). \\6\\ 15 U.S...

Implicit self-esteem compensation: automatic threat defense.

PubMed

Rudman, Laurie A; Dohn, Matthew C; Fairchild, Kimberly

2007-11-01

Four experiments demonstrated implicit self-esteem compensation (ISEC) in response to threats involving gender identity (Experiment 1), implicit racism (Experiment 2), and social rejection (Experiments 3-4). Under conditions in which people might be expected to suffer a blow to self-worth, they instead showed high scores on 2 implicit self-esteem measures. There was no comparable effect on explicit self-esteem. However, ISEC was eliminated following self-affirmation (Experiment 3). Furthermore, threat manipulations increased automatic intergroup bias, but ISEC mediated these relationships (Experiments 2-3). Thus, a process that serves as damage control for the self may have negative social consequences. Finally, pretest anxiety mediated the relationship between threat and ISEC (Experiment 3), whereas ISEC negatively predicted anxiety among high-threat participants (Experiment 4), suggesting that ISEC may function to regulate anxiety. The implications of these findings for automatic emotion regulation, intergroup bias, and implicit self-esteem measures are discussed. (c) 2007 APA, all rights reserved.

Use of Balanced Scorecard Methodology for Performance Measurement of the Health Extension Program in Ethiopia

PubMed Central

Teklehaimanot, Hailay D.; Teklehaimanot, Awash; Tedella, Aregawi A.; Abdella, Mustofa

2016-01-01

In 2004, Ethiopia introduced a community-based Health Extension Program to deliver basic and essential health services. We developed a comprehensive performance scoring methodology to assess the performance of the program. A balanced scorecard with six domains and 32 indicators was developed. Data collected from 1,014 service providers, 433 health facilities, and 10,068 community members sampled from 298 villages were used to generate weighted national, regional, and agroecological zone scores for each indicator. The national median indicator scores ranged from 37% to 98% with poor performance in commodity availability, workforce motivation, referral linkage, infection prevention, and quality of care. Indicator scores showed significant difference by region (P < 0.001). Regional performance varied across indicators suggesting that each region had specific areas of strength and deficiency, with Tigray and the Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples Region being the best performers while the mainly pastoral regions of Gambela, Afar, and Benishangul-Gumuz were the worst. The findings of this study suggest the need for strategies aimed at improving specific elements of the program and its performance in specific regions to achieve quality and equitable health services. PMID:26928842

Use of Balanced Scorecard Methodology for Performance Measurement of the Health Extension Program in Ethiopia.

PubMed

Teklehaimanot, Hailay D; Teklehaimanot, Awash; Tedella, Aregawi A; Abdella, Mustofa

2016-05-04

In 2004, Ethiopia introduced a community-based Health Extension Program to deliver basic and essential health services. We developed a comprehensive performance scoring methodology to assess the performance of the program. A balanced scorecard with six domains and 32 indicators was developed. Data collected from 1,014 service providers, 433 health facilities, and 10,068 community members sampled from 298 villages were used to generate weighted national, regional, and agroecological zone scores for each indicator. The national median indicator scores ranged from 37% to 98% with poor performance in commodity availability, workforce motivation, referral linkage, infection prevention, and quality of care. Indicator scores showed significant difference by region (P < 0.001). Regional performance varied across indicators suggesting that each region had specific areas of strength and deficiency, with Tigray and the Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples Region being the best performers while the mainly pastoral regions of Gambela, Afar, and Benishangul-Gumuz were the worst. The findings of this study suggest the need for strategies aimed at improving specific elements of the program and its performance in specific regions to achieve quality and equitable health services. © The American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene.

Measuring Transnational Organized Crime Threats to US National Security

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-05-26

typology is not designed to score TOC networks, so it is not an obvious choice, but it could be easily modified by the TMWG to rank-order TOC networks...States Strategy to Combat Transnational Organized Crime (SCTOC). The strategy identified Transnational Organized Crime ( TOC ) as a national security...identify the TOC groups that present the national security threat defined in the SCTOC? A literature review of existing organized crime assessments

Evaluating Perceived Probability of Threat-Relevant Outcomes and Temporal Orientation in Flying Phobia.

PubMed

Mavromoustakos, Elena; Clark, Gavin I; Rock, Adam J

2016-01-01

Probability bias regarding threat-relevant outcomes has been demonstrated across anxiety disorders but has not been investigated in flying phobia. Individual temporal orientation (time perspective) may be hypothesised to influence estimates of negative outcomes occurring. The present study investigated whether probability bias could be demonstrated in flying phobia and whether probability estimates of negative flying events was predicted by time perspective. Sixty flying phobic and fifty-five non-flying-phobic adults were recruited to complete an online questionnaire. Participants completed the Flight Anxiety Scale, Probability Scale (measuring perceived probability of flying-negative events, general-negative and general positive events) and the Past-Negative, Future and Present-Hedonistic subscales of the Zimbardo Time Perspective Inventory (variables argued to predict mental travel forward and backward in time). The flying phobic group estimated the probability of flying negative and general negative events occurring as significantly higher than non-flying phobics. Past-Negative scores (positively) and Present-Hedonistic scores (negatively) predicted probability estimates of flying negative events. The Future Orientation subscale did not significantly predict probability estimates. This study is the first to demonstrate probability bias for threat-relevant outcomes in flying phobia. Results suggest that time perspective may influence perceived probability of threat-relevant outcomes but the nature of this relationship remains to be determined.

Evaluating Perceived Probability of Threat-Relevant Outcomes and Temporal Orientation in Flying Phobia

PubMed Central

Mavromoustakos, Elena; Clark, Gavin I.; Rock, Adam J.

2016-01-01

Probability bias regarding threat-relevant outcomes has been demonstrated across anxiety disorders but has not been investigated in flying phobia. Individual temporal orientation (time perspective) may be hypothesised to influence estimates of negative outcomes occurring. The present study investigated whether probability bias could be demonstrated in flying phobia and whether probability estimates of negative flying events was predicted by time perspective. Sixty flying phobic and fifty-five non-flying-phobic adults were recruited to complete an online questionnaire. Participants completed the Flight Anxiety Scale, Probability Scale (measuring perceived probability of flying-negative events, general-negative and general positive events) and the Past-Negative, Future and Present-Hedonistic subscales of the Zimbardo Time Perspective Inventory (variables argued to predict mental travel forward and backward in time). The flying phobic group estimated the probability of flying negative and general negative events occurring as significantly higher than non-flying phobics. Past-Negative scores (positively) and Present-Hedonistic scores (negatively) predicted probability estimates of flying negative events. The Future Orientation subscale did not significantly predict probability estimates. This study is the first to demonstrate probability bias for threat-relevant outcomes in flying phobia. Results suggest that time perspective may influence perceived probability of threat-relevant outcomes but the nature of this relationship remains to be determined. PMID:27557054

20 CFR 404.734 - Evidence you are an equitably adopted child.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... 20 Employees' Benefits 2 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Evidence you are an equitably adopted child... Evidence you are an equitably adopted child. In many States, the law will treat someone as a child of another if he or she agreed to adopt the child, the natural parents or the person caring for the child...

Time-to-Credit Gender Inequities of First-Year PhD Students in the Biological Sciences

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Feldon, David F.; Peugh, James; Maher, Michelle A.; Roksa, Josipa; Tofel-Grehl, Colby

2017-01-01

Equitable gender representation is an important aspect of scientific workforce development to secure a sufficient number of individuals and a diversity of perspectives. Biology is the most gender equitable of all scientific fields by the marker of degree attainment, with 52.5% of PhDs awarded to women. However, equitable rates of degree completion…

The Purpose of the Cataloging for Matters of Equitable Access: Spanish-Language Cataloging and "Everyday" Approaches of Non-Native English Speakers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Adamich, Tom

2009-01-01

While teacher-librarians embrace the concept of equitable access when they select "multicultural" materials to include in their collections, plan special programs, and teach lessons on a variety of topics, what do they do to make equitable access a part of their online catalogs? Have they achieved (or nearly achieved) a consistent level of…

Coping zone construction and mapping: an exploratory study of contextual coping, PTSD, and childhood violence exposure in urban areas.

PubMed

Sloan-Power, Elizabeth M; Boxer, Paul; McGuirl, Colleen; Church, Ruslana

2013-06-01

This mixed-method study explored how urban children aged 11 to 14 cope with multicontextual violence exposures simultaneously and analyzed the immediate action steps these children took when faced with such violence over time. Participants' (N = 12) narratives were initially analyzed utilizing a grounded theory framework as 68 violent incidents were coded for perceived threat and coping levels. Coping strategies were examined from a Transactional Model of Stress and Coping perspective taking into account the context and severity of each violent exposure itself. A comprehensive assessment map was developed to plot and visually reveal participants (N = 12) overall contextualized coping responses. Overall "coping zone" scores were generated to index perceived threat and coping responses associated with each violent incident described. These scores were then correlated with indicators of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Results indicated that urban children with less optimal coping zone scores across context have a greater likelihood of PTSD than do children who do not.

A Holistic Framework for Deriving Equitable Apportionments and Resolving Conflicts in Transboundary Watercourses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tyagi, H.; Gosain, A. K.; Khosa, R.

2017-12-01

Climate uncertainty & perpetually rising freshwater demands have emerged as the biggest threat to global water security. Consequently, water disputes have become more frequent & intense. If such conflicts remain unresolved for long, eventually they may cause severe socio-political damage to the riparians. The present study develops a comprehensive framework for conflict resolution & equitable allocation in transboundary Ganges watercourse with 4 stakeholder nations: China (Tibet), Nepal, India & Bangladesh. Scientific spatio-temporal information can be of great help in transboundary dispute resolution. Hence, this study employs a GIS-based semi-distributed SWAT hydrologic model for estimating water balance at different scales within the basin for present & future climate, landuse, storage & water use efficiency scenarios. The study analyses pertinent provisions of the Indian Constitution & examines the rulings of Indian water tribunals. It also critically compares various water dispute resolution mechanisms & doctrines on the barometer of equity & fairness to arrive at a procedurally & distributionally just water apportionment policy. The study makes use of Methods of Apportionments, Operations Research & Bankruptcy Rules to operationalize the chosen doctrine by devising an objective & quantifiable formulae for water allocation amongst the co-basin states for a range of flows. Furthermore, Game Theoretic and multi-optimization techniques have been used to rank the appropriateness of the above mentioned methods according to aggregate satisfaction/resentment of the stakeholders computed by equating their respective water claims with actual water shares obtained by them under different methods. Moreover, several Social Choice Theory methods have been employed to rate the performance of water allotment methods in a socio-political setting. The developed framework can thus be of great help for decision makers in effective water conflict resolution as transboundary basins cover nearly half of world's total land surface & there are high chances of water disputes in such transnational rivers.

Exploration of instruction, assessment, and equity in the middle school science classroom

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Szpyrka, Donna A.

2001-07-01

In order to determine equitable practices of middle school science teachers questionnaire responses, classroom observations, teacher interviews, and assessment artifacts were examined to discover relationships between classroom instruction, assessment practices, and equity. Teachers in middle school science classrooms in six different schools completed a National Center for Education Statistics questionnaire, offered assessment artifacts, and participated in interviews. Observers using a classroom observation protocol and an equity profile rated 22 lessons. The study found that a distinction could be made between teachers who were more equitable and those who were less equitable. Careful planning and organization; the incorporation of tasks, roles, and interactions consistent with investigative science; a collaborative approach to learning; and instruction that takes into account what transpired in previous lessons---appear to be characteristics of lesson design of the more equitable teachers. In addition, instructional strategies and activities that addressed access, equity, and diversity as well as, a classroom climate that was respectful of students' contributions were found to a greater extent in the more equitable teachers' classrooms. While all teachers used multiple methods of assessment, the more equitable teachers used assessment differently. They also provided written feedback to students, relied on more than one aspect of student performance for determining grades, and explicated clear and specific assessment practices.

Evaluating and ranking the vulnerability of global marine ecosystems to anthropogenic threats.

PubMed

Halpern, Benjamin S; Selkoe, Kimberly A; Micheli, Fiorenza; Kappel, Carrie V

2007-10-01

Marine ecosystems are threatened by a suite of anthropogenic stressors. Mitigating multiple threats is a daunting task, particularly when funding constraints limit the number of threats that can be addressed. Threats are typically assessed and prioritized via expert opinion workshops that often leave no record of the rationale for decisions, making it difficult to update recommendations with new information. We devised a transparent, repeatable, and modifiable method for collecting expert opinion that describes and documents how threats affect marine ecosystems. Experts were asked to assess the functional impact, scale, and frequency of a threat to an ecosystem; the resistance and recovery time of an ecosystem to a threat; and the certainty of these estimates. To quantify impacts of 38 distinct anthropogenic threats on 23 marine ecosystems, we surveyed 135 experts from 19 different countries. Survey results showed that all ecosystems are threatened by at least nine threats and that nine ecosystems are threatened by >90% of existing threats. The greatest threats (highest impact scores) were increasing sea temperature, demersal destructive fishing, and point-source organic pollution. Rocky reef, coral reef, hard-shelf, mangrove, and offshore epipelagic ecosystems were identified as the most threatened. These general results, however, may be partly influenced by the specific expertise and geography of respondents, and should be interpreted with caution. This approach to threat analysis can identify the greatest threats (globally or locally), most widespread threats, most (or least) sensitive ecosystems, most (or least) threatened ecosystems, and other metrics of conservation value. Additionally, it can be easily modified, updated as new data become available, and scaled to local or regional settings, which would facilitate informed and transparent conservation priority setting.

Smart Growth and Equitable Development

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

This page discusses how smart growth, environmental justice, and equitable development can improve communities and provide economic, environmental, health, and social benefits to underserved communities.

Resilience, Vulnerability and Residual Threat: An Assessment from Indian Sundarban

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ghosh, T.

2016-12-01

The estuarine islands within Indian Sundarban are extremely vulnerable due to climate change, erosion, flooding and increasing population pressure. Around 4.6 million people are living under constant threat of climatic shocks, affecting their farm based economy and dependency on forest resources for their livelihood. This paper attempts to focus on the dynamics of system's resilience in the backdrop of higher level of vulnerability. Globally the assessment of island vulnerability is generally more focused towards the climate change impacts, rather than taking into account other determining drivers with proper weightage. Three estuarine islands namely Sagar, Ghoramara and Mousani at the western part of Indian Sundarban Delta (ISD) have been chosen for this study to derive the indicator based scoring method using the household survey data from twenty seven (27) sampled `Mouza' (lowest administrative boundary; village) with cluster random sampling. Vulnerability and resilience of these islands have been calculated using the indicators like housing condition, electrification, population density, accretion, adult secondary education level, percentage of people `Below Poverty Line' (BPL) based on per capita income. Residual threats for these islands have been obtained by subtracting the score of resilience and vulnerability of the system. Result suggests that all these islands are in less resilient condition to combat the negative impact of the influencing factors. Sapkhali, Ghoramara, Bankimnagar, Shibpur and Baliara are becoming sensitive from excess residual threats. This study is an initiation for identifying the thrust areas need to address with effective policy adaptation, necessary to minimize the existing vulnerable conditions in these islands. Key words: Vulnerability, Resilience, Residual threat, Indian Sundarban

Dynamics of attentional bias to threat in anxious adults: bias towards and/or away?

PubMed

Zvielli, Ariel; Bernstein, Amit; Koster, Ernst H W

2014-01-01

The aim of the present study was to question untested assumptions about the nature of the expression of Attentional Bias (AB) towards and away from threat stimuli. We tested the idea that high trait anxious individuals (N = 106; M(SD)age = 23.9(3.2) years; 68% women) show a stable AB towards multiple categories of threatening information using the emotional visual dot probe task. AB with respect to five categories of threat stimuli (i.e., angry faces, attacking dogs, attacking snakes, pointed weapons, violent scenes) was evaluated. In contrast with current theories, we found that 34% of participants expressed AB towards threat stimuli, 20.8% AB away from threat stimuli, and 34% AB towards some categories of threat stimuli and away from others. The multiple observed expressions of AB were not an artifact of a specific criterion AB score cut-off; not specific to certain categories of threat stimuli; not an artifact of differences in within-subject variability in reaction time; nor accounted for by individual differences in anxiety-related variables. Findings are conceptualized as reflecting the understudied dynamics of AB expression, with implications for AB measurement and quantification, etiology, relations, and intervention research.

Dynamics of Attentional Bias to Threat in Anxious Adults: Bias towards and/or Away?

PubMed Central

Zvielli, Ariel; Bernstein, Amit; Koster, Ernst H. W.

2014-01-01

The aim of the present study was to question untested assumptions about the nature of the expression of Attentional Bias (AB) towards and away from threat stimuli. We tested the idea that high trait anxious individuals (N = 106; M(SD)age = 23.9(3.2) years; 68% women) show a stable AB towards multiple categories of threatening information using the emotional visual dot probe task. AB with respect to five categories of threat stimuli (i.e., angry faces, attacking dogs, attacking snakes, pointed weapons, violent scenes) was evaluated. In contrast with current theories, we found that 34% of participants expressed AB towards threat stimuli, 20.8% AB away from threat stimuli, and 34% AB towards some categories of threat stimuli and away from others. The multiple observed expressions of AB were not an artifact of a specific criterion AB score cut-off; not specific to certain categories of threat stimuli; not an artifact of differences in within-subject variability in reaction time; nor accounted for by individual differences in anxiety-related variables. Findings are conceptualized as reflecting the understudied dynamics of AB expression, with implications for AB measurement and quantification, etiology, relations, and intervention research. PMID:25093664

Assessing the antecedents and consequences of threat appraisal of an acute psychosocial stressor: the role of optimism, displacement behavior, and physiological responses.

PubMed

Zandara, Martina; Villada, Carolina; Hidalgo, Vanesa; Salvador, Alicia

2018-03-13

The feeling of stress is increasing in today's societies, particularly in young adults subjected to social evaluative situations in highly competitive academic and work contexts. Threat appraisal is a primary and fundamental reaction when people face a stressful situation. The aim of this study was to investigate the role of dispositional optimism as an antecedent and displacement behavior as a consequence of threat appraisal of a social-evaluative situation of stress. A second objective was to verify the moderating role of physiological responses to stress (heart rate and cortisol reactivity) in the relationship between threat appraisal and displacement behavior. To do this, we combined the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST) with ethological analysis, self-report questionnaires, and physiological data. As expected, people who scored higher on dispositional optimism perceived stress as less threatening, and a higher perception of threat was positively related to displacement behavior patterns. Moreover, the results showed that threat appraisal fully mediates the relationship between dispositional optimism and displacement behavior, and that only heart rate reactivity (not cortisol) moderates the relationship between threat appraisal and displacement behavior.

Mutuality and the social regulation of neural threat responding

PubMed Central

Coan, James A.; Kasle, Shelley; Jackson, Alice; Schaefer, Hillary S.; Davidson, Richard J.

2014-01-01

Recent studies have shown that the presence of a caring relational partner can attenuate neural responses to threat. Here we report reanalyzed data from Coan, Schaefer, and Davidson (2006), investigating the role of relational mutuality in the neural response to threat. Mutuality reflects the degree to which couple members show mutual interest in the sharing of internal feelings, thoughts, aspirations, and joys – a vital form of responsiveness in attachment relationships. We predicted that wives who were high (versus low) in perceived mutuality, and who attended the study session with their husbands, would show reduced neural threat reactivity in response to mild electric shocks. We also explored whether this effect would depend on physical contact (handholding). As predicted, we observed that higher mutuality scores corresponded with decreased neural threat responding in the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and supplementary motor cortex. These effects were independent of hand-holding condition. These findings suggest that higher perceived mutuality corresponds with decreased self-regulatory effort and attenuated preparatory motor activity in response to threat cues, even in the absence of direct physical contact with social resources. PMID:23547803

Gender differences in loss of psychological resources following experimentally-induced vicarious stress.

PubMed

Ben-Zur, Hasida; Zeidner, Moshe

2012-07-01

The present research focuses on gender differences in resource loss, perceived threat, and negative affective reactions induced by experimental manipulation of vicarious stress. Israeli students (54.7% women) were randomly allocated to one of two conditions: (1) Threat Condition (n=98), in which participants were exposed to a video film depicting terror attacks and (2) Control Condition (n=30), in which participants viewed a video film depicting a series of non-emotive news broadcasts. Participants also completed measures of mastery, optimism, and self-esteem. The data indicated that whereas under the Threat Condition women scored lower on psychological resources and higher on perceived threat than men, no significant gender differences were observed under the Control Condition. A path analysis revealed that gender was directly related to perceived threat and resource loss, which, in turn, were related to negative affect. In addition, a greater sense of mastery was related to lower resource loss. Overall, these experimental findings suggest that gender and mastery bear prominent effects on cognitive and emotional reactions to vicarious life threat.

Gender equity: A study of classroom interactions of sixth-grade science teachers before and after gender equity training

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Giuliano, Joanne

The researcher investigated teachers' perceptions of their interactions with students in their 6th grade science classrooms and the effects of gender equity training on teachers' interactions with students. Teacher perceptions were measured at pretest and posttest using the Gender Equity Teacher-Student Interaction Questionnaire (GETSIQ). The outcomes from one day of gender equity training, using the Gender Equity Video and Instructional Guide, were measured at pretest, posttest, and follow-up using the INTERSECT scale. A non-random sample of twenty 6th grade science teachers from five middle schools participated in the study. Ten teachers were assigned to each of the control or experimental groups. The first hypothesis posited that teacher perceptions of and actions toward male and female students in sixth grade science classrooms would be different as reflected by scores on the GETSIQ. The hypothesis was partially supported. Teachers reported significantly different amounts of acknowledgment, attention in general, and attention to questions, responses, and comments for boys and girls, and different evaluations based on their expectations for a student. Following training, teachers from the experimental group obtained somewhat higher scores, though the differences were not statistically significant. Hypothesis 2 stated that gender equity training would increase equitable teacher interactions with male and female students as demonstrated by scores on the INTERSECT Checklist. This hypothesis was partially supported. A comparison of the Intersect checklist (praise, acceptance, remediation, criticism) revealed that teachers were observed to more equally give praise to boys and girls following training, male teachers engaged in more acceptance responses with girls, and female teachers had more equitable distribution of acceptance. Male teachers increased the amount of remediation to girls, and female teachers continued to provide more remediation to boys. The differences between pretest and posttest were statistically significant. There was some reversion to pretest levels interactions at follow-up. The results of the study support the effectiveness of gender equity training in facilitating increased awareness and behavioral change in teachers. However, training needs to be of longer duration for continued effectiveness.

Stereotype threat's effect on women's achievement in chemistry: The interaction of achievement goal orientation for women in science majors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Conway-Klaassen, Janice Marjorie

"Stereotype threat is being at risk of confirming, as a self-characteristic, a negative stereotype about one's group" (C. M. Steele & Aronson, 1995, p. 797). A stereotype threat effect then is described as the detrimental impact on a person's performance or achievement measurements when they are placed in a stereotype threat environment. For women, the negative stereotype that exists in our culture states that women are typically not as capable as men in mathematics or science subjects. This study specifically explored the potential impact of stereotype threat on women who have chosen a science-based college major. They were tested in the domain of chemistry, which is related to mathematics and often involves high level of mathematics skills. I attempted to generate a stereotype threat in the participants through describing a chemistry challenge exam as either one that had consistently shown a gender bias against women and to create a nullification effect by describing the exam as one that had shown no gender bias in the past. In the third experimental condition acting as a control, participants received only generic instructions related to taking the test itself. The second part of this study investigated whether stereotype threat effects could impact women's achievement goal orientations. In previous studies performance avoidance goal orientations have been associated with individuals placed in a stereotype threat environment. The findings on the stereotype threat effect were not significant for the chemistry challenge test achievement scores. This may be due to several factors. One factor may be the design of the chemistry challenge test and the instructions for the test. The other factor may be the women in this study. As individuals who have chosen a science based major, they may have developed coping skills and strategies that reduced the impact of a stereotype threat. It is also possible that the testing environment itself generated an implicit stereotype type threat effect which reduced the differences among the experimental conditions. However, there were significant findings related to the participants' achievement goal orientations. Individuals in the stereotype threat condition displayed higher levels of performance avoidance, overall performance, and overall avoidance goal orientations consistent with the existing literature. Post-hoc open-ended questionnaires revealed that most participants believed that men and women were equally capable in mathematics and sciences but that they also had an awareness of the negative stereotype against women in mathematics and sciences among the public. This study supports the demonstration of stereotype threat effects on women who are enrolled in science based college majors. Although I was not able to create a stereotype threat effect on their chemistry challenge test scores, I was able to demonstrate an effect on their achievement goal orientations, which has implications for instructional design and standardized testing.

Diversifying Science: Intervention Programs Moderate the Effect of Stereotype Threat on Motivation and Career Choice

PubMed Central

Woodcock, Anna; Hernandez, Paul R.; Schultz, P. Wesley

2016-01-01

Stereotypes influence academic interests, performance, and ultimately career goals. The long-standing National Institutes of Health Research Initiative for Scientific Enhancement (RISE) training program has been shown to be effective at retaining underrepresented minorities in science. We argue that programs such as RISE may alter the experience and impact of stereotype threat on academic achievement goals and future engagement in a scientific career. We report analyses of a national sample comparing RISE students with a propensity score-matched control group over a 6-year period. Mediation analyses revealed that while RISE program membership did not buffer students from stereotype threat, it changed students' downstream responses and ultimately their academic outcomes. Nonprogram students were less likely than RISE students to persist in the sciences, partially because feelings of stereotype threat diminished their adoption of mastery goals. We discuss how these findings inform stereotype threat and goal orientation theories and provide insight into the success of intervention programs. PMID:27668075

Equitable Prices of Single-Source Drugs in Thailand.

PubMed

Ngorsuraches, Surachat; Chaiyakan, Kanokkan

2015-08-01

In Thailand, total drug expenditure has grown rapidly. Recently, the Thai government has addressed the issue of drug pricing, but the prices of single-source drugs remain a major challenge. To examine equitable prices of single-source drugs in Thailand. A total of 98 single-source and high-expenditure drugs were examined. Unit prices from the Drug and Medical Supplies Information Center (DMSIC) and National Average Drug Acquisition Cost (NADAC) were used to represent drug prices at the provider level in Thailand and the U.S., respectively. Data for measuring drug affordability, e.g., dose and poverty line, were obtained from Micromedex online and the National Statistical Office (NSO). The U.S. drug prices were adjusted by the Human Development Index (HDI) to be equitable prices for Thailand. Purchasing Power Parity (PPP) was used to convert US currency into Thai baht. All prices in this study were based on the year 2012. Catastrophic, Impoverishment, and WHO/Health Action International (HAI) approaches were used to determine Thai citizens' ability to afford the study drugs. Finally, uncertainty analyses were conducted. From all study drugs, 55 single-source drugs were priced higher than their equitable prices, ranging from 0.38 to 422.36% higher. Among these, 28 items were antineoplastic drugs. The prices of drugs outside the National List of Essential Medicines (NLEM), as well as the country's newer drugs, tended to be higher than their calculated equitable prices. The majority of drugs in Thailand priced higher than equitable prices were unaffordable for most Thai citizens. The uncertainty analyses revealed that almost all results were relatively robust. Most single-source drug prices in Thailand were higher than their equitable prices, and were likely to be unaffordable to Thai citizens.

Strategies for gender-equitable HIV services in rural India.

PubMed

Sinha, Gita; Peters, David H; Bollinger, Robert C

2009-05-01

The emergence of HIV in rural India has the potential to heighten gender inequity in a context where women already suffer significant health disparities. Recent Indian health policies provide new opportunities to identify and implement gender-equitable rural HIV services. In this review, we adapt Mosley and Chen's conceptual framework of health to outline determinants for HIV health services utilization and outcomes. Examining the framework through a gender lens, we conduct a comprehensive literature review for gender-related gaps in HIV clinical services in rural India, focusing on patient access and outcomes, provider practices, and institutional partnerships. Contextualizing findings from rural India in the broader international literature, we describe potential strategies for gender-equitable HIV services in rural India, as responses to the following three questions: (1) What gender-specific patient needs should be addressed for gender-equitable HIV testing and care? (2) What do health care providers need to deliver HIV services with gender equity? (3) How should institutions enforce and sustain gender-equitable HIV services? Data at this early stage indicate substantial gender-related differences in HIV services in rural India, reflecting prevailing gender norms. Strategies including gender-specific HIV testing and care services would directly address current gender-specific patient needs. Rural care providers urgently need training in gender sensitivity and HIV-related communication and clinical skills. To enforce and sustain gender equity, multi-sectoral institutions must establish gender-equitable medical workplaces, interdisciplinary HIV services partnerships, and oversight methods, including analysis of gender-disaggregated data. A gender-equitable approach to rural India's rapidly evolving HIV services programmes could serve as a foundation for gender equity in the overall health care system.

Strategies for gender-equitable HIV services in rural India

PubMed Central

Sinha, Gita; Peters, David H; Bollinger, Robert C

2009-01-01

The emergence of HIV in rural India has the potential to heighten gender inequity in a context where women already suffer significant health disparities. Recent Indian health policies provide new opportunities to identify and implement gender-equitable rural HIV services. In this review, we adapt Mosley and Chen's conceptual framework of health to outline determinants for HIV health services utilization and outcomes. Examining the framework through a gender lens, we conduct a comprehensive literature review for gender-related gaps in HIV clinical services in rural India, focusing on patient access and outcomes, provider practices, and institutional partnerships. Contextualizing findings from rural India in the broader international literature, we describe potential strategies for gender-equitable HIV services in rural India, as responses to the following three questions: (1) What gender-specific patient needs should be addressed for gender-equitable HIV testing and care? (2) What do health care providers need to deliver HIV services with gender equity? (3) How should institutions enforce and sustain gender-equitable HIV services? Data at this early stage indicate substantial gender-related differences in HIV services in rural India, reflecting prevailing gender norms. Strategies including gender-specific HIV testing and care services would directly address current gender-specific patient needs. Rural care providers urgently need training in gender sensitivity and HIV-related communication and clinical skills. To enforce and sustain gender equity, multi-sectoral institutions must establish gender-equitable medical workplaces, interdisciplinary HIV services partnerships, and oversight methods, including analysis of gender-disaggregated data. A gender-equitable approach to rural India's rapidly evolving HIV services programmes could serve as a foundation for gender equity in the overall health care system. PMID:19244284

Identifying key conservation threats to Alpine birds through expert knowledge

PubMed Central

Pedrini, Paolo; Brambilla, Mattia; Rolando, Antonio; Girardello, Marco

2016-01-01

Alpine biodiversity is subject to a range of increasing threats, but the scarcity of data for many taxa means that it is difficult to assess the level and likely future impact of a given threat. Expert opinion can be a useful tool to address knowledge gaps in the absence of adequate data. Experts with experience in Alpine ecology were approached to rank threat levels for 69 Alpine bird species over the next 50 years for the whole European Alps in relation to ten categories: land abandonment, climate change, renewable energy, fire, forestry practices, grazing practices, hunting, leisure, mining and urbanization. There was a high degree of concordance in ranking of perceived threats among experts for most threat categories. The major overall perceived threats to Alpine birds identified through expert knowledge were land abandonment, urbanization, leisure and forestry, although other perceived threats were ranked highly for particular species groups (renewable energy and hunting for raptors, hunting for gamebirds). For groups of species defined according to their breeding habitat, open habitat species and treeline species were perceived as the most threatened. A spatial risk assessment tool based on summed scores for the whole community showed threat levels were highest for bird communities of the northern and western Alps. Development of the approaches given in this paper, including addressing biases in the selection of experts and adopting a more detailed ranking procedure, could prove useful in the future in identifying future threats, and in carrying out risk assessments based on levels of threat to the whole bird community. PMID:26966659

A Preliminary Evaluation of Two Behavioral Skills Training Procedures for Teaching Abduction-Prevention Skills to Schoolchildren

PubMed Central

Johnson, Brigitte M; Miltenberger, Raymond G; Knudson, Peter; Egemo-Helm, Kristin; Kelso, Pamela; Jostad, Candice; Langley, Linda

2006-01-01

Although child abduction is a low-rate event, it presents a serious threat to the safety of children. The victims of child abduction face the threat of physical and emotional injury, sexual abuse, and death. Previous research has shown that behavioral skills training (BST) is effective in teaching children abduction-prevention skills, although not all children learn the skills. This study compared BST only to BST with an added in situ training component to teach abduction-prevention skills in a small-group format to schoolchildren. Results showed that both programs were effective in teaching abduction-prevention skills. In addition, the scores for the group that received in situ training were significantly higher than scores for the group that received BST alone at the 3-month follow-up assessment. PMID:16602383

An analysis of stereotype threat in African American engineering students at predominantly White, ethnically diverse, and historically Black colleges and universities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sparks, David M.

The purpose of this research was to distinguish the similarities and differences in coping strategies of African American engineering students by analyzing their perceptions of stereotype threat at three academic institution types, Predominantly White Institutions (PWI), ethnically diverse, and Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). The researcher collected demographic and survey data using the Stereotype Vulnerability Scale (SVS). The study was offered to the entire population of African American engineering students at each college using an online survey. Results were analyzed using MANOVA and Pearson's correlational statistical analyses to test the hypotheses. Findings revealed that little differences exist between students' scores on an assessment of stereotype vulnerability, with a few areas showing that HBCUs and ethnically diverse universities are doing a similar job in addressing perceptions of their African American engineering students. Finding also revealed that the percentage of African American students at a university did not correlate with the scores on the SVS accept on questions related to the personal feelings students have about their race. The strongest findings related to the differences in male and female students across the universities. African American female engineering students appeared to perceive more stereotype threat than did their male counterparts; although, this fining was not statistically significant. Overall, no statistically significant differences were found between students' perceptions of stereotype threat at the three types of universities. Future research should expand the number of survey participants at the current universities, add more HBCUs to the study population, run similar experiments in different parts of the country, compare stereotype threat in private and elite universities, use ethnically diverse universities as models for minority student development, and use new or improved survey instruments that delineate race and gender stereotype threat as perceived by African American female STEM students.

31 CFR 391.2 - Equitable considerations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

..., AND PENALTIES § 391.2 Equitable considerations. For reasons of equity and good conscience, late charges may be waived under the circumstances identified in this section. (a) Where, without fault or bad...

The evaluation system of city's smart growth success rates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, Yifan

2018-04-01

"Smart growth" is to pursue the best integrated perform+-ance of the Economically prosperous, socially Equitable, and Environmentally Sustainable(3E). Firstly, we establish the smart growth evaluation system(SGI) and the sustainable development evaluation system(SDI). Based on the ten principles and the definition of three E's of sustainability. B y using the Z-score method and the principal component analysis method, we evaluate and quantify indexes synthetically. Then we define the success of smart growth as the ratio of the SDI to the SGI composite score growth rate (SSG). After that we select two cities — Canberra and Durres as the objects of our model in view of the model. Based on the development plans and key data of these two cities, we can figure out the success of smart growth. And according to our model, we adjust some of the growth indicators for both cities. Then observe the results before and after adjustment, and finally verify the accuracy of the model.

EHR implementation in South Africa: how do we get it right?

PubMed

Yogeswaran, Parimalaranie; Wright, Graham

2010-01-01

In an environment of expanding demand on the health care system to provide equitable, accessible and safe health care, usage of information communication technology is one of the strategies identified to fulfil such expectations. Electronic Health Record (EHR) is an important tool towards achieving better health care using such technology, although, across the world EHR implementation has experienced a high failure rate. Nevertheless South Africa has made a strategic decision to implement EHR system in the public health sector. An evaluation toolkit was developed, to measure the state of readiness of health institutions in South Africa in implementing EHR based on Kaplan and Norton's work on Balanced Score Card (BSC), and the subsequent variant model developed by Protti. A Critical Success Factor (CSF) scorecard to assess the state of readiness and a Balanced Score Card matrix to be used as a strategic framework was developed. These tools were validated using critiques by a panel of experts. The toolkit developed has the potential to assist the organization towards a better EHR implementation path.

Affirmation effects on math scores: The importance of high school track.

PubMed

Bancroft, Amanda; Bratter, Jenifer; Rowley, Kristie

2017-05-01

Stereotype threat has been shown to affect academic performance of minority racial groups. Minority girls may experience the burdens of both race and gender - a "double bind" theorized to affect the underrepresentation of women in STEM fields. A randomized controlled trial focused on alleviating stereotype threat in three high schools in a large U.S. metro demonstrates the effects of affirmative writing interventions, which have previously shown positive effects for minority and female students. Results indicate effects for these groups were insignificant. However, results also show that student track is highly significant at p < 0.001, and interactive analyses suggest that the intervention may help alleviate threat for higher-achieving students. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Contextual Factors Related to Stereotype Threat and Student Success in Science Technology Engineering Mathematics Education: A Mixed Methods Study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Leker, Lindsey Beth

Stereotype threat is a widely researched phenomenon shown to impact performance in testing and evaluation situations (Katz, Roberts, & Robinson, 1965; Steele & Aronson, 1995). When related to gender, stereotype threat can lead women to score lower than men on standardized math exams (Spencer, Steele, & Quinn, 1999). Stereotype threat may be one reason women have lower enrollment in most science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) majors, hold a smaller number of STEM careers than men, and have a higher attrition rate in STEM professions (Hill, Corbet, & Rose, 2010; Picho & Brown 2011; Sorby & Baartmans, 2000). Most research has investigated stereotype threat using experiments yielding mixed results (Stoet & Geary, 2012). Thus, there is a need to explore stereotype threat using quantitative surveys and qualitative methods to examine other contextual factors that contribute to gender difference in STEM fields. This dissertation outlined a mixed methods study designed to, first, qualitatively explore stereotype threat and contextual factors related to high achieving women in STEM fields, as well as women who have failed and/or avoided STEM fields. Then, the quantitative portion of the study used the themes from the qualitative phase to create a survey that measured stereotype threat and other contextual variables related to STEM success and failure/avoidance. Fifteen participants were interviewed for the qualitative phase of the study and six themes emerged. The quantitative survey was completed 242 undergraduate participants. T-tests, correlations, regressions, and mediation analyses were used to analyze the data. There were significant relationships between stereotype threat and STEM confidence, STEM anxiety, giving up in STEM, and STEM achievement. Overall, this mixed methods study advanced qualitative research on stereotype threat, developed a much-needed scale for the measurement of stereotype threat, and tested the developed scale.

The Need for an Interdisciplinary Approach to Norm Diffusion: The Case of Fair and Equitable Benefit-sharing.

PubMed

Parks, Louisa; Morgera, Elisa

2015-11-01

No systematic study discusses the evolution of fair and equitable benefit-sharing across various areas of international law (environment, human rights, oceans), as well as at different levels of regulation (regional and national laws and guidelines, private law contracts, transboundary codes of conduct, customary laws of indigenous peoples and local communities). This article explores the usefulness of an interdisciplinary approach to the study of norm diffusion for understanding how and why fair and equitable benefit-sharing is articulated in different sites. The article discusses mechanisms, actors and frames in norm diffusion, drawing on literature from sociology, international relations and law. The article uncovers underlying similarities in scholarship on norm diffusion across the disciplines considered. It also reflects on the value of an interdisciplinary approach that encourages legal scholars to consider the implications of power structures in the diffusion of law, while the nuances of legal knowledge may lead other social scientists to revisit accepted findings on norm diffusion. These findings appear particularly useful for informing an assessment of the potential of fair and equitable benefit-sharing to promote the conservation and sustainable use of natural resources in a fair and equitable manner in the face of power asymmetries.

7 CFR 760.106 - Equitable relief.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... accordance with the FCIA (7 U.S.C. 1501-1524) or (ii) Application closing date for NAP. (b) Equitable relief... intent of defeating the purposes of a program of insurance, NAP, or any other program administered under...

31 CFR 27.7 - Final Notice of Assessment.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... civil or equitable remedy deemed necessary to rectify the potential for a continued misuse or harm from... determined, and the terms of any civil or equitable remedy deemed necessary to rectify the potential for a...

31 CFR 27.7 - Final Notice of Assessment.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... civil or equitable remedy deemed necessary to rectify the potential for a continued misuse or harm from... determined, and the terms of any civil or equitable remedy deemed necessary to rectify the potential for a...

Using the Five Domains Model to Assess the Adverse Impacts of Husbandry, Veterinary, and Equitation Interventions on Horse Welfare

PubMed Central

McGreevy, Paul; Berger, Jeannine; de Brauwere, Nic; Doherty, Orla; Harrison, Anna; Fiedler, Julie; Jones, Claudia; McDonnell, Sue; McLean, Andrew; Nakonechny, Lindsay; Preshaw, Liane; Tzioumis, Vicky; Webster, John; Wolfensohn, Sarah; Yeates, James; Jones, Bidda

2018-01-01

Simple Summary Using an adaptation of the domain-based welfare assessment model, a panel of horse welfare professionals (with professional expertise in psychology, equitation science, veterinary science, education, welfare, equestrian coaching, advocacy, and community engagement) assessed the perceived harms, if any, resulting from 116 interventions that are commonly applied to horses. Scores for Domain 5 (the integrated mental impact) gathered after extensive discussion during a four-day workshop aligned well with overall impact scores assigned by the same panellists individually before the workshop, although some rankings changed after workshop participation. Domain 4 (Behaviour) had the strongest association with Domain 5, whilst Domain 1 (Nutrition) had the weakest association with Domain 5, implying that the panellists considered commonly applied nutritional interventions to have less of a bearing on subjective mental state than commonly applied behavioural restrictions. The workshop defined each intervention, and stated assumptions around each, resulting in a set of exemplar procedures that could be used in future equine welfare assessments. Abstract The aim of this study was to conduct a series of paper-based exercises in order to assess the negative (adverse) welfare impacts, if any, of common interventions on domestic horses across a broad range of different contexts of equine care and training. An international panel (with professional expertise in psychology, equitation science, veterinary science, education, welfare, equestrian coaching, advocacy, and community engagement; n = 16) met over a four-day period to define and assess these interventions, using an adaptation of the domain-based assessment model. The interventions were considered within 14 contexts: C1 Weaning; C2 Diet; C3 Housing; C4 Foundation training; C5 Ill-health and veterinary interventions (chiefly medical); C6 Ill-health and veterinary interventions (chiefly surgical); C7 Elective procedures; C8 Care procedures; C9 Restraint for management procedures; C10 Road transport; C11 Activity—competition; C12 Activity—work; C13 Activity—breeding females; and C14 Activity—breeding males. Scores on a 1–10 scale for Domain 5 (the mental domain) gathered during the workshop were compared with overall impact scores on a 1–10 scale assigned by the same panellists individually before the workshop. The most severe (median and interquartile range, IQR) impacts within each context were identified during the workshop as: C1 abrupt, individual weaning (10 IQR 1); C2 feeding 100% low-energy concentrate (8 IQR 2.5); C3 indoor tie stalls with no social contact (9 IQR 1.5); C4 both (i) dropping horse with ropes (9 IQR 0.5) and forced flexion (9 IQR 0.5); C5 long-term curative medical treatments (8 IQR 3); C6 major deep intracavity surgery (8.5 IQR 1); C7 castration without veterinary supervision (10 IQR 1); C8 both (i) tongue ties (8 IQR 2.5) and (ii) restrictive nosebands (8 IQR 2.5); C9 ear twitch (8 IQR 1); C10 both (i) individual transport (7.00 IQR 1.5) and group transport with unfamiliar companions (7 IQR 1.5); C11 both (i) jumps racing (8 IQR 2.5) and Western performance (8 IQR 1.5); C12 carriage and haulage work (6 IQR 1.5); C13 wet nurse during transition between foals (7.5 IQR 3.75); and C14 teaser horse (7 IQR 8). Associations between pre-workshop and workshop scores were high, but some rankings changed after workshop participation, particularly relating to breeding practices. Domain 1 had the weakest association with Domain 5. The current article discusses the use of the domain-based model in equine welfare assessment, and offers a series of assumptions within each context that future users of the same approach may make when assessing animal welfare under the categories reported here. It also discusses some limitations in the framework that was used to apply the model. PMID:29562654

Quality of initial HIV care in Canada: extension of a composite programmatic assessment tool for HIV therapy.

PubMed

Kesselring, S; Cescon, A; Colley, G; Osborne, C; Zhang, W; Raboud, J M; Hosein, S R; Burchell, A N; Cooper, C; Klein, M B; Loutfy, M; Machouf, N; Montaner, Jsg; Rachlis, A; Tsoukas, C; Hogg, R S; Lima, V D

2017-03-01

To document the quality of initial HIV care in Canada using the Programmatic Compliance Score (PCS), to explore the association of the PCS with mortality, and to identify factors associated with higher quality of care. We analysed data from the Canadian Observational Cohort Collaboration (CANOC), a multisite Canadian cohort of HIV-positive adults initiating combination antiretroviral therapy (ART) from 2000 to 2011. PCS indicators of noncompliance with HIV treatment guidelines include: fewer than three CD4 count tests in the first year of ART; fewer than three viral load tests in the first year of ART; no drug resistance testing before initiation; baseline CD4 count < 200 cells/mm 3 ; starting a nonrecommended ART regimen; and not achieving viral suppression within 6 months of initiation. Indicators are summed for a score from 0 to 6; higher scores indicate poorer care. Cox regression was used to assess the association between PCS and mortality and ordinal logistic regression was used to explore factors associated with higher quality of care. Of the 7460 participants (18% female), the median score was 1.0 (Q1-Q3 1.0-2.0); 21% scored 0 and 8% scored ≥ 4. In multivariable analysis, compared with a score of 0, poorer PCS was associated with mortality for scores > 1 [score = 2: adjusted hazard ratio (AHR) 1.64; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.13-2.36; score = 3: AHR 2.02; 95% CI 1.38-2.97; score ≥ 4: AHR 2.14; 95% CI 1.43-3.21], after adjustments for age, sex, province, ART start year, hepatitis C virus (HCV) coinfection, and baseline viral load. Women, individuals with HCV coinfection, younger people, and individuals starting ART earlier (2000-2003) had poorer scores. Our findings further validate the PCS as a predictor of all-cause mortality. Disparities identified suggest that further efforts are needed to ensure that care is equitably accessible. © 2016 British HIV Association.

A trauma-like model of political extremism: psycho-political fault lines in Israel.

PubMed

Laor, Nathaniel; Yanay-Shani, Alma; Wolmer, Leo; Khoury, Oula

2010-10-01

This study examines a trauma-like model of potentially violent political extremism among Jewish Israelis. We study the psychosocial characteristics of political extremists that may lie at the root of sociopolitical instability and assess personal (gender, stressful life events, Holocaust family background, and political activism) and psychological parameters (self- and political transcendence, perceived political threats, in/out-group identification ratio) that may predict readiness to engage in destructive political behavior. We examine the ideological zeal of various political groups, the relationship between the latter and perceived political threats, and the predictors of extreme political activism. Results showed that the extreme political poles displayed high level of ideological and morbid transcendence. Right extremists displayed higher perceived threats to physical existence and national identity. Left extremists scored highest on perceived moral integrity threat. Higher perceived threats to national identity and moral integrity, risk, and self-transcendence statistically explain morbid transcendence. When fear conjures up extremely skewed sociopolitical identifications across political boundaries, morbid transcendence may manifest itself in destructive political activity. © 2010 Association for Research in Nervous and Mental Disease.

Men, prostitution and the provider role: understanding the intersections of economic exchange, sex, crime and violence in South Africa.

PubMed

Jewkes, Rachel; Morrell, Robert; Sikweyiya, Yandisa; Dunkle, Kristin; Penn-Kekana, Loveday

2012-01-01

South African policy makers are reviewing legislation of prostitution, concerned that criminalisation hampers HIV prevention. They seek to understand the relationship between transactional sex, prostitution, and the nature of the involved men. 1645 randomly-selected adult South African men participated in a household study, disclosing whether they had sex with a woman in prostitution or had had a provider relationship (or sex), participation in crime and violence and completing psychological measures. These became outcomes in multivariable regression models, where the former were exposure variables. 51% of men had had a provider relationship and expected sex in return, 3% had had sex with a woman in prostitution, 15% men had done both of these and 31% neither. Provider role men, and those who had just had sex with a woman in prostitution, were socially conservative and quite violent. Yet the men who had done both (75% of those having sex with a woman in prostitution) were significantly more misogynist, highly scoring on dimensions of psychopathy, more sexually and physically violent to women, and extensively engaged in crime. They had often bullied at school, suggesting that this instrumental, self-seeking masculinity was manifest in childhood. The men who had not engaged in sex for economic exchange expressed a much less violent, more law abiding and gender equitable masculinity; challenging assumptions about the inevitability of intersections of age, poverty, crime and misogyny. Provider role relationships (or sex) are normative for low income men, but not having sex with a woman in prostitution. Men who do the latter operate extensively outside the law and their violence poses a substantial threat to women. Those drafting legislation and policy on the sex industry in South Africa need to distinguish between these two groups to avoid criminalising the normal, and consider measures to protect women.

Men, Prostitution and the Provider Role: Understanding the Intersections of Economic Exchange, Sex, Crime and Violence in South Africa

PubMed Central

Jewkes, Rachel; Morrell, Robert; Sikweyiya, Yandisa; Dunkle, Kristin; Penn-Kekana, Loveday

2012-01-01

Background South African policy makers are reviewing legislation of prostitution, concerned that criminalisation hampers HIV prevention. They seek to understand the relationship between transactional sex, prostitution, and the nature of the involved men. Methods 1645 randomly-selected adult South African men participated in a household study, disclosing whether they had sex with a woman in prostitution or had had a provider relationship (or sex), participation in crime and violence and completing psychological measures. These became outcomes in multivariable regression models, where the former were exposure variables. Results 51% of men had had a provider relationship and expected sex in return, 3% had had sex with a woman in prostitution, 15% men had done both of these and 31% neither. Provider role men, and those who had just had sex with a woman in prostitution, were socially conservative and quite violent. Yet the men who had done both (75% of those having sex with a woman in prostitution) were significantly more misogynist, highly scoring on dimensions of psychopathy, more sexually and physically violent to women, and extensively engaged in crime. They had often bullied at school, suggesting that this instrumental, self-seeking masculinity was manifest in childhood. The men who had not engaged in sex for economic exchange expressed a much less violent, more law abiding and gender equitable masculinity; challenging assumptions about the inevitability of intersections of age, poverty, crime and misogyny. Conclusions Provider role relationships (or sex) are normative for low income men, but not having sex with a woman in prostitution. Men who do the latter operate extensively outside the law and their violence poses a substantial threat to women. Those drafting legislation and policy on the sex industry in South Africa need to distinguish between these two groups to avoid criminalising the normal, and consider measures to protect women. PMID:22911711

Simulation of seasonal US precipitation and temperature by the nested CWRF-ECHAM system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Ligang; Liang, Xin-Zhong; DeWitt, David; Samel, Arthur N.; Wang, Julian X. L.

2016-02-01

This study investigates the refined simulation skill that results when the regional Climate extension of the Weather Research and Forecasting (CWRF) model is nested in the ECMWF Hamburg version 4.5 (ECHAM) atmospheric general circulation model over the United States during 1980-2009, where observed sea surface temperatures are used in both models. Over the contiguous US, for each of the four seasons from winter to fall, CWRF reduces the root mean square error of the ECHAM seasonal mean surface air temperature simulation by 0.19, 0.82, 2.02 and 1.85 °C, and increases the equitable threat score of seasonal mean precipitation by 0.18, 0.11, 0.09 and 0.12. CWRF also simulates much more realistically daily precipitation frequency and heavy precipitation events, typically over the Central Great Plains, Cascade Mountains and Gulf Coast States. These CWRF skill enhancements are attributed to the increased spatial resolution and physics refinements in representing orographic, terrestrial hydrology, convection, and cloud-aerosol-radiation effects and their interactions. Empirical orthogonal function analysis of seasonal mean precipitation and surface air temperature interannual variability shows that, in general, CWRF substantially improves the spatial distribution of both quantities, while temporal evolution (i.e. interannual variability) of the first 3 primary patterns is highly correlated with that of the driving ECHAM (except for summer precipitation), and they both have low temporal correlations against observations. During winter, when large-scale forcing dominates, both models also have similar responses to strong ENSO signals where they successfully capture observed precipitation composite anomalies but substantially fail to reproduce surface air temperature anomalies. When driven by the ECMWF Reanalysis Interim, CWRF produces a very realistic interannual evolution of large-scale precipitation and surface air temperature patterns where the temporal correlations with observations are significant. These results indicate that CWRF can greatly improve mesoscale regional climate structures but it cannot change interannual variations of the large-scale patterns, which are determined by the driving lateral boundary conditions.

Persistent and novel threats to the biodiversity of Kazakhstan’s steppes and semi-deserts

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kamp, Johannes; Koshkin, Maxim A; Bragina, Tatyana M; Katzner, Todd E.; Milner-Gulland, E J; Schreiber, Dagmar; Sheldon, Robert; Shmalenko, Alyona; Smelansky, Ilya; Terraube, Julien; Urazaliev, Ruslan

2016-01-01

Temperate grasslands have suffered disproportionally from conversion to cropland, degradation and fragmentation. A large proportion of the world’s remaining near-natural grassland is situated in Kazakhstan. We aimed to assess current and emerging threats to steppe and semi-desert biodiversity in Kazakhstan and evaluate conservation research priorities. We conducted a horizon-scanning exercise among conservationists from academia and practice. We first compiled a list of 45 potential threats. These were then ranked by the survey participants according to their perceived severity, the need for research on them, and their novelty. The highest-ranked threats were related to changes in land use (leading to habitat loss and deterioration), direct persecution of wildlife, and rapid infrastructure development due to economic and population growth. Research needs were identified largely in the same areas, and the mean scores of threat severity and research need were highly correlated. Novel threats comprised habitat loss by photovoltaic and wind power stations, climate change and changes in agriculture such as the introduction of biofuels. However, novelty was not correlated with threat severity or research priority, suggesting that the most severe threats are the established ones. Important goals towards more effective steppe and semi-desert conservation in Kazakhstan include more cross-sector collaboration (e.g. by involving stakeholders in conservation and agriculture), greater allocation of funds to under-staffed areas (e.g. protected area management), better representativeness and complementarity in the protected area system and enhanced data collection for wildlife monitoring and threat assessments (including the use of citizen-science databases).

Association between attention bias to threat and anxiety symptoms in children and adolescents.

PubMed

Abend, Rany; de Voogd, Leone; Salemink, Elske; Wiers, Reinout W; Pérez-Edgar, Koraly; Fitzgerald, Amanda; White, Lauren K; Salum, Giovanni A; He, Jie; Silverman, Wendy K; Pettit, Jeremy W; Pine, Daniel S; Bar-Haim, Yair

2018-03-01

Considerable research links threat-related attention biases to anxiety symptoms in adults, whereas extant findings on threat biases in youth are limited and mixed. Inconsistent findings may arise due to substantial methodological variability and limited sample sizes, emphasizing the need for systematic research on large samples. The aim of this report is to examine the association between threat bias and pediatric anxiety symptoms using standardized measures in a large, international, multi-site youth sample. A total of 1,291 children and adolescents from seven research sites worldwide completed standardized attention bias assessment task (dot-probe task) and child anxiety symptoms measure (Screen for Child Anxiety Related Emotional Disorders). Using a dimensional approach to symptomatology, we conducted regression analyses predicting overall, and disorder-specific, anxiety symptoms severity, based on threat bias scores. Threat bias correlated positively with overall anxiety symptoms severity (ß = 0.078, P = .004). Furthermore, threat bias was positively associated specifically with social anxiety (ß = 0.072, P = .008) and school phobia (ß = 0.076, P = .006) symptoms severity, but not with panic, generalized anxiety, or separation anxiety symptoms. These associations were not moderated by age or gender. These findings indicate associations between threat bias and pediatric anxiety symptoms, and suggest that vigilance to external threats manifests more prominently in symptoms of social anxiety and school phobia, regardless of age and gender. These findings point to the role of attention bias to threat in anxiety, with implications for translational clinical research. The significance of applying standardized methods in multi-site collaborations for overcoming challenges inherent to clinical research is discussed. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Unreliability as a Threat to Understanding Psychopathology: The Cautionary Tale of Attentional Bias

PubMed Central

Rodebaugh, Thomas L.; Scullin, Rachel B.; Langer, Julia K.; Dixon, David J.; Huppert, Jonathan D.; Bernstein, Amit; Zvielli, Ariel; Lenze, Eric J.

2016-01-01

The use of unreliable measures constitutes a threat to our understanding of psychopathology, because advancement of science using both behavioral and biologically-oriented measures can only be certain if such measurements are reliable. Two pillars of NIMH’s portfolio – the Research Domain Criteria (RDoC) initiative for psychopathology and the target engagement initiative in clinical trials – cannot succeed without measures that possess the high reliability necessary for tests involving mediation and selection based on individual differences. We focus on the historical lack of reliability of attentional bias measures as an illustration of how reliability can pose a threat to our understanding. Our own data replicate previous findings of poor reliability for traditionally-used scores, which suggests a serious problem with the ability to test theories regarding attentional bias. This lack of reliability may also suggest problems with the assumption (in both theory and the formula for the scores) that attentional bias is consistent and stable across time. In contrast, measures accounting for attention as a dynamic process in time show good reliability in our data. The field is sorely in need of research reporting findings and reliability for attentional bias scores using multiple methods, including those focusing on dynamic processes over time. We urge researchers to test and report reliability of all measures, considering findings of low reliability not just as a nuisance but as an opportunity to modify and improve upon the underlying theory. Full assessment of reliability of measures will maximize the possibility that RDoC (and psychological science more generally) will succeed. PMID:27322741

DUNDRUM-2: Prospective validation of a structured professional judgment instrument assessing priority for admission from the waiting list for a forensic mental health hospital

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background The criteria for deciding who should be admitted first from a waiting list to a forensic secure hospital are not necessarily the same as those for assessing need. Criteria were drafted qualitatively and tested in a prospective 'real life' observational study over a 6-month period. Methods A researcher rated all those presented at the weekly referrals meeting using the DUNDRUM-1 triage security scale and the DUNDRUM-2 triage urgency scale. The key outcome measure was whether or not the individual was admitted. Results Inter-rater reliability and internal consistency for the DUNDRUM-2 were acceptable. The DUNDRUM-1 triage security score and the DUNDRUM-2 triage urgency score correlated r = 0.663. At the time of admission, after a mean of 23.9 (SD35.9) days on the waiting list, those admitted had higher scores on the DUNDRUM-2 triage urgency scale than those not admitted, with no significant difference between locations (remand or sentenced prisoners, less secure hospitals) at the time of admission. Those admitted also had higher DUNDRUM-1 triage security scores. At baseline the receiver operating characteristic area under the curve for a combined score was the best predictor of admission while at the time of admission the DUNDRUM-2 triage urgency score had the largest AUC (0.912, 95% CI 0.838 to 0.986). Conclusions The triage urgency items and scale add predictive power to the decision to admit. This is particularly true in maintaining equitability between those referred from different locations. PMID:21722397

34 CFR 300.138 - Equitable services provided.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES State Eligibility Children with Disabilities Enrolled by Their Parents in... parentally-placed private school children with disabilities must be provided by personnel meeting the same... secondary school teachers who are providing equitable services to parentally-placed private school children...

34 CFR 300.138 - Equitable services provided.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES State Eligibility Children with Disabilities Enrolled by Their Parents in... parentally-placed private school children with disabilities must be provided by personnel meeting the same... secondary school teachers who are providing equitable services to parentally-placed private school children...

34 CFR 300.138 - Equitable services provided.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES State Eligibility Children with Disabilities Enrolled by Their Parents in... parentally-placed private school children with disabilities must be provided by personnel meeting the same... secondary school teachers who are providing equitable services to parentally-placed private school children...

The Need for an Interdisciplinary Approach to Norm Diffusion: The Case of Fair and Equitable Benefit‐sharing

PubMed Central

Morgera, Elisa

2015-01-01

No systematic study discusses the evolution of fair and equitable benefit‐sharing across various areas of international law (environment, human rights, oceans), as well as at different levels of regulation (regional and national laws and guidelines, private law contracts, transboundary codes of conduct, customary laws of indigenous peoples and local communities). This article explores the usefulness of an interdisciplinary approach to the study of norm diffusion for understanding how and why fair and equitable benefit‐sharing is articulated in different sites. The article discusses mechanisms, actors and frames in norm diffusion, drawing on literature from sociology, international relations and law. The article uncovers underlying similarities in scholarship on norm diffusion across the disciplines considered. It also reflects on the value of an interdisciplinary approach that encourages legal scholars to consider the implications of power structures in the diffusion of law, while the nuances of legal knowledge may lead other social scientists to revisit accepted findings on norm diffusion. These findings appear particularly useful for informing an assessment of the potential of fair and equitable benefit‐sharing to promote the conservation and sustainable use of natural resources in a fair and equitable manner in the face of power asymmetries. PMID:28018594

The implementation of equitable teaching strategies by high school biology student teachers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Scantlebury, Kate; Butler Kahle, Jane

Teachers can perpetuate stereotypic cultural beliefs regarding girls' ability in, aptitude for, and suitability for science by their teaching practices and behaviors. As teachers have a major influence on girls' career choices their equitable teaching practices in the classroom are important to encourage all students, but especially girls, to continue with science. Researchers have studied science classrooms and have defined common strategies and practices that can help create an equitable classroom environment. The purpose of this study was to determine if high school biology student teachers could transfer learned equitable teaching strategies to actual teaching and the support conditions necessary for that transfer. Two support conditions were assessed: cooperating teacher and peer group support. Seven preservice teachers were placed into three groups. One group had both support conditions, the second group had only one condition (peer support), and the third group did not have either support condition. Both qualitative and quantitative data sources were collected. Results showed that preservice teachers could transfer learned equitable teaching into actual teaching practice. However, they were more successful in achieving the transfer if they were supervised by cooperating teachers who are sensitized to the issue of gender equity in education. Being involved in a peer support group was not as crucial to using the strategies as having a supportive cooperative teacher.

Anxiety promotes memory for mood-congruent faces but does not alter loss aversion

PubMed Central

Charpentier, Caroline J.; Hindocha, Chandni; Roiser, Jonathan P.; Robinson, Oliver J.

2016-01-01

Pathological anxiety is associated with disrupted cognitive processing, including working memory and decision-making. In healthy individuals, experimentally-induced state anxiety or high trait anxiety often results in the deployment of adaptive harm-avoidant behaviours. However, how these processes affect cognition is largely unknown. To investigate this question, we implemented a translational within-subjects anxiety induction, threat of shock, in healthy participants reporting a wide range of trait anxiety scores. Participants completed a gambling task, embedded within an emotional working memory task, with some blocks under unpredictable threat and others safe from shock. Relative to the safe condition, threat of shock improved recall of threat-congruent (fearful) face location, especially in highly trait anxious participants. This suggests that threat boosts working memory for mood-congruent stimuli in vulnerable individuals, mirroring memory biases in clinical anxiety. By contrast, Bayesian analysis indicated that gambling decisions were better explained by models that did not include threat or treat anxiety, suggesting that: (i) higher-level executive functions are robust to these anxiety manipulations; and (ii) decreased risk-taking may be specific to pathological anxiety. These findings provide insight into the complex interactions between trait anxiety, acute state anxiety and cognition, and may help understand the cognitive mechanisms underlying adaptive anxiety. PMID:27098489

Anxiety promotes memory for mood-congruent faces but does not alter loss aversion.

PubMed

Charpentier, Caroline J; Hindocha, Chandni; Roiser, Jonathan P; Robinson, Oliver J

2016-04-21

Pathological anxiety is associated with disrupted cognitive processing, including working memory and decision-making. In healthy individuals, experimentally-induced state anxiety or high trait anxiety often results in the deployment of adaptive harm-avoidant behaviours. However, how these processes affect cognition is largely unknown. To investigate this question, we implemented a translational within-subjects anxiety induction, threat of shock, in healthy participants reporting a wide range of trait anxiety scores. Participants completed a gambling task, embedded within an emotional working memory task, with some blocks under unpredictable threat and others safe from shock. Relative to the safe condition, threat of shock improved recall of threat-congruent (fearful) face location, especially in highly trait anxious participants. This suggests that threat boosts working memory for mood-congruent stimuli in vulnerable individuals, mirroring memory biases in clinical anxiety. By contrast, Bayesian analysis indicated that gambling decisions were better explained by models that did not include threat or treat anxiety, suggesting that: (i) higher-level executive functions are robust to these anxiety manipulations; and (ii) decreased risk-taking may be specific to pathological anxiety. These findings provide insight into the complex interactions between trait anxiety, acute state anxiety and cognition, and may help understand the cognitive mechanisms underlying adaptive anxiety.

Impulsive responding in threat and reward contexts as a function of PTSD symptoms and trait disinhibition.

PubMed

Sadeh, Naomi; Spielberg, Jeffrey M; Hayes, Jasmeet P

2018-01-01

We examined current posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms, trait disinhibition, and affective context as contributors to impulsive and self-destructive behavior in 94 trauma-exposed Veterans. Participants completed an affective Go/No-Go task (GNG) with different emotional contexts (threat, reward, and a multidimensional threat/reward condition) and current PTSD, trait disinhibition, and risky/self-destructive behavior measures. PTSD interacted with trait disinhibition to explain recent engagement in risky/self-destructive behavior, with Veterans scoring high on trait disinhibition and current PTSD symptoms reporting the highest levels of these behaviors. On the GNG task, commission errors were also associated with the interaction of PTSD symptoms and trait disinhibition. Specifically, PTSD symptoms were associated with greater commission errors in threat vs. reward contexts for individuals who were low on trait disinhibition. In contrast, veterans high on PTSD and trait disinhibition exhibited the greatest number of commission errors in the multidimensional affective context that involved both threat and reward processing. Results highlight the interactive effects of PTSD and disinhibited personality traits, as well as threat and reward systems, as risk factors for impulsive and self-destructive behavior in trauma-exposed groups. Findings have clinical implications for understanding heterogeneity in the expression of PTSD and its association with disinhibited behavior. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The Influence of Combat Experience on Psychologically Healthy Soldiers' Attentiveness to Environmental Threats.

PubMed

Ranes, Bethany; Long, Chris P; Traynham, Stephanie; Hayes, Amanda

2017-07-01

In contrast to previous research that has primarily examined how psychological disorders (e.g., post-traumatic stress disorder [PTSD], anxiety) are affected by and affect individuals' threat perceptions, this study examines the relationship between combat experience and threat-monitoring in psychologically healthy Soldiers. Existing research has established how prolonged or intense experiences with war-related stressors can lead individuals to undergo an unconscious fear-conditioning process that affects the circuitry of the prefrontal cortex, hippocampus, amygdala, and anterior cingulate cortex regions of the brain. We predict that the intensity of one's combat experience positively influences Soldiers' attention to environmental threats. Participants included U. S. Army Soldiers with a score of 50 or below on the PTSD Checklist-Military Version. Participants completed the Combat Exposure Scale and the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory. The experimental prediction task we employed assesses the expectation of an intrusively loud white noise sound that occurred on three variable patterns in a pseudorandomized order. Each tone pattern was used 20 times over a total of 60 trials. The experimental prediction task included two neutral tones (700 and 1,300 Hz) that were presented in a repeated pattern along with a 100-dB burst of white noise (0.5-second duration). In each trial, one of three possible tone combinations was presented. To assess their attentiveness to threats, participants were asked to continuously rate their expectancy of the burst of white noise using a visual analogue scale (VAS) ranging from 0 to 100. VAS ratings were collected at controlled points throughout the task. None of the participants reported scores on any of the diagnostic surveys that met standards for clinical significance. A repeated-measures analysis of variance was conducted to assess the overall effect of the three prediction conditions on participants' VAS ratings. There was a significant main effect for Combat Exposure Scale scores on VAS ratings [F (1, 27) = 5.19, p = 0.031], with high scorers demonstrating a generally higher expectancy of the white noise burst throughout the entire experimental sequence. Results suggest that within subclinical populations of Soldiers, the intensity of one's combat experience is positively associated with their attention to threats. These findings suggest that Soldiers who experience combat should be observed for signs of increased threat-attention bias, as this may indicate that their capacities for information processing, decision-making, and emotion regulation could be compromised. The positive relationship we observe between a level of combat experience and attentional biases toward threatening stimuli may also help to explain why these veterans engage in "externalizing" behaviors that are risky, aggressive, or violent as well as relational problems and antisocial behaviors that are reported in higher-than-average rates among these populations of Soldiers. Acknowledging that increased threat attention may be a preclinical indication of developing PTSD or other related psychological conditions (e.g., depression, anxiety) should motivate clinicians to more actively diagnose and treat this condition. Reprint & Copyright © 2017 Association of Military Surgeons of the U.S.

SWOT analysis in Sina Trauma and Surgery Research Center.

PubMed

Salamati, Payman; ashraf Eghbali, Ali; Zarghampour, Manijeh

2014-01-01

The present study was conducted with the aim of identifying and evaluating the internal and external factors, affecting the Sina Trauma and Surgery Research Center, affiliated to Tehran University of Medical Sciences and propose some of related strategies to senior managers. We used a combined quantitative and qualitative methodology. Our study population consisted of personnel (18 individuals) at Sina Trauma and Surgery Research Center. Data-collection tools were the group discussions and the questionnaires. Data were analyzed with descriptive statistics and SWOT (Strength, Weakness, Opportunities and Threats) analysis. 18 individuals participated in sessions, consisting of 8 women (44.4%) and 10 men (55.6%). The final scores were 2.45 for internal factors (strength-weakness) and 2.17 for external factors (opportunities-threats). In this study, we proposed 36 strategies (10 weakness-threat strategies, 10 weakness-opportunity strategies, 7 strength-threat strategies, and 9 strength-opportunity strategies). The current status of Sina Trauma and Surgery Research Center is threatened weak. We recommend the center to implement the proposed strategies.

48 CFR 552.243-71 - Equitable Adjustments.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... (exclusive of employer's overhead, profit, and any labor cost burdens carried in employer's overhead rate... condition giving rise to entitlement to an equitable adjustment, including increases or decreases to... site, unless separately itemized); (2) Labor cost broken down by trade, employer, occupation, quantity...

48 CFR 49.208 - Equitable adjustment after partial termination.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 1 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Equitable adjustment after partial termination. 49.208 Section 49.208 Federal Acquisition Regulations System FEDERAL ACQUISITION REGULATION CONTRACT MANAGEMENT TERMINATION OF CONTRACTS Additional Principles for Fixed-Price Contracts...

A market-based approach to share water and benefits in transboundary river basins

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arjoon, Diane; Tilmant, Amaury; Herrmann, Markus

2016-04-01

The equitable sharing of benefits in transboundary river basins is necessary to reach a consensus on basin-wide development and management activities. Benefit sharing arrangements must be collaboratively developed to be perceived as efficient, as well as equitable, in order to be considered acceptable to all riparian countries. The current literature falls short of providing practical, institutional arrangements that ensure maximum economic welfare as well as collaboratively developed methods for encouraging the equitable sharing of benefits. In this study we define an institutional arrangement that distributes welfare in a river basin by maximizing the economic benefits of water use and then sharing these benefits in an equitable manner using a method developed through stakeholder involvement. In this methodology (i) a hydro-economic model is used to efficiently allocate scarce water resources to water users in a transboundary basin, (ii) water users are obliged to pay for water, and (iii) the total of these water charges are equitably redistributed as monetary compensation to users. The amount of monetary compensation, for each water user, is determined through the application of a sharing method developed by stakeholder input, based on a stakeholder vision of fairness, using an axiomatic approach. The whole system is overseen by a river basin authority. The methodology is applied to the Eastern Nile River basin as a case study. The technique ensures economic efficiency and may lead to more equitable solutions in the sharing of benefits in transboundary river basins because the definition of the sharing rule is not in question, as would be the case if existing methods, such as game theory, were applied, with their inherent definitions of fairness.

34 CFR 300.137 - Equitable services determined.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES State Eligibility Children with Disabilities Enrolled by Their Parents in Private Schools § 300.137 Equitable services determined. (a) No individual right to special education and related services. No parentally-placed private school child with a disability has an individual right to...

48 CFR 243.205-71 - Requests for equitable adjustment.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 3 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Requests for equitable adjustment. 243.205-71 Section 243.205-71 Federal Acquisition Regulations System DEFENSE ACQUISITION REGULATIONS SYSTEM, DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE CONTRACT MANAGEMENT CONTRACT MODIFICATIONS Change Orders 243.205-71...

20 CFR 222.34 - Relationship resulting from equitable adoption.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... 20 Employees' Benefits 1 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false Relationship resulting from equitable adoption. 222.34 Section 222.34 Employees' Benefits RAILROAD RETIREMENT BOARD REGULATIONS UNDER THE RAILROAD RETIREMENT ACT FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS Relationship as Child § 222.34 Relationship resulting from...

20 CFR 222.34 - Relationship resulting from equitable adoption.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... 20 Employees' Benefits 1 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Relationship resulting from equitable adoption. 222.34 Section 222.34 Employees' Benefits RAILROAD RETIREMENT BOARD REGULATIONS UNDER THE RAILROAD RETIREMENT ACT FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS Relationship as Child § 222.34 Relationship resulting from...

20 CFR 222.34 - Relationship resulting from equitable adoption.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... 20 Employees' Benefits 1 2012-04-01 2012-04-01 false Relationship resulting from equitable adoption. 222.34 Section 222.34 Employees' Benefits RAILROAD RETIREMENT BOARD REGULATIONS UNDER THE RAILROAD RETIREMENT ACT FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS Relationship as Child § 222.34 Relationship resulting from...

Strong Collaborative Relationships for Strong Community Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Daniel, Julia

2017-01-01

Community schools have gained attention as mechanisms to bring about equitable access to high-quality educational resources, extended learning time and opportunities, integrated student supports, and collaborative engaging relationships with parents and communities. In order to effectively create conditions that provide equitable access to such…

Toward Equitable Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Otto, Rafael

2014-01-01

Since 2011, Grantmakers for Education has offered a series of investigative programs designed to examine the role grantmakers can play in creating more equitable systems of education. GFE's programming included place-based programs in El Paso, Texas, Newark, New Jersey, Oakland, California, and Minneapolis, Minnesota. During this time, Grantmakers…

48 CFR 243.205-71 - Requests for equitable adjustment.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 3 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Requests for equitable adjustment. 243.205-71 Section 243.205-71 Federal Acquisition Regulations System DEFENSE ACQUISITION REGULATIONS SYSTEM, DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE CONTRACT MANAGEMENT CONTRACT MODIFICATIONS Change Orders 243.205-71...

A retrospective and prospective analysis of the west African Ebola virus disease epidemic: robust national health systems at the foundation and an empowered WHO at the apex.

PubMed

Gostin, Lawrence O; Friedman, Eric A

2015-05-09

The Ebola virus disease outbreak in west Africa is pivotal for the worldwide health system. Just as the depth of the crisis ultimately spurred an unprecedented response, the failures of leadership suggest the need for innovative reforms. Such reforms would transform the existing worldwide health system architecture into a purposeful, organised system with an empowered, highly capable WHO at its apex and enduring, equitable national health systems at its foundation. It would be designed not only to provide security against epidemic threats, but also to meet everyday health needs, thus realising the right to health. This retrospective and prospective analysis offers a template for these reforms, responding to the profound harms posed by fragile national health systems, delays in the international response, deficient resource mobilisation, ill defined responsibilities, and insufficient coordination. The scope of the reforms should address failures in the Ebola response, and entrenched weaknesses that enabled the epidemic to reach its heights. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Globalization of Health Service: Sharing of Best Practices in Perianesthesia Nursing Care, a Case Study of Cross-Border Institutional Collaboration.

PubMed

Lee, Esther; Hamelin, Thomas; Daugherty, JoAnn

2018-04-01

Healthcare is a global concern among all nations and nursing is a global profession as evidenced by the flow of healthcare professionals across international boundaries. With English as the language of science and commerce and post-colonial influence in domestic healthcare practice and training, many former Anglo-speaking colonial settlements become parts of an expansive market for health human resources migration. The movement of health personnel mainly flows from low and medium income countries to high income countries to sustain their health systems. The resulting brain drain adversely impacts a source country's health system, leading the World Health Organization to declare global health migration as the biggest health threat of the 21st century. This report illustrates how an overseas health network achieves its goals of developing clinical and management excellence through an international exchange program. The provider institution also fulfills its mission of contributing to a more balanced, equitable and healthier world. Copyright © 2016 American Society of PeriAnesthesia Nurses. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Interacting with sexist men triggers social identity threat among female engineers.

PubMed

Logel, Christine; Walton, Gregory M; Spencer, Steven J; Iserman, Emma C; von Hippel, William; Bell, Amy E

2009-06-01

Social identity threat is the notion that one of a person's many social identities may be at risk of being devalued in a particular context (C. M. Steele, S. J. Spencer, & J. Aronson, 2002). The authors suggest that in domains in which women are already negatively stereotyped, interacting with a sexist man can trigger social identity threat, undermining women's performance. In Study 1, male engineering students who scored highly on a subtle measure of sexism behaved in a dominant and sexually interested way toward an ostensible female classmate. In Studies 2 and 3, female engineering students who interacted with such sexist men, or with confederates trained to behave in the same way, performed worse on an engineering test than did women who interacted with nonsexist men. Study 4 replicated this finding and showed that women's underperformance did not extend to an English test, an area in which women are not negatively stereotyped. Study 5 showed that interacting with sexist men leads women to suppress concerns about gender stereotypes, an established mechanism of stereotype threat. Discussion addresses implications for social identity threat and for women's performance in school and at work.

Equitable research: a bridge too far?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Walls, Leon

2017-06-01

This paper is written in response to Angela Chapman and Allan Feldman's research study, "Cultivation of science identity through authentic science in an urban high school". I utilize this forum piece to extend the call for "awakening a dialogue" that critically assesses the effectiveness of current K-12 science education research in addressing the needs of populations of color. I take the opportunity to first discuss elements of what an equitable research focus might look like. I finish by critiquing and ultimately commending the authors on the degree to which they succeed in demonstrating an equitable approach to the design and carrying out of their study.

75 FR 69642 - Membership of the Performance Review Board (PRB)

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-11-15

... DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE Office of the Secretary Membership of the Performance Review Board (PRB... Executive Service performance appraisals and makes recommendations regarding performance ratings and performance scores to the Director, Defense Threat Reduction Agency. DATES: Effective Date: The effective date...

Talking Circles Promote Equitable Discourse

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hung, Marcus

2015-01-01

Teachers facilitate math talk in the classroom, but introducing a structured discussion format called the "talking circle" can influence opportunities for equitable student participation. Drawing on his reflections over the 2013-14 academic year and reviewing his detailed teaching notes and lesson plans, Marcus Hung takes a close look at…

Institutionalizing Equitable Policies and Practices for Contingent Faculty

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kezar, Adrianna; Sam, Cecile

2013-01-01

This study is a qualitative inquiry into the institutionalization of equitable policies for non-tenure-track faculty. Through the theoretical framework of institutionalization, we examine factors and strategies forwarding various policies and practices and the challenges that arise. The results highlight themes throughout the stages of…

48 CFR 243.204-71 - Certification of requests for equitable adjustment.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 3 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Certification of requests for equitable adjustment. 243.204-71 Section 243.204-71 Federal Acquisition Regulations System DEFENSE ACQUISITION REGULATIONS SYSTEM, DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE CONTRACT MANAGEMENT CONTRACT MODIFICATIONS Change Orders...

[IDEAS For Equitable Computer Learning.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schubert, Jane G.; And Others

Designed to assist educators in improving computer learning opportunities for students, this packet of materials presents practical strategies that address 12 barriers to equitable instruction: (1) lack of encouragement for females and minority students to use computers; (2) potential value of computer learning more apparent to males than females;…

48 CFR 243.204-71 - Certification of requests for equitable adjustment.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 3 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Certification of requests for equitable adjustment. 243.204-71 Section 243.204-71 Federal Acquisition Regulations System DEFENSE ACQUISITION REGULATIONS SYSTEM, DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE CONTRACT MANAGEMENT CONTRACT MODIFICATIONS Change Orders...

Thinking that one's life was in danger: perceived life threat in individuals directly or indirectly exposed to terror.

PubMed

Heir, Trond; Blix, Ines; Knatten, Charlotte K

2016-10-01

Perceived life threat is associated with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Still, it is not known whether perceived threat may be important for PTSD in people indirectly exposed to trauma. To examine the prevalence of perceived life threat and the association with PTSD in individuals directly or indirectly exposed to terror. Data are cross-sectional from a survey 10 months after the 2011 Oslo bombing. Perceived life threat was measured by the question: 'How great do you think the danger was that you would die?' scored on a five-point scale. PTSD was measured with the PTSD Checklist (PCL). The retrospective belief that one's life was in great or overwhelming danger was reported by 65% and 22% of employees who had been present or not present, respectively, at the site of the bomb explosion (n = 1923). A high perceived life threat was associated with PTSD among those present (odds ratio (OR) = 5.7, 95% CI 1.9-16.9) and not present (OR = 5.2. 95% CI 3.0-9.0), even after adjusting for objective exposure, demographics and neuroticism. Perceived life threat may play a central role in the development and maintenance of PTSD in people directly as well as indirectly exposed to terror. Moderating perceptions of having been in serious danger may be an appropriate approach to the prevention and treatment of PTSD. © The Royal College of Psychiatrists 2016.

Cardiovascular risk

PubMed Central

Payne, Rupert A

2012-01-01

Cardiovascular disease is a major, growing, worldwide problem. It is important that individuals at risk of developing cardiovascular disease can be effectively identified and appropriately stratified according to risk. This review examines what we understand by the term risk, traditional and novel risk factors, clinical scoring systems, and the use of risk for informing prescribing decisions. Many different cardiovascular risk factors have been identified. Established, traditional factors such as ageing are powerful predictors of adverse outcome, and in the case of hypertension and dyslipidaemia are the major targets for therapeutic intervention. Numerous novel biomarkers have also been described, such as inflammatory and genetic markers. These have yet to be shown to be of value in improving risk prediction, but may represent potential therapeutic targets and facilitate more targeted use of existing therapies. Risk factors have been incorporated into several cardiovascular disease prediction algorithms, such as the Framingham equation, SCORE and QRISK. These have relatively poor predictive power, and uncertainties remain with regards to aspects such as choice of equation, different risk thresholds and the roles of relative risk, lifetime risk and reversible factors in identifying and treating at-risk individuals. Nonetheless, such scores provide objective and transparent means of quantifying risk and their integration into therapeutic guidelines enables equitable and cost-effective distribution of health service resources and improves the consistency and quality of clinical decision making. PMID:22348281

Creating an Equitable Learning Environment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bayles, Taryn; Morrell, Claudia

2018-01-01

To better understand the components that create an equitable learning environment, we have analyzed a number of highly successful programs that we developed and conducted targeting K-12 students, their teachers, and university students. We identified four criteria experienced by the student that are essential for his or her recruitment,…

34 CFR 200.65 - Determining equitable participation of teachers and families of participating private school...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

...) From applicable funds reserved for parent involvement and professional development under § 200.77, an... equitable basis in professional development and parent involvement activities, respectively. (2) The amount... LEA must conduct professional development and parent involvement activities for the teachers and...

CETA: Is It Equitable for Women? A Rand Note.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Berryman, Sue E.; And Others

A study assessed whether the Comprehensive Employment and Training Act (CETA) equitably allocates its training, employment, occupational, and wage benefits by sex. To analyze the sex equity of CETA's resource distribution, researchers used data from the Continuous Longitudinal Manpower Survey (CLMS) for fiscal 1976, 1977, and 1978 CETA enrollees.…

Implementing Coordinative Acquisition as a Viable Streamlined Acquisition Process in the Department of Defense (DoD): Will Contractors Participate?

DTIC Science & Technology

2006-12-01

These include equitable estoppel , fair competition, appearance of conflict of interests (government and contractor relationship), and most...importantly, intellectually property rights. Regarding equitable estoppel , one legal definition defines it as follows: “A type of estoppel that bars a

Keeping Kids Moving: How Equitable Transportation Policy Can Prevent Childhood Obesity Toolkit--Resource List

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, 2012

2012-01-01

This list of resources offers promising strategies that communities and policymakers can use to make sustainable advances in achieving equitable transportation systems. Resources are organized into seven categories: transportation equity, Safe Routes to School, school siting, complete streets, non-motorized transportation, community design, and…

Equitable Representation of Deaf People in Mainstream Academia: Why Not?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Woodcock, Kathryn; Rohan, Meg J.; Campbell, Linda

2007-01-01

Approximately 5% of people in most countries have deafness or significant hearing loss. This significant minority is underrepresented in mainstream universities across the world. Background information about deafness, relevant technology and its drawbacks, and the use of interpreters are discussed. The barriers to equitable representation of…

34 CFR 300.137 - Equitable services determined.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... parentally-placed private school children with disabilities under §§ 300.130 through 300.144 must be made in... Private Schools § 300.137 Equitable services determined. (a) No individual right to special education and related services. No parentally-placed private school child with a disability has an individual right to...

School Practices for Equitable Discipline of African American Students. ERIC Digest Number 166.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schwartz, Wendy, Ed.

Many schools employ varied strategies to ensure equitable treatment of African American students and fair and educative disciplinary procedures. This digest reviews successful disciplinary practices. Cross-cultural competence has a role in student-school relationships. Many negative perceptions of difference exist in today's society. Schools can…

Gender-Biased Communication in Physical Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Valley, Julia A.; Graber, Kim C.

2017-01-01

Purpose: This study examined physical education teachers' awareness of gender equitable practices as well as the language and behaviors they employed in the physical education environment. The purpose of the study was to determine (a) what teachers know about gender equitable practices, (b) what types of gender bias are demonstrated, and (c) how…

Older Men's and Women's Relationships with Adult Kin: How Equitable Are They?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Peterson, Candida C.; Peterson, James L.

1988-01-01

Sought global assessments of marital equitability from 62 older adults, and compared men's and women's global equity feelings concerning their relationships with spouses, aged parents, and adult children. Forty younger adults rated equity of their marriages and relationships with parents and grandparents. Majority of both generations' involvements…

34 CFR 200.65 - Determining equitable participation of teachers and families of participating private school...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

...) From applicable funds reserved for parent involvement and professional development under § 200.77, an... equitable basis in professional development and parent involvement activities, respectively. (2) The amount... LEA must conduct professional development and parent involvement activities for the teachers and...

Examining the Relationship between Creativity and Equitable Thinking in Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Luria, Sarah R.; Kaufman, James C.

2017-01-01

This paper reviews the relationship between creativity and equitable thinking and the individual differences in personality, demographic, and experiential factors that influence both concepts as they affect each other. Given the nationwide push to increase equity in public schools, interventions beyond teaching about equity are becoming…

48 CFR 252.217-7013 - Guarantees.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... deficiency to the satisfaction of the Contracting Officer. (b) If the Contractor or any subcontractor has a... equitable deduction in the price of the job order. (e) The Contractor's liability shall extend for an... Contractor and Contracting Officer shall negotiate an equitable reduction in the job price. Failure to agree...

48 CFR 252.217-7013 - Guarantees.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... deficiency to the satisfaction of the Contracting Officer. (b) If the Contractor or any subcontractor has a... equitable deduction in the price of the job order. (e) The Contractor's liability shall extend for an... Contractor and Contracting Officer shall negotiate an equitable reduction in the job price. Failure to agree...

Dimensions of Small Unit Resilience in Organizations Facing Threats, Disruption, and Stress

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-06-15

upbeat. ‘He was looking forward to getting back to Iraq,’ Scott recalls. ‘He missed his buddies. He wanted to learn to play the guitar when he got...the face of adversity,), as well as, a tool to mathematically measure and score the results. One possible solution is that survey questions on...resilience could be added to existing tools and scored separately, or a separate survey could be conducted in conjunction with the other tools

Patents or patients? Global access to pharmaceuticals and social justice.

PubMed

de Wildt, Gilles; Khoon, Chan Chee

2008-01-01

Innovation, vaccine development, and world-wide equitable access to necessary pharmaceuticals are hindered by current patenting arrangements and the orientation of pharmaceutical research. Plausible alternatives exist, including instituting the right of national or international agencies to act in the public interest and to buy patents selectively with a view to innovation and equitable access. Alternatives could partly or wholly finance themselves and lower pharmaceutical prices globally. Countries, individuals or groups of patients could help promote alternatives by calling into question the current emphasis on commercialization and profit, and by demanding globally equitable arrangements when sharing data that are important for research or when individuals or communities volunteer as research participants.

Facial affect processing in patients receiving opioid treatment in palliative care: preferential processing of threat in pain catastrophizers.

PubMed

Carroll, Erin M A; Kamboj, Sunjeev K; Conroy, Laura; Tookman, Adrian; Williams, Amanda C de C; Jones, Louise; Morgan, Celia J A; Curran, H Valerie

2011-06-01

As a multidimensional phenomenon, pain is influenced by various psychological factors. One such factor is catastrophizing, which is associated with higher pain intensity and emotional distress in cancer and noncancer pain. One possibility is that catastrophizing represents a general cognitive style that preferentially supports the processing of negative affective stimuli. Such preferential processing of threat--toward negative facial expressions, for example--is seen in emotional disorders and is sensitive to pharmacological treatment. Whether pharmacological (analgesic) treatment might also influence the processing of threat in pain patients is currently unclear. This study investigates the effects catastrophizing on processing of facial affect in those receiving an acute opioid dose. In a double-blind crossover design, the performance of 20 palliative care patients after their usual dose of immediate-release opioid was compared with their performance following matched-placebo administration on a facial affect recognition (i.e., speed and accuracy) and threat-pain estimation task (i.e., ratings of pain intensity). The influence of catastrophizing was examined by splitting the sample according to their score on the Pain Catastrophizing Scale (PCS). Opioid administration had no effect on facial affect processing compared with placebo. However, the main finding was that enhanced processing of fear, sadness, and disgust was found only in patients who scored highly on the PCS. There was no difference in performance between the two PCS groups on the other emotions (i.e., happiness, surprise, and anger). These findings suggest that catastrophizing is associated with an affective information-processing bias in patients with severe pain conditions. Copyright © 2011 U.S. Cancer Pain Relief Committee. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Emotional and Cognitive Variables Associated with Contamination-Related Obsessive-Compulsive Symptoms.

PubMed

García-Soriano, Gemma; Rosell-Clari, Vicent; Serrano, Miguel Ángel

2016-05-23

Different variables have been associated with the development/ maintenance of contamination-related obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), although the relevance of these factors has not been clearly established. The present study aimed to analyze the relevance and specificity of these variables. Forty-five women with high scores on obsessive-compulsive contamination symptoms (n = 16) or checking symptoms (n = 15), or non-clinical scores (n = 14) participated in a behavioral approach/avoidance task (BAT) with a contamination-OCD stimulus. Vulnerability variables and participants' emotional, cognitive, physiological and behavioral responses to the BAT were appraised. Results show that fear of illness was a relevant vulnerability variable specific to contamination participants (p = .001; η2 p = .291). Contamination participants responded with significantly higher subjective disgust (p =.001; η2 p = .269), anxiety (p = .001; η2 p = .297), urge to wash (p < .001; η2 p = 370), threat from emotion (p < .001; η2 p = .338) and contamination severity (p = .002; η2 p = .260) appraisals, and with lower behavioral approach (p = .008; η2 p = .208) than the other two groups. Moreover, contamination participants showed lower heart rate acceleration (p = .046; η2 p = .170) and higher contamination likelihood appraisals (p < .001; η2 p = .342) than the non-clinical group. Urge to wash was predicted by state disgust (R 2 change = .346) and threat from emotion (R 2 change = .088). These responses were predicted by general anxiety sensitivity (R 2 change = .161), disgust propensity (R 2 change = .255) and fear of illness (R 2 change = .116), but not by other vulnerability variables such as dysfunctional beliefs about thoughts (Responsibility and Overestimation of threat) or disgust sensitivity. State disgust, threat from disgust, anxiety sensitivity and fear of illness were found to be the most relevant variables in contamination symptoms.

Effects of Group Gender Composition on Mental Rotation Test Performance in Women.

PubMed

Moè, Angelica

2018-06-01

Mental rotation is a task in which men outscore women by up to one standard deviation. Many biological, strategic, experiential, and motivational factors concur to explain this gender gap. Among these there are gender stereotypes, which could either harm or favor performance, giving rise, respectively, to stereotype threat or lift effects. This study examined effects due to stereotypes induced by testing women in a minority mixed-gender group composition (subtle message) when provided with instructions about men's or women's superiority (blatant message), in order to assess the hypothesis that the effort of disconfirming a negative stereotype causes increased performance when two messages, either blatant or subtle, are provided. Sixty-six men and 78 women tested either in a mixed-gender or a same-gender group composition were provided with one of the three instructions (men better, women better, nullifying) after performing a mental rotation test (baseline measure) and before taking another one. Results showed that women increased performance mainly when instructed that men score higher in the mixed-gender group composition, and after the nullifying instructions when tested in the same-gender group composition. Men increased performance mainly when they were instructed that women scored higher. Taken together, the results showed that both genders improve performance, when two threats arise both subtly and blatantly, or when no threat is in the air. Effects of implicit and explicit activated stereotypes are discussed.

Cancer as a Criterion A Traumatic Stressor for Veterans: Prevalence and Correlates

PubMed Central

Mulligan, Elizabeth A.; Wachen, Jennifer Schuster; Naik, Aanand D.; Gosian, Jeffrey; Moye, Jennifer

2015-01-01

The diagnosis of cancer is an uncontrollable stressor posing the threat of death and disfigurement, often followed by repeated exposure to aversive reminders in the form of noxious treatments, persisting side effects, reengagement at times of surveillance, and the threat of recurrence. The phenomenon of cancer as a traumatic stressor is explored in this study, with a focus on the prevalence and correlates of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) Criterion A in a sample of 170 mostly male adults who received health care at VA Medical Centers in Boston or Houston. Participants were interviewed 6 months after diagnosis with head and neck, gastro-esophageal, or colorectal cancers. Approximately half–42.9% to 65.9% depending on cut-score used—perceived cancer to be a traumatic stressor involving actual/threatened death or injury or threat to physical integrity as well as fear, helplessness, or horror. Younger veterans and those with current combat PTSD symptoms were more likely to perceive cancer as a traumatic stressor, as were those who perceived their prognosis as uncertain; 12% had PTSD symptoms above a PCLC cut score of 50, which is similar to incidence rates of PTSD associated with other traumatic stressors. Cancer, therefore, appears to be a serious and for some, traumatic stressor, suggesting the importance of screening for cancer related PTSD in cancer survivors, particularly those most at risk. PMID:25741406

The Power of "We" Language in Creating Equitable Learning Environments

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Erb, Cathy Smeltzer

2010-01-01

Effective teaching values the classroom as a learning community in which instructional approaches optimize learning for all students. Contrary to the principles of an equitable learning environment is the use of "me" language by teachers, a practice that promotes the role of teacher as high status and inadvertently excludes students from the…

34 CFR 200.64 - Factors for determining equitable participation of private school children.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... 34 Education 1 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false Factors for determining equitable participation of private school children. 200.64 Section 200.64 Education Regulations of the Offices of the Department of Education OFFICE OF ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION, DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION TITLE I-IMPROVING THE...

34 CFR 200.64 - Factors for determining equitable participation of private school children.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 34 Education 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Factors for determining equitable participation of private school children. 200.64 Section 200.64 Education Regulations of the Offices of the Department of Education OFFICE OF ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION, DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION TITLE I-IMPROVING THE...

34 CFR 200.64 - Factors for determining equitable participation of private school children.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... 34 Education 1 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false Factors for determining equitable participation of private school children. 200.64 Section 200.64 Education Regulations of the Offices of the Department of Education OFFICE OF ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION, DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION TITLE I-IMPROVING THE...

34 CFR 200.64 - Factors for determining equitable participation of private school children.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 34 Education 1 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Factors for determining equitable participation of private school children. 200.64 Section 200.64 Education Regulations of the Offices of the Department of Education OFFICE OF ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION, DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION TITLE I-IMPROVING THE...

34 CFR 200.64 - Factors for determining equitable participation of private school children.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... 34 Education 1 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Factors for determining equitable participation of private school children. 200.64 Section 200.64 Education Regulations of the Offices of the Department of Education OFFICE OF ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION, DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION TITLE I-IMPROVING THE...

Equitable Education for All: Using a Comprehensive Instructional Model to Improve Preschool Teacher Practices

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carlson, Abby G.; Curby, Timothy W.; Brown, Chavaughn A.; Trygstad, Kelly M.; Truong, Felicia R.

2017-01-01

The current study evaluates the effectiveness of a comprehensive instructional model, ("Every Child Ready"), as a vehicle to provide equitable education experiences for all children by compensating for gaps in teacher knowledge. The ECR instructional model addresses several challenges facing the early childhood landscape. Specifically,…

20 CFR 219.40 - Evidence of relationship by equitable adoption-child.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... the equitably adopted child of the employee (or of the employee's wife, widow, widower, or husband), as defined in part 222 of this chapter, the Board will ask for evidence of the agreement to adopt if... well as adopting parents concerning the child's relationship to the adopting parents. (b) Other...

Is It Real for All Kids? A Framework for Equitable Assessment Policies for English Language Learners.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

LaCelle-Peterson, Mark W.; Rivera, Charlene

1994-01-01

Educational reforms will not automatically have the same effects for native English speakers and English language learners (ELLs). Equitable assessment for ELLs must consider equity issues of assessment technologies, provide information on ELLs' developing language abilities and content-area achievement, and be comprehensive, flexible, progress…

Equitable Access by Design. A Conceptual Framework for Integrated Student Supports within Linked Learning Pathways

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

de Velasco, Jorge Ruiz; Newman, Elizabeth; Borsato, Graciela

2016-01-01

This report proposes a conceptual framework for defining and implementing a system of integrated student supports that provides equitable access to college and career readiness via Linked Learning pathways in high schools. The framework emphasizes the central commitment of the Linked Learning approach to challenge prevailing norms of…

41 CFR 302-11.105 - How is it determined if I hold “equitable title interest” in my residence?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... I hold âequitable title interestâ in my residence? 302-11.105 Section 302-11.105 Public Contracts and Property Management Federal Travel Regulation System RELOCATION ALLOWANCES RESIDENCE TRANSACTION ALLOWANCES 11-ALLOWANCES FOR EXPENSES INCURRED IN CONNECTION WITH RESIDENCE TRANSACTIONS Title Requirements...

Gender Equity in Middle School Science Teaching: Being "Equitable" Should Be the Goal.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Subrahmanyan, Lalita; Bozonie, Heath

1996-01-01

Examines level at which gender issues are addressed in middle school science classes. Argues that in the crucial area of science education, particularly for girls at the middle school level, "equal" rather than "equitable" as a dominant teacher attitude may be inadequate to ensure that gender imbalances are rectified. (SD)

Exploring Culturally Responsive Pedagogy: Teachers' Perspectives on Fostering Equitable and Inclusive Classrooms

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Samuels, Amy J.

2018-01-01

This article examines perspectives of in-service teachers related to culturally responsive pedagogy and possible strategies for employing the framework in the K-12 setting. Benefits and barriers to facilitating a culturally responsive framework are explored, as well as approaches and pedagogical tools for fostering equitable and inclusive…

When Choice Fosters Inequality: Can Research Help?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ayscue, Jennifer B.; Siegel-Hawley, Genevieve; Woodward, Brian; Orfield, Gary

2017-01-01

The Civil Rights Project was hired to identify barriers to equitable access in Buffalo (New York) Public Schools' criteria schools and propose solutions, which, if accepted by both parties, could resolve the civil rights violations and create more equitable access to those schools. The researchers found that students of color, low-income students,…

Equitable Partnerships for Mutual Learning or Perpetuator of North-South Power Imbalances? Ireland-South Africa School Links

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gallwey, Susan Kresky; Wilgus, Gay

2014-01-01

This study examines how various components of a school-linking programme between Ireland and South Africa either support Development Education's goal of sustainable, equitable partnerships that enable mutual learning between Northern and Southern countries or, instead, promote power imbalances that reify stereotypic images of weak, needy…

Two-Person Pie-Cutting: The Fairest Cuts

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Barbanel, Julius B.; Brams, Steven J.

2011-01-01

Barbanel, Brams, and Stromquist (in 2009) asked whether there exists a two-person moving-knife procedure that yields an envy-free, undominated, and equitable division of a pie. We present two procedures: One yields an envy-free, almost undominated, and almost equitable allocation, whereas the second yields an allocation with the two "almost"…

Cost-Effective, Equitable and Flexible Higher Education through Open and Distance Learning in Bangladesh

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Islam, Tofazzal

2011-01-01

This paper examines how this mega-university offers increasing access to cost-effective, equitable and flexible higher education by analyzing data from primary and secondary sources, identifies challenges impacting the continued growth of enrollment in distance education, and outlines opportunities for increasing access to higher education through…

The Equitable Distribution of High-Quality Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bumgardner, Stan

2010-01-01

A new report by the National Comprehensive Center for Teacher Quality (TQ Center) highlights efforts across the nation to address a key point in the No Child Left Behind law and the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA)--the equitable distribution of high-quality teachers across all schools. Research consistently has pointed to effective…

Whole School Inquiry That Promotes Equitable Student Outcomes.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Johnson, Ruth S.

The present era is one of accountability, high-stakes standardized testing, and standards-based reform. However, there is a relative absence of meaningful discussion of how to achieve equitable outcomes that do not unfairly penalize the most under-served students. This paper challenges the perpetuation of reform practices that do not measure their…

Providing Elementary Students Equitable Access to Notebook Computers by Empowering Three School Communities in Shared Decision Making.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Despot, Paula C.

This practicum was designed to provide elementary students from low-socioeconomic school communities equitable opportunities to use notebook computer technology in the communication process. A multi-dimensional staff development program was designed and conducted to integrate computer technology in the classroom. Students and their families were…

Sex Education and Sex Stereotypes: Theory and Practice. Working Paper No. 198.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stubbs, Margaret L.

This paper presents an explanation of practitioners' reactions to sex equitable sex education. Several constraints can prohibit practitioners from engaging in sex equitable sex education: (1) lack of community support; (2) lack of expertise in human sexuality education; (3) vagueness of school committee views; and (4) lack of answers to logistical…

48 CFR 52.250-5 - SAFETY Act-Equitable Adjustment.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... Act—Equitable Adjustment (FEB 2009) (a) Definitions. As used in this clause— Act of terrorism means..., to a person, property, or entity, in the United States, or in the case of a domestic United States air carrier or a United States-flag vessel (or a vessel based principally in the United States on...

Inequities in coverage of preventive child health interventions: the rural drinking water supply program and the universal immunization program in Rajasthan, India.

PubMed

Mohan, Pavitra

2005-02-01

I assessed whether the Rural Drinking Water Supply Program (RDWSP) and the Universal Immunization Program (UIP) have achieved equitable coverage in Rajasthan, India, and explored program characteristics that affect equitable coverage of preventive health interventions. A total of 2460 children presenting at 12 primary health facilities in one district of Rajasthan were enrolled and classified into economic quartiles based on possession of assets. Immunization coverage and prime source of drinking water were compared across quartiles. A higher access to piped water by wealthier families (P< .001) was compensated by higher access to hand pumps by poorer families (P<.001), resulting in equal access to a safe source (P=.9). Immunization coverage was inequitable, favoring the wealthier children (P<.001). The RDWSP has achieved equitable coverage, while UIP coverage remains highly inequitable. Programs can make coverage more equitable by formulating explicit objectives to ensure physical access to all, promoting the intervention's demand by the poor, and enhancing the support and monitoring of frontline workers who deliver these interventions.

Aversive Startle Potentiation and Fear Pathology: Mediating Role of Threat Sensitivity and Moderating Impact of Depression

PubMed Central

Yancey, James R.; Vaidyanathan, Uma; Patrick, Christopher J.

2015-01-01

Enhanced startle during exposure to unpleasant cues (aversive startle potentiation; ASP) appears in the RDoC matrix as a physiological index of acute threat response. Increased ASP has been linked to focal fear disorders and to scale measures of dispositional fearfulness (i.e., threat sensitivity; THT+). However, some studies have reported reduced ASP for fear pathology accompanied by major depressive disorder (MDD) or pervasive distress. The current study evaluated whether (a) THT+ as indexed by reported dispositional fearfulness mediates the relationship between fear disorders (when unaccompanied by depression) and ASP, and (b) depression moderates relations of THT+ and fear disorders with ASP. Fear disorder participants without MDD showed enhanced ASP whereas those with MDD (or other distress conditions) showed evidence of reduced ASP. Continuous THT+ scores also predicted ASP, and this association: (a) was likewise moderated by depression/distress, and (b) accounted for the relationship between ASP and fear pathology without MDD. These findings point to a role for the RDoC construct of acute threat, operationalized dispositionally, in enhanced ASP shown by individuals with fear pathology unaccompanied by distress pathology. PMID:25448265

Using diagrams versus text for spaced restudy: Effects on learning in 10th grade biology classes.

PubMed

Bergey, Bradley W; Cromley, Jennifer G; Kirchgessner, Mandy L; Newcombe, Nora S

2015-03-01

Spaced restudy has been typically tested with written learning materials, but restudy with visual representations in actual classrooms is under-researched. We compared the effects of two spaced restudy interventions: A Diagram-Based Restudy (DBR) warm-up condition and a business-as-usual Text-Based Restudy (TBR) warm-up condition. One hundred and twenty-eight consented high school students in 15 classes. Students completed daily warm-ups over a 4-week period. Students were randomly assigned to conditions within classrooms. Warm-ups were independently completed at the start of class meetings and consisted of questions about content covered 1-10 days prior to each warm-up. Students received feedback on their answers each week. A series of ANOVAs and ANCOVAs was conducted. Results showed equal and significant growth from pre- to post-test for both conditions (d = .31-.67) on three outcomes: Biology knowledge, biology diagram comprehension (near transfer), and geology diagram comprehension (far transfer). ANCOVA results suggested that the magnitude of this increase was linked to the number of questions attempted during the intervention. For the DBR condition only, there were interactions with content knowledge on diagram comprehension gain scores and interactions with spatial scores on biology knowledge gain scores. Students with lower biology knowledge and lower Paper Folding Test scores were disadvantaged in the DBR condition, whereas the TBR condition was equitable across all levels of knowledge and spatial ability. © 2014 The British Psychological Society.

Impact of Different Creatinine Measurement Methods on Liver Transplant Allocation

PubMed Central

Kaiser, Thorsten; Kinny-Köster, Benedict; Bartels, Michael; Parthaune, Tanja; Schmidt, Michael; Thiery, Joachim

2014-01-01

Introduction The model for end-stage liver disease (MELD) score is used in many countries to prioritize organ allocation for the majority of patients who require orthotopic liver transplantation. This score is calculated based on the following laboratory parameters: creatinine, bilirubin and the international normalized ratio (INR). Consequently, high measurement accuracy is essential for equitable and fair organ allocation. For serum creatinine measurements, the Jaffé method and enzymatic detection are well-established routine diagnostic tests. Methods A total of 1,013 samples from 445 patients on the waiting list or in evaluation for liver transplantation were measured using both creatinine methods from November 2012 to September 2013 at the university hospital Leipzig, Germany. The measurements were performed in parallel according to the manufacturer’s instructions after the samples arrived at the institute of laboratory medicine. Patients who had required renal replacement therapy twice in the previous week were excluded from analyses. Results Despite the good correlation between the results of both creatinine quantification methods, relevant differences were observed, which led to different MELD scores. The Jaffé measurement led to greater MELD score in 163/1,013 (16.1%) samples with differences of up to 4 points in one patient, whereas differences of up to 2 points were identified in 15/1,013 (1.5%) samples using the enzymatic assay. Overall, 50/152 (32.9%) patients with MELD scores >20 had higher scores when the Jaffé method was used. Discussion Using the Jaffé method to measure creatinine levels in samples from patients who require liver transplantation may lead to a systematic preference in organ allocation. In this study, the differences were particularly pronounced in samples with MELD scores >20, which has clinical relevance in the context of urgency of transplantation. These data suggest that official recommendations are needed to determine which laboratory diagnostic methods should be used when calculating MELD scores. PMID:24587188

Client/patient perceptions of achieving equity in primary health care: a mixed methods study.

PubMed

Akhavan, Sharareh; Tillgren, Per

2015-08-12

To provide health care on equal terms has become a challenge for the health system. As the front line in health services, primary care has a key role to play in developing equitable health care, responsive to the needs of different population groups. Reducing inequalities in care has been a central and recurring theme in Swedish health reforms. The aim of this study is to describe and assess client/patient experiences and perceptions of care in four primary health care units (PHCUs) involved in Sweden's national Care on Equal Terms project. Mixed Method Research (MMR) was chosen to describe and assess client/patient experiences and perceptions of health care with regard to equity. There was a focus group discussion, and individual interviews with 21 clients/patients and three representatives of patient associations. Data from the Swedish National Patient Survey (NPS), conducted in 2011 and followed up in 2013, were also used. The interview data were divided into two main categories and three subcategories. The first category "Perception of equitable health care" had two subcategories, namely "Health care providers' perceptions" and "Fairness and participation". The second category "To achieve more equitable health care" had four subcategories: "Encounter", "Access", "Interpreters and bilingual/diverse health care providers" and "Time pressure and continuity". Results from the NPS showed that two of the PHCUs improved in some aspects of patient perceived quality of care (PPQC) while two were not so successful. Clients/patients perceived health care providers' perceptions of their ethnic origin and mental health status as important for equitable health care. Discriminatory perceptions may lead to those in need of care refraining from seeking it. More equitable care means longer consultations, better accessibility in terms of longer opening hours, and ways of communicating other than just via voice mail. It also involves continuity in care and access to an interpreter if needed. Employing bilingual/diverse kinds of health providers is a way of providing more equitable primary health care.

Coverage and equitability of interventions to prevent child mortality in rural Jimma and West Hararghe Zones, Oromia Region, Ethiopia.

PubMed

Miller, Nathan P; Degefie, Tedbabe; Hazel, Elizabeth; Legesse, Hailemariam; Tolera, Taye; Amouzou, Agbessi

2014-10-01

Interventions to prevent childhood illnesses are important components of the Ethiopian Health Extension Program (HEP). Although the HEP was designed to reduce inequities in access to health care, there is little evidence on equitability of preventive interventions in Ethiopia. This article describes coverage of preventive interventions and how many interventions individual children received We also examined which factors were associated with the number of preventive interventions received, and assessed the extent to which interventions were equitably distributed. We conducted a cross-sectional survey in 3,200 randomly selected households in the rural Jimma and West Hararghe Zones of Ethiopia's Oromia Region. We calculated coverage of 10 preventive interventions and a composite of eight interventions (co-coverage) representing the number of interventions received by children. Mul- tiple linear regressions were used to assess associations between co-coverage and explanatory variables. Finally, we assessed the equitability of preventive interventions by comparing coverage among children in the poorest and the least poor wealth quintiles. Coverage was less than 50% for six of the 10 interventions. Children received on average only three of the eight interventions included in the co-coverage calculation. Zone, gender, caretaker age, religion, and household wealth were all significantly associated with co-coverage, controlling for key covariates. Exclusive breastfeeding, vaccine uptake, and vitamin A supplementation were all relatively equitable. On the other hand, coverage of insecticide-treated nets or indoor residual spraying (ITN/IRS) and access to safe water were significantly higher among the least poor children compared to children in the poorest quintile. Coverage of key interventions to prevent childhood illnesses is generally low in Jimma and West Hararghe. Although a number of interventions were equitably distributed, there were marked wealth-based inequities for interventions that are possessed at the household level, even among relatively homogeneous rural communities.

The effects of self-esteem and ego threat on interpersonal appraisals of men and women: a naturalistic study.

PubMed

Vohs, Kathleen D; Heatherton, Todd F

2003-11-01

A naturalistic study examined the effects of self-esteem and threats to the self on interpersonal appraisals. Self-esteem scores, ego threat (operationalized as a substantial decrease in self-esteem across an average of 9 months), and their interaction were used to predict likability and personality perceptions of college men and women. The results revealed a curvilinear function explaining likability: Moderate to low self-esteem men and women were higher in likability when threatened, whereas high self-esteem men were seen as less likable when threatened. Personality ratings indicated that high self-esteem men and women who were threatened were rated highest on Antagonism (i.e., fake, arrogant, unfriendly, rude, and uncooperative). Mediational analyses revealed that differences in Antagonism statistically accounted for differences in likability. These patterns are interpreted with respect to gender and time in interpersonal perceptions as well as naturalistic versus laboratory investigations.

Stress and eating: the effects of ego-threat and cognitive demand on food intake in restrained and emotional eaters.

PubMed

Wallis, D J; Hetherington, M M

2004-08-01

Restrained and emotional eaters overeat in response to stress. To compare differential effects of cognitive demand and ego-threatening stressors on subsequent chocolate intake, 38 females completed a neutral (control), an ego threatening and an incongruent Stroop colour-naming task on three separate occasions. Participants were assigned to four groups based on median-split scores on the restrained and emotional eating scales of the Dutch Eating Behaviour Questionnaire-high restraint/high emotional, high restraint/low emotional, low restraint/high emotional and low restraint/low emotional. Higher response latencies were observed in the incongruent task, confirming its greater cognitive (attentional) demand. Overall intake was enhanced by 23% after ego-threat and 15% after the incongruent Stroop task relative to control. Restraint was associated with greater intake after both ego-threat and the incongruent task than in the control condition. In contrast, emotional eating was associated with greater intake after only the ego-threat, relative to control. A positive association between reaction time and subsequent intake in all conditions for high restraint/low emotional eaters provided support for the limited capacity hypothesis. Enhanced intake in emotional eaters is proposed to relate to escape from self-awareness. These findings demonstrate differential effects of threat and demand on stress-related eating in restrained and emotional eaters.

[Semantic interference and pathological anxiety: experimental approach in generalized anxiety].

PubMed

Azaïs, F; Granger, B; Debray, Q

1994-01-01

Patients with D.S.M. III-R generalized anxiety disorder and normal controls performed a computerized Stroop color naming-task in which they named colors of threat-related, positive and neutral words. Compared to controls, generalized anxious patients revealed a longer response latency for threat-related words, without correlation with anxious measures on Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory. In normal control group, response delay to emotional words was correlated to anxious score on STAI-Trait. There was no difference between the two groups in a recognition memory task. The results suggest existence of different semantic interference in categorical and normal anxiety, without implication of explicit memory.

Profiling unauthorized natural resource users for better targeting of conservation interventions

PubMed Central

Baker, Julia; Twinamatsiko, Medard; Milner‐Gulland, E.J.

2015-01-01

Abstract Unauthorized use of natural resources is a key threat to many protected areas. Approaches to reducing this threat include law enforcement and integrated conservation and development (ICD) projects, but for such ICDs to be targeted effectively, it is important to understand who is illegally using which natural resources and why. The nature of unauthorized behavior makes it difficult to ascertain this information through direct questioning. Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, Uganda, has many ICD projects, including authorizing some local people to use certain nontimber forest resources from the park. However, despite over 25 years of ICD, unauthorized resource use continues. We used household surveys, indirect questioning (unmatched count technique), and focus group discussions to generate profiles of authorized and unauthorized resource users and to explore motivations for unauthorized activity. Overall, unauthorized resource use was most common among people from poor households who lived closest to the park boundary and farthest from roads and trading centers. Other motivations for unauthorized resource use included crop raiding by wild animals, inequity of revenue sharing, and lack of employment, factors that created resentment among the poorest communities. In some communities, benefits obtained from ICD were reported to be the greatest deterrents against unauthorized activity, although law enforcement ranked highest overall. Despite the sensitive nature of exploring unauthorized resource use, management‐relevant insights into the profiles and motivations of unauthorized resource users can be gained from a combination of survey techniques, as adopted here. To reduce unauthorized activity at Bwindi, we suggest ICD benefit the poorest people living in remote areas and near the park boundary by providing affordable alternative sources of forest products and addressing crop raiding. To prevent resentment from driving further unauthorized activity, ICDs should be managed transparently and equitably. PMID:26238261

34 CFR 299.7 - What are the factors for determining equitable participation of children and teachers in private...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... 34 Education 1 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false What are the factors for determining equitable participation of children and teachers in private schools? 299.7 Section 299.7 Education Regulations of the Offices of the Department of Education OFFICE OF ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION, DEPARTMENT OF...

34 CFR 299.7 - What are the factors for determining equitable participation of children and teachers in private...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 34 Education 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false What are the factors for determining equitable participation of children and teachers in private schools? 299.7 Section 299.7 Education Regulations of the Offices of the Department of Education OFFICE OF ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION, DEPARTMENT OF...

34 CFR 299.7 - What are the factors for determining equitable participation of children and teachers in private...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... 34 Education 1 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false What are the factors for determining equitable participation of children and teachers in private schools? 299.7 Section 299.7 Education Regulations of the Offices of the Department of Education OFFICE OF ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION, DEPARTMENT OF...

34 CFR 299.7 - What are the factors for determining equitable participation of children and teachers in private...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... 34 Education 1 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false What are the factors for determining equitable participation of children and teachers in private schools? 299.7 Section 299.7 Education Regulations of the Offices of the Department of Education OFFICE OF ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION, DEPARTMENT OF...

34 CFR 299.7 - What are the factors for determining equitable participation of children and teachers in private...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 34 Education 1 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false What are the factors for determining equitable participation of children and teachers in private schools? 299.7 Section 299.7 Education Regulations of the Offices of the Department of Education OFFICE OF ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION, DEPARTMENT OF...

Keeping Kids Moving: How Equitable Transportation Policy Can Prevent Childhood Obesity--What It Is

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, 2012

2012-01-01

The nation faces an obesity crisis, especially among low-income children and children of color. Today, nearly one-third of children and adolescents are overweight or obese, and physical inactivity is a leading cause of this epidemic. Equitable transportation policy that fosters healthy, opportunity-rich communities has a critical role to play in…

78 FR 46661 - Self-Regulatory Organizations; New York Stock Exchange LLC; NYSE MKT LLC; Order Instituting...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-08-01

..., Lecturer in Management, London School of Economics and Yuval Millo, Professor of Social Studies of Finance... promote just and equitable principles of trade, and would be in the public interest.\\22\\ According to this... and manipulative acts and practices, to promote just and equitable principles of trade, to remove...

Achieving Equitable Access to Strong Teachers: A Guide for District Leaders

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bromberg, Marni

2016-01-01

The purpose of this guide is to help district leaders take on the challenge of ensuring that students have equitable access to excellent teachers. It shares some early lessons the Education Trust has learned from districts about the levers available to prioritize low-income students and students of color in teacher quality initiatives. The guide…

A Model of Equitable and Sustainable Redistribution of Knowledge

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Garcia, Ana Maria Delgado; Cuello, Rafael Oliver

2010-01-01

Education is one of the pillars in which a Welfare State is effectively based on in order to achieve an equitable distribution of wealth. In contemporary society, knowledge and education are among the most appreciated goods, and everyone should have the right to acquire them, without distinction of gender, race, age, health or religion. From our…

Education in a Diverse Society Necessitates the Implementation of an Equitable Language Policy: The Russian Experience

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sinagatullin, Ilghiz M.

2013-01-01

Russia's secondary school populations are becoming increasingly diverse in terms of ethnicity, culture, language, and religion. The growing diversity makes a considerable impact on the functions and goals of schools, the realization of which requires the implementation of an equitable language policy. In this article, I briefly represent Russia as…

The Role of Induction in Learning to Teach toward Equity: A Study of Beginning Science and Mathematics Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bianchini, Julie A.; Brenner, Mary E.

2010-01-01

We investigated how an induction program supported and constrained beginning teachers' efforts to teach science or mathematics in equitable and effective ways. We focused our investigation on the teaching and learning of equitable instructional practices; we conceived of such practices as attention to students' experiences, instruction for English…

12 CFR 614.4590 - Equitable treatment of OFIs and Farm Credit System associations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... differences in credit risk and administrative costs to the Farm Credit Bank or agricultural credit bank. (c... 12 Banks and Banking 6 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Equitable treatment of OFIs and Farm Credit System associations. 614.4590 Section 614.4590 Banks and Banking FARM CREDIT ADMINISTRATION FARM CREDIT...

Creating Equitable Classroom Climates: An Investigation of Classroom Strategies in Mathematics and Science Instruction for Developing Preservice Teachers' Use of Democratic Social Values.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kelly, Catherine A.

2002-01-01

Determined best practices for enhancing preservice teachers' knowledge of gender equity and use of innovative instructional methods for developing classroom democratic social values. Found that development in understanding and application of appropriate, equitable classroom practices emerged over a semester in which preservice teachers were…

Contextual Problem Defining: Learning to Think and Act from the Standpoint of Equity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pena, Edlyn Vallejo; Bensimon, Estela Mara; Colyar, Julia

2006-01-01

One of the most critical challenges facing institutions of higher education in the twenty-first century is the need to be more accountable for producing equitable educational outcomes for students of color. Although access to higher education has increased significantly over the past two decades, it has not translated into equitable educational…

Why Can't Ohio Equitably Fund Public Education? Education Reform Stifling Equitable Education Funding

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Simon, Carlee Escue

2015-01-01

Ohio has a long history of school funding inequity. This manuscript provides a brief history of Ohio education funding, the equity and adequacy concerns. Education reform efforts have been expanding while the appropriate management of the funding mechanism has been underfunded or entirely ignored. The researcher examines the negative impact of…

Organizational Analysis and Career Projections Based on a Level-of-Responsibility/Equitable Payment Model. Technical Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Laner, Stephen; And Others

Following an explanation of the Level of Responsibility/Equitable Pay Function, its applicability is demonstrated to the analysis and to the design and redesign of organizational hierarchies. It is shown how certain common dysfuntional anomalies can be avoided by structuring an organization along the principles outlined. A technique is then…

Measuring Equity: Creating a New Standard for Inputs and Outputs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Knoeppel, Robert C.; Della Sala, Matthew R.

2013-01-01

The purpose of this article is to introduce a new statistic to capture the ratio of equitable student outcomes given equitable inputs. Given the fact that finance structures should be aligned to outcome standards according to judicial interpretation, a ratio of outputs to inputs, or "equity ratio," is introduced to discern if conclusions can be…

78 FR 16552 - Self-Regulatory Organizations; NYSE Arca, Inc.; Notice of Filing and Immediate Effectiveness of...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-03-15

... to extend the time period of the Pilot Program,\\4\\ which is currently scheduled to expire on March 31... manipulative acts and practices, to promote just and equitable principles of trade, to foster cooperation and... the Pilot Program promotes just and equitable principles of trade by enabling public customers and...

78 FR 16554 - Self-Regulatory Organizations; NYSE MKT LLC; Notice of Filing and Immediate Effectiveness of...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-03-15

... time period of the Pilot Program,\\4\\ which is currently scheduled to expire on March 31, 2013 through... manipulative acts and practices, to promote just and equitable principles of trade, to foster cooperation and... the Pilot Program promotes just and equitable principles of trade by enabling public customers and...

20 CFR 632.87 - Equitable provision of services to the eligible population and significant segments.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... eligible population and significant segments. 632.87 Section 632.87 Employees' Benefits EMPLOYMENT AND... Program Design and Management § 632.87 Equitable provision of services to the eligible population and... system is in place to afford all members of the eligible population within the service area for which the...

20 CFR 632.87 - Equitable provision of services to the eligible population and significant segments.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... eligible population and significant segments. 632.87 Section 632.87 Employees' Benefits EMPLOYMENT AND... Program Design and Management § 632.87 Equitable provision of services to the eligible population and... system is in place to afford all members of the eligible population within the service area for which the...

20 CFR 632.87 - Equitable provision of services to the eligible population and significant segments.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... eligible population and significant segments. 632.87 Section 632.87 Employees' Benefits EMPLOYMENT AND... Program Design and Management § 632.87 Equitable provision of services to the eligible population and... system is in place to afford all members of the eligible population within the service area for which the...

Community-Based Equity Audits: A Practical Approach for Educational Leaders to Support Equitable Community-School Improvements

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Green, Terrance L.

2017-01-01

Purpose: To equitably transform urban schools of color and the neighborhoods where they are nested requires approaches that promote community equity and foster solidarity among a range of stakeholders. However, most school-community approaches solely focus on improving school-based outcomes and leave educational leaders with little guidance for…

Finding pathways to more equitable and meaningful public-scientist partnerships

Treesearch

Daniela Soleri; Jonathan W. Long; Monica D. Ramirez-Andreotta; Ruth Eitemiller; Rajul Pandyaǁ

2016-01-01

For many, citizen science is exciting because of the possibility for more diverse, equitable partnerships in scientific research with outcomes considered meaningful and useful by all, including public participants. This was the focus of a symposium we organized at the 2015 conference of the Citizen Science Association. Here we synthesize points made by symposium...

"Assessment as Discourse": A Pre-Service Physics Teacher's Evolving Capacity to Support an Equitable Pedagogy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lyon, Edward G.

2013-01-01

One way to view "equitable pedagogy" is through an opportunity to learn (OTL) lens, meaning that regardless of race, class, or culture, a student has access to rigorous and meaningful content, as well as appropriate resources and instruction necessary to learn and demonstrate understanding of that content. Assessment holds a unique…

Iterative Design toward Equity: Youth Repertoires of Practice in a High School Maker Space

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Martin, Lee; Dixon, Colin; Betser, Sagit

2018-01-01

Despite their potential, maker activities do not always support equitable engagement. The authors report on a design research study where they worked to support equitable engagement of youth repertoires of practice in a high school makerspace. Their orientation toward equity is grounded in the construct of repertoires of practice, and they focus…

The Next 25 Years: Crises and Challenges.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Amara, Roy

Within the next 25 years each major world problem will continue to grow and challenge the finest minds for equitable solutions. Yet the core world issue, from which most other problems stem, is the maintenance of an equitable and dynamic equilibrium between world populations and world resources. We are faced with a set of challenges stemming from…

12 CFR 591.5 - Limitation on exercise of due-on-sale clauses.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... penalties and forfeitures, equitable restrictions and state law dealing with equitable transfers. (b..., or operation of law on the death of a joint tenant or tenant by the entirety; (iv) The granting of a... occupy the property, which is: (A) A transfer to a relative resulting from the death of the borrower; (B...

Science-Technology-Society literacy in college non-majors biology: Comparing problem/case studies based learning and traditional expository methods of instruction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Peters, John S.

This study used a multiple response model (MRM) on selected items from the Views on Science-Technology-Society (VOSTS) survey to examine science-technology-society (STS) literacy among college non-science majors' taught using Problem/Case Studies Based Learning (PBL/CSBL) and traditional expository methods of instruction. An initial pilot investigation of 15 VOSTS items produced a valid and reliable scoring model which can be used to quantitatively assess student literacy on a variety of STS topics deemed important for informed civic engagement in science related social and environmental issues. The new scoring model allows for the use of parametric inferential statistics to test hypotheses about factors influencing STS literacy. The follow-up cross-institutional study comparing teaching methods employed Hierarchical Linear Modeling (HLM) to model the efficiency and equitability of instructional methods on STS literacy. A cluster analysis was also used to compare pre and post course patterns of student views on the set of positions expressed within VOSTS items. HLM analysis revealed significantly higher instructional efficiency in the PBL/CSBL study group for 4 of the 35 STS attitude indices (characterization of media vs. school science; tentativeness of scientific models; cultural influences on scientific research), and more equitable effects of traditional instruction on one attitude index (interdependence of science and technology). Cluster analysis revealed generally stable patterns of pre to post course views across study groups, but also revealed possible teaching method effects on the relationship between the views expressed within VOSTS items with respect to (1) interdependency of science and technology; (2) anti-technology; (3) socioscientific decision-making; (4) scientific/technological solutions to environmental problems; (5) usefulness of school vs. media characterizations of science; (6) social constructivist vs. objectivist views of theories; (7) impact of cultural religious/ethical views on science; (8) tentativeness of scientific models, evidence and predictions; (9) civic control of technological developments. This analysis also revealed common relationships between student views which would not have been revealed under the original unique response model (URM) of VOSTS and also common viewpoint patterns that warrant further qualitative exploration.

Blood pressure and social support observations from Mamre, South Africa, during social and political transition.

PubMed

Daniels, A; Hoffman, M; Lombard, C; Steyn, K; Levitt, N; Katzenellenbogen, J

1999-10-01

Social support, by moderating cardiovascular reactivity, has been demonstrated to attenuate the effects of stress on blood pressure in American communities. This is the first report to examine the relationship between social support and blood pressure in a South African context, during a period of infrastructure modernisation and political change. A total of 1240 residents (542 men, 698 women) of mixed ethnic origin, older than 14 years and stratified by age and sex, participated in a survey to determine risk factors for hypertension and cardiovascular diseases. Social support was assessed by a questionnaire developed in consultation with the community. It was defined by interactions that may threaten family harmony (score 1) and by networking between relatives, friends, colleagues and neighbours (score 2). Mean blood pressure of the sample was 130/79 mm Hg (s.d. 25/14 mm Hg). Hypertension prevalence was 26.9%. Only 36% of women compared to 57.3% of men (P < 0.0001) were employed. More women (29%) than men (22%) reported threats to family harmony, but social support networks were similarly perceived by both sexes. Systolic and diastolic blood pressure correlated weakly with score 1 (r = 0.096, P < 0.0007) but no association was observed with score 2. Score 1 was not associated with blood pressure by multiple regression analysis, that included confounding by age, sex, BMI, alcohol consumption and smoking status. Neither threats to family harmony nor networking between relatives, friends or neighbours, significantly influences blood pressure in this community. Measures of social support thought to moderate blood pressure may have limited cross-cultural application. Attitudinal changes during socio-political transition may impact on the generalisability of instruments for measurement.

Opportunities, threats and barriers to enacting mandatory child car restraint laws in Iran.

PubMed

Soori, Hamid; Ainy, Elaheh; Bazargan-Hejazi, Shahrzad

2015-01-01

Approximately one-third of Iranian children's deaths are caused by injuries. Of these, 36% result from road traffic injuries (RTIs). Both RTIs and fatalities could be reduced by using child car restraints (CCRs). Despite their demonstrated effectiveness, CCRs are not mandatory in Iran. This study was conducted to assess opportunities and barriers in enacting mandatory CCR laws in that country. Using mixed method research, a phenomenological approach was used to explore the experiences and perspectives of road safety stakeholders in regard to opportunities and threats in enacting mandatory CCR laws in Iran. The themes derived from group discussions were used to first develop a structured questionnaire, which was later distributed to and completed by study participants. The study analysis was conducted using scores and rankings from the responses to these questions. Twenty-eight stakeholders participated in the study. Most were male, aged 36.7 ± 5.6 (range 25-59). In terms of identifying the organization that should establish mandatory CCR laws, the Traffic Police Department achieved the highest score of 90 (range 0-100). The participants also thought that the Traffic Police department is responsible to monitor compliance and conduct follow-up investigations (score = 100). In regard to existing barriers in enacting CCR laws, the lack of positive Publicity by mass media and the lack of related laws received scores of 85 and 70, respectively. Enabling factors and opportunities included 'positive regards or attitude of families towards their child's health,' 'officials' commitment to support such laws' and 'having adequate resources to raise community awareness of the importance of CCR use. These received scores of 83, 69 and 68, respectively. The results suggest that cooperation and collaboration among stakeholders including the Traffic Police, families and local communities are needed to maximize the likelihood of mandating CCR laws.

Husbands' attitudes towards abortion and Canadian abortion law.

PubMed

Osborn, R W; Silkey, B

1980-01-01

In a 1975 study of attitudes toward abortion among a stratified sample of 601 men residing in Toronto and married to women of reproductive age, non-Catholic men and men who had weak religious beliefs had significantly more permissive attitudes toward abortion than Catholic men and men who had strong religious beliefs. Each respondent received a scale score based on his acceptance of abortion under 7 different conditions. The 7 conditions were: 1) threat to maternal life; 2) pregnancy due to rape; 3) predicted birth of a mentally or physically handicapped child; 4) threat to maternal mental health; 5) unmarried mother; 6) marriage breakdown; and 7) inability to financially support the child. A high score indicated a permissive attitude toward abortion. High scores were associated with high income and educational levels, non-Catholic affiliation, weak religious beliefs, and being Canadian by birth. When religious factors were controlled, the effect of the other factors was markedly reduced. No association was observed between scale scores and the variables of age and expected family size. A majority of the men approved of abortion for 5 or more of the above listed situations. Men with high scores were more likely to use effective methods of contraception, to be married to women who had abortions, and to favor less restrictive abortion laws. Non-Catholic men and men with weaker religious beliefs were more likely to favor easing the abortion law than Catholic men and men who had strong religious beliefs. Those with higher income and educational levels within each religious group were also more likely to favor easing the law. Tables show: 1) the % distribution of respondents approving abortion by reason for the abortion; and 2) the results of the analyses using various measures of association.

Can limited area NWP and/or RCM models improve on large scales inside their domain?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mesinger, Fedor; Veljovic, Katarina

2017-04-01

In a paper in press in Meteorology and Atmospheric Physics at the time this abstract is being written, Mesinger and Veljovic point out four requirements that need to be fulfilled by a limited area model (LAM), be it in NWP or RCM environment, to improve on large scales inside its domain. First, NWP/RCM model needs to be run on a relatively large domain. Note that domain size in quite inexpensive compared to resolution. Second, NWP/RCM model should not use more forcing at its boundaries than required by the mathematics of the problem. That means prescribing lateral boundary conditions only at its outside boundary, with one less prognostic variable prescribed at the outflow than at the inflow parts of the boundary. Next, nudging towards the large scales of the driver model must not be used, as it would obviously be nudging in the wrong direction if the nested model can improve on large scales inside its domain. And finally, the NWP/RCM model must have features that enable development of large scales improved compared to those of the driver model. This would typically include higher resolution, but obviously does not have to. Integrations showing improvements in large scales by LAM ensemble members are summarized in the mentioned paper in press. Ensemble members referred to are run using the Eta model, and are driven by ECMWF 32-day ensemble members, initialized 0000 UTC 4 October 2012. The Eta model used is the so-called "upgraded Eta," or "sloping steps Eta," which is free of the Gallus-Klemp problem of weak flow in the lee of the bell-shaped topography, seemed to many as suggesting the eta coordinate to be ill suited for high resolution models. The "sloping steps" in fact represent a simple version of the cut cell scheme. Accuracy of forecasting the position of jet stream winds, chosen to be those of speeds greater than 45 m/s at 250 hPa, expressed by Equitable Threat (or Gilbert) skill scores adjusted to unit bias (ETSa) was taken to show the skill at large scales. Average rms wind difference at 250 hPa compared to ECMWF analyses was used as another verification measure. With 21 members run, at about the same resolution of the driver global and the nested Eta during the first 10 days of the experiment, both verification measures generally demonstrate advantage of the Eta, in particular during and after the time of a deep upper tropospheric trough crossing the Rockies at the first 2-6 days of the experiment. Rerunning the Eta ensemble switched to use sigma (Eta/sigma) showed this advantage of the Eta to come to a considerable degree, but not entirely, from its use of the eta coordinate. Compared to cumulative scores of the ensembles run, this is demonstrated to even a greater degree by the number of "wins" of one model vs. another. Thus, at 4.5 day time when the trough just about crossed the Rockies, all 21 Eta/eta members have better ETSa scores than their ECMWF driver members. Eta/sigma has 19 members improving upon ECMWF, but loses to Eta/eta by a score of as much as 20 to 1. ECMWF members do better with rms scores, losing to Eta/eta by 18 vs. 3, but winning over Eta/sigma by 12 to 9. Examples of wind plots behind these results are shown, and additional reasons possibly helping or not helping the results summarized are discussed.

The Status of Female Faculty in Pennsylvania's State System of Higher Education: An Historical Perspective, 1974-1989.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Keetz, Mary A.

This report addresses the issue of female faculty's equitable representation in the Pennsylvania State System between 1974 and 1989. The data contained in the report represents a determination of the extent to which women were present and equitably represented on the faculty within the State System and at each of its 14 universities. Comparisons…

Vermont's Act 60: Comprehensive School Finance Reform--Effects in the First Year of Full Implementation.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mathis, William J.; Fleming, Brenda L.

Vermont's Act 60 received national attention not only because of the controversy surrounding the sharing pool (or recapture provision) but also because of its "potential for being the most equitable system in the country." For fiscal years 1998 to 2001, tax rates have become more equitable, and a direct relationship has appeared between…

78 FR 79048 - Self-Regulatory Organizations; NYSE MKT LLC; Order Approving Proposed Rule Change Amending...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-12-27

... acts and practices, to promote just and equitable principles of trade, to remove impediments to and... under Rule 342-- Equities or Rule 922, or a violation of just and equitable principles of trade or could... to the time the rule is deleted. Thus, the proposed rule change would have no impact on ongoing...

In the Midst of Transformation: Reflections from the Bay Area Coalition for Equitable Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Route-Chatmon, LaShawn

2007-01-01

The Bay Area Coalition for Equitable Schools (BayCES) has been working to build the capacity of people to transform the educational experiences and outcomes of underserved students in the Oakland-San Francisco Bay Area for more than 15 years. BayCES supports people in urban districts and schools undergoing reform efforts to improve their…

Alabama's Foundation Program: An Adequate and Equitable School Funding Mechanism?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Coe, Dennis Randal

2016-01-01

The purpose of this study was to determine the extent to which the foundation program was an adequate and equitable funding mechanism for public schools in the state of Alabama. This study analyzed funding and academic data and evaluated adequacy and equity through the lenses of poverty, geographic location, local tax effort, and type of school…

A Jeffersonian Vision of Nurturing Talent and Creativity: Toward a More Equitable and Productive Gifted Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dai, David Yun

2015-01-01

This article attempts to address the question of how to make gifted education more equitable and productive by shifting priorities to talent development for all rather than confining itself to the "gifted." I first present an overview of political and ethical considerations in selecting a few for talent or creativity development. I then…

Strategy for Promoting the Equitable Development of Basic Education in Underdeveloped Counties as Seen from Cili County

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shihua, Peng; Rihui, Tan

2009-01-01

Employing statistical analysis, this study has made a preliminary exploration of promoting the equitable development of basic education in underdeveloped counties through the case study of Cili county. The unequally developed basic education in the county has been made clear, the reasons for the inequitable education have been analyzed, and,…

Dealing with Power Games in a Companion Modelling Process: Lessons from Community Water Management in Thailand Highlands

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Barnaud, Cecile; van Paassen, Annemarie; Trebuil, Guy; Promburom, Tanya; Bousquet, Francois

2010-01-01

Although stakeholder participation is expected to promote equitable and sustainable natural resource management, lessons from the past tell us that more careful attention needs to be paid to achieving equitable impacts. Now the question is how to address social inequities and power asymmetries. Some authors emphasize the need for more dialogue,…

Intended Consequences: Challenging White Teachers' Habitus and Its Influence in Urban Schools Implementing an Arts-Based Educational Reform

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Woollen, Susan; Otto, Stacy

2014-01-01

Reform efforts like the urban, arts-based initiative Project ARTS are designed to provide intentional, equitable methods of improving students' learning, yet few urban educators have been sufficiently trained to recognize differences in habitus between themselves and their students. For equitable reform to occur teachers must understand their…

Private ownership of primary care providers associated with patient perceived quality of care: A comparative cross-sectional survey in three big Chinese cities.

PubMed

Wei, Xiaolin; Yin, Jia; Wong, Samuel Y S; Griffiths, Sian M; Zou, Guanyang; Shi, Leiyu

2017-01-01

Ownership of primary care providers varies in different cities in China. Shanghai represented the full public ownership model of primary providers; Shenzhen had public-owned but private-operated providers; and Hong Kong represented the full private ownership. The study aims to assess the association of primary care ownership and patient perceived quality of care in 3 Chinese megacities.We conducted multistage stratified random surveys in 2013 in the 3 cities. Quality scores of primary care were measured using the validated primary care assessment tools. Multivariate linear regression models were used to compare quality scores after controlling potential confounders of patient demographic, socioeconomic, and healthcare utilization factors.Overall, 797 primary care users in Shanghai, 802 in Shenzhen, and 1325 in Hong Kong participated in the study. The mean total quality scores were reported the highest in Shanghai (28.39), followed by Shenzhen (25.82) and then Hong Kong (25.21) (P < 0.001). Shanghai participants reported the highest scores for 1st contact accessibility, coordination of information, comprehensiveness of service availability, and culture competence, while Hong Kong participants reported the lowest for these domains (P < 0.001). Hong Kong participants from rich households reported higher total scores than those from poor households (P < 0.05); however, this was not found in Shanghai and Shenzhen.The study suggests that private primary care ownership may be associated with lower quality and less equitable care distribution. In China, it suggests that it may be beneficial to promote public-owned and nonprofit providers. Promoting privatization in primary care may be at the cost of quality and equity of primary care.

Private ownership of primary care providers associated with patient perceived quality of care

PubMed Central

Wei, Xiaolin; Yin, Jia; Wong, Samuel Y.S.; Griffiths, Sian M.; Zou, Guanyang; Shi, Leiyu

2017-01-01

Abstract Ownership of primary care providers varies in different cities in China. Shanghai represented the full public ownership model of primary providers; Shenzhen had public-owned but private-operated providers; and Hong Kong represented the full private ownership. The study aims to assess the association of primary care ownership and patient perceived quality of care in 3 Chinese megacities. We conducted multistage stratified random surveys in 2013 in the 3 cities. Quality scores of primary care were measured using the validated primary care assessment tools. Multivariate linear regression models were used to compare quality scores after controlling potential confounders of patient demographic, socioeconomic, and healthcare utilization factors. Overall, 797 primary care users in Shanghai, 802 in Shenzhen, and 1325 in Hong Kong participated in the study. The mean total quality scores were reported the highest in Shanghai (28.39), followed by Shenzhen (25.82) and then Hong Kong (25.21) (P < 0.001). Shanghai participants reported the highest scores for 1st contact accessibility, coordination of information, comprehensiveness of service availability, and culture competence, while Hong Kong participants reported the lowest for these domains (P < 0.001). Hong Kong participants from rich households reported higher total scores than those from poor households (P < 0.05); however, this was not found in Shanghai and Shenzhen. The study suggests that private primary care ownership may be associated with lower quality and less equitable care distribution. In China, it suggests that it may be beneficial to promote public-owned and nonprofit providers. Promoting privatization in primary care may be at the cost of quality and equity of primary care. PMID:28072718

An exploration of equitable science teaching practices for students with learning disabilities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Morales, Marlene

In this study, a mixed methods approach was used to gather descriptive exploratory information regarding the teaching of science to middle grades students with learning disabilities within a general education classroom. The purpose of this study was to examine teachers' beliefs and their practices concerning providing equitable opportunities for students with learning disabilities in a general education science classroom. Equitable science teaching practices take into account each student's differences and uses those differences to inform instructional decisions and tailor teaching practices based on the student's individualized learning needs. Students with learning disabilities are similar to their non-disabled peers; however, they need some differentiation in instruction to perform to their highest potential achievement levels (Finson, Ormsbee, & Jensen, 2011). In the quantitative phase, the purpose of the study was to identify patterns in the beliefs of middle grades science teachers about the inclusion of students with learning disabilities in the general education classroom. In the qualitative phase, the purpose of the study was to present examples of instruction in the classrooms of science education reform-oriented middle grades science teachers. The quantitative phase of the study collected data from 274 sixth through eighth grade teachers in the State of Florida during the 2007--2008 school year using The Teaching Science to Students with Learning Disabilities Inventory. Overall, the quantitative findings revealed that middle grades science teachers held positive beliefs about the inclusion of students with learning disabilities in the general education science classroom. The qualitative phase collected data from multiple sources (interviews, classroom observations, and artifacts) to develop two case studies of reform-oriented middle grades science teachers who were expected to provide equitable science teaching practices. Based on their responses to The Teaching Science to Students with Learning Disabilities Inventory, the case study teachers demonstrated characteristics of successful teachers of diverse learners developed by Lynch (2000). Overall, the qualitative findings revealed that the case study teachers were unsure how to provide equitable science teaching practices to all students, particularly to students with learning disabilities. They provided students with a variety of learning experiences that entailed high expectations for all; however, these experiences were similar for all students. Had the teachers fully implemented equitable science teaching practices, students would have had multiple options for taking in the information and making sense of it in each lesson. Teaching that includes using a variety of validated practices that take into account students' individualized learning needs can promote aspects of equitable science teaching practices. Finally, this study provides implications for teacher education programs and professional development programs. As teachers implement science education reform efforts related to equitable science teaching practices, both teacher education programs and professional development programs should include opportunities for teachers to reflect on their beliefs about how students with learning disabilities learn and provide them with a variety of validated teaching practices that will assist them in teaching students with learning disabilities in the general education classroom while implementing science reform efforts.

Implications for social policy of variability in racial groups.

PubMed

Helms, Janet E

2008-11-01

Social policy and federal and state legislation require the use of single cut scores when tests of cognitive ability, knowledge, or skills (CAKS) are used to make high-stakes assessment decisions, such as whether students or employees may be promoted. Rationales offered for the requirement are that cut scores provide objective standards and are fairer than using subjective criteria, such as racial group membership. It is argued that failure to consider threats to statistical conclusion validity, such as differences in variability between groups, obscures the differential impact of using a common cut score as the basis for highstakes decisions. Analyses of 40 Black and White samples revealed that (a) Whites might be considerably advantaged and Blacks might be considerably disadvantaged by the same cut score and (b) depending on where the cut score is set, decisions based on ratios of numbers of Whites numbers of Blacks might be fairer than use of CAKS test cut scores. Implications for assessment practice and social policy are discussed.

Colour-induced relationship between affect and reaching kinematics during a goal-directed aiming task.

PubMed

Williams, Camille K; Grierson, Lawrence E M; Carnahan, Heather

2011-08-01

A link between affect and action has been supported by the discovery that threat information is prioritized through an action-centred pathway--the dorsal visual stream. Magnocellular afferents, which originate from the retina and project to dorsal stream structures, are suppressed by exposure to diffuse red light, which diminishes humans' perception of threat-based images. In order to explore the role of colour in the relationship between affect and action, participants donned different pairs of coloured glasses (red, yellow, green, blue and clear) and completed Positive and Negative Affect Scale questionnaires as well as a series of target-directed aiming movements. Analyses of affect scores revealed a significant main effect for affect valence and a significant interaction between colour and valence: perceived positive affect was significantly smaller for the red condition. Kinematic analyses of variable error in the primary movement direction and Pearson correlation analyses between the displacements travelled prior to and following peak velocity indicated reduced accuracy and application of online control processes while wearing red glasses. Variable error of aiming was also positively and significantly correlated with negative affect scores under the red condition. These results suggest that only red light modulates the affect-action link by suppressing magnocellular activity, which disrupts visual processing for movement control. Furthermore, previous research examining the effect of the colour red on psychomotor tasks and perceptual acceleration of threat-based imagery suggest that stimulus-driven motor performance tasks requiring online control may be particularly susceptible to this effect.

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

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

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

2016-01-01

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

What factors influence cataract waiting list time?

PubMed Central

Churchill, A.; Vize, C.; Stewart, O.; Backhouse, O.

2000-01-01

AIMS—To determine whether there were any specific factors that influenced waiting list time (WLT) for patients undergoing cataract surgery.
METHODS—70 preoperative cataract patients were interviewed by one of the authors using a questionnaire to score visual acuity, coexisting ocular pathology and disabilities, threat to independent living/employment, and perceived visual handicap for detailed, gross, and driving vision. Individuals were analysed separately according to whether it was their first or second cataract operation.
RESULTS—The median WLT for first eye surgery was 9 months (n = 31) and 13 months for second eye surgery (n = 36). The WLT ranged from 2 to 25 months for first eyes and 0.25-18 months for second eyes. Where there was a perceived threat to independent living or employment the WLT was found to be significantly shorter than the median. A high overall score correlated with a shorter WLT. Surgical priority was also given to individuals with anisometropia >3 dioptres.
CONCLUSION—This study has demonstrated that there are specific factors that influence clinicians when prioritising patients for cataract surgery.

 PMID:10729304

Effect of first-encounter pretest on pass/fail rates of a clinical skills medical licensure examination.

PubMed

Roberts, William L; McKinley, Danette W; Boulet, John R

2010-05-01

Due to the high-stakes nature of medical exams it is prudent for test agencies to critically evaluate test data and control for potential threats to validity. For the typical multiple station performance assessments used in medicine, it may take time for examinees to become comfortable with the test format and administrative protocol. Since each examinee in the rotational sequence starts with a different task (e.g., simulated clinical encounter), those who are administered non-scored pretest material on their first station may have an advantage compared to those who are not. The purpose of this study is to investigate whether pass/fail rates are different across the sequence of pretest encounters administered during the testing day. First-time takers were grouped by the sequential order in which they were administered the pretest encounter. No statistically significant difference in fail rates was found between examinees who started with the pretest encounter and those who encountered the pretest encounter later in the sequence. Results indicate that current examination administration protocols do not present a threat to the validity of test score interpretations.

Ottawa 25 years on: a more radical agenda for health equity is still required.

PubMed

Baum, Frances Elaine; Sanders, David M

2011-12-01

This article revisits our 1995 assessment of the international health promotion agenda. Then we concluded that a more radical agenda for change was required in which responses were both technically sound and infused with an appreciation of the imperative for a change in politics and power. We conclude that this message is even more relevant in 2011 in an era when the continuing rise of transnational corporations (TNCs) poses a major threat to achieving improved and more equitable health. We support and illustrate this claim through the example of food and agriculture TNCs where the combination of producer subsidies, global trade liberalization and strengthened property rights has given increasing power to the corporate food industry and undermined national food security in many countries. We argue that a Health in All Policies approach should be used to monitor and enforce TNC accountability for health. Part of this process should include the use of a form of health impact assessment and health equity impact assessment on their activities. Civil society groups such as the People's Health Movement have a central role to play in monitoring the impacts of TNCs.

"Unreliability as a threat to understanding psychopathology: The cautionary tale of attentional bias": Correction to Rodebaugh et al. (2016).

PubMed

2016-10-01

Reports an error in "Unreliability as a threat to understanding psychopathology: The cautionary tale of attentional bias" by Thomas L. Rodebaugh, Rachel B. Scullin, Julia K. Langer, David J. Dixon, Jonathan D. Huppert, Amit Bernstein, Ariel Zvielli and Eric J. Lenze ( Journal of Abnormal Psychology , 2016[Aug], Vol 125[6], 840-851). There was an error in the Author Note concerning the support of the MacBrain Face Stimulus Set. The correct statement is provided. (The following abstract of the original article appeared in record 2016-30117-001.) The use of unreliable measures constitutes a threat to our understanding of psychopathology, because advancement of science using both behavioral and biologically oriented measures can only be certain if such measurements are reliable. Two pillars of the National Institute of Mental Health's portfolio-the Research Domain Criteria (RDoC) initiative for psychopathology and the target engagement initiative in clinical trials-cannot succeed without measures that possess the high reliability necessary for tests involving mediation and selection based on individual differences. We focus on the historical lack of reliability of attentional bias measures as an illustration of how reliability can pose a threat to our understanding. Our own data replicate previous findings of poor reliability for traditionally used scores, which suggests a serious problem with the ability to test theories regarding attentional bias. This lack of reliability may also suggest problems with the assumption (in both theory and the formula for the scores) that attentional bias is consistent and stable across time. In contrast, measures accounting for attention as a dynamic process in time show good reliability in our data. The field is sorely in need of research reporting findings and reliability for attentional bias scores using multiple methods, including those focusing on dynamic processes over time. We urge researchers to test and report reliability of all measures, considering findings of low reliability not just as a nuisance but as an opportunity to modify and improve upon the underlying theory. Full assessment of reliability of measures will maximize the possibility that RDoC (and psychological science more generally) will succeed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

Ageing-related stereotypes in memory: When the beliefs come true.

PubMed

Bouazzaoui, Badiâa; Follenfant, Alice; Ric, François; Fay, Séverine; Croizet, Jean-Claude; Atzeni, Thierry; Taconnat, Laurence

2016-01-01

Age-related stereotype concerns culturally shared beliefs about the inevitable decline of memory with age. In this study, stereotype priming and stereotype threat manipulations were used to explore the impact of age-related stereotype on metamemory beliefs and episodic memory performance. Ninety-two older participants who reported the same perceived memory functioning were divided into two groups: a threatened group and a non-threatened group (control). First, the threatened group was primed with an ageing stereotype questionnaire. Then, both groups were administered memory complaints and memory self-efficacy questionnaires to measure metamemory beliefs. Finally, both groups were administered the Logical Memory task to measure episodic memory, for the threatened group the instructions were manipulated to enhance the stereotype threat. Results indicated that the threatened individuals reported more memory complaints and less memory efficacy, and had lower scores than the control group on the logical memory task. A multiple mediation analysis revealed that the stereotype threat effect on the episodic memory performance was mediated by both memory complaints and memory self-efficacy. This study revealed that stereotype threat impacts belief in one's own memory functioning, which in turn impairs episodic memory performance.

Answering the Call for Equitable Access to Effective Teachers: Lessons Learned from State-Based Teacher Preparation Efforts in Georgia, Indiana, Michigan, New Jersey, and Ohio

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Woodrow Wilson National Fellowship Foundation, 2015

2015-01-01

The nation's teacher education programs are not producing the quantity or quality of teachers needed, particularly in needed subjects. The only way to ensure a strong enough pipeline of effective teachers to ensure equitable access is to dramatically increase how states are preparing prospective educators. The Woodrow Wilson National Fellowship…

School Librarian, Teacher Collaborator, and Independent Learner: A Symbiosis for Equitable Education in an Alternative High School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jaaskelainen, Kristal; Deneen, Musetta

2018-01-01

As the future arrives faster and faster one must ask continually, what do kids actually need from their formal education today and tomorrow? Continuous innovation of method and strategy must be integral to the practice of all teaching professionals. Equitable educators must take a look at the learners in front of them, when and where they stand,…

Examining Deaf Students' Equitable Access to Science vis-a-vis Contemporary Pedagogical Practices

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ross, Annemarie D.

2017-01-01

As a Deaf individual, it is important to ensure the growth of the Deaf community as science-literate members of society. While many predecessors have contributed to the body of research in Deaf pedagogy, there is still much to be done in safeguarding Deaf learners' equitable access to science education. One area of concern is in narrowing the…

Sharing water and benefits in transboundary river basins

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arjoon, Diane; Tilmant, Amaury; Herrmann, Markus

2016-06-01

The equitable sharing of benefits in transboundary river basins is necessary to solve disputes among riparian countries and to reach a consensus on basin-wide development and management activities. Benefit-sharing arrangements must be collaboratively developed to be perceived not only as efficient, but also as equitable in order to be considered acceptable to all riparian countries. The current literature mainly describes what is meant by the term benefit sharing in the context of transboundary river basins and discusses this from a conceptual point of view, but falls short of providing practical, institutional arrangements that ensure maximum economic welfare as well as collaboratively developed methods for encouraging the equitable sharing of benefits. In this study, we define an institutional arrangement that distributes welfare in a river basin by maximizing the economic benefits of water use and then sharing these benefits in an equitable manner using a method developed through stakeholder involvement. We describe a methodology in which (i) a hydrological model is used to allocate scarce water resources, in an economically efficient manner, to water users in a transboundary basin, (ii) water users are obliged to pay for water, and (iii) the total of these water charges is equitably redistributed as monetary compensation to users in an amount determined through the application of a sharing method developed by stakeholder input, thus based on a stakeholder vision of fairness, using an axiomatic approach. With the proposed benefit-sharing mechanism, the efficiency-equity trade-off still exists, but the extent of the imbalance is reduced because benefits are maximized and redistributed according to a key that has been collectively agreed upon by the participants. The whole system is overseen by a river basin authority. The methodology is applied to the Eastern Nile River basin as a case study. The described technique not only ensures economic efficiency, but may also lead to more equitable solutions in the sharing of benefits in transboundary river basins because the definition of the sharing rule is not in question, as would be the case if existing methods, such as game theory, were applied, with their inherent definitions of fairness.

The impact of joint responses of devices in an airport security system.

PubMed

Nie, Xiaofeng; Batta, Rajan; Drury, Colin G; Lin, Li

2009-02-01

In this article, we consider a model for an airport security system in which the declaration of a threat is based on the joint responses of inspection devices. This is in contrast to the typical system in which each check station independently declares a passenger as having a threat or not having a threat. In our framework the declaration of threat/no-threat is based upon the passenger scores at the check stations he/she goes through. To do this we use concepts from classification theory in the field of multivariate statistics analysis and focus on the main objective of minimizing the expected cost of misclassification. The corresponding correct classification and misclassification probabilities can be obtained by using a simulation-based method. After computing the overall false alarm and false clear probabilities, we compare our joint response system with two other independently operated systems. A model that groups passengers in a manner that minimizes the false alarm probability while maintaining the false clear probability within specifications set by a security authority is considered. We also analyze the staffing needs at each check station for such an inspection scheme. An illustrative example is provided along with sensitivity analysis on key model parameters. A discussion is provided on some implementation issues, on the various assumptions made in the analysis, and on potential drawbacks of the approach.

The balance of give and take in caregiver-partner relationships: An examination of self-perceived burden, relationship equity, and quality of life from the perspective of care recipients following stroke.

PubMed

McPherson, Christine J; Wilson, Keith G; Chyurlia, Livia; Leclerc, Charles

2010-05-01

We examined the sense of being a burden to others or self-perceived burden (SPB) in people with stroke. A mail survey was completed by 57 former inpatients and their partner caregivers. The care recipient survey included measures of functional status, quality of life, marital satisfaction, equity in the relationship, and psychological distress, as well as SPB using the Self-Perceived Burden Scale (SPBS; Cousineau, McDowell, Hotz, & Hébert, 2003). The caregiver survey included similar measures in addition to a caregiver burden measure. SPB was found to be a prevalent and distressing concern. SPBS scores correlated with measures of functional status and mood; however, the correlations were highest for measures of family roles and work/productivity. Using equity theory as a basis to examine the SPB construct, care recipients who perceived themselves as overbenefiting from the relationship had significantly higher SPB scores than those whose relationship was viewed as equitable or underbenefiting. For some receiving care from a partner after stroke is associated SPB. This sense of burden is related to changes in help-seeking behavior, quality of life, and distress.

Infection Control Measures in Private Dental Clinics in Lebanon.

PubMed

Dagher, Jihad; Sfeir, Charles; Abdallah, Ahmad; Majzoub, Zeina

2017-01-01

Evaluate infection control knowledge, attitude, and practice in Lebanese private dental clinics. A survey including 46 questions related to routine safety procedures was sent to 1150 Lebanese dentists between July 1st and 2nd, 2015. The study sample was selected from the database of registered dentists based on a proportional random sampling ensuring equitable representation of the 5 geographic regions of Lebanon. A subset of 29 questions was used to generate an overall score of compliance (excellent, good, fair, and poor). Comparisons according to gender, type, region, and years of practice were performed. 417 dentists returned the completed questionnaires. 96% expressed concern about infection transmission, 90.6% were vaccinated against Hepatitis B, and 61.8% asked routinely about patients medical history. Only 43% used protective eyewear. Although most dentists (65%) used autoclaves, dry heat was still used. Significant correlations were found between gender and use of personal protective equipment. Less compliance was shown by clinicians with fewer years of experience. In the overall compliance questionnaire, the mean percentage of correct answers was roughly 54% with <5% of the practitioners scoring "excellent." Conclusions . The study found inadequacy of compliance in private Lebanese dental clinics necessitating improved educational training and sustained monitoring by regulatory bodies.

Water and Benefit Sharing in Transboundary River Basins

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arjoon, D.; Tilmant, A.; Herrmann, M.

2015-12-01

Growing water scarcity underlies the importance of cooperation for the effective management of river basins, particularly in the context of international rivers in which unidirectional externalities can lead to asymmetric relationships between riparian countries. Studies have shown that significant economic benefits can be expected through basin-wide cooperation, however, the equitable partitioning of these benefits over the basin is less well studied and tends to overlook the importance of stakeholder input in the definition of equitability. In this study, an institutional arrangement to maximize welfare and then share the scarcity cost in a river basin is proposed. A river basin authority plays the role of a bulk water market operator, efficiently allocating bulk water to the users and collecting bulk water charges which are then equitably redistributed among water users. This highly regulated market restrains the behaviour of water users to control externalities and to ensure basin-wide coordination, enhanced efficiency, and the equitable redistribution of the scarcity cost. The institutional arrangement is implemented using the Eastern Nile River basin as a case study. The importance of this arrangement is that it can be adopted for application in negotiations to cooperate in trans-boundary river basins. The benefit sharing solution proposed is more likely to be perceived as equitable because water users help define the sharing rule. As a result, the definition of the sharing rule is not in question, as it would be if existing rules, such as bankruptcy rules or cooperative game theory solutions, are applied, with their inherent definitions of fairness. Results of the case study show that the sharing rule is predictable. Water users can expect to receive between 93.5% and 95% of their uncontested benefits (benefits that they expect to receive if water was not rationed), depending on the hydrologic scenario.

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

PubMed

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

2014-04-24

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

Water access, water scarcity, and climate change.

PubMed

Mukheibir, Pierre

2010-05-01

This article investigates the approaches of the various discourses operating in the water sector and how they address the issues of scarcity and equitable access under projected climate change impacts. Little synergy exists between the different approaches dealing with these issues. Whilst being a sustainable development and water resources management issue, a holistic view of access, scarcity and the projected impacts of climate change is not prevalent in these discourses. The climate change discourse too does not adequately bridge the gap between these issues. The projected impacts of climate change are likely to exacerbate the problems of scarcity and equitable access unless appropriate adaptation strategies are adopted and resilience is built. The successful delivery of accessible water services under projected climate change impacts therefore lies with an extension of the adaptive water management approach to include equitable access as a key driver.

Species dominance and equitability: patterns in Cenozoic foraminifera of eastern North America

USGS Publications Warehouse

Gibson, T.G.; Hill, E.E.

1992-01-01

Species dominance in benthonic foraminifera, represented by percent of the assemblage composed of the single most abundant species, shows little change in observed range of values from shallow into deep-marine waters in 1005 samples from the Gulf of Mexico, Atlantic, and Arctic margins of North America. This finding contrasts with the model that species dominance is highest in shallow-marine environments and decreases offshore into deeper marine waters. Equitability, the relation of all species abundances within an assemblage, also shows little change between the values found in shallow-marine assemblages and those found in assemblages from deeper water environments. Equitability and dominance values found in 421 assemblages from Palaeocene, Eocene, Miocene, and Pleistocene strata of the Atlantic and E Gulf of Mexico coastal plains are similar to the modern values. -from Authors

Chance performance and floor effects: threats to the validity of the Wechsler Memory Scale--fourth edition designs subtest.

PubMed

Martin, Phillip K; Schroeder, Ryan W

2014-06-01

The Designs subtest allows for accumulation of raw score points by chance alone, creating the potential for artificially inflated performances, especially in older patients. A random number generator was used to simulate the random selection and placement of cards by 100 test naive participants, resulting in a mean raw score of 36.26 (SD = 3.86). This resulted in relatively high-scaled scores in the 45-54, 55-64, and 65-69 age groups on Designs II. In the latter age group, in particular, the mean simulated performance resulted in a scaled score of 7, with scores 1 SD below and above the performance mean translating to scaled scores of 5 and 8, respectively. The findings indicate that clinicians should use caution when interpreting Designs II performance in these age groups, as our simulations demonstrated that low average to average range scores occur frequently when patients are relying solely on chance performance. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

In Silico Screening-Level Prioritization of 8468 Chemicals Produced in OECD Countries to Identify Potential Planetary Boundary Threats.

PubMed

Reppas-Chrysovitsinos, Efstathios; Sobek, Anna; MacLeod, Matthew

2018-01-01

Legislation such as the Stockholm Convention and REACH aim to identify and regulate the production and use of chemicals that qualify as persistent organic pollutants (POPs) and very persistent and very bioaccumulative (vPvB) chemicals, respectively. Recently, a series of studies on planetary boundary threats proposed seven chemical hazard profiles that are distinct from the POP and vPvB profiles. We previously defined two exposure-based hazard profiles; airborne persistent contaminants (APCs) and waterborne persistent contaminants (WPCs) that correspond to two profiles of chemicals that are planetary boundary threats. Here, we extend our method to screen a database of chemicals consisting of 8648 substances produced within the OECD countries. We propose a new scoring scheme to disentangle the POP, vPvB, APC and WPC profiles by focusing on the spatial range of exposure potential, discuss the relationship between high exposure hazard and elemental composition of chemicals, and identify chemicals with high exposure hazard potential.

Latent ability: grades and test scores systematically underestimate the intellectual ability of negatively stereotyped students.

PubMed

Walton, Gregory M; Spencer, Steven J

2009-09-01

Past research has assumed that group differences in academic performance entirely reflect genuine differences in ability. In contrast, extending research on stereotype threat, we suggest that standard measures of academic performance are biased against non-Asian ethnic minorities and against women in quantitative fields. This bias results not from the content of performance measures, but from the context in which they are assessed-from psychological threats in common academic environments, which depress the performances of people targeted by negative intellectual stereotypes. Like the time of a track star running into a stiff headwind, such performances underestimate the true ability of stereotyped students. Two meta-analyses, combining data from 18,976 students in five countries, tested this latent-ability hypothesis. Both meta-analyses found that, under conditions that reduce psychological threat, stereotyped students performed better than nonstereotyped students at the same level of past performance. We discuss implications for the interpretation of and remedies for achievement gaps.

Is community-based health insurance an equitable strategy for paying for healthcare? Experiences from southeast Nigeria.

PubMed

Onwujekwe, Obinna; Onoka, Chima; Uzochukwu, Benjamin; Okoli, Chijioke; Obikeze, Eric; Eze, Soludo

2009-09-01

To determine how equitable enrolment and utilization of community-based health insurance is in two communities with varying levels of success in implementing the scheme. The study was undertaken in two communities in Anambra state, southeast Nigeria. Data was collected using a questionnaire that was administered to 971 respondents in two communities selected by simple random sampling. Data analysis examined socio-economic status (SES) differences in enrolment levels, utilization, willingness to renew registration and payments. Enrolment level was 15.5% in the non-successful community and 48.4% in the successful community (p<0.0001). However, there was no inequity in enrolment, willingness to renew registration and utilization of services. Equal amounts of money were paid as registration fee and premium by all SES quartiles. There were no exemptions and no subsidies. Enrolment was generally low and contributions were retrogressive. The average premiums were also small. However, there was equitable enrolment and utilization of services. Efforts need to be made to increase the number of enrolees, so as to increase the pool of funds and risks. Payments by enrolees especially in poor and rural communities should be supplemented by subsidies from government and donors in order to ensure equitable financial risk protection.

Time-to-Credit Gender Inequities of First-Year PhD Students in the Biological Sciences

PubMed Central

Feldon, David F.; Peugh, James; Maher, Michelle A.; Roksa, Josipa; Tofel-Grehl, Colby

2017-01-01

Equitable gender representation is an important aspect of scientific workforce development to secure a sufficient number of individuals and a diversity of perspectives. Biology is the most gender equitable of all scientific fields by the marker of degree attainment, with 52.5% of PhDs awarded to women. However, equitable rates of degree completion do not translate into equitable attainment of faculty or postdoctoral positions, suggesting continued existence of gender inequalities. In a national cohort of 336 first-year PhD students in the biological sciences (i.e., microbiology, cellular biology, molecular biology, developmental biology, and genetics) from 53 research institutions, female participants logged significantly more research hours than males and were significantly more likely than males to attribute their work hours to the demands of their assigned projects over the course of the academic year. Despite this, males were 15% more likely to be listed as authors on published journal articles, indicating inequality in the ratio of time to credit. Given the cumulative advantage that accrues for students who publish early in their graduate careers and the central role that scholarly productivity plays in academic hiring decisions, these findings collectively point to a major potential source of persisting underrepresentation of women on university faculties in these fields. PMID:28130271

Horizon scanning for invasive alien species with the potential to threaten biodiversity in Great Britain

PubMed Central

Roy, Helen E; Peyton, Jodey; Aldridge, David C; Bantock, Tristan; Blackburn, Tim M; Britton, Robert; Clark, Paul; Cook, Elizabeth; Dehnen-Schmutz, Katharina; Dines, Trevor; Dobson, Michael; Edwards, François; Harrower, Colin; Harvey, Martin C; Minchin, Dan; Noble, David G; Parrott, Dave; Pocock, Michael J O; Preston, Chris D; Roy, Sugoto; Salisbury, Andrew; Schönrogge, Karsten; Sewell, Jack; Shaw, Richard H; Stebbing, Paul; Stewart, Alan J A; Walker, Kevin J

2014-01-01

Invasive alien species (IAS) are considered one of the greatest threats to biodiversity, particularly through their interactions with other drivers of change. Horizon scanning, the systematic examination of future potential threats and opportunities, leading to prioritization of IAS threats is seen as an essential component of IAS management. Our aim was to consider IAS that were likely to impact on native biodiversity but were not yet established in the wild in Great Britain. To achieve this, we developed an approach which coupled consensus methods (which have previously been used for collaboratively identifying priorities in other contexts) with rapid risk assessment. The process involved two distinct phases: Preliminary consultation with experts within five groups (plants, terrestrial invertebrates, freshwater invertebrates, vertebrates and marine species) to derive ranked lists of potential IAS.Consensus-building across expert groups to compile and rank the entire list of potential IAS. Five hundred and ninety-one species not native to Great Britain were considered. Ninety-three of these species were agreed to constitute at least a medium risk (based on score and consensus) with respect to them arriving, establishing and posing a threat to native biodiversity. The quagga mussel, Dreissena rostriformis bugensis, received maximum scores for risk of arrival, establishment and impact; following discussions the unanimous consensus was to rank it in the top position. A further 29 species were considered to constitute a high risk and were grouped according to their ranked risk. The remaining 63 species were considered as medium risk, and included in an unranked long list. The information collated through this novel extension of the consensus method for horizon scanning provides evidence for underpinning and prioritizing management both for the species and, perhaps more importantly, their pathways of arrival. Although our study focused on Great Britain, we suggest that the methods adopted are applicable globally. PMID:24839235

Understanding the Impact of Accountability on Preservice Teachers' Decisions about Where to Teach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ng, Jennifer C.

2006-01-01

Research has shown that individuals who become teachers are uniquely oriented to the psychic rewards of teaching such as connecting with students and making a difference. Yet, in the era of "No Child Left Behind", emphasis upon test scores as indicators of student learning, competition within and between school districts, and threats of…

Taking the Missing Propensity into Account When Estimating Competence Scores: Evaluation of Item Response Theory Models for Nonignorable Omissions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Köhler, Carmen; Pohl, Steffi; Carstensen, Claus H.

2015-01-01

When competence tests are administered, subjects frequently omit items. These missing responses pose a threat to correctly estimating the proficiency level. Newer model-based approaches aim to take nonignorable missing data processes into account by incorporating a latent missing propensity into the measurement model. Two assumptions are typically…

Accountability with Voucher Threats, Responses, and the Test-Taking Population: Regression Discontinuity Evidence from Florida

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chakrabarti, Rajashri

2013-01-01

Florida's 1999 A-plus program was a consequential accountability program that embedded vouchers in an accountability regime. Under Florida rules, scores of students in several special education (ESE) and limited English proficient (LEP) categories were not included in the computation of school grades. One might expect these rules to induce F…

Understanding the Gender Gap in Mathematics Achievement: The Role of Self-Efficacy and Stereotype Threat

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schwery, Denise; Hulac, David; Schweinle, Amy

2016-01-01

This literature review provides school psychologists with an understanding of the important issues related to the gender gap in mathematics achievement. The extant literature suggests that girls tend to receive lower scores than boys on standardized math tests, but in general these differences tend to be small. However, girls have better classroom…

Adverse or acceptable: negotiating access to a post-apartheid health care contract.

PubMed

Harris, Bronwyn; Eyles, John; Penn-Kekana, Loveday; Thomas, Liz; Goudge, Jane

2014-05-15

As in many fragile and post-conflict countries, South Africa's social contract has formally changed from authoritarianism to democracy, yet access to services, including health care, remains inequitable and contested. We examine access barriers to quality health services and draw on social contract theory to explore ways in which a post-apartheid health care contract is narrated, practiced and negotiated by patients and providers. We consider implications for conceptualizing and promoting more inclusive, equitable health services in a post-conflict setting. Using in-depth interviews with 45 patients and 67 providers, and field observations from twelve health facilities in one rural and two urban sub-districts, we explore access narratives of those seeking and delivering - negotiating - maternal health, tuberculosis and antiretroviral services in South Africa. Although South Africa's right to access to health care is constitutionally guaranteed, in practice, a post-apartheid health care contract is not automatically or unconditionally inclusive. Access barriers, including poverty, an under-resourced, hierarchical health system, the nature of illness and treatment, and negative attitudes and actions, create conditions for insecure or adverse incorporation into this contract, or even exclusion (sometimes temporary) from health care services. Such barriers are exacerbated by differences in the expectations that patients and providers have of each other and the contract, leading to differing, potentially conflicting, identities of inclusion and exclusion: defaulting versus suffering patients, uncaring versus overstretched providers. Conversely, caring, respectful communication, individual acts of kindness, and institutional flexibility and leadership may mitigate key access barriers and limit threats to the contract, fostering more positive forms of inclusion and facilitating easier access to health care. Building health in fragile and post-conflict societies requires the negotiation of a new social contract. Surfacing and engaging with differences in patient and provider expectations of this contract may contribute to more acceptable, accessible health care services. Additionally, the health system is well positioned to highlight and connect the political economy, institutions and social relationships that create and sustain identities of exclusion and inclusion - (re)politicise suffering - and co-ordinate and lead intersectoral action for overcoming affordability and availability barriers to inclusive and equitable health care services.

How Should Organizations Promote Equitable Distribution of Benefits from Technological Innovation in Health Care?

PubMed

Nambisan, Satish; Nambisan, Priya

2017-11-01

Technological innovations typically benefit those who have good access to and an understanding of the underlying technologies. As such, technology-centered health care innovations are likely to preferentially benefit users of privileged socioeconomic backgrounds. Which policies and strategies should health care organizations adopt to promote equitable distribution of the benefits from technological innovations? In this essay, we draw on two important concepts-co-creation (the joint creation of value by multiple parties such as a company and its customers) and digitalization (the application of new digital technologies and the ensuing changes in sociotechnical structures and relationships)-and propose a set of policies and strategies that health care organizations could adopt to ensure that benefits from technological innovations are more equitably distributed among all target populations, including resource-poor communities and individuals. © 2017 American Medical Association. All Rights Reserved.

Spectral partitioning in equitable graphs.

PubMed

Barucca, Paolo

2017-06-01

Graph partitioning problems emerge in a wide variety of complex systems, ranging from biology to finance, but can be rigorously analyzed and solved only for a few graph ensembles. Here, an ensemble of equitable graphs, i.e., random graphs with a block-regular structure, is studied, for which analytical results can be obtained. In particular, the spectral density of this ensemble is computed exactly for a modular and bipartite structure. Kesten-McKay's law for random regular graphs is found analytically to apply also for modular and bipartite structures when blocks are homogeneous. An exact solution to graph partitioning for two equal-sized communities is proposed and verified numerically, and a conjecture on the absence of an efficient recovery detectability transition in equitable graphs is suggested. A final discussion summarizes results and outlines their relevance for the solution of graph partitioning problems in other graph ensembles, in particular for the study of detectability thresholds and resolution limits in stochastic block models.

Spectral partitioning in equitable graphs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barucca, Paolo

2017-06-01

Graph partitioning problems emerge in a wide variety of complex systems, ranging from biology to finance, but can be rigorously analyzed and solved only for a few graph ensembles. Here, an ensemble of equitable graphs, i.e., random graphs with a block-regular structure, is studied, for which analytical results can be obtained. In particular, the spectral density of this ensemble is computed exactly for a modular and bipartite structure. Kesten-McKay's law for random regular graphs is found analytically to apply also for modular and bipartite structures when blocks are homogeneous. An exact solution to graph partitioning for two equal-sized communities is proposed and verified numerically, and a conjecture on the absence of an efficient recovery detectability transition in equitable graphs is suggested. A final discussion summarizes results and outlines their relevance for the solution of graph partitioning problems in other graph ensembles, in particular for the study of detectability thresholds and resolution limits in stochastic block models.

Cyber crime: can a standard risk analysis help in the challenges facing business continuity managers?

PubMed

Vande Putte, Danny; Verhelst, Marc

Risk management has never been easy. Finding efficient mitigating measures is not always straightforward. Finding measures for cyber crime, however, is a really huge challenge because cyber threats are changing all the time. As the sophistication of these threats is growing, their impact increases. Moreover, society and its economy have become increasingly dependent on information and communication technologies. Standard risk analysis methodologies will help to score the cyber risk and to place it in the risk tolerance matrix. This will allow business continuity managers to figure out if there is still a gap with the maximum tolerable outage for time-critical business processes and if extra business continuity measures are necessary to fill the gap.

Attention training to pleasant stimuli in anxiety.

PubMed

Sass, Sarah M; Evans, Travis C; Xiong, Kue; Mirghassemi, Felicia; Tran, Huy

2017-01-01

Attentional bias for threatening stimuli in anxiety is a common finding in the literature. The present study addressed whether attention training toward pleasant stimuli can reduce anxiety symptoms and induce a processing bias in favor of pleasant information in nonpatients who were selected to score similarly to individuals with generalized anxiety or panic disorder on a measure of worry or physiological arousal, respectively. Participants were randomly assigned to attention training to pleasant (ATP) stimuli or to a placebo control (PC) condition. All participants completed baseline and post-test dot-probe measures of attentional bias while event-related brain potentials were recorded. As expected, worry symptoms decreased in the ATP and not PC condition. ATP was also associated with early evidence (P100 amplitude) of greater attentional prioritization of probes replacing neutral stimuli within threat-neutral word pairs from pre-to-post intervention and later RT evidence of facilitated processing of probes replacing pleasant stimuli within pleasant-threat word pairs at post compared to PC. PC was associated with later evidence (P300 latency) of less efficient evaluation of probes following pleasant stimuli within pleasant-threat word pairs from pre-to-post and later RT evidence of facilitated processing of probes following threat stimuli within pleasant-threat word pairs at post compared to ATP. Results highlight early and later mechanisms of attention processing changes and underscore the potential of pleasant stimuli in optimizing attention-training interventions for anxiety. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Does Stereotype Threat Affect Post-Course Scores on the Astronomy Diagnostic Test?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Deming, G. L.; Hufnagel, B.; Landato, J. M.; Hodari, A. K.

2003-12-01

During the 1990s, Claude Steele and others demonstrated that women mathematics students under-performed while men over-performed on selected GRE questions when told that the exam could differentiate by gender. Stereotype threat is triggered for these women when they fear someone else may negatively stereotype them, and therefore, their performance is affected. In a limited study involving 229 students, we investigated the effect of stereotype threat on performance on the Astronomy Diagnostic Test (ADT). The ADT was administered as a pre-test in four introductory astronomy classes intended for non-science majors. The same professors taught pairs of classes at the University of Maryland, a large research institution, and W. R. Harper College, a small liberal arts school. The classes were treated the same until the final day before the post-course ADT was given. One "threatened" class at each campus was told that gender mattered so they should be sure to include it on the ADT. The "control" classes were told that gender does not matter. The results show no stereotype threat effect on the women in these introductory classes. The university men did slightly over-perform at low statistical significance. As Steele suggested, students must identify with a subject in order to strongly invoke a stereotype threat. This research was supported in part by the National Science Foundation through grants REC-0089239 to GLD, DGE-97014489 to BH, and DGE-9714452 for AKH.

Associations between Parental Ideology and Neural Sensitivity to Cognitive Conflict in Children

PubMed Central

Dennis, Tracy A.; Amodio, David; O’Toole, Laura J.

2014-01-01

Processes through which parental ideology is transmitted to children—especially at a young age prior to the formation of political beliefs—remain poorly understood. Given recent evidence that political ideology is associated with neural responses to cognitive conflict in adults, we tested the exploratory hypothesis that children’s neurocognitive responses to conflict may also differ depending on their parents’ ideology. We assessed relations between parental political ideology and children’s neurocognitive responses to conflict, as measured by the N2 component of the event-related potential. Children aged 5–7 completed an age-appropriate flanker task while EEG was recorded, and the N2 was scored to incongruent versus congruent flankers to index conflict processing. Because previous research documents heightened liberal-conservative differences in threat-relevant contexts, each trial of the task was preceded by an angry face (threat-relevant) or comparison face (happy or neutral). An effect of parental ideology on the conflict-related N2 emerged in the threat condition, such that the N2 was larger among children of liberals compared with children of moderates and conservatives. These findings suggest that individual differences in neurocognitive responses to conflict, heightened in the context of threat, may reflect a more general pattern of individual differences that, in adults, relates to political ideology. PMID:25319060

Associations between parental ideology and neural sensitivity to cognitive conflict in children.

PubMed

Dennis, Tracy A; Amodio, David M; O'Toole, Laura J

2015-04-01

Processes through which parental ideology is transmitted to children-especially at a young age prior to the formation of political beliefs-remain poorly understood. Given recent evidence that political ideology is associated with neural responses to cognitive conflict in adults, we tested the exploratory hypothesis that children's neurocognitive responses to conflict may also differ depending on their parents' ideology. We assessed relations between parental political ideology and children's neurocognitive responses to conflict, as measured by the N2 component of the event-related potential. Children aged 5-7 completed an age-appropriate flanker task while electroencephalography was recorded, and the N2 was scored to incongruent versus congruent flankers to index conflict processing. Because previous research documents heightened liberal-conservative differences in threat-relevant contexts, each trial of the task was preceded by an angry face (threat-relevant) or comparison face (happy or neutral). An effect of parental ideology on the conflict-related N2 emerged in the threat condition, such that the N2 was larger among children of liberals compared with children of moderates and conservatives. These findings suggest that individual differences in neurocognitive responses to conflict, heightened in the context of threat, may reflect a more general pattern of individual differences that, in adults, relates to political ideology.

XRIndex: a brief screening tool for individual differences in security threat detection in x-ray images

PubMed Central

Rusconi, Elena; Ferri, Francesca; Viding, Essi; Mitchener-Nissen, Timothy

2015-01-01

X-ray imaging is a cost-effective technique at security checkpoints that typically require the presence of human operators. We have previously shown that self-reported attention to detail can predict threat detection performance with small-vehicle x-ray images (Rusconi et al., 2012). Here, we provide evidence for the generality of such a link by having a large sample of naïve participants screen more typical dual-energy x-ray images of hand luggage. The results show that the Attention to Detail score from the autism-spectrum quotient (AQ) questionnaire (Baron-Cohen et al., 2001) is a linear predictor of threat detection accuracy. We then develop and fine-tune a novel self-report scale for security screening: the XRIndex, which improves on the Attention to Detail scale for predictive power and opacity to interpretation. The XRIndex is not redundant with any of the Big Five personality traits. We validate the XRIndex against security x-ray images with an independent sample of untrained participants and suggest that the XRIndex may be a useful aid for the identification of suitable candidates for professional security training with a focus on x-ray threat detection. Further studies are needed to determine whether this can also apply to trained professionals. PMID:26321935

The Impact of an Online Tool for Monitoring and Regulating Learning at University: Overconfidence, Learning Strategy, and Personality

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

de Bruin, Anique B. H.; Kok, Ellen M.; Lobbestael, Jill; de Grip, Andries

2017-01-01

Being overconfident when estimating scores for an upcoming exam is a widespread phenomenon in higher education and presents threats to self-regulated learning and academic performance. The present study sought to investigate how overconfidence and poor monitoring accuracy vary over the length of a college course, and how an intervention consisting…

The Impact of Multidirectional Item Parameter Drift on IRT Scaling Coefficients and Proficiency Estimates

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Han, Kyung T.; Wells, Craig S.; Sireci, Stephen G.

2012-01-01

Item parameter drift (IPD) occurs when item parameter values change from their original value over time. IPD may pose a serious threat to the fairness and validity of test score interpretations, especially when the goal of the assessment is to measure growth or improvement. In this study, we examined the effect of multidirectional IPD (i.e., some…

A Framework for Policies and Practices to Improve Test Security Programs: Prevention, Detection, Investigation, and Resolution (PDIR)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ferrara, Steve

2017-01-01

Test security is not an end in itself; it is important because we want to be able to make valid interpretations from test scores. In this article, I propose a framework for comprehensive test security systems: prevention, detection, investigation, and resolution. The article discusses threats to test security, roles and responsibilities, rigorous…

Why Has High-Stakes Testing So Easily Slipped into Contemporary American Life?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nichols, Sharon L.; Berliner, David C.

2008-01-01

High-stakes testing is the practice of attaching important consequences to standardized test scores, and it is the engine that drives the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act. The rationale for high-stakes testing is that the promise of rewards and the threat of punishments will cause teachers to work more effectively, students to be more motivated,…

Neural representation of anxiety and personality during exposure to anxiety-provoking and neutral scenes from scary movies.

PubMed

Straube, Thomas; Preissler, Sandra; Lipka, Judith; Hewig, Johannes; Mentzel, Hans-Joachim; Miltner, Wolfgang H R

2010-01-01

Some people search for intense sensations such as being scared by frightening movies while others do not. The brain mechanisms underlying such inter-individual differences are not clear. Testing theoretical models, we investigated neural correlates of anxiety and the personality trait sensation seeking in 40 subjects who watched threatening and neutral scenes from scary movies during functional magnetic resonance imaging. Threat versus neutral scenes induced increased activation in anterior cingulate cortex, insula, thalamus, and visual areas. Movie-induced anxiety correlated positively with activation in dorsomedial prefrontal cortex, indicating a role for this area in the subjective experience of being scared. Sensation seeking-scores correlated positively with brain activation to threat versus neutral scenes in visual areas and in thalamus and anterior insula, i.e. regions involved in the induction and representation of arousal states. For the insula and thalamus, these outcomes were partly due to an inverse relation between sensation seeking scores and brain activation during neutral film clips. These results support models predicting cerebral hypoactivation in high sensation seekers during neutral stimulation, which may be compensated by more intense sensations such as watching scary movies. 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Crash costs by body part injured, fracture involvement, and threat-to-life severity. United States, 2000.

PubMed

Zaloshnja, Eduard; Miller, Ted; Romano, Eduardo; Spicer, Rebecca

2004-05-01

This paper presents costs per US motor vehicle crash victim differentiated into many more diagnostic categories than prior estimates. These unit costs, which include the first keyed to the 1990 edition of Abbreviated Injury Scale (AIS) threat-to-life severity scores, are reported by body part, whether a fracture/dislocation was involved, and the maximum AIS score among the victim's injuries. This level of detail allows for a more accurate estimation of the social costs of motor vehicle crashes. It also allows for reliable analyses of interventions targeting narrow ranges of injuries. The paper updates the medical care data underlying the US crash costs from 1979 to 1986 to the mid 1990s and improves on prior productivity cost estimates. In addition to presenting the latest generation of crash victim costs, this paper analyzes the effects of applying injury costs classified by AIS code from the 1985 edition to injury incidence data coded with the 1990 edition of AIS. This long-standing practice results in inaccurate cost-benefit analyses that typically overestimate benefits. This problem is more acute when old published costs adjusted for inflation are used rather than the recent costs.

Effects of a psychosocial intervention on breast self-examination attitudes and behaviors.

PubMed

Fry, Rachel B; Prentice-Dunn, Steven

2006-04-01

An educational intervention to promote breast self-examinations (BSEs) among young women was tested. In a group (intervention versus control) x time (Session 1 versus Session 2) mixed design, 172 college females were randomly assigned to either an intervention or control condition. Both groups attended two sessions; the second session was 48 hours after the first. The intervention consisted of an essay, lecture, video portraying young survivors of breast cancer, group discussions, self-test and instructions on performing BSEs. The control group had the same format; however, the information was focused on nutrition and exercise. Participants in the intervention group scored higher on rational problem solving and behavioral intentions, suggesting that the intervention increased adaptive responses to breast cancer threat. Conversely, control participants scored significantly higher on maladaptive reactions (e.g. hopelessness, avoidance and fatalistic religiosity) to breast cancer threat. For intervention participants, the initial decline in maladaptive reactions remained stable at 3-month follow-up, but adaptive reactions decreased. Intervention participants had greater confidence in performing BSEs compared with controls but performed them on an irregular basis. Results were interpreted in terms of protection motivation theory, a model that applies the social psychology of persuasion to preventive health.

Species richness, equitability, and abundance of ants in disturbed landscapes

USGS Publications Warehouse

Graham, J.H.; Krzysik, A.J.; Kovacic, D.A.; Duda, J.J.; Freeman, D.C.; Emlen, J.M.; Zak, J.C.; Long, W.R.; Wallace, M.P.; Chamberlin-Graham, C.; Nutter, J.P.; Balbach, H.E.

2009-01-01

Ants are used as indicators of environmental change in disturbed landscapes, often without adequate understanding of their response to disturbance. Ant communities in the southeastern United States displayed a hump-backed species richness curve against an index of landscape disturbance. Forty sites at Fort Benning, in west-central Georgia, covered a spectrum of habitat disturbance (military training and fire) in upland forest. Sites disturbed by military training had fewer trees, less canopy cover, more bare ground, and warmer, more compact soils with shallower A-horizons. We sampled ground-dwelling ants with pitfall traps, and measured 15 habitat variables related to vegetation and soil. Ant species richness was greatest with a relative disturbance of 43%, but equitability was greatest with no disturbance. Ant abundance was greatest with a relative disturbance of 85%. High species richness at intermediate disturbance was associated with greater within-site spatial heterogeneity. Species richness was also associated with intermediate values of the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), a correlate of net primary productivity (NPP). Available NPP (the product of NDVI and the fraction of days that soil temperature exceeded 25 ??C), however, was positively correlated with species richness, though not with ant abundance. Species richness was unrelated to soil texture, total ground cover, and fire frequency. Ant species richness and equitability are potential state indicators of the soil arthropod community. Moreover, equitability can be used to monitor ecosystem change. ?? 2008 Elsevier Ltd.

Comparing Quality of Public Primary Care between Hong Kong and Shanghai Using Validated Patient Assessment Tools

PubMed Central

Wei, Xiaolin; Li, Haitao; Yang, Nan; Wong, Samuel Y. S.; Owolabi, Onikepe; Xu, Jianguang; Shi, Leiyu; Tang, Jinling; Li, Donald; Griffiths, Sian M.

2015-01-01

Objectives Primary care is the key element of health reform in China. The objective of this study was to compare patient assessed quality of public primary care between Hong Kong, a city with established primary care environment influenced by its colonial history, and Shanghai, a city leading primary care reform in Mainland China; and to measure the equity of care in the two cities. Methods Cross sectional stratified random sampling surveys were conducted in 2011. Data were collected from 1,994 respondents in Hong Kong and 811 respondents in Shanghai. A validated Chinese version of the primary care assessment tool was employed to assess perceived quality of primary care with respect to socioeconomic characteristics and health status. Results We analyzed 391 and 725 respondents in Hong Kong and Shanghai, respectively, who were regular public primary care users. Respondents in Hong Kong reported significant lower scores in first contact accessibility (1.59 vs. 2.15), continuity of care (2.33 vs. 3.10), coordination of information (2.84 vs. 3.64), comprehensiveness service availability (2.43 vs. 3.31), comprehensiveness service provided (2.11 vs. 2.40), and the total score (23.40 vs. 27.40), but higher scores in first contact utilization (3.15 vs. 2.54) and coordination of services (2.67 vs. 2.40) when compared with those in Shanghai. Respondents with higher income reported a significantly higher total primary care score in Hong Kong, but not in Shanghai. Conclusions Respondents in Shanghai reported better quality of public primary care than those in Hong Kong, while quality of public primary care tended to be more equitable in Shanghai. PMID:25826616

Development of a measure of health care affordability applicable in a publicly funded universal health care system.

PubMed

Haggerty, Jeannie L; Levesque, Jean-Frédéric

2015-02-04

Direct measures of health care affordability from the user perspective are needed to monitor equitable access to publicly funded health care in Canada. The objective of our study was to develop a survey-based measure of healthcare affordability applicable to the Canadian context. We developed items after focus group exploration of access and cost barriers in the healthcare trajectory. We administered an initial instrument by telephone to a randomly-selected sample of 750 respondents in metropolitan, rural, and remote settings in Quebec. After analysis we developed a new, self-administered version eliciting the frequency of problem access due to five affordability dimensions. This version was mailed to a subset of participants. We conducted exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis. We used ordinal logistic regression modelling to examine how individual items and the subscale score predicted indicators of difficult access. We looked for effect modification by income categories. The five items load on a single construct with good internal consistency (α = 0.77). The overall score, 0 to 5, reflects the sum of problems with healthcare affordability due to direct and indirect costs. The item and subscale scores are sensitive to income status, with affordability problems more prevalent among low-income than high-income respondents. Each unit increase in the subscale score predicts increased likelihood of unmet needs (OR = 1.54), emergency room use (OR = 1.41), and health problem aggravation (OR = 1.80). This subscale reliably and validly measures cost barriers to medically necessary services in Canada, and can potentially be applied in other settings with publicly funded health systems. It can be used to monitor and compare healthcare equity.

Cardiac patients' perceptions of neighboring patients' risk: influence on psychological stress in the ED and subsequent posttraumatic stress.

PubMed

Konrad, Beatrice; Hiti, David; Chang, Bernard P; Retuerto, Jessica; Julian, Jacob; Edmondson, Donald

2017-11-06

As many as 12% of acute coronary syndrome (ACS) patients screen positive for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms due to their cardiac event, and emergency department (ED) factors such as overcrowding have been associated with risk for PTSD. We tested the association of patients' perceptions of their proximity to a critically ill patient during ED evaluation for ACS with development of posttraumatic stress symptoms (PSS) in the month after hospital discharge. Participants were enrolled in the REactions to Acute Care and Hospitalization (REACH) study during evaluation for ACS in an urban ED. Participants reported whether they perceived a patient near them was close to death. They also reported their current fear, concern they may die, perceived control, and feelings of vulnerability on an Emergency Room Perceptions questionnaire. One month later, participants reported on PTSD symptoms specific to the cardiac event and ED hospitalization. Of 763 participants, 12% reported perceiving a nearby patient was likely to die. In a multivariate linear regression model [F(9757) = 19.69, p < .001, R 2 adjusted = .18] with adjustment for age, sex, GRACE cardiac risk score, discharge ACS diagnosis, Charlson comorbidity index, objective ED crowding, and depression symptoms at baseline, perception of a nearby patients' likely death was associated with a 2.33 point (95% CI, 0.60-4.61) increase in 1 month PTSD score. A post hoc mediation analysis with personal threat perceptions [F(10,756) = 25.28, p < .001, R 2 adjusted = .24] showed increased personal threat perceptions during the ED visit, B = 0.71 points on the PCL per point on the personal threat perception questionnaire, β = 0.27, p = .001, fully mediated association of participants' perceptions of nearby patients' likely death with 1-month PTSD score (after adjustment for ED threat perceptions,) B = 0.89 (95% CI, -1.33 to 3.12), β = 0.03, p = .43, accounting for 62% of the adjusted effect and causing the main effect to become statistically nonsignificant. We found patients who perceived a nearby patient was likely to die had significantly greater PTSD symptoms at 1 month. Awareness of this association may be helpful for designing ED patient management procedures to identify and treat patients with an eye to post-ACS psychological care.

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

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

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

How fair is an equitable distribution?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ramírez Barrios, Elena; Díaz Ochoa, Juan G.; Schneider, Johannes J.

2007-01-01

Envy is a rather complex and irrational emotion. In general, it is very difficult to obtain a measure of this feeling, but in an economical context envy becomes an observable which can be measured. When various individuals compare their possessions, envy arises due to the inequality of their different allocations of commodities and different preferences. In this paper, we show that an equitable distribution of goods does not guarantee a state of fairness between agents and in general that envy cannot be controlled by tuning the distribution of goods.

Interpretation bias and anxiety in childhood: stability, specificity and longitudinal associations.

PubMed

Creswell, Cathy; O'Connor, Thomas G

2011-03-01

Biases in the interpretation of ambiguous material are central to cognitive models of anxiety; however, understanding of the association between interpretation and anxiety in childhood is limited. To address this, a prospective investigation of the stability and specificity of anxious cognitions and anxiety and the relationship between these factors was conducted. Sixty-five children (10-11 years) from a community sample completed measures of self-reported anxiety, depression, and conduct problems, and responded to ambiguous stories at three time points over one-year. Individual differences in biases in interpretation of ambiguity (specifically "anticipated distress" and "threat interpretation") were stable over time. Furthermore, anticipated distress and threat interpretation were specifically associated with anxiety symptoms. Distress anticipation predicted change in anxiety symptoms over time. In contrast, anxiety scores predicted change in threat interpretation over time. The results suggest that different cognitive constructs may show different longitudinal links with anxiety. These preliminary findings extend research and theory on anxious cognitions and their link with anxiety in children, and suggest that these cognitive processes may be valuable targets for assessment and intervention.

Stereotype threat and group differences in test performance: a question of measurement invariance.

PubMed

Wicherts, Jelte M; Dolan, Conor V; Hessen, David J

2005-11-01

Studies into the effects of stereotype threat (ST) on test performance have shed new light on race and sex differences in achievement and intelligence test scores. In this article, the authors relate ST theory to the psychometric concept of measurement invariance and show that ST effects may be viewed as a source of measurement bias. As such, ST effects are detectable by means of multi-group confirmatory factor analysis. This enables research into the generalizability of ST effects to real-life or high-stakes testing. The modeling approach is described in detail and applied to 3 experiments in which the amount of ST for minorities and women was manipulated. Results indicate that ST results in measurement bias of intelligence and mathematics tests. ((c) 2005 APA, all rights reserved).

Beyond the EDGE with EDAM: Prioritising British Plant Species According to Evolutionary Distinctiveness, and Accuracy and Magnitude of Decline

PubMed Central

Pearse, William D.; Chase, Mark W.; Crawley, Michael J.; Dolphin, Konrad; Fay, Michael F.; Joseph, Jeffrey A.; Powney, Gary; Preston, Chris D.; Rapacciuolo, Giovanni; Roy, David B.; Purvis, Andy

2015-01-01

Conservation biologists have only finite resources, and so must prioritise some species over others. The EDGE-listing approach ranks species according to their combined evolutionary distinctiveness and degree of threat, but ignores the uncertainty surrounding both threat and evolutionary distinctiveness. We develop a new family of measures for species, which we name EDAM, that incorporates evolutionary distinctiveness, the magnitude of decline, and the accuracy with which decline can be predicted. Further, we show how the method can be extended to explore phyogenetic uncertainty. Using the vascular plants of Britain as a case study, we find that the various EDAM measures emphasise different species and parts of Britain, and that phylogenetic uncertainty can strongly affect the prioritisation scores of some species. PMID:26018568

Introducing gender equity to adolescent school children: A mixed methods' study.

PubMed

Syed, Saba

2017-01-01

Over the past decade, gender equality and women's empowerment have been explicitly recognized as key not only to the health of nations but also to social and economic development. The aim of the present study was to assess the effectiveness of a mixed methods' participatory group education approach to introduce gender equity to adolescent school children. It also assessed baseline and postintervention knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding gender equity, sexual and reproductive health among adolescent students in government-aided schools, and finally, compare the pre- and post-intervention gender equitable (GE) attitudes among the study participants. A government-aided school was selected by nonprobalistic intentional sampling. On 5 predesignated days, willing students were included in the intervention which included a pretest, a group of educational-based participatory mixed methods' intervention followed by a posttest assessment. A total of 186 students participated in the study. Girls had better baseline GE scores as compared to boys and they also improvised more on the baseline scores following the intervention. The present mixed method approach to introduce gender equity to adolescent school children through a group education-based interventional approach proved to be effective in initiating dialog and sensitizing adolescents on gender equity and violence within a school setting.

Monthly and seasonally verification of precipitation in Poland

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Starosta, K.; Linkowska, J.

2009-04-01

The national meteorological service of Poland - the Institute of Meteorology and Water Management (IMWM) joined COSMO - The Consortium for Small Scale Modelling on July 2004. In Poland, the COSMO _PL model version 3.5 had run till June 2007. Since July 2007, the model version 4.0 has been running. The model runs in an operational mode at 14-km grid spacing, twice a day (00 UTC, 12 UTC). For scientific research also model with 7-km grid spacing is ran. Monthly and seasonally verification for the 24-hours (06 UTC - 06 UTC) accumulated precipitation is presented in this paper. The precipitation field of COSMO_LM had been verified against rain gauges network (308 points). The verification had been made for every month and all seasons from December 2007 to December 2008. The verification was made for three forecast days for selected thresholds: 0.5, 1, 2.5, 5, 10, 20, 25, 30 mm. Following indices from contingency table were calculated: FBI (bias), POD (probability of detection), PON (probability of detection of non event), FAR (False alarm rate), TSS (True sill statistic), HSS (Heidke skill score), ETS (Equitable skill score). Also percentile ranks and ROC-relative operating characteristic are presented. The ROC is a graph of the hit rate (Y-axis) against false alarm rate (X-axis) for different decision thresholds

Monthly and seasonally verification of precipitation in Poland

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Starosta, K.; Linkowska, J.

2009-04-01

The national meteorological service of Poland - the Institute of Meteorology and Water Management (IMWM) joined COSMO - The Consortium for Small Scale Modelling on July 2004. In Poland, the COSMO _PL model version 3.5 had run till June 2007. Since July 2007, the model version 4.0 has been running. The model runs in an operational mode at 14-km grid spacing, twice a day (00 UTC, 12 UTC). For scientific research also model with 7-km grid spacing is ran. Monthly and seasonally verification for the 24-hours (06 UTC - 06 UTC) accumulated precipitation is presented in this paper. The precipitation field of COSMO_LM had been verified against rain gauges network (308 points). The verification had been made for every month and all seasons from December 2007 to December 2008. The verification was made for three forecast days for selected thresholds: 0.5, 1, 2.5, 5, 10, 20, 25, 30 mm. Following indices from contingency table were calculated: FBI (bias), POD (probability of detection), PON (probability of detection of non event), FAR (False alarm rate), TSS (True sill statistic), HSS (Heidke skill score), ETS (Equitable skill score). Also percentile ranks and ROC-relative operating characteristic are presented. The ROC is a graph of the hit rate (Y-axis) against false alarm rate (X-axis) for different decision thresholds.

Infection Control Measures in Private Dental Clinics in Lebanon

PubMed Central

Sfeir, Charles

2017-01-01

Purpose Evaluate infection control knowledge, attitude, and practice in Lebanese private dental clinics. Materials and Methods A survey including 46 questions related to routine safety procedures was sent to 1150 Lebanese dentists between July 1st and 2nd, 2015. The study sample was selected from the database of registered dentists based on a proportional random sampling ensuring equitable representation of the 5 geographic regions of Lebanon. A subset of 29 questions was used to generate an overall score of compliance (excellent, good, fair, and poor). Comparisons according to gender, type, region, and years of practice were performed. Results 417 dentists returned the completed questionnaires. 96% expressed concern about infection transmission, 90.6% were vaccinated against Hepatitis B, and 61.8% asked routinely about patients medical history. Only 43% used protective eyewear. Although most dentists (65%) used autoclaves, dry heat was still used. Significant correlations were found between gender and use of personal protective equipment. Less compliance was shown by clinicians with fewer years of experience. In the overall compliance questionnaire, the mean percentage of correct answers was roughly 54% with <5% of the practitioners scoring “excellent.” Conclusions. The study found inadequacy of compliance in private Lebanese dental clinics necessitating improved educational training and sustained monitoring by regulatory bodies. PMID:28642792

A Study on the English Language Teaching and Learning Problems with Reference to the Tribal Learners of Attapady

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Varghese, Ashitha; Nagaraj, P.

2012-01-01

The low literacy rate of Scheduled Tribes is a serious threat to Indian education. It is significant even to Kerala, the state with highest literacy rate. The intensity of the problem is reflected by the SSLC (Secondary School Leaving Certificate) examination results of March 2010 where the Palakkad district has scored the less pass percentage of…

Public university entry in Ghana: Is it equitable?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yusif, Hadrat; Yussof, Ishak; Osman, Zulkifly

2013-06-01

Public universities in Ghana are highly subsidised by the central government and account for about 80 per cent of university students in the country. Yet issues of fairness in terms of entry into the public university system have so far hardly been addressed. To find out whether participation in public university education is equitable, the authors of this paper carried out a binary logistic regression analysis. Individual data were collected from 1,129 (614 male and 515 female) final year senior high school (SHS) students for the 2009 cohort. The authors measured student, father and mother characteristics likely to influence admission to a public university. The results show that the major predictors of public university entry are students' academic ability, quality of SHS attended and number of siblings. This seems to suggest that there is a significant bias in the selection of students from different socio-economic groups for admission to highly subsidised public universities. The implication is that public financing of university education in Ghana may not be equitable.

Habitat characteristic of macrozoobenthos in Naborsahan River of Toba Lake, North Sumatra, Indonesia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Basyuni, M.; Lubis, M. S.; Suryanti, A.

2018-02-01

This research described the relative abundance, dominance index, and index of macrozoobenthos equitability in Naborsahan River of Toba Lake, North Sumatra, Indonesia. The purposive random sampling at three stations was used to characterize the biological, chemical, and physical parameters of macrozoobenthos. The highest relative abundance of macrozoobenthos found at station 2 (99.96%). By contrast, the highest dominance index was at station 3 (0.31), and the maximum equitability index found at station 1 (0.94). The present results showed diversity parameters among the stations. A principal component analysis (PCA) was used to determine the habitat characteristics of macrozoobenthos. PCA analysis depicted that six parameters studied, brightness, turbidity, depth, temperature, dissolved oxygen (DO) and biochemical oxygen demand (BOD5) play a significant role on the relative abundance, dominance index, and equitability index. PCA analysis suggested that station 3 was suitable habitat characteristic for the life of macro-zoobenthos indicating of the negative axis. The present study demonstrated the six parameters should be conserved to support the survival of macrozoobenthos.

The development of urban community health centres for strengthening primary care in China: a systematic literature review.

PubMed

Wang, Harry H X; Wang, Jia Ji; Wong, Samuel Y S; Wong, Martin C S; Mercer, Stewart W; Griffiths, Sian M

2015-01-01

This review outlines the development of China's primary care system, with implications for improving equitable health care. Government documents, official statistics, and recent literature identified through systematic searches performed on NCBI PubMed. Community health centres (CHCs) are being developed as the major primary care provider in urban China, with laudable achievements. The road towards a strong primary care-led system is promising but challenging. The effectiveness in improving equitable care through the expansion of primary care workforce and redesign of the social medical insurance system warrants further exploration. Healthcare disparities exist in the health system wherein universal health coverage and gatekeepers have not yet been established. Future prospective studies should aim to provide solutions for strengthening the leading role of CHCs in providing equitable care in response to population ageing and multimorbidity challenges. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

The topography of generosity: asymmetric evaluations of prosocial actions.

PubMed

Klein, Nadav; Epley, Nicholas

2014-12-01

Prosociality is considered a virtue. Those who care for others are admired, whereas those who care only for themselves are despised. For one's reputation, it pays to be nice. Does it pay to be even nicer? Four experiments assess reputational inferences across the entire range of prosocial outcomes in zero-sum interactions, from completely selfish to completely selfless actions. We observed consistent nonlinear evaluations: Participants evaluated selfish actions more negatively than equitable actions, but they did not evaluate selfless actions markedly more favorably than equitable actions. This asymptotic pattern reflected monotonic evaluations for increasingly selfish actions and insensitivity to increasingly selfless actions. It pays to be nice but not to be really nice. Additional experiments suggest that this pattern stems partly from failing to make spontaneous comparisons between varying degrees of selflessness. We suggest that these reputational incentives could guide social norms, encouraging equitable actions but discouraging extremely selfless actions. PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2014 APA, all rights reserved.

Equity in Reform: Case Studies of Five Middle Schools Involved in Systemic Reform

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kahle, Jane Butler; Kelly, Mary Kay

Science and mathematics education reform documents of the last decade have called for improved teaching and learning for all children. To overcome inequalities, a systemic approach to reform has been adopted. The case studies synthesized in this analysis arc part of a larger effort to reform science and mathematics education systemically and assess the progress of systemic reform. The purpose of this study was to assess the progress toward achieving equitable systemic reform in five middle schools. A multiple-case study design was used, and qualitative data were collected. Kahle's Equity Metric was used to analyze the schools' progress toward achieving equitable systemic reform of mathematics and science. Two results occurred: Various equity issues were identified in the five case studies, and the metric proved efficacious in identifying barriers to or facilitators of equitable reform in the schools. Overall, the study illustrates how schools might assess their commitments to providing high-quality science and mathematics education to all students.

Equitable science education in urban middle schools: Do reform efforts make a difference?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hewson, Peter W.; Butler Kahle, Jane; Scantlebury, Kathryn; Davies, Darleen

2001-12-01

A central commitment of current reforms in science education is that all students, regardless of culture, gender, race, and/ or socioeconomic status, are capable of understanding and doing science. The study Bridging the Gap: Equity in Systemic Reform assessed equity in systemic reform using a nested research design that drew on both qualitative and quantitative methodologies. As part of the study, case studies were conducted in two urban middle schools in large Ohio cities. The purpose of the case studies was to identify factors affecting equity in urban science education reform. Data were analyzed using Kahle's (1998) equity metric. That model allowed us to assess progress toward equity using a range of research-based indicators grouped into three categories critical for equitable education: access to, retention in, and achievement in quality science education. In addition, a fourth category was defined for systemic indicators of equity. Analyses indicated that the culture and climate of the case study schools differentially affected their progress toward equitable reform in science education.

Pollution from Fossil-Fuel Combustion is the Leading Environmental Threat to Global Pediatric Health and Equity: Solutions Exist.

PubMed

Perera, Frederica

2017-12-23

Fossil-fuel combustion by-products are the world's most significant threat to children's health and future and are major contributors to global inequality and environmental injustice. The emissions include a myriad of toxic air pollutants and carbon dioxide (CO₂), which is the most important human-produced climate-altering greenhouse gas. Synergies between air pollution and climate change can magnify the harm to children. Impacts include impairment of cognitive and behavioral development, respiratory illness, and other chronic diseases-all of which may be "seeded" in utero and affect health and functioning immediately and over the life course. By impairing children's health, ability to learn, and potential to contribute to society, pollution and climate change cause children to become less resilient and the communities they live in to become less equitable. The developing fetus and young child are disproportionately affected by these exposures because of their immature defense mechanisms and rapid development, especially those in low- and middle-income countries where poverty and lack of resources compound the effects. No country is spared, however: even high-income countries, especially low-income communities and communities of color within them, are experiencing impacts of fossil fuel-related pollution, climate change and resultant widening inequality and environmental injustice. Global pediatric health is at a tipping point, with catastrophic consequences in the absence of bold action. Fortunately, technologies and interventions are at hand to reduce and prevent pollution and climate change, with large economic benefits documented or predicted. All cultures and communities share a concern for the health and well-being of present and future children: this shared value provides a politically powerful lever for action. The purpose of this commentary is to briefly review the data on the health impacts of fossil-fuel pollution, highlighting the neurodevelopmental impacts, and to briefly describe available means to achieve a low-carbon economy, and some examples of interventions that have benefited health and the economy.

Pollution from Fossil-Fuel Combustion is the Leading Environmental Threat to Global Pediatric Health and Equity: Solutions Exist

PubMed Central

Perera, Frederica

2017-01-01

Fossil-fuel combustion by-products are the world’s most significant threat to children’s health and future and are major contributors to global inequality and environmental injustice. The emissions include a myriad of toxic air pollutants and carbon dioxide (CO2), which is the most important human-produced climate-altering greenhouse gas. Synergies between air pollution and climate change can magnify the harm to children. Impacts include impairment of cognitive and behavioral development, respiratory illness, and other chronic diseases—all of which may be “seeded“ in utero and affect health and functioning immediately and over the life course. By impairing children’s health, ability to learn, and potential to contribute to society, pollution and climate change cause children to become less resilient and the communities they live in to become less equitable. The developing fetus and young child are disproportionately affected by these exposures because of their immature defense mechanisms and rapid development, especially those in low- and middle-income countries where poverty and lack of resources compound the effects. No country is spared, however: even high-income countries, especially low-income communities and communities of color within them, are experiencing impacts of fossil fuel-related pollution, climate change and resultant widening inequality and environmental injustice. Global pediatric health is at a tipping point, with catastrophic consequences in the absence of bold action. Fortunately, technologies and interventions are at hand to reduce and prevent pollution and climate change, with large economic benefits documented or predicted. All cultures and communities share a concern for the health and well-being of present and future children: this shared value provides a politically powerful lever for action. The purpose of this commentary is to briefly review the data on the health impacts of fossil-fuel pollution, highlighting the neurodevelopmental impacts, and to briefly describe available means to achieve a low-carbon economy, and some examples of interventions that have benefited health and the economy. PMID:29295510

Profiling unauthorized natural resource users for better targeting of conservation interventions.

PubMed

Harrison, Mariel; Baker, Julia; Twinamatsiko, Medard; Milner-Gulland, E J

2015-12-01

Unauthorized use of natural resources is a key threat to many protected areas. Approaches to reducing this threat include law enforcement and integrated conservation and development (ICD) projects, but for such ICDs to be targeted effectively, it is important to understand who is illegally using which natural resources and why. The nature of unauthorized behavior makes it difficult to ascertain this information through direct questioning. Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, Uganda, has many ICD projects, including authorizing some local people to use certain nontimber forest resources from the park. However, despite over 25 years of ICD, unauthorized resource use continues. We used household surveys, indirect questioning (unmatched count technique), and focus group discussions to generate profiles of authorized and unauthorized resource users and to explore motivations for unauthorized activity. Overall, unauthorized resource use was most common among people from poor households who lived closest to the park boundary and farthest from roads and trading centers. Other motivations for unauthorized resource use included crop raiding by wild animals, inequity of revenue sharing, and lack of employment, factors that created resentment among the poorest communities. In some communities, benefits obtained from ICD were reported to be the greatest deterrents against unauthorized activity, although law enforcement ranked highest overall. Despite the sensitive nature of exploring unauthorized resource use, management-relevant insights into the profiles and motivations of unauthorized resource users can be gained from a combination of survey techniques, as adopted here. To reduce unauthorized activity at Bwindi, we suggest ICD benefit the poorest people living in remote areas and near the park boundary by providing affordable alternative sources of forest products and addressing crop raiding. To prevent resentment from driving further unauthorized activity, ICDs should be managed transparently and equitably. © 2015 The Authors. Conservation Biology published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of Society for Conservation Biology.

Community structure analysis of rejection sensitive personality profiles: A common neural response to social evaluative threat?

PubMed

Kortink, Elise D; Weeda, Wouter D; Crowley, Michael J; Gunther Moor, Bregtje; van der Molen, Melle J W

2018-06-01

Monitoring social threat is essential for maintaining healthy social relationships, and recent studies suggest a neural alarm system that governs our response to social rejection. Frontal-midline theta (4-8 Hz) oscillatory power might act as a neural correlate of this system by being sensitive to unexpected social rejection. Here, we examined whether frontal-midline theta is modulated by individual differences in personality constructs sensitive to social disconnection. In addition, we examined the sensitivity of feedback-related brain potentials (i.e., the feedback-related negativity and P3) to social feedback. Sixty-five undergraduate female participants (mean age = 19.69 years) participated in the Social Judgment Paradigm, a fictitious peer-evaluation task in which participants provided expectancies about being liked/disliked by peer strangers. Thereafter, they received feedback signaling social acceptance/rejection. A community structure analysis was employed to delineate personality profiles in our data. Results provided evidence of two subgroups: one group scored high on attachment-related anxiety and fear of negative evaluation, whereas the other group scored high on attachment-related avoidance and low on fear of negative evaluation. In both groups, unexpected rejection feedback yielded a significant increase in theta power. The feedback-related negativity was sensitive to unexpected feedback, regardless of valence, and was largest for unexpected rejection feedback. The feedback-related P3 was significantly enhanced in response to expected social acceptance feedback. Together, these findings confirm the sensitivity of frontal midline theta oscillations to the processing of social threat, and suggest that this alleged neural alarm system behaves similarly in individuals that differ in personality constructs relevant to social evaluation.

Vigilance-avoidance and disengagement are differentially associated with fear and avoidant behaviors in social anxiety.

PubMed

Evans, Travis C; Walukevich, Katherine A; Britton, Jennifer C

2016-07-15

Individuals with Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD) often exhibit preferential attention for social threat, demonstrating abnormal orientation to threat (i.e., vigilance-avoidance) and/or difficulty disengaging from threat. However, no research has compared the relationship between attention indices (i.e., vigilance-avoidance, difficulty disengaging from threat) and characteristic features of the disorder such as fear during social situations (social fear) and avoidant behaviors (social avoidance). To address this issue, seventy adults (19.29±1.47 years, 33 females) were separated into low (n=37) or high (n=33) socially anxious groups using clinical cutoff scores on the Social Interaction Anxiety Scale (SIAS). Participants in both groups completed a dot-probe task with congruent, incongruent, and neutral trials to obtain measures of vigilance-avoidance and difficulty disengaging. Using linear regression, we examined the associations each attention index shared with self-reported social fear and social avoidance. Exclusively in the high anxious group, greater vigilance towards threat was associated with higher self-reported social fear, but not with social avoidance. However, difficulty disengaging was not associated with either social measure. In the low anxiety group, no relationships between attention indices and either social measure emerged. Future research with clinical samples is necessary to replicate and extend these findings. The small sample size studied may have limited our ability to detect other smaller effects. Indices of attention bias may contribute differently to the etiology and maintenance of SAD, which offers important implications for novel treatments that target attention. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Is health care financing in Uganda equitable?

PubMed

Zikusooka, C M; Kyomuhang, R; Orem, J N; Tumwine, M

2009-10-01

Health care financing provides the resources and economic incentives for operating health systems and is a key determinant of health system performance. Equitable financing is based on: financial protection, progressive financing and cross-subsidies. This paper describes Uganda's health care financing landscape and documents the key equity issues associated with the current financing mechanisms. We extensively reviewed government documents and relevant literature and conducted key informant interviews, with the aim of assessing whether Uganda's health care financing mechanisms exhibited the key principles of fair financing. Uganda's health sector remains significantly under-funded, mainly relying on private sources of financing, especially out-of-pocket spending. At 9.6 % of total government expenditure, public spending on health is far below the Abuja target of 15% that GoU committed to. Prepayments form a small proportion of funding for Uganda's health sector. There is limited cross-subsidisation and high fragmentation within and between health financing mechanisms, mainly due to high reliance on out-of-pocket payments and limited prepayment mechanisms. Without compulsory health insurance and low coverage of private health insurance, Uganda has limited pooling of resources, and hence minimal cross-subsidisation. Although tax revenue is equitable, the remaining financing mechanisms for Uganda are inequitable due to their regressive nature, their lack of financial protection and limited cross-subsidisation. Overall, Uganda's current health financing is inequitable and fragmented. The government should take explicit action to promote equitable health care financing by establishing pre-payment schemes, enhancing cross-subsidisation mechanisms and through appropriate integration of financing mechanisms.

AVQS: attack route-based vulnerability quantification scheme for smart grid.

PubMed

Ko, Jongbin; Lim, Hyunwoo; Lee, Seokjun; Shon, Taeshik

2014-01-01

A smart grid is a large, consolidated electrical grid system that includes heterogeneous networks and systems. Based on the data, a smart grid system has a potential security threat in its network connectivity. To solve this problem, we develop and apply a novel scheme to measure the vulnerability in a smart grid domain. Vulnerability quantification can be the first step in security analysis because it can help prioritize the security problems. However, existing vulnerability quantification schemes are not suitable for smart grid because they do not consider network vulnerabilities. We propose a novel attack route-based vulnerability quantification scheme using a network vulnerability score and an end-to-end security score, depending on the specific smart grid network environment to calculate the vulnerability score for a particular attack route. To evaluate the proposed approach, we derive several attack scenarios from the advanced metering infrastructure domain. The experimental results of the proposed approach and the existing common vulnerability scoring system clearly show that we need to consider network connectivity for more optimized vulnerability quantification.

Viewing behaviour of spider phobics and non-phobics in the presence of threat and safety stimuli.

PubMed

Lange, W G T; Tierney, K J; Reinhardt-Rutland, A H; Vivekananda-Schmidt, P

2004-09-01

To determine whether spider phobics and spider non-phobics differ in attending to threat and safety stimuli in close proximity, or spatially separated. A sample group of 16 spider-phobic and 16 spider-non-phobic volunteers were drawn from a student population on the basis of their scores on Watts and Sharrock's Spider Phobia Questionnaire. Attention was assessed by way of participants' viewing behaviour using an ASL 501 head-mounted eye-tracking system. In a control condition, participants viewed a neutral stimulus (a TV video) in the absence of the threat stimulus. In two experimental conditions, the threat stimulus (a live Chilean rose tarantula) was introduced (a) immediately beside the safety stimulus (the only exit of the experimental room), or (b) away from the safety stimulus. In the experimental conditions, phobics reduced their viewing of the TV and increased their viewing of the tarantula and of the exit; the biggest changes occurred when tarantula and exit were together. Phobics also made more eye motions across the experimental room. Our results are consistent with previous research employing reaction time to a neutral stimulus as dependent measure. In addition, our results suggest that phobics scan the environment as part of safety behaviour. We suggest that exposure treatments to reduce spider phobia may be facilitated by encouraging patients to stop environmental scanning. Copyright 2004 The British Psychological Society

Amygdala reactivity and negative emotionality: divergent correlates of antisocial personality and psychopathy traits in a community sample.

PubMed

Hyde, Luke W; Byrd, Amy L; Votruba-Drzal, Elizabeth; Hariri, Ahmad R; Manuck, Stephen B

2014-02-01

Previous studies have emphasized that antisocial personality disorder (APD) and psychopathy overlap highly but differ critically in several features, notably negative emotionality (NEM) and possibly amygdala reactivity to social signals of threat and distress. Here we examined whether dimensions of psychopathy and APD correlate differentially with NEM and amygdala reactivity to emotional faces. Testing these relationships among healthy individuals, dimensions of psychopathy and APD were generated by the profile matching technique of Lynam and Widiger (2001), using facet scales of the NEO Personality Inventory-Revised, and amygdala reactivity was measured using a well-established emotional faces task, in a community sample of 103 men and women. Higher psychopathy scores were associated with lower NEM and lower amygdala reactivity, whereas higher APD scores were related to greater NEM and greater amygdala reactivity, but only after overlapping variance in APD and psychopathy was adjusted for in the statistical model. Amygdala reactivity did not mediate the relationship of APD and psychopathy scores to NEM. Supplemental analyses also compared other measures of factors within psychopathy in predicting NEM and amygdala reactivity and found that Factor 2 psychopathy was positively related to NEM and amygdala reactivity across measures of psychopathy. The overall findings replicate seminal observations on NEM in psychopathy by Hicks and Patrick (2006) and extend this work to neuroimaging in a normative population. They also suggest that one critical way in which APD and psychopathy dimensions may differ in their etiology is through their opposing levels of NEM and amygdala reactivity to threat. PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2014 APA, all rights reserved.

Amygdala Reactivity and Negative Emotionality: Divergent Correlates of Antisocial Personality and Psychopathy Traits in a Community Sample

PubMed Central

Hyde, Luke W.; Byrd, Amy L.; Votruba-Drzal, Elizabeth; Hariri, Ahmad R.; Manuck, Stephen B.

2014-01-01

Previous studies have emphasized that antisocial personality disorder (APD) and psychopathy overlap highly but differ critically in several features, notably negative emotionality (NEM) and possibly amygdala reactivity to social signals of threat and distress. Here we examined whether dimensions of psychopathy and APD correlate differentially with NEM and amygdala reactivity to emotional faces. Testing these relationships among healthy individuals, dimensions of psychopathy and APD were generated by the profile matching technique of Lynam and Widiger (2001), using facet scales of the NEO Personality Inventory-Revised, and amygdala reactivity was measured using a well-established emotional faces task, in a community sample of 103 men and women. Higher psychopathy scores were associated with lower NEM and lower amygdala reactivity, whereas higher APD scores were related to greater NEM and greater amygdala reactivity, but only after overlapping variance in APD and psychopathy was adjusted for in the statistical model. Amygdala reactivity did not mediate the relationship of APD and psychopathy scores to NEM. Supplemental analyses also compared other measures of factors within psychopathy in predicting NEM and amygdala reactivity and found that Factor 2 psychopathy was positively related to NEM and amygdala reactivity across measures of psychopathy. The overall findings replicate seminal observations on NEM in psychopathy by Hicks and Patrick (2006) and extend this work to neuroimaging in a normative population. They also suggest that one critical way in which APD and psychopathy dimensions may differ in their etiology is through their opposing levels of NEM and amygdala reactivity to threat. PMID:24661171

Improving the workplace for women improves it for everyone

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Campbell, Melanie C. W.

2015-12-01

I will discuss various initiatives that make the workplace more equitable for both men and women, including availability of child care, maternity and parental leaves, stopping tenure and grant "clocks" for parental and health leaves, spousal appointments, and best practices in hiring. My theme is that of an equitable workplace that promotes work life balance. I will discuss how these initiatives benefit everyone. I will summarize these issues with examples primarily of policies from my own institution and others in Canada that have made progress towards best practices.

Nightmare frequency is related to a propensity for mirror behaviors.

PubMed

Nielsen, Tore; Powell, Russell A; Kuiken, Don

2013-12-01

We previously reported that college students who indicated engaging in frequent dream-enacting behaviors also scored high on a new measure of mirror behaviors, which is the propensity to imitate another person's emotions or actions. Since dream-enacting behaviors are frequently the culmination of nightmares, one explanation for the observed relationship is that individuals who frequently display mirror behaviors are also prone to nightmares. We used the Mirror Behavior Questionnaire (MBQ) and self-reported frequencies of nightmares to assess this possibility. A sample of 480 students, consisting of 188 males (19.2±1.73 years) and 292 females (19.0±1.55 years) enrolled in a first-year university psychology course, participated for course credit. They completed a battery of questionnaires that included the 16-item MBQ, plus an item about nightmare frequency (NMF) in the past 30 days. NMF scores were split to create low, medium, and high NMF groups. MBQ total scores were significantly higher for female than for male subjects, but an interaction revealed that this was true only for Hi-NMF subjects. MBQ Factor 4, Motor Skill Imitation, paralleled this global interaction for females, whereas MBQ Factor 3, Sleepiness/Anger Contagion, was elevated only for Hi-NMF males. Item analyses indicated that Hi- and Med-NMF females scored higher than Lo-NMF females on the 3 items of Factor 4 that reflect voluntary imitation (imitating famous/cartoon voices, being a physically active spectator, and learning new skills by observing), as well as on 2 other items that reflect involuntary imitation (contagious yawning and self-rated empathy). Although Hi- and Lo-NMF males differed most clearly on the sleepiness item of Factor 3, all 3 items on this factor (including anger contagion and contagious yawning) are plausibly associated with perception of and response to social threat. Results provide evidence that among females nightmares are associated with voluntary and involuntary mirror behaviors during wakefulness, while among males nightmares are associated with threat-related mirror behaviors during wakefulness. They thus support the possibility that the association between mirror behaviors and dream-enacting behaviors is due to a common mirror neuron mechanism that underlies mirror behaviors and nightmares and that involves motor, rather than emotional, resonance. These results have implications for understanding the comorbidity of nightmares and other pathological symptoms such as imitative suicidal behaviors, the influence of observational learning on dissociative symptomatology, and the predominance of threat and aggression in the dream enacting behaviors of REM sleep behavior disorder. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A cross-sectional study of pandemic influenza health literacy and the effect of a public health campaign

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background To ascertain the understanding of 2009 pandemic (H1N1) influenza and relevant infection control measures in an emergency department population and to assess the effectiveness of education campaigns in informing the public about the pandemic. Methods Questionnaires were administered to patients, visitors, non-clinical staff and volunteers. Data were collected on knowledge, preventative measures, information sources, attitudes to government and media reporting, perceived seriousness, behaviour change and intended compliance with future measures. Results were used to construct an overall knowledge score. Results There were 252 participants. Traditional forms of mass media (138 [55%]) remained the principal information source. Approximately 70% (176) accurately described mode of transmission and recommended precautions and 68% (175) reported behaviour change because of the pandemic. Gaps in knowledge included failure to identify certain high risk groups. Recall of government campaigns was significantly associated with a higher knowledge score. 60% (151) thought that authorities and media had exaggerated the threat; only 40% (101) would comply with recommended measures in a future pandemic. Conclusions The knowledge regarding pandemic influenza was high in this population and positively affected by official campaigns. Pandemic planning should address knowledge gaps and the impression that authorities had exaggerated the public-health threat. PMID:22830499

Individual Differences in Discriminatory Fear Learning under Conditions of Ambiguity: A Vulnerability Factor for Anxiety Disorders?

PubMed Central

Arnaudova, Inna; Krypotos, Angelos-Miltiadis; Effting, Marieke; Boddez, Yannick; Kindt, Merel; Beckers, Tom

2013-01-01

Complex fear learning procedures might be better suited than the common differential fear-conditioning paradigm for detecting individual differences related to vulnerability for anxiety disorders. Two such procedures are the blocking procedure and the protection-from-overshadowing procedure. Their comparison allows for the examination of discriminatory fear learning under conditions of ambiguity. The present study examined the role of individual differences in such discriminatory fear learning. We hypothesized that heightened trait anxiety would be related to a deficit in discriminatory fear learning. Participants gave US-expectancy ratings as an index for the threat value of individual CSs following blocking and protection-from-overshadowing training. The difference in threat value at test between the protected-from-overshadowing conditioned stimulus (CS) and the blocked CS was negatively correlated with scores on a self-report tension-stress scale that approximates facets of generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale-Stress (DASS-S), but not with other individual difference variables. In addition, a behavioral test showed that only participants scoring high on the DASS-S avoided the protected-from-overshadowing CS. This observed deficit in discriminatory fear learning for participants with high levels of tension-stress might be an underlying mechanism for fear overgeneralization in diffuse anxiety disorders such as GAD. PMID:23755030

Separate and interactive contributions of weak inhibitory control and threat sensitivity to prediction of suicide risk.

PubMed

Venables, Noah C; Sellbom, Martin; Sourander, Andre; Kendler, Kenneth S; Joiner, Thomas E; Drislane, Laura E; Sillanmäki, Lauri; Elonheimo, Henrik; Parkkola, Kai; Multimaki, Petteri; Patrick, Christopher J

2015-04-30

Biobehavioral dispositions can serve as valuable referents for biologically oriented research on core processes with relevance to many psychiatric conditions. The present study examined two such dispositional variables-weak response inhibition (or disinhibition; INH-) and threat sensitivity (or fearfulness; THT+)-as predictors of the serious transdiagnostic problem of suicide risk in two samples: male and female outpatients from a U.S. clinic (N=1078), and a population-based male military cohort from Finland (N=3855). INH- and THT+ were operationalized through scores on scale measures of disinhibition and fear/fearlessness, known to be related to DSM-defined clinical conditions and brain biomarkers. Suicide risk was assessed by clinician ratings (clinic sample) and questionnaires (both samples). Across samples and alternative suicide indices, INH- and THT+ each contributed uniquely to prediction of suicide risk-beyond internalizing and externalizing problems in the case of the clinic sample where diagnostic data were available. Further, in both samples, INH- and THT+ interactively predicted suicide risk, with individuals scoring concurrently high on both dispositions exhibiting markedly augmented risk. Findings demonstrate that dispositional constructs of INH- and THT+ are predictive of suicide risk, and hold potential as referents for biological research on suicidal behavior. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Correlates of homophobia, transphobia, and internalized homophobia in gay or lesbian and heterosexual samples.

PubMed

Warriner, Katrina; Nagoshi, Craig T; Nagoshi, Julie L

2013-01-01

This research assessed the correlates of homophobia and transphobia in heterosexual and homosexual individuals, based on a theory of different sources of perceived symbolic threat to social status. Compared to 310 heterosexual college students, a sample of 30 gay male and 30 lesbian college students scored lower on homophobia, transphobia, and religious fundamentalism. Mean gender differences were smaller for gay men and lesbians for homophobia, aggressiveness, benevolent sexism, masculinity, and femininity. Fundamentalism, right-wing authoritarianism, and hostile and benevolent sexism were correlated only with homophobia in lesbians, whereas fundamentalism and authoritarianism were correlated only with transphobia in gay men. Correlates of internalized homophobia were different than those found for homophobia and transphobia, which was discussed in terms of gender differences in threats to status based on sexual orientation versus gender identity.

Is outpatient care benefit distribution of government healthcare subsidies equitable in rural ethnic minority areas of China? Results from cross-sectional studies in 2010 and 2013

PubMed Central

Chen, Mingsheng; Qian, Dongfu; Feng, Zhanchun; Si, Lei

2018-01-01

Objectives Government healthcare subsidies for healthcare facilities play a significant role in providing more extensive healthcare access to patients, especially poor ones. However, equitable distribution of these subsidies continues to pose a challenge in rural ethnic minority areas of China. This study aimed to evaluate the benefits distribution of outpatient services across different socioeconomic populations in China’s rural ethnic minority areas. Setting Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, Xinjiang Autonomous Region and Qinghai Province. Design Two rounds of cross-sectional study. Participants One thousand and seventy patients in 2010 and 907 patients in 2013, who sought outpatient services prior to completing the household surveys, were interviewed. Methods Benefits incidence analysis was performed to measure the benefits distribution of government healthcare subsidies across socioeconomic groups. The concentration index (CI) for outpatient care at different healthcare facility levels in rural ethnic minority areas was calculated. Two rounds of household surveys using multistage stratified samples were conducted. Findings The overall CI for outpatient care was –0.0146 (P>0.05) in 2010 and –0.0992 (P<0.01) in 2013. In 2010, the CI was –0.0537 (P<0.01), –0.0085 (P>0.05) and −0.0034 (P>0.05) at levels of village clinics (VCs), township health centres (THCs) and county hospitals (CHs), respectively. In 2013, the CI was –0.1353 (P<0.05), –0.0695 (P>0.05) and –0.1633 (P<0.01) at the levels of VCs, THCs and CHs, respectively. Conclusion Implementation of the gatekeeper mechanism helped improve the benefits distribution of government healthcare subsidies in rural Chinese ethnic minority areas. Equitable distribution of government healthcare subsidies for VCs was improved by increasing financial input and ensuring the performance of primary healthcare facilities. Equitable distribution of subsidies for CHs was improved by policies that rationally guided patients’ care-seeking behaviour. In addition, highly qualified physicians were also a key factor in ensuring equitable benefits distribution. PMID:29431138

Doing Better: Illuminating a Framework of Equitable Science Pedagogy through a Cross- Case Analysis of Urban High School Science Teachers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sheth, Manali J.

Students of color are routinely asked to participate in science education that is less intellectually rich and self-affirming. Additionally, teachers have trouble embarking on professional growth related to issues of equity and diversity in science. The purpose of this dissertation research is to develop a multi-dimensional framework for equitable science pedagogy (ESP) through analyzing the efforts and struggles of high school science teachers. This study is grounded in a conceptual framework derived from scholarship in science education, multicultural education, critical science studies, and teacher learning. The following questions guide this research: 1) What visions and enactments emerge in teachers' practices towards equitable science pedagogy? 2) How are teachers' practice decisions towards ESP influenced by their personal theories of race/culture, science, and learning and sociocultural contexts? 3) Why are there consistencies and variances across teachers' practices? This study employs a qualitative multiple case study design with ethnographic data collection to explore the practices of three urban high school science teachers who were identified as being committed to nurturing the science learning of students of color. Data include over 120 hours of classroom observation, 60 hours of teacher interviews, and 500 teacher- and student-generated artifacts. Data analysis included coding teachers' practices using theory- and participant generated codes, construction of themes based on emergent patterns, and cross-case analysis. The affordances and limitations of the participants' pedagogical approaches inform the following framework for equitable science pedagogy: 1) Seeing race and culture and sharing responsibility for learning form foundational dimensions. Practices from the other three dimensions--- nurturing students' identities, re-centering students' epistemologies, and critiquing structural inequities---emerge from the foundation. As emergent practices, they are constituted by but not reduced to practices in the initial dimensions. 2) Ideas from the foundational dimensions are filtered through teachers' stances on science. Thus, teachers' practices in the emergent dimensions and the foundational dimensions are mediated by teachers' pedagogical ideas about science and school science. 3) Teachers' articulations of practice influence the possibility of on-going work towards equitable science pedagogy.

Promoting equitable global health research: a policy analysis of the Canadian funding landscape.

PubMed

Plamondon, Katrina; Walters, Dylan; Campbell, Sandy; Hatfield, Jennifer

2017-08-29

Recognising radical shifts in the global health research (GHR) environment, participants in a 2013 deliberative dialogue called for careful consideration of equity-centred principles that should inform Canadian funding polices. This study examined the existing funding structures and policies of Canadian and international funders to inform the future design of a responsive GHR funding landscape. We used a three-pronged analytical framework to review the ideas, interests and institutions implicated in publically accessible documents relevant to GHR funding. These data included published literature and organisational documents (e.g. strategic plans, progress reports, granting policies) from Canadian and other comparator funders. We then used a deliberative approach to develop recommendations with the research team, advisors, industry informants and low- and middle-income country (LMIC) partners. In Canada, major GHR funders invest an estimated CA$90 M per annum; however, the post-2008 re-organization of funding structures and policies resulted in an uncoordinated and inefficient Canadian strategy. Australia, Denmark, the European Union, Norway, Sweden, the United Kingdom and the United States of America invest proportionately more in GHR than Canada. Each of these countries has a national strategic plan for global health, some of which have dedicated benchmarks for GHR funding and policy to allow funds to be held by partners outside of Canada. Key constraints to equitable GHR funding included (1) funding policies that restrict financial and cost burden aspects of partnering for GHR in LMICs; and (2) challenges associated with the development of effective governance mechanisms. There were, however, some Canadian innovations in funding research that demonstrated both unconventional and equitable approaches to supporting GHR in Canada and abroad. Among the most promising were found in the International Development Research Centre and the (no longer active) Global Health Research Initiative. Promoting equitable GHR funding policies and practices in Canada requires cooperation and actions by multiple stakeholders, including government, funding agencies, academic institutions and researchers. Greater cooperation and collaboration among these stakeholders in the context of recent political shifts present important opportunities for advancing funding policies that enable and encourage more equitable investments in GHR.

Beyond Incentives for Involvement to Compensation for Consultants

PubMed Central

Black, Kristin Z.; Hardy, Christina Yongue; De Marco, Molly; Ammerman, Alice S.; Corbie-Smith, Giselle; Council, Barbara; Ellis, Danny; Eng, Eugenia; Harris, Barbara; Jackson, Melvin; Jean-Baptiste, Jimmy; Kearney, William; Legerton, Mac; Parker, Donald; Wynn, Mysha; Lightfoot, Alexandra

2013-01-01

Background: Community-based participatory research (CBPR) strives for equitable collaboration among community and academic partners throughout the research process. To build the capacity of academia to function as effective research partners with communities, the North Carolina Translational and Clinical Sciences Institute (NC TraCS), home of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC-CH)’s Clinical and Translational Sciences Award (CTSA), developed a community engagement consulting model. This new model harnesses the expertise of community partners with CBPR experience and compensates them equitably to provide technical assistance to community–academic research partnerships. Objectives: This paper describes approaches to valuing community expertise, the importance of equitable compensation for community partners, the impact on the community partners, opportunities for institutional change, and the constraints faced in model implementation. Methods: Community Experts (CEs) are independent contractor consultants. CEs were interviewed to evaluate their satisfaction with their engagement and compensation for their work. Lessons Learned: (1) CEs have knowledge, power, and credibility to push for systems change. (2) Changes were needed within the university to facilitate successful consultation to community–academic partnerships. (3) Sustaining the CE role requires staff support, continued compensation, increased opportunities for engagement, and careful consideration of position demands. (4) The role provides benefits beyond financial compensation. (5) Opportunities to gather deepened relationships within the partnership and built collective knowledge that strengthened the project. Conclusions: Leveraging CE expertise and compensating them for their role benefits both university and community. Creating a place for community expertise within academia is an important step toward equitably including the community in research. PMID:24056508

Beyond incentives for involvement to compensation for consultants: increasing equity in CBPR approaches.

PubMed

Black, Kristin Z; Hardy, Christina Yongue; De Marco, Molly; Ammerman, Alice S; Corbie-Smith, Giselle; Council, Barbara; Ellis, Danny; Eng, Eugenia; Harris, Barbara; Jackson, Melvin; Jean-Baptiste, Jimmy; Kearney, William; Legerton, Mac; Parker, Donald; Wynn, Mysha; Lightfoot, Alexandra

2013-01-01

Community-based participatory research (CBPR) strives for equitable collaboration among community and academic partners throughout the research process. To build the capacity of academia to function as effective research partners with communities, the North Carolina Translational and Clinical Sciences Institute (NC TraCS), home of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC-CH)'s Clinical and Translational Sciences Award (CTSA), developed a community engagement consulting model. This new model harnesses the expertise of community partners with CBPR experience and compensates them equitably to provide technical assistance to community-academic research partnerships. This paper describes approaches to valuing community expertise, the importance of equitable compensation for community partners, the impact on the community partners, opportunities for institutional change, and the constraints faced in model implementation. Community Experts (CEs) are independent contractor consultants. CEs were interviewed to evaluate their satisfaction with their engagement and compensation for their work. (1) CEs have knowledge, power, and credibility to push for systems change. (2) Changes were needed within the university to facilitate successful consultation to community-academic partnerships. (3) Sustaining the CE role requires staff support, continued compensation, increased opportunities for engagement, and careful consideration of position demands. (4) The role provides benefits beyond financial compensation. (5) Opportunities to gather deepened relationships within the partnership and built collective knowledge that strengthened the project. Leveraging CE expertise and compensating them for their role benefits both university and community. Creating a place for community expertise within academia is an important step toward equitably including the community in research.

Different behavioral patterns of success for men and women in an online introductory science course: Addressing the course grade gender gap

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mead, C.; Horodyskyj, L.; Buxner, S.; Semken, S. C.; Anbar, A. D.

2016-12-01

In this study, we explore how data provided by an online learning environment can provide fine-grained behavioral context for the performance gender gap commonly observed in introductory college science courses. Previous studies reported that women earn lower grades than men in such courses, often ascribed to reduced engagement and resilience driven by sociocultural causes, such as stereotype threat. This may be exacerbated in courses graded primarily based on high-stakes exams. Here, we use student data (n = 1121) from Habitable Worlds, an online laboratory science course, to identify behavioral differences between men and women. In Habitable Worlds, students earn points from 30 "trainings," which are scored on completion, and 30 "applications," which are scored on correctness. The lack of high-stakes cumulative exams represents a valuable contrast with typical science courses in which gender gaps have been reported. Our data indicate that a gender gap exists even for these low-stakes assessments. Results of a generalized linear model show that course success among women is much more strongly predicted by training scores than by application scores, while those factors have roughly equal predictive value among men. Predicted success among women is also modulated by the total number of attempts made on questions throughout the course, where more attempts implies lower success (holding other factors constant). This relationship is non-significant for men. Our interpretation of these model results is that obstacles such as stereotype threat represent a tax for women on effort and engagement, such that equivalent effort yields lesser success than for men. Thus, the women who do succeed differ sharply from lower performing women on indicators of effort. Future work should build on this result both as an indicator of conditions under which women are more likely to succeed and as a way to more quickly identify students who may struggle.

Equity and adequacy of international donor assistance for global malaria control: an analysis of populations at risk and external funding commitments.

PubMed

Snow, Robert W; Okiro, Emelda A; Gething, Peter W; Atun, Rifat; Hay, Simon I

2010-10-23

Financing for malaria control has increased as part of international commitments to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). We aimed to identify the unmet financial needs that would be biologically and economically equitable and would increase the chances of reaching worldwide malaria-control ambitions. Populations at risk of stable Plasmodium falciparum or Plasmodium vivax transmission were calculated for 2007 and 2009 for 93 malaria-endemic countries to measure biological need. National per-person gross domestic product (GDP) was used to define economic need. An analysis of external donor assistance for malaria control was done for the period 2002-09 to compute overall and annualised per-person at-risk-funding commitments. Annualised malaria donor assistance was compared with independent predictions of funding needed to reach international targets of 80% coverage of best practices in case-management and effective disease prevention. Countries were ranked in relation to biological, economic, and unmet needs to examine equity and adequacy of support by 2010. International financing for malaria control has increased by 166% (from $0·73 billion to $1·94 billion) since 2007 and is broadly consistent with biological needs. African countries have become major recipients of external assistance; however, countries where P vivax continues to pose threats to control ambitions are not as well funded. 21 countries have reached adequate assistance to provide a comprehensive suite of interventions by 2009, including 12 countries in Africa. However, this assistance was inadequate for 50 countries representing 61% of the worldwide population at risk of malaria-including ten countries in Africa and five in Asia that coincidentally are some of the poorest countries. Approval of donor funding for malaria control does not correlate with GDP. Funding for malaria control worldwide is 60% lower than the US$4·9 billion needed for comprehensive control in 2010; this includes funding shortfalls for a wide range of countries with different numbers of people at risk and different levels of domestic income. More efficient targeting of financial resources against biological need and national income should create a more equitable investment portfolio that with increased commitments will guarantee sustained financing of control in countries most at risk and least able to support themselves. Wellcome Trust. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Assessing equity in health care through the national health insurance schemes of Nigeria and Ghana: a review-based comparative analysis

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Nigeria and Ghana have recently introduced a National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) with the aim of moving towards universal health care using more equitable financing mechanisms. This study compares health and economic indicators, describes the structure of each country’s NHIS within the wider healthcare system, and analyses impacts on equity in financing and access to health care. Methods The World Bank and other sources were used to provide comparative health and economic data. Pubmed, Embase and EconLit were searched to locate studies providing descriptions of each NHIS and empirical evidence regarding equity in financing and access to health care. A diagrammatical representation of revenue-raising, pooling, purchasing and provision was produced in order to analyse the two countries’ systems. Results Over the period 2000–2010, Ghana maintained a marked advantage in life expectancy, infant mortality, under-5 year mortality, and has a lower burden of major diseases. Health care expenditure is about 5% of GDP in both countries but public expenditure in 2010 was 38% of total expenditure in Nigeria and 60% in Ghana. Financing and access are less equitable in Nigeria as, inter alia, private out-of-pocket expenditure has fallen from 80% to 66% of total spending in Ghana since the introduction of its NHIS but has remained at over 90% in Nigeria; NHIS membership in Nigeria and Ghana is approximately 3.5% and 65%, respectively; Nigeria offers a variable benefits package depending on membership category while Ghana has uniform benefits across all beneficiaries. Both countries exhibit improvements in equity but there is a pro-rich and pro-urban bias in membership. Conclusions Major health indicators are more favourable in Ghana and overall equity in financing and access are weaker in Nigeria. Nigeria is taking steps to expand NHIS membership and has potential to expand its public spending to achieve greater equity. However, heavy burdens of poverty, disease and remote settings make this a substantial challenge. Ghana’s relative success has to be tempered by the high number of exemptions through taxation and the threat of moral hazard. The results and methods are anticipated to be informative for policy makers and researchers in both countries and other developing countries more widely. PMID:23339606

Adverse or acceptable: negotiating access to a post-apartheid health care contract

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background As in many fragile and post-conflict countries, South Africa’s social contract has formally changed from authoritarianism to democracy, yet access to services, including health care, remains inequitable and contested. We examine access barriers to quality health services and draw on social contract theory to explore ways in which a post-apartheid health care contract is narrated, practiced and negotiated by patients and providers. We consider implications for conceptualizing and promoting more inclusive, equitable health services in a post-conflict setting. Methods Using in-depth interviews with 45 patients and 67 providers, and field observations from twelve health facilities in one rural and two urban sub-districts, we explore access narratives of those seeking and delivering – negotiating - maternal health, tuberculosis and antiretroviral services in South Africa. Results Although South Africa’s right to access to health care is constitutionally guaranteed, in practice, a post-apartheid health care contract is not automatically or unconditionally inclusive. Access barriers, including poverty, an under-resourced, hierarchical health system, the nature of illness and treatment, and negative attitudes and actions, create conditions for insecure or adverse incorporation into this contract, or even exclusion (sometimes temporary) from health care services. Such barriers are exacerbated by differences in the expectations that patients and providers have of each other and the contract, leading to differing, potentially conflicting, identities of inclusion and exclusion: defaulting versus suffering patients, uncaring versus overstretched providers. Conversely, caring, respectful communication, individual acts of kindness, and institutional flexibility and leadership may mitigate key access barriers and limit threats to the contract, fostering more positive forms of inclusion and facilitating easier access to health care. Conclusions Building health in fragile and post-conflict societies requires the negotiation of a new social contract. Surfacing and engaging with differences in patient and provider expectations of this contract may contribute to more acceptable, accessible health care services. Additionally, the health system is well positioned to highlight and connect the political economy, institutions and social relationships that create and sustain identities of exclusion and inclusion – (re)politicise suffering - and co-ordinate and lead intersectoral action for overcoming affordability and availability barriers to inclusive and equitable health care services. PMID:24885882

Equity and adequacy of international donor assistance for global malaria control: an analysis of populations at risk and external funding commitments

PubMed Central

Snow, Robert W; Okiro, Emelda A; Gething, Peter W; Atun, Rifat; Hay, Simon I

2010-01-01

Summary Background Financing for malaria control has increased as part of international commitments to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). We aimed to identify the unmet financial needs that would be biologically and economically equitable and would increase the chances of reaching worldwide malaria-control ambitions. Methods Populations at risk of stable Plasmodium falciparum or Plasmodium vivax transmission were calculated for 2007 and 2009 for 93 malaria-endemic countries to measure biological need. National per-person gross domestic product (GDP) was used to define economic need. An analysis of external donor assistance for malaria control was done for the period 2002–09 to compute overall and annualised per-person at-risk-funding commitments. Annualised malaria donor assistance was compared with independent predictions of funding needed to reach international targets of 80% coverage of best practices in case-management and effective disease prevention. Countries were ranked in relation to biological, economic, and unmet needs to examine equity and adequacy of support by 2010. Findings International financing for malaria control has increased by 166% (from $0·73 billion to $1·94 billion) since 2007 and is broadly consistent with biological needs. African countries have become major recipients of external assistance; however, countries where P vivax continues to pose threats to control ambitions are not as well funded. 21 countries have reached adequate assistance to provide a comprehensive suite of interventions by 2009, including 12 countries in Africa. However, this assistance was inadequate for 50 countries representing 61% of the worldwide population at risk of malaria—including ten countries in Africa and five in Asia that coincidentally are some of the poorest countries. Approval of donor funding for malaria control does not correlate with GDP. Interpretation Funding for malaria control worldwide is 60% lower than the US$4·9 billion needed for comprehensive control in 2010; this includes funding shortfalls for a wide range of countries with different numbers of people at risk and different levels of domestic income. More efficient targeting of financial resources against biological need and national income should create a more equitable investment portfolio that with increased commitments will guarantee sustained financing of control in countries most at risk and least able to support themselves. Funding Wellcome Trust. PMID:20889199

Assessing equity in health care through the national health insurance schemes of Nigeria and Ghana: a review-based comparative analysis.

PubMed

Odeyemi, Isaac A O; Nixon, John

2013-01-22

Nigeria and Ghana have recently introduced a National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) with the aim of moving towards universal health care using more equitable financing mechanisms. This study compares health and economic indicators, describes the structure of each country's NHIS within the wider healthcare system, and analyses impacts on equity in financing and access to health care. The World Bank and other sources were used to provide comparative health and economic data. Pubmed, Embase and EconLit were searched to locate studies providing descriptions of each NHIS and empirical evidence regarding equity in financing and access to health care. A diagrammatical representation of revenue-raising, pooling, purchasing and provision was produced in order to analyse the two countries' systems. Over the period 2000-2010, Ghana maintained a marked advantage in life expectancy, infant mortality, under-5 year mortality, and has a lower burden of major diseases. Health care expenditure is about 5% of GDP in both countries but public expenditure in 2010 was 38% of total expenditure in Nigeria and 60% in Ghana. Financing and access are less equitable in Nigeria as, inter alia, private out-of-pocket expenditure has fallen from 80% to 66% of total spending in Ghana since the introduction of its NHIS but has remained at over 90% in Nigeria; NHIS membership in Nigeria and Ghana is approximately 3.5% and 65%, respectively; Nigeria offers a variable benefits package depending on membership category while Ghana has uniform benefits across all beneficiaries. Both countries exhibit improvements in equity but there is a pro-rich and pro-urban bias in membership. Major health indicators are more favourable in Ghana and overall equity in financing and access are weaker in Nigeria. Nigeria is taking steps to expand NHIS membership and has potential to expand its public spending to achieve greater equity. However, heavy burdens of poverty, disease and remote settings make this a substantial challenge. Ghana's relative success has to be tempered by the high number of exemptions through taxation and the threat of moral hazard. The results and methods are anticipated to be informative for policy makers and researchers in both countries and other developing countries more widely.

Effects of a Community-Based HIV Risk Reduction Intervention Among HIV-Positive Individuals: Results of a Quasi-Experimental Study in Nepal.

PubMed

Poudel, Krishna C; Buchanan, David R; Poudel-Tandukar, Kalpana

2015-06-01

We evaluated the efficacy of a sexual risk reduction intervention utilizing protection motivation and social cognitive theories to address knowledge, threat and coping appraisals, and condom use intentions among HIV-positive individuals in Nepal. Using a quasi-experimental research design, we assigned 277 participants to intervention (n=146) and control (n=131) groups. The intervention group received six sessions on sexual risk reduction strategies and the control group six sessions on medication adherence, smoking, and mental health. Data were collected at baseline and immediately after the intervention. Results indicate that the sexual risk reduction intervention produced a significant increase in HIV transmission knowledge, perceived threat and coping appraisals, and intentions to use condoms with regular, HIV-positive, and HIV-negative partners. The positive effects of the intervention remained significant after adjusting for baseline scores and other potential confounders. In conclusion, our theory-based sexual risk reduction intervention was effective in improving HIV transmission knowledge, perceived threat and coping appraisals, and condom use intentions. Further studies are needed to evaluate the long-term efficacy of the intervention in increasing protection motivation and maintaining preventive behaviors.

Aircraft Infrared Principles, Signatures, Threats, and Countermeasures

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-09-26

advances have been in two:   Indium antimonide (InSb)—MWIR of approximately 1.5 to 5.5 m  Mercury cadmium telluride (HgCdTe)—LWIR of...Surface Warfare Center [NSWC]), Crane, Indiana . A pyrotechnic does not depend upon external oxygen for reaction; and, consequently, the reaction...the analysis of missile signals necessary to score effectiveness. FIGURE 77. Seeker Test Van, NSWC, Crane, Indiana . NAWCWD TP 8773 91

Viewing equitable practices through the lens of intersecting identities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lyons, Renée; Dsouza, Nikeetha; Quigley, Cassie

2016-12-01

This review explores Archer, Dawson, Seakins, and Wong's "Disorienting, fun or meaningful? Disadvantaged families' experiences of a science museum visit" by examining the analytic frameworks guiding this study. To expand on Archer et al.'s use of feminist post-structuralist theories of identity we draw from the theory of intersectionality to provide a more robust framework for analyzing barriers to engagement within an informal learning space. Our response to this work ends by exploring the types of solutions generated from an intersectionality framework—solutions aimed at transforming institutional programs and practices to create more equitable spaces for learning.

Using the Five Domains Model to Assess the Adverse Impacts of Husbandry, Veterinary, and Equitation Interventions on Horse Welfare.

PubMed

McGreevy, Paul; Berger, Jeannine; de Brauwere, Nic; Doherty, Orla; Harrison, Anna; Fiedler, Julie; Jones, Claudia; McDonnell, Sue; McLean, Andrew; Nakonechny, Lindsay; Nicol, Christine; Preshaw, Liane; Thomson, Peter; Tzioumis, Vicky; Webster, John; Wolfensohn, Sarah; Yeates, James; Jones, Bidda

2018-03-18

The aim of this study was to conduct a series of paper-based exercises in order to assess the negative (adverse) welfare impacts, if any, of common interventions on domestic horses across a broad range of different contexts of equine care and training. An international panel (with professional expertise in psychology, equitation science, veterinary science, education, welfare, equestrian coaching, advocacy, and community engagement; n = 16) met over a four-day period to define and assess these interventions, using an adaptation of the domain-based assessment model. The interventions were considered within 14 contexts: C1 Weaning; C2 Diet; C3 Housing; C4 Foundation training; C5 Ill-health and veterinary interventions (chiefly medical); C6 Ill-health and veterinary interventions (chiefly surgical); C7 Elective procedures; C8 Care procedures; C9 Restraint for management procedures; C10 Road transport; C11 Activity-competition; C12 Activity-work; C13 Activity-breeding females; and C14 Activity-breeding males. Scores on a 1-10 scale for Domain 5 (the mental domain) gathered during the workshop were compared with overall impact scores on a 1-10 scale assigned by the same panellists individually before the workshop. The most severe (median and interquartile range, IQR) impacts within each context were identified during the workshop as: C1 abrupt, individual weaning (10 IQR 1); C2 feeding 100% low-energy concentrate (8 IQR 2.5); C3 indoor tie stalls with no social contact (9 IQR 1.5); C4 both (i) dropping horse with ropes (9 IQR 0.5) and forced flexion (9 IQR 0.5); C5 long-term curative medical treatments (8 IQR 3); C6 major deep intracavity surgery (8.5 IQR 1); C7 castration without veterinary supervision (10 IQR 1); C8 both (i) tongue ties (8 IQR 2.5) and (ii) restrictive nosebands (8 IQR 2.5); C9 ear twitch (8 IQR 1); C10 both (i) individual transport (7.00 IQR 1.5) and group transport with unfamiliar companions (7 IQR 1.5); C11 both (i) jumps racing (8 IQR 2.5) and Western performance (8 IQR 1.5); C12 carriage and haulage work (6 IQR 1.5); C13 wet nurse during transition between foals (7.5 IQR 3.75); and C14 teaser horse (7 IQR 8). Associations between pre-workshop and workshop scores were high, but some rankings changed after workshop participation, particularly relating to breeding practices. Domain 1 had the weakest association with Domain 5. The current article discusses the use of the domain-based model in equine welfare assessment, and offers a series of assumptions within each context that future users of the same approach may make when assessing animal welfare under the categories reported here. It also discusses some limitations in the framework that was used to apply the model.

Using decision trees for measuring gender equity in the timing of angiography in patients with acute coronary syndrome: a novel approach to equity analysis.

PubMed

Bierman, Arlene S; Brown, Adalsteinn D; Levinton, Carey M

2015-12-23

Methods to measure or quantify equity in health care remain scarce, if not difficult to interpret. A novel method to measure health equity is presented, applied to gender health equity, and illustrated with an example of timing of angiography in patients following a hospital admission for an acute coronary syndrome. Linked administrative hospital discharge and survey data was used to identify a retrospective cohort of patients hospitalized with Acute Coronary Syndrome (ACS) between 2002 and 2008 who also responded to the Canadian Community Health Survey (CCHS), was analyzed using decision trees to determine whether gender impacted the delay to angiography following an ACS. Defining a delay to angiography as 1 day or more, resulted in a non-significant difference in an equity score of 0.14 for women and 0.12 for men, where 0 and 1 represents perfect equity and inequity respectively. Using 2 and 3 day delays as a secondary outcome resulted in women and men producing scores of 0.19 and 0.17 for a 2 day delay and 0.22 and 0.23 for a 3 day delay. A technique developed expressly for measuring equity suggests that men and women in Ontario receive equitable care in access to angiography with respect to timeliness following an ACS.

Socioeconomic and race/ethnic disparities in observed park quality.

PubMed

Engelberg, Jessa K; Conway, Terry L; Geremia, Carrie; Cain, Kelli L; Saelens, Brian E; Glanz, Karen; Frank, Lawrence D; Sallis, James F

2016-05-12

Though park presence and access disparities are well studied for their associations with physical activity (PA), disparities in the availability and quality of amenities and facilities within parks have been infrequently examined. Five hundred forty-three parks from 472 block groups in the Seattle, WA and Baltimore, MD regions were audited using the Environmental Assessment of Public Recreation Spaces (EAPRS) to assess presence and quality (e.g., condition, cleanliness) of amenities (e.g., restrooms, seating) and facilities (e.g., fields, courts). General linear model regressions investigated Census 2000-derived neighborhood race/ethnicity and income main effect and interactive relationships with 7 park quality summary scores: 1) trails, 2) open space, 3) sports facilities, 4) PA facilities count, 5) PA facilities quality, 6) aesthetics, and 7) overall amenities, controlling for park size. The regions were analyzed separately due to differing race/ethnicity distributions. In the Seattle region, neighborhood income was significantly negatively associated with sports quality score (p < .043), PA facilities total count (p < .015) and the overall amenities quality score (p < .004) (unexpected direction). In the Baltimore region, neighborhood race/ethnicity (percent White/non-Hispanic) was significantly positively related to the open spaces quality score (p < .011) (expected direction). A significant income-by-race/ethnicity interaction was found for PA facilities quality (p = .014), with high-percent minority neighborhoods having higher quality parks in high- vs. low-income neighborhoods, yet was opposite in mostly White/non-Hispanic neighborhoods. The other income-by-race/ethnicity interaction was for overall amenities quality score (p = .043), where scores in high-percent minority neighborhoods were best in high- vs. low-income neighborhoods. There was little difference in scores within mostly White or mixed neighborhoods by income. Patterns of association of neighborhood race/ethnicity and income with park qualities differed between regions. In the Seattle region, "equitable differences" were found, where lower income neighborhoods had better park quality on average. In the Baltimore region, park quality was more consistently negatively associated with income and race/ethnic diversity, and complex interactions of race/ethnicity by income were detected. These findings emphasize the need to explore other factors that may explain variations in park quality, like local policy, citizen involvement in park decision-making, park funding and allocation, sources of funding and park priorities.

Overdiagnosis of ADHD in boys: Stereotype impact on neuropsychological assessment.

PubMed

Fresson, Megan; Meulemans, Thierry; Dardenne, Benoit; Geurten, Marie

2018-02-12

There is vigorous debate regarding the possibility that ADHD is overdiagnosed in boys. We investigated the impact of the gender stereotype depicting boys as inattentive and impulsive on neuropsychological assessment (observation of psychology students and child's cognitive performance). In experiment 1, after the stereotype was activated, psychology students rated a "boy," a "girl," or a "child" on a behavioral assessment scale. In experiment 2, 103 children (boys and girls) completed neuropsychological tasks under stereotype threat or neutral conditions. The gender stereotype led psychology students to assess a child's behaviors more negatively if they thought the child was a boy. Boys' performance on one cognitive score declined following stereotype threat. Regression path analyses suggested moderation by stigma consciousness. Additionally, there were mediating and suppressing (through stereotype endorsement) effects. Our results suggest that the gender stereotype might contribute to the overdiagnosis of ADHD in boys.

Reactive approach motivation (RAM) for religion.

PubMed

McGregor, Ian; Nash, Kyle; Prentice, Mike

2010-07-01

In 3 experiments, participants reacted with religious zeal to anxious uncertainty threats that have caused reactive approach motivation (RAM) in past research (see McGregor, Nash, Mann, & Phills, 2010, for implicit, explicit, and neural evidence of RAM). In Study 1, results were specific to religious ideals and did not extend to merely superstitious beliefs. Effects were most pronounced among the most anxious and uncertainty-averse participants in Study 1 and among the most approach-motivated participants in Study 2 (i.e., with high Promotion Focus, Behavioral Activation, Action Orientation, and Self-Esteem Scale scores). In Studies 2 and 3, anxious uncertainty threats amplified even the most jingoistic and extreme aspects of religious zeal. In Study 3, reactive religious zeal occurred only among participants who reported feeling disempowered in their everyday goals in life. Results support a RAM view of empowered religious idealism for anxiety management (cf. Armstrong, 2000; Inzlicht, McGregor, Hirsch, & Nash, 2009).

Do fears of malpractice litigation influence teaching behaviors?

PubMed

Reed, Darcy A; Windish, Donna M; Levine, Rachel B; Kravet, Steven J; Wolfe, Leah; Wright, Scott M

2008-01-01

Medical malpractice is prominently positioned in the consciousness of American physicians, and the perceived threat of malpractice litigation may push physicians to practice defensively and alter their teaching behaviors. The purposes of this study were to characterize the attitudes of academic medical faculty toward malpractice litigation and to identify teaching behaviors associated with fear of malpractice litigation. We surveyed 270 full-time clinically active physicians in the Department of Medicine at a large academic medical center. The survey assessed physicians' attitudes toward malpractice issues, fear of malpractice litigation, and self-reported teaching behaviors associated with concerns about litigation. Two hundred and fifteen physicians responded (80%). Faculty scored an average of 25.5 +/- 6.9 (range = 6-42, higher scores indicate greater fear) on a reliable malpractice fear scale. Younger age (Spearman's rho = 0.19, p = .02) and greater time spent in clinical activities (rho = 0.26, p < .001) were correlated with higher scores on the Malpractice Fear Scale. Faculty reported that because of the perceived prevalence of lawsuits and claims made against physicians, they spend more time writing clinical notes for patients seen by learners (74%), give learners less autonomy in patient care (44%), and limit opportunities for learners to perform clinical procedures (32%) and deliver bad news to patients (33%). Faculty with higher levels of fear on the Malpractice Fear Scale were more likely to report changing their teaching behaviors because of this perceived threat (rho = 0.38, p < .001). Physicians report changes in teaching behaviors because of concerns about malpractice litigation. Although concerns about malpractice may promote increased supervision and positive role modeling, they may also limit important educational opportunities for learners. These results may serve to heighten awareness to the fact that teaching behaviors and decisions may be influenced by the malpractice climate.

The relationship between human dignity and medication adherence in patients with heart failure.

PubMed

Amininasab, Seyedeh Somayeh; Azimi Lolaty, Hamideh; Moosazadeh, Mahmood; Shafipour, Vida

2017-01-01

Medication adherence is a behavior that is influenced by several factors, and maintaining patients' dignity is an important issue that needs to be considered in the course of treatment . The present study aimed to determine the relationship between human dignity and medication adherence in patients with heart failure. This was a cross-sectional study. A total number of 300 patients with heart failure admitted to the Mazandaran Heart Center, Iran, participated in this study by census. Samples were selected based on inclusion criteria such as an HF diagnosis by a cardiologist for a minimum of 6 months, and taking at least one cardiac medication. Data were collected through demographic, clinical, human dignity, and medication adherence questionnaires over a period of three months in 2016. This study was approved by the Ethics Committee of Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences. Consents were obtained from patients and the medical center, and necessary explanations were given about the confidentiality of information prior to completing the questionnaires. The mean score of medication adherence was 5.82 suggesting low medication adherence among the patients, and the mean score of human dignity was 81.39. There was a negative relationship between medication adherence and threat to human dignity (r = - 0.6, P < 0.001), i.e., the higher the scores of threat, the lower the medication adherence of the patients. After adjusting the effects of potential confounding variables, there still was a correlation between medication adherence and the variables of human dignity and its dimensions. Based on the findings, an increase in patients' dignity can enhance medication adherence, which can theoretically improve patients' health and reduce frequent hospitalization.

Partnership Among Peers: Lessons Learned From the Development of a Community Organization–Academic Research Training Program

PubMed Central

Jewett-Tennant, Jeri; Collins, Cyleste; Matloub, Jacqueline; Patrick, Alison; Chupp, Mark; Werner, James J.; Borawski, Elaine A.

2017-01-01

Background Community engagement and rigorous science are necessary to address health issues. Increasingly, community health organizations are asked to partner in research. To strengthen such community organization–academic partnerships, increase research capacity in community organizations, and facilitate equitable partnered research, the Partners in Education Evaluation and Research (PEER) program was developed. The program implements an 18-month structured research curriculum for one mid-level employee of a health-focused community-based organization with an organizational mentor and a Case Western Reserve University faculty member as partners. Methods The PEER program was developed and guided by a community–academic advisory committee and was designed to impact the research capacity of organizations through didactic modules and partnered research in the experiential phase. Active participation of community organizations and faculty during all phases of the program provided for bidirectional learning and understanding of the challenges of community-engaged health research. The pilot program evaluation used qualitative and quantitative data collection techniques, including experiences of the participants assessed through surveys, formal group and individual interviews, phone calls, and discussions. Statistical analysis of the change in fellows’ pre-test and post-test survey scores were conducted using paired sample t tests. The small sample size is recognized by the authors as a limitation of the evaluation methods and would potentially be resolved by including more cohort data as the program progresses. Qualitative data were reviewed by two program staff using content and narrative analysis to identify themes, describe and assess group phenomena and determine program improvements. Objectives The objective of PEER is to create equitable partnerships between community organizations and academic partners to further research capacity in said organizations and develop mutually beneficial research partnerships between academia and community organizations. Conclusion PEER demonstrates a commitment to successfully developing sustainable research capacity growth in community organizations, and improved partnered research with academic institutions. PMID:28230553

Counseling Received by Adolescents Undergoing Voluntary Medical Male Circumcision: Moving Toward Age-Equitable Comprehensive Human Immunodeficiency Virus Prevention Measures.

PubMed

Kaufman, Michelle R; Patel, Eshan U; Dam, Kim H; Packman, Zoe R; Van Lith, Lynn M; Hatzold, Karin; Marcell, Arik V; Mavhu, Webster; Kahabuka, Catherine; Mahlasela, Lusanda; Njeuhmeli, Emmanuel; Seifert Ahanda, Kim; Ncube, Getrude; Lija, Gissenge; Bonnecwe, Collen; Tobian, Aaron A R

2018-04-03

The minimum package of voluntary medical male circumcision (VMMC) services, as defined by the World Health Organization, includes human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) testing, HIV prevention counseling, screening/treatment for sexually transmitted infections, condom promotion, and the VMMC procedure. The current study aimed to assess whether adolescents received these key elements. Quantitative surveys were conducted among male adolescents aged 10-19 years (n = 1293) seeking VMMC in South Africa, Tanzania, and Zimbabwe. We used a summative index score of 8 self-reported binary items to measure receipt of important elements of the World Health Organization-recommended HIV minimum package and the US President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief VMMC recommendations. Counseling sessions were observed for a subset of adolescents (n = 44). To evaluate factors associated with counseling content, we used Poisson regression models with generalized estimating equations and robust variance estimation. Although counseling included VMMC benefits, little attention was paid to risks, including how to identify complications, what to do if they arise, and why avoiding sex and masturbation could prevent complications. Overall, older adolescents (aged 15-19 years) reported receiving more items in the recommended minimum package than younger adolescents (aged 10-14 years; adjusted β, 0.17; 95% confidence interval [CI], .12-.21; P < .001). Older adolescents were also more likely to report receiving HIV test education and promotion (42.7% vs 29.5%; adjusted prevalence ratio [aPR], 1.53; 95% CI, 1.16-2.02) and a condom demonstration with condoms to take home (16.8% vs 4.4%; aPR, 2.44; 95% CI, 1.30-4.58). No significant age differences appeared in reports of explanations of VMMC risks and benefits or uptake of HIV testing. These self-reported findings were confirmed during counseling observations. Moving toward age-equitable HIV prevention services during adolescent VMMC likely requires standardizing counseling content, as there are significant age differences in HIV prevention content received by adolescents.

Partnership Among Peers: Lessons Learned From the Development of a Community Organization-Academic Research Training Program.

PubMed

Jewett-Tennant, Jeri; Collins, Cyleste; Matloub, Jacqueline; Patrick, Alison; Chupp, Mark; Werner, James J; Borawski, Elaine A

2016-01-01

Community engagement and rigorous science are necessary to address health issues. Increasingly, community health organizations are asked to partner in research. To strengthen such community organization-academic partnerships, increase research capacity in community organizations, and facilitate equitable partnered research, the Partners in Education Evaluation and Research (PEER) program was developed. The program implements an 18-month structured research curriculum for one mid-level employee of a health-focused community-based organization with an organizational mentor and a Case Western Reserve University faculty member as partners. The PEER program was developed and guided by a community-academic advisory committee and was designed to impact the research capacity of organizations through didactic modules and partnered research in the experiential phase. Active participation of community organizations and faculty during all phases of the program provided for bidirectional learning and understanding of the challenges of community-engaged health research. The pilot program evaluation used qualitative and quantitative data collection techniques, including experiences of the participants assessed through surveys, formal group and individual interviews, phone calls, and discussions. Statistical analysis of the change in fellows' pre-test and post-test survey scores were conducted using paired sample t tests. The small sample size is recognized by the authors as a limitation of the evaluation methods and would potentially be resolved by including more cohort data as the program progresses. Qualitative data were reviewed by two program staff using content and narrative analysis to identify themes, describe and assess group phenomena and determine program improvements. The objective of PEER is to create equitable partnerships between community organizations and academic partners to further research capacity in said organizations and develop mutually beneficial research partnerships between academia and community organizations. PEER demonstrates a commitment to successfully developing sustainable research capacity growth in community organizations, and improved partnered research with academic institutions.

AVQS: Attack Route-Based Vulnerability Quantification Scheme for Smart Grid

PubMed Central

Lim, Hyunwoo; Lee, Seokjun; Shon, Taeshik

2014-01-01

A smart grid is a large, consolidated electrical grid system that includes heterogeneous networks and systems. Based on the data, a smart grid system has a potential security threat in its network connectivity. To solve this problem, we develop and apply a novel scheme to measure the vulnerability in a smart grid domain. Vulnerability quantification can be the first step in security analysis because it can help prioritize the security problems. However, existing vulnerability quantification schemes are not suitable for smart grid because they do not consider network vulnerabilities. We propose a novel attack route-based vulnerability quantification scheme using a network vulnerability score and an end-to-end security score, depending on the specific smart grid network environment to calculate the vulnerability score for a particular attack route. To evaluate the proposed approach, we derive several attack scenarios from the advanced metering infrastructure domain. The experimental results of the proposed approach and the existing common vulnerability scoring system clearly show that we need to consider network connectivity for more optimized vulnerability quantification. PMID:25152923

Community Science: creating equitable partnerships for the advancement of scientific knowledge for action.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lewis, E. S.; Gehrke, G. E.

2017-12-01

In a historical moment where the legitimacy of science is being questioned, it is essential to make science more accessible to the public. Active participation increases the legitimacy of projects within communities (Sidaway 2009). Creating collaborations in research strengthens not only the work by adding new dimensions, but also the social capital of communities through increased knowledge, connections, and decision making power. In this talk, Lewis will discuss how engagement at different stages of the scientific process is possible, and how researchers can actively develop opportunities that are open and inviting. Genuine co-production in research pushes scientists to work in new ways, and with people from different backgrounds, expertise, and lived experiences. This approach requires a flexible and dynamic balance of learning, sharing, and creating for all parties involved to ensure more meaningful and equitable participation. For example, in community science such as that by Public Lab, the community is at the center of scientific exploration. The research is place-based and is grounded in the desired outcomes of community members. Researchers are able to see themselves as active participants in this work alongside community members. Participating in active listening, developing plans together, and using a shared language built through learning can be helpful tools in all co-production processes. Generating knowledge is powerful. Through genuine collaboration and co-creation, science becomes more relevant. When community members are equitable stakeholders in the scientific process, they are better able to engage and advocate for the changes they want to see in their communities. Through this talk, session attendees will learn about practices that promote equitable participation in science, and hear examples of how the community science process engages people in both the knowledge production, and in the application of science.

Time-to-Credit Gender Inequities of First-Year PhD Students in the Biological Sciences.

PubMed

Feldon, David F; Peugh, James; Maher, Michelle A; Roksa, Josipa; Tofel-Grehl, Colby

2017-01-01

Equitable gender representation is an important aspect of scientific workforce development to secure a sufficient number of individuals and a diversity of perspectives. Biology is the most gender equitable of all scientific fields by the marker of degree attainment, with 52.5% of PhDs awarded to women. However, equitable rates of degree completion do not translate into equitable attainment of faculty or postdoctoral positions, suggesting continued existence of gender inequalities. In a national cohort of 336 first-year PhD students in the biological sciences (i.e., microbiology, cellular biology, molecular biology, developmental biology, and genetics) from 53 research institutions, female participants logged significantly more research hours than males and were significantly more likely than males to attribute their work hours to the demands of their assigned projects over the course of the academic year. Despite this, males were 15% more likely to be listed as authors on published journal articles, indicating inequality in the ratio of time to credit. Given the cumulative advantage that accrues for students who publish early in their graduate careers and the central role that scholarly productivity plays in academic hiring decisions, these findings collectively point to a major potential source of persisting underrepresentation of women on university faculties in these fields. © 2017 D. F. Feldon et al. CBE—Life Sciences Education © 2017 The American Society for Cell Biology. This article is distributed by The American Society for Cell Biology under license from the author(s). It is available to the public under an Attribution–Noncommercial–Share Alike 3.0 Unported Creative Commons License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0).

Protecting resources for primary health care under fiscal federalism: options for resource allocation.

PubMed

Okorafor, Okore A; Thomas, Stephen

2007-11-01

The introduction of fiscal federalism or decentralization of functions to lower levels of government is a reform not done primarily with health sector concerns. A major concern for the health sector is that devolution of expenditure responsibilities to sub-national levels of government can adversely affect the equitable distribution of financial resources across local jurisdictions. Since the adoption of fiscal federalism in South Africa, progress towards achieving a more equitable distribution of public sector health resources (financial) has slowed down considerably. This study attempts to identify appropriate resource allocation mechanisms under the current South African fiscal federal system that could be employed to promote equity in primary health care (PHC) allocations across provinces and districts. The study uses data from interviews with government officials involved in the budgeting and resource allocation process for PHC, literature on fiscal federalism and literature on international experience to inform analysis and recommendations. The results from the study identify historical incremental budgeting, weak managerial capacity at lower levels of government, poor accounting of PHC expenditure, and lack of protection for PHC funds as constraints to the realization of a more equitable distribution of PHC allocations. Based on interview data, no one resource allocation mechanism received unanimous support from stakeholders. However, the study highlights the particularly high level of autonomy enjoyed by provincial governments with regards to decision making for allocations to health and PHC services as the major constraint to achieving a more equitable distribution of PHC resources. The national government needs to have more involvement in decision making for resource allocation to PHC services if significant progress towards equity is to be achieved.

Aqueduct: a methodology to measure and communicate global water risks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gassert, Francis; Reig, Paul

2013-04-01

The Aqueduct Water Risk Atlas (Aqueduct) is a publicly available, global database and interactive tool that maps indicators of water related risks for decision makers worldwide. Aqueduct makes use of the latest geo-statistical modeling techniques to compute a composite index and translate the most recently available hydrological data into practical information on water related risks for companies, investors, and governments alike. Twelve global indicators are grouped into a Water Risk Framework designed in response to the growing concerns from private sector actors around water scarcity, water quality, climate change, and increasing demand for freshwater. The Aqueduct framework organizes indicators into three categories of risk that bring together multiple dimensions of water related risk into comprehensive aggregated scores and includes indicators of water stress, variability in supply, storage, flood, drought, groundwater, water quality and social conflict, addressing both spatial and temporal variation in water hazards. Indicators are selected based on relevance to water users, availability and robustness of global data sources, and expert consultation, and are collected from existing datasets or derived from a Global Land Data Assimilation System (GLDAS) based integrated water balance model. Indicators are normalized using a threshold approach, and composite scores are computed using a linear aggregation scheme that allows for dynamic weighting to capture users' unique exposure to water hazards. By providing consistent scores across the globe, the Aqueduct Water Risk Atlas enables rapid comparison across diverse aspects of water risk. Companies can use this information to prioritize actions, investors to leverage financial interest to improve water management, and governments to engage with the private sector to seek solutions for more equitable and sustainable water governance. The Aqueduct Water Risk Atlas enables practical applications of scientific data, helping non-expert audiences better understand and evaluate risks facing water users. This presentation will discuss the methodology used to combine the indicator values into aggregated risk scores and lessons learned from working with diverse audiences in academia, development institutions, and the public and private sectors.

Just Checking the Box: Do Our Airmen Value Their CCAF Degree

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-04-04

degree holders and that they spend multiple 80-hour weeks in an accredited classroom environment (most with 80 percent mini- mum passing scores) to...book- smart and can complete their CCAF quickly; however, when it comes to utilizing that learned professionalism from attending college, it doesn’t...threat analysis, and logistics. As a reservist, she serves as a logistics readiness officer. Major DaCosta-Paul is also a social entrepreneur who leads a

Blood Pressure, Emotional Dampening, and Risk Behavior: Implications for Hypertension Development.

PubMed

McCubbin, James A; Nathan, Aaron; Hibdon, Melissa A; Castillo, Anastasia M; Graham, Jack G; Switzer, Fred S

2018-05-07

Elevated resting blood pressure (BP) is associated with risk for hypertension and emotional dampening, including reduced responses to emotionally meaningful stimuli. Perception of threat is a critical motivator in avoidance of risky health-damaging behavior. We hypothesize that BP-associated dampening of threat appraisal may increase risk-taking behavior. We measured resting BP, perception of affect, and risk behavior in 92 healthy, women (n=49) and men (n=43) recruited from university students and staff, and members of the surrounding community. Mean age +/- standard deviation for the sample was 21.5 +/- 4.3 year. Blood pressure was measured using an automated blood pressure monitor, and risk behavior was assessed with a modified National College Health Risk Behavior Survey. We also measured recognition of affect using the Perception of Affect Task (PAT). Risk-taking behavior was positively correlated with both systolic (SBP; r(89)=.278, p=.008) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP; r(89)=.309, p<.003). Regression analysis indicated that the association between risk-taking behavior and blood pressure was not mediated by PAT scores. Results show that persons with higher resting BP levels report increased risk-taking behavior. PAT scores, while correlated with SBP, did not mediate the relationship between BP and risk. The relationship between BP and risk behavior reflects the potential involvement of CNS regulation of both BP and emotional responsivity, and its relationship to health damaging behavior and risk for hypertension.

Does Methodological Guidance Produce Consistency? A Review of Methodological Consistency in Breast Cancer Utility Value Measurement in NICE Single Technology Appraisals.

PubMed

Rose, Micah; Rice, Stephen; Craig, Dawn

2018-06-01

Since 2004, National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) methodological guidance for technology appraisals has emphasised a strong preference for using the validated EuroQol 5-Dimensions (EQ-5D) quality-of-life instrument, measuring patient health status from patients or carers, and using the general public's preference-based valuation of different health states when assessing health benefits in economic evaluations. The aim of this study was to review all NICE single technology appraisals (STAs) for breast cancer treatments to explore consistency in the use of utility scores in light of NICE methodological guidance. A review of all published breast cancer STAs was undertaken using all publicly available STA documents for each included assessment. Utility scores were assessed for consistency with NICE-preferred methods and original data sources. Furthermore, academic assessment group work undertaken during the STA process was examined to evaluate the emphasis of NICE-preferred quality-of-life measurement methods. Twelve breast cancer STAs were identified, and many STAs used evidence that did not follow NICE's preferred utility score measurement methods. Recent STA submissions show companies using EQ-5D and mapping. Academic assessment groups rarely emphasized NICE-preferred methods, and queries about preferred methods were rare. While there appears to be a trend in recent STA submissions towards following NICE methodological guidance, historically STA guidance in breast cancer has generally not used NICE's preferred methods. Future STAs in breast cancer and reviews of older guidance should ensure that utility measurement methods are consistent with the NICE reference case to help produce consistent, equitable decision making.

The effect of VISHRAM, a grass-roots community-based mental health programme, on the treatment gap for depression in rural communities in India: a population-based study.

PubMed

Shidhaye, Rahul; Murhar, Vaibhav; Gangale, Siddharth; Aldridge, Luke; Shastri, Rahul; Parikh, Rachana; Shrivastava, Ritu; Damle, Suvarna; Raja, Tasneem; Nadkarni, Abhijit; Patel, Vikram

2017-02-01

VISHRAM was a community-based mental health programme with the goal of addressing the mental health risk factors for suicide in people from 30 villages in the Amravati district in Vidarbha, central India. We aimed to assess whether implementation of VISHRAM was associated with an increase in the proportion of people with depression who sought treatment (contact coverage). A core strategy of VISHRAM was to increase the demand for care by enhancing mental health literacy and to improve the supply of evidence-based interventions for depression and alcohol-use disorders. Intervention for depression was led by community-based workers and non-specialist counsellors and done in collaboration with facility-based general physicians and psychiatrists. From Dec 25, 2013, to March 10, 2014, before VISHRAM was introduced, we did a baseline cross-sectional survey of adults randomly selected from the electoral roll (baseline survey population). The structured interview was administered by field researchers independent of the VISHRAM intervention and included questions about sociodemographic characteristics, health-care service use, depression (measured using the Patient Health Questionnaire [PHQ]-9), and mental health literacy. 18 months after VISHRAM was enacted, we repeated sampling methods to select a separate population of adults (18 month survey population) and administered the same survey. The primary outcome was change in contact coverage with VISHRAM, defined as the difference in the proportion of individuals with depression (PHQ-9 score >9) who sought treatment for symptoms of depression between the baseline and the 18 month survey population. Secondary outcomes were whether the distribution of coverage was equitable, the type of services sought, and mental health literacy. 1887 participants completed the 18 month survey interview between Sept 18, and Oct 8, 2015. The contact coverage for current depression was six-times higher in the 18 month survey population (27·2%, 95% CI 21·4-33·7) than in the baseline survey population (4·3%, 1·5-7·1). Contact coverage was equitably distributed across sex, education, income, religion, and caste. Most providers consulted for care were general physicians. We observed significant improvements in a range of mental health literacy indicators, for example, conceptualisation of depression as a mental health problem and the intention to seek care for depression. A grass-roots community-based programme in rural India was associated with substantial increase in equitable contact coverage for depression and improved mental health literacy. It is now crucially important to translate this knowledge into real-world practice by scaling-up this programme through the National Mental Health Programme in India. Tata Trusts. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Tripartite Governance: Enabling Successful Implementations with Vulnerable Populations.

PubMed

Kennedy, Margaret Ann

2016-01-01

Vulnerable populations are often at a distinct disadvantage when it comes to the implementation of health information systems in an equitable, appropriate, and timely manner. The disadvantages experienced by vulnerable populations are innumerable and include lack of representation, lack of appropriate levels of funding, lack of resources and capacity, and lack of representation. Increasingly, models of representation for complex implementations involve a tripartite project governance model. This tripartite partnership distributes accountability across all partners, and ensures that vulnerable populations have an equitable contribution to the direction of implementation according to their needs. This article shares lessons learned and best practices from complex tripartite partnerships supporting implementations with vulnerable populations in Canada.

Community change in the variable resource habitat of the abyssal northeast Pacific.

PubMed

Ruhl, Henry A

2008-04-01

Research capable of differentiating resource-related community-level change from random ecological drift in natural systems has been limited. Evidence for nonrandom, resource-driven change is presented here for an epibenthic megafauna community in the abyssal northeast Pacific Ocean from 1989 to 2004. The sinking particulate organic carbon food supply is linked not only to species-specific abundances, but also to species composition and equitability. Shifts in rank abundance distributions (RADs) and evenness, from more to less equitable, correlated to increased food supply during La Niña phases of the El Niño Southern Oscillation. The results suggest that each taxon exhibited a differential response to a sufficiently low dimension resource, which led to changes in community composition and equitability. Thus the shifts were not likely due to random ecological drift. Although the community can undergo population-level variations of one or more orders of magnitude, and the shape of the RADs was variable, the organization retained a significant consistency, providing evidence of limits for such changes. The growing evidence for limited resource-driven changes in RADs and evenness further emphasizes the potential importance of temporally variable disequilibria in understanding why communities have certain basic attributes.

A cost-based equity weight for use in the economic evaluation of primary health care interventions: case study of the Australian Indigenous population

PubMed Central

Ong, Katherine S; Kelaher, Margaret; Anderson, Ian; Carter, Rob

2009-01-01

Background Efficiency and equity are both important policy objectives in resource allocation. The discipline of health economics has traditionally focused on maximising efficiency, however addressing inequities in health also requires consideration. Methods to incorporate equity within economic evaluation techniques range from qualitative judgements to quantitative outcomes-based equity weights. Yet, due to definitional uncertainties and other inherent limitations, no method has been universally adopted to date. This paper proposes an alternative cost-based equity weight for use in the economic evaluation of interventions delivered from primary health care services. Methods Equity is defined in terms of 'access' to health services, with the vertical equity objective to achieve 'equitable access for unequal need'. Using the Australian Indigenous population as an illustrative case study, the magnitude of the equity weight is constructed using the ratio of the costs of providing specific interventions via Indigenous primary health care services compared with the costs of the same interventions delivered via mainstream services. Applying this weight to the costs of subsequent interventions deflates the costs of provision via Indigenous health services, and thus makes comparisons with mainstream more equitable when applied during economic evaluation. Results Based on achieving 'equitable access', existing measures of health inequity are suitable for establishing 'need', however the magnitude of health inequity is not necessarily proportional to the magnitude of resources required to redress it. Rather, equitable access may be better measured using appropriate methods of health service delivery for the target group. 'Equity of access' also suggests a focus on the processes of providing equitable health care rather than on outcomes, and therefore supports application of equity weights to the cost side rather than the outcomes side of the economic equation. Conclusion Cost-based weights have the potential to provide a pragmatic method of equity weight construction which is both understandable to policy makers and sensitive to the needs of target groups. It could improve the evidence base for resource allocation decisions, and be generalised to other disadvantaged groups who share similar concepts of equity. Development of this decision-making tool represents a potentially important avenue for further health economics research. PMID:19807930

Comprehensive review of the evidence regarding the effectiveness of community-based primary health care in improving maternal, neonatal and child health: 5. equity effects for neonates and children.

PubMed

Schleiff, Meike; Kumapley, Richard; Freeman, Paul A; Gupta, Sundeep; Rassekh, Bahie M; Perry, Henry B

2017-06-01

The degree to which investments in health programs improve the health of the most disadvantaged segments of the population-where utilization of health services and health status is often the worst-is a growing concern throughout the world. Therefore, questions about the degree to which community-based primary health care (CBPHC) can or actually does improve utilization of health services and the health status of the most disadvantaged children in a population is an important one. Using a database containing information about the assessment of 548 interventions, projects or programs (referred to collectively as projects) that used CBPHC to improve child health, we extracted evidence related to equity from a sub-set of 42 projects, identified through a multi-step process, that included an equity analysis. We organized our findings conceptually around a logical framework matrix. Our analysis indicates that these CBPHC projects, all of which implemented child health interventions, achieved equitable effects. The vast majority (87%) of the 82 equity measurements carried out and reported for these 42 projects demonstrated "pro-equitable" or "equitable" effects, meaning that the project's equity indicator(s) improved to the same degree or more in the disadvantaged segments of the project population as in the more advantaged segments. Most (78%) of the all the measured equity effects were "pro-equitable," meaning that the equity criterion improved more in the most disadvantaged segment of the project population than in the other segments of the population. Based on the observation that CBPHC projects commonly provide services that are readily accessible to the entire project population and that even often reach down to all households, such projects are inherently likely to be more equitable than projects that strengthen services only at facilities, where utilization diminishes greatly with one's distance away. The decentralization of services and attention to and tracking of metrics across all phases of project implementation with attention to the underserved, as can be done in CBPHC projects, are important for reducing inequities in countries with a high burden of child mortality. Strengthening CBPHC is a necessary strategy for reducing inequities in child health and for achieving universal coverage of essential services for children.

The Warwick system of prospective workload allocation in cellular pathology—an aid to subspecialisation: a comparison with the Royal College of Pathologists' system

PubMed Central

Carr, R A; Sanders, D S A; Stores, O P; Smew, F A; Parkes, M E; Ross‐Gilbertson, V; Chachlani, N; Simon, J

2006-01-01

Background Guidelines on staffing and workload for histopathology and cytopathology departments was published by the Royal College of Pathologists (RCPath) in July 2003. In this document, a system is provided whereby the workload of a cellular pathology department and individual pathologists can be assessed with a scoring system based on specialty and complexity of the specimens. A similar, but simplified, system of scoring specimens by specialty was developed in the Warwick District General Hospital. The system was based on the specimen type and suggested clinical diagnosis, so that specimens could be allocated prospectively by the laboratory technical staff to even out workload and support subspecialisation in a department staffed by 4.6 whole‐time equivalent consultant pathologists. Methods The pathologists were asked to indicate their reporting preferences to determine specialist reporting teams. The workload was allocated according to the “prospective” Warwick system (based on specimen type and suggested clinical diagnosis, not affected by final diagnosis or individual pathologist variation in reference to numbers of blocks, sections and special stains examined) for October 2003. The cumulative Warwick score was compared with the “retrospective” RCPath scoring system for each pathologist and between specialties. Four pathologists recorded their time for cut‐up and reporting for the month audited. Results The equitable distribution of work between pathologists was ensured by the Warwick allocation and workload system, hence facilitating specialist reporting. Less variation was observed in points reported per hour by the Warwick system (6.3 (range 5.5–6.9)) than by the RCPath system (11.5 (range 9.3–15)). Conclusions The RCPath system of scoring is inherently complex, is applied retrospectively and is not consistent across subspecialities. The Warwick system is simpler, prospective and can be run by technical staff; it facilitates even workload distribution throughout the day. Subspecialisation within a small‐sized or medium‐sized department with fair distribution of work between pathologists is also allowed for by this system. Reporting times among pathologists were shown by time and motion studies to be more consistent with Warwick points per hour than with RCPath points per hour. PMID:16524963

Association of British Clinical Diabetologists (ABCD) survey of secondary care services for diabetes in the UK, 2000. 1. Methods and major findings.

PubMed

Winocour, P H; Ainsworth, A; Williams, R

2002-04-01

To examine the provision, and variations in, secondary care diabetes services in the UK. A postal survey of all 238 identified secondary care providers of diabetes services in 2000. Following two reminders, a 77% response rate was achieved. Major deficiencies in core staffing levels were recorded, with 36% of services provided by only one consultant physician with an interest in diabetes. The provision of diabetes specialist nurses was less than recommended in 87% of responses, whereas podiatry and dietetic support was unavailable in 3% and 27% of responses, respectively. Diabetes registers were not present in 28%, and a co-ordinated retinopathy screening programme unavailable in 26% of responses. Key biochemical measurements were unavailable in 9% (microalbuminuria) to 18% (HDL-cholesterol) of responses. A 'Well-Resourced Service' score was devised taking account of levels of personnel, facilities and specialized clinical services. There was a significant geographical variation in this score (P < 0.001), with the lowest score (least well-resourced services) in the Eastern NHS Region of England, and the highest score in the North-west NHS Region of England. The 'Well-Resourced Service' score was also significantly lower (P < 0.05) where there were less than two whole-time consultant physicians providing diabetes services. In contrast to other aspects of service provision, availability of dieticians and a combined diabetes-ophthalmology service had declined since 1990. Of 245 recorded bids for resources and service improvements for diabetes care, the success rate overall was 44%, and lowest where bids were made for dietetic and podiatry support. There is presently a major shortfall in provision of secondary care diabetes services throughout the UK, with evidence that there is significant regional variation and less facilities and resources where there are less than two consultants providing specialized diabetes services. On average bids for service improvements were only successful in < 50% of cases, most usually where the service was relatively better provided for. Considerable development and investment are required nationally to ensure equitable access to specialized diabetes services, a vital component in reducing adverse diabetes outcomes.

Large Scale Skill in Regional Climate Modeling and the Lateral Boundary Condition Scheme

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Veljović, K.; Rajković, B.; Mesinger, F.

2009-04-01

Several points are made concerning the somewhat controversial issue of regional climate modeling: should a regional climate model (RCM) be expected to maintain the large scale skill of the driver global model that is supplying its lateral boundary condition (LBC)? Given that this is normally desired, is it able to do so without help via the fairly popular large scale nudging? Specifically, without such nudging, will the RCM kinetic energy necessarily decrease with time compared to that of the driver model or analysis data as suggested by a study using the Regional Atmospheric Modeling System (RAMS)? Finally, can the lateral boundary condition scheme make a difference: is the almost universally used but somewhat costly relaxation scheme necessary for a desirable RCM performance? Experiments are made to explore these questions running the Eta model in two versions differing in the lateral boundary scheme used. One of these schemes is the traditional relaxation scheme, and the other the Eta model scheme in which information is used at the outermost boundary only, and not all variables are prescribed at the outflow boundary. Forecast lateral boundary conditions are used, and results are verified against the analyses. Thus, skill of the two RCM forecasts can be and is compared not only against each other but also against that of the driver global forecast. A novel verification method is used in the manner of customary precipitation verification in that forecast spatial wind speed distribution is verified against analyses by calculating bias adjusted equitable threat scores and bias scores for wind speeds greater than chosen wind speed thresholds. In this way, focusing on a high wind speed value in the upper troposphere, verification of large scale features we suggest can be done in a manner that may be more physically meaningful than verifications via spectral decomposition that are a standard RCM verification method. The results we have at this point are somewhat limited in view of the integrations having being done only for 10-day forecasts. Even so, one should note that they are among very few done using forecast as opposed to reanalysis or analysis global driving data. Our results suggest that (1) running the Eta as an RCM no significant loss of large-scale kinetic energy with time seems to be taking place; (2) no disadvantage from using the Eta LBC scheme compared to the relaxation scheme is seen, while enjoying the advantage of the scheme being significantly less demanding than the relaxation given that it needs driver model fields at the outermost domain boundary only; and (3) the Eta RCM skill in forecasting large scales, with no large scale nudging, seems to be just about the same as that of the driver model, or, in the terminology of Castro et al., the Eta RCM does not lose "value of the large scale" which exists in the larger global analyses used for the initial condition and for verification.

A Comparison of the Forecast Skills among Three Numerical Models

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lu, D.; Reddy, S. R.; White, L. J.

2003-12-01

Three numerical weather forecast models, MM5, COAMPS and WRF, operating with a joint effort of NOAA HU-NCAS and Jackson State University (JSU) during summer 2003 have been chosen to study their forecast skills against observations. The models forecast over the same region with the same initialization, boundary condition, forecast length and spatial resolution. AVN global dataset have been ingested as initial conditions. Grib resolution of 27 km is chosen to represent the current mesoscale model. The forecasts with the length of 36h are performed to output the result with 12h interval. The key parameters used to evaluate the forecast skill include 12h accumulated precipitation, sea level pressure, wind, surface temperature and dew point. Precipitation is evaluated statistically using conventional skill scores, Threat Score (TS) and Bias Score (BS), for different threshold values based on 12h rainfall observations whereas other statistical methods such as Mean Error (ME), Mean Absolute Error(MAE) and Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) are applied to other forecast parameters.

Attentional focus moderates the relationship between attention to threat bias and delusion-like experiences in healthy adults.

PubMed

Prochwicz, K; Kłosowska, J

2017-01-01

The role of cognitive biases in delusion and delusion-like experiences has been widely investigated in recent years. However, little is known about individual differences, which may influence association between cognitive biases and formation of delusional beliefs. The aim of this study was to examine the moderating effect of self-reported attentional control on the relationship between attention to threat bias (ATB) and delusion-like experiences (DLEs) in healthy adults. Participants (n=138) completed the Davos Assessment of the Cognitive Biases Scale (DACOBS), the Attentional Control Scale (ACS) and the Peters et al. Delusions Inventory (PDI). The moderation analysis was performed to check the influence of different components of attentional control (i.e. general ability to allocate attention, focusing, shifting and divide attention) on the interplay between ATB and DLEs. The results supported the moderation model. Specifically, we found that a higher level of ability to focus attention is associated with a stronger effect of attention to threat bias on the overall frequency of DLEs. Our results indicate that ATB contributes to the number of DLEs only in individuals with high and moderate capacity to focus attention, whereas in those who scored low on the ACS focusing attention subscale, the presence of attentional bias does not influence the frequency of DLEs. Our findings show that the individual difference variable, such as ability to voluntarily focus attention, may moderate the relationship between attention to threat bias and delusion-like experiences in healthy adults. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Exclusion-Proneness in Borderline Personality Disorder Inpatients Impairs Alliance in Mentalization-Based Group Therapy.

PubMed

Euler, Sebastian; Wrege, Johannes; Busmann, Mareike; Lindenmeyer, Hannah J; Sollberger, Daniel; Lang, Undine E; Gaab, Jens; Walter, Marc

2018-01-01

Interpersonal sensitivity, particularly threat of potential exclusion, is a critical condition in borderline personality disorder (BPD) which impairs patients' social adjustment. Current evidence-based treatments include group components, such as mentalization-based group therapy (MBT-G), in order to improve interpersonal functioning. These treatments additionally focus on the therapeutic alliance since it was discovered to be a robust predictor of treatment outcome. However, alliance is a multidimensional factor of group therapy, which includes the fellow patients, and may thus be negatively affected by the exclusion-proneness of BPD patients. The aim of this pilot study was to examine the predictive value of threat of social exclusion for the therapeutic alliance in MBT-G. In the first part of the study, social exclusion was experimentally induced in 23 BPD inpatients and 28 healthy subjects using the Cyberball paradigm, a virtual ball tossing game. The evoked level of threat was measured with the Need-Threat Scale (NTS) which captures four dimensions of fundamental human needs, i.e., the need for belongingness, for self-esteem, for control, and for a meaningful existence. In the second part of the study, therapeutic alliance was measured on three dimensions, the therapists, the fellow patients and the group as a whole, using the Group-Questionnaire (GQ-D). BPD patients scored higher in their level of threat according to the NTS in both, the inclusion and the exclusion condition. The level of threat after exclusion predicted impairments of the therapeutic alliance in MBT-G. It was associated with more negative relationships, lower positive bonding and a lower positive working alliance with the fellow patients and lower positive bonding to the group as a whole whilst no negative prediction of the alliance to the therapists was found. Consequently, our translational study design has shown that Cyberball is an appropriate tool to use as an approach for clinical questions. We further conclude that exclusion-proneness in BPD is a critical feature with respect to alliance in group treatments. In order to neutralize BPD patients' exclusion bias, therapists may be advised to provide an "inclusive stance," especially in initial sessions. It is also recommendable to strengthen patient to patient relations.

Psychological factors related to eating disordered behaviors: a study with Portuguese athletes.

PubMed

Silva, Luiz; Gomes, A Rui; Martins, Carla

2011-05-01

This study analyzes eating disordered behaviors in a sample of Portuguese athletes and explores its relationship with some psychological dimensions. Two hundred and ninety nine athletes (153 male, 51.2%) practicing collective (65.2%) or individual sports (34.8%) were included. The assessment protocol included the Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire (EDE-Q) (Fairburn & Beglin, 1994); the Sport Condition Questionnaire (Bruin et al., 2007; Hall et al., 2007); the Sport Anxiety Scale (Smith et al., 2006); the Task and Ego Orientation in Sport Questionnaire (Duda, 1992; Duda & Whitehead, 1998); the Cognitive Evaluation of Sport-Threat Perceptions (Cruz, 1994; Lazarus, 1991); and the Self-Presentation Exercise Questionnaire (Gammage et al., 2004). Results revealed that: i) no case of clinical significance was detected in the four dimensions of the EDE-Q simultaneously; ii) females scored higher on the EDE-Q Global Score, and athletes with the better sport results scored higher on the Restraint subscale; iii) athletes with a higher desire to weigh less scored higher on the EDE-Q Global Score; iv) athletes with lower scores on EDE-Q displayed more positive results on the psychological measures; v) several psychological dimensions were identified as predictors of eating disordered behaviors. In conclusion, the prevalence of eating disordered behaviors was negligible in this study, yet the relationship of this problem with personal, sport and psychological factors was evident.

The use of Spielberger's State-Trait Personality Inventory (trait anxiety subscale) with naval subaquatic specialists.

PubMed

Van Wijk, Charles H

2014-12-01

Panic behavior poses a particular threat to the health and safety of subaquatic occupational specialists. Trait anxiety has previously been identified as a marker of panic behavior under water, and Spielberger's State-Trait Personality Inventory (trait anxiety subscale) has been previously used to measure trait anxiety among subaquatic specialists. Using archived data, the trait anxiety scores of subaquatic specialists were analyzed to meet 3 objectives: 1stly - to develop a trait anxiety profile of subaquatic specialists; 2ndly - to investigate the predictive value of trait anxiety measures upon entering an occupational field; and 3rdly - to establish the reliability of these scores over time. Archival trait-anxiety data from 322 subjects were analyzed statistically. Analysis of the available scores revealed a highly homogenous as well as a very low trait anxiety profile for the investigated occupational group. Additionally, low trait anxiety was somewhat associated with success during specialist training: fewer candidates with high trait anxiety scores completed their qualification. Moreover, measurement of trait anxiety was stable over time, which suggests that when scores for this occupational group are screened, deviations from previous scores could signify a potential need for referral to an intervention from health professionals. Using the trait anxiety subscale as part of occupational health surveillance of subaquatic specialists could support prevention of accidents by identifying high-risk candidates during their annual health assessments, and referral for timeous intervention.

Simulation-based assessment in anesthesiology: requirements for practical implementation.

PubMed

Boulet, John R; Murray, David J

2010-04-01

Simulations have taken a central role in the education and assessment of medical students, residents, and practicing physicians. The introduction of simulation-based assessments in anesthesiology, especially those used to establish various competencies, has demanded fairly rigorous studies concerning the psychometric properties of the scores. Most important, major efforts have been directed at identifying, and addressing, potential threats to the validity of simulation-based assessment scores. As a result, organizations that wish to incorporate simulation-based assessments into their evaluation practices can access information regarding effective test development practices, the selection of appropriate metrics, the minimization of measurement errors, and test score validation processes. The purpose of this article is to provide a broad overview of the use of simulation for measuring physician skills and competencies. For simulations used in anesthesiology, studies that describe advances in scenario development, the development of scoring rubrics, and the validation of assessment results are synthesized. Based on the summary of relevant research, psychometric requirements for practical implementation of simulation-based assessments in anesthesiology are forwarded. As technology expands, and simulation-based education and evaluation takes on a larger role in patient safety initiatives, the groundbreaking work conducted to date can serve as a model for those individuals and organizations that are responsible for developing, scoring, or validating simulation-based education and assessment programs in anesthesiology.

Effects of Job Burnout and Emotional Labor on Objective Structured Clinical Examination Performance Among Interns and Residents in Taiwan.

PubMed

Wang, Chen-Yu; Chen, Jen-De; Wang, Chih-Hung; Wang, Jong-Yi; Tai, Chih-Jaan; Hsieh, Tsu-Yi; Chen, Der-Yuan

2017-01-01

Medical education faces challenges concerning job burnout and emotional labor among junior physicians, which poses a potential threat to the quality of medical care. Although studies have investigated job burnout and emotional labor among physicians, empirical research on the association between job burnout, emotional labor, and clinical performance is lacking. This study investigated the effects of job burnout and emotional labor on clinical performance by using the objective structured clinical examination (OSCE) scores of interns and residents. Specifically, this cross-sectional study utilized the Maslach Burnout Inventory and the Emotional Labor Questionnaire as measurement instruments. A total of 225 interns and residents in central Taiwan answered structured questionnaires before beginning their OSCE. The major statistical analysis method employed was logistic regression. After adjustment for covariates, first-year residents were less likely than other residents to obtain high OSCE scores. The odds of high OSCE performance among interns and residents with high interaction component scores in emotional labor were significantly higher than those with low interaction scores. A high score in the interaction dimension of emotional labor was associated with strong clinical performance. The findings suggest that interventions which motivate positive attitudes and increase interpersonal interaction skills among physicians should receive higher priority.

The Impact of Cognitive Stressors in the Emergency Department on Physician Implicit Racial Bias.

PubMed

Johnson, Tiffani J; Hickey, Robert W; Switzer, Galen E; Miller, Elizabeth; Winger, Daniel G; Nguyen, Margaret; Saladino, Richard A; Hausmann, Leslie R M

2016-03-01

The emergency department (ED) is characterized by stressors (e.g., fatigue, stress, time pressure, and complex decision-making) that can pose challenges to delivering high-quality, equitable care. Although it has been suggested that characteristics of the ED may exacerbate reliance on cognitive heuristics, no research has directly investigated whether stressors in the ED impact physician racial bias, a common heuristic. We seek to determine if physicians have different levels of implicit racial bias post-ED shift versus preshift and to examine associations between demographics and cognitive stressors with bias. This repeated-measures study of resident physicians in a pediatric ED used electronic pre- and postshift assessments of implicit racial bias, demographics, and cognitive stressors. Implicit bias was measured using the Race Implicit Association Test (IAT). Linear regression models compared differences in IAT scores pre- to postshift and determined associations between participant demographics and cognitive stressors with postshift IAT and pre- to postshift difference scores. Participants (n = 91) displayed moderate prowhite/antiblack bias on preshift (mean ± SD = 0.50 ± 0.34, d = 1.48) and postshift (mean ± SD = 0.55 ± 0.39, d = 1.40) IAT scores. Overall, IAT scores did not differ preshift to postshift (mean increase = 0.05, 95% CI = -0.02 to 0.14, d = 0.13). Subanalyses revealed increased pre- to postshift bias among participants working when the ED was more overcrowded (mean increase = 0.09, 95% CI = 0.01 to 0.17, d = 0.24) and among those caring for >10 patients (mean increase = 0.17, 95% CI = 0.05 to 0.27, d = 0.47). Residents' demographics (including specialty), fatigue, busyness, stressfulness, and number of shifts were not associated with postshift IAT or difference scores. In multivariable models, ED overcrowding was associated with greater postshift bias (coefficient = 0.11 per 1 unit of NEDOCS score, SE = 0.05, 95% CI = 0.00 to 0.21). While resident implicit bias remained stable overall preshift to postshift, cognitive stressors (overcrowding and patient load) were associated with increased implicit bias. Physicians in the ED should be aware of how cognitive stressors may exacerbate implicit racial bias. © 2016 by the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine.

The Impact of Cognitive Stressors in the Emergency Department on Physician Implicit Racial Bias

PubMed Central

Johnson, Tiffani J.; Hickey, Robert W.; Switzer, Galen E.; Miller, Elizabeth; Winger, Daniel G.; Nguyen, Margaret; Saladino, Richard A.; Hausmann, Leslie R. M.

2016-01-01

Objectives The emergency department (ED) is characterized by stressors (e.g. fatigue, stress, time-pressure, and complex decision-making) that can pose challenges to delivering high quality, equitable care. Although it has been suggested that characteristics of the ED may exacerbate reliance on cognitive heuristics, no research has directly investigated whether stressors in the ED impact physician racial bias, a common heuristic. We seek to determine if physicians have different levels of implicit racial bias post-ED shift versus pre-shift, and to examine associations between demographics and cognitive stressors with bias. Methods This repeated measures study of resident physicians in a pediatric ED used electronic pre- and post-shift assessments of implicit racial bias, demographics, and cognitive stressors. Implicit bias was measured using the Race Implicit Association Test (IAT). Linear regression models compared differences in IAT scores pre- to post-shift, and determined associations between participant demographics and cognitive stressors with post-shift IAT and pre- to post-shift difference scores. Results Participants (n=91) displayed moderate pro-white/anti-black bias on pre-shift (M=0.50, SD=0.34, d=1.48) and post-shift (M=0.55, SD=0.39, d=1.40) IAT scores. Overall, IAT scores did not differ pre-shift to post-shift (mean increase=0.05, 95% CI −0.02,0.14, d=0.13). Sub-analyses revealed increased pre- to post-shift bias among participants working when the ED was more overcrowded (mean increase=0.09, 95% CI 0.01,0.17, d=0.24) and among those caring for >10 patients (mean increase=0.17, 95% CI 0.05,0.27, d=0.47). Residents’ demographics (including specialty), fatigue, busyness, stressfulness, and number of shifts were not associated with post-shift IAT or difference scores. In multivariable models, ED overcrowding was associated with greater post-shift bias (coefficient=0.11 per 1 unit of NEDOCS score, SE=0.05, 95% CI 0.00,0.21). Conclusions While resident implicit bias remained stable overall pre-shift to post-shift, cognitive stressors (overcrowding and patient load) were associated with increased implicit bias. Physicians in the ED should be aware of how cognitive stressors may exacerbate implicit racial bias. PMID:26763939

Assessing Hourly Precipitation Forecast Skill with the Fractions Skill Score

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhao, Bin; Zhang, Bo

2018-02-01

Statistical methods for category (yes/no) forecasts, such as the Threat Score, are typically used in the verification of precipitation forecasts. However, these standard methods are affected by the so-called "double-penalty" problem caused by slight displacements in either space or time with respect to the observations. Spatial techniques have recently been developed to help solve this problem. The fractions skill score (FSS), a neighborhood spatial verification method, directly compares the fractional coverage of events in windows surrounding the observations and forecasts. We applied the FSS to hourly precipitation verification by taking hourly forecast products from the GRAPES (Global/Regional Assimilation Prediction System) regional model and quantitative precipitation estimation products from the National Meteorological Information Center of China during July and August 2016, and investigated the difference between these results and those obtained with the traditional category score. We found that the model spin-up period affected the assessment of stability. Systematic errors had an insignificant role in the fraction Brier score and could be ignored. The dispersion of observations followed a diurnal cycle and the standard deviation of the forecast had a similar pattern to the reference maximum of the fraction Brier score. The coefficient of the forecasts and the observations is similar to the FSS; that is, the FSS may be a useful index that can be used to indicate correlation. Compared with the traditional skill score, the FSS has obvious advantages in distinguishing differences in precipitation time series, especially in the assessment of heavy rainfall.

"If I feel disgusted, I must be getting ill": emotional reasoning in the context of contamination fear.

PubMed

Verwoerd, Johan; de Jong, Peter J; Wessel, Ineke; van Hout, Wiljo J P J

2013-03-01

Patients suffering from anxiety disorders have been shown to infer danger on the basis of their anxiety responses "if I feel anxious, there must be danger." This tendency logically hampers the identification of false alarms and may thus act in a way to confirm the a priori threat value of the feared stimuli/situations. Since disgust is assumed to play a critical role in the persistence of contamination fears in OCD, the question rises whether individuals suffering from fear of contamination perhaps similarly infer danger on the basis of their disgust response: "If I feel disgusted, it must be contagious." Therefore, this study tested whether indeed disgust-based reasoning might be involved in fear of contamination. On the basis of the contamination fear subscale of the Padua Inventory (PI), we selected a group of participants scoring higher than the established clinical range (n=31, PI>13) and a group of participants low (n=27, PI<5) in contamination fear. Each participant was presented with a series of 2 times 4 types of scripts that systematically varied in the absence/presence of objective threat of contamination and the absence/presence of the actor's disgust response. Following each script, participants rated their perceived threat of contamination/illness. In line with the hypothesis that disgust-based reasoning might be involved in fear of contamination, specifically high contamination fearful individuals inferred risk of becoming ill on the basis of experienced disgust (in addition to objective threat), as was evidenced by a significant Group (high vs. low)×Threat (yes vs. no)×Disgust response (yes vs. no) interaction. This finding might not only help to explain the persistence of contamination fears, but also provides some fresh clues to improve currently available treatment options. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Impact of socioeconomic status on disease phenotype, genomic landscape and outcomes in myelodysplastic syndromes.

PubMed

Mastaglio, Francesca; Bedair, Khaled; Papaemmanuil, Elli; Groves, Michael J; Hyslop, Ann; Keenan, Norene; Hothersall, Eleanor J; Campbell, Peter J; Bowen, David T; Tauro, Sudhir

2016-07-01

Genetic and epigenetic alterations contribute to the biological and clinical characteristics of myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS), but a role for socioeconomic environment remains unclear. Here, socioeconomic status (SES) for 283 MDS patients was estimated using the Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation tool. Indices were assigned to quintile categorical indicators ranked from SES1 (lowest) to SES5 (highest). Clinicopathological features and outcomes between SES quintiles containing 15%, 20%, 19%, 30% and 16% of patients were compared. Prognostic scores identified lower-risk MDS in 82% of patients, with higher-risk disease in 18%. SES quintiles did not associate with age, gender, cytogenetics, International Prognostic scores or, in sub-analysis (n = 95), driver mutations. The odds ratio of a diagnosis of refractory anaemia was greater than other MDS sub-types in SES5 (OR 1·9, P = 0·024). Most patients (91%) exclusively received supportive care. SES did not associate with leukaemic transformation or cause of death. Cox regression models confirmed male gender (P < 0·05), disease-risk (P < 0·0001) and age (P < 0·01) as independent predictors of leukaemia-free survival, with leukaemic transformation an additional determinant of overall survival (P = 0·07). Thus, if access to healthcare is equitable, SES does not determine disease biology or survival in MDS patients receiving supportive treatment; additional studies are required to determine whether outcomes following disease-modifying therapies are influenced by SES. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Tanzanian Couples' Perspectives on Gender Equity, Relationship Power, and Intimate Partner Violence: Findings from the RESPECT Study

PubMed Central

Krishnan, Suneeta; Vohra, Divya; de Walque, Damien; Medlin, Carol; Nathan, Rose; Dow, William H.

2012-01-01

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is widely prevalent in Tanzania. Inequitable gender norms manifest in men's and women's attitudes about power and decision making in intimate relationships and are likely to play an important role in determining the prevalence of IPV. We used data from the RESPECT study, a randomized controlled trial that evaluated an intervention to prevent sexually transmitted infections in a cohort of young Tanzanian men and women, to examine the relationship between couples' attitudes about IPV, relationship power, and sexual decision making, concordance on these issues, and women's reports of IPV over 12 months. Women expressed less equitable attitudes than men at baseline. Over time, participants' attitudes tended to become more equitable and women's reports of IPV declined substantially. Multivariable logistic regression analyses suggested that inequitable attitudes and couple discordance were associated with higher risk of IPV. Our findings point to the need for a better understanding of the role that perceived or actual imbalances in relationship power have in heightening IPV risk. The decline in women's reports of IPV and the trend towards gender-equitable attitudes indicate that concerted efforts to reduce IPV and promote gender equity have the potential to make a positive difference in the relatively short term. PMID:23320151

Developing new scenarios for water allocation negotiations: a case study of the Euphrates River Basin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jarkeh, Mohammad Reza; Mianabadi, Ameneh; Mianabadi, Hojjat

2016-10-01

Mismanagement and uneven distribution of water may lead to or increase conflict among countries. Allocation of water among trans-boundary river neighbours is a key issue in utilization of shared water resources. The bankruptcy theory is a cooperative Game Theory method which is used when the amount of demand of riparian states is larger than total available water. In this study, we survey the application of seven methods of Classical Bankruptcy Rules (CBRs) including Proportional (CBR-PRO), Adjusted Proportional (CBR-AP), Constrained Equal Awards (CBR-CEA), Constrained Equal Losses (CBR-CEL), Piniles (CBR-Piniles), Minimal Overlap (CBR-MO), Talmud (CBR-Talmud) and four Sequential Sharing Rules (SSRs) including Proportional (SSR-PRO), Constrained Equal Awards (SSR-CEA), Constrained Equal Losses (SSR-CEL) and Talmud (SSR-Talmud) methods in allocation of the Euphrates River among three riparian countries: Turkey, Syria and Iraq. However, there is not a certain documented method to find more equitable allocation rule. Therefore, in this paper, a new method is established for choosing the most appropriate allocating rule which seems to be more equitable than other allocation rules to satisfy the stakeholders. The results reveal that, based on the new propose model, the CBR-AP seems to be more equitable to allocate the Euphrates River water among Turkey, Syria and Iraq.

Gender-Equitable Attitudes, Bystander Behavior, and Recent Abuse Perpetration Against Heterosexual Dating Partners of Male High School Athletes

PubMed Central

Tancredi, Daniel J.; Silverman, Jay G.; Decker, Michele R.; Austin, S. Bryn; McCormick, Marie C.; Virata, Maria Catrina; Miller, Elizabeth

2013-01-01

Objectives. We assessed the relationship between gender attitudes, identified as a critical component of violence prevention, and abuse toward dating partners among adolescent male athletes. Methods. Our sample comprised 1699 athletes from 16 high schools in northern California who were surveyed between December 2009 and October 2010 in the larger Coaching Boys Into Men trial. We used logistic regression to assess the association between gender-equitable attitudes, bystander behavior, and recent abuse incidents. Results. Athletes with more gender-equitable attitudes and greater intention to intervene were less likely (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 0.36; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.28, 0.46; and AOR = 0.60; 95% CI = 0.48, 0.75, respectively) and athletes who engaged in negative bystander behavior were more likely (AOR = 1.22, 95% CI = 1.10, 1.35) to perpetrate abuse against their female dating partners. Conclusions. Despite the shift among bystander intervention programs toward gender neutrality, our findings suggest a strong association between gender attitudes and dating violence. Programs designed for adolescents should include discussion of gender attitudes and target bystander behavior, because these components may operate on related but distinct pathways to reduce abuse. PMID:23947324

Use of healthcare consumer voices to increase empathy in nursing students.

PubMed

Heidke, Penny; Howie, Virginia; Ferdous, Tabassum

2018-03-01

Nurses need to be well prepared to address the needs of a diverse population and facilitate positive experiences in an equitable and inclusive approach to care. The aim of the study was to determine whether the integration of consumer lived experience interviews into the content of a first-year course influenced empathy in nursing students. A one group pre-test, post-test design was used. A convenience sample of first-year undergraduate nursing students (N = 32) from a regional Australian university was recruited for the study. The pre and post tests were conducted using the Kiersma Chen Empathy Scale and t-tests performed to analyse the data. Results showed overall that nursing students demonstrated moderate levels of empathy; pre-test score of (M = 75.53; SD = 5.76). After the intervention the post-test results showed that there was a statistically significant increase in students' empathy towards vulnerable, disadvantaged and stigmatised population groups. The healthcare consumer voice has the potential to strengthen current teaching practices that promote caring behaviours in nursing students. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Business continuity strategies for cyber defence: battling time and information overload.

PubMed

Streufert, John

2010-11-01

Can the same numbers and letters which are the life blood of modern business and government computer systems be harnessed to protect computers from attack against known information security risks? For the past seven years, Foreign Service officers and technicians of the US Government have sought to maintain diplomatic operations in the face of rising cyber attacks and test the hypothesis that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. As eight out of ten attacks leverage known computer security vulnerabilities or configuration setting weaknesses, a pound of cure would seem to be easy to come by. Yet modern security tools present an unusually consequential threat to business continuity - too much rather than too little information on cyber problems is presented, harking back to a phenomenon cited by social scientists in the 1960s called 'information overload'. Experience indicates that the longer the most serious cyber problems go untreated, the wider the attack surface adversaries can find. One technique used at the Department of State, called 'risk scoring', resulted in an 89 per cent overall reduction in measured risk over 12 months for the Department of State's servers and personal computers. Later refinements of risk scoring enabled technicians to correct unique security threats with unprecedented speed. This paper explores how the use of metrics, special care in presenting information to technicians and executives alike, as well as tactical use of organisational incentives can result in stronger cyber defences protecting modern organisations.

A neural mediator of human anxiety sensitivity.

PubMed

Harrison, Ben J; Fullana, Miquel A; Soriano-Mas, Carles; Via, Esther; Pujol, Jesus; Martínez-Zalacaín, Ignacio; Tinoco-Gonzalez, Daniella; Davey, Christopher G; López-Solà, Marina; Pérez Sola, Victor; Menchón, José M; Cardoner, Narcís

2015-10-01

Advances in the neuroscientific understanding of bodily autonomic awareness, or interoception, have led to the hypothesis that human trait anxiety sensitivity (AS)-the fear of bodily autonomic arousal-is primarily mediated by the anterior insular cortex. Despite broad appeal, few experimental studies have comprehensively addressed this hypothesis. We recruited 55 individuals exhibiting a range of AS and assessed them with functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) during aversive fear conditioning. For each participant, three primary measures of interest were derived: a trait Anxiety Sensitivity Index score; an in-scanner rating of elevated bodily anxiety sensations during fear conditioning; and a corresponding estimate of whole-brain functional activation to the conditioned versus nonconditioned stimuli. Using a voxel-wise mediation analysis framework, we formally tested for 'neural mediators' of the predicted association between trait AS score and in-scanner anxiety sensations during fear conditioning. Contrary to the anterior insular hypothesis, no evidence of significant mediation was observed for this brain region, which was instead linked to perceived anxiety sensations independently from AS. Evidence for significant mediation was obtained for the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex-a finding that we argue is more consistent with the hypothesized role of human cingulofrontal cortex in conscious threat appraisal processes, including threat-overestimation. This study offers an important neurobiological validation of the AS construct and identifies a specific neural substrate that may underlie high AS clinical phenotypes, including but not limited to panic disorder. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Power and the Association with Relationship Quality in South African Couples: Implications for HIV/AIDS Interventions

PubMed Central

Conroy, Amy A.; McGrath, Nuala; van Rooyen, Heidi; Hosegood, Victoria; Johnson, Mallory O.; Fritz, Katherine; Marr, Alexander; Ngubane, Thulani; Darbes, Lynae A.

2016-01-01

Introduction Power imbalances within sexual relationships have significant implications for HIV prevention in sub-Saharan Africa. Little is known about how power influences the quality of a relationship, which could be an important pathway leading to healthy behavior around HIV/AIDS. Methods This paper uses data from 448 heterosexual couples (896 individuals) in rural KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa who completed baseline surveys from 2012–2014 as part of a couples-based HIV intervention trial. Using an actor-partner interdependence perspective, we assessed: (1) how both partners’ perceptions of power influences their own (i.e., actor effect) and their partner’s reports of relationship quality (i.e., partner effect); and (2) whether these associations differed by gender. We examined three constructs related to power (female power, male equitable gender norms, and shared power) and four domains of relationship quality (intimacy, trust, mutually constructive communication, and conflict). Results For actor effects, shared power was strongly and consistently associated with higher relationship quality across all four domains. The effect of shared power on trust, mutually constructive communication, and conflict were stronger for men than women. The findings for female power and male equitable gender norms were more mixed. Female power was positively associated with women’s reports of trust and mutually constructive communication, but negatively associated with intimacy. Male equitable gender norms were positively associated with men’s reports of mutually constructive communication. For partner effects, male equitable gender norms were positively associated with women’s reports of intimacy and negatively associated with women’s reports of conflict. Conclusions Research and health interventions aiming to improving HIV-related behaviors should consider sources of shared power within couples and potential leverage points for empowerment at the couple level. Efforts solely focused on empowering women should also take the dyadic environment and men’s perspectives into account to ensure positive relationship outcomes. PMID:26859436

Power and the association with relationship quality in South African couples: Implications for HIV/AIDS interventions.

PubMed

Conroy, Amy A; McGrath, Nuala; van Rooyen, Heidi; Hosegood, Victoria; Johnson, Mallory O; Fritz, Katherine; Marr, Alexander; Ngubane, Thulani; Darbes, Lynae A

2016-03-01

Power imbalances within sexual relationships have significant implications for HIV prevention in sub-Saharan Africa. Little is known about how power influences the quality of a relationship, which could be an important pathway leading to healthy behavior around HIV/AIDS. This paper uses data from 448 heterosexual couples (896 individuals) in rural KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa who completed baseline surveys from 2012 to 2014 as part of a couples-based HIV intervention trial. Using an actor-partner interdependence perspective, we assessed: (1) how both partners' perceptions of power influences their own (i.e., actor effect) and their partner's reports of relationship quality (i.e., partner effect); and (2) whether these associations differed by gender. We examined three constructs related to power (female power, male equitable gender norms, and shared power) and four domains of relationship quality (intimacy, trust, mutually constructive communication, and conflict). For actor effects, shared power was strongly and consistently associated with higher relationship quality across all four domains. The effect of shared power on trust, mutually constructive communication, and conflict were stronger for men than women. The findings for female power and male equitable gender norms were more mixed. Female power was positively associated with women's reports of trust and mutually constructive communication, but negatively associated with intimacy. Male equitable gender norms were positively associated with men's reports of mutually constructive communication. For partner effects, male equitable gender norms were positively associated with women's reports of intimacy and negatively associated with women's reports of conflict. Research and health interventions aiming to improving HIV-related behaviors should consider sources of shared power within couples and potential leverage points for empowerment at the couple level. Efforts solely focused on empowering women should also take the dyadic environment and men's perspectives into account to ensure positive relationship outcomes. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Deficient aversive-potentiated startle and the triarchic model of psychopathy: The role of boldness.

PubMed

Esteller, Àngels; Poy, Rosario; Moltó, Javier

2016-05-01

This study examined the contribution of the phenotypic domains of boldness, meanness, and disinhibition of the triarchic conceptualization of psychopathy (Patrick, Fowles, & Krueger, 2009) to deficient aversive-potentiated startle in a mixed-gender sample of 180 undergraduates. Eyeblink responses to noise probes were recorded during a passive picture-viewing task (erotica, neutral, threat, and mutilation). Deficient threat vs. neutral potentiation was uniquely related to increased boldness scores, thus suggesting that the diminished defensive reaction to aversive stimulation is specifically linked to the charm, social potency and venturesomeness features of psychopathy (boldness), but not to features such as callousness, coldheartedness and cruelty traits (meanness), even though both phenotypes theoretically share the same underlying low-fear disposition. Our findings provide further evidence of the differential association between distinct psychopathy components and deficits in defensive reactivity and strongly support the validity of the triarchic model of psychopathy in disentangling the etiology of this personality disorder. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Rethinking Headache Chronification

PubMed Central

Turner, Dana P.; Smitherman, Todd A.; Penzien, Donald B.; Lipton, Richard B.; Houle, Timothy T.

2013-01-01

The objective of this series is to examine several threats to the interpretation of headache chronification studies that arise from methodological issues. The study of headache chronification has extensively used longitudinal designs with two or more measurement occasions. Unfortunately, application of these designs when combined with the common practice of extreme score selection as well as the extant challenges in measuring headache frequency rates (eg, unreliability, regression to the mean), induces substantive threats to accurate interpretation of findings. Partitioning the amount of observed variance in rates of chronification and remission attributable to regression artifacts is a critical yet previously overlooked step to learning more about headache as a potentially progressive disease. In this series on rethinking headache chronification, we provide an overview of methodological issues in this area (this paper), highlight the influence of rounding error on estimates of headache frequency (second paper), examine the influence of random error and regression artifacts on estimates of chronification and remission (third paper), and consider future directions for this line of research (fourth paper). PMID:23721237

Lifestyle, harassment at work and self-assessed health of female flight attendants, nurses and teachers.

PubMed

Gunnarsdottir, Holmfridur K; Sveinsdottir, Herdis; Bernburg, Jon Gunnar; Fridriksdottir, Hildur; Tomasson, Kristinn

2006-01-01

Health-related lifestyle, harassment at work, and self-assessed health of female flight attendants in comparison to that of female nurses and female primary school teachers were surveyed. A higher proportion of flight attendants than nurses or teachers were smokers, 26% vs. 15% and 17% respectively; and consumed alcohol at least once a week, 40% vs. 21% and 16%. Repeated sexual harassment at work was more common among the flight attendants, 31% vs. 8% and 4%; whereas bullying, physical violence and threats were less prevalent among the flight attendants (12%) than among nurses (19%). Flight attendants were on average somewhat taller, but weighed on average less, 63.8 kg vs. 72.4 kg and 72.7 kg respectively. Repeated exposure to sexual harassment, bullying, violence and threats was related to less physical and psychological well-being in all the groups. Teachers scored on average significantly lower than did the flight attendants on general health and physical well-being, while nurses did not.

Men pressured and forced into sexual experience.

PubMed

Struckman-Johnson, C; Struckman-Johnson, D

1994-02-01

A predominantly heterosexual sample of 204 college men were asked to report incidents of pressured or forced sexual touch or intercourse since age 16. About 34% indicated they had received coercive sexual contact: 24% from women, 4% from men, and 6% from both sexes. Contact involved only sexual touching for 12% and intercourse for 22%. Sexual contact was pressured in 88% of the 81 reported incidents by tactics of persuasion, intoxication, threat of love withdrawal, and bribery. In 12% of the incidents, sexual contact was forced through physical restraint, physical intimidation, threat of harm, or harm. Contact was initiated by an acquaintance or intimate in 77% of incidents. The negative emotional impact of male contact was rated significantly higher than the impact of female contact. Men with and without coercion experience did not differ, however, for scale scores on sexual esteem, depression, and preoccupation. Interviews with 10 subjects revealed complex reactions to coercive male and female contact, including doubts about one's sexuality, resentment of unexpected or forceful contact, and fear of telling others about the event.

When contact counts: Intergroup contact on business and intermarriage resistance in the Caucasus region.

PubMed

Gurrentz, Benjamin T; Finke, Roger

2017-03-01

Intergroup contact theory has been empirically supported in a variety of social contexts, but few samples have been drawn from rapidly developing nations undergoing severe political and sociocultural conflict. Using 2012 Caucasus Barometer data from the three nations of the South Caucasus - Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia - we test the effect of interreligious contact on various forms of out-group resistance in a region of the world that is both historically and presently marked with severe religious and ethnic conflict. Additionally, we take into account self-selection effects using propensity score matching. Results overwhelmingly support intergroup contact theory in all three countries, but objections toward intermarriage still remain high for treated groups. In addition, there exist significant differences based on the out-group studied, with the contact effects being the strongest for groups posing little religio-cultural or organized threat. Weaker contact effects, though, appear less related to threat and more contextual/out-group specific. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Fight or flight? Dream content during sleepwalking/sleep terrors vs. rapid eye movement sleep behavior disorder.

PubMed

Uguccioni, Ginevra; Golmard, Jean-Louis; de Fontréaux, Alix Noël; Leu-Semenescu, Smaranda; Brion, Agnès; Arnulf, Isabelle

2013-05-01

Dreams enacted during sleepwalking or sleep terrors (SW/ST) may differ from those enacted during rapid eye movement sleep behavior disorder (RBD). Subjects completed aggression, depression, and anxiety questionnaires. The mentations associated with SW/ST and RBD behaviors were collected over their lifetime and on the morning after video polysomnography (PSG). The reports were analyzed for complexity, length, content, setting, bizarreness, and threat. Ninety-one percent of 32 subjects with SW/ST and 87.5% of 24 subjects with RBD remembered an enacted dream (121 dreams in a lifetime and 41 dreams recalled on the morning). These dreams were more complex and less bizarre, with a higher level of aggression in the RBD than in SW/ST subjects. In contrast, we found low aggression, anxiety, and depression scores during the daytime in both groups. As many as 70% of enacted dreams in SW/ST and 60% in RBD involved a threat, but there were more misfortunes and disasters in the SW/ST dreams and more human and animal aggressions in the RBD dreams. The response to these threats differed, as the sleepwalkers mostly fled from a disaster (and 25% fought back when attacked), while 75% of RBD subjects counterattacked when assaulted. The dreams setting included their bedrooms in 42% SW/ST dreams, though this finding was exceptional in the RBD dreams. Different threat simulations and modes of defense seem to play a role during dream-enacted behaviors (e.g., fleeing a disaster during SW/ST, counterattacking a human or animal assault during RBD), paralleling and exacerbating the differences observed between normal dreaming in nonrapid eye movement (NREM) vs rapid eye movement (REM) sleep. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Association of enhanced limbic response to threat with decreased cortical facial recognition memory response in schizophrenia.

PubMed

Satterthwaite, Theodore D; Wolf, Daniel H; Loughead, James; Ruparel, Kosha; Valdez, Jeffrey N; Siegel, Steven J; Kohler, Christian G; Gur, Raquel E; Gur, Ruben C

2010-04-01

Recognition memory of faces is impaired in patients with schizophrenia, as is the neural processing of threat-related signals, but how these deficits interact to produce symptoms is unclear. The authors used an affective face recognition paradigm to examine possible interactions between cognitive and affective neural systems in schizophrenia. Blood-oxygen-level-dependent response was examined by means of functional magnetic resonance imaging (3 Tesla) in healthy comparison subjects (N=21) and in patients with schizophrenia (N=12) or schizoaffective disorder, depressed type (N=4), during a two-choice recognition task that used images of human faces. Each target face, previously displayed with a threatening or nonthreatening affect, was displayed with neutral affect. Responses to successful recognition and responses to the effect of previously threatening versus nonthreatening affect were evaluated, and correlations with symptom severity (total Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale score) were examined. Functional connectivity analyses examined the relationship between activation in the amygdala and cortical regions involved in recognition memory. Patients performed the task more slowly than healthy comparison subjects. Comparison subjects recruited the expected cortical regions to a greater degree than patients, and patients with more severe symptoms demonstrated proportionally less recruitment. Increased symptoms were also correlated with augmented amygdala and orbitofrontal cortex response to threatening faces. Comparison subjects exhibited a negative correlation between activity in the amygdala and cortical regions involved in cognition, while patients showed weakening of this relationship. Increased symptoms were related to an enhanced threat response in limbic regions and a diminished recognition memory response in cortical regions, supporting a link between these two brain systems that are often examined in isolation. This finding suggests that abnormal processing of threat-related signals in the environment may exacerbate cognitive impairment in schizophrenia.

Investigating the efficacy of attention bias modification in reducing high spider fear: The role of individual differences in initial bias

PubMed Central

Fox, Elaine; Zougkou, Konstantina; Ashwin, Chris; Cahill, Shanna

2015-01-01

Background and objectives Attention Bias Modification (ABM) targets attention bias (AB) towards threat and is a potential therapeutic intervention for anxiety. The current study investigated whether initial AB (towards or away from spider images) influenced the effectiveness of ABM in spider fear. Methods AB was assessed with an attentional probe task consisting of spider and neutral images presented simultaneously followed by a probe in spider congruent or spider incongruent locations. Response time (RT) differences between spider and neutral trials > 25 ms was considered ‘Bias Toward’ threat. RT difference < - 25 ms was considered ‘Bias Away’ from threat, and a difference between −25 ms and +25 ms was considered ‘No Bias’. Participants were categorized into Initial Bias groups using pre-ABM AB scores calculated at the end of the study. 66 participants' (Bias Toward n = 27, Bias Away n = 18, No Bias n = 21) were randomly assigned to ABM-active training designed to reduce or eliminate a bias toward threat and 61 (Bias Toward n = 17, Bias Away n = 18, No Bias n = 26) to ABM-control. Results ABM-active had the largest impact on those demonstrating an initial Bias Towards spider images in terms of changing AB and reducing Spider Fear Vulnerability, with the Bias Away group experiencing least benefit from ABM. However, all Initial Bias groups benefited equally from active ABM in a Stress Task. Limitations Participants were high spider fearful but not formally diagnosed with a specific phobia. Therefore, results should be confirmed within a clinical population. Conclusions Individual differences in Initial Bias may be an important determinant of ABM efficacy. PMID:26060177

Hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis genetic variation and early stress moderates amygdala function.

PubMed

Di Iorio, Christina R; Carey, Caitlin E; Michalski, Lindsay J; Corral-Frias, Nadia S; Conley, Emily Drabant; Hariri, Ahmad R; Bogdan, Ryan

2017-06-01

Early life stress may precipitate psychopathology, at least in part, by influencing amygdala function. Converging evidence across species suggests that links between childhood stress and amygdala function may be dependent upon hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis function. Using data from college-attending non-Hispanic European-Americans (n=308) who completed the Duke Neurogenetics Study, we examined whether early life stress (ELS) and HPA axis genetic variation interact to predict threat-related amygdala function as well as psychopathology symptoms. A biologically-informed multilocus profile score (BIMPS) captured HPA axis genetic variation (FKBP5 rs1360780, CRHR1 rs110402; NR3C2 rs5522/rs4635799) previously associated with its function (higher BIMPS are reflective of higher HPA axis activity). BOLD fMRI data were acquired while participants completed an emotional face matching task. ELS and depression and anxiety symptoms were measured using the childhood trauma questionnaire and the mood and anxiety symptom questionnaire, respectively. The interaction between HPA axis BIMPS and ELS was associated with right amygdala reactivity to threat-related stimuli, after accounting for multiple testing (empirical-p=0.016). Among individuals with higher BIMPS (i.e., the upper 21.4%), ELS was positively coupled with threat-related amygdala reactivity, which was absent among those with average or low BIMPS. Further, higher BIMPS were associated with greater self-reported anxious arousal, though there was no evidence that amygdala function mediated this relationship. Polygenic variation linked to HPA axis function may moderate the effects of early life stress on threat-related amygdala function and confer risk for anxiety symptomatology. However, what, if any, neural mechanisms may mediate the relationship between HPA axis BIMPS and anxiety symptomatology remains unclear. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Comparing the Climate Agendas of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stephenson, S. R.; Oculi, N.

2016-12-01

Effective mitigation of and adaptation to climate change requires multilateral coordination of numerous political and scientific activities and priorities. Since its inception in 1992, the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) has sought a comprehensive international response to the climate threat, culminating most recently in December 2015 at COP 21. The Paris Agreement was lauded as a landmark step toward global climate action as it represented a consensus of 196 countries to limit global warming to 2° C above pre-industrial levels with an additional stated goal to "pursue efforts" to limit the increase to 1.5° C. However, taken in a vacuum, the global Agreement masks important differences among its signatory countries in capabilities and priorities for tackling climate change, and obscures pathways for place-specific scientific research and intervention. Here we present a quantitative content analysis of official UNFCCC documents including COP transcripts, meeting agendas, and mitigation commitments outlined in pledged Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDC) to reveal areas of alignment and divergence among UNFCCC stakeholders. Textual cluster analysis illustrates the relative salience of key climate-related discourses (e.g. vulnerability; loss and damage; decarbonization; technology transfer) in the agendas of negotiating parties, and the degree to which the interests of some parties are over- or under-represented in the final "consensus" agreement. Understanding these disparities, and their potential to promote cooperation and/or disagreement among stakeholders, will be critical to scientists' efforts to develop equitable and sustainable long-term climate solutions.

Climate change: The necessary, the possible and the desirable Earth League climate statement on the implications for climate policy from the 5th IPCC Assessment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rockström, Johan; Brasseur, Guy; Hoskins, Brian; Lucht, Wolfgang; Schellnhuber, John; Kabat, Pavel; Nakicenovic, Nebojsa; Gong, Peng; Schlosser, Peter; Máñez Costa, Maria; Humble, April; Eyre, Nick; Gleick, Peter; James, Rachel; Lucena, Andre; Masera, Omar; Moench, Marcus; Schaeffer, Roberto; Seitzinger, Sybil; van der Leeuw, Sander; Ward, Bob; Stern, Nicholas; Hurrell, James; Srivastava, Leena; Morgan, Jennifer; Nobre, Carlos; Sokona, Youba; Cremades, Roger; Roth, Ellinor; Liverman, Diana; Arnott, James

2014-12-01

The development of human civilisations has occurred at a time of stable climate. This climate stability is now threatened by human activity. The rising global climate risk occurs at a decisive moment for world development. World nations are currently discussing a global development agenda consequent to the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), which ends in 2015. It is increasingly possible to envisage a world where absolute poverty is largely eradicated within one generation and where ambitious goals on universal access and equal opportunities for dignified lives are adopted. These grand aspirations for a world population approaching or even exceeding nine billion in 2050 is threatened by substantial global environmental risks and by rising inequality. Research shows that development gains, in both rich and poor nations, can be undermined by social, economic and ecological problems caused by human-induced global environmental change. Climate risks, and associated changes in marine and terrestrial ecosystems that regulate the resilience of the climate system, are at the forefront of these global risks. We, as citizens with a strong engagement in Earth system science and socio-ecological dynamics, share the vision of a more equitable and prosperous future for the world, yet we also see threats to this future from shifts in climate and environmental processes. Without collaborative action now, our shared Earth system may not be able to sustainably support a large proportion of humanity in the decades ahead.

Harsh medicine. [retail wheeling experiment in Michigan and side effects

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

Studness, C.M.

1993-07-15

Retailing wheeling's harmful side-effects may surface in a Michigan experiment. In the final analysis, the debate over retail wheeling is about whether there will be direct price competition in the electric power industry. Retail wheeling would extend to the electric power market the same freedom of choice among customers that is present elsewhere in the economy. It would provide a mechanism through which competition could enforce an efficient allocation of resources. It also undoubtedly would eliminate most of the huge discrepancies that exist between so many neighboring service areas. It is unlikely that permitting retail wheeling would actually result inmore » much wheeling or loss of load. Utilities will no doubt meet the threat of the loss of load by cutting rates to hold their customers. Hence, the primary effect would be on the pricing of electricity, not the wheeling of power. The retail wheeling experiment under consideration in Michigan can become an important step toward making the utility industry more efficient for the nation and more equitable for ratepayers. Unfortunately, it also is potentially unfair to the utilities involved. A retail wheeling experiment in one state is likely to put those utilities at risk for competitive attack, but is unlikely to give those utilities the countervailing power to use retail wheeling elsewhere to market their power. Fairness and economic efficiency require that retail wheeling exist everywhere, and that is is accessible to utilities as well as non-utilities.« less

Diversity and prevalence of gastrointestinal parasites in seven non-human primates of the Taï National Park, Côte d’Ivoire

PubMed Central

Kouassi, Roland Yao Wa; McGraw, Scott William; Yao, Patrick Kouassi; Abou-Bacar, Ahmed; Brunet, Julie; Pesson, Bernard; Bonfoh, Bassirou; N’goran, Eliezer Kouakou; Candolfi, Ermanno

2015-01-01

Parasites and infectious diseases are well-known threats to primate populations. The main objective of this study was to provide baseline data on fecal parasites in the cercopithecid monkeys inhabiting Côte d’Ivoire’s Taï National Park. Seven of eight cercopithecid species present in the park were sampled: Cercopithecus diana, Cercopithecus campbelli, Cercopithecus petaurista, Procolobus badius, Procolobus verus, Colobus polykomos, and Cercocebus atys. We collected 3142 monkey stool samples between November 2009 and December 2010. Stool samples were processed by direct wet mount examination, formalin-ethyl acetate concentration, and MIF (merthiolate, iodine, formalin) concentration methods. Slides were examined under microscope and parasite identification was based on the morphology of cysts, eggs, and adult worms. A total of 23 species of parasites was recovered including 9 protozoa (Entamoeba coli, Entamoeba histolytica/dispar, Entamoeba hartmanni, Endolimax nana, Iodamoeba butschlii, Chilomastix mesnili, Giardia sp., Balantidium coli, and Blastocystis sp.), 13 nematodes (Oesophagostomum sp., Ancylostoma sp., Anatrichosoma sp., Capillariidae Gen. sp. 1, Capillariidae Gen. sp. 2, Chitwoodspirura sp., Subulura sp., spirurids [cf Protospirura muricola], Ternidens sp., Strongyloides sp., Trichostrongylus sp., and Trichuris sp.), and 1 trematode (Dicrocoelium sp.). Diversity indices and parasite richness were high for all monkey taxa, but C. diana, C. petaurista, C. atys, and C. campbelli exhibited a greater diversity of parasite species and a more equitable distribution. The parasitological data reported are the first available for these cercopithecid species within Taï National Park. PMID:25619957

Science versus policy in establishing equitable Agent Orange disability compensation policy.

PubMed

Brown, Mark A

2011-07-01

This article makes the case that current Agent Orange compensation policy for Vietnam War veterans is based neither wholly upon scientific findings about Agent Orange health effects nor on pure public health policy considerations. Rather, it is the logical culmination of decades of experience among policy makers and public health scientists trying to establish clear-cut, equitable, and scientifically defensible compensation policy in the face of limited relevant science and poor or nonexistent exposure data-all within the broader context of Veterans Affairs disability compensation policies, and a deep-seated commitment to support the men and women who served their country during the Vietnam War. Finally, attempts to update current policy will benefit from an understanding of this background.

Disgust and Contamination: A Cross-National Comparison of Ghana and the United States

PubMed Central

Skolnick, Alexander J.; Dzokoto, Vivian A.

2012-01-01

The emotion of disgust, with feelings of revulsion and behavioral withdrawal, make it a prime emotion to aid in the avoidance of sources of contamination, including sources of potential infectious disease. We tested the theory that living in a region with a historically high prevalence of infectious diseases would promote higher levels of disgust and contamination sensitivity as a protective measure. A sample of undergraduates from Ghana (n = 103, 57 women), a country with a historically high prevalence of infectious diseases, showed significantly higher scores on scales assessing disgust, contamination, and disease susceptibility than a sample of undergraduates from the United States (n = 96, 58 women), a country with lower levels of disease threat. Contamination sensitivity mediated the national differences in disgust. Disgust connoting contamination also produced larger cross-national effect sizes than other types of disgust. Finally, a factor analysis on the Ghanaian responses to one of the disgust scales did not resemble the usual three-factor solution found in West. Taken together, the results were consistent with the hypothesis that a region with a higher prevalence of infectious disease threats would produce greater sensitivity to disgust and contamination than seen in lower disease threat regions. This first study on disgust in Africa showed that disgust sensitivity could differ considerably from that in the West. PMID:23450744

Turnover intention and related factors among general practitioners in Hubei, China: a cross-sectional study.

PubMed

Gan, Yong; Gong, Yanhong; Chen, Yawen; Cao, Shiyi; Li, Liqing; Zhou, Yanfeng; Herath, Chulani; Li, Wenzhen; Song, Xingyue; Li, Jing; Yang, Tingting; Yin, Xiaoxv; Lu, Zuxun

2018-05-24

High turnover among general practitioners (GPs) is a significant challenge in China's efforts to build a sustainable, effective primary care system, but little data is available to help understand and address this issue. The study was aiming at assessing the intention to leave their posts among a sample of GPs and investigating associated factors. A cross-sectional survey was conducted between December 12, 2014 and March 10, 2015 in Hubei Province, Central China. A total of 1016 GPs (response rate, 85.67%) were investigated by using a structured self-administered questionnaire. A generalized linear regression model was used to identify the associated factors with turnover intention among GPs. Based on a full score of 24, the average score for GPs' turnover intention was 15.40 (SD = 3.43). 78.35% of the GPs had a moderate or higher level of turnover intention. Six hundred and thirty one (62.37%) GPs had ever been exposed to abuse of any kind (physical assault, 18.92%; verbal abuse, 54.38%; threat, 33.79%; verbal sexual harassment, 22.66%; and physical sexual harassment, 7.59%). Generalized linear regression analysis indicated that GPs who were male; who had a vocational school or higher; who had a temporary work contract; who were with lower level of job satisfaction; who reported higher scores on emotional exhaustion; who had been exposed to higher frequency of workplace violence were expressed higher intention to leave their present positions. This study shows that GP's intention to leave general practices is high in Hubei, China. In addition, the prevalence of workplace violence is high among GPs, particularly in the verbal abuse and threat. Measures such as offering permanent contract status, increasing overall job satisfaction, and improving doctor-patient relationship, are needed to moderate GP's turnover intention in order to maintain the foundation of China's three-tier health system.

An analysis of high-impact, low-predictive skill severe weather events in the northeast U.S

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vaughan, Matthew T.

An objective evaluation of Storm Prediction Center slight risk convective outlooks, as well as a method to identify high-impact severe weather events with poor-predictive skill are presented in this study. The objectives are to assess severe weather forecast skill over the northeast U.S. relative to the continental U.S., build a climatology of high-impact, low-predictive skill events between 1980--2013, and investigate the dynamic and thermodynamic differences between severe weather events with low-predictive skill and high-predictive skill over the northeast U.S. Severe storm reports of hail, wind, and tornadoes are used to calculate skill scores including probability of detection (POD), false alarm ratio (FAR) and threat scores (TS) for each convective outlook. Low predictive skill events are binned into low POD (type 1) and high FAR (type 2) categories to assess temporal variability of low-predictive skill events. Type 1 events were found to occur in every year of the dataset with an average of 6 events per year. Type 2 events occur less frequently and are more common in the earlier half of the study period. An event-centered composite analysis is performed on the low-predictive skill database using the National Centers for Environmental Prediction Climate Forecast System Reanalysis 0.5° gridded dataset to analyze the dynamic and thermodynamic conditions prior to high-impact severe weather events with varying predictive skill. Deep-layer vertical shear between 1000--500 hPa is found to be a significant discriminator in slight risk forecast skill where high-impact events with less than 31-kt shear have lower threat scores than high-impact events with higher shear values. Case study analysis of type 1 events suggests the environment over which severe weather occurs is characterized by high downdraft convective available potential energy, steep low-level lapse rates, and high lifting condensation level heights that contribute to an elevated risk of severe wind.

Violence involving intimate partners

PubMed Central

Ahmad, Farah; Hogg-Johnson, Sheilah; Stewart, Donna E.; Levinson, Wendy

2007-01-01

OBJECTIVE To investigate the prevalence of violence involving intimate partners among women visiting Canadian family practices and to assess participants’ attitudes toward future use of computer-assisted screening for violence and other health risks. DESIGN Self-report via written survey. SETTING Group family practice clinic in inner-city Toronto, Ont. PARTICIPANTS Women patients at least 18 years old who were fluent in English. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Responses to questions about violence selected from the Abuse Assessment Screen and the Partner Violence Screen. Participants’ attitudes toward computer-assisted screening as measured by the Computerized Lifestyle Assessment Scale (1 to 5) in the domains of benefits, privacy—barriers, interaction—barriers, and interest. RESULTS Responses were received from 202 patients, 144 of whom were in current or recent relationships and completed the section on intimate-partner violence (IPV). The overall prevalence of IPV in current or recent relationships was 14.6%. Emotional abuse was reported by 10.4%, threat of violence by 8.3%, and physical or sexual violence by 7.6% of respondents. Emotional abuse was significantly associated with threat of violence and physical or sexual violence (P≤.001). Analysis of responses to questions on computerized screening revealed that participants generally perceived it would have benefits (mean score 3.6) and were very interested in it (mean score 4.3). Those who reported experiencing IPV rated the benefits of computerized screening significantly higher than respondents without IPV experiences did (t2.3, df142, P < .05). Participants were “not sure” about barriers (mean score 3.0). Responses were similar in the 2 groups for the domains of interest, privacy—barriers, and interaction—barriers. CONCLUSION The high rate of IPV reported by women attending family practices calls for physicians to be vigilant. Future research should examine ways to facilitate physicians’ inquiry into IPV. The positive attitudes of our participants toward interactive computer-assisted screening indicates a need for more research in this area. PMID:17872682

Dog Owners' Interaction Styles: Their Components and Associations with Reactions of Pet Dogs to a Social Threat.

PubMed

Cimarelli, Giulia; Turcsán, Borbála; Bánlaki, Zsófia; Range, Friederike; Virányi, Zsófia

2016-01-01

The bond dogs develop with their owner received increased attention in the last years but no study aimed at characterizing the way in which owners interact with their dogs in their daily life and how this might influence dog behavior. In order to examine how dog owners interact with their dogs, we first analyzed the behavior of 220 dog owners in 8 different standardized situations involving the owner-dog dyad. We extracted 3 behavioral factors related to " Owner Warmth ," " Owner Social Support ," and " Owner Control ." Further, we investigated whether owner personality, gender and age are associated with these three factors. Results indicated that older owners scored lower in " Owner Warmth " and in " Owner Social Support " and higher in " Owner Control " than younger owners. Furthermore, owners scoring high in " Owner Control " scored lower in the personality trait Openness and owners scoring high in " Owner Social Support " scored lower in the personality trait Conscientiousness. Finally, we also analyzed whether the dogs' reaction to an unfamiliar woman's threatening approach was associated with the owners' interaction styles. Results showed that dogs that searched for proximity of their owners during the threatening situation had owners scoring higher in " Owner Warmth ," as compared to dogs that reacted more autonomously, approaching the unfamiliar experimenter. Analogies between dog-owner interaction styles and human parenting styles are discussed considering the implications of the present findings for human social psychology as well as the practical relevance for dog welfare and human safety.

7 CFR 989.126 - Representation of the Committee.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... PRODUCED FROM GRAPES GROWN IN CALIFORNIA Administrative Rules and Regulations Raisin Administrative... producers equitable representation throughout the production area commencing with the term of office...

7 CFR 989.126 - Representation of the Committee.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... PRODUCED FROM GRAPES GROWN IN CALIFORNIA Administrative Rules and Regulations Raisin Administrative... producers equitable representation throughout the production area commencing with the term of office...

7 CFR 989.126 - Representation of the Committee.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... PRODUCED FROM GRAPES GROWN IN CALIFORNIA Administrative Rules and Regulations Raisin Administrative... producers equitable representation throughout the production area commencing with the term of office...

7 CFR 989.126 - Representation of the Committee.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... PRODUCED FROM GRAPES GROWN IN CALIFORNIA Administrative Rules and Regulations Raisin Administrative... producers equitable representation throughout the production area commencing with the term of office...

Constructive Role of Interorganizational Conflict

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Assael, Henry

1969-01-01

The economic, organizational, and political conditions that encourage a systematic and equitable resolution of conflict are considered in this study of conflict within the automobile distribution system. (Author)

28 CFR 0.75 - Policy functions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

..., automated information services, publication services, library services and any other Department-wide central...) Provide computer and digital telecommunications services on an equitable resource-sharing basis to all...

28 CFR 0.75 - Policy functions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

..., automated information services, publication services, library services and any other Department-wide central...) Provide computer and digital telecommunications services on an equitable resource-sharing basis to all...

Fertility preservation: a pilot study to assess previsit patient knowledge quantitatively.

PubMed

Balthazar, Ursula; Fritz, Marc A; Mersereau, Jennifer E

2011-05-01

To provide a quantitative assessment of patient knowledge about fertility and fertility preservation treatment options before the initial fertility preservation consultation at a university-based fertility preservation center. Prospective pilot survey containing 13 items assessing patient knowledge about fertility preservation, including the available treatment options and their requirements, success rates, and associated risks. University-based IVF center. Women aged 18 to 41 years with illnesses requiring treatments posing a serious threat to future fertility who were referred for fertility preservation consultation between April 2009 and June 2010. None. Knowledge score. Forty-one eligible patients were identified, and all completed surveys before their consultation. A knowledge score was generated for each patient with 1 point awarded for each correct answer. Overall, patients had poor previsit fertility preservation knowledge (mean score 5.9±2.7). Higher knowledge scores were correlated with personal experience with infertility and previous exposure to fertility preservation treatment information. There was no correlation between knowledge score and age, relationship status, pregnancy history, education, or income. Patients seen for fertility preservation consultation at our university-based center generally tend to be in their early 30s, white, well educated, and married. Previsit knowledge about fertility preservation treatment options was poor and did not correlate with age, education, and relationship status. Copyright © 2011 American Society for Reproductive Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Clostridium difficile Associated Risk of Death Score (CARDS): A novel severity score to predict mortality among hospitalized patients with Clostridium difficile infection

PubMed Central

Kassam, Zain; Fabersunne, Camila Cribb; Smith, Mark B.; Alm, Eric J.; Kaplan, Gilaad G.; Nguyen, Geoffrey C.; Ananthakrishnan, Ashwin N.

2016-01-01

Background Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) is public health threat and associated with significant mortality. However, there is a paucity of objectively derived CDI severity scoring systems to predict mortality. Aims To develop a novel CDI risk score to predict mortality entitled: Clostridium difficile Associated Risk of Death Score (CARDS). Methods We obtained data from the United States 2011 Nationwide Inpatient Sample (NIS) database. All CDI-associated hospitalizations were identified using discharge codes (ICD-9-CM, 008.45). Multivariate logistic regression was utilized to identify independent predictors of mortality. CARDS was calculated by assigning a numeric weight to each parameter based on their odds ratio in the final logistic model. Predictive properties of model discrimination were assessed using the c-statistic and validated in an independent sample using the 2010 NIS database. Results We identified 77,776 hospitalizations, yielding an estimate of 374,747 cases with an associated diagnosis of CDI in the United States, 8% of whom died in the hospital. The 8 severity score predictors were identified on multivariate analysis: age, cardiopulmonary disease, malignancy, diabetes, inflammatory bowel disease, acute renal failure, liver disease and ICU admission, with weights ranging from −1 (for diabetes) to 5 (for ICU admission). The overall risk score in the cohort ranged from 0 to 18. Mortality increased significantly as CARDS increased. CDI-associated mortality was 1.2% with a CARDS of 0 compared to 100% with CARDS of 18. The model performed equally well in our validation cohort. Conclusion CARDS is a promising simple severity score to predict mortality among those hospitalized with CDI. PMID:26849527

Costs, equity, efficiency and feasibility of identifying the poor in Ghana's National Health Insurance Scheme: empirical analysis of various strategies.

PubMed

Aryeetey, Genevieve Cecilia; Jehu-Appiah, Caroline; Spaan, Ernst; Agyepong, Irene; Baltussen, Rob

2012-01-01

To analyse the costs and evaluate the equity, efficiency and feasibility of four strategies to identify poor households for premium exemptions in Ghana's National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS): means testing (MT), proxy means testing (PMT), participatory wealth ranking (PWR) and geographic targeting (GT) in urban, rural and semi-urban settings in Ghana. We conducted the study in 145-147 households per setting with MT as our gold standard strategy. We estimated total costs that included costs of household surveys and cost of premiums paid to the poor, efficiency (cost per poor person identified), equity (number of true poor excluded) and the administrative feasibility of implementation. The cost of exempting one poor individual ranged from US$15.87 to US$95.44; exclusion of the poor ranged between 0% and 73%. MT was most efficient and equitable in rural and urban settings with low-poverty incidence; GT was efficient and equitable in the semi-urban setting with high-poverty incidence. PMT and PWR were less equitable and inefficient although feasible in some settings. We recommend MT as optimal strategy in low-poverty urban and rural settings and GT as optimal strategy in high-poverty semi-urban setting. The study is relevant to other social and developmental programmes that require identification and exemptions of the poor in low-income countries. © 2011 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Optimizing community case management strategies to achieve equitable reduction of childhood pneumonia mortality: An application of Equitable Impact Sensitive Tool (EQUIST) in five low- and middle-income countries.

PubMed

Waters, Donald; Theodoratou, Evropi; Campbell, Harry; Rudan, Igor; Chopra, Mickey

2012-12-01

The aim of this study was to populate the Equitable Impact Sensitive Tool (EQUIST) framework with all necessary data and conduct the first implementation of EQUIST in studying cost-effectiveness of community case management of childhood pneumonia in 5 low- and middle-income countries with relation to equity impact. Wealth quintile-specific data were gathered or modelled for all contributory determinants of the EQUIST framework, namely: under-five mortality rate, cost of intervention, intervention effectiveness, current coverage of intervention and relative disease distribution. These were then combined statistically to calculate the final outcome of the EQUIST model for community case management of childhood pneumonia: US$ per life saved, in several different approaches to scaling-up. The current 'mainstream' approach to scaling-up of interventions is never the most cost-effective. Community-case management appears to strongly support an 'equity-promoting' approach to scaling-up, displaying the highest levels of cost-effectiveness in interventions targeted at the poorest quintile of each study country, although absolute cost differences vary by context. The relationship between cost-effectiveness and equity impact is complex, with many determinants to consider. One important way to increase intervention cost-effectiveness in poorer quintiles is to improve the efficiency and quality of delivery. More data are needed in all areas to increase the accuracy of EQUIST-based estimates.

The Neural Basis of Social Influence in a Dictator Decision.

PubMed

Wei, Zhenyu; Zhao, Zhiying; Zheng, Yong

2017-01-01

Humans tend to reduce inequitable distributions. Previous neuroimaging studies have shown that inequitable decisions are related to brain regions that associated with negative emotion and signaling conflict. In the highly complex human social environment, our opinions and behaviors can be affected by social information. In current study, we used a modified dictator game to investigate the effect of social influence on making an equitable decision. We found that the choices of participants in present task was influenced by the choices of peers. However, participants' decisions were influenced by equitable rather than inequitable group choices. fMRI results showed that brain regions that related to norm violation and social conflict were related to the inequitable social influence. The neural responses in the dorsomedial prefrontal cortex, rostral cingulate zone, and insula predicted subsequent conforming behavior in individuals. Additionally, psychophysiological interaction analysis revealed that the interconnectivity between the dorsal striatum and insula was elevated in advantageous inequity influence versus no-social influence conditions. We found decreased functional connectivity between the medial prefrontal cortex and insula, supplementary motor area, posterior cingulate gyrus and dorsal anterior cingulate cortex in the disadvantageous inequity influence versus no-social influence conditions. This suggests that a disadvantageous inequity influence may decrease the functional connectivity among brain regions that are related to reward processes. Thus, the neural mechanisms underlying social influence in an equitable decision may be similar to those implicated in social norms and reward processing.

Human capital flight challenges within an equitable health system.

PubMed

Udonwa, N E

2007-01-01

The issue of human capital flight has been discussed at different forums with a consensus opinion that it has its merits and demerits to equitable health system. Most often one nation becomes a substantial net exporter of talent, leaving the provider nation at risk of depleting its natural supply of talent. This paper looks into the historical perspective of human capital flight or "brain drain", and its burden. It attempts to elucidate the various causes and suggested solutions. The paper's objective is to educate colleagues on the conceptual and contextual imperatives of the issue. Using a convenient sample of key informants who were medical colleagues in Nigeria relevant information was sourced from these colleagues, documents from the postgraduate medical college of Nigeria and the internet on maters relating to human capital flight and brain drain. Every year, thousands of qualified doctors, and other professionals leave Nigeria tempted by significantly higher wages, brighter prospects for employment and education, stability, food security. It appears that the potential exposure to different working conditions, resources and professional environments can be of advantage to the country, should Nigeria be able to recall these professionals. It also appears that necessary economic reforms that make staying at home rewarding, that is--good leadership, and policy planning that seriously looks into rural development, among other issues, are keys ingredients to reversing the trend in order to ensure a more equitable health system.

Practice variation in the Dutch long-term care and the role of supply-sensitive care: Is access to the Dutch long-term care equitable?

PubMed

Duell, Daisy; Koolman, Xander; Portrait, France

2017-12-01

Universal access and generous coverage are important goals of the Dutch long-term care (LTC) system. It is a legal requirement that everyone eligible for LTC should be able to receive it. Institutional care (IC) made up for 90% of Dutch LTC spending. To investigate whether access to IC is as equitable as the Dutch government aspires, we explored practice variation in entitlements to IC across Dutch regions. We used a unique dataset that included all individual applications for Dutch LTC in January 2010-December 2013 (N = 3,373,358). This dataset enabled an accurate identification of the need for care. We examined the local variation in the probability of being granted long-term IC and in the intensity of the care granted given that individuals have applied for LTC. We also investigated whether the variation observed was related to differences in the local availability of care facilities. Although our analyses indicated the presence of some practice variation, its magnitude was very small by national and international standards (up to 3%). Only a minor part of the practice variation could be accounted for by local supply differences in care facilities. Overall, we conclude that, unlike many other developed countries, the Dutch system ensured equitable access to long-term IC. © 2017 The Authors. Health Economics Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Counseling Received by Adolescents Undergoing Voluntary Medical Male Circumcision: Moving Toward Age-Equitable Comprehensive Human Immunodeficiency Virus Prevention Measures

PubMed Central

Kaufman, Michelle R; Patel, Eshan U; Dam, Kim H; Packman, Zoe R; Van Lith, Lynn M; Hatzold, Karin; Marcell, Arik V; Mavhu, Webster; Kahabuka, Catherine; Mahlasela, Lusanda; Njeuhmeli, Emmanuel; Seifert Ahanda, Kim; Ncube, Getrude; Lija, Gissenge; Bonnecwe, Collen; Tobian, Aaron A R

2018-01-01

Abstract Background The minimum package of voluntary medical male circumcision (VMMC) services, as defined by the World Health Organization, includes human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) testing, HIV prevention counseling, screening/treatment for sexually transmitted infections, condom promotion, and the VMMC procedure. The current study aimed to assess whether adolescents received these key elements. Methods Quantitative surveys were conducted among male adolescents aged 10–19 years (n = 1293) seeking VMMC in South Africa, Tanzania, and Zimbabwe. We used a summative index score of 8 self-reported binary items to measure receipt of important elements of the World Health Organization–recommended HIV minimum package and the US President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief VMMC recommendations. Counseling sessions were observed for a subset of adolescents (n = 44). To evaluate factors associated with counseling content, we used Poisson regression models with generalized estimating equations and robust variance estimation. Results Although counseling included VMMC benefits, little attention was paid to risks, including how to identify complications, what to do if they arise, and why avoiding sex and masturbation could prevent complications. Overall, older adolescents (aged 15–19 years) reported receiving more items in the recommended minimum package than younger adolescents (aged 10–14 years; adjusted β, 0.17; 95% confidence interval [CI], .12–.21; P < .001). Older adolescents were also more likely to report receiving HIV test education and promotion (42.7% vs 29.5%; adjusted prevalence ratio [aPR], 1.53; 95% CI, 1.16–2.02) and a condom demonstration with condoms to take home (16.8% vs 4.4%; aPR, 2.44; 95% CI, 1.30–4.58). No significant age differences appeared in reports of explanations of VMMC risks and benefits or uptake of HIV testing. These self-reported findings were confirmed during counseling observations. Conclusions Moving toward age-equitable HIV prevention services during adolescent VMMC likely requires standardizing counseling content, as there are significant age differences in HIV prevention content received by adolescents. PMID:29617776

Compromises.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sizer, Theodore R.

1984-01-01

Taking as examples the issues of improving students'"high order thinking skills" and arriving at more equitable teacher salaries and school budgets, the author discusses the need for compromise solutions to widespread problems. (JBM)

Toward equity through participation in Modeling Instruction in introductory university physics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brewe, Eric; Sawtelle, Vashti; Kramer, Laird H.; O'Brien, George E.; Rodriguez, Idaykis; Pamelá, Priscilla

2010-06-01

We report the results of a five year evaluation of the reform of introductory calculus-based physics by implementation of Modeling Instruction (MI) at Florida International University (FIU), a Hispanic-serving institution. MI is described in the context of FIU’s overall effort to enhance student participation in physics and science broadly. Our analysis of MI from a “participationist” perspective on learning identifies aspects of MI including conceptually based instruction, culturally sensitive instruction, and cooperative group learning, which are consistent with research on supporting equitable learning and participation by students historically under-represented in physics (i.e., Black, Hispanic, women). This study uses markers of conceptual understanding as measured by the Force Concept Inventory (FCI) and odds of success as measured by the ratio of students completing introductory physics and earning a passing grade (i.e., C- or better) by students historically under-represented in physics to reflect equity and participation in introductory physics. FCI pre and post scores for students in MI are compared with lecture-format taught students. Modeling Instruction students outperform students taught in lecture-format classes on post instruction FCI (61.9% vs 47.9%, p<0.001 ), where these benefits are seen across both ethnic and gender comparisons. In addition, we report that the odds of success in MI are 6.73 times greater than in lecture instruction. Both odds of success and FCI scores within Modeling Instruction are further disaggregated by ethnicity and by gender to address the question of equity within the treatment. The results of this disaggregation indicate that although ethnically under-represented students enter with lower overall conceptual understanding scores, the gap is not widened during introductory physics but instead is maintained, and the odds of success for under-represented students is not different from majority students. Women, similarly enter with scores indicating lower conceptual understanding, and over the course of MI this understanding gap increases, yet we do not find differences in the odds of success between men and women. Contrasting these results with the participationist view on learning indicates a movement toward greater equity in introductory physics but also indicates that the instructional environment can be improved.

Prioritizing research for integrated implementation of early childhood development and maternal, newborn, child and adolescent health and nutrition platforms.

PubMed

Sharma, Renee; Gaffey, Michelle F; Alderman, Harold; Bassani, Diego G; Bogard, Kimber; Darmstadt, Gary L; Das, Jai K; de Graft-Johnson, Joseph E; Hamadani, Jena D; Horton, Susan; Huicho, Luis; Hussein, Julia; Lye, Stephen; Pérez-Escamilla, Rafael; Proulx, Kerrie; Marfo, Kofi; Mathews-Hanna, Vanessa; Mclean, Mireille S; Rahman, Atif; Silver, Karlee L; Singla, Daisy R; Webb, Patrick; Bhutta, Zulfiqar A

2017-06-01

Existing health and nutrition services present potential platforms for scaling up delivery of early childhood development (ECD) interventions within sensitive windows across the life course, especially in the first 1000 days from conception to age 2 years. However, there is insufficient knowledge on how to optimize implementation for such strategies in an integrated manner. In light of this knowledge gap, we aimed to systematically identify a set of integrated implementation research priorities for health, nutrition and early child development within the 2015 to 2030 timeframe of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). We applied the Child Health and Nutrition Research Initiative method, and consulted a diverse group of global health experts to develop and score 57 research questions against five criteria: answerability, effectiveness, deliverability, impact, and effect on equity. These questions were ranked using a research priority score, and the average expert agreement score was calculated for each question. The research priority scores ranged from 61.01 to 93.52, with a median of 82.87. The average expert agreement scores ranged from 0.50 to 0.90, with a median of 0.75. The top-ranked research question were: i) "How can interventions and packages to reduce neonatal mortality be expanded to include ECD and stimulation interventions?"; ii) "How does the integration of ECD and MNCAH&N interventions affect human resource requirements and capacity development in resource-poor settings?"; and iii) "How can integrated interventions be tailored to vulnerable refugee and migrant populations to protect against poor ECD and MNCAH&N outcomes?". Most highly-ranked research priorities varied across the life course and highlighted key aspects of scaling up coverage of integrated interventions in resource-limited settings, including: workforce and capacity development, cost-effectiveness and strategies to reduce financial barriers, and quality assessment of programs. Investing in ECD is critical to achieving several of the SDGs, including SDG 2 on ending all forms of malnutrition, SDG 3 on ensuring health and well-being for all, and SDG 4 on ensuring inclusive and equitable quality education and promotion of life-long learning opportunities for all. The generated research agenda is expected to drive action and investment on priority approaches to integrating ECD interventions within existing health and nutrition services.

Prioritizing research for integrated implementation of early childhood development and maternal, newborn, child and adolescent health and nutrition platforms

PubMed Central

Sharma, Renee; Gaffey, Michelle F; Alderman, Harold; Bassani, Diego G; Bogard, Kimber; Darmstadt, Gary L; Das, Jai K; de Graft–Johnson, Joseph E; Hamadani, Jena D; Horton, Susan; Huicho, Luis; Hussein, Julia; Lye, Stephen; Pérez–Escamilla, Rafael; Proulx, Kerrie; Marfo, Kofi; Mathews–Hanna, Vanessa; Mclean, Mireille S; Rahman, Atif; Silver, Karlee L; Singla, Daisy R; Webb, Patrick; Bhutta, Zulfiqar A

2017-01-01

Background Existing health and nutrition services present potential platforms for scaling up delivery of early childhood development (ECD) interventions within sensitive windows across the life course, especially in the first 1000 days from conception to age 2 years. However, there is insufficient knowledge on how to optimize implementation for such strategies in an integrated manner. In light of this knowledge gap, we aimed to systematically identify a set of integrated implementation research priorities for health, nutrition and early child development within the 2015 to 2030 timeframe of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Methods We applied the Child Health and Nutrition Research Initiative method, and consulted a diverse group of global health experts to develop and score 57 research questions against five criteria: answerability, effectiveness, deliverability, impact, and effect on equity. These questions were ranked using a research priority score, and the average expert agreement score was calculated for each question. Findings The research priority scores ranged from 61.01 to 93.52, with a median of 82.87. The average expert agreement scores ranged from 0.50 to 0.90, with a median of 0.75. The top–ranked research question were: i) “How can interventions and packages to reduce neonatal mortality be expanded to include ECD and stimulation interventions?”; ii) “How does the integration of ECD and MNCAH&N interventions affect human resource requirements and capacity development in resource–poor settings?”; and iii) “How can integrated interventions be tailored to vulnerable refugee and migrant populations to protect against poor ECD and MNCAH&N outcomes?”. Most highly–ranked research priorities varied across the life course and highlighted key aspects of scaling up coverage of integrated interventions in resource–limited settings, including: workforce and capacity development, cost–effectiveness and strategies to reduce financial barriers, and quality assessment of programs. Conclusions Investing in ECD is critical to achieving several of the SDGs, including SDG 2 on ending all forms of malnutrition, SDG 3 on ensuring health and well–being for all, and SDG 4 on ensuring inclusive and equitable quality education and promotion of life–long learning opportunities for all. The generated research agenda is expected to drive action and investment on priority approaches to integrating ECD interventions within existing health and nutrition services. PMID:28685048

Upgrade Summer Severe Weather Tool

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Watson, Leela

2011-01-01

The goal of this task was to upgrade to the existing severe weather database by adding observations from the 2010 warm season, update the verification dataset with results from the 2010 warm season, use statistical logistic regression analysis on the database and develop a new forecast tool. The AMU analyzed 7 stability parameters that showed the possibility of providing guidance in forecasting severe weather, calculated verification statistics for the Total Threat Score (TTS), and calculated warm season verification statistics for the 2010 season. The AMU also performed statistical logistic regression analysis on the 22-year severe weather database. The results indicated that the logistic regression equation did not show an increase in skill over the previously developed TTS. The equation showed less accuracy than TTS at predicting severe weather, little ability to distinguish between severe and non-severe weather days, and worse standard categorical accuracy measures and skill scores over TTS.

25 CFR 36.41 - Standard XIV-Textbooks.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... criteria for the annual review of textbooks and other materials used to complement instruction. The... varied in reading levels. (c) Each school shall equitably distribute instructional materials to all...

14 CFR 1204.401 - Policy.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... educational institutions the opportunity to participate equitably and proportionately in its total purchases... the specific branch of science or technology required for the successful conduct of the work. It is in...

Combining DRGs and per diem payments in the private sector: the Equitable Payment Model.

PubMed

Hanning, Brian W T

2005-02-01

The many types of payment models used in the Australian private sector are reviewed. Their features are compared and contrasted to those desirable in an optimal private sector payment model. The EPM(TM) (Equitable Payment Model) is discussed and its consistency with the desirable features of an optimal private sector payment model outlined. These include being based on a robust classification system, nationally benchmarked length of stay (LOS) results, nationally benchmarked relative cost and encouraging continual improvement in efficiency to the benefit of both health funds and private hospitals. The advantages in the context of the private sector of EPM(TM) being a per diem model, albeit very different to current per diem models, are discussed. The advantages of EPM(TM) for hospitals and health funds are outlined.

Shared Housing Arrangements in Germany—An Equitable Alternative to Long Term Care Services beyond Homes and Institutions?

PubMed Central

Frisina Doetter, Lorraine; Schmid, Achim

2018-01-01

Given the saliency of socio-demographic pressures, the highly restrictive definition of “need for care” characterizing the German long-term care system at its foundations in 1994 has since been subject to various expansionary reforms. This has translated into greater interest in innovative care models that provide more choice and flexibility to beneficiaries. One such model is ‘shared housing arrangements’ (“ambulant betreute Wohngemeinschaften”), where a small group of people rent private rooms, while sharing a common space, domestic support, and nursing care. Using interview and secondary data, this study examines the potential for such arrangements to provide an equitable alternative to care that is accessible to a larger population of beneficiaries than presently seen in Germany. PMID:29443948

Climate Change and Global Food Systems: Potential Impacts on Food Security and Undernutrition.

PubMed

Myers, Samuel S; Smith, Matthew R; Guth, Sarah; Golden, Christopher D; Vaitla, Bapu; Mueller, Nathaniel D; Dangour, Alan D; Huybers, Peter

2017-03-20

Great progress has been made in addressing global undernutrition over the past several decades, in part because of large increases in food production from agricultural expansion and intensification. Food systems, however, face continued increases in demand and growing environmental pressures. Most prominently, human-caused climate change will influence the quality and quantity of food we produce and our ability to distribute it equitably. Our capacity to ensure food security and nutritional adequacy in the face of rapidly changing biophysical conditions will be a major determinant of the next century's global burden of disease. In this article, we review the main pathways by which climate change may affect our food production systems-agriculture, fisheries, and livestock-as well as the socioeconomic forces that may influence equitable distribution.

A Balanced Investment Portfolio For Equitable Health And Well-Being Is An Imperative, And Within Reach.

PubMed

Kindig, David A; Milstein, Bobby

2018-04-01

Health investments, defined as formal expenditures to either produce or care for health, in the US are extremely inefficient and have yet to unlock the country's full potential for equitable health and well-being. A major reason for such poor performance is that the US health investment portfolio is out of balance, with too much spent on certain aspects of health care and not enough spent to ensure social, economic, and environmental conditions that are vital to maintaining health and well-being. This commentary summarizes the evidence for this assertion, along with the opportunities and challenges involved in rebalancing investments in ways that would improve overall population health, reduce health gaps, and help build a culture of health for all Americans.

Habitat disturbance and the diversity and abundance of ants (Formicidae) in the Southeastern Fall-Line Sandhills

USGS Publications Warehouse

Graham, J.H.; Hughie, H.H.; Jones, S.; Wrinn, K.; Krzysik, A.J.; Duda, J.J.; Freeman, D. Carl; Emlen, J.M.; Zak, J.C.; Kovacic, D.A.; Chamberlin-Graham, C.; Balbach, H.

2004-01-01

We examined habitat disturbance, species richness, equitability, and abundance of ants in the Fall-Line Sandhills, at Fort Benning, Georgia. We collected ants with pitfall traps, sweep nets, and by searching tree trunks. Disturbed areas were used for military training; tracked and wheeled vehicles damaged vegetation and soils. Highly disturbed sites had fewer trees, diminished ground cover, warmer soils in the summer, and more compacted soils with a shallower A-horizon. We collected 48 species of ants, in 23 genera (141,468 individuals), over four years of sampling. Highly disturbed areas had fewer species, and greater numbers of ants than did moderately or lightly disturbed areas. The ant communities in disturbed areas were also less equitable, and were dominated by Dorymyrmex smithi.

Trade in health services in the ASEAN region.

PubMed

Arunanondchai, Jutamas; Fink, Carsten

2006-12-01

Promoting quality health services to large population segments is a key ingredient to human and economic development. At its core, healthcare policymaking involves complex trade-offs between promoting equitable and affordable access to a basic set of health services, creating incentives for efficiencies in the healthcare system and managing constraints in government budgets. International trade in health services influences these trade-offs. It presents opportunities for cost savings and access to better quality care, but it also raises challenges in promoting equitable and affordable access. This paper offers a discussion of trade policy in health services for the ASEAN region. It reviews the existing patterns of trade and identifies policy measures that could further harness the benefits from trade in health services and address potential pitfalls that deeper integration may bring about.

Changing the paradigm: planning for ambulatory care expansion in Los Angeles County using a community-based and evidence-based model.

PubMed

Fielding, J E; Lamirault, I; Nolan, B; Bobrowsky, J

2000-07-01

In 1998, Los Angeles County's Department of Health Services (DHS) embarked on a planning process to expand ambulatory care services for the county's 2.7 million uninsured and otherwise medically indigent residents. This planning process was novel in two ways. First, it used a quantitative, needs-based approach for resource allocation to ensure an equitable distribution of safety-net ambulatory care services across the county. Second, it used a new community-based planning paradigm that took into consideration the specific needs of each of the county's eight geographic service planning areas. Together, the evidence-based approach to planning and the community-based decision-making will ensure that DHS can more equitably provide for the needs of Los Angeles County's medically indigent residents.

7 CFR 4284.960 - Monitoring and reporting program performance.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... advantages or disadvantages of supply chain arrangements or equitable distribution of rewards and responsibilities for mid-tier value chain projects; and (v) Recommendations from Beginning Farmers or Socially...

7 CFR 4284.960 - Monitoring and reporting program performance.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... advantages or disadvantages of supply chain arrangements or equitable distribution of rewards and responsibilities for mid-tier value chain projects; and (v) Recommendations from Beginning Farmers or Socially...

7 CFR 4284.960 - Monitoring and reporting program performance.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... advantages or disadvantages of supply chain arrangements or equitable distribution of rewards and responsibilities for mid-tier value chain projects; and (v) Recommendations from Beginning Farmers or Socially...

76 FR 43673 - Renewal of Department of Defense Federal Advisory Committee

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-07-21

... environmental sciences, education, research management, international and security affairs, health physics, health sciences, or social sciences, with due regard given to the equitable representation of scientists...

Correlates of Resource Empowerment among Parents of Children with Overweight or Obesity

PubMed Central

Lim, Junghyun; Davison, Kirsten K.; Jurkowski, Janine M.; Horan, Christine M.; Orav, E. John; Kamdar, Neil; Fiechtner, Lauren G.

2017-01-01

Abstract Background: Few studies have examined correlates of resource empowerment among parents of children with overweight or obesity. Methods: We studied baseline data of 721 parent–child pairs participating in the Connect for Health randomized trial being conducted at six pediatric practices in Massachusetts. Parents completed the child weight management subscale (n = 5 items; 4-point response scale) of the Parent Resource Empowerment Scale; items were averaged to create a summary empowerment score. We used linear regression to examine the independent effects of child (age, sex, and race/ethnicity), parent/household characteristics (age, education, annual household income, BMI category, perceived stress, and their ratings of their healthcare quality), and neighborhood median household income, on parental resource empowerment. Results: Mean (SD) child age was 7.7 years (2.9) and mean (SD) BMI z-score was 1.9 (0.5); 34% of children were white, 32% black, 22% Hispanic, 5% Asian, and 6% multiracial/other. The mean parental empowerment score was 2.95 (SD = 0.56; range = 1–4). In adjusted models, parents of older children [β −0.03 (95% CI: −0.04, −0.01)], Hispanic children [−0.14 (−0.26, −0.03)], those with annual household income less than $20,000 [−0.16 (−0.29, −0.02)], those with BMI ≥30.0 kg/m2 [−0.17 (−0.28, −0.07)], and those who reported receiving lower quality of obesity-related care [−0.05 (−0.07, −0.03)] felt less empowered about resources to support their child's healthy body weight. Conclusions: Parental resource empowerment is influenced by parent and child characteristics as well as the quality of their obesity-related care. These findings could help inform equitable, family-centered approaches to improve parental resource empowerment. PMID:27875076

Cultured Construction: Global Evidence of the Impact of National Values on Piped-to-Premises Water Infrastructure Development.

PubMed

Kaminsky, Jessica A

2016-07-19

In 2016, the global community undertook the Sustainable Development Goals. One of these goals seeks to achieve universal and equitable access to safe and affordable drinking water for all people by the year 2030. In support of this undertaking, this paper seeks to discover the cultural work done by piped water infrastructure across 33 nations with developed and developing economies that have experienced change in the percentage of population served by piped-to-premises water infrastructure at the national level of analysis. To do so, I regressed the 1990-2012 change in piped-to-premises water infrastructure coverage against Hofstede's cultural dimensions, controlling for per capita GDP, the 1990 baseline level of coverage, percent urban population, overall 1990-2012 change in improved sanitation (all technologies), and per capita freshwater resources. Separate analyses were carried out for the urban, rural, and aggregate national contexts. Hofstede's dimensions provide a measure of cross-cultural difference; high or low scores are not in any way intended to represent better or worse but rather serve as a quantitative way to compare aggregate preferences for ways of being and doing. High scores in the cultural dimensions of Power Distance, Individualism-Collectivism, and Uncertainty Avoidance explain increased access to piped-to-premises water infrastructure in the rural context. Higher Power Distance and Uncertainty Avoidance scores are also statistically significant for increased coverage in the urban and national aggregate contexts. These results indicate that, as presently conceived, piped-to-premises water infrastructure fits best with spatial contexts that prefer hierarchy and centralized control. Furthermore, water infrastructure is understood to reduce uncertainty regarding the provision of individually valued benefits. The results of this analysis identify global trends that enable engineers and policy makers to design and manage more culturally appropriate and socially sustainable water infrastructure by better fitting technologies to user preferences.

Obesity Surgery Score (OSS) for Prioritization in the Bariatric Surgery Waiting List: a Need of Public Health Systems and a Literature Review.

PubMed

Casimiro Pérez, José Antonio; Fernández Quesada, Carlos; Del Val Groba Marco, María; Arteaga González, Iván; Cruz Benavides, Francisco; Ponce, Jaime; de Pablos Velasco, Pedro; Marchena Gómez, Joaquín

2018-04-01

In the last decades, we have experienced an increase in the prevalence of obesity in western countries with a higher demand for bariatric surgery and consequently prolonged waiting times. Currently, in many public hospitals, the only criterion that establishes priority for bariatric surgery is waiting time regardless of obesity severity. We propose a new, simple, and homogeneous clinical prioritization system, the Obesity Surgery Score (OSS), which takes into account simultaneously and equitably the time on surgical waiting list and the obesity severity based on three variables: body mass index, obesity-related comorbidities, and functional limitations. We have reviewed the current literature related to obesity clinical staging systems, and we have carried out an analysis of our patients in waiting list and divided their characteristics according to their degree of severity (A, B, or C) in the OSS. Patients with OSS grade C have a higher mean BMI, greater severity in comorbidities, and greater socio-labor impact. The current surgery waiting time of our series is of 26 months. Currently, 27 patients (51.9%) with OSS grade B and 15 patients (51.7%) with OSS grade C have been on our waiting list for more than 1 year. Since the obesity severity, the waiting time and its clinical consequences are associated with an increase in morbidity and mortality, it is important to apply a structured prioritization system for bariatric surgery waiting list. This allows prioritization of patients at greater risk, improves patient prognosis, and optimizes costs and available health resources.