Vehicle-to-vehicle communications : readiness of V2V technology for application.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2014-08-01

The purpose of this research report is to assess the readiness for application of vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) : communications, a system designed to transmit basic safety information between vehicles to facilitate warnings to : drivers concerning impend...

Russian Schools: The Information Revolution Continues

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zair-Bek, S. I.; Belikov, A. A.; Plekhanov, A. A.

2017-01-01

This article presents educational statistics that reflect the basic indicators describing the state of information technology infrastructure in secondary general education in 2014. This research seeks to analyze how Russia's Federal State Educational Standards governing secondary general education facilitate the creation of information-based…

Summary of the International Conference on Arabidopsis Research 2011, June 22-25, 2011

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

Meyers, Blake C

2012-07-15

This project provided participant support for the gathering of plant biologists at the International Conferences on Arabidopsis Research (ICAR) in 2011. Arabidopsis thaliana, the reference flowering plant, has been intensely studied over the last 20 years and has proven to be an ideal model for studying nearly all aspects of plant biology. The success of this research field has been greatly facilitated by the openness and collegiality of the community fostered through multiple international forums including the ICAR. Advances in basic and applied plant biology are featured at the meeting, which is the primary gathering point for this strongly integratedmore » international community. The ICAR convenes plant researchers, allows discussion and dissemination of the latest research in plant biology, and facilitates dialog among those that may be separated by geography, career stage, and culture. This project focused on facilitating access by early career scientists that have reduced access to attend major meetings.« less

Genomics Community Resources | Informatics Technology for Cancer Research (ITCR)

Cancer.gov

To facilitate genomic research and the dissemination of its products, National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI) supports genomic resources that are crucial for basic research, disease studies, model organism studies, and other biomedical research.  Awards under this FOA will support the development and distribution of genomic resources that will be valuable for the broad research community, using cost-effective approaches.  Such resources include (but are not limited to) databases and informatics resources (such as human and model organism databases, ontologies, and analysi

Paired basic science and clinical problem-based learning faculty teaching side by side: do students evaluate them differently?

PubMed

Stevenson, Frazier T; Bowe, Connie M; Gandour-Edwards, Regina; Kumari, Vijaya G

2005-02-01

Many studies have evaluated the desirability of expert versus non-expert facilitators in problem-based learning (PBL), but performance differences between basic science and clinical facilitators has been less studied. In a PBL course at our university, pairs of faculty facilitators (1 clinician, 1 basic scientist) were assigned to student groups to maximise integration of basic science with clinical science. This study set out to establish whether students evaluate basic science and clinical faculty members differently when they teach side by side. Online questionnaires were used to survey 188 students about their faculty facilitators immediately after they completed each of 3 serial PBL cases. Overall satisfaction was measured using a scale of 1-7 and yes/no responses were gathered from closed questions describing faculty performance. results: Year 1 students rated basic science and clinical facilitators the same, but Year 2 students rated the clinicians higher overall. Year 1 students rated basic scientists higher in their ability to understand the limits of their own knowledge. Year 2 students rated the clinicians higher in several content expertise-linked areas: preparedness, promotion of in-depth understanding, and ability to focus the group, and down-rated the basic scientists for demonstrating overspecialised knowledge. Students' overall ratings of individual faculty best correlated with the qualities of stimulation, focus and preparedness, but not with overspecialisation, excessive interjection of the faculty member's own opinions, and encouragement of psychosocial issue discussion. When taught by paired basic science and clinical PBL facilitators, students in Year 1 rated basic science and clinical PBL faculty equally, while Year 2 students rated clinicians more highly overall. The Year 2 difference may be explained by perceived differences in content expertise.

Learning basic programming using CLIS through gamification

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Prabawa, H. W.; Sutarno, H.; Kusnendar, J.; Rahmah, F.

2018-05-01

The difficulty of understanding programming concept is a major problem in basic programming lessons. Based on the results of preliminary studies, 60% of students reveal the monotonous of learning process caused by the limited number of media. Children Learning in Science (CLIS) method was chosen as solution because CLIS has facilitated students’ initial knowledge to be optimized into conceptual knowledge. Technological involvement in CLIS (gamification) helped students to understand basic programming concept. This research developed a media using CLIS method with gamification elements to increase the excitement of learning process. This research declared that multimedia is considered good by students, especially regarding the mechanical aspects of multimedia, multimedia elements and aspects of multimedia information structure. Multimedia gamification learning with the CLIS model showed increased number of students’ concept understanding.

The Technologies of EXPER SIM.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hedberg, John G.

EXPER SIM has been translated into two basic software systems: the Michigan Experimental Simulation Supervisor (MESS) and Louisville Experiment Simulation Supervisor (LESS). MESS and LESS have been programed to facilitate student interaction with the computer for research purposes. The programs contain models for several statistical analyses, and…

XML, Ontologies, and Their Clinical Applications.

PubMed

Yu, Chunjiang; Shen, Bairong

2016-01-01

The development of information technology has resulted in its penetration into every area of clinical research. Various clinical systems have been developed, which produce increasing volumes of clinical data. However, saving, exchanging, querying, and exploiting these data are challenging issues. The development of Extensible Markup Language (XML) has allowed the generation of flexible information formats to facilitate the electronic sharing of structured data via networks, and it has been used widely for clinical data processing. In particular, XML is very useful in the fields of data standardization, data exchange, and data integration. Moreover, ontologies have been attracting increased attention in various clinical fields in recent years. An ontology is the basic level of a knowledge representation scheme, and various ontology repositories have been developed, such as Gene Ontology and BioPortal. The creation of these standardized repositories greatly facilitates clinical research in related fields. In this chapter, we discuss the basic concepts of XML and ontologies, as well as their clinical applications.

Playing Games with Games People Play. Contributions of Gestalt Theory to Individual Counseling. Self-Discovery through Art: A Group Experience. A Review of Personal Research on Experimental-Gestalt Growth Groups. Gestalt Dreamwork as a Method for Self Discovery.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Guinan, James F.; And Others

The existential Gestalt approach to facilitating the human growth process is discussed, from somewhat different vantage points, in these papers. Two seek to elaborate the basic principles and facilitating "techniques" of Gestalt therapy, while maintaining that one can truly understand only by experiencing. The use of Focus Groups, in which a focal…

Implications of the 21st Century Cures Act for the Behavioral and Social Sciences at the National Institutes of Health.

PubMed

Riley, William T; Blizinsky, Katherine D

2017-06-01

The 21st Century Cures Act provides funding for key initiatives relevant to the behavioral and social sciences and includes administrative provisions that facilitate health research and increase the privacy protections of research participants. At about the same time as the passage of the Act, the National Institutes of Health Office of Behavioral and Social Sciences Research released its Strategic Plan 2017-2021, which addresses three scientific priorities: (a) improve the synergy of basic and applied behavioral and social sciences research; (b) enhance and promote the research infrastructure, methods, and measures needed to support a more cumulative and integrated approach to behavioral and social sciences; and (c) facilitate the adoption of behavioral and social sciences research findings in health research and in practice. This commentary describes the implications of the Cures Act on these scientific priorities and on the behavioral and social sciences more broadly.

A Research Project on Higher Education. Investigations into the Learning and Teaching of Basic Concepts in Economics. No. 54. (1).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dahlgren, Lars Owe; Marton, Ference

A progress report on a research project directed toward facilitating deeper understanding of economic concepts at the university level is presented. The purposes of the project are to explore phenomena conceptualization and to investigate why some students are more successful at a learning task than other students. In the analysis of a…

Using the Jazz Metaphor to Enhance Student Learning and Skill Development in the Marketing Research Course

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mills, Michael Kenneth

2010-01-01

The marketing research course is often a very challenging one both for students and instructors. This article discusses how the jazz metaphor can aid the instructor in both facilitating students' learning of the more basic as well as the more specific skills that make up the course, in addition to contributing more to student enjoyment of the…

Intuitive visual impressions (cogs) for identifying clusters of diversity within potato species

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

One of the basic research activities of genebanks is to partition stocks into groups that facilitate the efficient preservation and evaluation of the full range of useful phenotype diversity. We sought to test the usefulness of making of infra-specific groups by replicated rapid visual intuitive imp...

Effectiveness of Emotion Recognition Training for Young Children with Developmental Delays

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Downs, Andrew; Strand, Paul

2008-01-01

Emotion recognition is a basic skill that is thought to facilitate development of social and emotional competence. There is little research available examining whether therapeutic or instructional interventions can improve the emotion recognition skill of young children with various developmental disabilities. Sixteen preschool children with…

Advances in Language Planning.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fishman, Joshua A.

This volume is an attempt to provide the sociology of language with the basic teaching-learning tools needed in order to facilitate its academic growth and consolidation. It provides the students and specialist in language planning with a comprehensive anthology of articles dealing with this area of research in the sociology of language. The…

Nondestructive estimation of leaf area for pondberry

Treesearch

Brian Roy Lockhart; Emile S. Gardiner; Theran P. Stautz; Theodore D. Leininger; Paul B. Hamel; Kristina F. Connor; Nathan M. Schiff; A. Dan Wilson; Margaret S. Devall

2007-01-01

Pondberry (Lindera melissifolia [Walt.] Blume) is a federally listed endangered shrub found as isolated populations in seasonally flooded forests across the Southeastern United States. Because this shrub is rare, it has received little research attention, and basic knowledge of its ecology and physiology is lacking. To facilitate future ecological...

Translational Partnership Development Lead | Center for Cancer Research

Cancer.gov

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION The Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research (FNLCR) is a Federally Funded Research and Development Center operated by Leidos Biomedical Research, Inc on behalf of the National Cancer Institute (NCI). The staff of FNLCR support the NCI’s mission in the fight against cancer and HIV/AIDS. Currently we are seeking a Translational Partnership Development Lead (TPDL) who will work closely with the Office of Translational Resources (OTR) within the Office of the Director (OD) of NCI’s Center for Cancer Research (CCR) to facilitate the successful translation of CCR’s basic and preclinical research advances into new therapeutics and diagnostics. The TPDL with be strategically aligned within FNLCR’s Partnership Development Office (PDO), to maximally leverage the critical mass of expertise available within the PDO. CCR comprises the basic and clinical components of the NCI’s Intramural Research Program (IRP) and consists of ~230 basic and clinical Investigators located at either the NIH main campus in Bethesda or the NCI-Frederick campus. CCR Investigators are focused primarily on cancer and HIV/AIDS, with special emphasis on the most challenging and important high-risk/high-reward problems driving the fields. (See https://ccr.cancer.gov for a full delineation of CCR Investigators and their research activities.) The process of developing research findings into new clinical applications is high risk, complex, variable, and requires multiple areas of expertise seldom available within the confines of a single Investigator’s laboratory. To accelerate this process, OTR serves as a unifying force within CCR for all aspects of translational activities required to achieve success and maintain timely progress. A key aspect of OTR’s function is to develop and strengthen essential communications and collaborations within NIH, with extramural partners and with industry to bring together experts in chemistry, human subjects research, intellectual property, mouse study design, pharmacokinetics (PK), drug screening, industrial project management and other areas needed to facilitate rapid translation. Currently, FNLCR is seeking an expert who can work across organizational boundaries to catalyze these interactions with the primary objective to develop and enable strategies that will facilitate the identification of partners who can collaborate with CCR Investigators. The TPDL will work with the partners and NCI to facilitate the swift and effective translation of pre-clinical discoveries with high potential toward clinical application. A critical part of the TPDL function will be to strengthen interactions among groups with strong translational interests located at NCI-Frederick, including the Molecular Targets Laboratory (MTL), and the NIH main campus, including the National Center for Advancing Translational Science (NCATS). KEY ROLES/RESPONSIBILITIES Advise Principal Investigators and senior leadership on project-based and organizational/translational strategies for discoveries. Enable partnerships and strengthen communications/collaborations within and outside of NIH with biotech industry and groups with strong translational interests/expertise. This includes continuing and strengthening the close collaboration with the Molecular Targets Laboratory (MTL) in Frederick as well as increasing interactions with groups that can facilitate drug development and translational work such as those at NCATS, the NCI’s Division of Cancer Treatment and Diagnosis (DCTD) and with current and potential industry partners. Facilitate outreach to biotech/pharma to develop partnerships furthering translational research projects that may lead to licensing or other agreements. Create outreach opportunities aimed at engaging PIs with potential drug development projects and provide guidance through the translational pipeline. Identify strategic improvements in CCR's technology and drug development process and infrastructure.

Interfacing microbiology and biotechnology. Conference abstracts

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

Maupin, Julia A.

2001-05-19

The Interfacing Microbiology and Biotechnology Conference was attended by over 100 faculty, post-docs, students, and research scientists from the US, Europe, and Latin America. The conference successfully stimulated communication and the dissemination of knowledge among scientists involved in basic and applied research. The focus of the conference was on microbial physiology and genetics and included sessions on C1 metabolism, archaeal metabolism, proteases and chaperones, gene arrays, and metabolic engineering. The meeting provided the setting for in-depth discussions between scientists who are internationally recognized for their research in these fields. The following objectives were met: (1) The promotion of interaction andmore » future collaborative projects among scientists involved in basic and applied research which incorporates microbial physiology, genetics, and biochemistry; (2) the facilitation of communication of new research findings through seminars, posters, and abstracts; (3 ) the stimulation of enthusiasm and education among participants including graduate and undergraduate students.« less

SPARSKIT: A basic tool kit for sparse matrix computations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Saad, Youcef

1990-01-01

Presented here are the main features of a tool package for manipulating and working with sparse matrices. One of the goals of the package is to provide basic tools to facilitate the exchange of software and data between researchers in sparse matrix computations. The starting point is the Harwell/Boeing collection of matrices for which the authors provide a number of tools. Among other things, the package provides programs for converting data structures, printing simple statistics on a matrix, plotting a matrix profile, and performing linear algebra operations with sparse matrices.

What didTriplett really find? A contemporary analysis of the first experiment in social psychology.

PubMed

Strube, Michael J

2005-01-01

In 1898, Norman Triplett published was has been called the first experiment in social psychology and sports psychology. Claiming to demonstrate "the dynamogenic factors in pacemaking and competition," this oft-cited article began the serious investigation of social facilitation. This area of research now numbers in the hundreds of published works, includes the study of humans and other animials, and encompasses basic research and applied settings. But what did Triplett really find? I examine Triplett's original data and show that very little evidence existed for the social facilitation of the simple task he investigated. These analyses indicate the need to correct contemporary accounts of Triplett's work and underscore the differences in how research was evaluated at that time compared with today.

Facilitative effect of graphene quantum dots in MoS2 growth process by chemical vapor deposition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Lu; Wang, Yongsheng; Dong, Yanfang; Zhao, Xuan; Fu, Chen; He, Dawei

2018-01-01

Not Available Project supported by the National Basic Research Program of China (Grant Nos. 2016YFA0202300 and 2016YFA0202302), the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 61527817, 61335006, and 61378073), and the Overseas Expertise Introduction Center for Discipline Innovation, 111 Center, China.

Learning Mathematics in English at Basic Schools in Ghana: A Benefit or Hindrance?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fredua-Kwarteng, Eric; Ahia, Francis

2015-01-01

Facilitating effective mathematics learning and higher mathematics achievement have long been recognized as a key to the scientific and technological advancement of the African continent. While the central role that language proficiency plays in mathematics teaching and learning has received an overwhelming research attention in the literature…

Bringing basic research on early experience and stress neurobiology to bear on preventive interventions for neglected and maltreated children.

PubMed

Gunnar, Megan R; Fisher, Philip A

2006-01-01

A major focus in developmental psychopathology is on understanding developmental mechanisms and, armed with this information, intervening to improve children's outcomes. Translational research attempts to bridge the distance between understanding and intervention. In the collaborations that have formed the core of our research network on early experience, stress, and prevention science, we have focused on translating basic research on early experiences and stress neurobiology into preventive interventions for neglected and abused children. Our experiences in attempting to move from bench to bedside have led us to recognize the many challenges that face translational researchers. This review provides a brief synopsis of the animal model literature on early experience and stress neurobiology from which we glean several key bridging issues. We then review what is currently known about the impact of childhood neglect and abuse on stress neurobiology in human adults and children. Next, we describe how this work has informed the evaluation of our preventive interventions with maltreated children. Finally, we discuss several considerations that should facilitate a more complete integration of basic research on early experience and stress neurobiology into preventive intervention strategies.

Design of systems for productivity and well being.

PubMed

Edwards, Kasper; Jensen, Per Langaa

2014-01-01

It has always been an ambition within the ergonomic profession to ensure that design or redesign of production systems consider both productivity and employee well being, but there are many approaches to how to achieve this. This paper identifies the basic issues to be addressed in light of some research activities at DTU, especially by persons responsible for facilitating design processes. Four main issues must be addressed: (1) determining the limits and scope of the system to be designed; (2) identifying stakeholders related to the system and their role in the system design; (3) handling the process' different types of knowledge; and (4) emphasizing that performance management systems, key performance indicators (KPIs), and leadership are also part of the system design and must be given attention. With the examples presented, we argue that knowledge does exist to help system design facilitators address these basic issues. Copyright © 2013. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

New Simulation Methods to Facilitate Achieving a Mechanistic Understanding of Basic Pharmacology Principles in the Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Grover, Anita; Lam, Tai Ning; Hunt, C. Anthony

2008-01-01

We present a simulation tool to aid the study of basic pharmacology principles. By taking advantage of the properties of agent-based modeling, the tool facilitates taking a mechanistic approach to learning basic concepts, in contrast to the traditional empirical methods. Pharmacodynamics is a particular aspect of pharmacology that can benefit from…

Basic science faculty in surgical departments: advantages, disadvantages and opportunities.

PubMed

Chinoy, Mala R; Moskowitz, Jay; Wilmore, Douglas W; Souba, Wiley W

2005-01-01

The number of Ph.D. faculty in clinical departments now exceeds the number of Ph.D. faculty in basic science departments. Given the escalating pressures on academic surgeons to produce in the clinical arena, the recruitment and retention of high-quality Ph.D.s will become critical to the success of an academic surgical department. This success will be as dependent on the surgical faculty understanding the importance of the partnership as the success of the Ph.D. investigator. Tighter alignment among the various clinical and research programs and between surgeons and basic scientists will facilitate the generation of new knowledge that can be translated into useful products and services (thus improving care). To capitalize on what Ph.D.s bring to the table, surgery departments may need to establish a more formal research infrastructure that encourages the ongoing exchange of ideas and resources. Physically removing barriers between the research groups, encouraging the open exchange of techniques and observations and sharing core laboratories is characteristic of successful research teams. These strategies can meaningfully contribute to developing successful training program grants, program projects and bringing greater research recognition to the department of surgery.

Causal Attribution: A New Scale Developed to Minimize Existing Methodological Problems.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bull, Kay Sather; Feuquay, Jeffrey P.

In order to facilitate research on the construct of causal attribution, this paper details developmental procedures used to minimize previous deficiencies and proposes a new scale. The first version of the scale was in ipsative form and provided two basic sets of indices: (1) ability, effort, luck, and task difficulty indices in success and…

Kinecting Physics: Conceptualization of Motion through Visualization and Embodiment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Anderson, Janice L.; Wall, Steven D.

2016-01-01

The purpose of this work was to share our findings in using the Kinect technology to facilitate the understanding of basic kinematics with middle school science classrooms. This study marks the first three iterations of this design-based research that examines the pedagogical potential of using the Kinect technology. To this end, we explored the…

Public Marketing: An Alternative Policy Decision-Making Idea for Small Cities. Community Development Research Series.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Meyers, James; And Others

The concept of public marketing presents a strategy for the systems approach to community development that would facilitate the community decision making process via improved communication. Basic aspects of the social marketing process include: (1) product policy; (2) channels of distribution; (3) pricing (perceived price vs quality and quantity…

NCSALL Health Literacy Study Circle+ Facilitators Training. Training Guide

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Center for the Study of Adult Learning and Literacy (NCSALL), 2007

2007-01-01

This training guide was created by the National Center for the Study of Adult Learning and Literacy (NCSALL) to help connect research and practice in the field of adult education and family literacy. A Health and Adult Literacy and Learning (HALL)/NCSALL Health Literacy Study Circle+ is a professional development activity for adult basic education…

Langley aerospace test highlights, 1987

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1988-01-01

The role of the Langley Research Center is to perform basic and applied research necessary for the advancement of aeronautics and space flight, to generate new and advanced concepts for the accomplishment of related national goals, and to provide research advice, technological support, and assistance to other NASA installations, other government agencies, and industry. Some of the significant tests which were performed during the calender year 1987 in Langley test facilites are illustrated. Both the broad range of the research and technology activities at Langley and the contributions of this work toward maintaining the U.S. leadership in aeronautic and space research are illustrated.

Genome of Drosophila suzukii, the Spotted Wing Drosophila

PubMed Central

Chiu, Joanna C.; Jiang, Xuanting; Zhao, Li; Hamm, Christopher A.; Cridland, Julie M.; Saelao, Perot; Hamby, Kelly A.; Lee, Ernest K.; Kwok, Rosanna S.; Zhang, Guojie; Zalom, Frank G.; Walton, Vaughn M.; Begun, David J.

2013-01-01

Drosophila suzukii Matsumura (spotted wing drosophila) has recently become a serious pest of a wide variety of fruit crops in the United States as well as in Europe, leading to substantial yearly crop losses. To enable basic and applied research of this important pest, we sequenced the D. suzukii genome to obtain a high-quality reference sequence. Here, we discuss the basic properties of the genome and transcriptome and describe patterns of genome evolution in D. suzukii and its close relatives. Our analyses and genome annotations are presented in a web portal, SpottedWingFlyBase, to facilitate public access. PMID:24142924

Educational attainment and life expectancy: a perspective from the NIH Office of Behavioral and Social Sciences Research.

PubMed

Spittel, Michael L; Riley, William T; Kaplan, Robert M

2015-02-01

The NIH Office of Behavioral and Social Sciences Research (OBSSR) furthers the mission of the NIH by stimulating behavioral and social sciences research throughout NIH and integrating these areas of research more fully into the NIH health research enterprise, thereby improving our understanding, treatment, and prevention of disease. OBSSR accomplishes this mission through several strategic priorities: (1) supporting the next generation of basic behavioral and social sciences research, (2) facilitating interdisciplinary research, (3) promoting a multi-level systems perspective of health and behavior, and (4) encouraging a problem-focused perspective on population health. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Barriers and facilitators to cooking from 'scratch' using basic or raw ingredients: A qualitative interview study.

PubMed

Lavelle, Fiona; McGowan, Laura; Spence, Michelle; Caraher, Martin; Raats, Monique M; Hollywood, Lynsey; McDowell, Dawn; McCloat, Amanda; Mooney, Elaine; Dean, Moira

2016-12-01

Previous research has highlighted an ambiguity in understanding cooking related terminology and a number of barriers and facilitators to home meal preparation. However, meals prepared in the home still include convenience products (typically high in sugars, fats and sodium) which can have negative effects on health. Therefore, this study aimed to qualitatively explore: (1) how individuals define cooking from 'scratch', and (2) their barriers and facilitators to cooking with basic ingredients. 27 semi-structured interviews were conducted with participants (aged 18-58 years) living on the island of Ireland, eliciting definitions of 'cooking from scratch' and exploring the reasons participants cook in a particular way. The interviews were professionally transcribed verbatim and Nvivo 10 was used for an inductive thematic analysis. Our results highlighted that although cooking from 'scratch' lacks a single definition, participants viewed it as optimal cooking. Barriers to cooking with raw ingredients included: 1) time pressures; (2) desire to save money; (3) desire for effortless meals; (4) family food preferences; and (5) effect of kitchen disasters. Facilitators included: 1) desire to eat for health and well-being; (2) creative inspiration; (3) ability to plan and prepare meals ahead of time; and (4) greater self-efficacy in one's cooking ability. Our findings contribute to understanding how individuals define cooking from 'scratch', and barriers and facilitators to cooking with raw ingredients. Interventions should focus on practical sessions to increase cooking self-efficacy; highlight the importance of planning ahead and teach methods such as batch cooking and freezing to facilitate cooking from scratch. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Evaluation of research in biomedical ontologies

PubMed Central

Dumontier, Michel; Gkoutos, Georgios V.

2013-01-01

Ontologies are now pervasive in biomedicine, where they serve as a means to standardize terminology, to enable access to domain knowledge, to verify data consistency and to facilitate integrative analyses over heterogeneous biomedical data. For this purpose, research on biomedical ontologies applies theories and methods from diverse disciplines such as information management, knowledge representation, cognitive science, linguistics and philosophy. Depending on the desired applications in which ontologies are being applied, the evaluation of research in biomedical ontologies must follow different strategies. Here, we provide a classification of research problems in which ontologies are being applied, focusing on the use of ontologies in basic and translational research, and we demonstrate how research results in biomedical ontologies can be evaluated. The evaluation strategies depend on the desired application and measure the success of using an ontology for a particular biomedical problem. For many applications, the success can be quantified, thereby facilitating the objective evaluation and comparison of research in biomedical ontology. The objective, quantifiable comparison of research results based on scientific applications opens up the possibility for systematically improving the utility of ontologies in biomedical research. PMID:22962340

The Relationship between Secondary School Students' Mathematics Anxiety and Self-Regulation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Isleyen, Tevfik

2015-01-01

One of the basic aims of education is to facilitate students' learning and to make it permanent. Researching and identifying the factors which can positively or negatively affect students' learning hold a great deal of importance in terms of actualizing learning. The aim of this study is to determine whether or not there is a relationship between…

Current issues in South African career counselling and availability of teachers in science and technology.

PubMed

Maree, Jacobus G

2006-02-01

Employability seems to be a major consideration for prospective students' career choices. To facilitate accountable career counseling understanding of students' needs and choices of careers through research is essential. Programs for increased specific training are needed as well as improvement in basic training to meet a growing national labor crisis in South Africa.

The Discovery of Carboxyethylpyrroles (CEPs): Critical Insights into AMD, Autism, Cancer, and Wound Healing from Basic Research on the Chemistry of Oxidized Phospholipids

PubMed Central

Salomon, Robert G.; Hong, Li; Hollyfield, Joe G.

2011-01-01

Basic research, exploring the hypothesis that 2-(ω-carboxyethyl)pyrrole (CEP) modifications of proteins are generated nonenzymatically in vivo is delivering a bonanza of molecular mechanistic insights into age-related macular degeneration, autism, cancer, and wound healing. CEPs are produced through covalent modification of protein lysyl ε-amino groups by γ-hydroxyalkenal phospholipids that are formed by oxidative cleavage of docosahexaenate-containing phospholipids. Chemical synthesis of CEP-modified proteins and the production of highly specific antibodies that recognize them preceded and facilitated their detection in vivo and enabled exploration of their biological occurrence and activities. This investigational approach –from the chemistry of biomolecules to disease phenotype – is proving to be remarkably productive. PMID:21875030

Anatomy teaching assistants: facilitating teaching skills for medical students through apprenticeship and mentoring.

PubMed

Lachman, Nirusha; Christensen, Kevin N; Pawlina, Wojciech

2013-01-01

Significant increase in the literature regarding "residents as teachers" highlights the importance of providing opportunities and implementing guidelines for continuing medical education and professional growth. While most medical students are enthusiastic about their future role as resident-educators, both students and residents feel uncomfortable teaching their peers due to the lack of necessary skills. However, whilst limited and perhaps only available to select individuals, opportunities for developing good teaching practice do exist and may be identified in courses that offer basic sciences. The Department of Anatomy, College of Medicine, Mayo Clinic offers a teaching assistant (TA) elective experience to third- and fourth-year medical students through integrated apprenticeship and mentoring during the human structure didactic block. This article, aims to describe a curriculum for a TA elective within the framework of a basic science course through mentoring and apprenticeship. Opportunities for medical students to become TAs, process of TAs' recruitment, mentoring and facilitation of teaching and education research skills, a method for providing feedback and debriefing are described. Developing teaching practice based on apprenticeship and mentoring lends to more accountability to both TA's and course faculty by incorporating universal competencies to facilitate the TA experience.

Management Basics for Minority Women. Facilitator's Manual.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jackson, Stanlie M., Ed.

This facilitator's manual consists of guidelines and materials for use in conducting a workshop dealing with three management basics for minority women--communication, decision making, and interpersonal skills. Covered in the first half of the manual are the following aspects of implementing the workshop: background on the need for and development…

Secretary | Center for Cancer Research

Cancer.gov

The Basic Science Program (BSP) pursues independent, multidisciplinary research programs in basic or applied molecular biology, immunology, retrovirology, cancer biology, or human genetics. Research efforts and support are an integral part of the Center for Cancer Research (CCR) at the Frederick national Laboratory for Cancer Research (FNLCR). The BSP Office provides procurement and logistical assistance in support of the research activities of the Center for Cancer Research.KEY ROLES/RESPONSIBILITIES The Secretary III will: Provide heavy-volume procurement support to a large customer base of laboratory staff, both Leidos Biomed and CCR (gov’t), using blanket orders, purchase requisitions, credit card, and online warehouse system Data entry into appropriate financial system component (CostPoint, Cor360), status checks on orders, maintenance of orders log, reconciliation of credit card transactions, maintenance of electronic filing systems Providing logistical support for the facilitation of travel packages (both pre-travel and post travel) for Leidos Biomed employees, as well as the coordination of seminar speakers and subsequent reimbursements Composing and answering emails/correspondence Communicating with all levels of personnel, both verbally and in writing, to gather and clearly convey information

Thin film bioreactors in space

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hughes-Fulford, M.; Scheld, H. W.

1989-01-01

Studies from the Skylab, SL-3 and D-1 missions have demonstrated that biological organisms grown in microgravity have changes in basic cellular functions such as DNA, mRNA and protein synthesis, cytoskeleton synthesis, glucose utilization, and cellular differentiation. Since microgravity could affect prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells at a subcellular and molecular level, space offers an opportunity to learn more about basic biological systems with one inmportant variable removed. The thin film bioreactor will facilitate the handling of fluids in microgravity, under constant temperature and will allow multiple samples of cells to be grown with variable conditions. Studies on cell cultures grown in microgravity would make it possible to identify and quantify changes in basic biological function in microgravity which are needed to develop new applications of orbital research and future biotechnology.

[Implementation of the International Health Regulations in Cuba: evaluation of basic capacities of the health sector in selected provinces].

PubMed

Gala, Ángela; Toledo, María Eugenia; Arias, Yanisnubia; Díaz González, Manuel; Alvarez Valdez, Angel Manuel; Estévez, Gonzalo; Abreu, Rolando Miyar; Flores, Gustavo Kourí

2012-09-01

Obtain baseline information on the status of the basic capacities of the health sector at the local, municipal, and provincial levels in order to facilitate identification of priorities and guide public policies that aim to comply with the requirements and capacities established in Annex 1A of the International Health Regulations 2005 (IHR-2005). A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted by application of an instrument of evaluation of basic capacities referring to legal and institutional autonomy, the surveillance and research process, and the response to health emergencies in 36 entities involved in international sanitary control at the local, municipal, and provincial levels in the provinces of Havana, Cienfuegos, and Santiago de Cuba. The polyclinics and provincial centers of health and epidemiology in the three provinces had more than 75% of the basic capacities required. Twelve out of 36 units had implemented 50% of the legal and institutional framework. There was variable availability of routine surveillance and research, whereas the entities in Havana had more than 40% of the basic capacities in the area of events response. The provinces evaluated have integrated the basic capacities that will allow implementation of IHR-2005 within the period established by the World Health Organization. It is necessary to develop and establish effective action plans to consolidate surveillance as an essential activity of national and international security in terms of public health.

Strategies to overcome obstacles in the facilitation of critical thinking in nursing education.

PubMed

Mangena, Agnes; Chabeli, Mary M

2005-05-01

This paper seeks to describe strategies that can be used to overcome obstacles in the facilitation of critical thinking in nursing education. A qualitative, explorative, descriptive and contextual design was used to conduct the research in which fourth year basic comprehensive students and nurse educators volunteered to take part in the study by signing an informed consent. The participants were purposively selected. Focus group interviews were used to collect data from both groups. Tesch's descriptive method of open coding described in (Creswell, J. 1994. Qualitative and quantitative approach. Sage, London.) was used to analyse data. (Democratic Nursing Organisation of South Africa, 1998. Ethical standards for nurse researchers. Denosa, Pretoria) ethical standards for research were observed to maintain the standard and quality of the research. (Lincoln, Y.S., Guba, E.G. 1985. Naturalistic inquiry. Sage, London.) framework was used to ensure trustworthiness of the study. The following obstacles were identified and recontextualised within the existing literature to be able to describe the strategies to overcome the identified obstacles to the facilitation of critical thinking of students: the educators' lack of knowledge; use of teaching and assessment methods that do not facilitate critical thinking of learners; the negative attitudes of educators and their resistance to change; inappropriate selection process and poor educational background that did not facilitate critical thinking of students; inadequate socialisation, cultural and instructional language incompetence. Findings indicated that there is a need for nurse educators to model critical thinking in all aspects of nursing education. It is recommended that there be a whole paradigm shift in nursing education from the traditional teacher-centred methods to a more learner-centred approach that will facilitate critical thinking of student nurses.

Teachers' Perceptions of the Effectiveness of Using Arabic Language Teaching Software in Omani Basic Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Al-Busaidi, Fatma; Al Hashmi, Abdullah; Al Musawi, Ali; Kazem, Ali

2016-01-01

This paper is part of a strategic research project that aimed to assess the effectiveness of the design and use of new software for Arabic language learning (ALL). However, the focus of this paper is to understand Arabic teachers' perceptions of the effectiveness of the software that was designed purposely by the project's team to facilitate ALL…

Effective Classroom Management. The Basic Element of Effective Teaching. A Module for Undergraduate Instruction in Teacher Education in the RAFT Program at Mississippi State University.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Handley, Herbert M., Ed.

This module, developed by the Research Applications for Teaching (RAFT) project, introduces the undergraduate student to practices of teachers in effective schools which facilitate the climate for learning in the classroom. Used with Canter's materials on assertive discipline, the preservice teachers should have an opportunity to reflect carefully…

Semantic Facilitation in Category and Action Naming: Testing the Message-Congruency Account

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kuipers, Jan-Rouke; La Heij, Wido

2008-01-01

Basic-level picture naming is hampered by the presence of a semantically related context word (compared to an unrelated word), whereas picture categorization is facilitated by a semantically related context word. This reversal of the semantic context effect has been explained by assuming that in categorization tasks, basic-level distractor words…

Bridging the Gap Between Research and Practice: Implementation Science.

PubMed

Olswang, Lesley B; Prelock, Patricia A

2015-12-01

This article introduces implementation science, which focuses on research methods that promote the systematic application of research findings to practice. The narrative defines implementation science and highlights the importance of moving research along the pipeline from basic science to practice as one way to facilitate evidence-based service delivery. This review identifies challenges in developing and testing interventions in order to achieve widespread adoption in practice settings. A framework for conceptualizing implementation research is provided, including an example to illustrate the application of principles in speech-language pathology. Last, the authors reflect on the status of implementation research in the discipline of communication sciences and disorders. The extant literature highlights the value of implementation science for reducing the gap between research and practice in our discipline. While having unique principles guiding implementation research, many of the challenges and questions are similar to those facing any investigators who are attempting to design valid and reliable studies. This article is intended to invigorate interest in the uniqueness of implementation science among those pursuing both basic and applied research. In this way, it should help ensure the discipline's knowledge base is realized in practice and policy that affects the lives of individuals with communication disorders.

The future of restorative neurosciences in stroke: driving the translational research pipeline from basic science to rehabilitation of people after stroke.

PubMed

Cheeran, Binith; Cohen, Leonardo; Dobkin, Bruce; Ford, Gary; Greenwood, Richard; Howard, David; Husain, Masud; Macleod, Malcolm; Nudo, Randolph; Rothwell, John; Rudd, Anthony; Teo, James; Ward, Nicholas; Wolf, Steven

2009-02-01

Major advances during the past 50 years highlight the immense potential for restoration of function after neural injury, even in the damaged adult human brain. Yet, the translation of these advances into clinically useful treatments is painstakingly slow. Here, we consider why the traditional model of a "translational research pipeline" that transforms basic science into novel clinical practice has failed to improve rehabilitation practice for people after stroke. We find that (1) most treatments trialed in vitro and in animal models have not yet resulted in obviously useful functional gains in patients; (2) most clinical trials of restorative treatments after stroke have been limited to small-scale studies; (3) patient recruitment for larger clinical trials is difficult; (4) the determinants of patient outcomes and what patients want remain complex and ill-defined, so that basic scientists have no clear view of the clinical importance of the problems that they are addressing; (5) research in academic neuroscience centers is poorly integrated with practice in front-line hospitals and the community, where the majority of patients are treated; and (6) partnership with both industry stakeholders and patient pressure groups is poorly developed, at least in the United Kingdom where research in the translational restorative neurosciences in stroke depends on public sector research funds and private charities. We argue that interaction between patients, front-line clinicians, and clinical and basic scientists is essential so that they can explore their different priorities, skills, and concerns. These interactions can be facilitated by funding research consortia that include basic and clinical scientists, clinicians and patient/carer representatives with funds targeted at those impairments that are major determinants of patient and carer outcomes. Consortia would be instrumental in developing a lexicon of common methods, standardized outcome measures, data sharing and long-term goals. Interactions of this sort would create a research-friendly, rather than only target-led, culture in front-line stroke rehabilitation services.

Progress in MMIC technology for satellite communications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Haugland, Edward J.; Leonard, Regis F.

1987-01-01

NASA's Lewis Research Center is actively involved in the development of monolithic microwave and millimeter-wave integrated circuits (MMICs). The approach of the program is to support basic research under grant or in-house, while MMIC development is done under contract, thereby facilitating the transfer of technology to users. Preliminary thrusts of the program have been the extension of technology to higher frequencies (60 GHz), degrees of complexity, and performance (power, efficiency, noise figure) by utilizing novel circuit designs, processes, and materials. A review of the progress made so far is presented.

Acquiring, recording, and analyzing pathology data from experimental mice: an overview.

PubMed

Scudamore, Cheryl L

2014-03-21

Pathology is often underutilized as an end point in mouse studies in academic research because of a lack of experience and expertise. The use of traditional pathology techniques including necropsy and microscopic analysis can be useful in identifying the basic processes underlying a phenotype and facilitating comparison with equivalent human diseases. This overview aims to provide a guide and reference to the acquisition, recording, and analysis of high-quality pathology data from experimental mice in an academic research setting. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Behavioral and Social Sciences at the National Institutes of Health: adoption of research findings in health research and practice as a scientific priority.

PubMed

Riley, William T

2017-06-01

The National Institutes of Health's Office of Behavioral and Social Sciences Research (OBSSR) recently released its Strategic Plan for 2017 to 2021. This plan highlights three scientific priorities: (1) improve the synergy of basic and applied behavioral and social sciences research, (2) enhance and promote the research infrastructure, methods, and measures needed to support a more cumulative and integrated approach to behavioral and social sciences research, and (3) facilitate the adoption of behavioral and social sciences research findings in health research and in practice. This commentary focuses on the challenges and opportunities to facilitate the adoption of research findings in health research and in practice. In addition to the ongoing NIH support for dissemination and implementation (D&I) research, we must address transformative challenges and opportunities such as better disseminating and implementing D&I research, merging research and practice, adopting more rigorous and diverse methods and measures for both D&I and clinical trials research, evaluating technological-based delivery of interventions, and transitioning from minimally adaptable intervention packages to planned adaptations rooted in behavior change principles. Beyond translation into practice and policy, the OBSSR Strategic Plan also highlights the need for translation of behavioral and social science findings into the broader biomedical research enterprise.

Periodontal Research: Basics and beyond - Part I (Defining the research problem, study design and levels of evidence).

PubMed

Avula, Haritha; Pandey, Ruchi; Bolla, Vijayalakshmi; Rao, Harika; Avula, Jaya Kumar

2013-09-01

Research in the field of periodontology has witnessed a tremendous upsurge in the last two decades unveiling newer innovations in techniques, methodologies, and material science. The recent focus in periodontal research is an evidence-based approach which offers a bridge from science to clinical practice. This three part review series intends to take a reader through a maze of periodontal research, unraveling and simplifying various issues in the design, conduct and interpretation of various study designs routinely used in the field of periodontal research. This understanding would facilitate a researcher with a focused and an enhanced vision toward formulating studies which can more efficiently translate sound scientific phenomena into clinically meaningful results.

Periodontal Research: Basics and beyond – Part I (Defining the research problem, study design and levels of evidence)

PubMed Central

Avula, Haritha; Pandey, Ruchi; Bolla, Vijayalakshmi; Rao, Harika; Avula, Jaya Kumar

2013-01-01

Research in the field of periodontology has witnessed a tremendous upsurge in the last two decades unveiling newer innovations in techniques, methodologies, and material science. The recent focus in periodontal research is an evidence-based approach which offers a bridge from science to clinical practice. This three part review series intends to take a reader through a maze of periodontal research, unraveling and simplifying various issues in the design, conduct and interpretation of various study designs routinely used in the field of periodontal research. This understanding would facilitate a researcher with a focused and an enhanced vision toward formulating studies which can more efficiently translate sound scientific phenomena into clinically meaningful results. PMID:24174746

Magnetic circuit modifications in resonant vibration harvesters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Szabo, Zoltan; Fiala, Pavel; Dohnal, Premysl

2018-01-01

The paper discusses the conclusions obtained from a research centered on a vibration-powered milli- or micro generator (MG) operating as a harvester to yield the maximum amount of energy transferred by the vibration of an independent system. The investigation expands on the results proposed within papers that theoretically define the properties characterizing the basic configurations of a generator based on applied Faraday's law of induction. We compared two basic principles of circuit closing in a magnetic circuit that, fully or partially, utilizes a ferromagnetic material, and a large number of generator design solutions were examined and tested. In the given context, the article brings a compact survey of the rules facilitating energy transformation and the designing of harvesters.

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

Pierce, Eric M.; Freshley, Mark D.; Hubbard, Susan S.

In this report, we start by examining previous efforts at linking science and DOE EM research with cleanup activities. Many of these efforts were initiated by creating science and technology roadmaps. A recurring feature of successfully implementing these roadmaps into EM applied research efforts and successful cleanup is the focus on integration. Such integration takes many forms, ranging from combining information generated by various scientific disciplines, to providing technical expertise to facilitate successful application of novel technology, to bringing the resources and creativity of many to address the common goal of moving EM cleanup forward. Successful projects identify and focusmore » research efforts on addressing the problems and challenges that are causing “failure” in actual cleanup activities. In this way, basic and applied science resources are used strategically to address the particular unknowns that are barriers to cleanup. The brief descriptions of the Office of Science basic (Environmental Remediation Science Program [ERSP]) and EM’s applied (Groundwater and Soil Remediation Program) research programs in subsurface science provide context to the five “crosscutting” themes that have been developed in this strategic planning effort. To address these challenges and opportunities, a tiered systematic approach is proposed that leverages basic science investments with new applied research investments from the DOE Office of Engineering and Technology within the framework of the identified basic science and applied research crosscutting themes. These themes are evident in the initial portfolio of initiatives in the EM groundwater and soil cleanup multi-year program plan. As stated in a companion document for tank waste processing (Bredt et al. 2008), in addition to achieving its mission, DOE EM is experiencing a fundamental shift in philosophy from driving to closure to enabling the long-term needs of DOE and the nation.« less

Data Standards for Flow Cytometry

PubMed Central

SPIDLEN, JOSEF; GENTLEMAN, ROBERT C.; HAALAND, PERRY D.; LANGILLE, MORGAN; MEUR, NOLWENN LE; OCHS, MICHAEL F.; SCHMITT, CHARLES; SMITH, CLAYTON A.; TREISTER, ADAM S.; BRINKMAN, RYAN R.

2009-01-01

Flow cytometry (FCM) is an analytical tool widely used for cancer and HIV/AIDS research, and treatment, stem cell manipulation and detecting microorganisms in environmental samples. Current data standards do not capture the full scope of FCM experiments and there is a demand for software tools that can assist in the exploration and analysis of large FCM datasets. We are implementing a standardized approach to capturing, analyzing, and disseminating FCM data that will facilitate both more complex analyses and analysis of datasets that could not previously be efficiently studied. Initial work has focused on developing a community-based guideline for recording and reporting the details of FCM experiments. Open source software tools that implement this standard are being created, with an emphasis on facilitating reproducible and extensible data analyses. As well, tools for electronic collaboration will assist the integrated access and comprehension of experiments to empower users to collaborate on FCM analyses. This coordinated, joint development of bioinformatics standards and software tools for FCM data analysis has the potential to greatly facilitate both basic and clinical research—impacting a notably diverse range of medical and environmental research areas. PMID:16901228

The Policy Formation Process: A Conceptual Framework for Analysis. Ph.D. Thesis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fuchs, E. F.

1972-01-01

A conceptual framework for analysis which is intended to assist both the policy analyst and the policy researcher in their empirical investigations into policy phenomena is developed. It is meant to facilitate understanding of the policy formation process by focusing attention on the basic forces shaping the main features of policy formation as a dynamic social-political-organizational process. The primary contribution of the framework lies in its capability to suggest useful ways of looking at policy formation reality. It provides the analyst and the researcher with a group of indicators which suggest where to look and what to look for when attempting to analyze and understand the mix of forces which energize, maintain, and direct the operation of strategic level policy systems. The framework also highlights interconnections, linkage, and relational patterns between and among important variables. The framework offers an integrated set of conceptual tools which facilitate understanding of and research on the complex and dynamic set of variables which interact in any major strategic level policy formation process.

Parents with Intellectual Disabilities Experiencing Challenging Child Routines: A Pilot Study Using Embedded Self-Determination Practices.

PubMed

Knowles, Christen; Blakely, Allison; Hansen, Sarah; Machalicek, Wendy

2017-05-01

Practices to facilitate self-determination have not received appropriate attention in research concerning parents with intellectual disabilities (ID). Likewise, parenting interventions for adults with intellectual disabilities have seldom observed both parent and child behavioural outcomes. This study evaluated the effectiveness of a parenting intervention embedded with self-determination facilitation practices for two dyads of a parent with intellectual disabilities and their young child. The interventions focused on increasing parents' ability to correctly implement steps of a parenting routine while reducing occurrence of challenging child behaviour. The results of the study demonstrated two basic effects of correctly completed steps of the parenting routine and a reduction of challenging child behaviour. Parents also reported decreased feelings of stress during the routine following completion of the intervention. Implications for future research and replication of this pilot study are discussed. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Core Science Systems--Mission overview

USGS Publications Warehouse

Gallagher, Kevin T.

2012-01-01

CSS provides a foundation for all USGS Mission Areas, as well as for the mission of the Department of the Interior (DOI), in the following ways: 1) Conducts basic and applied science research and development 2) Fosters broad understanding and application of analyses and information 3) Provides a framework for data and information sharing 4) Creates new geospatially enabled data and information 5) Provides technical expertise in standards and methods 6) Builds and facilitates partnerships and innovation

Indian Institute of Technology Bombay and Tata Memorial Centre Join the International Efforts in Clinical Proteogenomics Cancer Research | Office of Cancer Clinical Proteomics Research

Cancer.gov

The National Cancer Institute’s (NCI) Office of Cancer Clinical Proteomics Research, part of the National Institutes of Health, along with the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay (IITB) and Tata Memorial Centre (TMC) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on clinical proteogenomics cancer research. The MOU between NCI, IITB, and Tata Memorial Centre represents the thirtieth and thirty-first institutions and the twelfth country to join the International Cancer Proteogenome Consortium (ICPC). The purpose of the MOU is to facilitate scientific and programmatic collaborations between NCI, IITB, and TMC in basic and clinical proteogenomic studies leading to patient care and public dissemination and information sharing to the research community.

Status of the national transonic facility

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mckinney, L. W.; Gloss, B. B.

1982-01-01

The National Transonic Facility at NASA Langley Research Center, scheduled for completion in July, 1982, is described with emphasis on model and instrumentation activities, calibration plans and some initial research plans. Performance capabilities include a Mach number range of 0.2-1.2, a pressure range of 1-9 atmospheres, and a temperature range of 77-350 K, which will produce a maximum Reynolds number of 120 million at a Mach number of 1.0, based on a 0.25 m chord. A comprehensive tunnel calibration program is planned, which will cover basic tunnel calibration, data qualities, and data comparisons with other facilites and flights.

The full translational spectrum of prevention science: facilitating the transfer of knowledge to practices and policies that prevent behavioral health problems.

PubMed

Fishbein, Diana H; Ridenour, Ty A; Stahl, Mindy; Sussman, Steve

2016-03-01

A broad-span, six-stage translational prevention model is presented, extending from the basic sciences-taking a multi-level systems approach, including the neurobiological sciences-through to globalization. The application of a very wide perspective of translation research from basic scientific discovery to international policy change promises to elicit sustainable, population-level reductions in behavioral health disorders. To illustrate the conceptualization and actualization of a program of translational prevention research, we walk through each stage of research to practice and policy using an exemplar, callous-unemotional (CU) traits. Basic science has identified neurobiological, psychophysiological, behavioral, contextual, and experiential differences in this subgroup, and yet, these findings have not been applied to the development of more targeted intervention. As a result, there are currently no programs considered especially effective for CU traits, likely because they do not specifically target underlying mechanisms. To prevent/reduce the prevalence of conduct disorder, it is critical that we transfer existing knowledge to subsequent translational stages, including intervention development, implementation, and scaling. And eventually, once resulting programs have been rigorously evaluated, replicated, and adapted across cultural, ethnic, and gender groups, there is potential to institutionalize them as well as call attention to the special needs of this population. In this paper, we begin to consider what resources and changes in research perspectives are needed to move along this translational spectrum.

Hydrology for everyone: Share your knowledge

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dogulu, Nilay; Dogulu, Canay

2015-04-01

Hydrology, the science of water, plays a central role in understanding the function and behaviour of water on the earth. Given the increasingly complex, uncertain, and dynamic nature of this system, the study of hydrology presents challenges in solving water-related problems in societies. While researchers in hydrologic science and engineering embrace these challenges, it is important that we also realize our critical role in promoting the basic understanding of hydrology concepts among the general public. Hydrology is everywhere, yet, the general public often lacks the basic understanding of the hydrologic environment surrounding them. Essentially, we believe that a basic level of knowledge on hydrology is a must for everyone and that this knowledge might facilitate resilience of communities to hydrological extremes. For instance, in case of flood and drought conditions, which are the most frequent and widespread hydrological phenomena that societies live with, a key aspect of facilitating community resilience would be to create awareness on the hydrological, meteorological, and climatological processes behind floods and droughts, and also on their potential implications on water resources management. Such knowledge awareness can lead to an increase in individuals' awareness on their role in water-related problems which in turn can potentially motivate them to adopt preparedness behaviours. For these reasons, embracing an approach that will increase hydrologic literacy of the general public should be a common objective for the hydrologic community. This talk, hopefully, will motivate researchers in hydrologic science and engineering to share their knowledge with the general public. We, as early career hydrologists, should take this responsibility more than anybody else. Start teaching hydrology now and share your knowledge with people around you - friends, family, relatives, neighbours, and others. There is hydrology for everyone!

ENHANCING RESEARCH ETHICS REVIEW SYSTEMS IN EGYPT: THE FOCUS OF AN INTERNATIONAL TRAINING PROGRAM INFORMED BY AN ECOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTAL APPROACH TO ENHANCING RESEARCH ETHICS CAPACITY

PubMed Central

Edwards, Hillary Anne; Hifnawy, Tamer; Silverman, Henry

2014-01-01

Recently, training programs in research ethics have been established to enhance individual and institutional capacity in research ethics in the developing world. However, commentators have expressed concern that the efforts of these training programs have placed “too great an emphasis on guidelines and research ethics review”, which will have limited effect on ensuring ethical conduct in research. What is needed instead is a culture of ethical conduct supported by national and institutional commitment to ethical practices that are reinforced by upstream enabling conditions (strong civil society, public accountability, and trust in basic transactional processes), which are in turn influenced by developmental conditions (basic freedoms of political freedoms, economic facilities, social opportunities, transparency guarantees, and protective security). Examining this more inclusive understanding of the determinants of ethical conduct enhances at once both an appreciation of the limitations of current efforts of training programs in research ethics and an understanding of what additional training elements are needed to enable trainees to facilitate national and institutional policy changes that enhance research practices. We apply this developmental model to a training program focused in Egypt to describe examples of such additional training activities. PMID:24894063

Enhancing Research Ethics Review Systems in Egypt: The Focus of an International Training Program Informed by an Ecological Developmental Approach to Enhancing Research Ethics Capacity.

PubMed

Edwards, Hillary Anne; Hifnawy, Tamer; Silverman, Henry

2015-12-01

Recently, training programs in research ethics have been established to enhance individual and institutional capacity in research ethics in the developing world. However, commentators have expressed concern that the efforts of these training programs have placed 'too great an emphasis on guidelines and research ethics review', which will have limited effect on ensuring ethical conduct in research. What is needed instead is a culture of ethical conduct supported by national and institutional commitment to ethical practices that are reinforced by upstream enabling conditions (strong civil society, public accountability, and trust in basic transactional processes), which are in turn influenced by developmental conditions (basic freedoms of political freedoms, economic facilities, social opportunities, transparency guarantees, and protective security). Examining this more inclusive understanding of the determinants of ethical conduct enhances at once both an appreciation of the limitations of current efforts of training programs in research ethics and an understanding of what additional training elements are needed to enable trainees to facilitate national and institutional policy changes that enhance research practices. We apply this developmental model to a training program focused in Egypt to describe examples of such additional training activities. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

The development of motor behavior

PubMed Central

Adolph, Karen E.; Franchak, John M.

2016-01-01

This article reviews research on the development of motor behavior from a developmental systems perspective. We focus on infancy when basic action systems are acquired. Posture provides a stable base for locomotion, manual actions, and facial actions. Experience facilitates improvements in motor behavior and infants accumulate immense amounts of experience with all of their basic action systems. At every point in development, perception guides motor behavior by providing feedback about the results of just prior movements and information about what to do next. Reciprocally, the development of motor behavior provides fodder for perception. More generally, motor development brings about new opportunities for acquiring knowledge about the world, and burgeoning motor skills can instigate cascades of developmental changes in perceptual, cognitive, and social domains. PMID:27906517

Machine learning for Big Data analytics in plants.

PubMed

Ma, Chuang; Zhang, Hao Helen; Wang, Xiangfeng

2014-12-01

Rapid advances in high-throughput genomic technology have enabled biology to enter the era of 'Big Data' (large datasets). The plant science community not only needs to build its own Big-Data-compatible parallel computing and data management infrastructures, but also to seek novel analytical paradigms to extract information from the overwhelming amounts of data. Machine learning offers promising computational and analytical solutions for the integrative analysis of large, heterogeneous and unstructured datasets on the Big-Data scale, and is gradually gaining popularity in biology. This review introduces the basic concepts and procedures of machine-learning applications and envisages how machine learning could interface with Big Data technology to facilitate basic research and biotechnology in the plant sciences. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Transformative Impact of Proteomics on Cardiovascular Health and Disease: A Scientific Statement From the American Heart Association.

PubMed

Lindsey, Merry L; Mayr, Manuel; Gomes, Aldrin V; Delles, Christian; Arrell, D Kent; Murphy, Anne M; Lange, Richard A; Costello, Catherine E; Jin, Yu-Fang; Laskowitz, Daniel T; Sam, Flora; Terzic, Andre; Van Eyk, Jennifer; Srinivas, Pothur R

2015-09-01

The year 2014 marked the 20th anniversary of the coining of the term proteomics. The purpose of this scientific statement is to summarize advances over this period that have catalyzed our capacity to address the experimental, translational, and clinical implications of proteomics as applied to cardiovascular health and disease and to evaluate the current status of the field. Key successes that have energized the field are delineated; opportunities for proteomics to drive basic science research, facilitate clinical translation, and establish diagnostic and therapeutic healthcare algorithms are discussed; and challenges that remain to be solved before proteomic technologies can be readily translated from scientific discoveries to meaningful advances in cardiovascular care are addressed. Proteomics is the result of disruptive technologies, namely, mass spectrometry and database searching, which drove protein analysis from 1 protein at a time to protein mixture analyses that enable large-scale analysis of proteins and facilitate paradigm shifts in biological concepts that address important clinical questions. Over the past 20 years, the field of proteomics has matured, yet it is still developing rapidly. The scope of this statement will extend beyond the reaches of a typical review article and offer guidance on the use of next-generation proteomics for future scientific discovery in the basic research laboratory and clinical settings. © 2015 American Heart Association, Inc.

On raising the international dissemination of German research: Does changing publication language to English attract foreign authors to publish in a German basic psychology research journal?

PubMed

Dinkel, Andreas; Berth, Hendrik; Borkenhagen, Ada; Brähler, Elmar

2004-01-01

It has been proposed that German basic psychology journals should change publication language to English in order to facilitate access to research from German-speaking countries. However, to truly increase the dissemination of German research, it seems crucial to progress towards an internationalization of authors and readers. We applied bibliometric analysis to investigate the impact of the transition to English on the rate of foreign authors publishing in Zeitschrift für Experimentelle Psychologie/Experimental Psychology, as well as possible associated changes in citation patterns. There was an increase in the rate of articles published by foreign authors from 14.6 and 8.7 per cent, respectively, for the last biannual periods as German-language journal, to 52.7 per cent in the first biannual period as English-language journal. Regarding citations patterns, the clearest changes emerged for domestic authors. The results illustrate possible consequences of a transition to English as publication language, and reveal that Experimental Psychology has successfully established certain prerequisites for an increase of the international dissemination of German psychology research.

Translational genetics: advancing fronts for craniofacial health.

PubMed

D'Souza, R N; Dunnwald, M; Dunnvald, M; Frazier-Bowers, S; Polverini, P J; Wright, J T; de Rouen, T; Vieira, A R

2013-12-01

Scientific opportunities have never been better than today! The completion of the Human Genome project has sparked hope and optimism that cures for debilitating conditions can be achieved and tailored to individuals and communities. The availability of reference genome sequences and genetic variations as well as more precise correlations between genotype and phenotype have facilitated the progress made in finding solutions to clinical problems. While certain craniofacial and oral diseases previously deemed too difficult to tackle have benefited from basic science and technological advances over the past decade, there remains a critical need to translate the fruits of several decades' worth of basic and clinical research into tangible therapies that can benefit patients. The fifth Annual Fall Focused Symposium, "Translational Genetics - Advancing Fronts for Craniofacial Health", was created by the American Association for Dental Research (AADR) to foster its mission to advance interdisciplinary research that is directed toward improving oral health. The symposium showcased progress made in identifying molecular targets that are potential therapeutics for common and rare dental diseases and craniofacial disorders. Speakers focused on translational and clinical applications of their research and, where applicable, on strategies for new technologies and therapeutics. The critical needs to transfer new knowledge to the classroom and for further investment in the field were also emphasized. The symposium underscored the importance of basic research, chairside clinical observations, and population-based studies in driving the new translational connections needed for the development of cures for the most common and devastating diseases involving the craniofacial complex.

BASIC Instructional Program: System Documentation.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dageforde, Mary L.

This report documents the BASIC Instructional Program (BIP), a "hands-on laboratory" that teaches elementary programming in the BASIC language, as implemented in the MAINSAIL language, a machine-independent revision of SAIL which should facilitate implementation of BIP on other computing systems. Eight instructional modules which make up…

Perceptual Discrimination of Basic Object Features Is Not Facilitated When Priming Stimuli Are Prevented From Reaching Awareness by Means of Visual Masking

PubMed Central

Peel, Hayden J.; Sperandio, Irene; Laycock, Robin; Chouinard, Philippe A.

2018-01-01

Our understanding of how form, orientation and size are processed within and outside of awareness is limited and requires further investigation. Therefore, we investigated whether or not the visual discrimination of basic object features can be influenced by subliminal processing of stimuli presented beforehand. Visual masking was used to render stimuli perceptually invisible. Three experiments examined if visible and invisible primes could facilitate the subsequent feature discrimination of visible targets. The experiments differed in the kind of perceptual discrimination that participants had to make. Namely, participants were asked to discriminate visual stimuli on the basis of their form, orientation, or size. In all three experiments, we demonstrated reliable priming effects when the primes were visible but not when the primes were made invisible. Our findings underscore the importance of conscious awareness in facilitating the perceptual discrimination of basic object features. PMID:29725292

Perceptual Discrimination of Basic Object Features Is Not Facilitated When Priming Stimuli Are Prevented From Reaching Awareness by Means of Visual Masking.

PubMed

Peel, Hayden J; Sperandio, Irene; Laycock, Robin; Chouinard, Philippe A

2018-01-01

Our understanding of how form, orientation and size are processed within and outside of awareness is limited and requires further investigation. Therefore, we investigated whether or not the visual discrimination of basic object features can be influenced by subliminal processing of stimuli presented beforehand. Visual masking was used to render stimuli perceptually invisible. Three experiments examined if visible and invisible primes could facilitate the subsequent feature discrimination of visible targets. The experiments differed in the kind of perceptual discrimination that participants had to make. Namely, participants were asked to discriminate visual stimuli on the basis of their form, orientation, or size. In all three experiments, we demonstrated reliable priming effects when the primes were visible but not when the primes were made invisible. Our findings underscore the importance of conscious awareness in facilitating the perceptual discrimination of basic object features.

The Future of Restorative Neurosciences in Stroke: Driving the Translational Research Pipeline From Basic Science to Rehabilitation of People After Stroke

PubMed Central

Cheeran, Binith; Cohen, Leonardo; Dobkin, Bruce; Ford, Gary; Greenwood, Richard; Howard, David; Husain, Masud; Macleod, Malcolm; Nudo, Randolph; Rothwell, John; Rudd, Anthony; Teo, James; Ward, Nicholas; Wolf, Steven

2011-01-01

Background Major advances during the past 50 years highlight the immense potential for restoration of function after neural injury, even in the damaged adult human brain. Yet, the translation of these advances into clinically useful treatments is painstakingly slow. Objective Here, we consider why the traditional model of a “translational research pipeline” that transforms basic science into novel clinical practice has failed to improve rehabilitation practice for people after stroke. Results We find that (1) most treatments trialed in vitro and in animal models have not yet resulted in obviously useful functional gains in patients; (2) most clinical trials of restorative treatments after stroke have been limited to small-scale studies; (3) patient recruitment for larger clinical trials is difficult; (4) the determinants of patient outcomes and what patients want remain complex and ill-defined, so that basic scientists have no clear view of the clinical importance of the problems that they are addressing; (5) research in academic neuroscience centers is poorly integrated with practice in front-line hospitals and the community, where the majority of patients are treated; and (6) partnership with both industry stakeholders and patient pressure groups is poorly developed, at least in the United Kingdom where research in the translational restorative neurosciences in stroke depends on public sector research funds and private charities. Conclusions We argue that interaction between patients, front-line clinicians, and clinical and basic scientists is essential so that they can explore their different priorities, skills, and concerns. These interactions can be facilitated by funding research consortia that include basic and clinical scientists, clinicians and patient/carer representatives with funds targeted at those impairments that are major determinants of patient and carer outcomes. Consortia would be instrumental in developing a lexicon of common methods, standardized outcome measures, data sharing and long-term goals. Interactions of this sort would create a research-friendly, rather than only target-led, culture in front-line stroke rehabilitation services. PMID:19189939

Reporting and interpreting research in PSPB: practices, principles, and pragmatics.

PubMed

Kashy, Deborah A; Donnellan, M Brent; Ackerman, Robert A; Russell, Daniel W

2009-09-01

This article is designed to provide psychologists who publish articles in Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin (PSPB) with a set of basic issues to consider when reporting their analyses and results. We first assessed the current reporting practices of social and personality psychologists by conducting an analysis of PSPB articles published in the first half of 2007. We evaluated the completeness of these reports with respect to the level of detail in both the Method and Results sections. We then used this information to develop recommendations that we hope will enhance the reporting of quantitative research in social and personality psychology. These suggestions emphasize ways to increase transparency in research reports. Transparency facilitates replication and a critical evaluation of research, thereby promoting scientific progress.

Clinical Competencies and the Basic Sciences: An Online Case Tutorial Paradigm for Delivery of Integrated Clinical and Basic Science Content

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

DiLullo, Camille; Morris, Harry J.; Kriebel, Richard M.

2009-01-01

Understanding the relevance of basic science knowledge in the determination of patient assessment, diagnosis, and treatment is critical to good medical practice. One method often used to direct students in the fundamental process of integrating basic science and clinical information is problem-based learning (PBL). The faculty facilitated small…

The Muscle Sensor for on-site neuroscience lectures to pave the way for a better understanding of brain-machine-interface research.

PubMed

Koizumi, Amane; Nagata, Osamu; Togawa, Morio; Sazi, Toshiyuki

2014-01-01

Neuroscience is an expanding field of science to investigate enigmas of brain and human body function. However, the majority of the public have never had the chance to learn the basics of neuroscience and new knowledge from advanced neuroscience research through hands-on experience. Here, we report that we produced the Muscle Sensor, a simplified electromyography, to promote educational understanding in neuroscience. The Muscle Sensor can detect myoelectric potentials which are filtered and processed as 3-V pulse signals to shine a light bulb and emit beep sounds. With this educational tool, we delivered "On-Site Neuroscience Lectures" in Japanese junior-high schools to facilitate hands-on experience of neuroscientific electrophysiology and to connect their text-book knowledge to advanced neuroscience researches. On-site neuroscience lectures with the Muscle Sensor pave the way for a better understanding of the basics of neuroscience and the latest topics such as how brain-machine-interface technology could help patients with disabilities such as spinal cord injuries. Copyright © 2013 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Cognitive Factors and Residual Speech Errors: Basic Science, Translational Research, and Some Clinical Frameworks.

PubMed

Eaton, Catherine Torrington

2015-11-01

This article explores the theoretical and empirical relationships between cognitive factors and residual speech errors (RSEs). Definitions of relevant cognitive domains are provided, as well as examples of formal and informal tasks that may be appropriate in assessment. Although studies to date have been limited in number and scope, basic research suggests that cognitive flexibility, short- and long-term memory, and self-monitoring may be areas of weakness in this population. Preliminary evidence has not supported a relationship between inhibitory control, attention, and RSEs; however, further studies that control variables such as language ability and temperament are warranted. Previous translational research has examined the effects of self-monitoring training on residual speech errors. Although results have been mixed, some findings suggest that children with RSEs may benefit from the inclusion of this training. The article closes with a discussion of clinical frameworks that target cognitive skills, including self-monitoring and attention, as a means of facilitating speech sound change. Thieme Medical Publishers 333 Seventh Avenue, New York, NY 10001, USA.

Visualization: a tool for enhancing students' concept images of basic object-oriented concepts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cetin, Ibrahim

2013-03-01

The purpose of this study was twofold: to investigate students' concept images about class, object, and their relationship and to help them enhance their learning of these notions with a visualization tool. Fifty-six second-year university students participated in the study. To investigate his/her concept images, the researcher developed a survey including open-ended questions, which was administered to the participants. Follow-up interviews with 12 randomly selected students were conducted to explore their answers to the survey in depth. The results of the first part of the research were utilized to construct visualization scenarios. The students used these scenarios to develop animations using Flash software. The study found that most of the students experienced difficulties in learning object-oriented notions. Overdependence on code-writing practice and examples and incorrectly learned analogies were determined to be the sources of their difficulties. Moreover, visualization was found to be a promising approach in facilitating students' concept images of basic object-oriented notions. The results of this study have implications for researchers and practitioners when designing programming instruction.

Barriers and facilitators to the implementation of person-centred care in different healthcare contexts.

PubMed

Moore, Lucy; Britten, Nicky; Lydahl, Doris; Naldemirci, Öncel; Elam, Mark; Wolf, Axel

2017-12-01

To empower patients and improve the quality of care, policy-makers increasingly adopt systems to enhance person-centred care. Although models of person-centredness and patient-centredness vary, respecting the needs and preferences of individuals receiving care is paramount. In Sweden, as in other countries, healthcare providers seek to improve person-centred principles and address gaps in practice. Consequently, researchers at the University of Gothenburg Centre for Person-Centred Care are currently delivering person-centred interventions employing a framework that incorporates three routines. These include eliciting the patient's narrative, agreeing a partnership with shared goals between patient and professional, and safeguarding this through documentation. To explore the barriers and facilitators to the delivery of person-centred care interventions, in different contexts. Qualitative interviews were conducted with a purposeful sample of 18 researchers from seven research studies across contrasting healthcare settings. Interviews were transcribed, translated and thematically analysed, adopting some basic features of grounded theory. The ethical code of conduct was followed and conformed to the ethical guidelines adopted by the Swedish Research Council. Barriers to the implementation of person-centred care covered three themes: traditional practices and structures; sceptical, stereotypical attitudes from professionals; and factors related to the development of person-centred interventions. Facilitators included organisational factors, leadership and training and an enabling attitude and approach by professionals. Trained project managers, patients taking an active role in research and adaptive strategies by researchers all helped person-centred care delivery. At the University of Gothenburg, a model of person-centred care is being initiated and integrated into practice through research. Knowledgeable, well-trained professionals facilitate the routines of narrative elicitation and partnership. Strong leadership and adaptive strategies are important for overcoming existing practices, routines and methods of documentation. This study provides guidance for practitioners when delivering and adapting person-centred care in different contexts. © 2016 The Authors. Scandinavian Journal of Caring Sciences published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Nordic College of Caring Science.

Proceedings of the Seventh International Workshop on Advances in Electrocorticography

PubMed Central

Ritaccio, Anthony; Matsumoto, Riki; Morrell, Martha; Kamada, Kyousuke; Koubeissi, Mohamad; Poeppel, David; Lachaux, Jean-Philippe; Yanagisawa, Yakufumi; Hirata, Masayuki; Guger, Christoph; Schalk, Gerwin

2015-01-01

The Seventh International Workshop on Advances in Electrocorticography (ECoG) convened in Washington, DC, on November 13–14, 2014. Electrocorticography-based research continues to proliferate widely across basic science and clinical disciplines. The 2014 workshop highlighted advances in neurolinguistics, brain-computer interface, functional mapping, and seizure termination facilitated by advances in the recording and analysis of the ECoG signal. The following proceedings document is an attempt at summarizing the content of this past year’s successful multidisciplinary gathering. PMID:26322594

Depressive Rumination: Investigating Mechanisms to Improve Cognitive Behavioural Treatments

PubMed Central

Watkins, Edward R.

2009-01-01

Rumination has been identified as a core process in the development and maintenance of depression. Treatments targeting ruminative processes may, therefore, be particularly helpful for treating chronic and recurrent depression. The development of such treatments requires translational research that marries clinical trials, process–outcome research, and basic experimental research that investigates the mechanisms underpinning pathological rumination. For example, a program of experimental research has demonstrated that there are distinct processing modes during rumination that have distinct functional effects for the consequences of rumination on a range of clinically relevant cognitive and emotional processes: an adaptive style characterized by more concrete, specific processing and a maladaptive style characterized by abstract, overgeneral processing. Based on this experimental work, two new treatments for depression have been developed and evaluated: (a) rumination-focused cognitive therapy, an individual-based face-to-face therapy, which has encouraging results in the treatment of residual depression in an extended case series and a pilot randomized controlled trial; and (b) concreteness training, a facilitated self-help intervention intended to increase specificity of processing in patients with depression, which has beneficial findings in a proof-of-principle study in a dysphoric population. These findings indicate the potential value of process–outcome research (a) explicitly targeting identified vulnerability processes and (b) developing interventions informed by research into basic mechanisms. PMID:19697180

A team public health research project for first-year pharmacy students to apply content from didactic courses.

PubMed

Fuentes, David; Deguire, Nancy; Patel, Rajul; Boyce, Eric

2010-08-10

To implement and assess a first-year pharmacy student group research project that provided practical hands-on application and reinforced the curricula of concurrent didactic courses. Groups of 6 to 7 students chose a public health topic based on the Healthy People 2010 Priority Areas and created a survey instrument. Faculty facilitated mock institutional review board (IRB) review sessions which provided teams with ongoing feedback and refinement recommendations before each team administered their survey instrument to a predefined population. Data analysis, formal written reports, and oral presentations were presented to peers and project faculty members. Teams complied with the requirements of the mock IRB, effectively applied basic research principles learned in class, collected survey data, performed inferential statistical analyses on the data, , and presented their project findings. Two-hundred six of 210 students (98%) reported feeling satisfied with both the results of their project and the accomplishments of their team. Teams applied a varied skill set including primary literature evaluation, basic research principles, statistics, public speaking, and peer collaboration in conducting a public health research project. First-year pharmacy students may benefit from participation in a collaborative research project that provides hands-on application of material being taught in didactic courses.

Trends in plant research using molecular markers.

PubMed

Garrido-Cardenas, Jose Antonio; Mesa-Valle, Concepción; Manzano-Agugliaro, Francisco

2018-03-01

A deep bibliometric analysis has been carried out, obtaining valuable parameters that facilitate the understanding around the research in plant using molecular markers. The evolution of the improvement in the field of agronomy is fundamental for its adaptation to the new exigencies that the current world context raises. In addition, within these improvements, this article focuses on those related to the biotechnology sector. More specifically, the use of DNA markers that allow the researcher to know the set of genes associated with a particular quantitative trait or QTL. The use of molecular markers is widely extended, including: restriction fragment length polymorphism, random-amplified polymorphic DNA, amplified fragment length polymorphism, microsatellites, and single-nucleotide polymorphisms. In addition to classical methodology, new approaches based on the next generation sequencing are proving to be fundamental. In this article, a historical review of the molecular markers traditionally used in plants, since its birth and how the new molecular tools facilitate the work of plant breeders is carried out. The evolution of the most studied cultures from the point of view of molecular markers is also reviewed and other parameters whose prior knowledge can facilitate the approach of researchers to this field of research are analyzed. The bibliometric analysis of molecular markers in plants shows that top five countries in this research are: US, China, India, France, and Germany, and from 2013, this research is led by China. On the other hand, the basic research using Arabidopsis is deeper in France and Germany, while other countries focused its efforts in their main crops as the US for wheat or maize, while China and India for wheat and rice.

Initiating Young Children into Basic Astronomical Concepts and Phenomena

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kallery, M.

2010-07-01

In the present study we developed and implemented three units of activities aiming at acquainting very young children with basic astronomical concepts and phenomena such as the sphericity of the earth, the earth’s movements and the day/night cycle. The activities were developed by a group composed of a researcher/facilitator and six early-years teachers. In the activities children were presented with appropriate for their age scientific information along with conceptual tools such as a globe and an instructional video. Action research processes were used to optimize classroom practices and to gather useful information for the final shaping of the activities and the instruction materials. In these activities the adopted approach to learning can be characterized as socially constructed. The results indicated awareness of concepts and phenomena that the activities dealt with in high percentages of children, storage of the new knowledge in the long term memory and easy retrieval of it, and children’s enthusiasm for the subject.

Reassessing Phase II Heart Failure Clinical Trials: Consensus Recommendations

PubMed Central

Butler, Javed; Hamo, Carine E.; Udelson, James E.; O’Connor, Christopher; Sabbah, Hani N.; Metra, Marco; Shah, Sanjiv J.; Kitzman, Dalane W.; Teerlink, John; Bernstein, Harold S.; Brooks, Gabriel; Depre, Christophe; DeSouza, Mary M.; Dinh, Wilfried; Donovan, Mark; Frische-Danielson, Regina; Frost, Robert J.; Garza, Dahlia; Gohring, Udo-Michael; Hellawell, Jennifer; Hsia, Judith; Ishihara, Shiro; Kay-Mugford, Patricia; Koglin, Joerg; Kozinn, Marc; Larson, Christopher J.; Mayo, Martha; Gan, Li-Ming; Mugnier, Pierrre; Mushonga, Sekayi; Roessig, Lothar; Russo, Cesare; Salsali, Afshin; Satler, Carol; Shi, Victor; Ticho, Barry; van der Laan, Michael; Yancy, Clyde; Stockbridge, Norman; Gheorghiade, Mihai

2017-01-01

The increasing burden and the continued suboptimal outcomes for patients with heart failure underlines the importance of continued research to develop novel therapeutics for this disorder. This can only be accomplished with successful translation of basic science discoveries into direct human application through effective clinical trial design and execution that results in a substantially improved clinical course and outcomes. In this respect, phase II clinical trials play a pivotal role in determining which of the multitude of potential basic science discoveries should move to the large and expansive registration trials in humans. A critical examination of the phase II trials in heart failure reveals multiple shortcomings in their concept, design, execution, and interpretation. To further a dialogue regarding the challenges and potential for improvement and the role of phase II trials in patients with heart failure, the Food and Drug Administration facilitated a meeting on October 17th 2016 represented by clinicians, researchers, industry members, and regulators. This document summarizes the discussion from this meeting and provides key recommendations for future directions. PMID:28356300

Vertical and horizontal integration of knowledge and skills - a working model.

PubMed

Snyman, W D; Kroon, J

2005-02-01

The new integrated outcomes-based curriculum for dentistry was introduced at the University of Pretoria in 1997. The first participants graduated at the end of 2001. Educational principles that underpin the new innovative dental curriculum include vertical and horizontal integration, problem-oriented learning, student-centred learning, a holistic attitude to patient care and the promotion of oral health. The aim of this research project was to develop and assay a model to facilitate vertical integration of knowledge and skills thereby justifying the above mentioned action. The learning methodology proposed for the specific outcome of the Odontology module, namely the diagnosis of dental caries and the design of a primary preventive programme, included problem-solving as the driving force for the facilitation of vertical and horizontal integration, and an instructional design for the integration of the basic knowledge and clinical skills into a single learning programme. The paper describes the methodology of problem-oriented learning as applied in this study together with the detail of the programme. The consensus of those teachers who represent the basic and clinical sciences and who participate in this learning programme is that this model is practical and can assist vertical as well as horizontal integration of knowledge.

Learning Genetics with Paper Pets

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Finnerty, Valerie Raunig

2006-01-01

By the end of the eighth grade, students are expected to have a basic understanding of the mechanism of basic genetic inheritance. However, these concepts can be difficult to teach. In this article, the author introduces a new learning tool that will help facilitate student learning and enthusiasm to the basic concepts of genetic inheritance. This…

Fostering partnerships in survivorship care: report of the 2011 Canadian genitourinary cancers survivorship conference.

PubMed

Bender, Jacqueline L; Wiljer, David; Matthew, Andrew; Canil, Christina M; Legere, Laura; Loblaw, Andrew; Jewett, Michael A S

2012-09-01

New models of survivorship care are required to address the needs of genitourinary (GU) cancer survivors. Current approaches do not effectively engage cancer survivors or advocacy groups. A group of clinicians in collaboration with the Canadian Urologic Association held a forum for GU cancer survivors, advocacy groups, and health professionals to explore ways to collaboratively enhance survivorship care. Participants attended a 2-day conference that included presentations, breakout groups, and a postconference survey. Discussions by breakout groups were recorded and analyzed alongside open-ended survey responses for common themes. Basic statistics were calculated. Conference participants (n = 42) included 18 cancer survivors/caregivers, 21 health professionals, and 3 researchers representing bladder, kidney, prostate, and testis cancer groups. Breakout group discussions and responses to the postconference survey (83.3 % response rate) showed strong support for greater collaboration among all parties. Strategies to facilitate collaboration reflected a need to: (1) raise awareness of the shared and unique needs of GU cancer survivors and the expertise of cancer advocacy groups, (2) facilitate communication and collaborative opportunities among clinicians/researchers and cancer survivors/advocacy groups, (3) facilitate collaborative programming and fund-raising among GU advocacy groups, and (4) synthesize and facilitate access to GU cancer survivorship resources and services. There is strong support for formal collaboration to enhance survivorship care among a critical mass of GU cancer survivors, advocacy groups, clinicians, and researchers. Responsibility for collaboration lies with all stakeholder groups. Strategies to foster such partnerships should employ integrated knowledge translation approaches that actively engage all parties throughout the entire research to practice process. Successful partnerships between cancer survivors, advocacy groups, clinicians, and researchers require familiarity with each other's expertise, along with sufficient resources and organizational structures. GU survivorship advocacy groups need to work more closely together to ensure a strong, unified voice when interacting with clinicians and researchers.

Integration of Multidisciplinary Sensory Data:

PubMed Central

Miller, Perry L.; Nadkarni, Prakash; Singer, Michael; Marenco, Luis; Hines, Michael; Shepherd, Gordon

2001-01-01

The paper provides an overview of neuroinformatics research at Yale University being performed as part of the national Human Brain Project. This research is exploring the integration of multidisciplinary sensory data, using the olfactory system as a model domain. The neuroinformatics activities fall into three main areas: 1) building databases and related tools that support experimental olfactory research at Yale and can also serve as resources for the field as a whole, 2) using computer models (molecular models and neuronal models) to help understand data being collected experimentally and to help guide further laboratory experiments, 3) performing basic neuroinformatics research to develop new informatics technologies, including a flexible data model (EAV/CR, entity-attribute-value with classes and relationships) designed to facilitate the integration of diverse heterogeneous data within a single unifying framework. PMID:11141511

Bench to beside: motivation for university industry partnership.

PubMed

Thakor, Nitish V

2009-01-01

This paper discusses the motivation for entrepreneurship in academia and for forging a relationship between an academic laboratory and a startup. University based personnel, faculty and students, priorities basic bench research. On the other side, industry, particularly startups, prioritize technology development for clinical and commercial translation. The paper presents personal experience as a case study. University based researchers, faculty and students, might participate in and benefit from such an entrepreneurial activity. A University spin off would facilitate translational of bench research ideas and results to technologies for bedside use. Attention to issues such as conflict of interest and concern and ethics of working with human subjects need to be managed by the investigators and the institution. While entrepreneurial activity is not for everyone, it does provide the benefit and satisfaction to see research reach practice.

Development of an Agile Knowledge Engineering Framework in Support of Multi-Disciplinary Translational Research

PubMed Central

Borlawsky, Tara B.; Dhaval, Rakesh; Hastings, Shannon L.; Payne, Philip R. O.

2009-01-01

In October 2006, the National Institutes of Health launched a new national consortium, funded through Clinical and Translational Science Awards (CTSA), with the primary objective of improving the conduct and efficiency of the inherently multi-disciplinary field of translational research. To help meet this goal, the Ohio State University Center for Clinical and Translational Science has launched a knowledge management initiative that is focused on facilitating widespread semantic interoperability among administrative, basic science, clinical and research computing systems, both internally and among the translational research community at-large, through the integration of domain-specific standard terminologies and ontologies with local annotations. This manuscript describes an agile framework that builds upon prevailing knowledge engineering and semantic interoperability methods, and will be implemented as part this initiative. PMID:21347164

Development of an agile knowledge engineering framework in support of multi-disciplinary translational research.

PubMed

Borlawsky, Tara B; Dhaval, Rakesh; Hastings, Shannon L; Payne, Philip R O

2009-03-01

In October 2006, the National Institutes of Health launched a new national consortium, funded through Clinical and Translational Science Awards (CTSA), with the primary objective of improving the conduct and efficiency of the inherently multi-disciplinary field of translational research. To help meet this goal, the Ohio State University Center for Clinical and Translational Science has launched a knowledge management initiative that is focused on facilitating widespread semantic interoperability among administrative, basic science, clinical and research computing systems, both internally and among the translational research community at-large, through the integration of domain-specific standard terminologies and ontologies with local annotations. This manuscript describes an agile framework that builds upon prevailing knowledge engineering and semantic interoperability methods, and will be implemented as part this initiative.

Engineering Data Compendium. Human Perception and Performance, Volume 2

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Boff, Kenneth R. (Editor); Lincoln, Janet E. (Editor)

1988-01-01

The concept underlying the Engineering Data Compendium was the product of a Research and Development program (Integrated Perceptual Information for Designers project) aimed at facilitating the application of basic research findings in human performance to the design of military crew systems. The principal objective was to develop a workable strategy for: (1) identifying and distilling information of potential value to system design from existing research literature, and (2) presenting this technical information in a way that would aid its accessibility, interpretability, and applicability by system designers. The present volumes of the Engineering Data Compendium represent the first implementation of this strategy. This is Volume 2, which contains sections on Information Storage and Retrieval, Spatial Awareness, Perceptual Organization, and Attention and Allocation of Resources.

Engineering data compendium. Human perception and performance, volume 3

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Boff, Kenneth R. (Editor); Lincoln, Janet E. (Editor)

1988-01-01

The concept underlying the Engineering Data Compendium was the product of a research and development program (Integrated Perceptual Information for Designers project) aimed at facilitating the application of basic research findings in human performance to the design of military crew systems. The principal objective was to develop a workable strategy for: (1) identifying and distilling information of potential value to system design from existing research literature, and (2) presenting this technical information in a way that would aid its accessibility, interpretability, and applicability by system designers. The present four volumes of the Engineering Data Compendium represent the first implementation of this strategy. This is Volume 3, containing sections on Human Language Processing, Operator Motion Control, Effects of Environmental Stressors, Display Interfaces, and Control Interfaces (Real/Virtual).

Engineering data compendium. Human perception and performance. User's guide

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Boff, Kenneth R. (Editor); Lincoln, Janet E. (Editor)

1988-01-01

The concept underlying the Engineering Data Compendium was the product of a research and development program (Integrated Perceptual Information for Designers project) aimed at facilitating the application of basic research findings in human performance to the design and military crew systems. The principal objective was to develop a workable strategy for: (1) identifying and distilling information of potential value to system design from the existing research literature, and (2) presenting this technical information in a way that would aid its accessibility, interpretability, and applicability by systems designers. The present four volumes of the Engineering Data Compendium represent the first implementation of this strategy. This is the first volume, the User's Guide, containing a description of the program and instructions for its use.

The Study Team for Early Life Asthma Research (STELAR) consortium ‘Asthma e-lab’: team science bringing data, methods and investigators together

PubMed Central

Custovic, Adnan; Ainsworth, John; Arshad, Hasan; Bishop, Christopher; Buchan, Iain; Cullinan, Paul; Devereux, Graham; Henderson, John; Holloway, John; Roberts, Graham; Turner, Steve; Woodcock, Ashley; Simpson, Angela

2015-01-01

We created Asthma e-Lab, a secure web-based research environment to support consistent recording, description and sharing of data, computational/statistical methods and emerging findings across the five UK birth cohorts. The e-Lab serves as a data repository for our unified dataset and provides the computational resources and a scientific social network to support collaborative research. All activities are transparent, and emerging findings are shared via the e-Lab, linked to explanations of analytical methods, thus enabling knowledge transfer. eLab facilitates the iterative interdisciplinary dialogue between clinicians, statisticians, computer scientists, mathematicians, geneticists and basic scientists, capturing collective thought behind the interpretations of findings. PMID:25805205

Minimum Information about a Genotyping Experiment (MIGEN)

PubMed Central

Huang, Jie; Mirel, Daniel; Pugh, Elizabeth; Xing, Chao; Robinson, Peter N.; Pertsemlidis, Alexander; Ding, LiangHao; Kozlitina, Julia; Maher, Joseph; Rios, Jonathan; Story, Michael; Marthandan, Nishanth; Scheuermann, Richard H.

2011-01-01

Genotyping experiments are widely used in clinical and basic research laboratories to identify associations between genetic variations and normal/abnormal phenotypes. Genotyping assay techniques vary from single genomic regions that are interrogated using PCR reactions to high throughput assays examining genome-wide sequence and structural variation. The resulting genotype data may include millions of markers of thousands of individuals, requiring various statistical, modeling or other data analysis methodologies to interpret the results. To date, there are no standards for reporting genotyping experiments. Here we present the Minimum Information about a Genotyping Experiment (MIGen) standard, defining the minimum information required for reporting genotyping experiments. MIGen standard covers experimental design, subject description, genotyping procedure, quality control and data analysis. MIGen is a registered project under MIBBI (Minimum Information for Biological and Biomedical Investigations) and is being developed by an interdisciplinary group of experts in basic biomedical science, clinical science, biostatistics and bioinformatics. To accommodate the wide variety of techniques and methodologies applied in current and future genotyping experiment, MIGen leverages foundational concepts from the Ontology for Biomedical Investigations (OBI) for the description of the various types of planned processes and implements a hierarchical document structure. The adoption of MIGen by the research community will facilitate consistent genotyping data interpretation and independent data validation. MIGen can also serve as a framework for the development of data models for capturing and storing genotyping results and experiment metadata in a structured way, to facilitate the exchange of metadata. PMID:22180825

Development of biology student worksheets to facilitate science process skills of student

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rahayu, Y. S.; Pratiwi, R.; Indana, S.

2018-01-01

This research aims to describe development of Biology student worksheets to facilitate science process skills of student, at the same time to facilitate thinking skills of students in senior high school are equipped with Assesment Sheets. The worksheets development refers to cycle which includes phase analysis (analysis), planning (planning), design (design), development (development), implementation (implementation), evaluation and revision (evaluation and revision). Phase evaluation and revision is an ongoing activity conducted in each phase of the development cycle. That is, after the evaluation of the results of these activities and make revisions at any phase, then continue to the next phase. Based on the test results for grade X, XI, and XII in St. Agnes Surabaya high school, obtained some important findings. The findings are as follows. (1) Developed biology student worksheets could be used to facilitate thinking ability of students in particular skills integrated process that includes components to formulate the problem, formulate hypotheses, determine the study variables, formulate an operational definition of variables, determine the steps in the research, planning data tables, organizing Data in the form of tables/charts, drawing conclusions, (2) Developed biology student worksheets could also facilitate the development of social interaction of students such as working together, listening/respect the opinions of others, assembling equipment and materials, discuss and share information and facilitate the upgrading of skills hands-on student activity. (3) Developed biology worksheets basically could be implemented with the guidance of the teacher step by step, especially for students who have never used a similar worksheet. Guidance at the beginning of this need, especially for worksheets that require special skills or understanding of specific concepts as a prerequisite, such as using a microscope, determine the heart rate, understand the mechanism of specific indicators.

Behavioral and social sciences at the National Institutes of Health: Methods, measures, and data infrastructures as a scientific priority.

PubMed

Riley, William T

2017-01-01

The National Institutes of Health Office of Behavioral and Social Sciences Research (OBSSR) recently released its strategic plan for 2017-2021. This plan focuses on three equally important strategic priorities: 1) improve the synergy of basic and applied behavioral and social sciences research, 2) enhance and promote the research infrastructure, methods, and measures needed to support a more cumulative and integrated approach to behavioral and social sciences research, and 3) facilitate the adoption of behavioral and social sciences research findings in health research and in practice. This commentary focuses on scientific priority two and future directions in measurement science, technology, data infrastructure, behavioral ontologies, and big data methods and analytics that have the potential to transform the behavioral and social sciences into more cumulative, data rich sciences that more efficiently build on prior research. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

Industrial applications of the microgravity environment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1988-01-01

Opportunities for commercialization of the microgravity environment will depend upon the success of basic research projects performed in space. Significant demands for manufacturing opportunities are unlikely in the near term. The microgravity environment is to be considered primarily as a tool for research and secondarily as a manufacturing site. This research tool is unique, valuable, and presently available to U.S. investigators only through resources provided by NASA. The United States has an obligation to facilitate corporate research, maintain a flexible international policy, foster use of and assure access to a wide variety of facilities, and develop a posture of national and international leadership in and stewardship of research and materials processing in the microgravity environment. The National Research Council's Committee on Industrial Applications of the Microgravity Environment recommends six actions that strengthen this posture, including the formation of an authoritative organization to oversee the implementation of a program of microgravity research and its industrial applications.

Rare Disease Biospecimens and Patient Registries: Interoperability for Research Promotion, a European Example: EuroBioBank and SpainRDR-BioNER.

PubMed

Rubinstein, Yaffa R; Posada de la Paz, Manuel; Mora, Marina

2017-01-01

Well-annotated and properly preserved specimens are crucial both for diagnostic purposes and for use in basic and pre-clinical research, and are especially important for rare disease (RD) studies. Several consortia have been established in the recent years in order to facilitate research and to maximise access to rare biological samples and data stored in rare disease biobanks and registries, among them the EuroBioBank network and the Spain National Rare Disease Registry (RDR) and Biobank (BioNER).EuroBioBank, established in 2001, was the first network of RD biobanks to operate in Europe as a service distributing human DNA, cells, and tissue to the scientific community conducting research on rare diseases.The Spanish RDR and BioNER were created for facilitating rare disease research and health-related matters. The coordination of these two bodies represents an example of great scientific value as biological samples donated by patients at BioNER are linked to clinical information collected in the RDR.Rare disease biobanks and registries will need for the future to increase their effort to improve interconnection so to enable investigators to better locate samples and associated data, while protecting security of the data and privacy of the participants and adhering to international ethical and legal requirements.

The Role of the Clinical and Translational Science Awards Program in Improving the Quality and Efficiency of Clinical Research

PubMed Central

Rosenblum, Daniel

2011-01-01

Recognizing the need to increase the efficiency and quality of translating basic discovery into treatment and prevention strategies for patients and the public, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) announced the Clinical and Translational Science Awards (CTSAs) in 2006. Academic health centers that competed successfully for these awards agreed to work as a consortium and in cooperation with the NIH to improve the translation process by training the next generation of investigators to work in interdisciplinary teams, developing public-private partnerships in the movement of basic discovery to preclinical and clinical studies and trials, improving clinical research management, and engaging with communities to ensure their involvement in shaping research questions and in implementing research results. The CTSAs have addressed the crucial need to improve the quality and efficiency of clinical research by (1) providing training for clinical investigators and for bench researchers to facilitate their participation in the clinical and translational research environment, (2) developing more systematic approaches to clinical research management, and (3) engaging communities as active participants in the design and conduct of clinical research studies and trials and as leaders in implementing health advances that are of high importance to them. We provide an overview of the CTSA activities with attention to these three areas, which are essential to developing efficient clinical research efforts and effective implementation of research results on a national level. PMID:21896519

Competency-Based Adult Education Classroom Management Guide for Adult Basic Education Curriculum (Level II, 5-8).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Singer, Elizabeth

This Competency-Based Adult Basic Education (CBABE) Classroom Management Guide was developed to aid the Adult Basic Education (ABE) facilitator in implementing a model CBABE Level 5-8 curriculum. First, introductory material provides background on the CBABE project at Brevard Community College (Florida) and the rationale for the development of the…

Thin Skin, Deep Damage: Addressing the Wounded Writer in the Basic Writing Course

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Boone, Stephanie D.

2010-01-01

How do institutions and their writing faculties see basic writers? What assumptions about these writers drive writing curricula, pedagogies and assessments? How do writing programs enable or frustrate these writers? How might course design facilitate the outcomes we envision? This article argues that, in order to teach basic writers to enter…

Transparency in the reporting of in vivo pre-clinical pain research: The relevance and implications of the ARRIVE (Animal Research: Reporting In Vivo Experiments) guidelines.

PubMed

Rice, Andrew S C; Morland, Rosemary; Huang, Wenlong; Currie, Gillian L; Sena, Emily S; Macleod, Malcolm R

2017-12-29

Clear reporting of research is crucial to the scientific process. Poorly designed and reported studies are damaging not only to the efforts of individual researchers, but also to science as a whole. Standardised reporting methods, such as those already established for reporting randomised clinical trials, have led to improved study design and facilitated the processes of clinical systematic review and meta-analysis. Such standards were lacking in the pre-clinical field until the development of the ARRIVE (Animal Research: Reporting In Vivo Experiments) guidelines. These were prompted following a survey which highlighted a widespread lack of robust and consistent reporting of pre-clinical in vivo research, with reports frequently omitting basic information required for study replication and quality assessment. The resulting twenty item checklist in ARRIVE covers all aspects of experimental design with particular emphasis on bias reduction and methodological transparency. Influential publishers and research funders have already adopted ARRIVE. Further dissemination and acknowledgement of the importance of these guidelines is vital to their widespread implementation. Conclusions and implications Wide implementation of the ARRIVE guidelines for reporting of in vivo preclinical research, especially pain research, are essential for a much needed increased transparency and quality in publishing such research. ARRIVE will also positively influence improvements in experimental design and quality, assist the conduct of accurate replication studies of important new findings and facilitate meta-analyses of preclinical research.

Does this interface make my sensor look bad? Basic principles for designing usable, useful interfaces for sensor technology operators

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McNamara, Laura A.; Berg, Leif; Butler, Karin; Klein, Laura

2017-05-01

Even as remote sensing technology has advanced in leaps and bounds over the past decade, the remote sensing community lacks interfaces and interaction models that facilitate effective human operation of our sensor platforms. Interfaces that make great sense to electrical engineers and flight test crews can be anxiety-inducing to operational users who lack professional experience in the design and testing of sophisticated remote sensing platforms. In this paper, we reflect on an 18-month collaboration which our Sandia National Laboratory research team partnered with an industry software team to identify and fix critical issues in a widely-used sensor interface. Drawing on basic principles from cognitive and perceptual psychology and interaction design, we provide simple, easily learned guidance for minimizing common barriers to system learnability, memorability, and user engagement.

Off-target Effects in CRISPR/Cas9-mediated Genome Engineering

PubMed Central

Zhang, Xiao-Hui; Tee, Louis Y; Wang, Xiao-Gang; Huang, Qun-Shan; Yang, Shi-Hua

2015-01-01

CRISPR/Cas9 is a versatile genome-editing technology that is widely used for studying the functionality of genetic elements, creating genetically modified organisms as well as preclinical research of genetic disorders. However, the high frequency of off-target activity (≥50%)—RGEN (RNA-guided endonuclease)-induced mutations at sites other than the intended on-target site—is one major concern, especially for therapeutic and clinical applications. Here, we review the basic mechanisms underlying off-target cutting in the CRISPR/Cas9 system, methods for detecting off-target mutations, and strategies for minimizing off-target cleavage. The improvement off-target specificity in the CRISPR/Cas9 system will provide solid genotype–phenotype correlations, and thus enable faithful interpretation of genome-editing data, which will certainly facilitate the basic and clinical application of this technology. PMID:26575098

Rehabilitation in Madagascar: Challenges in implementing the World Health Organization Disability Action Plan.

PubMed

Khan, Fary; Amatya, Bhasker; Mannan, Hasheem; Burkle, Frederick M; Galea, Mary P

2015-09-01

To provide an update on rehabilitation in Madagascar by using local knowledge to outline the potential barriers and facilitators for implementation of the World Health Organization (WHO) Disability Action Plan (DAP). A 14-day extensive workshop programme (September-October 2014) was held at the University Hospital Antananarivo and Antsirabe, with the Department of Health Madagascar, by rehabilitation staff from Royal Melbourne Hospital, Australia. Attendees were rehabilitation professionals (n=29) from 3 main rehabilitation facilities in Madagascar, who identified various challenges faced in service provision, education and attitudes/approaches to people with disabilities. Their responses and suggested barriers/facilitators were recorded following consensus agreement, using objectives listed in the DAP. The barriers and facilitators outlined by participants in implementing the DAP objectives include: engagement of health professionals and institutions using a multi-sectoral approach, new partnerships, strategic collaboration, provision of technical assistance, future policy directions, and research and development. Other challenges for many basic policies included: access to rehabilitation services, geographical coverage, shortage of skilled work-force, limited info-technology systems; lack of care-models and facility/staff accreditation standards; limited health services infrastructure and "disconnect" between acute and community-based rehabilitation. The DAP summary actions were useful planning tools to improve access, strengthen rehabilitation services and community-based rehabilitation, and collate data for outcome research.

CRISPR-based technologies for the manipulation of eukaryotic genomes

PubMed Central

Komor, Alexis C.; Badran, Ahmed H.; Liu, David R.

2016-01-01

The CRISPR-Cas9 RNA-guided DNA endonuclease has contributed to an explosion of advances in the life sciences that have grown from the ability to edit genomes within living cells. In this review we summarize CRISPR-based technologies that enable mammalian genome editing and their various applications. We describe recent developments that extend the generality, DNA specificity, product selectivity, and fundamental capabilities of natural CRISPR systems, and some of the remarkable advancements in basic research, biotechnology, and therapeutics development that these developments have facilitated. PMID:27866654

Nanotechnology research: applications in nutritional sciences.

PubMed

Srinivas, Pothur R; Philbert, Martin; Vu, Tania Q; Huang, Qingrong; Kokini, Josef L; Saltos, Etta; Saos, Etta; Chen, Hongda; Peterson, Charles M; Friedl, Karl E; McDade-Ngutter, Crystal; Hubbard, Van; Starke-Reed, Pamela; Miller, Nancy; Betz, Joseph M; Dwyer, Johanna; Milner, John; Ross, Sharon A

2010-01-01

The tantalizing potential of nanotechnology is to fabricate and combine nanoscale approaches and building blocks to make useful tools and, ultimately, interventions for medical science, including nutritional science, at the scale of approximately 1-100 nm. In the past few years, tools and techniques that facilitate studies and interventions in the nanoscale range have become widely available and have drawn widespread attention. Recently, investigators in the food and nutrition sciences have been applying the tools of nanotechnology in their research. The Experimental Biology 2009 symposium entitled "Nanotechnology Research: Applications in Nutritional Sciences" was organized to highlight emerging applications of nanotechnology to the food and nutrition sciences, as well as to suggest ways for further integration of these emerging technologies into nutrition research. Speakers focused on topics that included the problems and possibilities of introducing nanoparticles in clinical or nutrition settings, nanotechnology applications for increasing bioavailability of bioactive food components in new food products, nanotechnology opportunities in food science, as well as emerging safety and regulatory issues in this area, and the basic research applications such as the use of quantum dots to visualize cellular processes and protein-protein interactions. The session highlighted several emerging areas of potential utility in nutrition research. Nutrition scientists are encouraged to leverage ongoing efforts in nanomedicine through collaborations. These efforts could facilitate exploration of previously inaccessible cellular compartments and intracellular pathways and thus uncover strategies for new prevention and therapeutic modalities.

Challenges in the Management and Stewardship of Airborne Observational Data at the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) Earth Observing Laboratory (EOL)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aquino, J.; Daniels, M. D.

2015-12-01

The National Science Foundation (NSF) provides the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) Earth Observing Laboratory (EOL) funding for the operation, maintenance and upgrade of two research aircraft: the NSF/NCAR High-performance Instrumented Airborne Platform for Environmental Research (HIAPER) Gulfstream V and the NSF/NCAR Hercules C-130. A suite of in-situ and remote sensing airborne instruments housed at the EOL Research Aviation Facility (RAF) provide a basic set of measurements that are typically deployed on most airborne field campaigns. In addition, instruments to address more specific research requirements are provided by collaborating participants from universities, industry, NASA, NOAA or other agencies (referred to as Principal Investigator, or PI, instruments). At the 2014 AGU Fall Meeting, a poster (IN13B-3639) was presented outlining the components of Airborne Data Management included field phase data collection, formats, data archival and documentation, version control, storage practices, stewardship and obsolete data formats, and public data access. This talk will cover lessons learned, challenges associated with the above components, and current developments to address these challenges, including: tracking data workflows for aircraft instrumentation to facilitate identification, and correction, of gaps in these workflows; implementation of dataset versioning guidelines; and assignment of Digital Object Identifiers (DOIs) to data and instrumentation to facilitate tracking data and facility use in publications.

Nanotechnology Research: Applications in Nutritional Sciences12

PubMed Central

Srinivas, Pothur R.; Philbert, Martin; Vu, Tania Q.; Huang, Qingrong; Kokini, Josef L.; Saos, Etta; Chen, Hongda; Peterson, Charles M.; Friedl, Karl E.; McDade-Ngutter, Crystal; Hubbard, Van; Starke-Reed, Pamela; Miller, Nancy; Betz, Joseph M.; Dwyer, Johanna; Milner, John; Ross, Sharon A.

2010-01-01

The tantalizing potential of nanotechnology is to fabricate and combine nanoscale approaches and building blocks to make useful tools and, ultimately, interventions for medical science, including nutritional science, at the scale of ∼1–100 nm. In the past few years, tools and techniques that facilitate studies and interventions in the nanoscale range have become widely available and have drawn widespread attention. Recently, investigators in the food and nutrition sciences have been applying the tools of nanotechnology in their research. The Experimental Biology 2009 symposium entitled “Nanotechnology Research: Applications in Nutritional Sciences” was organized to highlight emerging applications of nanotechnology to the food and nutrition sciences, as well as to suggest ways for further integration of these emerging technologies into nutrition research. Speakers focused on topics that included the problems and possibilities of introducing nanoparticles in clinical or nutrition settings, nanotechnology applications for increasing bioavailability of bioactive food components in new food products, nanotechnology opportunities in food science, as well as emerging safety and regulatory issues in this area, and the basic research applications such as the use of quantum dots to visualize cellular processes and protein-protein interactions. The session highlighted several emerging areas of potential utility in nutrition research. Nutrition scientists are encouraged to leverage ongoing efforts in nanomedicine through collaborations. These efforts could facilitate exploration of previously inaccessible cellular compartments and intracellular pathways and thus uncover strategies for new prevention and therapeutic modalities. PMID:19939997

Comparative Medicine: An Inclusive Crossover Discipline




PubMed Central

Macy, James; Horvath, Tamas L.

2017-01-01

Comparative Medicine is typically defined as a discipline which relates and leverages the biological similarities and differences among animal species to better understand the mechanism of human and animal disease. It has also been defined as a field of study concentrating on similarities and differences between human and veterinary medicine and is increasingly associated with animal models of human disease, including the critical role veterinarians, animal resource centers, and Institutional Animal Care and Use Committees play in facilitating and ensuring humane and reproducible laboratory animal care and use. To this end, comparative medicine plays a pivotal role in reduction, refinement, and replacement in animals in biomedical research. On many levels, comparative medicine facilitates the translation of basic science knowledge into clinical applications; applying comparative medicine concepts throughout the translation process is critical for success. In addition to the supportive role of comparative medicine in the research enterprise, its role as a distinct and independent scientific discipline should not be lost. Although comparative medicine’s research “niche” is not one particular discipline or disease process, rather, it is the investigative mindset that seeks to reveal common threads that weave different pathophysiologic processes into translatable approaches and outcomes using various models. PMID:28955187

Comparative Medicine: An Inclusive Crossover Discipline.

PubMed

Macy, James; Horvath, Tamas L

2017-09-01

Comparative Medicine is typically defined as a discipline which relates and leverages the biological similarities and differences among animal species to better understand the mechanism of human and animal disease. It has also been defined as a field of study concentrating on similarities and differences between human and veterinary medicine and is increasingly associated with animal models of human disease, including the critical role veterinarians, animal resource centers, and Institutional Animal Care and Use Committees play in facilitating and ensuring humane and reproducible laboratory animal care and use. To this end, comparative medicine plays a pivotal role in reduction, refinement, and replacement in animals in biomedical research. On many levels, comparative medicine facilitates the translation of basic science knowledge into clinical applications; applying comparative medicine concepts throughout the translation process is critical for success. In addition to the supportive role of comparative medicine in the research enterprise, its role as a distinct and independent scientific discipline should not be lost. Although comparative medicine's research "niche" is not one particular discipline or disease process, rather, it is the investigative mindset that seeks to reveal common threads that weave different pathophysiologic processes into translatable approaches and outcomes using various models.

An Exploration into the Barriers and Facilitators Experienced by University Graduates with Disabilities Requiring Personal Assistance Services

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stumbo, Norma J.; Hedrick, Bradley N.; Weisman, Courtney; Martin, Jay K.

2011-01-01

The purpose of this preliminary study was to explore the residual barriers and facilitators for a selected group of individuals with severe physical disabilities who had been afforded a comprehensive set of strategies and services aimed at meeting their basic personal as well as academic needs. Their perceptions of both barriers and facilitators,…

Strengthening research capacity through the medical education partnership initiative: the Mozambique experience

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Since Mozambique’s independence, the major emphasis of its higher educational institutions has been on didactic education. Because of fiscal and human resource constraints, basic and applied research activities have been relatively modest in scope, and priorities have often been set primarily by external collaborators. These factors have compromised the scope and the relevance of locally conducted research and have limited the impact of Mozambique’s universities as major catalysts for national development. Case description We developed a multi-institutional partnership to undertake a comprehensive analysis of the research environment at Mozambique’s major public universities to identify factors that have served as barriers to the development of a robust research enterprise. Based on this analysis, we developed a multifaceted plan to reduce the impact of these barriers and to enhance research capacity within Mozambique. Interventions On the basis of our needs assessment, we have implemented a number of major initiatives within participating institutions to facilitate basic and applied research activities. These have included specialized training programmes, a reorganization of the research administration infrastructure, the development of multiple collaborative research projects that have emphasized local research priorities and a substantial investment in bioinformatics. We have established a research support centre that provides grant development and management services to Mozambique’s public universities and have developed an independent Institutional Review Board for the review of research involving human research subjects. Multiple research projects involving both communicable and non-communicable diseases have been developed and substantial external research support has been obtained to undertake these projects. A sizable investment in biomedical informatics has enhanced both connectivity and access to digital reference material. Active engagement with relevant entities within the Government of Mozambique has aligned institutional development with national priorities. Conclusions Although multiple challenges remain, over the past 3 years significant progress has been made towards establishing conditions within which a broad range of basic, translational and clinical and public health research can be undertaken. Ongoing development of this research enterprise will enhance capacity to address critical locally relevant research questions and will leverage resources to accelerate the development of Mozambique’s national universities. PMID:24304706

Legal & ethical compliance when sharing biospecimen.

PubMed

Klingstrom, Tomas; Bongcam-Rudloff, Erik; Reichel, Jane

2018-01-01

When obtaining samples from biobanks, resolving ethical and legal concerns is a time-consuming task where researchers need to balance the needs of privacy, trust and scientific progress. The Biobanking and Biomolecular Resources Research Infrastructure-Large Prospective Cohorts project has resolved numerous such issues through intense communication between involved researchers and experts in its mission to unite large prospective study sets in Europe. To facilitate efficient communication, it is useful for nonexperts to have an at least basic understanding of the regulatory system for managing biological samples.Laws regulating research oversight are based on national law and normally share core principles founded on international charters. In interview studies among donors, chief concerns are privacy, efficient sample utilization and access to information generated from their samples. Despite a lack of clear evidence regarding which concern takes precedence, scientific as well as public discourse has largely focused on privacy concerns and the right of donors to control the usage of their samples.It is therefore important to proactively deal with ethical and legal issues to avoid complications that delay or prevent samples from being accessed. To help biobank professionals avoid making unnecessary mistakes, we have developed this basic primer covering the relationship between ethics and law, the concept of informed consent and considerations for returning findings to donors. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press.

Legal & ethical compliance when sharing biospecimen

PubMed Central

Klingstrom, Tomas; Bongcam-Rudloff, Erik; Reichel, Jane

2018-01-01

Abstract When obtaining samples from biobanks, resolving ethical and legal concerns is a time-consuming task where researchers need to balance the needs of privacy, trust and scientific progress. The Biobanking and Biomolecular Resources Research Infrastructure-Large Prospective Cohorts project has resolved numerous such issues through intense communication between involved researchers and experts in its mission to unite large prospective study sets in Europe. To facilitate efficient communication, it is useful for nonexperts to have an at least basic understanding of the regulatory system for managing biological samples. Laws regulating research oversight are based on national law and normally share core principles founded on international charters. In interview studies among donors, chief concerns are privacy, efficient sample utilization and access to information generated from their samples. Despite a lack of clear evidence regarding which concern takes precedence, scientific as well as public discourse has largely focused on privacy concerns and the right of donors to control the usage of their samples. It is therefore important to proactively deal with ethical and legal issues to avoid complications that delay or prevent samples from being accessed. To help biobank professionals avoid making unnecessary mistakes, we have developed this basic primer covering the relationship between ethics and law, the concept of informed consent and considerations for returning findings to donors. PMID:28460118

Towards a portal and search engine to facilitate academic and research collaboration in engineering and education

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bonilla Villarreal, Isaura Nathaly

While international academic and research collaborations are of great importance at this time, it is not easy to find researchers in the engineering field that publish in languages other than English. Because of this disconnect, there exists a need for a portal to find Who's Who in Engineering Education in the Americas. The objective of this thesis is to built an object-oriented architecture for this proposed portal. The Unified Modeling Language (UML) model developed in this thesis incorporates the basic structure of a social network for academic purposes. Reverse engineering of three social networks portals yielded important aspects of their structures that have been incorporated in the proposed UML model. Furthermore, the present work includes a pattern for academic social networks..

Decontamination & decommissioning focus area

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

NONE

1996-08-01

In January 1994, the US Department of Energy Office of Environmental Management (DOE EM) formally introduced its new approach to managing DOE`s environmental research and technology development activities. The goal of the new approach is to conduct research and development in critical areas of interest to DOE, utilizing the best talent in the Department and in the national science community. To facilitate this solutions-oriented approach, the Office of Science and Technology (EM-50, formerly the Office of Technology Development) formed five Focus AReas to stimulate the required basic research, development, and demonstration efforts to seek new, innovative cleanup methods. In Februarymore » 1995, EM-50 selected the DOE Morgantown Energy Technology Center (METC) to lead implementation of one of these Focus Areas: the Decontamination and Decommissioning (D & D) Focus Area.« less

Deciphering Phosphotyrosine-Dependent Signaling Networks in Cancer by SH2 Profiling

PubMed Central

Machida, Kazuya; Khenkhar, Malik

2012-01-01

It has been a decade since the introduction of SH2 profiling, a modular domain-based molecular diagnostics tool. This review covers the original concept of SH2 profiling, different analytical platforms, and their applications, from the detailed analysis of single proteins to broad screening in translational research. Illustrated by practical examples, we discuss the uniqueness and advantages of the approach as well as its limitations and challenges. We provide guidance for basic researchers and oncologists who may consider SH2 profiling in their respective cancer research, especially for those focusing on tyrosine phosphoproteomics. SH2 profiling can serve as an alternative phosphoproteomics tool to dissect aberrant tyrosine kinase pathways responsible for individual malignancies, with the goal of facilitating personalized diagnostics for the treatment of cancer. PMID:23226573

Bipolar Pathophysiology and Development of Improved Treatments

PubMed Central

Bowden, Charles L.

2013-01-01

The purpose of this review is to provide strategies and their rationale which can facilitate scientifically productive investigations into genetic, neuronal, brain functional and clinical aspects of bipolar disorder. The presentation addresses both factors that have impeded and those that have facilitated landmark advances on the pathophysiology and treatment of bipolar disorders. Application of the strategies can provide a scientific platform that may be useful to basic and clinical scientists for the purposes of achieving seminal advances in understanding pathophysiology, including inherited and experience based contributors to disease expression. Current diagnostic criteria omit certain key symptoms, do not include illness course or family history and lack specification of the importance of fundamental symptomatology. Consideration of such factors in inclusion and exclusion criteria, and in assessment instruments in basic and clinical studies, serves to strengthen the capability of a research plan to test key hypotheses regarding moderating and mediating factors of this complex illness. For example, most studies of brain structure and function and of new interventions have selected subjects on the basis of traditional full syndromal criteria. Evidence indicates that additional consideration of principal behavioral domains of bipolar symptomatology, e.g., anxiety, psychosis, impulsivity, elevated psychomotor and cognitive processing speed, rather than strictly depressive or manic syndromes can provide more homogeneous samples for study, and increase the focus of experimental hypotheses. PMID:18582440

Universal design characteristic on themed streets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Harsritanto, Bangun IR; Indriastjario; Wijayanti

2017-12-01

People around the world can access the streets to fulfil their daily activities regardless of their gender, age, and abilities. The streetscape is an urban public space which is built to facilitate the basic needs of people as social being. The themed street is an urban streetscape designed and built in detail with a theme or special purpose in an of urban development process. Universal design facilitates the full range of human diversity as physical appearance, perception, cognitive abilities, sizes, and shapes. By designing for the diversity, the specialized streets become more functional and user-friendly. The purpose of this study is to examine several design characteristics of themed streets in several countries from three different continents using universal design principles for giving proper directions to develop more user-friendly streets. Literature review and case study were used as research methods. The literature review was extracted and compiled from manuscripts, streetscape design books, and from universal design principles. Furthermore, the constructed theory were used to examine the case studies of themed streets. The findings indicated that themed streets’ character design were strongly influenced by local cultural aspect even though the basic guidelines were universal design principles; the resumed design direction can be suggested universal along with the richness of local aspects.

Genetic Screening: A Unique Game of Survival

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kurvink, Karen; Bowser, Jessica

2004-01-01

A creative learning game that helps students reinforce basic genetic information and facilitate the identification and understanding of the more subtle issues is presented. The basic framework of the game was conceived by a business major taking non-biology major course 'heredity and society-intertwining legacy.

Music Communicates Affects, Not Basic Emotions – A Constructionist Account of Attribution of Emotional Meanings to Music

PubMed Central

Cespedes-Guevara, Julian; Eerola, Tuomas

2018-01-01

Basic Emotion theory has had a tremendous influence on the affective sciences, including music psychology, where most researchers have assumed that music expressivity is constrained to a limited set of basic emotions. Several scholars suggested that these constrains to musical expressivity are explained by the existence of a shared acoustic code to the expression of emotions in music and speech prosody. In this article we advocate for a shift from this focus on basic emotions to a constructionist account. This approach proposes that the phenomenon of perception of emotions in music arises from the interaction of music’s ability to express core affects and the influence of top-down and contextual information in the listener’s mind. We start by reviewing the problems with the concept of Basic Emotions, and the inconsistent evidence that supports it. We also demonstrate how decades of developmental and cross-cultural research on music and emotional speech have failed to produce convincing findings to conclude that music expressivity is built upon a set of biologically pre-determined basic emotions. We then examine the cue-emotion consistencies between music and speech, and show how they support a parsimonious explanation, where musical expressivity is grounded on two dimensions of core affect (arousal and valence). Next, we explain how the fact that listeners reliably identify basic emotions in music does not arise from the existence of categorical boundaries in the stimuli, but from processes that facilitate categorical perception, such as using stereotyped stimuli and close-ended response formats, psychological processes of construction of mental prototypes, and contextual information. Finally, we outline our proposal of a constructionist account of perception of emotions in music, and spell out the ways in which this approach is able to make solve past conflicting findings. We conclude by providing explicit pointers about the methodological choices that will be vital to move beyond the popular Basic Emotion paradigm and start untangling the emergence of emotional experiences with music in the actual contexts in which they occur. PMID:29541041

Music Communicates Affects, Not Basic Emotions - A Constructionist Account of Attribution of Emotional Meanings to Music.

PubMed

Cespedes-Guevara, Julian; Eerola, Tuomas

2018-01-01

Basic Emotion theory has had a tremendous influence on the affective sciences, including music psychology, where most researchers have assumed that music expressivity is constrained to a limited set of basic emotions. Several scholars suggested that these constrains to musical expressivity are explained by the existence of a shared acoustic code to the expression of emotions in music and speech prosody. In this article we advocate for a shift from this focus on basic emotions to a constructionist account. This approach proposes that the phenomenon of perception of emotions in music arises from the interaction of music's ability to express core affects and the influence of top-down and contextual information in the listener's mind. We start by reviewing the problems with the concept of Basic Emotions, and the inconsistent evidence that supports it. We also demonstrate how decades of developmental and cross-cultural research on music and emotional speech have failed to produce convincing findings to conclude that music expressivity is built upon a set of biologically pre-determined basic emotions. We then examine the cue-emotion consistencies between music and speech, and show how they support a parsimonious explanation, where musical expressivity is grounded on two dimensions of core affect (arousal and valence). Next, we explain how the fact that listeners reliably identify basic emotions in music does not arise from the existence of categorical boundaries in the stimuli, but from processes that facilitate categorical perception, such as using stereotyped stimuli and close-ended response formats, psychological processes of construction of mental prototypes, and contextual information. Finally, we outline our proposal of a constructionist account of perception of emotions in music, and spell out the ways in which this approach is able to make solve past conflicting findings. We conclude by providing explicit pointers about the methodological choices that will be vital to move beyond the popular Basic Emotion paradigm and start untangling the emergence of emotional experiences with music in the actual contexts in which they occur.

Translating birdsong: songbirds as a model for basic and applied medical research.

PubMed

Brainard, Michael S; Doupe, Allison J

2013-07-08

Songbirds, long of interest to basic neuroscience, have great potential as a model system for translational neuroscience. Songbirds learn their complex vocal behavior in a manner that exemplifies general processes of perceptual and motor skill learning and, more specifically, resembles human speech learning. Song is subserved by circuitry that is specialized for vocal learning and production but that has strong similarities to mammalian brain pathways. The combination of highly quantifiable behavior and discrete neural substrates facilitates understanding links between brain and behavior, both in normal states and in disease. Here we highlight (a) behavioral and mechanistic parallels between birdsong and aspects of speech and social communication, including insights into mirror neurons, the function of auditory feedback, and genes underlying social communication disorders, and (b) contributions of songbirds to understanding cortical-basal ganglia circuit function and dysfunction, including the possibility of harnessing adult neurogenesis for brain repair.

Translating Birdsong: Songbirds as a model for basic and applied medical research

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Songbirds, long of interest to basic neuroscientists, have great potential as a model system for translational neuroscience. Songbirds learn their complex vocal behavior in a manner that exemplifies general processes of perceptual and motor skill learning, and more specifically resembles human speech learning. Song is subserved by circuitry that is specialized for vocal learning and production, but that has strong similarities to mammalian brain pathways. The combination of a highly quantifiable behavior and discrete neural substrates facilitates understanding links between brain and behavior, both normally and in disease. Here we highlight 1) behavioral and mechanistic parallels between birdsong and aspects of speech and social communication, including insights into mirror neurons, the function of auditory feedback, and genes underlying social communication disorders, and 2) contributions of songbirds to understanding cortical-basal ganglia circuit function and dysfunction, including the possibility of harnessing adult neurogenesis for brain repair. PMID:23750515

Synthesis of cell-penetrating peptides and their application in neurobiology.

PubMed

Dietz, Gunnar P H; Bähr, Mathias

2007-01-01

Short basic amino acid sequences, often called cell-penetrating peptides (CPPs), allow the delivery of proteins and other molecules into cells and across the blood-brain barrier (BBB). Although the ability of basic proteins to facilitate such trafficking is known for a long time, only the application of genetic methods and overexpression of fusion proteins in Escherichia coli has lead to a wide application of CPP in many research areas, including signal transduction, cancer, angiogenesis, apoptosis, bone development, cardioprotection, cell cycle, neurobiology, and many others. For the neuroscientist, CPPs are particularly attractive, as a number of articles in the last 5 years have reported their use for neuronal rescue in a number of models for neurodegenerative diseases in vitro and in vivo in rats, mice, or gerbils. Here, we give a detailed description of the protein purification methodology and applications in neuroscience.

Affinity purification of bacterial outer membrane vesicles (OMVs) utilizing a His-tag mutant.

PubMed

Alves, Nathan J; Turner, Kendrick B; DiVito, Kyle A; Daniele, Michael A; Walper, Scott A

To facilitate the rapid purification of bacterial outer membrane vesicles (OMVs), we developed two plasmid constructs that utilize a truncated, transmembrane protein to present an exterior histidine repeat sequence. We chose OmpA, a highly abundant porin protein, as the protein scaffold and utilized the lac promoter to allow for inducible control of the epitope-presenting construct. OMVs containing mutant OmpA-His6 were purified directly from Escherichia coli culture media on an immobilized metal affinity chromatography (IMAC) Ni-NTA resin. This enabling technology can be combined with other molecular tools directed at OMV packaging to facilitate the separation of modified/cargo-loaded OMV from their wt counterparts. In addition to numerous applications in the pharmaceutical and environmental remediation industries, this technology can be utilized to enhance basic research capabilities in the area of elucidating endogenous OMV function. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS.

A hybrid approach to advancing quantitative prediction of tissue distribution of basic drugs in human

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

Poulin, Patrick, E-mail: patrick-poulin@videotron.ca; Ekins, Sean; Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, University of Maryland, 20 Penn Street, Baltimore, MD 21201

A general toxicity of basic drugs is related to phospholipidosis in tissues. Therefore, it is essential to predict the tissue distribution of basic drugs to facilitate an initial estimate of that toxicity. The objective of the present study was to further assess the original prediction method that consisted of using the binding to red blood cells measured in vitro for the unbound drug (RBCu) as a surrogate for tissue distribution, by correlating it to unbound tissue:plasma partition coefficients (Kpu) of several tissues, and finally to predict volume of distribution at steady-state (V{sub ss}) in humans under in vivo conditions. Thismore » correlation method demonstrated inaccurate predictions of V{sub ss} for particular basic drugs that did not follow the original correlation principle. Therefore, the novelty of this study is to provide clarity on the actual hypotheses to identify i) the impact of pharmacological mode of action on the generic correlation of RBCu-Kpu, ii) additional mechanisms of tissue distribution for the outlier drugs, iii) molecular features and properties that differentiate compounds as outliers in the original correlation analysis in order to facilitate its applicability domain alongside the properties already used so far, and finally iv) to present a novel and refined correlation method that is superior to what has been previously published for the prediction of human V{sub ss} of basic drugs. Applying a refined correlation method after identifying outliers would facilitate the prediction of more accurate distribution parameters as key inputs used in physiologically based pharmacokinetic (PBPK) and phospholipidosis models.« less

So, You Think You Have an Idea: A Practical Risk Reduction-Conceptual Model for Academic Translational Research

PubMed Central

Schwartz, John; Macomber, Christopher

2017-01-01

Translational research for new drugs, medical devices, and diagnostics encompasses aspects of both basic science and clinical research, requiring multidisciplinary skills and resources that are not all readily available in either a basic laboratory or clinical setting alone. We propose that, to be successful, “translational” research ought to be understood as a defined process from basic science through manufacturing, regulatory, clinical testing all the way to market. The authors outline a process which has worked well for them to identify and commercialize academic innovation. The academic environment places a high value on novelty and less value on whether, among other things, data are reproducible, scalable, reimbursable, or have commercial freedom to operate. In other words, when investors, strategic companies, or other later stage stakeholders evaluate academic efforts at translational research the relative lack of attention to clinical, regulatory, reimbursement, and manufacturing and intellectual property freedom to operate almost universally results in more questions and doubts about the potential of the proposed product, thereby inhibiting further interest. This contrasts with industry-based R&D, which often emphasizes manufacturing, regulatory and commercial factors. Academics do not so much choose to ignore those necessary and standard elements of translation development, but rather, they are not built into the culture or incentive structure of the university environment. Acknowledging and addressing this mismatch of approach and lack of common language in a systematic way facilitates a more effective “translation” handoffs of academic project concepts into meaningful clinical solutions help translational researchers more efficiently develop and progress new and better medical products which address validated needs. The authors provide an overview and framework for academic researchers to use which will help them define the elements of a market-driven translational program (1) problem identification and validation; (2) defining the conceptual model of disease; and (3) risk evaluation and mitigation strategies. PMID:28952508

The Culture of Translational Science Research: Participants' Stories.

PubMed

Kotarba, Joseph A; Wooten, Kevin; Freeman, Jean; Brasier, Allan R

2013-01-01

We apply a symbolic interactionist framework and a qualitative methodology to the examination of the everyday reality of translational science research (TSR). This is a growing scientific movement that aims to facilitate the efficient application of basic research to clinical service design and delivery. We describe the emerging culture of translational research at a mid-size medical center that received a Clinical and Translational Science Award from the National Institutes of Health. The stories related by scientists, clinicians, and students in interviews indicate that they make sense of the emerging inter- and cross-disciplinary, team-oriented culture of TSR through the refinement and redefinition of the significant symbols that inform their work while they attempt to master translational research by addressing the dilemmas it produces for them and their work. We see the strength, currency, adaptability, and energy of the core self-definition of "scientist" to be significant in shaping the emerging culture of translational research. We conclude by celebrating the value of interpretive ethnography for evaluation research.

RECOPE: How to succeed in bringing ideas from academia to market without compromising ingenuity.

PubMed

Gaymalov, Zagit; Kabanov, Alexander

2017-04-01

Translation of biomedical technology originated in academia to the market is hindered by lack of consideration of market needs and commercialization pathways that leads academic research away from the market, leaving the public without long-awaited cures. Here we describe Reverse Conceptual Product Engineering (RECOPE), an approach applied in academic setting early in the course of the research project to facilitate biomedical research translation from bench to bedside. By using expertise of diverse set of biomedical professionals and trainees to solve a problem, RECOPE helps to make research goals more relevant to the society needs and translatable in a long-term perspective. Through the use of RECOPE one can critically reassess research design and translational potential and identify new market opportunities. RECOPE also provides for considerable educational opportunities to pre- and post-doctoral trainees. Adoption of RECOPE as a basic to for research design education will have a noticeable impact on academic research. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Engineering Data Compendium. Human Perception and Performance, Volume 1

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Boff, Kenneth R. (Editor); Lincoln, Janet E. (Editor)

1988-01-01

The concept underlying the Engineering Data Compendium was the product an R and D program (Integrated Perceptual Information for Designers project) aimed at facilitating the application of basic research findings in human performance to the design of military crew systems. The principal objective was to develop a workable strategy for: (1) identifying and distilling information of potential value to system design from existing research literature, and (2) presenting this technical information in a way that would aid its accessibility, interpretability, and applicability by system designers. The present four volumes of the Engineering Data Compendium represent the first implementation of this strategy. This is Volume 1, which contains sections on Visual Acquisition of Information, Auditory Acquisition of Information, and Acquisition of Information by Other Senses.

Network architecture test-beds as platforms for ubiquitous computing.

PubMed

Roscoe, Timothy

2008-10-28

Distributed systems research, and in particular ubiquitous computing, has traditionally assumed the Internet as a basic underlying communications substrate. Recently, however, the networking research community has come to question the fundamental design or 'architecture' of the Internet. This has been led by two observations: first, that the Internet as it stands is now almost impossible to evolve to support new functionality; and second, that modern applications of all kinds now use the Internet rather differently, and frequently implement their own 'overlay' networks above it to work around its perceived deficiencies. In this paper, I discuss recent academic projects to allow disruptive change to the Internet architecture, and also outline a radically different view of networking for ubiquitous computing that such proposals might facilitate.

Culture, attention, and emotion.

PubMed

Grossmann, Igor; Ellsworth, Phoebe C; Hong, Ying-yi

2012-02-01

This research provides experimental evidence for cultural influence on one of the most basic elements of emotional processing: attention to positive versus negative stimuli. To this end, we focused on Russian culture, which is characterized by brooding and melancholy. In Study 1, Russians spent significantly more time looking at negative than positive pictures, whereas Americans did not show this tendency. In Study 2, Russian Latvians were randomly primed with symbols of each culture, after which we measured the speed of recognition for positive versus negative trait words. Biculturals were significantly faster in recognizing negative words (as compared with baseline) when primed with Russian versus Latvian cultural symbols. Greater identification with Russian culture facilitated this effect. We provide a theoretical discussion of mental processes underlying cultural differences in emotion research.

The Basic Structure of Community Early Intervention Programs for Children with Autism: Provider Descriptions

PubMed Central

Stahmer, Aubyn C.

2007-01-01

Autism researchers have identified a set of common effective practice elements for early intervention (EI) (e.g., intensive programming). The current study examined the reported about use of common elements of effective interventions in community EI settings. Eighty EI providers reported about their programs. The majority of participants reported using common effective elements, however, the depth and quality of the use of these elements was highly variable. Taking community program structure into account in future research will facilitate the development of methodologies, which immediately fit into the context of community programming rather than requiring program adaptation for use in the real world. Recommendations for using current community program structure to improve use of evidence-based practices are discussed. PMID:17086438

Interpretation of statistical results.

PubMed

García Garmendia, J L; Maroto Monserrat, F

2018-02-21

The appropriate interpretation of the statistical results is crucial to understand the advances in medical science. The statistical tools allow us to transform the uncertainty and apparent chaos in nature to measurable parameters which are applicable to our clinical practice. The importance of understanding the meaning and actual extent of these instruments is essential for researchers, the funders of research and for professionals who require a permanent update based on good evidence and supports to decision making. Various aspects of the designs, results and statistical analysis are reviewed, trying to facilitate his comprehension from the basics to what is most common but no better understood, and bringing a constructive, non-exhaustive but realistic look. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier España, S.L.U. y SEMICYUC. All rights reserved.

Basic principles and ecological consequences of changing water regimes: riparian plant communities.

PubMed

Nilsson, Christer; Svedmark, Magnus

2002-10-01

Recent research has emphasized the importance of riparian ecosystems as centers of biodiversity and links between terrestrial and aquatic systems. Riparian ecosystems also belong among the environments that are most disturbed by humans and are in need of restoration to maintain biodiversity and ecological integrity. To facilitate the completion of this task, researchers have an important function to communicate their knowledge to policy-makers and managers. This article presents some fundamental qualities of riparian systems, articulated as three basic principles. The basic principles proposed are: (1) The flow regime determines the successional evolution of riparian plant communities and ecological processes. (2) The riparian corridor serves as a pathway for redistribution of organic and inorganic material that influences plant communities along rivers. (3) The riparian system is a transition zone between land and water ecosystems and is disproportionately plant species-rich when compared to surrounding ecosystems. Translating these principles into management directives requires more information about how much water a river needs and when and how, i.e., flow variables described by magnitude, frequency, timing, duration, and rate of change. It also requires information about how various groups of organisms are affected by habitat fragmentation, especially in terms of their dispersal. Finally, it requires information about how effects of hydrologic alterations vary between different types of riparian systems and with the location within the watershed.

Mixed methods research in music therapy research.

PubMed

Bradt, Joke; Burns, Debra S; Creswell, John W

2013-01-01

Music therapists have an ethical and professional responsibility to provide the highest quality care possible to their patients. Much of the time, high quality care is guided by evidence-based practice standards that integrate the most current, available research in making decisions. Accordingly, music therapists need research that integrates multiple ways of knowing and forms of evidence. Mixed methods research holds great promise for facilitating such integration. At this time, there have not been any methodological articles published on mixed methods research in music therapy. The purpose of this article is to introduce mixed methods research as an approach to address research questions relevant to music therapy practice. This article describes the core characteristics of mixed methods research, considers paradigmatic issues related to this research approach, articulates major challenges in conducting mixed methods research, illustrates four basic designs, and provides criteria for evaluating the quality of mixed methods articles using examples of mixed methods research from the music therapy literature. Mixed methods research offers unique opportunities for strengthening the evidence base in music therapy. Recommendations are provided to ensure rigorous implementation of this research approach.

MatMRI and MatHIFU: software toolboxes for real-time monitoring and control of MR-guided HIFU

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background The availability of open and versatile software tools is a key feature to facilitate pre-clinical research for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and magnetic resonance-guided high-intensity focused ultrasound (MR-HIFU) and expedite clinical translation of diagnostic and therapeutic medical applications. In the present study, two customizable software tools that were developed at the Thunder Bay Regional Research Institute are presented for use with both MRI and MR-HIFU. Both tools operate in a MATLAB®; environment. The first tool is named MatMRI and enables real-time, dynamic acquisition of MR images with a Philips MRI scanner. The second tool is named MatHIFU and enables the execution and dynamic modification of user-defined treatment protocols with the Philips Sonalleve MR-HIFU therapy system to perform ultrasound exposures in MR-HIFU therapy applications. Methods MatMRI requires four basic steps: initiate communication, subscribe to MRI data, query for new images, and unsubscribe. MatMRI can also pause/resume the imaging and perform real-time updates of the location and orientation of images. MatHIFU requires four basic steps: initiate communication, prepare treatment protocol, and execute treatment protocol. MatHIFU can monitor the state of execution and, if required, modify the protocol in real time. Results Four applications were developed to showcase the capabilities of MatMRI and MatHIFU to perform pre-clinical research. Firstly, MatMRI was integrated with an existing small animal MR-HIFU system (FUS Instruments, Toronto, Ontario, Canada) to provide real-time temperature measurements. Secondly, MatMRI was used to perform T2-based MR thermometry in the bone marrow. Thirdly, MatHIFU was used to automate acoustic hydrophone measurements on a per-element basis of the 256-element transducer of the Sonalleve system. Finally, MatMRI and MatHIFU were combined to produce and image a heating pattern that recreates the word ‘HIFU’ in a tissue-mimicking heating phantom. Conclusions MatMRI and MatHIFU leverage existing MRI and MR-HIFU clinical platforms to facilitate pre-clinical research. MatMRI substantially simplifies the real-time acquisition and processing of MR data. MatHIFU facilitates the testing and characterization of new therapy applications using the Philips Sonalleve clinical MR-HIFU system. Under coordination with Philips Healthcare, both MatMRI and MatHIFU are intended to be freely available as open-source software packages to other research groups. PMID:25512856

Cellular Therapies Clinical Research Roadmap: Lessons learned on how to move a cellular therapy into a clinical trial

PubMed Central

Ouseph, Stacy; Tappitake, Darah; Armant, Myriam; Wesselschmidt, Robin; Derecho, Ivy; Draxler, Rebecca; Wood, Deborah; Centanni, John M.

2014-01-01

A clinical research roadmap has been developed as a resource for researchers to identify critical areas and potential pitfalls when transitioning a cellular therapy product from the research laboratory, via and Investigational New Drug (IND) application, into early phase clinical trials. The roadmap describes four key areas; basic and preclinical research, resource development, translational research and good manufacturing practice (GMP), and IND assembly and submission. Basic and preclinical research identifies a new therapeutic concept and demonstrates its potential value using a model of the relevant disease. During resource development the appropriate specialists and the required expertise to bring this product into the clinic are identified (e.g., researchers, regulatory specialists, GMP manufacturing staff, clinicians, and clinical trials staff, etc.). Additionally, the funds required to achieve this goal (or a plan to procure them) are identified. In the next phase the plan to translate the research product into a clinical grade therapeutic is developed. Finally regulatory approval to start the trial must be obtained. In the United States this is done by filing an IND application with the Food and Drug Administration. The NHLBI-funded Production Assistance for Cellular Therapies (PACT) program has facilitated the transition of a variety of cellular therapy products from the laboratory into Phase1/2 trials. The five PACT facilities have assisted investigators by performing translational studies and GMP manufacturing to ensure that cellular products met release specifications and were manufactured safely, reproducibly, and at the appropriate scale. The roadmap resulting from this experience is the focus of this article. PMID:25484311

The Latest Progress Report on ICT Application in Chinese Basic Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jingtao, Zhang; Yuanyuan, Fang; Xiaoling, Ma

2010-01-01

Facilitating educational modernisation through information and communication technology (ICT) application in education is an important strategic measure taken by the Chinese government on the requirement of educational reform and development. After briefly introducing the status quo of Chinese basic education, this paper elaborates the significant…

Cell biology, biophysics, and mechanobiology: From the basics to Clinics.

PubMed

Zeng, Y

2017-04-29

Cell biology, biomechanics and biophysics are the key subjects that guide our understanding in diverse areas of tissue growth, development, remodeling and homeostasis. Novel discoveries such as molecular mechanism, and mechanobiological mechanism in cell biology, biomechanics and biophysics play essential roles in our understanding of the pathogenesis of various human diseases, as well as in designing the treatment of these diseases. In addition, studies in these areas will also facilitate early diagnostics of human diseases, such as cardiovascular diseases and cancer. In this special issue, we collected 10 original research articles and 1 review...

The biology of cancer: what do oncology nurses really need to know.

PubMed

Eggert, Julie

2011-02-01

To describe the impact of genetics and genomics on the biology of cancer and the implications for patient care. Pubmed; CINAHL. Cancer research in genetics/genomics has identified new mechanisms influencing personalized risk assessment/management, early detection, cancer treatment, and long-term screening/surveillance. Understanding the basics of genetics/genomics on the biology of cancer will facilitate patient education and care delivery, including the administration and monitoring of genetically targeted therapies whose toxicities may in part be mediated by the molecular pathways targeted by the specific agent. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

CRISPR-Based Technologies for the Manipulation of Eukaryotic Genomes.

PubMed

Komor, Alexis C; Badran, Ahmed H; Liu, David R

2017-01-12

The CRISPR-Cas9 RNA-guided DNA endonuclease has contributed to an explosion of advances in the life sciences that have grown from the ability to edit genomes within living cells. In this Review, we summarize CRISPR-based technologies that enable mammalian genome editing and their various applications. We describe recent developments that extend the generality, DNA specificity, product selectivity, and fundamental capabilities of natural CRISPR systems, and we highlight some of the remarkable advancements in basic research, biotechnology, and therapeutics science that these developments have facilitated. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Understanding feminism: considerations for nurses working to end violence against women.

PubMed

Fontenot, Holly B; Fantasia, Heidi Collins

2011-03-01

Violence against women is a pervasive and serious human rights and public health problem worldwide. As interdisciplinary research teams try to address the effects of this health problem of which the effects transcend all women, nurses are at the forefront. Using a feminist philosophy and methodology to explore violence against women is one way to uncover new knowledge to address this health epidemic. In this paper, we will review the basic concepts of feminism and provide examples of viewing violence research and forensic nursing practice through this theoretical lens. These perspectives provide a foundation for understanding feminism and facilitating nurses' awareness as they consider careers in research and practice. Through this lens, nurses who are helping to ease the burden of violence in our global society may affect change in women's lives. © 2011 International Association of Forensic Nurses.

Neurological and developmental approaches to poor pitch perception and production

PubMed Central

Loui, Psyche; Demorest, Steven M.; Pfordresher, Peter Q.; Iyer, Janani

2014-01-01

Whereas much of research in music and neuroscience is aimed at understanding the mechanisms by which the human brain facilitates music, emerging interest in the neuromusic community aims to translate basic music research into clinical and educational applications. In the present workshop, we explore the problems of poor pitch perception and production from both neurological and developmental/educational perspectives. We begin by reviewing previous and novel findings on the neural regulation of pitch perception and production. We then discuss issues in measuring singing accuracy consistently between the laboratory and educational settings. We review the Seattle Singing Accuracy Protocol—a new assessment tool that we hope can be adopted by cognitive psychologists as well as music educators—and we conclude with some suggestions that the present interdisciplinary approach might offer for future research. PMID:25773643

An action plan for translating cancer survivorship research into care.

PubMed

Alfano, Catherine M; Smith, Tenbroeck; de Moor, Janet S; Glasgow, Russell E; Khoury, Muin J; Hawkins, Nikki A; Stein, Kevin D; Rechis, Ruth; Parry, Carla; Leach, Corinne R; Padgett, Lynne; Rowland, Julia H

2014-11-01

To meet the complex needs of a growing number of cancer survivors, it is essential to accelerate the translation of survivorship research into evidence-based interventions and, as appropriate, recommendations for care that may be implemented in a wide variety of settings. Current progress in translating research into care is stymied, with results of many studies un- or underutilized. To better understand this problem and identify strategies to encourage the translation of survivorship research findings into practice, four agencies (American Cancer Society, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, LIVE STRONG: Foundation, National Cancer Institute) hosted a meeting in June, 2012, titled: "Biennial Cancer Survivorship Research Conference: Translating Science to Care." Meeting participants concluded that accelerating science into care will require a coordinated, collaborative effort by individuals from diverse settings, including researchers and clinicians, survivors and families, public health professionals, and policy makers. This commentary describes an approach stemming from that meeting to facilitate translating research into care by changing the process of conducting research-improving communication, collaboration, evaluation, and feedback through true and ongoing partnerships. We apply the T0-T4 translational process model to survivorship research and provide illustrations of its use. The resultant framework is intended to orient stakeholders to the role of their work in the translational process and facilitate the transdisciplinary collaboration needed to translate basic discoveries into best practices regarding clinical care, self-care/management, and community programs for cancer survivors. Finally, we discuss barriers to implementing translational survivorship science identified at the meeting, along with future directions to accelerate this process. Published by Oxford University Press 2014.

Removal of basic nitrogen compounds from hydrocarbon liquids

DOEpatents

Givens, Edwin N.; Hoover, David S.

1985-01-01

A method is provided for reducing the concentration of basic nitrogen compounds in hydrocarbonaceous feedstock fluids used in the refining industry by providing a solid particulate carbonaceous adsorbent/fuel material such as coal having active basic nitrogen complexing sites on the surface thereof and the coal with a hydrocarbonaceous feedstock containing basic nitrogen compounds to facilitate attraction of the basic nitrogen compounds to the complexing sites and the formation of complexes thereof on the surface of the coal. The adsorbent coal material and the complexes formed thereon are from the feedstock fluid to provide a hydrocarbonaceous fluid of reduced basic nitrogen compound concentration. The coal can then be used as fuel for boilers and the like.

Proposal for research and education: joint lectures and practicals on central nervous system anatomy and physiology.

PubMed

Kageyama, Ikuo; Yoshimura, Ken; Satoh, Yoshihide; Nanayakkara, Chinthani D; Pallegama, Ranjith W; Iwasaki, Shin-Ichi

2016-07-01

We coordinated anatomy and physiology lectures and practicals to facilitate an integrated understanding of morphology and function in a basic medical science program for dental students and to reduce the time spent on basic science education. This method is a means to provide the essential information and skills in less time. The overall impression was that the practice of joint central nervous system lectures and practicals was an efficient method for students, which suggests that joint lectures might also be useful for clinical subjects. About two-thirds of students felt that the joint anatomy and physiology lecture on the central nervous system was useful and necessary in understanding the relationship between morphology and function, at least for this subject. One-third of students were neutral on the effectiveness of this method. However, the survey results suggest that improvements are needed in the method and timing of joint lectures and practicals. The present teaching approach can be further improved by conducting combined lectures in which the form and function of anatomic structures are presented by the relevant departments during the same lecture. Finally, joint lecturers and practicals offer an opportunity to increase student understanding of the importance of new research findings by the present authors and other researchers.

Immunoscintigraphy and radioimmunotherapy in Cuba: experiences with labeled monoclonal antibodies for cancer diagnosis and treatment (1993-2013).

PubMed

Peña, Yamilé; Perera, Alejandro; Batista, Juan F

2014-01-01

INTRODUCTION The availability of monoclonal antibodies in Cuba has facilitated development and application of innovative techniques (immunoscintigraphy and radioimmunotherapy) for cancer diagnosis and treatment. Objective Review immunoscintigraphy and radioimmunotherapy techniques and analyze their use in Cuba, based on the published literature. In this context, we describe the experience of Havana's Clinical Research Center with labeled monoclonal antibodies for cancer diagnosis and treatment during the period 1993-2013. EVIDENCE ACQUISITION Basic concepts concerning cancer and monoclonal antibodies were reviewed, as well as relevant international and Cuban data. Forty-nine documents were reviewed, among them 2 textbooks, 34 articles by Cuban authors and 13 by international authors. All works published by the Clinical Research Center from 1993 through 2013 were included. Bibliography was obtained from the library of the Clinical Research Center and Infomed, Cuba's national health telematics network, using the following keywords: monoclonal antibodies, immunoscintigraphy and radioimmunotherapy. RESULTS Labeling the antibodies (ior t3, ior t1, ior cea 1, ior egf/r3, ior c5, h-R3, 14F7 and rituximab) with radioactive isotopes was a basic line of research in Cuba and has fostered their use as diagnostic and therapeutic tools. The studies conducted demonstrated the good sensitivity and diagnostic precision of immunoscintigraphy for detecting various types of tumors (head and neck, ovarian, colon, breast, lymphoma, brain). Obtaining different radioimmune conjugates with radioactive isotopes such as 99mTc and 188Re made it possible to administer radioimmunotherapy to patients with several types of cancer (brain, lymphoma, breast). The objective of 60% of the clinical trials was to determine pharmacokinetics, internal dosimetry and adverse effects of monoclonal antibodies, as well as tumor response; there were few adverse effects, no damage to vital organs, and a positive tumor response in a substantial percentage of patients. CONCLUSIONS Cuba has experience with production and radiolabeling of monoclonal antibodies, which facilitates use of these agents. Studies in Cuba conducted by the Clinical Research Center over the past 20 years have yielded satisfactory results. Evidence obtained suggests promising potential of monoclonal antibodies and nuclear medicine, with immunoscintigraphy and radioimmunotherapy techniques providing alternatives for cancer diagnosis and treatment in Cuba.

An Action Plan for Translating Cancer Survivorship Research Into Care

PubMed Central

Smith, Tenbroeck; de Moor, Janet S.; Glasgow, Russell E.; Khoury, Muin J.; Hawkins, Nikki A.; Stein, Kevin D.; Rechis, Ruth; Parry,, Carla; Leach, Corinne R.; Padgett, Lynne; Rowland, Julia H.

2014-01-01

To meet the complex needs of a growing number of cancer survivors, it is essential to accelerate the translation of survivorship research into evidence-based interventions and, as appropriate, recommendations for care that may be implemented in a wide variety of settings. Current progress in translating research into care is stymied, with results of many studies un- or underutilized. To better understand this problem and identify strategies to encourage the translation of survivorship research findings into practice, four agencies (American Cancer Society, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, LIVE STRONG Foundation, National Cancer Institute) hosted a meeting in June, 2012, titled: “Biennial Cancer Survivorship Research Conference: Translating Science to Care.” Meeting participants concluded that accelerating science into care will require a coordinated, collaborative effort by individuals from diverse settings, including researchers and clinicians, survivors and families, public health professionals, and policy makers. This commentary describes an approach stemming from that meeting to facilitate translating research into care by changing the process of conducting research—improving communication, collaboration, evaluation, and feedback through true and ongoing partnerships. We apply the T0-T4 translational process model to survivorship research and provide illustrations of its use. The resultant framework is intended to orient stakeholders to the role of their work in the translational process and facilitate the transdisciplinary collaboration needed to translate basic discoveries into best practices regarding clinical care, self-care/management, and community programs for cancer survivors. Finally, we discuss barriers to implementing translational survivorship science identified at the meeting, along with future directions to accelerate this process. PMID:25249551

Reclaiming Basic Skills: In Defence of Long-Life Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pirrie, Anne

2005-01-01

The author draws upon recent experience of providing consultancy services to a working group established by the European Commission in 2001 to facilitate the implementation of the Lisbon Strategy for economic, social, and environmental renewal in the European Union. The article begins with a critique of the "new basic skills" identified…

Exercise Self-Efficacy and Perceived Wellness among College Students in a Basic Studies Course

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sidman, Cara L.; D'Abundo, Michelle Lee; Hritz, Nancy

2009-01-01

University basic studies courses provide a valuable opportunity for facilitating the knowledge, skills, and beliefs that develop healthy behaviors to last a lifetime. Belief in one's ability to participate in physical activity, exercise self-efficacy, is a psychological construct that has had a documented impact on physical activity. Although…

Teamwork: a concept analysis.

PubMed

Xyrichis, Andreas; Ream, Emma

2008-01-01

This paper is a report of an analysis of the concept of teamwork. Teamwork is seen as an important facilitator in delivering quality healthcare services internationally. However, research studies of teamwork in health care are criticized for lacking a basic conceptual understanding of what this concept represents. A universal definition for healthcare settings and professionals is missing from published literature. Walker and Avant's approach was used to guide this concept analysis. Literature searches used bibliographic databases (Medline, CINAHL, Web of Science, Proquest CSA), internet search engines (GoogleScholar), and hand searches. Literature published between 1976 and 2006 was reviewed but only material in English was included. Based on the analysis undertaken, teamwork is proposed as a dynamic process involving two or more healthcare professionals with complementary backgrounds and skills, sharing common health goals and exercising concerted physical and mental effort in assessing, planning, or evaluating patient care. This is accomplished through interdependent collaboration, open communication and shared decision-making, and generates value-added patient, organizational and staff outcomes. Praising the value of teamwork without a common understanding of what this concept represents endangers both research into this way of working and its effective utilization in practice. The proposed definition helps reconcile discrepancies between how this concept is understood by nurses and doctors, as well as allied health professionals. A common understanding can facilitate communication in educational, research and clinical settings and is imperative for improving clarity and validity of future research.

Cellular Responses to Mechanical Stress Selected Contribution: A Three-Dimensional Model for Assessment of in Vitro Toxicity in Balaena Mysticetus Renal Tissue

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Goodwin, T. J.; Coate-Li, L.; Linnehan, R. M.; Hammond, T. G.

2000-01-01

This study established two- and three-dimensional renal proximal tubular cell cultures of the endangered species bowhead whale (Balaena mysticetus), developed SV40-transfected cultures, and cloned the 61-amino acid open reading frame for the metallothionein protein, the primary binding site for heavy metal contamination in mammals. Microgravity research, modulations in mechanical culture conditions (modeled microgravity), and shear stress have spawned innovative approaches to understanding the dynamics of cellular interactions, gene expression, and differentiation in several cellular systems. These investigations have led to the creation of ex vivo tissue models capable of serving as physiological research analogs for three-dimensional cellular interactions. These models are enabling studies in immune function, tissue modeling for basic research, and neoplasia. Three-dimensional cellular models emulate aspects of in vivo cellular architecture and physiology and may facilitate environmental toxicological studies aimed at elucidating biological functions and responses at the cellular level. Marine mammals occupy a significant ecological niche (72% of the Earth's surface is water) in terms of the potential for information on bioaccumulation and transport of terrestrial and marine environmental toxins in high-order vertebrates. Few ex vivo models of marine mammal physiology exist in vitro to accomplish the aforementioned studies. Techniques developed in this investigation, based on previous tissue modeling successes, may serve to facilitate similar research in other marine mammals.

Selected contribution: a three-dimensional model for assessment of in vitro toxicity in balaena mysticetus renal tissue

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Goodwin, T. J.; Coate-Li, L.; Linnehan, R. M.; Hammond, T. G.

2000-01-01

This study established two- and three-dimensional renal proximal tubular cell cultures of the endangered species bowhead whale (Balaena mysticetus), developed SV40-transfected cultures, and cloned the 61-amino acid open reading frame for the metallothionein protein, the primary binding site for heavy metal contamination in mammals. Microgravity research, modulations in mechanical culture conditions (modeled microgravity), and shear stress have spawned innovative approaches to understanding the dynamics of cellular interactions, gene expression, and differentiation in several cellular systems. These investigations have led to the creation of ex vivo tissue models capable of serving as physiological research analogs for three-dimensional cellular interactions. These models are enabling studies in immune function, tissue modeling for basic research, and neoplasia. Three-dimensional cellular models emulate aspects of in vivo cellular architecture and physiology and may facilitate environmental toxicological studies aimed at elucidating biological functions and responses at the cellular level. Marine mammals occupy a significant ecological niche (72% of the Earth's surface is water) in terms of the potential for information on bioaccumulation and transport of terrestrial and marine environmental toxins in high-order vertebrates. Few ex vivo models of marine mammal physiology exist in vitro to accomplish the aforementioned studies. Techniques developed in this investigation, based on previous tissue modeling successes, may serve to facilitate similar research in other marine mammals.

Handbook of Industrial Engineering Equations, Formulas, and Calculations

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

Badiru, Adedeji B; Omitaomu, Olufemi A

The first handbook to focus exclusively on industrial engineering calculations with a correlation to applications, Handbook of Industrial Engineering Equations, Formulas, and Calculations contains a general collection of the mathematical equations often used in the practice of industrial engineering. Many books cover individual areas of engineering and some cover all areas, but none covers industrial engineering specifically, nor do they highlight topics such as project management, materials, and systems engineering from an integrated viewpoint. Written by acclaimed researchers and authors, this concise reference marries theory and practice, making it a versatile and flexible resource. Succinctly formatted for functionality, the bookmore » presents: Basic Math Calculations; Engineering Math Calculations; Production Engineering Calculations; Engineering Economics Calculations; Ergonomics Calculations; Facility Layout Calculations; Production Sequencing and Scheduling Calculations; Systems Engineering Calculations; Data Engineering Calculations; Project Engineering Calculations; and Simulation and Statistical Equations. It has been said that engineers make things while industrial engineers make things better. To make something better requires an understanding of its basic characteristics and the underlying equations and calculations that facilitate that understanding. To do this, however, you do not have to be computational experts; you just have to know where to get the computational resources that are needed. This book elucidates the underlying equations that facilitate the understanding required to improve design processes, continuously improving the answer to the age-old question: What is the best way to do a job?« less

A Systemic-Constructivist Approach to the Facilitation and Debriefing of Simulations and Games

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kriz, Willy Christian

2010-01-01

This article introduces some basic concepts of a systemic-constructivist perspective. These show that gaming simulation corresponds closely to a systemic-constructivist approach to learning and instruction. Some quality aspects of facilitating and debriefing simulation games are described from a systemic-constructivist point of view. Finally, a…

Genetics and biology of Anastrepha fraterculus: research supporting the use of the sterile insect technique (SIT) to control this pest in Argentina.

PubMed

Cladera, Jorge L; Vilardi, Juan C; Juri, Marianela; Paulin, Laura E; Giardini, M Cecilia; Gómez Cendra, Paula V; Segura, Diego F; Lanzavecchia, Silvia B

2014-01-01

Two species of true fruit flies (taxonomic family Tephritidae) are considered pests of fruit and vegetable production in Argentina: the cosmopolitan Mediterranean fruit fly (Ceratitis capitata Wiedemann) and the new world South American fruit fly (Anastrepha fraterculus Wiedemann). The distribution of these two species in Argentina overlaps north of the capital, Buenos Aires. Regarding the control of these two pests, the varied geographical fruit producing regions in Argentina are in different fly control situations. One part is under a programme using the sterile insect technique (SIT) for the eradication of C. capitata, because A. fraterculus is not present in this area. The application of the SIT to control C. capitata north of the present line with the possibility of A. fraterculus occupying the niche left vacant by C. capitata becomes a cause of much concern. Only initial steps have been taken to investigate the genetics and biology of A. fraterculus. Consequently, only fragmentary information has been recorded in the literature regarding the use of SIT to control this species. For these reasons, the research to develop a SIT protocol to control A. fraterculus is greatly needed. In recent years, research groups have been building a network in Argentina in order to address particular aspects of the development of the SIT for Anastrepha fraterculus. The problems being addressed by these groups include improvement of artificial diets, facilitation of insect mass rearing, radiation doses and conditions for insect sterilisation, basic knowledge supporting the development of males-only strains, reduction of male maturation time to facilitate releases, identification and isolation of chemical communication signals, and a good deal of population genetic studies. This paper is the product of a concerted effort to gather all this knowledge scattered in numerous and often hard-to-access reports and papers and summarize their basic conclusions in a single publication.

Genetics and biology of Anastrepha fraterculus: research supporting the use of the sterile insect technique (SIT) to control this pest in Argentina

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Two species of true fruit flies (taxonomic family Tephritidae) are considered pests of fruit and vegetable production in Argentina: the cosmopolitan Mediterranean fruit fly (Ceratitis capitata Wiedemann) and the new world South American fruit fly (Anastrepha fraterculus Wiedemann). The distribution of these two species in Argentina overlaps north of the capital, Buenos Aires. Regarding the control of these two pests, the varied geographical fruit producing regions in Argentina are in different fly control situations. One part is under a programme using the sterile insect technique (SIT) for the eradication of C. capitata, because A. fraterculus is not present in this area. The application of the SIT to control C. capitata north of the present line with the possibility of A. fraterculus occupying the niche left vacant by C. capitata becomes a cause of much concern. Only initial steps have been taken to investigate the genetics and biology of A. fraterculus. Consequently, only fragmentary information has been recorded in the literature regarding the use of SIT to control this species. For these reasons, the research to develop a SIT protocol to control A. fraterculus is greatly needed. In recent years, research groups have been building a network in Argentina in order to address particular aspects of the development of the SIT for Anastrepha fraterculus. The problems being addressed by these groups include improvement of artificial diets, facilitation of insect mass rearing, radiation doses and conditions for insect sterilisation, basic knowledge supporting the development of males-only strains, reduction of male maturation time to facilitate releases, identification and isolation of chemical communication signals, and a good deal of population genetic studies. This paper is the product of a concerted effort to gather all this knowledge scattered in numerous and often hard-to-access reports and papers and summarize their basic conclusions in a single publication. PMID:25471175

Development of the International Spinal Cord Injury Activities and Participation Basic Data Set.

PubMed

Post, M W; Charlifue, S; Biering-Sørensen, F; Catz, A; Dijkers, M P; Horsewell, J; Noonan, V K; Noreau, L; Tate, D G; Sinnott, K A

2016-07-01

Consensus decision-making process. The objective of this study was to develop an International Spinal Cord Injury (SCI) Activities and Participation (A&P) Basic Data Set. International working group. A committee of experts was established to select and define A&P data elements to be included in this data set. A draft data set was developed and posted on the International Spinal Cord Society (ISCoS) and American Spinal Injury Association websites and was also disseminated among appropriate organizations for review. Suggested revisions were considered, and a final version of the A&P Data Set was completed. Consensus was reached to define A&P and to incorporate both performance and satisfaction ratings. Items that were considered core to each A&P domain were selected from two existing questionnaires. Four items measuring activities were selected from the Spinal Cord Independence Measure III to provide basic data on task execution in activities of daily living. Eight items were selected from the Craig Handicap Assessment and Reporting Technique to provide basic data on the frequency of participation. An additional rating of satisfaction on a three-point scale for each item completes the total of 24 A&P variables. Collection of the International SCI A&P Basic Data Set variables in all future research on SCI outcomes is advised to facilitate comparison of results across published studies from around the world. Additional standardised instruments to assess activities of daily living or participation can be administered, depending on the purpose of a particular study.

Developing Geosciences Research Partnerships With Colleagues from SOPAC

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Edsall, D. W.

2003-12-01

Members of the AGU have an opportunity to become involved in cooperative research with scientists from the Cook Islands, Fiji, Guam, Federated States of Micronesia, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu, Western Samoa as well as Australia and New Zealand. Governmental officials and scientists from the member countries of the South Pacific Applied Geoscience Commission (SOPAC) and its Science Technology and Resources Network (STAR) are looking for individuals, academic and research organizations, foundations, private industry, governmental agencies and professional societies to assist with important research efforts. Involvement would include: promoting; training; funding; equipping, facilitating; coordinating; advising; monitoring; collaborating; interpreting; evaluating and reporting. Studies in all onshore, coastal and offshore environments are needed. Topics include: development of natural resources; reduction of environmental vulnerability; support of sustainable development; development of potable water supplies; protecting coral reef environments; and basic investigations of local weather, climatology, biology, geology, geophysics and oceanography. This paper addresses ways to create such research partnerships.

The Problem: Relevance, Quality, and Homogeneity of Trial Designs, Outcomes, and Reporting.

PubMed

Göstemeyer, Gerd; Levey, Colin

2018-01-01

Clinical trials are the cornerstone of evidence-based medicine. By directly comparing different interventions they produce evidence on their relative efficacy and effectiveness This, in turn, can inform secondary research and guideline development to facilitate evidence-based clinical decision making. However, the quality of evidence stemming from clinical trials is frequently poor. Here, the pathway of evidence from basic research to the generation of implementable clinical guidelines will be described. Relevant factors related to trial design and reporting, such as the choice of trial comparators, outcomes and outcome measures, will be described and their influence on evidence synthesis will be discussed. Finally, recommendations on how to improve trials in order to increase their usefulness for evidence generation will be given. © 2018 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Outcome science in practice: an overview and initial experience at the Vanderbilt Spine Center.

PubMed

McGirt, Matthew J; Speroff, Theodore; Godil, Saniya Siraj; Cheng, Joseph S; Selden, Nathan R; Asher, Anthony L

2013-01-01

In terms of policy, research, quality improvement, and practice-based learning, there are essential principles--namely, quality, effectiveness, and value of care--needed to navigate changes in the current and future US health care environment. Patient-centered outcome measurement lies at the core of all 3 principles. Multiple measures of disease-specific disability, generic health-related quality of life, and preference-based health state have been introduced to quantify disease impact and define effectiveness of care. This paper reviews the basic principles of patient outcome measurement and commonly used outcome instruments. The authors provide examples of how utilization of outcome measurement tools in everyday neurosurgical practice can facilitate practice-based learning, quality improvement, and real-world comparative effectiveness research, as well as promote the value of neurosurgical care.

Synergy of understanding dermatologic disease and epidermal biology.

PubMed

Stanley, John R

2012-02-01

Dermatologic disease, although seldom life threatening, can be extremely disfiguring and interfere with the quality of life. In addition, as opposed to other organs, just the aging of skin and its adnexal structure the hair follicle can result in cosmetic concerns that affect most of us. The articles in this dermatology Review Series demonstrate recent progress in understanding the cell biology and molecular pathophysiology of the epidermis and hair follicles, which harbor keratinocyte and melanocyte stem cells. They reveal a dynamic relationship between research and clinical care: knowledge of dermatologic disease has facilitated the understanding of the biology of the epidermis and, in turn, progress in basic science has informed our understanding of disease. This type of synergy is a profound strength of clinical research of the type that the JCI is dedicated to publishing.

Clinical Research with Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS): Challenges and Future Directions

PubMed Central

Brunoni, Andre Russowsky; Nitsche, Michael A.; Bolognini, Nadia; Bikson, Marom; Wagner, Tim; Merabet, Lotfi; Edwards, Dylan J.; Valero-Cabre, Antoni; Rotenberg, Alexander; Pascual-Leone, Alvaro; Ferrucci, Roberta; Priori, Alberto; Boggio, Paulo; Fregni, Felipe

2011-01-01

Background Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is a neuromodulatory technique that delivers low-intensity, direct current to cortical areas facilitating or inhibiting spontaneous neuronal activity. In the past ten years, tDCS physiological mechanisms of action have been intensively investigated giving support for the investigation of its applications in clinical neuropsychiatry and rehabilitation. However, new methodological, ethical, and regulatory issues emerge when translating the findings of preclinical and phase I studies into phase II and III clinical studies. The aim of this comprehensive review is to discuss the key challenges of this process and possible methods to address them. Methods We convened a workgroup of researchers in the field to review, discuss and provide updates and key challenges of neuromodulation use for clinical research. Main Findings/Discussion We reviewed several basic and clinical studies in the field and identified potential limitations, taking into account the particularities of the technique. We review and discuss the findings into four topics: (i) mechanisms of action of tDCS, parameters of use and computer-based human brain modeling investigating electric current fields and magnitude induced by tDCS; (ii) methodological aspects related to the clinical research of tDCS as divided according to study phase (i.e., preclinical, phase I, phase II and phase III studies); (iii) ethical and regulatory concerns; (iv) future directions regarding novel approaches, novel devices, and future studies involving tDCS. Finally, we propose some alternative methods to facilitate clinical research on tDCS. PMID:22037126

Interview: interview with P Jeffrey Conn. Interview by Hannah Coaker.

PubMed

Conn, P Jeffrey

2013-09-01

Dr Conn is the Lee E Limbird Professor of Pharmacology at Vanderbilt University and Director of the Vanderbilt Center for Neuroscience Drug Discovery (VCNDD). Dr Conn received a PhD in Pharmacology from Vanderbilt in 1986 and pursued postdoctoral studies at Yale University. He served as a professor of Pharmacology at Emory University from 1988 to 2000, before moving to Merck and Co. (PA, USA) as head of the Department of Neuroscience. Dr Conn moved to Vanderbilt University in 2003 where he is the founding director of the VCNDD, with a primary mission of facilitating translation of recent advances in basic science to novel therapeutics. The VCNDD consists of approximately 100 full-time scientists and has advanced novel molecules from four major programs as development candidates for clinical testing with industry partners. Dr Conn has served in editorial positions with multiple international journals and has served the scientific advisory boards of multiple foundations and companies. He has received numerous awards based on the impact of his basic and translational research. Dr Conn's current research is focused on development of novel treatment strategies for schizophrenia, Parkinson's disease and other serious brain disorders. Interview conducted by Hannah Coaker, Assistant Commissioning Editor.

22 CFR 216.1 - Introduction.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... activities address such basic problems as hunger, malnutrition, overpopulation, disease, disaster... are designed to combat hunger, malnutrition and to facilitate economic development. Assistance...

Standardized data sharing in a paediatric oncology research network--a proof-of-concept study.

PubMed

Hochedlinger, Nina; Nitzlnader, Michael; Falgenhauer, Markus; Welte, Stefan; Hayn, Dieter; Koumakis, Lefteris; Potamias, George; Tsiknakis, Manolis; Saraceno, Davide; Rinaldi, Eugenia; Ladenstein, Ruth; Schreier, Günter

2015-01-01

Data that has been collected in the course of clinical trials are potentially valuable for additional scientific research questions in so called secondary use scenarios. This is of particular importance in rare disease areas like paediatric oncology. If data from several research projects need to be connected, so called Core Datasets can be used to define which information needs to be extracted from every involved source system. In this work, the utility of the Clinical Data Interchange Standards Consortium (CDISC) Operational Data Model (ODM) as a format for Core Datasets was evaluated and a web tool was developed which received Source ODM XML files and--via Extensible Stylesheet Language Transformation (XSLT)--generated standardized Core Dataset ODM XML files. Using this tool, data from different source systems were extracted and pooled for joined analysis in a proof-of-concept study, facilitating both, basic syntactic and semantic interoperability.

Values in translation: how asking the right questions can move translational science toward greater health impact.

PubMed

Kelley, Maureen; Edwards, Kelly; Starks, Helene; Fullerton, Stephanie M; James, Rosalina; Goering, Sara; Holland, Suzanne; Disis, Mary L; Burke, Wylie

2012-12-01

The speed and effectiveness of current approaches to research translation are widely viewed as disappointing given small gains in real population health outcomes despite huge investments in basic and translational science. We identify critical value questions-ethical, social, economic, and cultural-that arise at moments throughout the research pathway. By making these questions visible, and promoting discussion of them with diverse stakeholders, we can facilitate handoffs along the translational pathway and increase uptake of effective interventions. Who is involved with those discussions will determine which research projects, populations, and methods get prioritized. We argue that some upfront investment in community and interdisciplinary engagement, shaped by familiar questions in ethics, social justice, and cultural knowledge, can save time and resources in the long run because interventions and strategies will be aimed in the right direction, that is, toward health improvements for all. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Pharmacogenomics in Pediatric Oncology: Review of Gene—Drug Associations for Clinical Use †

PubMed Central

Mlakar, Vid; Huezo-Diaz Curtis, Patricia; Satyanarayana Uppugunduri, Chakradhara Rao; Krajinovic, Maja; Ansari, Marc

2016-01-01

During the 3rd congress of the European Society of Pharmacogenomics and Personalised Therapy (ESPT) in Budapest in 2015, a preliminary meeting was held aimed at establishing a pediatric individualized treatment in oncology and hematology committees. The main purpose was to facilitate the transfer and harmonization of pharmacogenetic testing from research into clinics, to bring together basic and translational research and to educate health professionals throughout Europe. The objective of this review was to provide the attendees of the meeting as well as the larger scientific community an insight into the compiled evidence regarding current pharmacogenomics knowledge in pediatric oncology. This preliminary evaluation will help steer the committee’s work and should give the reader an idea at which stage researchers and clinicians are, in terms of personalizing medicine for children with cancer. From the evidence presented here, future recommendations to achieve this goal will also be suggested. PMID:27618021

Pharmacogenomics in Pediatric Oncology: Review of Gene-Drug Associations for Clinical Use.

PubMed

Mlakar, Vid; Huezo-Diaz Curtis, Patricia; Satyanarayana Uppugunduri, Chakradhara Rao; Krajinovic, Maja; Ansari, Marc

2016-09-08

During the 3rd congress of the European Society of Pharmacogenomics and Personalised Therapy (ESPT) in Budapest in 2015, a preliminary meeting was held aimed at establishing a pediatric individualized treatment in oncology and hematology committees. The main purpose was to facilitate the transfer and harmonization of pharmacogenetic testing from research into clinics, to bring together basic and translational research and to educate health professionals throughout Europe. The objective of this review was to provide the attendees of the meeting as well as the larger scientific community an insight into the compiled evidence regarding current pharmacogenomics knowledge in pediatric oncology. This preliminary evaluation will help steer the committee's work and should give the reader an idea at which stage researchers and clinicians are, in terms of personalizing medicine for children with cancer. From the evidence presented here, future recommendations to achieve this goal will also be suggested.

NanoParticle Ontology for Cancer Nanotechnology Research

PubMed Central

Thomas, Dennis G.; Pappu, Rohit V.; Baker, Nathan A.

2010-01-01

Data generated from cancer nanotechnology research are so diverse and large in volume that it is difficult to share and efficiently use them without informatics tools. In particular, ontologies that provide a unifying knowledge framework for annotating the data are required to facilitate the semantic integration, knowledge-based searching, unambiguous interpretation, mining and inferencing of the data using informatics methods. In this paper, we discuss the design and development of NanoParticle Ontology (NPO), which is developed within the framework of the Basic Formal Ontology (BFO), and implemented in the Ontology Web Language (OWL) using well-defined ontology design principles. The NPO was developed to represent knowledge underlying the preparation, chemical composition, and characterization of nanomaterials involved in cancer research. Public releases of the NPO are available through BioPortal website, maintained by the National Center for Biomedical Ontology. Mechanisms for editorial and governance processes are being developed for the maintenance, review, and growth of the NPO. PMID:20211274

BIOLOGICAL NETWORK EXPLORATION WITH CYTOSCAPE 3

PubMed Central

Su, Gang; Morris, John H.; Demchak, Barry; Bader, Gary D.

2014-01-01

Cytoscape is one of the most popular open-source software tools for the visual exploration of biomedical networks composed of protein, gene and other types of interactions. It offers researchers a versatile and interactive visualization interface for exploring complex biological interconnections supported by diverse annotation and experimental data, thereby facilitating research tasks such as predicting gene function and pathway construction. Cytoscape provides core functionality to load, visualize, search, filter and save networks, and hundreds of Apps extend this functionality to address specific research needs. The latest generation of Cytoscape (version 3.0 and later) has substantial improvements in function, user interface and performance relative to previous versions. This protocol aims to jump-start new users with specific protocols for basic Cytoscape functions, such as installing Cytoscape and Cytoscape Apps, loading data, visualizing and navigating the network, visualizing network associated data (attributes) and identifying clusters. It also highlights new features that benefit experienced users. PMID:25199793

[Neurogenetics in Peru, example of translational research].

PubMed

Mazzetti, Pilar; Inca-Martínez, Miguel; Tirado-Hurtado, Indira; Milla-Neyra, Karina; Silva-Paredes, Gustavo; Vishnevetsky, Anastasia; Cornejo-Olivas, Mario

2015-10-01

Neurogenetics is an emerging discipline in Peru that links basic research with clinical practice. The Neurogenetics Research Center located in Lima, Peru is the only unit dedicated to the specialized care of neurogenetic diseases in the country. From the beginning, neurogenetics research has been closely linked to the study of Huntington’s Disease (HD), from the PCR genotyping of the HTT gene, to the current haplogroup studies in HD. Research in other monogenic diseases led to the implementation of alternative methodologies for the genotyping of Fragile X and Myotonic Dystrophy Type 1. Both, national and international collaborative efforts have facilitated the discovery of new genetic variants in complex multigenic diseases such as Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer’s disease. Additionally, multidisciplinary education and mentoring have allowed for the training of new neurogenetics specialists, supporting the sustained growth of the discipline in the country. The promotion of research in Peru has spurred the growth of neurogenetics research, although limitations in infrastructure, technology, and education remain a challenge for the further growth of research in this field.

Experiences with a researcher-centric ELN† †Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available. See DOI: 10.1039/c4sc02128b Click here for additional data file.

PubMed Central

Badiola, Katrina A.; Bird, Colin; Brocklesby, William S.; Casson, John; Chapman, Richard T.; Coles, Simon J.; Cronshaw, James R.; Fisher, Adam; Gloria, Danmar; Grossel, Martin C.; Hibbert, D. Brynn; Knight, Nicola; Mapp, Lucy K.; Marazzi, Luke; Matthews, Brian; Milsted, Andy; Minns, Russell S.; Mueller, Karl T.; Murphy, Kelly; Parkinson, Tim; Quinnell, Rosanne; Robinson, John S.; Robertson, Murray N.; Robins, Michael; Springate, Emma; Tizzard, Graham; Todd, Matthew H.; Williamson, Alice E.; Willoughby, Cerys; Yang, Erica; Ylioja, Paul M.

2015-01-01

Electronic Laboratory Notebooks (ELNs) are progressively replacing traditional paper books in both commercial research establishments and academic institutions. University researchers require specific features from ELNs, given the need to promote cross-institutional collaborative working, to enable the sharing of procedures and results, and to facilitate publication. The LabTrove ELN, which we use as our exemplar, was designed to be researcher-centric (i.e., not only aimed at the individual researcher's basic needs rather than to a specific institutional or subject or disciplinary agenda, but also able to be tailored because it is open source). LabTrove is being used in a heterogeneous set of academic laboratories, for a range of purposes, including analytical chemistry, X-ray studies, drug discovery and a biomaterials project. Researchers use the ELN for recording experiments, preserving data collected, and for project coordination. This perspective article describes the experiences of those researchers from several viewpoints, demonstrating how a web-based open source electronic notebook can meet the diverse needs of academic researchers. PMID:29308130

Cellular Therapies Clinical Research Roadmap: lessons learned on how to move a cellular therapy into a clinical trial.

PubMed

Ouseph, Stacy; Tappitake, Darah; Armant, Myriam; Wesselschmidt, Robin; Derecho, Ivy; Draxler, Rebecca; Wood, Deborah; Centanni, John M

2015-04-01

A clinical research roadmap has been developed as a resource for researchers to identify critical areas and potential pitfalls when transitioning a cellular therapy product from the research laboratory, by means of an Investigational New Drug (IND) application, into early-phase clinical trials. The roadmap describes four key areas: basic and preclinical research, resource development, translational research and Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) and IND assembly and submission. Basic and preclinical research identifies a new therapeutic concept and demonstrates its potential value with the use of a model of the relevant disease. During resource development, the appropriate specialists and the required expertise to bring this product into the clinic are identified (eg, researchers, regulatory specialists, GMP manufacturing staff, clinicians and clinical trials staff, etc). Additionally, the funds required to achieve this goal (or a plan to procure them) are identified. In the next phase, the plan to translate the research product into a clinical-grade therapeutic is developed. Finally regulatory approval to start the trial must be obtained. In the United States, this is done by filing an IND application with the Food and Drug Administration. The National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute-funded Production Assistance for Cellular Therapies program has facilitated the transition of a variety of cellular therapy products from the laboratory into Phase1/2 trials. The five Production Assistance for Cellular Therapies facilities have assisted investigators by performing translational studies and GMP manufacturing to ensure that cellular products met release specifications and were manufactured safely, reproducibly and at the appropriate scale. The roadmap resulting from this experience is the focus of this article. Copyright © 2015 International Society for Cellular Therapy. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Using Video Games to Support Pre-Service Elementary Teachers Learning of Basic Physics Principles

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Anderson, Janice; Barnett, Michael

2011-01-01

The purpose of this work is to share our findings in using video gaming technology to facilitate the understanding of basic electromagnetism with pre-service elementary teachers. To this end we explored the impact of using a game called "Supercharged!" on pre-service teachers' understanding of electromagnetic concepts compared to students who…

Student Response Systems and Facilitating the Large Lecture Basic Communication Course: Assessing Engagement and Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Denker, Katherine J.

2013-01-01

Instructors of large lecture classes face a variety of challenges, including student engagement and participation. With budget cuts and increasing class sizes, more schools may turn to large lecture/lab formats for the basic communication course (Stanley & Porter, 2002); instructors must understand how these classes engage students. One viable…

Improving Professional Development Systems: Recommendations from the Pennsylvania Adult Basic and Literacy Education Professional Development System Evaluation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Belzer, Alisa

2005-01-01

The recommendations from a two-part, formative evaluation of Pennsylvania's Bureau of Adult Basic and Literacy Education professional development system are reported here. The first phase of the evaluation studied the relationships between the vision for professional development held by planners and facilitators and the ways in which participants…

Effect of Instructional Design on Academic Success of Adult Basic Education Learners: Individualized versus Group Design

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Frazier Varner, Debrah

2010-01-01

Many adult basic education (ABE) programs do not achieve a high success rate in meeting student academic needs. Rooted in Knowles' theory of andragogy and Bandura's theory of modeling, this quantitative causal comparative study examined the effects of individualized instruction (IGI) and of facilitated, participatory group programs (SPOKES) on the…

A toolbox and a record for scientific model development

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ellman, Thomas

1994-01-01

Scientific computation can benefit from software tools that facilitate construction of computational models, control the application of models, and aid in revising models to handle new situations. Existing environments for scientific programming provide only limited means of handling these tasks. This paper describes a two pronged approach for handling these tasks: (1) designing a 'Model Development Toolbox' that includes a basic set of model constructing operations; and (2) designing a 'Model Development Record' that is automatically generated during model construction. The record is subsequently exploited by tools that control the application of scientific models and revise models to handle new situations. Our two pronged approach is motivated by our belief that the model development toolbox and record should be highly interdependent. In particular, a suitable model development record can be constructed only when models are developed using a well defined set of operations. We expect this research to facilitate rapid development of new scientific computational models, to help ensure appropriate use of such models and to facilitate sharing of such models among working computational scientists. We are testing this approach by extending SIGMA, and existing knowledge-based scientific software design tool.

Social skills training for children with autism spectrum disorder using a robotic behavioral intervention system.

PubMed

Yun, Sang-Seok; Choi, JongSuk; Park, Sung-Kee; Bong, Gui-Young; Yoo, HeeJeong

2017-07-01

We designed a robot system that assisted in behavioral intervention programs of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The eight-session intervention program was based on the discrete trial teaching protocol and focused on two basic social skills: eye contact and facial emotion recognition. The robotic interactions occurred in four modules: training element query, recognition of human activity, coping-mode selection, and follow-up action. Children with ASD who were between 4 and 7 years old and who had verbal IQ ≥ 60 were recruited and randomly assigned to the treatment group (TG, n = 8, 5.75 ± 0.89 years) or control group (CG, n = 7; 6.32 ± 1.23 years). The therapeutic robot facilitated the treatment intervention in the TG, and the human assistant facilitated the treatment intervention in the CG. The intervention procedures were identical in both groups. The primary outcome measures included parent-completed questionnaires, the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS), and frequency of eye contact, which was measured with the partial interval recording method. After completing treatment, the eye contact percentages were significantly increased in both groups. For facial emotion recognition, the percentages of correct answers were increased in similar patterns in both groups compared to baseline (P > 0.05), with no difference between the TG and CG (P > 0.05). The subjects' ability to play, general behavioral and emotional symptoms were significantly diminished after treatment (p < 0.05). These results showed that the robot-facilitated and human-facilitated behavioral interventions had similar positive effects on eye contact and facial emotion recognition, which suggested that robots are useful mediators of social skills training for children with ASD. Autism Res 2017,. © 2017 International Society for Autism Research, Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Autism Res 2017, 10: 1306-1323. © 2017 International Society for Autism Research, Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2017 International Society for Autism Research, Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

32 CFR 272.3 - Definition of basic research.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... 32 National Defense 2 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Definition of basic research. 272.3 Section 272...) MISCELLANEOUS ADMINISTRATION AND SUPPORT OF BASIC RESEARCH BY THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE § 272.3 Definition of basic research. Basic research is systematic study directed toward greater knowledge or understanding of...

32 CFR 272.3 - Definition of basic research.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... 32 National Defense 2 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false Definition of basic research. 272.3 Section 272...) MISCELLANEOUS ADMINISTRATION AND SUPPORT OF BASIC RESEARCH BY THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE § 272.3 Definition of basic research. Basic research is systematic study directed toward greater knowledge or understanding of...

Proven and novel strategies for efficient editing of the human genome.

PubMed

Mussolino, Claudio; Mlambo, Tafadzwa; Cathomen, Toni

2015-10-01

Targeted gene editing with designer nucleases has become increasingly popular. The most commonly used designer nuclease platforms are engineered meganucleases, zinc-finger nucleases, transcription activator-like effector nucleases and the clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeat/Cas9 system. These powerful tools have greatly facilitated the generation of plant and animal models for basic research, and harbor an enormous potential for applications in biotechnology and gene therapy. This review recapitulates proven concepts of targeted genome engineering in primary human cells and elaborates on novel concepts that became possible with the dawn of RNA-guided nucleases and RNA-guided transcription factors. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs and the individual with chronic vestibular dysfunction.

PubMed

Haybach, P J

1994-01-01

Individuals with chronic vestibular dysfunction may have unmet physiological or safety needs on a chronic basis. Their inability to fulfill the basic needs and progress to higher needs can lead to a patient population with many psychosocial problems. Very often such problems are ignored or unrecognized or are misdiagnosed, and treated inappropriately. This disruption in the individual's life can lead to an inability to progress as a human being. Nursing assessment and appropriate interventions should be developed to treat psychosocial problems in this patient population. The nursing profession should serve patients with vestibular dysfunction through direct care, teaching, counseling, support group facilitation, and research into appropriate interventions.

Martial arts sports medicine: current issues and competition event coverage.

PubMed

Nishime, Robert S

2007-06-01

More sports medicine professionals are becoming actively involved in the care of the martial arts athlete. Although there are many different forms of martial arts practiced worldwide, certain styles have shown a potential for increased participation in competitive-type events. Further research is needed to better understand the prevalence and profiles of injuries sustained in martial arts full-contact competitive events. Breaking down the martial art techniques into basic concepts of striking, grappling, and submission maneuvers, including choking and joint locking, may facilitate better understanding and management of injuries. This article outlines this approach and reviews the commonly encountered injuries and problems during martial arts full-contact competitions.

Current Progress in Therapeutic Gene Editing for Monogenic Diseases

PubMed Central

Prakash, Versha; Moore, Marc; Yáñez-Muñoz, Rafael J

2016-01-01

Programmable nucleases allow defined alterations in the genome with ease-of-use, efficiency, and specificity. Their availability has led to accurate and widespread genome engineering, with multiple applications in basic research, biotechnology, and therapy. With regard to human gene therapy, nuclease-based gene editing has facilitated development of a broad range of therapeutic strategies based on both nonhomologous end joining and homology-dependent repair. This review discusses current progress in nuclease-based therapeutic applications for a subset of inherited monogenic diseases including cystic fibrosis, Duchenne muscular dystrophy, diseases of the bone marrow, and hemophilia and highlights associated challenges and future prospects. PMID:26765770

Selecting the most appropriate inferential statistical test for your quantitative research study.

PubMed

Bettany-Saltikov, Josette; Whittaker, Victoria Jane

2014-06-01

To discuss the issues and processes relating to the selection of the most appropriate statistical test. A review of the basic research concepts together with a number of clinical scenarios is used to illustrate this. Quantitative nursing research generally features the use of empirical data which necessitates the selection of both descriptive and statistical tests. Different types of research questions can be answered by different types of research designs, which in turn need to be matched to a specific statistical test(s). Discursive paper. This paper discusses the issues relating to the selection of the most appropriate statistical test and makes some recommendations as to how these might be dealt with. When conducting empirical quantitative studies, a number of key issues need to be considered. Considerations for selecting the most appropriate statistical tests are discussed and flow charts provided to facilitate this process. When nursing clinicians and researchers conduct quantitative research studies, it is crucial that the most appropriate statistical test is selected to enable valid conclusions to be made. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

[The Academy of Ideas - second edition 2014].

PubMed

2014-01-01

The Academy of Ideas is an initiative of the Italian Society of Nephrology, dedicated to young people who work in nephrology. The 2014 edition wants to foster innovative ideas at different levels of maturity along the research and innovation process, through two distinct sections meant for people who present basic or applied research ideas and for people who submit proofs of concepts transferable to products or services in a relatively short time period. The proposal aims to enhance grant application skills, giving to young researchers the opportunity of collaborating with multi-disciplinary groups of professionals; help young researchers to exploit ideas arising from clinical research and showing a Technology Readiness Level that allows immediate or close in time applicability; foster the understanding of the business perspective in the nephrology sector: giving to young scientists the opportunity to have in-hand experience on challenges related to bringing to the market research results; create a network of knowledge and collaboration among young researchers to facilitate the establishment of collaborative relationships and promote the creation of new projects and publications of high scientific impact.

European Network of Bipolar Research Expert Centre (ENBREC): a network to foster research and promote innovative care.

PubMed

Henry, Chantal; Andreassen, Ole A; Barbato, Angelo; Demotes-Mainard, Jacques; Goodwin, Guy; Leboyer, Marion; Vieta, Eduard; Nolen, Willem A; Kessing, Lars Vedel; Scott, Jan; Bauer, Michael

2013-01-01

Bipolar disorders rank as one of the most disabling illnesses in working age adults worldwide. Despite this, the quality of care offered to patients with this disorder is suboptimal, largely due to limitations in our understanding of the pathology. Improving this scenario requires the development of a critical mass of expertise and multicentre collaborative projects. Within the framework of the European FP7 programme, we developed a European Network of Bipolar Research Expert Centres (ENBREC) designed specifically to facilitate EU-wide studies. ENBREC provides an integrated support structure facilitating research on disease mechanisms and clinical outcomes across six European countries (France, Germany, Italy, Norway, Spain and the UK). The centres are adopting a standardised clinical assessment that explores multiple aspects of bipolar disorder through a structured evaluation designed to inform clinical decision-making as well as being applicable to research. Reliable, established measures have been prioritised, and instruments have been translated and validated when necessary. An electronic healthcare record and monitoring system (e-ENBREC©) has been developed to collate the data. Protocols to conduct multicentre clinical observational studies and joint studies on cognitive function, biomarkers, genetics, and neuroimaging are in progress; a pilot study has been completed on strategies for routine implementation of psycho-education. The network demonstrates 'proof of principle' that expert centres across Europe can collaborate on a wide range of basic science and clinical programmes using shared protocols. This paper is to describe the network and how it aims to improve the quality and effectiveness of research in a neglected priority area.

High-Throughput Assessment of Cellular Mechanical Properties.

PubMed

Darling, Eric M; Di Carlo, Dino

2015-01-01

Traditionally, cell analysis has focused on using molecular biomarkers for basic research, cell preparation, and clinical diagnostics; however, new microtechnologies are enabling evaluation of the mechanical properties of cells at throughputs that make them amenable to widespread use. We review the current understanding of how the mechanical characteristics of cells relate to underlying molecular and architectural changes, describe how these changes evolve with cell-state and disease processes, and propose promising biomedical applications that will be facilitated by the increased throughput of mechanical testing: from diagnosing cancer and monitoring immune states to preparing cells for regenerative medicine. We provide background about techniques that laid the groundwork for the quantitative understanding of cell mechanics and discuss current efforts to develop robust techniques for rapid analysis that aim to implement mechanophenotyping as a routine tool in biomedicine. Looking forward, we describe additional milestones that will facilitate broad adoption, as well as new directions not only in mechanically assessing cells but also in perturbing them to passively engineer cell state.

Remote care of a patient with stroke in rural Trinidad: use of telemedicine to optimise global neurological care.

PubMed

Reyes, Antonio Jose; Ramcharan, Kanterpersad

2016-08-02

We report a patient driven home care system that successfully assisted 24/7 with the management of a 68-year-old woman after a stroke-a global illness. The patient's caregiver and physician used computer devices, smartphones and internet access for information exchange. Patient, caregiver, family and physician satisfaction, coupled with outcome and cost were indictors of quality of care. The novelty of this basic model of teleneurology is characterised by implementing a patient/caregiver driven system designed to improve access to cost-efficient neurological care, which has potential for use in primary, secondary and tertiary levels of healthcare in rural and underserved regions of the world. We suggest involvement of healthcare stakeholders in teleneurology to address this global problem of limited access to neurological care. This model can facilitate the management of neurological diseases, impact on outcome, reduce frequency of consultations and hospitalisations, facilitate teaching of healthcare workers and promote research. 2016 BMJ Publishing Group Ltd.

Using Open and Interoperable Ways to Publish and Access LANCE AIRS Near-Real Time Data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zhao, Peisheng; Lynnes, Christopher; Vollmer, Bruce; Savtchenko, Andrey; Theobald, Michael; Yang, Wenli

2011-01-01

The Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS) Near-Real Time (NRT) data from the Land Atmosphere Near real-time Capability for EOS (LANCE) element at the Goddard Earth Sciences Data and Information Services Center (GES DISC) provides information on the global and regional atmospheric state, with very low temporal latency, to support climate research and improve weather forecasting. An open and interoperable platform is useful to facilitate access to, and integration of, LANCE AIRS NRT data. As Web services technology has matured in recent years, a new scalable Service-Oriented Architecture (SOA) is emerging as the basic platform for distributed computing and large networks of interoperable applications. Following the provide-register-discover-consume SOA paradigm, this presentation discusses how to use open-source geospatial software components to build Web services for publishing and accessing AIRS NRT data, explore the metadata relevant to registering and discovering data and services in the catalogue systems, and implement a Web portal to facilitate users' consumption of the data and services.

Associative Learning in Invertebrates

PubMed Central

Hawkins, Robert D.; Byrne, John H.

2015-01-01

This work reviews research on neural mechanisms of two types of associative learning in the marine mollusk Aplysia, classical conditioning of the gill- and siphon-withdrawal reflex and operant conditioning of feeding behavior. Basic classical conditioning is caused in part by activity-dependent facilitation at sensory neuron–motor neuron (SN–MN) synapses and involves a hybrid combination of activity-dependent presynaptic facilitation and Hebbian potentiation, which are coordinated by trans-synaptic signaling. Classical conditioning also shows several higher-order features, which might be explained by the known circuit connections in Aplysia. Operant conditioning is caused in part by a different type of mechanism, an intrinsic increase in excitability of an identified neuron in the central pattern generator (CPG) for feeding. However, for both classical and operant conditioning, adenylyl cyclase is a molecular site of convergence of the two signals that are associated. Learning in other invertebrate preparations also involves many of the same mechanisms, which may contribute to learning in vertebrates as well. PMID:25877219

The Quality of a "Local Values Based" Fuctional Literacy Program: Its Contribution to the Improvement of the Learner's Basic Competencies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wahyudin, Uyu

2015-01-01

Literacy facilitators across the archipelago are currently faced with the challenge to integrate local values in functional literacy education programs, because its integration is a new aspect. This makes localized literacy content a hard thing to implement. Yet, if properly conducted, it can lead to improved learner's basic competencies. In an…

AECAP Guide for State Leaders: State and Local Coordination and Planning to Strengthen Adult Basic Education Services

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alamprese, Judith A.; Gwaltney, Margaret K.

2010-01-01

The Adult Education Coordination and Planning (AECAP) guide is designed to assist state adult education staff in forming partnerships at the state level and facilitating coordination at the local level as a lever for expanding and improving the quality of adult basic education (ABE) and workforce development services. Coordination plays a critical…

Helping mothers survive bleeding after birth: an evaluation of simulation-based training in a low-resource setting.

PubMed

Nelissen, Ellen; Ersdal, Hege; Ostergaard, Doris; Mduma, Estomih; Broerse, Jacqueline; Evjen-Olsen, Bjørg; van Roosmalen, Jos; Stekelenburg, Jelle

2014-03-01

To evaluate "Helping Mothers Survive Bleeding After Birth" (HMS BAB) simulation-based training in a low-resource setting. Educational intervention study. Rural referral hospital in Northern Tanzania. Clinicians, nurse-midwives, medical attendants, and ambulance drivers involved in maternity care. In March 2012, health care workers were trained in HMS BAB, a half-day simulation-based training, using a train-the-trainer model. The training focused on basic delivery care, active management of third stage of labor, and treatment of postpartum hemorrhage, including bimanual uterine compression. Evaluation questionnaires provided information on course perception. Knowledge, skills, and confidence of facilitators and learners were tested before and after training. Four master trainers trained eight local facilitators, who subsequently trained 89 learners. After training, all facilitators passed the knowledge test, but pass rates for the skills test were low (29% pass rate for basic delivery and 0% pass rate for management of postpartum hemorrhage). Evaluation revealed that HMS BAB training was considered acceptable and feasible, although more time should be allocated for training, and teaching materials should be translated into the local language. Knowledge, skills, and confidence of learners increased significantly immediately after training. However, overall pass rates for skills tests of learners after training were low (3% pass rate for basic delivery and management of postpartum hemorrhage). The HMS BAB simulation-based training has potential to contribute to education of health care providers. We recommend a full day of training and validation of the facilitators to improve the training. © 2013 Nordic Federation of Societies of Obstetrics and Gynecology.

Biomarkers--a pot of gold or a can of worms?: Meeting report from the 2nd World Congress on Biomarkers & Clinical Research, 2011, Baltimore, USA.

PubMed

Weber, Georg F; Warren, Jeremy; Shoma, Hitoshi; Chen, Tao; Halim, Abdel; Chakravarty, Geetika

2012-08-01

Biomarkers are biological agents used as indicators of biological states. In clinical applications, biomarkers reflect the presence, severity, or progression of disease states. They may also predict risk or responsiveness of a disease to a given treatment. There has been increasingly intense research interest in biomarkers, yet their translation into routine clinical use is lagging. To stimulate communication and cross-fertilization, the 2nd World Congress on Biomarkers & Clinical Research was held in Baltimore, MD, USA in 2011. The symposium covered a broad range of basic and applied biomarker research with the intent to facilitate bench-to-bedside developments. Sessions discussed DNA-based, proteomic, and blood-borne markers. The presentations covered biomarkers for cancer, other various diseases, and toxicological agents. Other topics included biomarker data assimilation, validation, standardization and quality control, as well as molecular imaging and informatics. New high-throughput assays, model systems and emerging technologies give reasons to hope for further rapid progress in the field.

Consequences of common data analysis inaccuracies in CNS trauma injury basic research.

PubMed

Burke, Darlene A; Whittemore, Scott R; Magnuson, David S K

2013-05-15

The development of successful treatments for humans after traumatic brain or spinal cord injuries (TBI and SCI, respectively) requires animal research. This effort can be hampered when promising experimental results cannot be replicated because of incorrect data analysis procedures. To identify and hopefully avoid these errors in future studies, the articles in seven journals with the highest number of basic science central nervous system TBI and SCI animal research studies published in 2010 (N=125 articles) were reviewed for their data analysis procedures. After identifying the most common statistical errors, the implications of those findings were demonstrated by reanalyzing previously published data from our laboratories using the identified inappropriate statistical procedures, then comparing the two sets of results. Overall, 70% of the articles contained at least one type of inappropriate statistical procedure. The highest percentage involved incorrect post hoc t-tests (56.4%), followed by inappropriate parametric statistics (analysis of variance and t-test; 37.6%). Repeated Measures analysis was inappropriately missing in 52.0% of all articles and, among those with behavioral assessments, 58% were analyzed incorrectly. Reanalysis of our published data using the most common inappropriate statistical procedures resulted in a 14.1% average increase in significant effects compared to the original results. Specifically, an increase of 15.5% occurred with Independent t-tests and 11.1% after incorrect post hoc t-tests. Utilizing proper statistical procedures can allow more-definitive conclusions, facilitate replicability of research results, and enable more accurate translation of those results to the clinic.

Evaluation of an Intervention Instructional Program to Facilitate Understanding of Basic Particle Concepts among Students Enrolled in Several Levels of Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Treagust, David F.; Chandrasegaran, A. L.; Zain, Ahmad N. M.; Ong, Eng Tek; Karpudewan, Mageswary; Halim, Lilia

2011-01-01

The efficacy of an intervention instructional program was evaluated to facilitate understanding of particle theory concepts among students (N = 190) using a diagnostic instrument consisting of eleven two-tier multiple-choice items in a pre-test--post-test design. The students involved were high school students, undergraduates and postgraduates…

[One hath more ado to preserve than to get--two examples of extracurricular course for cultivating a sense of research mind].

PubMed

Takeda, Sen; Kitami, Yoshikazu; Arimatsu, Tomoyuki

2013-03-01

Japanese medical schools currently confront a serious problem endangering the carrier path of medical students or doctors to the medical research activities in academic institutions. To address this issue, we have established an elective research promotion curriculum for medical students at the University of Yamanashi School of Medicine in 2006. While this system goes well in recruiting medical students to both basic and clinical research, we encounter now several issues that have to be fixed to consolidate this curriculum. To promote our system, we take part in the consortium of 4 universities in Kanto area (University of Tokyo, Chiba University, Gunma University, University of Yamanashi) for facilitating the interchange of medical students interested in research activities. We have just finished the 3rd summer meeting of affiliates lodging together in Gunma. This system serves for a lieu, where the "habitus" of researcher is shared among medical students and mentors. In the last part, three authors in different generations summarize what's important and problematic in recruiting and settling medical students to academic carrier.

Issues in Biomedical Research Data Management and Analysis: Needs and Barriers

PubMed Central

Anderson, Nicholas R.; Lee, E. Sally; Brockenbrough, J. Scott; Minie, Mark E.; Fuller, Sherrilynne; Brinkley, James; Tarczy-Hornoch, Peter

2007-01-01

Objectives A. Identify the current state of data management needs of academic biomedical researchers. B. Explore their anticipated data management and analysis needs. C. Identify barriers to addressing those needs. Design A multimodal needs analysis was conducted using a combination of an online survey and in-depth one-on-one semi-structured interviews. Subjects were recruited via an e-mail list representing a wide range of academic biomedical researchers in the Pacific Northwest. Measurements The results from 286 survey respondents were used to provide triangulation of the qualitative analysis of data gathered from 15 semi-structured in-depth interviews. Results Three major themes were identified: 1) there continues to be widespread use of basic general-purpose applications for core data management; 2) there is broad perceived need for additional support in managing and analyzing large datasets; and 3) the barriers to acquiring currently available tools are most commonly related to financial burdens on small labs and unmet expectations of institutional support. Conclusion Themes identified in this study suggest that at least some common data management needs will best be served by improving access to basic level tools such that researchers can solve their own problems. Additionally, institutions and informaticians should focus on three components: 1) facilitate and encourage the use of modern data exchange models and standards, enabling researchers to leverage a common layer of interoperability and analysis; 2) improve the ability of researchers to maintain provenance of data and models as they evolve over time though tools and the leveraging of standards; and 3) develop and support information management service cores that could assist in these previous components while providing researchers with unique data analysis and information design support within a spectrum of informatics capabilities. PMID:17460139

From molecules to behavior and the clinic: Integration in chronobiology.

PubMed

Bechtel, William

2013-12-01

Chronobiology, especially the study of circadian rhythms, provides a model scientific field in which philosophers can study how investigators from a variety of disciplines working at different levels of organization are each contributing to a multi-level account of the responsible mechanism. I focus on how the framework of mechanistic explanation integrates research designed to decompose the mechanism with efforts directed at recomposition that relies especially on computation models. I also examine how recently the integration has extended beyond basic research to the processes through which the disruption of circadian rhythms contributes to disease, including various forms of cancer. Understanding these linkages has been facilitated by discoveries about how circadian mechanisms interact with mechanisms involved in other physiological processes, including the cell cycle and the immune system. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The value of biomedical research training for veterinary anatomic and clinical pathologists.

PubMed

Sharkey, L C; Simpson, R M; Wellman, M L; Craig, L E; Birkebak, T A; Kock, N D; Miller, M A; Harris, R K; Munson, L

2012-07-01

Veterinary pathologists traditionally have been actively engaged in research as principal investigators and as collaborators. Pathologists frequently obtain advanced training in research; however, it appears that in the last 10 years there has been a reversal of a previous trend toward increasing numbers of pathologists obtaining PhD degrees. This has arisen despite an established shortage of veterinarians engaged in research. This article evaluates the benefits of research training for individual pathologists, including a wide spectrum of professional opportunities and additional skill development beyond that usually provided by diagnostic pathology training alone. Various training models are discussed, including combined and sequential diagnostic residency and research degree training as well as the nondegree research fellowship programs more commonly pursued in human medicine. Best-practice recommendations for program infrastructure, mentorship, time management, and a team approach to research and research training are advocated to facilitate the development of successful programs and to encourage a continued emphasis on integrated training for pathologists as both clinical diagnosticians and experimentalists. This article is intended to help prospective and active pathology trainees, their mentors, and educational administrators optimize opportunities to ensure the future vitality of veterinary pathologists, and their contributions, in basic and applied research.

Melodic Intonation Therapy: Back to Basics for Future Research

PubMed Central

Zumbansen, Anna; Peretz, Isabelle; Hébert, Sylvie

2014-01-01

We present a critical review of the literature on melodic intonation therapy (MIT), one of the most formalized treatments used by speech-language therapist in Broca’s aphasia. We suggest basic clarifications to enhance the scientific support of this promising treatment. First, therapeutic protocols using singing as a speech facilitation technique are not necessarily MIT. The goal of MIT is to restore propositional speech. The rationale is that patients can learn a new way to speak through singing by using language-capable regions of the right cerebral hemisphere. Eventually, patients are supposed to use this way of speaking permanently but not to sing overtly. We argue that many treatment programs covered in systematic reviews on MIT’s efficacy do not match MIT’s therapeutic goal and rationale. Critically, we identified two main variations of MIT: the French thérapie mélodique et rythmée (TMR) that trains patients to use singing overtly as a facilitation technique in case of speech struggle and palliative versions of MIT that help patients with the most severe expressive deficits produce a limited set of useful, readymade phrases. Second, we distinguish between the immediate effect of singing on speech production and the long-term effect of the entire program on language recovery. Many results in the MIT literature can be explained by this temporal perspective. Finally, we propose that MIT can be viewed as a treatment of apraxia of speech more than aphasia. This issue should be explored in future experimental studies. PMID:24478754

32 CFR Appendix A to Part 272 - Principles for the Conduct and Support of Basic Research

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... Research A Appendix A to Part 272 National Defense Department of Defense (Continued) OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY OF DEFENSE (CONTINUED) MISCELLANEOUS ADMINISTRATION AND SUPPORT OF BASIC RESEARCH BY THE... Research 1. Basic research is an investment. The DoD Components are to view and manage basic research...

Microwave Moisture Sensing of Seedcotton: Part 1: Seedcotton Microwave Material Properties.

PubMed

Pelletier, Mathew G; Wanjura, John D; Holt, Greg A

2016-11-02

Moisture content at harvest is a key parameter that impacts quality and how well the cotton crop can be stored without degrading before processing. It is also a key parameter of interest for harvest time field trials as it can directly influence the quality of the harvested crop as well as skew the results of in-field yield and quality assessments. Microwave sensing of moisture has several unique advantages over lower frequency sensing approaches. The first is that microwaves are insensitive to variations in conductivity, due to presence of salts or minerals. The second advantage is that microwaves can peer deep inside large bulk packaging to assess the internal moisture content without performing a destructive tear down of the package. To help facilitate the development of a microwave moisture sensor for seedcotton; research was performed to determine the basic microwave properties of seedcotton. The research was performed on 110 kg micro-modules, which are of direct interest to research teams for use in ongoing field-based research projects. It should also prove useful for the enhancement of existing and future yield monitor designs. Experimental data was gathered on the basic relations between microwave material properties and seedcotton over the range from 1.0 GHz to 2.5 GHz and is reported on herein. This research is part one of a two-part series that reports on the fundamental microwave properties of seedcotton as moisture and density vary naturally during the course of typical harvesting operations; part two will utilize this data to formulate a prediction algorithm to form the basis for a prototype microwave moisture sensor.

Microwave Moisture Sensing of Seedcotton: Part 1: Seedcotton Microwave Material Properties

PubMed Central

Pelletier, Mathew G.; Wanjura, John D.; Holt, Greg A.

2016-01-01

Moisture content at harvest is a key parameter that impacts quality and how well the cotton crop can be stored without degrading before processing. It is also a key parameter of interest for harvest time field trials as it can directly influence the quality of the harvested crop as well as skew the results of in-field yield and quality assessments. Microwave sensing of moisture has several unique advantages over lower frequency sensing approaches. The first is that microwaves are insensitive to variations in conductivity, due to presence of salts or minerals. The second advantage is that microwaves can peer deep inside large bulk packaging to assess the internal moisture content without performing a destructive tear down of the package. To help facilitate the development of a microwave moisture sensor for seedcotton; research was performed to determine the basic microwave properties of seedcotton. The research was performed on 110 kg micro-modules, which are of direct interest to research teams for use in ongoing field-based research projects. It should also prove useful for the enhancement of existing and future yield monitor designs. Experimental data was gathered on the basic relations between microwave material properties and seedcotton over the range from 1.0 GHz to 2.5 GHz and is reported on herein. This research is part one of a two-part series that reports on the fundamental microwave properties of seedcotton as moisture and density vary naturally during the course of typical harvesting operations; part two will utilize this data to formulate a prediction algorithm to form the basis for a prototype microwave moisture sensor. PMID:27827857

Teacher's Guide for Home Economics Curriculum Competency Based Modules for Integrating Basic Skills in Reading, Writing, and Mathematics.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Crabtree, Myrna P.; Maltby, Carolyn T.

This teacher's guide is designed to encourage home economics teachers to plan and implement units of study that will facilitate student competency development in home economics content areas as well as in basic skills. It is intended to assist teachers in the effective use of "Home Economics Curriculum Competency Based Modules in Reading,…

Developing a complex systems perspective for medical education to facilitate the integration of basic science and clinical medicine.

PubMed

Aron, David C

2017-04-01

The purpose of medical education is to produce competent and capable professional practitioners who can combine the art and science of medicine. Moreover, this process must prepare individuals to practise in a field in which knowledge is increasing and the contexts in which that knowledge is applied are changing in unpredictable ways. The 'basic sciences' are important in the training of a physician. The goal of basic science training is to learn it in a way that the material can be applied in practice. Much effort has been expended to integrate basic science and clinical training, while adding many other topics to the medical curriculum. This effort has been challenging. The aims of the paper are (1) to propose a unifying conceptual framework that facilitates knowledge integration among all levels of living systems from cell to society and (2) illustrate the organizing principles with two examples of the framework in action - cybernetic systems (with feedback) and distributed robustness. Literature related to hierarchical and holarchical frameworks was reviewed. An organizing framework derived from living systems theory and spanning the range from molecular biology to health systems management was developed. The application of cybernetic systems to three levels (regulation of pancreatic beta cell production of insulin, physician adjustment of medication for glycaemic control and development and action of performance measures for diabetes care) was illustrated. Similarly distributed robustness was illustrated by the DNA damage response system and principles underlying patient safety. Each of the illustrated organizing principles offers a means to facilitate the weaving of basic science and clinical medicine throughout the course of study. The use of such an approach may promote systems thinking, which is a core competency for effective and capable medical practice. Published 2016. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.

Organizational and physician perspectives about facilitating handheld computer use in clinical practice: results of a cross-site qualitative study.

PubMed

McAlearney, Ann Scheck; Schweikhart, Sharon B; Medow, Mitchell A

2005-01-01

To describe strategies that organizations select to support physicians' use of handheld computers (HHCs) in clinical practice and to explore issues about facilitating HHC use. A multidisciplinary team used focus groups and interviews with clinical, administrative, and information technology (IT) staff to gather data from 161 informants at seven sites. Transcripts were coded using a combination of deductive and inductive approaches to both answer research questions and identify patterns and themes that emerged in the data. Answers to questions about strategies for HHC support and themes about (1) how to facilitate physician adoption and use and (2) organizational concerns. Three main organizational strategies for HHC support were characterized among sites: (1) active support for broad-based use, (2) active support for niche use, and (3) basic support for individual physician users. Three high-level themes emerged around how to best facilitate physician adoption and use of HHCs: (1) improving usability and usefulness, (2) promoting HHCs and device use, and (3) providing training and support. However, four major themes also emerged related to organizations' concerns about HHC use: (1) security-related concerns, (2) economic concerns, (3) technical concerns, and (4) strategic concerns. An organizational approach to HHC support that involves individualized attention to existing and potential physician users rather than one-size-fits-all, organization-wide implementation efforts was an important facilitator promoting physician use of HHCs. Health care organizations interested in supporting HHC use must consider issues related to security, economics, and IT strategy that may not be prominent concerns for physician users.

AutoCAD-To-NASTRAN Translator Program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jones, A.

1989-01-01

Program facilitates creation of finite-element mathematical models from geometric entities. AutoCAD to NASTRAN translator (ACTON) computer program developed to facilitate quick generation of small finite-element mathematical models for use with NASTRAN finite-element modeling program. Reads geometric data of drawing from Data Exchange File (DXF) used in AutoCAD and other PC-based drafting programs. Written in Microsoft Quick-Basic (Version 2.0).

Is the use of sentient animals in basic research justifiable?

PubMed Central

2010-01-01

Animals can be used in many ways in science and scientific research. Given that society values sentient animals and that basic research is not goal oriented, the question is raised: "Is the use of sentient animals in basic research justifiable?" We explore this in the context of funding issues, outcomes from basic research, and the position of society as a whole on using sentient animals in research that is not goal oriented. We conclude that the use of sentient animals in basic research cannot be justified in light of society's priorities. PMID:20825676

Is the use of sentient animals in basic research justifiable?

PubMed

Greek, Ray; Greek, Jean

2010-09-08

Animals can be used in many ways in science and scientific research. Given that society values sentient animals and that basic research is not goal oriented, the question is raised: "Is the use of sentient animals in basic research justifiable?" We explore this in the context of funding issues, outcomes from basic research, and the position of society as a whole on using sentient animals in research that is not goal oriented. We conclude that the use of sentient animals in basic research cannot be justified in light of society's priorities.

DNA "nano-claw": logic-based autonomous cancer targeting and therapy.

PubMed

You, Mingxu; Peng, Lu; Shao, Na; Zhang, Liqin; Qiu, Liping; Cui, Cheng; Tan, Weihong

2014-01-29

Cell types, both healthy and diseased, can be classified by inventories of their cell-surface markers. Programmable analysis of multiple markers would enable clinicians to develop a comprehensive disease profile, leading to more accurate diagnosis and intervention. As a first step to accomplish this, we have designed a DNA-based device, called "Nano-Claw". Combining the special structure-switching properties of DNA aptamers with toehold-mediated strand displacement reactions, this claw is capable of performing autonomous logic-based analysis of multiple cancer cell-surface markers and, in response, producing a diagnostic signal and/or targeted photodynamic therapy. We anticipate that this design can be widely applied in facilitating basic biomedical research, accurate disease diagnosis, and effective therapy.

Robotics in cardiac surgery.

PubMed

Vassiliades, Thomas A

2006-03-01

The current status of surgical telemanipulators in the field of cardiac surgery is best described as a device in search of applications, as its role has not been clearly defined. Basic robotic technological research and development needs to focus on two key areas: (a) developing methods for modeling patient and surgical procedures with the ability to employ that customized information in the successful completion of a minimally invasive operation; and (b) developing novel human machine interactions that can overcome the barriers we currently face in performing surgical tasks using telemanipulators. Significant breakthroughs in these areas will then facilitate the construction and employment of enabling robotic systems, each with its specific clinical application. Copyright 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

pyres: a Python wrapper for electrical resistivity modeling with R2

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Befus, Kevin M.

2018-04-01

A Python package, pyres, was written to handle common as well as specialized input and output tasks for the R2 electrical resistivity (ER) modeling program. Input steps including handling field data, creating quadrilateral or triangular meshes, and data filtering allow repeatable and flexible ER modeling within a programming environment. pyres includes non-trivial routines and functions for locating and constraining specific known or separately-parameterized regions in both quadrilateral and triangular meshes. Three basic examples of how to run forward and inverse models with pyres are provided. The importance of testing mesh convergence and model sensitivity are also addressed with higher-level examples that show how pyres can facilitate future research-grade ER analyses.

Robot graphic simulation testbed

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cook, George E.; Sztipanovits, Janos; Biegl, Csaba; Karsai, Gabor; Springfield, James F.

1991-01-01

The objective of this research was twofold. First, the basic capabilities of ROBOSIM (graphical simulation system) were improved and extended by taking advantage of advanced graphic workstation technology and artificial intelligence programming techniques. Second, the scope of the graphic simulation testbed was extended to include general problems of Space Station automation. Hardware support for 3-D graphics and high processing performance make high resolution solid modeling, collision detection, and simulation of structural dynamics computationally feasible. The Space Station is a complex system with many interacting subsystems. Design and testing of automation concepts demand modeling of the affected processes, their interactions, and that of the proposed control systems. The automation testbed was designed to facilitate studies in Space Station automation concepts.

Commercialization, patents and moral assessment of biotechnology products.

PubMed

Hoedemaekers, R

2001-06-01

The biotechnology patent debates have revealed deep moral concerns about basic genetics research, R&D and specific biotechnological products, concerns that are seldom taken into consideration in Technology Assessment. In this paper important moral concerns are examined which appear at the various stages of development of a specific genetic product: a predictive genetic test. The purpose is to illustrate the need for a more contextual approach in technology assessment, which integrates the various forms of interaction between bio-technology and society or societal segments. Such an approach will generate greater insight in the moral issues at all stages of a product's life-cycle and this will facilitate decision-making on the 'morality' of a specific biotechnological product.

Use of EPA collaborative problem-solving model to obtain environmental justice in North Carolina.

PubMed

Wilson, Sacoby M; Wilson, Omega R; Heaney, Christopher D; Cooper, John

2007-01-01

The West End Revitalization Association (WERA), a community-based organization (CBO) in Mebane, North Carolina, was awarded a Collaborative Problem-Solving (CPS) grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Office of Environmental Justice (EPA OEJ). The purpose of this paper is to highlight WERA's efforts to bring stakeholders in three low-income African-American communities where environmental hazards created public health risks together for collaboration rather than litigation. WERA's board and staff organized nine working groups with specific areas of expertise that would facilitate research, identify lack of basic amenities, and encourage funding for corrective action and participation in progress reporting workshops. WERA used consensus building, dispute resolution, and resource mobilization as part of the CPS model to address noncompliance with environmental laws, including the Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, Safe Drinking Water Act, Toxic Substances Control Act, and Solid Waste Disposal Act. WERA's CPS "Right to Basic Amenities" project produced a framework for (1) grassroots management and ownership of a collaborative problem-solving process; (2) bringing stakeholders together with diverse and conflicting viewpoints; (3) implementation of an innovative community-owned and managed (COMR) research model; and (4) leveraging millions of dollars to fund installation of first-time municipal water/sewer services, street paving, and relocation of the 119-bypass to advance environmental health solutions. The structure and successes of WERA's Right to Basic Amenities project have been discussed at demonstration and training sessions to help others replicate the model in comparable low-income communities of color in North Carolina and across the United States.

NASA space life sciences research and education support program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jones, Terri K.

1995-01-01

USRA's Division of Space Life Sciences (DSLS) was established in 1983 as the Division of Space Biomedicine to facilitate participation of the university community in biomedical research programs at the NASA Johnson Space Center (JSC). The DSLS is currently housed in the Center for Advanced Space Studies (CASS), sharing quarters with the Division of Educational Programs and the Lunar and Planetary Institute. The DSLS provides visiting scientists for the Johnson Space Center; organizes conferences, workshops, meetings, and seminars; and, through subcontracts with outside institutions, supports NASA-related research at more than 25 such entities. The DSLS has considerable experience providing visiting scientists, experts, and consultants to work in concert with NASA Life Sciences researchers to define research missions and goals and to perform a wide variety of research administration and program management tasks. The basic objectives of this contract have been to stimulate, encourage, and assist research and education in the NASA life sciences. Scientists and experts from a number of academic and research institutions in this country and abroad have been recruited to support NASA's need to find a solution to human physiological problems associated with living and working in space and on extraterrestrial bodies in the solar system.

DDBJ read annotation pipeline: a cloud computing-based pipeline for high-throughput analysis of next-generation sequencing data.

PubMed

Nagasaki, Hideki; Mochizuki, Takako; Kodama, Yuichi; Saruhashi, Satoshi; Morizaki, Shota; Sugawara, Hideaki; Ohyanagi, Hajime; Kurata, Nori; Okubo, Kousaku; Takagi, Toshihisa; Kaminuma, Eli; Nakamura, Yasukazu

2013-08-01

High-performance next-generation sequencing (NGS) technologies are advancing genomics and molecular biological research. However, the immense amount of sequence data requires computational skills and suitable hardware resources that are a challenge to molecular biologists. The DNA Data Bank of Japan (DDBJ) of the National Institute of Genetics (NIG) has initiated a cloud computing-based analytical pipeline, the DDBJ Read Annotation Pipeline (DDBJ Pipeline), for a high-throughput annotation of NGS reads. The DDBJ Pipeline offers a user-friendly graphical web interface and processes massive NGS datasets using decentralized processing by NIG supercomputers currently free of charge. The proposed pipeline consists of two analysis components: basic analysis for reference genome mapping and de novo assembly and subsequent high-level analysis of structural and functional annotations. Users may smoothly switch between the two components in the pipeline, facilitating web-based operations on a supercomputer for high-throughput data analysis. Moreover, public NGS reads of the DDBJ Sequence Read Archive located on the same supercomputer can be imported into the pipeline through the input of only an accession number. This proposed pipeline will facilitate research by utilizing unified analytical workflows applied to the NGS data. The DDBJ Pipeline is accessible at http://p.ddbj.nig.ac.jp/.

DDBJ Read Annotation Pipeline: A Cloud Computing-Based Pipeline for High-Throughput Analysis of Next-Generation Sequencing Data

PubMed Central

Nagasaki, Hideki; Mochizuki, Takako; Kodama, Yuichi; Saruhashi, Satoshi; Morizaki, Shota; Sugawara, Hideaki; Ohyanagi, Hajime; Kurata, Nori; Okubo, Kousaku; Takagi, Toshihisa; Kaminuma, Eli; Nakamura, Yasukazu

2013-01-01

High-performance next-generation sequencing (NGS) technologies are advancing genomics and molecular biological research. However, the immense amount of sequence data requires computational skills and suitable hardware resources that are a challenge to molecular biologists. The DNA Data Bank of Japan (DDBJ) of the National Institute of Genetics (NIG) has initiated a cloud computing-based analytical pipeline, the DDBJ Read Annotation Pipeline (DDBJ Pipeline), for a high-throughput annotation of NGS reads. The DDBJ Pipeline offers a user-friendly graphical web interface and processes massive NGS datasets using decentralized processing by NIG supercomputers currently free of charge. The proposed pipeline consists of two analysis components: basic analysis for reference genome mapping and de novo assembly and subsequent high-level analysis of structural and functional annotations. Users may smoothly switch between the two components in the pipeline, facilitating web-based operations on a supercomputer for high-throughput data analysis. Moreover, public NGS reads of the DDBJ Sequence Read Archive located on the same supercomputer can be imported into the pipeline through the input of only an accession number. This proposed pipeline will facilitate research by utilizing unified analytical workflows applied to the NGS data. The DDBJ Pipeline is accessible at http://p.ddbj.nig.ac.jp/. PMID:23657089

Implementing 'translational' biomedical research: convergence and divergence among clinical and basic scientists.

PubMed

Morgan, Myfanwy; Barry, Christine A; Donovan, Jenny L; Sandall, Jane; Wolfe, Charles D A; Boaz, Annette

2011-10-01

Universities are increasingly regarded as key actors in the new 'knowledge economy', with requirements to produce market-oriented knowledge and engage in commercialization. This is of particular significance in the biomedical field, reflecting the perceived gap between success in terms of scientific discoveries and its transformation into products. The dominant discourse attributes this situation to 'blocks' in the translational pathway from 'bench to bedside', leading to policies to 'reengineer' the research enterprise. This study examines a pilot initiative established by the UK's Medical Research Council (MRC). This involved employing a change agent (Research Translator) supported by a small amount of translational funding to promote the culture and practice of translational research at a university/hospital site in England. An ethnographically informed case study involving semi-structured and open exploratory interviews, observation and document review, was conducted in 2008. Analysis and interpretation were informed by Bourdieu's logic of practice applied to science. The requirements of translational research promoted by the Research Translator and its sources of capital (authority, prestige etc) were largely congruent with the 'field' of clinical science. In contrast, translational research diverged from perceptions of 'legitimate' science and requirements for capital accumulation held by the majority of basic scientists who often described this research as 'high risk' and were resistant to the Research Translator's advice. However some differences in motivations and practices were identified within groups of scientists associated with career stage, work environment and specialty. We argue that there are convergent and divergent forces that influence scientists' readiness to adopt a market-oriented translational research model and in turn facilitate or constrain the effectiveness of a knowledge broker. We also identify ways in which current structures and policies continue to promote a continuum of forms of knowledge production, thus challenging notions of a linear shift. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Facilitators and Barriers of Drop-In Center Use Among Homeless Youth.

PubMed

Pedersen, Eric R; Tucker, Joan S; Kovalchik, Stephanie A

2016-08-01

Drop-in centers for homeless youth address basic needs for food, hygiene, and clothing but can also provide critical services that address youth's "higher level" needs (e.g., substance use treatment, mental health care, HIV-related programs). Unlike other services that have restrictive rules, drop-in centers typically try to break down barriers and take a "come as you are" approach to engaging youth in services. Given their popularity, drop-in centers represent a promising location to deliver higher level services to youth that may not seek services elsewhere. A better understanding of the individual-level factors (e.g., characteristics of homeless youth) and agency-level factors (e.g., characteristics of staff and environment) that facilitate and impede youth engagement in drop-in centers will help inform research and outreach efforts designed to engage these at-risk youth in services. Thus, the goal of this review was to develop a preliminary conceptual model of drop-in center use by homeless youth. Toward this goal, we reviewed 20 available peer-reviewed articles and reports on the facilitators and barriers of drop-in center usage and consulted broader models of service utilization from both youth and adult studies to inform model development. Copyright © 2016 Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine. All rights reserved.

Facilitators and barriers of drop-in center use among homeless youth

PubMed Central

Pedersen, Eric R.; Tucker, Joan S.; Kovalchik, Stephanie A.

2016-01-01

Drop-in centers for homeless youth address basic needs for food, hygiene, and clothing, but can also provide critical services that address youth’s “higher-level” needs (e.g., substance use treatment, mental health care, HIV-related programs). Unlike other services that have restrictive rules, drop-in centers typically try to break down barriers and take a “come as you are” approach to engaging youth in services. Given their popularity, drop-in centers represent a promising location to deliver higher level services to youth that may not seek services elsewhere. A better understanding of the individual-level factors (e.g., characteristics of homeless youth) and agency-level factors (e.g., characteristics of staff and environment) that facilitate and impede youth engagement in drop-in centers will help inform research and outreach efforts designed to engage these at-risk youth in services. Thus, the goal of this review was to develop a preliminary conceptual model of drop-in center use by homeless youth. Towards this goal, we reviewed 20 available peer-reviewed papers and reports on the facilitators and barriers of drop-in center usage and consulted broader models of service utilization from both youth and adult studies to inform model development. PMID:27238839

The emerging physiological roles of the SLC14A family of urea transporters

PubMed Central

Stewart, Gavin

2011-01-01

In mammals, urea is the main nitrogenous breakdown product of protein catabolism and is produced in the liver. In certain tissues, the movement of urea across cell membranes is specifically mediated by a group of proteins known as the SLC14A family of facilitative urea transporters. These proteins are derived from two distinct genes, UT-A (SLC14A2) and UT-B (SLC14A1). Facilitative urea transporters play an important role in two major physiological processes – urinary concentration and urea nitrogen salvaging. Although UT-A and UT-B transporters both have a similar basic structure and mediate the transport of urea in a facilitative manner, there are a number of significant differences between them. UT-A transporters are mainly found in the kidney, are highly specific for urea, have relatively lower transport rates and are highly regulated at both gene expression and cellular localization levels. In contrast, UT-B transporters are more widespread in their tissue location, transport both urea and water, have a relatively high transport rate, are inhibited by mercurial compounds and currently appear to be less acutely regulated. This review details the fundamental research that has so far been performed to investigate the function and physiological significance of these two types of urea transporters. PMID:21449978

Basic Design, a Needed Foundation for Designing a Successful Garment: A Case Study of Dressmakers in the Ho Municipality, Volta Region, Ghana

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gbetodeme, Selom; Amankwa, Joana; Dzegblor, Noble Komla

2016-01-01

To facilitate the design process in every art form, there are certain guidelines that all professional designers should use. These are known as elements and principles of design. This study is a survey carried out to assess the knowledge of dressmakers about basic design in the Ho Municipality of Ghana. Sixty dressmakers were randomly sampled for…

Critical thinking skills of basic baccalaureate and Accelerated second-degree nursing students.

PubMed

Newton, Sarah E; Moore, Gary

2013-01-01

The purpose of this study was to describe the critical thinking (CT) skills of basic baccalaureate (basic-BSN) and accelerated second-degree (ASD) nursing students at nursing program entry. Many authors propose that CT in nursing should be viewed as a developmental process that increases as students' experiences with it change. However, there is a dearth of literature that describes basic-BSN and ASD students' CT skills from an evolutionary perspective. The study design was exploratory descriptive. The results indicated thatASD students had higher CT scores on a quantitative critical thinking assessment at program entry than basic-BSN students. CT data are needed across the nursing curriculum from basic-BSN and ASD students in order for nurse educators to develop cohort-specific pedagogical approaches that facilitate critical thinking in nursing and produce nurses with good CT skills for the future.

Understanding factors associated with the translation of cardiovascular research: a multinational case study approach

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Funders of health research increasingly seek to understand how best to allocate resources in order to achieve maximum value from their funding. We built an international consortium and developed a multinational case study approach to assess benefits arising from health research. We used that to facilitate analysis of factors in the production of research that might be associated with translating research findings into wider impacts, and the complexities involved. Methods We built on the Payback Framework and expanded its application through conducting co-ordinated case studies on the payback from cardiovascular and stroke research in Australia, Canada and the United Kingdom. We selected a stratified random sample of projects from leading medical research funders. We devised a series of innovative steps to: minimize the effect of researcher bias; rate the level of impacts identified in the case studies; and interrogate case study narratives to identify factors that correlated with achieving high or low levels of impact. Results Twenty-nine detailed case studies produced many and diverse impacts. Over the 15 to 20 years examined, basic biomedical research has a greater impact than clinical research in terms of academic impacts such as knowledge production and research capacity building. Clinical research has greater levels of wider impact on health policies, practice, and generating health gains. There was no correlation between knowledge production and wider impacts. We identified various factors associated with high impact. Interaction between researchers and practitioners and the public is associated with achieving high academic impact and translation into wider impacts, as is basic research conducted with a clinical focus. Strategic thinking by clinical researchers, in terms of thinking through pathways by which research could potentially be translated into practice, is associated with high wider impact. Finally, we identified the complexity of factors behind research translation that can arise in a single case. Conclusions We can systematically assess research impacts and use the findings to promote translation. Research funders can justify funding research of diverse types, but they should not assume academic impacts are proxies for wider impacts. They should encourage researchers to consider pathways towards impact and engage potential research users in research processes. PMID:24755187

Understanding factors associated with the translation of cardiovascular research: a multinational case study approach.

PubMed

Wooding, Steven; Hanney, Stephen R; Pollitt, Alexandra; Grant, Jonathan; Buxton, Martin J

2014-04-21

Funders of health research increasingly seek to understand how best to allocate resources in order to achieve maximum value from their funding. We built an international consortium and developed a multinational case study approach to assess benefits arising from health research. We used that to facilitate analysis of factors in the production of research that might be associated with translating research findings into wider impacts, and the complexities involved. We built on the Payback Framework and expanded its application through conducting co-ordinated case studies on the payback from cardiovascular and stroke research in Australia, Canada and the United Kingdom. We selected a stratified random sample of projects from leading medical research funders. We devised a series of innovative steps to: minimize the effect of researcher bias; rate the level of impacts identified in the case studies; and interrogate case study narratives to identify factors that correlated with achieving high or low levels of impact. Twenty-nine detailed case studies produced many and diverse impacts. Over the 15 to 20 years examined, basic biomedical research has a greater impact than clinical research in terms of academic impacts such as knowledge production and research capacity building. Clinical research has greater levels of wider impact on health policies, practice, and generating health gains. There was no correlation between knowledge production and wider impacts. We identified various factors associated with high impact. Interaction between researchers and practitioners and the public is associated with achieving high academic impact and translation into wider impacts, as is basic research conducted with a clinical focus. Strategic thinking by clinical researchers, in terms of thinking through pathways by which research could potentially be translated into practice, is associated with high wider impact. Finally, we identified the complexity of factors behind research translation that can arise in a single case. We can systematically assess research impacts and use the findings to promote translation. Research funders can justify funding research of diverse types, but they should not assume academic impacts are proxies for wider impacts. They should encourage researchers to consider pathways towards impact and engage potential research users in research processes.

Promise of new imaging technologies for assessing ovarian function.

PubMed

Singh, Jaswant; Adams, Gregg P; Pierson, Roger A

2003-10-15

Advancements in imaging technologies over the last two decades have ushered a quiet revolution in research approaches to the study of ovarian structure and function. The most significant changes in our understanding of the ovary have resulted from the use of ultrasonography which has enabled sequential analyses in live animals. Computer-assisted image analysis and mathematical modeling of the dynamic changes within the ovary has permitted exciting new avenues of research with readily quantifiable endpoints. Spectral, color-flow and power Doppler imaging now facilitate physiologic interpretations of vascular dynamics over time. Similarly, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is emerging as a research tool in ovarian imaging. New technologies, such as three-dimensional ultrasonography and MRI, ultrasound-based biomicroscopy and synchrotron-based techniques each have the potential to enhance our real-time picture of ovarian function to the near-cellular level. Collectively, information available in ultrasonography, MRI, computer-assisted image analysis and mathematical modeling heralds a new era in our understanding of the basic processes of female and male reproduction.

[Application of virtual instrumentation technique in toxicological studies].

PubMed

Moczko, Jerzy A

2005-01-01

Research investigations require frequently direct connection of measuring equipment to the computer. Virtual instrumentation technique considerably facilitates programming of sophisticated acquisition-and-analysis procedures. In standard approach these two steps are performed subsequently with separate software tools. The acquired data are transfered with export / import procedures of particular program to the another one which executes next step of analysis. The described procedure is cumbersome, time consuming and may be potential source of the errors. In 1987 National Instruments Corporation introduced LabVIEW language based on the concept of graphical programming. Contrary to conventional textual languages it allows the researcher to concentrate on the resolved problem and omit all syntactical rules. Programs developed in LabVIEW are called as virtual instruments (VI) and are portable among different computer platforms as PCs, Macintoshes, Sun SPARCstations, Concurrent PowerMAX stations, HP PA/RISK workstations. This flexibility warrants that the programs prepared for one particular platform would be also appropriate to another one. In presented paper basic principles of connection of research equipment to computer systems were described.

Active patient involvement in the education of health professionals.

PubMed

Towle, Angela; Bainbridge, Lesley; Godolphin, William; Katz, Arlene; Kline, Cathy; Lown, Beth; Madularu, Ioana; Solomon, Patricia; Thistlethwaite, Jill

2010-01-01

Patients as educators (teaching intimate physical examination) first appeared in the 1960s. Since then, rationales for the active involvement of patients as educators have been well articulated. There is great potential to promote the learning of patient-centred practice, interprofessional collaboration, community involvement, shared decision making and how to support self-care. We reviewed and summarised the literature on active patient involvement in health professional education. A synthesis of the literature reveals increasing diversity in the ways in which patients are involved in education, but also the movement's weaknesses. Most initiatives are 'one-off' events and are reported as basic descriptions. There is little rigorous research or theory of practice or investigation of behavioural outcomes. The literature is scattered and uses terms (such as 'patient'!) that are contentious and confusing. We propose future directions for research and development, including a taxonomy to facilitate dialogue, an outline of a research strategy and reference to a comprehensive bibliography covering all health and human services.

The Importance of Collaboration in Advancing Understanding of Rare Disorders: US/EU Joint Initiative on Silver-Russell Syndrome.

PubMed

Salem, Jennifer B; Netchine, Irène; Harbison, Madeleine D

2017-11-01

Patient-support organizations can facilitate a significant change in the way rare disorders are approached. Besides connecting families with each other and directing patients to experienced medical specialists, these groups, by collaborating with government initiatives like COST, can effect the direction and funding of rare disease research. By concentrating the rare disease patient population and funneling them to specific centers of excellence, these organizations help build specialists' experience and their study populations. It requires a basic spirit of collaboration, driven parent leaders, a well-organized support platform, sources of funding, supportive clinical and research professionals and finally an effective method of collecting and disseminating information. Silver-Russell Syndrome is an excellent example of a rare disorder that has become better recognized, understood and treated because patient-support organizations, using the internet as a critical tool, have worked together with clinical care/research specialists and public funding agencies to build collaboration. Copyright© of YS Medical Media ltd.

A standard methodology for the analysis, recording, and control of verbal behavior

PubMed Central

Drash, Philip W.; Tudor, Roger M.

1991-01-01

Lack of a standard methodology has been one of the major obstacles preventing advancement of behavior analytic research in verbal behavior. This article presents a standard method for the analysis, recording, and control of verbal behavior that overcomes several major methodological problems that have hindered operant research in verbal behavior. The system divides all verbal behavior into four functional response classes, correct, error, no response, and inappropriate behavior, from which all vocal responses of a subject may be classified and consequated. The effects of contingencies of reinforcement on verbal operants within each category are made immediately visible to the researcher as changes in frequency of response. Incorporating frequency of response within each category as the unit of response allows both rate and probability of verbal response to be utilized as basic dependent variables. This method makes it possible to record and consequate verbal behavior in essentially the same way as any other operant response. It may also facilitate an experimental investigation of Skinner's verbal response categories. PMID:22477629

The Center for the Study of Early Events in Photosynthesis. Final report, September 1, 1988--August 31, 1994

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

Orr, L.A.

The ASU Center for the Study of Early Events in Photosynthesis was established in 1988 with funding through a five-year grant from the USDA/DOE/NSF Plant Science Center program and a grant from the NSF Biological Facilities program. Its scientific objective is to elucidate the basic principles that govern photosynthetic energy collection and storage. Understanding these principles is vital to mankind, as photosynthesis provides most of our food, fiber and energy needs. The Center attempts to fulfill this objective through research of the highest standard, coupled inextricably with quality education at the undergraduate, graduate and postdoctoral levels. These goals are metmore » via a network of collaborative, interdisciplinary research groups comprising 100 personnel within the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, the Department of Botany, and the Department of Physics and Astronomy. The work of these research groups is facilitated by the Center through a variety of important infrastructural functions.« less

Injury to the Preterm Brain and Cerebral Palsy: Clinical Aspects, Molecular Mechanisms, Unanswered Questions, and Future Research Directions

PubMed Central

Babcock, Michael A.; Kostova, Felina V.; Ferriero, Donna M.; Johnston, Michael V.; Brunstrom, Jan E.; Hagberg, Henrik; Maria, Bernard L.

2013-01-01

Cerebral palsy will affect nearly 10% of the 60,000 very-low-birth-weight infants born in the United States in the next year, and an even greater percentage will display some form of permanent neurological impairment resulting from injury to the preterm brain. The 2008 Neurobiology of Disease in Children Symposium, held in conjunction with the 37th annual meeting of the Child Neurology Society, aimed to define current knowledge and to develop specific aims for future clinical, translational, and fundamental science. A complex interplay of both destructive and developmental forces is responsible for injury to the preterm brain. Advances in imaging and histology have implicated a variety of cell types, though pre-oligodendrocyte injury remains the focus. Research into different mechanisms of injury is facilitating new neuroprotective and rehabilitative interventions. A cooperative effort is necessary to translate basic research findings into clinically effective therapies and better care for these children. PMID:19745084

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

Scholtz, Jean

A new field of research, visual analytics, has recently been introduced. This has been defined as “the science of analytical reasoning facilitated by visual interfaces." Visual analytic environments, therefore, support analytical reasoning using visual representations and interactions, with data representations and transformation capabilities, to support production, presentation and dissemination. As researchers begin to develop visual analytic environments, it will be advantageous to develop metrics and methodologies to help researchers measure the progress of their work and understand the impact their work will have on the users who will work in such environments. This paper presents five areas or aspects ofmore » visual analytic environments that should be considered as metrics and methodologies for evaluation are developed. Evaluation aspects need to include usability, but it is necessary to go beyond basic usability. The areas of situation awareness, collaboration, interaction, creativity, and utility are proposed as areas for initial consideration. The steps that need to be undertaken to develop systematic evaluation methodologies and metrics for visual analytic environments are outlined.« less

pGALS – paediatric Gait Arms Legs and Spine: a simple examination of the musculoskeletal system

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

We describe pGALS (paediatric Gait, Arms, Legs and Spine) – a simple quick musculoskeletal assessment to distinguish abnormal from normal joints in children and young people. The use of pGALS is aimed at the non-specialist in paediatric musculoskeletal medicine as a basic clinical skill to be used in conjunction with essential knowledge about red flags, normal development and awareness of patterns of musculoskeletal pathologies. pGALS has been validated in school-aged children and also in the context of acute general paediatrics to detect abnormal joints. We propose that pGALS is an important part of basic clinical skills to be acquired by all doctors who may be involved in the care of children. The learning of pGALS along with basic knowledge is a useful way to increase awareness of joint disease, facilitate early recognition of joint problems and prompt referral to specialist teams to optimise clinical outcomes. We have compiled this article as a resource that can be used by the paediatric rheumatology community to facilitate teaching. PMID:24219838

Protonation switching to the least-basic heteroatom of carbamate through cationic hydrogen bonding promotes the formation of isocyanate cations.

PubMed

Kurouchi, Hiroaki; Sumita, Akinari; Otani, Yuko; Ohwada, Tomohiko

2014-07-07

We found that phenethylcarbamates that bear ortho-salicylate as an ether group (carbamoyl salicylates) dramatically accelerate OC bond dissociation in strong acid to facilitate generation of isocyanate cation (N-protonated isocyanates), which undergo subsequent intramolecular aromatic electrophilic cyclization to give dihydroisoquinolones. To generate isocyanate cations from carbamates in acidic media as electrophiles for aromatic substitution, protonation at the ether oxygen, the least basic heteroatom, is essential to promote CO bond cleavage. However, the carbonyl oxygen of carbamates, the most basic site, is protonated exclusively in strong acids. We found that the protonation site can be shifted to an alternative basic atom by linking methyl salicylate to the ether oxygen of carbamate. The methyl ester oxygen ortho to the phenolic (ether) oxygen of salicylate is as basic as the carbamate carbonyl oxygen, and we found that monoprotonation at the methyl ester oxygen in strong acid resulted in the formation of an intramolecular cationic hydrogen bond (>CO(+) H⋅⋅⋅O<) with the phenolic ether oxygen. This facilitates OC bond dissociation of phenethylcarbamates, thereby promoting isocyanate cation formation. In contrast, superacid-mediated diprotonation at the methyl ester oxygen of the salicylate and the carbonyl oxygen of the carbamate afforded a rather stable dication, which did not readily undergo CO bond dissociation. This is an unprecedented and unknown case in which the monocation has greater reactivity than the dication. © 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Overcoming research barriers in Chagas disease-designing effective implementation science.

PubMed

Henao-Martínez, Andrés F; Colborn, Kathryn; Parra-Henao, Gabriel

2017-01-01

Chagas disease is a complex tropical parasitic infection. It affects a significant portion of the population in Latin America, especially in areas of poverty and poor access to health care. It also affects immigrants in high-income countries who lack access to health care due to their legal status. Millions of people are at risk of contracting the disease, and approximately 30 % of chronically infected patients will develop cardiomyopathy. The cost of caring for patients that have been infected is substantial. Basic science research has introduced new concepts and knowledge for the parasite and vector biology as well as better understanding of the pathophysiology of the disease. These research findings nevertheless require effective and timely translation into clinical practice. Likewise, the design of new research projects should account for the multiple system-based barriers. Implementation science facilitates the applicability of research findings and identifies barriers to its execution. Creation of implementation science measures to reach and sustain research programs with greater potential to impact Chagas disease are lacking. This point of view proposes opportunities for implementation science in Chagas disease and strategies for researching effective interventions for preventing and treating the disease.

Supporting Latino communities' natural helpers: a case study of promotoras in a research capacity building course.

PubMed

Otiniano, Angie Denisse; Carroll-Scott, Amy; Toy, Peggy; Wallace, Steven P

2012-08-01

Promotores have unique access to underserved and hard-to-reach Latino communities facing health disparities. Although promotores are involved in community change, they rarely receive training that gives them the skills to be partners in research. We present a case study of promotoras who participated in a research capacity building course focused on assessing community health needs. Data comes from course application surveys, follow-up notes, and narratives from qualitative phone interviews of eight promotoras. Content analysis drawing from grounded theory was conducted to identify and describe emerging themes. Four themes emerged as promotoras discussed their experience learning basic research skills and teaching others: (1) challenges, (2) support, (3) building capacity, and (4) using research. Promotores play an important role in the health of Latino communities and are increasingly asked to participate in research processes; however they have few opportunities for training and professional development in this area. Capacity building opportunities for promotores need to be tailored to their needs and provide them with support. Fostering collaboration between promotores and partnering with local community-based organizations can help facilitate needed research skill-building among promotores.

Finding common ground by unifying autonomy indices to understand needed capabilities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bihl, Trevor; Cox, Chadwick; Jenkins, Todd

2018-05-01

Autonomous machines promise to reduce the workload of human operators by replacing some or all cognitive functions with intelligent software. However, development is retarded by disagreement among researchers at very basic levels, including what is meant by autonomy and how to achieve it. Clear definitions are few and no one has successfully bridged the gap between philosophical notions and engineering methods. A variety of autonomy measures are reviewed, highlighting their strengths and weaknesses. Various researchers have developed these autonomy measures to facilitate discussions of capabilities. These measures are also a means of comparing and contrasting autonomy approaches. We contend that any properly structured set of measures are not only useful for these functions, but it provides both a philosophical and practical justification, it outlines developmental steps, it suggests schematic constraints, and it implies requirements for tests. As such, we make recommendations for the further developments of autonomy measures.

An interactive integrative approach to translating knowledge and building a "learning organization" in health services management.

PubMed Central

Chunharas, Somsak

2006-01-01

This paper proposes a basic approach to ensuring that knowledge from research studies is translated for use in health services management with a view towards building a "learning organization". (A learning organization is one in which the environment is structured in such a way as to facilitate learning as well as the sharing of knowledge among members or employees.) This paper highlights various dimensions that determine the complexity of knowledge translation, using the problem-solving cycle as the backbone for gaining a better understanding of how different types of knowledge interact in health services management. It is essential to use an integrated and interactive approach to ensure that knowledge from research is translated in a way that allows a learning organization to be built and that knowledge is not used merely to influence a single decision in isolation from the overall services and management of an organization. PMID:16917653

[Managed care in Latin America: transnationalization of the health sector in the context of reform].

PubMed

Iriart, C; Merhy, E E; Waitzkin, H

2000-01-01

This article presents the results of the comparative research project "Managed Care in Latin America: Its Role in Health Reform". The project was conducted by teams in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Ecuador, and the United States. The study's objective was to analyze the process by which managed care is exported, especially from the United States, and how managed care is adopted in Latin American countries. Our research methods included qualitative and quantitative techniques. Adoption of managed care reflects transnationalization of the health sector. Our findings demonstrate the entrance of large multinational financial capital into the private insurance and health services sectors and their intention of participating in the administration of government institutions and medical/social security funds. We conclude that this basic change involving the slow adoption of managed care is facilitated by ideological changes with discourses accepting the inexorable nature of public sector reform.

Teaching children generalized imitation skills: a case report.

PubMed

Brown, Freddy Jackson; Peace, Natalie; Parsons, Rachel

2009-03-01

Generalized imitation plays an important role in the acquisition of new skills, in particular language and communication. In this case report a multiple exemplar training procedure, with an errorless learning phase, was used to teach Ben, a 13-year-old child with severe intellectual disabilities, to imitate behaviours modelled by an adult instructor. After exposure to seven multiple exemplars, Ben learned to imitate novel actions to criterion (i.e. generalized imitation). These skills were maintained at 90 percent at 6 week and 18 week follow-up. In line with earlier research, this article provides some further support for the finding that multiple exemplar training can facilitate the reliable emergence of generalized imitation skills. Topographically similar behaviours during the learning phase can be difficult to discriminate and hence can slow the learning process. Future research could explore how generalized imitation supports the development of basic communication and activity skills.

[The Murcia Twin Registry. A resource for research on health-related behaviour].

PubMed

Ordoñana, Juan R; Sánchez Romera, Juan F; Colodro-Conde, Lucía; Carrillo, Eduvigis; González-Javier, Francisca; Madrid-Valero, Juan J; Morosoli-García, José J; Pérez-Riquelme, Francisco; Martínez-Selva, José M

Genetically informative designs and, in particular, twin studies, are the most widely used methodology to analyse the relative contribution of genetic and environmental factors to inter-individual variability. These studies basically compare the degree of phenotypical similarity between monozygotic and dizygotic twin pairs. In addition to the traditional estimate of heritability, this kind of registry enables a wide variety of analyses which are unique due to the characteristics of the sample. The Murcia Twin Registry is population-based and focused on the analysis of health-related behaviour. The observed prevalence of health problems is comparable to that of other regional and national reference samples, which guarantees its representativeness. Overall, the characteristics of the Registry facilitate developing various types of research as well as genetically informative designs, and collaboration with different initiatives and consortia. Copyright © 2016 SESPAS. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Rational identification of aggregation hotspots based on secondary structure and amino acid hydrophobicity.

PubMed

Matsui, Daisuke; Nakano, Shogo; Dadashipour, Mohammad; Asano, Yasuhisa

2017-08-25

Insolubility of proteins expressed in the Escherichia coli expression system hinders the progress of both basic and applied research. Insoluble proteins contain residues that decrease their solubility (aggregation hotspots). Mutating these hotspots to optimal amino acids is expected to improve protein solubility. To date, however, the identification of these hotspots has proven difficult. In this study, using a combination of approaches involving directed evolution and primary sequence analysis, we found two rules to help inductively identify hotspots: the α-helix rule, which focuses on the hydrophobicity of amino acids in the α-helix structure, and the hydropathy contradiction rule, which focuses on the difference in hydrophobicity relative to the corresponding amino acid in the consensus protein. By properly applying these two rules, we succeeded in improving the probability that expressed proteins would be soluble. Our methods should facilitate research on various insoluble proteins that were previously difficult to study due to their low solubility.

Unlocking Potentials of Microwaves for Food Safety and Quality

PubMed Central

Tang, Juming

2015-01-01

Microwave is an effective means to deliver energy to food through polymeric package materials, offering potential for developing short-time in-package sterilization and pasteurization processes. The complex physics related to microwave propagation and microwave heating require special attention to the design of process systems and development of thermal processes in compliance with regulatory requirements for food safety. This article describes the basic microwave properties relevant to heating uniformity and system design, and provides a historical overview on the development of microwave-assisted thermal sterilization (MATS) and pasteurization systems in research laboratories and used in food plants. It presents recent activities on the development of 915 MHz single-mode MATS technology, the procedures leading to regulatory acceptance, and sensory results of the processed products. The article discusses needs for further efforts to bridge remaining knowledge gaps and facilitate transfer of academic research to industrial implementation. PMID:26242920

Concurrent access to a virtual microscope using a web service oriented architecture

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Corredor, Germán.; Iregui, Marcela; Arias, Viviana; Romero, Eduardo

2013-11-01

Virtual microscopy (VM) facilitates visualization and deployment of histopathological virtual slides (VS), a useful tool for education, research and diagnosis. In recent years, it has become popular, yet its use is still limited basically because of the very large sizes of VS, typically of the order of gigabytes. Such volume of data requires efficacious and efficient strategies to access the VS content. In an educative or research scenario, several users may require to access and interact with VS at the same time, so, due to large data size, a very expensive and powerful infrastructure is usually required. This article introduces a novel JPEG2000-based service oriented architecture for streaming and visualizing very large images under scalable strategies, which in addition need not require very specialized infrastructure. Results suggest that the proposed architecture enables transmission and simultaneous visualization of large images, while it is efficient using resources and offering users proper response times.

Unlocking Potentials of Microwaves for Food Safety and Quality.

PubMed

Tang, Juming

2015-08-01

Microwave is an effective means to deliver energy to food through polymeric package materials, offering potential for developing short-time in-package sterilization and pasteurization processes. The complex physics related to microwave propagation and microwave heating require special attention to the design of process systems and development of thermal processes in compliance with regulatory requirements for food safety. This article describes the basic microwave properties relevant to heating uniformity and system design, and provides a historical overview on the development of microwave-assisted thermal sterilization (MATS) and pasteurization systems in research laboratories and used in food plants. It presents recent activities on the development of 915 MHz single-mode MATS technology, the procedures leading to regulatory acceptance, and sensory results of the processed products. The article discusses needs for further efforts to bridge remaining knowledge gaps and facilitate transfer of academic research to industrial implementation. © 2015 Institute of Food Technologists®

The Vital Relationship Between Nutrition and Health in Zebrafish.

PubMed

Watts, Stephen A; Lawrence, Christian; Powell, Mickie; D'Abramo, Louis R

2016-07-01

In the relatively short span of four decades, the zebrafish (Danio rerio) has emerged as an increasingly important model organism for biomedicine and other scientific disciplines. As the scale and sophistication of zebrafish research expands, so too does the need to develop standards that promote the production and maintenance of healthy animals for experiments. A major, but long overlooked, contributor to fish health is nutrition. Historically, feeding practices for laboratory zebrafish have been designed to promote growth and reproductive function. However, as the field matures, it is becoming increasingly clear that the nutritional goals for these animals should evolve beyond basic production to the maintenance of clinically healthy research subjects. This review outlines weaknesses and limitations of current approaches and provides a justification for the development of defined standardized diets that will strengthen and facilitate the continued growth of the zebrafish model system.

Citizen Science: Broadening Access and Engagement Through Community Partnerships, Aerospace Education and Water Quality Research

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Johnson, M. A.

2016-12-01

We applied a new approach to the design and development of citizen science learning opportunities to enhance outreach to diverse student populations, while advancing water quality research and aerospace education. This collaborative approach to informal science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) and aerospace education required innovative partnerships between private general aviation pilots, researchers, teachers, and students. This research explored the development of active partnerships required to facilitate community engaged science, with an emphasis on increased participation of women and girls and people of color, while creating new exploratory pathways for broadening access to and engagement in STEM learning experiences. We developed an outreach program through collaborative planning with local schools to create new STEM learning experiences based upon basic aerospace education concepts and an existing water quality research project designed to track harmful algal blooms (HAB) that can produce toxins called cyanobacteria, also known as blue-green algae, which can impact drinking, fishing, and recreational waters. General aviation pilots functioning as citizen scientists obtained high-resolution aerial images while flying over potentially impacted waters. Aerial data was made available to teachers and students, as well as researchers participating in the existing water quality program lead by NASA Glenn Research Center. Teachers used the images and results to educate in climate change and the dangers of HAB. Students were able to compare aerial data with their own observations, and also gained experience in aeronautical science through field trips to local airports, hands-on experience with private research aircraft, specialized equipment used for data collection, and advanced ground instruction from research pilots. As a result of reaching out to local educators serving diverse student populations and facilitating collaborative planning, we successfully created new educational opportunities with active partnerships between formal educational institutions and informal citizen science research programs, which broadened access to and engagement in aerospace education and STEM learning experiences in our local community.

Basic nursing care: The most provided, the least evidence based - A discussion paper.

PubMed

Zwakhalen, Sandra M G; Hamers, Jan P H; Metzelthin, Silke F; Ettema, Roelof; Heinen, Maud; de Man-Van Ginkel, Janneke M; Vermeulen, Hester; Huisman-de Waal, Getty; Schuurmans, Marieke J

2018-06-01

To describe and discuss the "Basic Care Revisited" (BCR) research programme, a collaborative initiative that contributes to evidence-based basic nursing care and raises awareness about the importance of basic nursing care activities. While basic nursing care serves nearly all people at some point in their lifetime, it is poorly informed by evidence. There is a need to prioritise and evaluate basic nursing care activities to improve patient outcomes and improve the quality of care. Discussion paper METHOD: The discussion presented in this paper is based on nursing literature and theory and supported by the authors' clinical and research experiences. We present the developmental process and content of a research programme called "Basic Care Revisited" (BCR) as a solution to move forward and improve basic nursing care. To prioritise basic nursing care, we propose a research programme entitled "Basic Care Revisited" that aims to create awareness and expand knowledge on evidence-based basic nursing care by addressing four basic nursing care themes (bathing and dressing, communication, mobility, and nutrition) in different settings. The paper discusses a pathway to create a sustainable and productive research collaborative on basic nursing care and addresses issues to build research capacity. Revaluation of these important nursing activities will not only positively influence patient outcomes, but also have an impact on staff outcomes and organisational outcomes. © 2018 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Applications of the pipeline environment for visual informatics and genomics computations

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background Contemporary informatics and genomics research require efficient, flexible and robust management of large heterogeneous data, advanced computational tools, powerful visualization, reliable hardware infrastructure, interoperability of computational resources, and detailed data and analysis-protocol provenance. The Pipeline is a client-server distributed computational environment that facilitates the visual graphical construction, execution, monitoring, validation and dissemination of advanced data analysis protocols. Results This paper reports on the applications of the LONI Pipeline environment to address two informatics challenges - graphical management of diverse genomics tools, and the interoperability of informatics software. Specifically, this manuscript presents the concrete details of deploying general informatics suites and individual software tools to new hardware infrastructures, the design, validation and execution of new visual analysis protocols via the Pipeline graphical interface, and integration of diverse informatics tools via the Pipeline eXtensible Markup Language syntax. We demonstrate each of these processes using several established informatics packages (e.g., miBLAST, EMBOSS, mrFAST, GWASS, MAQ, SAMtools, Bowtie) for basic local sequence alignment and search, molecular biology data analysis, and genome-wide association studies. These examples demonstrate the power of the Pipeline graphical workflow environment to enable integration of bioinformatics resources which provide a well-defined syntax for dynamic specification of the input/output parameters and the run-time execution controls. Conclusions The LONI Pipeline environment http://pipeline.loni.ucla.edu provides a flexible graphical infrastructure for efficient biomedical computing and distributed informatics research. The interactive Pipeline resource manager enables the utilization and interoperability of diverse types of informatics resources. The Pipeline client-server model provides computational power to a broad spectrum of informatics investigators - experienced developers and novice users, user with or without access to advanced computational-resources (e.g., Grid, data), as well as basic and translational scientists. The open development, validation and dissemination of computational networks (pipeline workflows) facilitates the sharing of knowledge, tools, protocols and best practices, and enables the unbiased validation and replication of scientific findings by the entire community. PMID:21791102

Practical ways to facilitate ergonomics improvements in occupational health practice.

PubMed

Kogi, Kazutaka

2012-12-01

Recent advances in participatory programs for improving workplace conditions are discussed to examine practical ways to facilitate ergonomics improvements. Participatory training programs are gaining importance, particularly in promoting occupational health and safety in small-scale workplaces. These programs have led to many improvements that can reduce work-related risks in varied situations. Recent experiences in participatory action-oriented training programs in small workplaces and agriculture are reviewed.The emphasis of the review is on training steps, types of improvements achieved, and the use of action tools by trainers and training participants. Immediate improvements in multiple technical areas are targeted, including materials handling,workstation design, physical environment, welfare facilities, and work organization. In facilitating ergonomics improvements in each local situation, it is important to focus on (a) building on local good practices; (b) applying practical, simple improvements that apply the basic principles of ergonomics; and (c) developing action-oriented toolkits for direct use by workers and managers. This facilitation process is effective when locally designed action toolkits are used by trainers, including local good examples, action checklists, and illustrated how-to guides. Intervention studies demonstrate the effectiveness of participatory steps that use these toolkits in promoting good practices and reducing work-related risks. In facilitating ergonomics improvements in small-scale workplaces, it is important to focus on practical, low-cost improvements that build on local good practices. The use of action-oriented toolkits reflecting basic ergonomics principles is helpful.The promotion of the intercountry networking of positive experiences in participatory training is suggested.

26 CFR 1.41-5A - Basic research for taxable years beginning before January 1, 1987.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... was for basic research performed in the United States). (2) Research in the social sciences or humanities. Basic research does not include research in the social sciences or humanities, within the meaning...

26 CFR 1.41-5A - Basic research for taxable years beginning before January 1, 1987.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... was for basic research performed in the United States). (2) Research in the social sciences or humanities. Basic research does not include research in the social sciences or humanities, within the meaning...

26 CFR 1.41-5A - Basic research for taxable years beginning before January 1, 1987.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... was for basic research performed in the United States). (2) Research in the social sciences or humanities. Basic research does not include research in the social sciences or humanities, within the meaning...

26 CFR 1.41-5A - Basic research for taxable years beginning before January 1, 1987.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... was for basic research performed in the United States). (2) Research in the social sciences or humanities. Basic research does not include research in the social sciences or humanities, within the meaning...

26 CFR 1.41-5A - Basic research for taxable years beginning before January 1, 1987.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... was for basic research performed in the United States). (2) Research in the social sciences or humanities. Basic research does not include research in the social sciences or humanities, within the meaning...

G-DOC: A Systems Medicine Platform for Personalized Oncology1

PubMed Central

Madhavan, Subha; Gusev, Yuriy; Harris, Michael; Tanenbaum, David M; Gauba, Robinder; Bhuvaneshwar, Krithika; Shinohara, Andrew; Rosso, Kevin; Carabet, Lavinia A; Song, Lei; Riggins, Rebecca B; Dakshanamurthy, Sivanesan; Wang, Yue; Byers, Stephen W; Clarke, Robert; Weiner, Louis M

2011-01-01

Currently, cancer therapy remains limited by a “one-size-fits-all” approach, whereby treatment decisions are based mainly on the clinical stage of disease, yet fail to reference the individual's underlying biology and its role driving malignancy. Identifying better personalized therapies for cancer treatment is hindered by the lack of high-quality “omics” data of sufficient size to produce meaningful results and the ability to integrate biomedical data from disparate technologies. Resolving these issues will help translation of therapies from research to clinic by helping clinicians develop patient-specific treatments based on the unique signatures of patient's tumor. Here we describe the Georgetown Database of Cancer (G-DOC), a Web platform that enables basic and clinical research by integrating patient characteristics and clinical outcome data with a variety of high-throughput research data in a unified environment. While several rich data repositories for high-dimensional research data exist in the public domain, most focus on a single-data type and do not support integration across multiple technologies. Currently, G-DOC contains data from more than 2500 breast cancer patients and 800 gastrointestinal cancer patients, G-DOC includes a broad collection of bioinformatics and systems biology tools for analysis and visualization of four major “omics” types: DNA, mRNA, microRNA, and metabolites. We believe that G-DOC will help facilitate systems medicine by providing identification of trends and patterns in integrated data sets and hence facilitate the use of better targeted therapies for cancer. A set of representative usage scenarios is provided to highlight the technical capabilities of this resource. PMID:21969811

Basic Skills, Basic Writing, Basic Research.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Trimmer, Joseph F.

1987-01-01

Overviews basic writing instruction and research by briefly discussing the history of remediation, results of a survey of basic writing programs in U.S. colleges and universities, and interviews with developmental textbook editors at major publishing houses. Finds that basic writing instruction continues to focus on sentence grammar. (MM)

Action Research Using Entomological Research to Promote Hands-On Science Inquiry in a High-Poverty, Midwest Urban High School

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stockmann, Dustin

The purpose of this mixed-methods action research study was to examine to what extent entomological research can promote students' hands-on learning in a high-poverty, urban, secondary setting. In reviewing the literature, the researcher was not able to find a specific study that investigated how entomological research could promote the hands-on learning of students. The researcher did find evidence that research on learning in a secondary setting was important to student growth. It should also be noted that support was established for the implementation of hands-on science inquiry in the classroom setting. The study's purpose was to aid educators in their instruction by combining research-based strategies and hands-on science inquiry. The surveys asked 30 students to rate their understanding of three basic ideas. These core ideas were entomological research, hands-on science inquiry, and urban studies. These core ideas provided the foundation for the study. The questionnaires were based on follow-up ideas from the surveys. Two interview sessions were used to facilitate this one-on-one focus. Because the study included only 30 student participants, its findings may not be totally replicable. Further study investigating the links between entomological research and hands-on science learning in an urban environment is needed.

34 CFR 350.5 - What definitions apply?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... classified on a continuum from basic to applied: (1) Basic research is research in which the investigator is... immediate application or utility. (2) Applied research is research in which the investigator is primarily... rehabilitation problem or need. Applied research builds on selected findings from basic research. (Authority: Sec...

In search of integrative processes: basic psychological need satisfaction predicts medial prefrontal activation during decisional conflict.

PubMed

Di Domenico, Stefano I; Fournier, Marc A; Ayaz, Hasan; Ruocco, Anthony C

2013-08-01

Research has shown that people's abilities to develop and act from a coherent sense of self are facilitated by satisfaction of the basic psychological needs for competence, relatedness, and autonomy. The present study utilized functional near infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) to examine the effect of need satisfaction on activity in the medial prefrontal cortex (MPFC), a key region in processing information about the self. Participants completed a decision-making task (e.g., Which occupation would you prefer, dancer or chemist?) in which they made a series of forced choices according to their personal preferences. The degree of decisional conflict (i.e., choice difficulty) between the available response options was manipulated on the basis of participants' unique preference ratings for the target stimuli, which were obtained prior to scanning. Need satisfaction predicted elevated MPFC activity during high-conflict relative to low-conflict situations, suggesting that one way need satisfaction may promote self-coherence is by enhancing the utilization of self-knowledge in the resolution of decisional conflicts. PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2013 APA, all rights reserved.

Furthering knowledge of seaweed growth and development to facilitate sustainable aquaculture.

PubMed

Charrier, Bénédicte; Abreu, Maria Helena; Araujo, Rita; Bruhn, Annette; Coates, Juliet C; De Clerck, Olivier; Katsaros, Christos; Robaina, Rafael R; Wichard, Thomas

2017-12-01

Macroalgae (seaweeds) are the subject of increasing interest for their potential as a source of valuable, sustainable biomass in the food, feed, chemical and pharmaceutical industries. Compared with microalgae, the pace of knowledge acquisition in seaweeds is slower despite the availability of whole-genome sequences and model organisms for the major seaweed groups. This is partly a consequence of specific hurdles related to the large size of these organisms and their slow growth. As a result, this basic scientific field is falling behind, despite the societal and economic importance of these organisms. Here, we argue that sustainable management of seaweed aquaculture requires fundamental understanding of the underlying biological mechanisms controlling macroalgal life cycles - from the production of germ cells to the growth and fertility of the adult organisms - using diverse approaches requiring a broad range of technological tools. This Viewpoint highlights several examples of basic research on macroalgal developmental biology that could enable the step-changes which are required to adequately meet the demands of the aquaculture sector. © 2017 The Authors. New Phytologist © 2017 New Phytologist Trust.

Implementing community-based education in basic nursing education programs in South Africa.

PubMed

Mtshali, N G

2009-03-01

Education of health professionals using principles of community-based education is the recommended national policy in South Africa. A paradigm shift to community-based education is reported in a number of nursing education institutions in South Africa. Reviewed literature however revealed that in some educational institutions planning, implementation and evaluation of Community-based Educational (CBE) programmes tended to be haphazard, uncoordinated and ineffective, resulting in poor student motivation. Therefore the purpose of this study was to analyse the implementation of community-based education in basic nursing education programmes in South Africa. Strauss and Corbin's (1990) grounded theory approach guided the research process. Data were collected by means of observation, interviews and document analysis. The findings revealed that collaborative decision-making involving all stakeholders was crucial especially during the curriculum planning phase. Furthermore, special criteria should be used when selecting community learning sites to ensure that the selected sites are able to facilitate the development of required graduate competencies. Collaborative effort, true partnership between academic institutions and communities, as well as government support and involvement emerged as necessary conditions for the successful implementation of community-based education programmes.

"The Dilemma That Still Counts": Basic Writing at a Political Crossroads.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Harrington, Susanmarie; Adler-Kassner, Linda

1998-01-01

Reviews definitions of basic writers and basic writing over the last 20 years. Argues that basic writers are not defined only in terms of institutional convenience. Offers future directions for basic writing research, suggesting that to learn more about basic writers, researchers must return to studies of error informed by basic writing's rich…

Learning across the curriculum: connecting the pharmaceutical sciences to practice in the first professional year.

PubMed

Brown, Bethanne; Skau, Kenneth; Wall, Andrea

2009-04-07

To facilitate the student's ability to make the connection of the core foundational basic science courses to the practice of pharmacy. In 2000, 10 faculty members from basic science and practice courses created and implemented an integrated Patient Care Project for which students chose a volunteer patient and completed 15 different assignments Evidence of student learning, such as grades and reflective comments along with collected evaluative data, indicated an enhancement in students' perceived understanding of the connection between basic science and patient care. The Patient Care Project provided students an opportunity to use knowledge gained in their first-year foundational courses to the care of a patient, solidifying their understanding of the connection between basic science and patient care.

A movement ecology paradigm for unifying organismal movement research

PubMed Central

Nathan, Ran; Getz, Wayne M.; Revilla, Eloy; Holyoak, Marcel; Kadmon, Ronen; Saltz, David; Smouse, Peter E.

2008-01-01

Movement of individual organisms is fundamental to life, quilting our planet in a rich tapestry of phenomena with diverse implications for ecosystems and humans. Movement research is both plentiful and insightful, and recent methodological advances facilitate obtaining a detailed view of individual movement. Yet, we lack a general unifying paradigm, derived from first principles, which can place movement studies within a common context and advance the development of a mature scientific discipline. This introductory article to the Movement Ecology Special Feature proposes a paradigm that integrates conceptual, theoretical, methodological, and empirical frameworks for studying movement of all organisms, from microbes to trees to elephants. We introduce a conceptual framework depicting the interplay among four basic mechanistic components of organismal movement: the internal state (why move?), motion (how to move?), and navigation (when and where to move?) capacities of the individual and the external factors affecting movement. We demonstrate how the proposed framework aids the study of various taxa and movement types; promotes the formulation of hypotheses about movement; and complements existing biomechanical, cognitive, random, and optimality paradigms of movement. The proposed framework integrates eclectic research on movement into a structured paradigm and aims at providing a basis for hypothesis generation and a vehicle facilitating the understanding of the causes, mechanisms, and spatiotemporal patterns of movement and their role in various ecological and evolutionary processes. ”Now we must consider in general the common reason for moving with any movement whatever.“ (Aristotle, De Motu Animalium, 4th century B.C.) PMID:19060196

Affective Biases in Humans and Animals.

PubMed

Robinson, E S J; Roiser, J P

Depression is one of the most common but poorly understood psychiatric conditions. Although drug treatments and psychological therapies are effective in some patients, many do not achieve full remission and some patients receive no apparent benefit. Developing new improved treatments requires a better understanding of the aetiology of symptoms and evaluation of novel therapeutic targets in pre-clinical studies. Recent developments in our understanding of the basic cognitive processes that may contribute to the development of depression and its treatment offer new opportunities for both clinical and pre-clinical research. This chapter discusses the clinical evidence supporting a cognitive neuropsychological model of depression and antidepressant efficacy, and how this information may be usefully translated to pre-clinical investigation. Studies using neuropsychological tests in depressed patients and at risk populations have revealed basic negative emotional biases and disrupted reward and punishment processing, which may also impact on non-affective cognition. These affective biases are sensitive to antidepressant treatments with early onset effects observed, suggesting an important role in recovery. This clinical work into affective biases has also facilitated back-translation to animals and the development of assays to study affective biases in rodents. These animal studies suggest that, similar to humans, rodents in putative negative affective states exhibit negative affective biases on decision-making and memory tasks. Antidepressant treatments also induce positive biases in these rodent tasks, supporting the translational validity of this approach. Although still in the early stages of development and validation, affective biases in depression have the potential to offer new insights into the clinical condition, as well as facilitating the development of more translational approaches for pre-clinical studies.

The NASA Astrobiology Institute: early history and organization.

PubMed

Blumberg, Baruch S

2003-01-01

The NASA Astrobiology Institute (NAI) was established as a means to advance the field of astrobiology by providing a multidisciplinary, multi-institution, science-directed program, executed by universities, research institutes, and NASA and other government laboratories. The scientific community and NASA defined the science content at several workshops as summarized in the NASA Astrobiology Roadmap. Teams were chosen nationwide, following the recommendations of external review groups, and the research program began in 1998. There are now 16 national Teams and five international affiliated and associated astrobiology institutions. The NAI has attracted an outstanding group of scientific groups and individuals. The Institute facilitates the involvement of the scientists in its scientific and management vision. Its goal is to support basic research and allow the scientists the freedom to select their projects and alter them as indicated by new research. Additional missions include the education of the public, the involvement of students who will be the astrobiologists of future generations, and the development of a culture of collaboration in NAI, a "virtual institute," spread across many sites nationally and internationally.

The NASA Astrobiology Institute: early history and organization

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Blumberg, Baruch S.

2003-01-01

The NASA Astrobiology Institute (NAI) was established as a means to advance the field of astrobiology by providing a multidisciplinary, multi-institution, science-directed program, executed by universities, research institutes, and NASA and other government laboratories. The scientific community and NASA defined the science content at several workshops as summarized in the NASA Astrobiology Roadmap. Teams were chosen nationwide, following the recommendations of external review groups, and the research program began in 1998. There are now 16 national Teams and five international affiliated and associated astrobiology institutions. The NAI has attracted an outstanding group of scientific groups and individuals. The Institute facilitates the involvement of the scientists in its scientific and management vision. Its goal is to support basic research and allow the scientists the freedom to select their projects and alter them as indicated by new research. Additional missions include the education of the public, the involvement of students who will be the astrobiologists of future generations, and the development of a culture of collaboration in NAI, a "virtual institute," spread across many sites nationally and internationally.

Focus on Basics: Connecting Research & Practice. Volume 7, Issue D

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Garner, Barbara, Ed.

2005-01-01

"Focus on Basics" is the quarterly publication of the National Center for the Study of Adult Learning and Literacy. It presents best practices, current research on adult learning and literacy, and how research is used by adult basic education teachers, counselors, program administrators, and policymakers. "Focus on Basics" is…

Focus on Basics: Connecting Research & Practice. Volume 8, Issue B

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Garner, Barbara, Ed.

2006-01-01

"Focus on Basics" is the quarterly publication of the National Center for the Study of Adult Learning and Literacy. It presents best practices, current research on adult learning and literacy, and how research is used by adult basic education teachers, counselors, program administrators, and policymakers. "Focus on Basics" is…

Focus on Basics: Connecting Research & Practice. Volume 6, Issue A

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Garner, Barbara, Ed.

2002-01-01

"Focus on Basics" is the quarterly publication of the National Center for the Study of Adult Learning and Literacy. It presents best practices, current research on adult learning and literacy, and how research is used by adult basic education teachers, counselors, program administrators, and policymakers. "Focus on Basics" is…

Focus on Basics: Connecting Research & Practice. Volume 9, Issue B

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Garner, Barbara, Ed.

2008-01-01

"Focus on Basics" is a publication of the U.S. Division of World Education, Inc. It presents best practices, current research on adult learning and literacy, and how research is used by adult basic education teachers, counselors, program administrators, and policymakers. "Focus on Basics" is dedicated to connecting research…

Japanese medical students' interest in basic sciences: a questionnaire survey of a medical school in Japan.

PubMed

Yamazaki, Yuka; Uka, Takanori; Shimizu, Haruhiko; Miyahira, Akira; Sakai, Tatsuo; Marui, Eiji

2013-02-01

The number of physicians engaged in basic sciences and teaching is sharply decreasing in Japan. To alleviate this shortage, central government has increased the quota of medical students entering the field. This study investigated medical students' interest in basic sciences in efforts to recruit talent. A questionnaire distributed to 501 medical students in years 2 to 6 of Juntendo University School of Medicine inquired about sex, grade, interest in basic sciences, interest in research, career path as a basic science physician, faculties' efforts to encourage students to conduct research, increases in the number of lectures, and practical training sessions on research. Associations between interest in basic sciences and other variables were examined using χ(2) tests. From among the 269 medical students (171 female) who returned the questionnaire (response rate 53.7%), 24.5% of respondents were interested in basic sciences and half of them considered basic sciences as their future career. Obstacles to this career were their original aim to become a clinician and concerns about salary. Medical students who were likely to be interested in basic sciences were fifth- and sixth-year students, were interested in research, considered basic sciences as their future career, considered faculties were making efforts to encourage medical students to conduct research, and wanted more research-related lectures. Improving physicians' salaries in basic sciences is important for securing talent. Moreover, offering continuous opportunities for medical students to experience research and encouraging advanced-year students during and after bedside learning to engage in basic sciences are important for recruiting talent.

Flow Cytometry Scientist | Center for Cancer Research

Cancer.gov

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION The Basic Science Program (BSP) pursues independent, multidisciplinary research in basic and applied molecular biology, immunology, retrovirology, cancer biology, and human genetics. Research efforts and support are an integral part of the Center for Cancer Research (CCR) at the Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research (FNLCR). KEY ROLES/RESPONSIBILITIES The Flow Cytometry Core (Flow Core) in the Cancer and Inflammation Program (CIP) is a service core which supports the research efforts of the CCR by providing expertise in the field of flow cytometry (using analyzers and sorters) with the goal of gaining a more thorough understanding of the biology of the immune system, cancer, and inflammation processes. The Flow Core provides service to 12-15 CIP laboratories and more than 22 non-CIP laboratories. Flow core staff provide technical advice on the experimental design of applications, which include immunological phenotyping, cell function assays, and cell cycle analysis. Work is performed per customer requirements, and no independent research is involved. The Flow Cytometry Scientist will be responsible for: Daily management of the Flow Cytometry Core, to include the supervision and guidance of technical staff members Monitor performance of and maintain high dimensional flow cytometer analyzers and cell sorters Operate high dimensional flow cytometer analyzers and cell sorters Provide scientific expertise to the user community and facilitate the development of cutting edge technologies Interact with Flow Core users and customers, and provide technical and scientific advice, and guidance regarding their experiments, including possible collaborations Train staff and scientific end users on the use of flow cytometry in their research, as well as teach them how to operate and troubleshoot the bench-top analyzer instruments Prepare and deliver lectures, as well as one-on-one training sessions, with customers/users Ensure that protocols are up-to-date, and appropriately adhered to Experience with sterile technique and tissue culture

The structure and formation of natural categories

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fisher, Douglas; Langley, Pat

1990-01-01

Categorization and concept formation are critical activities of intelligence. These processes and the conceptual structures that support them raise important issues at the interface of cognitive psychology and artificial intelligence. The work presumes that advances in these and other areas are best facilitated by research methodologies that reward interdisciplinary interaction. In particular, a computational model is described of concept formation and categorization that exploits a rational analysis of basic level effects by Gluck and Corter. Their work provides a clean prescription of human category preferences that is adapted to the task of concept learning. Also, their analysis was extended to account for typicality and fan effects, and speculate on how the concept formation strategies might be extended to other facets of intelligence, such as problem solving.

A broadband multimedia TeleLearning system

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

Wang, Ruiping; Karmouch, A.

1996-12-31

In this paper we discuss a broadband multimedia TeleLearning system under development in the Multimedia Information Research Laboratory at the University of Ottawa. The system aims at providing a seamless environment for TeleLearning using the latest telecommunication and multimedia information processing technology. It basically consists of a media production center, a courseware author site, a courseware database, a courseware user site, and an on-line facilitator site. All these components are distributed over an ATM network and work together to offer a multimedia interactive courseware service. An MHEG-based model is exploited in designing the system architecture to achieve the real-time, interactive,more » and reusable information interchange through heterogeneous platforms. The system architecture, courseware processing strategies, courseware document models are presented.« less

Complementary DNA libraries: an overview.

PubMed

Ying, Shao-Yao

2004-07-01

The generation of complete and full-length cDNA libraries for potential functional assays of specific gene sequences is essential for most molecules in biotechnology and biomedical research. The field of cDNA library generation has changed rapidly in the past 10 yr. This review presents an overview of the method available for the basic information of generating cDNA libraries, including the definition of the cDNA library, different kinds of cDNA libraries, difference between methods for cDNA library generation using conventional approaches and a novel strategy, and the quality of cDNA libraries. It is anticipated that the high-quality cDNA libraries so generated would facilitate studies involving genechips and the microarray, differential display, subtractive hybridization, gene cloning, and peptide library generation.

CHANGING OUR DIAGNOSTIC PARADIGM: MOVEMENT SYSTEM DIAGNOSTIC CLASSIFICATION

PubMed Central

Kamonseki, Danilo H.; Staker, Justin L.; Lawrence, Rebekah L.; Braman, Jonathan P.

2017-01-01

Proper diagnosis is a first step in applying best available treatments, and prognosticating outcomes for clients. Currently, the majority of musculoskeletal diagnoses are classified according to pathoanatomy. However, the majority of physical therapy treatments are applied toward movement system impairments or pain. While advocated within the physical therapy profession for over thirty years, diagnostic classification within a movement system framework has not been uniformly developed or adopted. We propose a basic framework and rationale for application of a movement system diagnostic classification for atraumatic shoulder pain conditions, as a case for the broader development of movement system diagnostic labels. Shifting our diagnostic paradigm has potential to enhance communication, improve educational efficiency, facilitate research, directly link to function, improve clinical care, and accelerate preventive interventions. PMID:29158950

Processing Digital Imagery to Enhance Perceptions of Realism

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Woodell, Glenn A.; Jobson, Daniel J.; Rahman, Zia-ur

2003-01-01

Multi-scale retinex with color restoration (MSRCR) is a method of processing digital image data based on Edwin Land s retinex (retina + cortex) theory of human color vision. An outgrowth of basic scientific research and its application to NASA s remote-sensing mission, MSRCR is embodied in a general-purpose algorithm that greatly improves the perception of visual realism and the quantity and quality of perceived information in a digitized image. In addition, the MSRCR algorithm includes provisions for automatic corrections to accelerate and facilitate what could otherwise be a tedious image-editing process. The MSRCR algorithm has been, and is expected to continue to be, the basis for development of commercial image-enhancement software designed to extend and refine its capabilities for diverse applications.

The role of basic psychological need satisfaction, sleep, and mindfulness in the health-related quality of life of people living with HIV.

PubMed

Campbell, Rachel; Vansteenkiste, Maarten; Delesie, Liesbeth; Soenens, Bart; Tobback, Els; Vogelaers, Dirk; Mariman, An

2016-11-01

Research has not yet examined the relationship between psychological need satisfaction, sleep, mindfulness, and health-related quality of life in people living with HIV. This cross-sectional study ( N = 101; 84% male; mean age = 45.48, SD = 12.75) found need satisfaction to relate positively to physical and mental health. Sleep quality fully mediated the association with physical health and partially mediated the association with mental health. Furthermore, mindfulness related to higher sleep quality through higher need satisfaction. Findings underscore the role of need satisfaction in determining health-related quality of life and sleep quality in people living with HIV and suggest that mindfulness may facilitate need satisfaction.

Space Shuttle astrodynamical constants

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cockrell, B. F.; Williamson, B.

1978-01-01

Basic space shuttle astrodynamic constants are reported for use in mission planning and construction of ground and onboard software input loads. The data included here are provided to facilitate the use of consistent numerical values throughout the project.

A Developmental Approach to Counseling Adults

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bocknek, Gene

1976-01-01

The author enunciates basic tenets of developmental theory and shows their application to work with adults. Counseling intervention is conceptualized as mobilizing resources to facilitate growth. Implications for the future of counseling psychology are considered. (Author)

Focus on Basics: Connecting Research & Practice. Volume 8, Issue D

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Garner, Barbara, Ed.

2007-01-01

Learning disabilities is the theme of the latest issue of "Focus on Basics," the World Education publication that brings together research, policy, and practice in adult basic education. Starting with an update on research on neurobiology and dyslexia, this issue also examines how the adult basic education system supports students with…

Focus on Basics: Connecting Research & Practice. Volume 6, Issue B

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Garner, Barbara, Ed.

2003-01-01

"Focus on Basics" is the quarterly publication of the National Center for the Study of Adult Learning and Literacy. It presents best practices, current research on adult learning and literacy, and how research is used by adult basic education teachers, counselors, program administrators, and policymakers. "Focus on Basics" is dedicated to…

Focus on Basics: Connecting Research and Practice. Volume 6, Issue D

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Center for the Study of Adult Learning and Literacy (NCSALL), Harvard University, 2004

2004-01-01

"Focus on Basics" is the quarterly publication of the National Center for the Study of Adult Learning and Literacy. It presents best practices, current research on adult learning and literacy, and how research is used by adult basic education teachers, counselors, program administrators, and policymakers. "Focus on Basics" is dedicated to…

The Relationship between Basic and Applied Research in Universities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bentley, Peter James; Gulbrandsen, Magnus; Kyvik, Svein

2015-01-01

What is the central research activity in modern universities? This paper uses a comprehensive survey among individuals from 15 countries to map differences in orientation towards basic/fundamental research, applied/practical research and a combination of the two. Despite some claims in the literature that basic research is no longer a…

Using an iPad for Basic Communication Between Spanish-Speaking Families and Nurses in Pediatric Acute Care: A Feasibility Pilot Study.

PubMed

Jackson, Kylie H; Mixer, Sandra J

2017-08-01

The growing number of Spanish speakers in the United States poses communication challenges for healthcare providers. Language barriers in pediatric acute care have been associated with an increased risk for adverse events, longer hospital stays, and decreased quality of care. In addition, clinicians' usage of interpreter services is inconsistent. In fact, nurses often lack interpreter support during daily bedside care. Nursing staff at a pediatric children's hospital in the southeastern United States identified bedside communication with Spanish-speaking patients and families as a clinical challenge. To address this challenge, a basic communication interface, UTalk version 1.0 (the author is the owner and proprietor), supported by an Apple iPad, was developed by the researcher with input from nursing staff, a certified medical interpreter, and Spanish-speaking community members. A feasibility pilot study of the interface's usability and engagement was conducted on the hospital's pediatric medical-surgical unit through qualitative interviews with nurse-family dyads. Three themes emerged from the data: UTalk-facilitated communication, UTalk needs improvement, and interpreter miscommunication. These findings indicate that a mobile digital device interface is a feasible method for augmenting bedside communication with Spanish-speaking patients and families. These results also may serve as a reference for the development of similar mobile device interfaces. Further research with a larger sample size is needed.

HPMCD: the database of human microbial communities from metagenomic datasets and microbial reference genomes.

PubMed

Forster, Samuel C; Browne, Hilary P; Kumar, Nitin; Hunt, Martin; Denise, Hubert; Mitchell, Alex; Finn, Robert D; Lawley, Trevor D

2016-01-04

The Human Pan-Microbe Communities (HPMC) database (http://www.hpmcd.org/) provides a manually curated, searchable, metagenomic resource to facilitate investigation of human gastrointestinal microbiota. Over the past decade, the application of metagenome sequencing to elucidate the microbial composition and functional capacity present in the human microbiome has revolutionized many concepts in our basic biology. When sufficient high quality reference genomes are available, whole genome metagenomic sequencing can provide direct biological insights and high-resolution classification. The HPMC database provides species level, standardized phylogenetic classification of over 1800 human gastrointestinal metagenomic samples. This is achieved by combining a manually curated list of bacterial genomes from human faecal samples with over 21000 additional reference genomes representing bacteria, viruses, archaea and fungi with manually curated species classification and enhanced sample metadata annotation. A user-friendly, web-based interface provides the ability to search for (i) microbial groups associated with health or disease state, (ii) health or disease states and community structure associated with a microbial group, (iii) the enrichment of a microbial gene or sequence and (iv) enrichment of a functional annotation. The HPMC database enables detailed analysis of human microbial communities and supports research from basic microbiology and immunology to therapeutic development in human health and disease. © The Author(s) 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Nucleic Acids Research.

Ethical aspects of aging research.

PubMed

Seppet, Enn; Pääsuke, Mati; Conte, Maria; Capri, Miriam; Franceschi, Claudio

2011-12-01

During the last 50-60 years, due to development of medical care and hygienically safe living conditions, the average life span of European citizens has substantially increased, with a rapid growth of the population older than 65 years. This trend places ever-growing medical and economical burden on society, as many of the older subjects suffer from age-related diseases and frailty. Coping with these problems requires not only appropriate medical treatment and social support but also extensive research in many fields of aging-from biology to sociology, with involvement of older people as the research subjects. This work anticipates development and application of ethical standards suited to dynamic advances in aging research. The aim of this review is to update the knowledge in ethical requirements toward recruitment of older research subjects, obtaining of informed consent, collection of biological samples, and use of stem cells in preclinical and clinical settings. It is concluded that application of adequate ethical platform markedly facilitates recruitment of older persons for participation in research. Currently, the basic ethical concepts are subjected to extensive discussion, with participation of all interested parties, in order to guarantee successful research on problems of human aging, protect older people from undesired interference, and afford their benefits through supporting innovations in research, therapy, and care.

Proceedings of the Inaugural Pediatric Dermatology Research Alliance (PeDRA) Conference

PubMed Central

Siegel, Dawn H.; Choate, Keith; Drolet, Beth A.; Frieden, Ilona J.; Teng, Joyce M.; Tom, Wynnis; Williams, Mary; Eichenfield, Lawrence F.; Paller, Amy S.

2014-01-01

Abstract/Statement of the problem Skin disease research involving children currently faces several major hurdles and as a result, many therapies are only available for off-label use in children and many of the most pressing clinical needs of our pediatric population remain unsolved. A strategic planning committee of the Society for Pediatric Dermatology (SPD) identified the need for an organized, inclusive research alliance to augment the resources of individual practitioners and pre-existing smaller collaborative groups and facilitate robust, multicenter basic, translational, and clinical research and therapeutic trials. A December 2011 National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS) Roundtable on Pediatric Dermatology further detailed the therapeutic gaps and barriers to translation of scientific advances to clinical practice. Building on these forums, in July 2012, a group of interested investigators met in Monterey, CA to develop the infrastructure for collaborative pediatric skin research, now called the Pediatric Dermatology Research Alliance (PeDRA). The vision of PeDRA is to create sustainable collaborative research networks to better understand, prevent, treat and cure dermatologic diseases in children. From that starting point, subcommittees and expert members were added, stakeholders identified, and seed funding garnered, with the first PeDRA stand-alone research meeting* realized in Chicago, IL in October 2013. PMID:25318428

A Roadmap for Academic Health Centers to Establish Good Laboratory Practice-Compliant Infrastructure

PubMed Central

Adamo, Joan E.; Bauer, Gerhard; Berro, Marlene; Burnett, Bruce K.; Hartman, Karen A.; Masiello, Lisa M.; Moorman-White, Diane; Rubinstein, Eric P.; Schuff, Kathryn G.

2012-01-01

Prior to human clinical trials, nonclinical safety and toxicology studies are required to demonstrate that a new product appears safe for human testing; these nonclinical studies are governed by good laboratory practice (GLP) regulations. As academic health centers (AHCs) embrace the charge to increase the translation of basic science research into clinical discoveries, researchers at these institutions increasingly will be conducting GLP-regulated nonclinical studies. Because the consequences for noncompliance are severe and many AHC researchers are unfamiliar with Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulations, the authors describe the regulatory requirements for conducting GLP research, including the strict documentation requirements, the necessary personnel training, the importance of study monitoring, and the critical role that compliance oversight plays in the process. They then explain the process that AHCs interested in conducting GLP studies should take prior to the start of their research program, including conducting a needs assessment and a gap analysis and selecting a model for GLP compliance. Finally, the authors identify and analyze several critical barriers to developing and implementing a GLP-compliant infrastructure at an AHC. Despite these challenges, the capacity to perform such research will help AHCs to build and maintain competitive research programs and to facilitate the successful translation of faculty-initiated research from nonclinical studies to first-in-human clinical trials. PMID:22373618

Can Basic Research on Children and Families Be Useful for the Policy Process?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moore, Kristin A.

Based on the assumption that basic science is the crucial building block for technological and biomedical progress, this paper examines the relevance for public policy of basic demographic and behavioral sciences research on children and families. The characteristics of basic research as they apply to policy making are explored. First, basic…

20 CFR 10.310 - What are the basic rules for obtaining medical care?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... physicians' assistants, nurse practitioners and physical therapists may also provide authorized services for... § 10.800. OWCP may also utilize the services of a field nurse to facilitate and coordinate medical care...

20 CFR 10.310 - What are the basic rules for obtaining medical care?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... physicians' assistants, nurse practitioners and physical therapists may also provide authorized services for... § 10.800. OWCP may also utilize the services of a field nurse to facilitate and coordinate medical care...

20 CFR 10.310 - What are the basic rules for obtaining medical care?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... physicians' assistants, nurse practitioners and physical therapists may also provide authorized services for... § 10.800. OWCP may also utilize the services of a field nurse to facilitate and coordinate medical care...

32 CFR 37.1240 - Basic research.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... 32 National Defense 1 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false Basic research. 37.1240 Section 37.1240 National... TECHNOLOGY INVESTMENT AGREEMENTS Definitions of Terms Used in This Part § 37.1240 Basic research. Efforts... practical application of that knowledge and understanding. It typically is funded within Research...

32 CFR 37.1240 - Basic research.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 32 National Defense 1 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Basic research. 37.1240 Section 37.1240 National... TECHNOLOGY INVESTMENT AGREEMENTS Definitions of Terms Used in This Part § 37.1240 Basic research. Efforts... practical application of that knowledge and understanding. It typically is funded within Research...

32 CFR 37.1240 - Basic research.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... 32 National Defense 1 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Basic research. 37.1240 Section 37.1240 National... TECHNOLOGY INVESTMENT AGREEMENTS Definitions of Terms Used in This Part § 37.1240 Basic research. Efforts... practical application of that knowledge and understanding. It typically is funded within Research...

32 CFR 37.1240 - Basic research.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 32 National Defense 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Basic research. 37.1240 Section 37.1240 National... TECHNOLOGY INVESTMENT AGREEMENTS Definitions of Terms Used in This Part § 37.1240 Basic research. Efforts... practical application of that knowledge and understanding. It typically is funded within Research...

32 CFR 37.1240 - Basic research.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... 32 National Defense 1 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false Basic research. 37.1240 Section 37.1240 National... TECHNOLOGY INVESTMENT AGREEMENTS Definitions of Terms Used in This Part § 37.1240 Basic research. Efforts... practical application of that knowledge and understanding. It typically is funded within Research...

Third European Stroke Science Workshop.

PubMed

Dichgans, Martin; Planas, Anna M; Biessels, Geert Jan; van der Worp, Bart; Sudlow, Cathie; Norrving, Bo; Lees, Kennedy; Mattle, Heinrich P

2016-07-01

Lake Eibsee, Garmisch-Partenkirchen, November 19 to 21, 2015: The European Stroke Organization convened >120 stroke experts from 27 countries to discuss latest results and hot topics in clinical, translational, and basic stroke research. Since its inception in 2011, the European Stroke Science Workshop has become a cornerstone of European Stroke Organization's academic activities and major highlight for researchers in the field. Participants include stroke researchers at all career stages who convene for plenary lectures and discussions, thus facilitating crosstalk among researchers from different fields. As in previous years, the workshop was organized into 7 scientific sessions each focusing on a major research topic. All sessions started with a keynote lecture that provided an overview on current developments and set the scene for the following presentations. The latter were short focused talks on a timely topic and included the most recent findings, including unpublished data. A new element at this year's meeting was a hot topic session in which speakers had to present a provocative concept or update sharply within 5 minutes. In the following, we summarize the key contents of the meeting. The program is provided in the online-only Data Supplement. © 2016 American Heart Association, Inc.

Building dialogues between clinical and biomedical research through cross-species collaborations.

PubMed

Chao, Hsiao-Tuan; Liu, Lucy; Bellen, Hugo J

2017-10-01

Today, biomedical science is equipped with an impressive array of technologies and genetic resources that bolster our basic understanding of fundamental biology and enhance the practice of modern medicine by providing clinicians with a diverse toolkit to diagnose, prognosticate, and treat a plethora of conditions. Many significant advances in our understanding of disease mechanisms and therapeutic interventions have arisen from fruitful dialogues between clinicians and biomedical research scientists. However, the increasingly specialized scientific and medical disciplines, globalization of science and technology, and complex datasets often hinder the development of effective interdisciplinary collaborations between clinical medicine and biomedical research. The goal of this review is to provide examples of diverse strategies to enhance communication and collaboration across diverse disciplines. First, we discuss examples of efforts to foster interdisciplinary collaborations at institutional and multi-institutional levels. Second, we explore resources and tools for clinicians and research scientists to facilitate effective bi-directional dialogues. Third, we use our experiences in neurobiology and human genetics to highlight how communication between clinical medicine and biomedical research lead to effective implementation of cross-species model organism approaches to uncover the biological underpinnings of health and disease. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A Re-Engineered Software Interface and Workflow for the Open-Source SimVascular Cardiovascular Modeling Package.

PubMed

Lan, Hongzhi; Updegrove, Adam; Wilson, Nathan M; Maher, Gabriel D; Shadden, Shawn C; Marsden, Alison L

2018-02-01

Patient-specific simulation plays an important role in cardiovascular disease research, diagnosis, surgical planning and medical device design, as well as education in cardiovascular biomechanics. simvascular is an open-source software package encompassing an entire cardiovascular modeling and simulation pipeline from image segmentation, three-dimensional (3D) solid modeling, and mesh generation, to patient-specific simulation and analysis. SimVascular is widely used for cardiovascular basic science and clinical research as well as education, following increased adoption by users and development of a GATEWAY web portal to facilitate educational access. Initial efforts of the project focused on replacing commercial packages with open-source alternatives and adding increased functionality for multiscale modeling, fluid-structure interaction (FSI), and solid modeling operations. In this paper, we introduce a major SimVascular (SV) release that includes a new graphical user interface (GUI) designed to improve user experience. Additional improvements include enhanced data/project management, interactive tools to facilitate user interaction, new boundary condition (BC) functionality, plug-in mechanism to increase modularity, a new 3D segmentation tool, and new computer-aided design (CAD)-based solid modeling capabilities. Here, we focus on major changes to the software platform and outline features added in this new release. We also briefly describe our recent experiences using SimVascular in the classroom for bioengineering education.

Continued Viability of Universities as Centers for Basic Research.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carter, Lisle C., Jr.; And Others

The findings and 13 recommendations of a NSF Advisory Council task force that evaluated universities as centers of basic research are presented. Listed are the major strengths of universities as centers for basic research (including continuity and tradition, freedom of research, interactions among disciplines) and such threats to their viability…

Infrared spectroscopy and microscopy in cancer research and diagnosis

PubMed Central

Bellisola, Giuseppe; Sorio, Claudio

2012-01-01

Since the middle of 20th century infrared (IR) spectroscopy coupled to microscopy (IR microspectroscopy) has been recognized as a non destructive, label free, highly sensitive and specific analytical method with many potential useful applications in different fields of biomedical research and in particular cancer research and diagnosis. Although many technological improvements have been made to facilitate biomedical applications of this powerful analytical technique, it has not yet properly come into the scientific background of many potential end users. Therefore, to achieve those fundamental objectives an interdisciplinary approach is needed with basic scientists, spectroscopists, biologists and clinicians who must effectively communicate and understand each other's requirements and challenges. In this review we aim at illustrating some principles of Fourier transform (FT) Infrared (IR) vibrational spectroscopy and microscopy (microFT-IR) as a useful method to interrogate molecules in specimen by mid-IR radiation. Penetrating into basics of molecular vibrations might help us to understand whether, when and how complementary information obtained by microFT-IR could become useful in our research and/or diagnostic activities. MicroFT-IR techniques allowing to acquire information about the molecular composition and structure of a sample within a micrometric scale in a matter of seconds will be illustrated as well as some limitations will be discussed. How biochemical, structural, and dynamical information about the systems can be obtained by bench top microFT-IR instrumentation will be also presented together with some methods to treat and interpret IR spectral data and applicative examples. The mid-IR absorbance spectrum is one of the most information-rich and concise way to represent the whole “… omics” of a cell and, as such, fits all the characteristics for the development of a clinically useful biomarker. PMID:22206042

The role of pediatricians as innovators in pediatric nutrition.

PubMed

Greer, Frank R

2010-01-01

Innovation is about making changes. When it comes to health care, innovations, though they may be something 'new', may not be beneficial if not demonstrated to be an improvement over what is current practice. Innovations in pediatric nutrition sometimes fall into this category. The establishment of safe water and milk supplies at the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th centuries is viewed as one of the greatest advances in preventative medicine and truly was an 'innovation', with its dramatic impact on infant mortality. Other innovations in pediatric nutrition included the development of the caloric method of infant feeding which led to the large-scale adoption of a single infant formula. This required cooperation with industry and ultimately led to the development of life-saving specialty formulas for various disease states including inborn errors of metabolism. Over the last 50 years there have been further modifications of term infant formula that have included taurine, carnitine, nucleotides, whey proteins, PUFAs including decosahexenoic acid (DHA) and arachidonic acid, probiotics, and prebiotics. Many of these additions are of questionable benefit and are questioned as true innovations. Though the addition of novel nutrients to infant formula has been an area of great interest, more basic research (including randomized controlled trial) is needed to determine many pediatric nutrient requirements including the lower and upper limits of nutrients added to infant formula. Such research could be facilitated by institutions such as the US National Institute of Child Health whose establishment in 1962 was a significant 'innovation' as it led to advances in pediatric nutritional research. Much more research is needed to determine basic pediatric nutritional requirements and pediatricians should strive for such true innovations. Copyright © 2010 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Using a high-fidelity patient simulator with first-year medical students to facilitate learning of cardiovascular function curves.

PubMed

Harris, David M; Ryan, Kathleen; Rabuck, Cynthia

2012-09-01

Students are relying on technology for learning more than ever, and educators need to adapt to facilitate student learning. High-fidelity patient simulators (HFPS) are usually reserved for the clinical years of medical education and are geared to improve clinical decision skills, teamwork, and patient safety. Finding ways to incorporate HFPS into preclinical medical education represents more of a challenge, and there is limited literature regarding its implementation. The main objective of this study was to implement a HFPS activity into a problem-based curriculum to enhance the learning of basic sciences. More specifically, the focus was to aid in student learning of cardiovascular function curves and help students develop heart failure treatment strategies based on basic cardiovascular physiology concepts. Pretests and posttests, along with student surveys, were used to determine student knowledge and perception of learning in two first-year medical school classes. There was an increase of 21% and 22% in the percentage of students achieving correct answers on a posttest compared with their pretest score. The median number of correct questions increased from pretest scores of 2 and 2.5 to posttest scores of 4 and 5 of a possible total of 6 in each respective year. Student survey data showed agreement that the activity aided in learning. This study suggests that a HFPS activity can be implemented during the preclinical years of medical education to address basic science concepts. Additionally, it suggests that student learning of cardiovascular function curves and heart failure strategies are facilitated.

[Platforms are needed for innovative basic research in ophthalmology].

PubMed

Wang, Yi-qiang

2012-07-01

Basic research poses the cornerstone of technical innovation in all lines including medical sciences. Currently, there are shortages of professional scientists as well as technical supporting teams and facilities in the field of basic research of ophthalmology and visual science in China. Evaluation system and personnel policies are not supportive for innovative but high-risk-of-failure research projects. Discussion of reasons and possible solutions are given here to address these problems, aiming at promoting buildup of platforms hosting novel and important basic research in eye science in this country.

Undergraduate Cross Registration.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Grupe, Fritz H.

This report discusses various aspects of undergraduate cross-registration procedures, including the dimensions, values, roles and functions, basic assumptions, and facilitating and encouragment of cross-registration. Dimensions of cross-registration encompass financial exchange, eligibility, program limitations, type of grade and credit; extent of…

Electrical continuity scanner facilitates identification of wires for soldering to connectors

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Boulton, H. C.; Diclemente, R. A.

1966-01-01

Electrical continuity scanner automatically scans 50 wires in 2 seconds to correlate all wires in a circuit with their respective known ends. Modifications made to the basic plan provide circuitry for scanning up to 250 wires.

Fixture facilitates soldering operations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

White, C. M.

1968-01-01

Soldering fixture, designed for printed circuit cards, is a basic bench-mounted, self-contained integral unit combining all soldering needs into a compact, readily available work station. All tools, materials, and accessories are available to provide an ideal station to perform critical soldering.

Sustainable Transportation Basics | Transportation Research | NREL

Science.gov Websites

Transportation Basics Sustainable Transportation Basics Compare Vehicle Technologies 3-D introduction to sustainable transportation. NREL research supports development of electric, hybrid, hydrogen

Developing the Developers: Supporting and Researching the Learning of Professional Development Facilitators

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Perry, Emily; Boylan, Mark

2018-01-01

Research on teacher professional development is extensive but there are fewer studies about the practitioners who facilitate professional development. Here we report on a pilot programme for professional development facilitators rooted in a cycle of action research. Informed by a categorisation of professional knowledge and skills of facilitators,…

Driving forces of biomedical science education and research in state-of-the arts academic medical centres: the United States as example.

PubMed

John, T A

2011-06-01

Basic science departments in academic medical centres are influenced by changes that are commonly directed at medical education and financial gain. Some of such changes may have been detrimental to or may have enhanced basic science education. They may have determined basic science research focus or basic science research methods. However, there is lack of research on the educational process in the basic sciences including training of PhD's while there is ample research on medical education pertaining to training of medical doctors. The author here identifies, from university websites and available literature, some forces that have driven teaching and research focus and methods in state-of-the-arts academic medical centres in recent times with a view of seeing through their possible influences on basic science education and research, using the United States of America as an example. The "forces" are: Changes in medical schools; Medical educational philosophies: problem based learning, evidence based medicine, cyberlearning and self-directed learning; Shifting impressions of the value of basic sciences in medical schools; Research trends in Basic Sciences: role of antivivisectionists, alternative experimentations, explosion of molecular and cell biology; Technological advancements; Commercialization of research; and Funding agencies. The author encourages African leaders in academia to pay attention to such forces as the leadership seeks to raise African Universities as centres of knowledge that have a major role in acquiring, preserving, imparting, and utilizing knowledge.

Basic science research in urology training.

PubMed

Eberli, D; Atala, A

2009-04-01

The role of basic science exposure during urology training is a timely topic that is relevant to urologic health and to the training of new physician scientists. Today, researchers are needed for the advancement of this specialty, and involvement in basic research will foster understanding of basic scientific concepts and the development of critical thinking skills, which will, in turn, improve clinical performance. If research education is not included in urology training, future urologists may not be as likely to contribute to scientific discoveries.Currently, only a minority of urologists in training are currently exposed to significant research experience. In addition, the number of physician-scientists in urology has been decreasing over the last two decades, as fewer physicians are willing to undertake a career in academics and perform basic research. However, to ensure that the field of urology is driving forward and bringing novel techniques to patients, it is clear that more research-trained urologists are needed. In this article we will analyse the current status of basic research in urology training and discuss the importance of and obstacles to successful addition of research into the medical training curricula. Further, we will highlight different opportunities for trainees to obtain significant research exposure in urology.

32 CFR Appendix A to Part 272 - Principles for the Conduct and Support of Basic Research

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... those agencies' investments as appropriate. 5. Merit review is used to select basic research projects... Research A Appendix A to Part 272 National Defense Department of Defense (Continued) OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY OF DEFENSE (CONTINUED) MISCELLANEOUS ADMINISTRATION AND SUPPORT OF BASIC RESEARCH BY THE...

Research-Based Reading Instruction in an Adult Basic Education Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Perin, Dolores; Greenberg, Daphne

2007-01-01

There is a growing emphasis in adult basic education on research-based reading instruction. Using Kruidenier's (2002) framework of principles and trends, we describe research-based techniques found during a visit to an adult basic education program. We also describe how the program moved to research-based instruction, and the factors that seem…

Effects of voice timbre and accompaniment on working memory as measured by sequential monosyllabic digit recall performance.

PubMed

Silverman, Michael J; Schwartzberg, Edward T

2014-01-01

Information is often paired with music in an attempt to facilitate recall and enhance learning. However, there is a lack of basic research investigating how music carrying information might facilitate recall and subsequent learning. The purpose of the current study was to determine the effects of voice timbre and accompaniment on working memory as measured by recall performance on a sequential digit recall task. Specific research questions were as follows: (a) How might female and male voice timbres affect serial recall? (b) How might piano, guitar, and no accompaniment affect serial recall? (c) Do music majors have enhanced recall accuracy when compared to nonmusic majors? The recall of information paired with six different melodies was tested on 60 university students. Melodies were composed and recorded using female and male voices with three levels of accompaniment: guitar, piano, and no accompaniment. Participants had more accurate recall during the male voice and piano and no accompaniment conditions and least accurate recall during the female voice and guitar accompaniment conditions. As participants had most accurate recall during the male voice and with piano or no accompaniment, clinicians are encouraged to consider using no accompaniment or piano accompaniment when initially teaching social and academic information paired with music for later recall. When possible, vocal timbre (i.e., the potential benefit of male voicing) should also be considered. Implications for clinical practice, limitations of the study, and suggestions for future research are provided. © the American Music Therapy Association 2014. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

What is Basic Research? Insights from Historical Semantics.

PubMed

Schauz, Désirée

2014-01-01

For some years now, the concept of basic research has been under attack. Yet although the significance of the concept is in doubt, basic research continues to be used as an analytical category in science studies. But what exactly is basic research? What is the difference between basic and applied research? This article seeks to answer these questions by applying historical semantics. I argue that the concept of basic research did not arise out of the tradition of pure science. On the contrary, this new concept emerged in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, a time when scientists were being confronted with rising expectations regarding the societal utility of science. Scientists used the concept in order to try to bridge the gap between the promise of utility and the uncertainty of scientific endeavour. Only after 1945, when United States science policy shaped the notion of basic research, did the concept revert to the older ideals of pure science. This revival of the purity discourse was caused by the specific historical situation in the US at that time: the need to reform federal research policy after the Second World War, the new dimension of ethical dilemmas in science and technology during the atomic era, and the tense political climate during the Cold War.

Patient Engagement in Kidney Research: Opportunities and Challenges Ahead

PubMed Central

Molnar, Amber O.; Barua, Moumita; Konvalinka, Ana; Schick-Makaroff, Kara

2017-01-01

Purpose of Review: Patient engagement in research is increasingly recognized as an important component of the research process and may facilitate translation of research findings. To heighten awareness on this important topic, this review presents opportunities and challenges of patient engagement in research, drawing on specific examples from 4 areas of Canadian kidney research conducted by New Investigators in the Kidney Research Scientist Core Education and National Training (KRESCENT) Program. Sources of Information: Research expertise, published reports, peer-reviewed articles, and research funding body websites. Methods: In this review, the definition, purpose, and potential benefits of patient engagement in research are discussed. Approaches toward patient engagement that may help with translation and uptake of research findings into clinical practice are highlighted. Opportunities and challenges of patient engagement are presented in both basic science and clinical research with the following examples of kidney research: (1) precision care in focal and segmental glomerulosclerosis, (2) systems biology approaches to improve management of chronic kidney disease and enhance kidney graft survival, (3) reducing the incidence of suboptimal dialysis initiation, and (4) use of patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) and patient-reported experience measures (PREMs) in kidney practice. Key Findings: Clinical research affords more obvious opportunities for patient engagement. The most obvious step at which to engage patients is in the setting of research priorities. Engagement at all stages of the research cycle may prove to be more challenging, and requires a detailed plan, along with funds and infrastructure to ensure that it is not merely tokenistic. Basic science research is several steps removed from the clinical application and involves complex scientific concepts, which makes patient engagement inherently more difficult. Limitations: This is a narrative review of the literature that has been partly influenced by the perspectives and experiences of the authors and focuses on research conducted by the authors. The evidence base to support the suggested benefits of patient engagement in research is currently limited. Implications: The formal incorporation of patients’ priorities, perspectives, and experiences is now recognized as a key component of the research process. If patients and researchers are able to effectively work together, this could enhance research quality and efficiency. To effectively engage patients, proper infrastructure and dedicated funding are needed. Going forward, a rigorous evaluation of patient engagement strategies and their effectiveness will be needed. PMID:29225906

Patient Engagement in Kidney Research: Opportunities and Challenges Ahead.

PubMed

Molnar, Amber O; Barua, Moumita; Konvalinka, Ana; Schick-Makaroff, Kara

2017-01-01

Patient engagement in research is increasingly recognized as an important component of the research process and may facilitate translation of research findings. To heighten awareness on this important topic, this review presents opportunities and challenges of patient engagement in research, drawing on specific examples from 4 areas of Canadian kidney research conducted by New Investigators in the Kidney Research Scientist Core Education and National Training (KRESCENT) Program. Research expertise, published reports, peer-reviewed articles, and research funding body websites. In this review, the definition, purpose, and potential benefits of patient engagement in research are discussed. Approaches toward patient engagement that may help with translation and uptake of research findings into clinical practice are highlighted. Opportunities and challenges of patient engagement are presented in both basic science and clinical research with the following examples of kidney research: (1) precision care in focal and segmental glomerulosclerosis, (2) systems biology approaches to improve management of chronic kidney disease and enhance kidney graft survival, (3) reducing the incidence of suboptimal dialysis initiation, and (4) use of patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) and patient-reported experience measures (PREMs) in kidney practice. Clinical research affords more obvious opportunities for patient engagement. The most obvious step at which to engage patients is in the setting of research priorities. Engagement at all stages of the research cycle may prove to be more challenging, and requires a detailed plan, along with funds and infrastructure to ensure that it is not merely tokenistic. Basic science research is several steps removed from the clinical application and involves complex scientific concepts, which makes patient engagement inherently more difficult. This is a narrative review of the literature that has been partly influenced by the perspectives and experiences of the authors and focuses on research conducted by the authors. The evidence base to support the suggested benefits of patient engagement in research is currently limited. The formal incorporation of patients' priorities, perspectives, and experiences is now recognized as a key component of the research process. If patients and researchers are able to effectively work together, this could enhance research quality and efficiency. To effectively engage patients, proper infrastructure and dedicated funding are needed. Going forward, a rigorous evaluation of patient engagement strategies and their effectiveness will be needed.

Melding Research and Education in a Zoological Setting

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Foote, Dustin

The first zoo was opened in London in 1828 and was intended for scientific study, but was eventually opened to the public in 1847. Since then, public dogma has dictated the development, role, and standards concerning the use of animals across the zoological community. Too often there is disconnect between research programs, captive propagation, and public education. In the fight against human driven extinction of earth's flora and fauna, it is vital that these areas be aligned. Thus in an effort to unite research and education in a zoological setting, East Carolina University (ECU) and Sylvan Heights Bird Park (SHBP) have partnered for a collaborative project involving the study of evolution in the African brood parasitic finches (Viduidae), specifically he Pin-tailed Whydah (Vidua macroura). I attempt to quantify the educational impact of Avian Pirates and SHBP, and assess basic demographic factors that will allow insights into what areas of exhibit design pertain to education. It is important to understand what aspects of zoos facilitate visitor learning in areas of conservation and biodiversity. This is vital as Zoos are under new pressure to substantiate claims of education during visits.

Beyond the "Code": A Guide to the Description and Documentation of Biodiversity in Ciliated Protists (Alveolata, Ciliophora).

PubMed

Warren, Alan; Patterson, David J; Dunthorn, Micah; Clamp, John C; Achilles-Day, Undine E M; Aescht, Erna; Al-Farraj, Saleh A; Al-Quraishy, Saleh; Al-Rasheid, Khaled; Carr, Martin; Day, John G; Dellinger, Marc; El-Serehy, Hamed A; Fan, Yangbo; Gao, Feng; Gao, Shan; Gong, Jun; Gupta, Renu; Hu, Xiaozhong; Kamra, Komal; Langlois, Gaytha; Lin, Xiaofeng; Lipscomb, Diana; Lobban, Christopher S; Luporini, Pierangelo; Lynn, Denis H; Ma, Honggang; Macek, Miroslav; Mackenzie-Dodds, Jacqueline; Makhija, Seema; Mansergh, Robert I; Martín-Cereceda, Mercedes; McMiller, Nettie; Montagnes, David J S; Nikolaeva, Svetlana; Ong'ondo, Geoffrey Odhiambo; Pérez-Uz, Blanca; Purushothaman, Jasmine; Quintela-Alonso, Pablo; Rotterová, Johana; Santoferrara, Luciana; Shao, Chen; Shen, Zhuo; Shi, Xinlu; Song, Weibo; Stoeck, Thorsten; La Terza, Antonietta; Vallesi, Adriana; Wang, Mei; Weisse, Thomas; Wiackowski, Krzysztof; Wu, Lei; Xu, Kuidong; Yi, Zhenzhen; Zufall, Rebecca; Agatha, Sabine

2017-07-01

Recent advances in molecular technology have revolutionized research on all aspects of the biology of organisms, including ciliates, and created unprecedented opportunities for pursuing a more integrative approach to investigations of biodiversity. However, this goal is complicated by large gaps and inconsistencies that still exist in the foundation of basic information about biodiversity of ciliates. The present paper reviews issues relating to the taxonomy of ciliates and presents specific recommendations for best practice in the observation and documentation of their biodiversity. This effort stems from a workshop that explored ways to implement six Grand Challenges proposed by the International Research Coordination Network for Biodiversity of Ciliates (IRCN-BC). As part of its commitment to strengthening the knowledge base that supports research on biodiversity of ciliates, the IRCN-BC proposes to populate The Ciliate Guide, an online database, with biodiversity-related data and metadata to create a resource that will facilitate accurate taxonomic identifications and promote sharing of data. © 2017 The Authors Journal of Eukaryotic Microbiology published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of International Society of Protistologists.

Building a functional multiple intelligences theory to advance educational neuroscience.

PubMed

Cerruti, Carlo

2013-01-01

A key goal of educational neuroscience is to conduct constrained experimental research that is theory-driven and yet also clearly related to educators' complex set of questions and concerns. However, the fields of education, cognitive psychology, and neuroscience use different levels of description to characterize human ability. An important advance in research in educational neuroscience would be the identification of a cognitive and neurocognitive framework at a level of description relatively intuitive to educators. I argue that the theory of multiple intelligences (MI; Gardner, 1983), a conception of the mind that motivated a past generation of teachers, may provide such an opportunity. I criticize MI for doing little to clarify for teachers a core misunderstanding, specifically that MI was only an anatomical map of the mind but not a functional theory that detailed how the mind actually processes information. In an attempt to build a "functional MI" theory, I integrate into MI basic principles of cognitive and neural functioning, namely interregional neural facilitation and inhibition. In so doing I hope to forge a path toward constrained experimental research that bears upon teachers' concerns about teaching and learning.

Making Full Use of the Longitudinal Design of the Current Population Survey: Methods for Linking Records Across 16 Months *

PubMed Central

Drew, Julia A. Rivera; Flood, Sarah; Warren, John Robert

2015-01-01

Data from the Current Population Survey (CPS) are rarely analyzed in a way that takes advantage of the CPS’s longitudinal design. This is mainly because of the technical difficulties associated with linking CPS files across months. In this paper, we describe the method we are using to create unique identifiers for all CPS person and household records from 1989 onward. These identifiers—available along with CPS basic and supplemental data as part of the on-line Integrated Public Use Microdata Series (IPUMS)—make it dramatically easier to use CPS data for longitudinal research across any number of substantive domains. To facilitate the use of these new longitudinal IPUMS-CPS data, we also outline seven different ways that researchers may choose to link CPS person records across months, and we describe the sample sizes and sample retention rates associated with these seven designs. Finally, we discuss a number of unique methodological challenges that researchers will confront when analyzing data from linked CPS files. PMID:26113770

Development of the Finse Alpine Research Station towards a platform for multi-disciplinary research on Land-Atmosphere Interaction in Cold Environments (LATICE)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Burkhart, John F.; Decker, Sven; Filhol, Simon; Hulth, John; Nesje, Atle; Schuler, Thomas V.; Sobolowski, Stefan; Tallaksen, Lena M.

2017-04-01

The Finse Alpine Research Station provides convenient access to the Hardangervidda mountain plateau in Southern Norway (60 deg N, 1222 m asl). The station is located above the tree-line in vicinity to the west-eastern mountain water divide and is easily accessible by train from Bergen and Oslo. The station itself offers housing and basic laboratory facilities and has been used for ecological monitoring. Over the past years, studies on small-scale snow distribution and ground temperature have been performed and accompanied by a suite of meteorological measurements. Supported by strategic investments by the University of Oslo and ongoing research projects, these activities are currently expanded and the site is developed towards a mountain field laboratory for studies on Land-Atmosphere Interaction in Cold Environments, facilitated by the LATICE project (www.mn.uio.no/latice). Additional synergy comes from close collaborations with a range of institutions that perform operational monitoring close to Finse, including long-term time series of meteorological data and global radiation. Through our activities, this infrastructure has been complemented by a permanent tower for continuous Eddy-Covariance measurements along with associated gas fluxes. A second, mobile covariance system is in preparation and will become operational in 2017. In addition, a wireless sensor network is set up to grasp the spatial distributions of basic meteorological variables, snow depth and glacier mass balance on the nearby Hardangerjøkulen ice cap. While the research focus so far was on small scale processes (snow redistribution), this is now being expanded to cover hydrological processes on the catchment and regional scale. To this end, two discharge stations have been installed to gauge discharge from two contrasting catchments (glacier dominated and non-glacierized). In this presentation, we provide an overview over existing and planned infrastructure, field campaigns and research activities, accompanied by available data, the result of some preliminary analysis and discuss opportunities for future collaboration.

Editorial Commentary: A Model for Shoulder Rotator Cuff Repair and for Basic Science Investigations.

PubMed

Brand, Jefferson C

2018-04-01

"Breaking the fourth wall" is a theater convention where the narrator or character speaks directly to the audience. As an Assistant Editor-in-Chief, as I comment on a recent basic science study investigating rotator cuff repair, I break the fourth wall and articulate areas of basic science research excellence that align with the vision that we hold for our journal. Inclusion of a powerful video strengthens the submission. We prefer to publish clinical videos in our companion journal, Arthroscopy Techniques, and encourage basic science video submissions to Arthroscopy. Basic science research requires step-by-tedious-step analogous to climbing a mountain. Establishment of a murine rotator cuff repair model was rigorous and research intensive, biomechanically, radiographically, histologically, and genetically documented, a huge step toward the bone-to-tendon healing research summit. This research results in a model for both rotator cuff repair and the pinnacle of quality, basic science research. Copyright © 2018 Arthroscopy Association of North America. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Resources for the Visually Impaired.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Oseroff, Andrew; And Others

1987-01-01

Suggestions for resource room teachers working with visually impaired learning disabled students include: consideration of students' unique learning needs; assessment of functional vision; use of assistive devices (such as closed-circuit television); classroom arrangement that facilitates organization and movement; and basic skills instruction…

Basic science research and education: a priority for training and capacity building in developing countries.

PubMed

Deckelbaum, Richard J; Ntambi, James M; Wolgemuth, Debra J

2011-09-01

This article provides evidence that basic science research and education should be key priorities for global health training, capacity building, and practice. Currently, there are tremendous gaps between strong science education and research in developed countries (the North) as compared to developing countries (the South). In addition, science research and education appear as low priorities in many developing countries. The need to stress basic science research beyond the typical investment of infectious disease basic service and research laboratories in developing areas is significant in terms of the benefits, not only to education, but also for economic strengthening and development of human resources. There are some indications that appreciation of basic science research education and training is increasing, but this still needs to be applied more rigorously and strengthened systematically in developing countries. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Medical students' note-taking in a medical biochemistry course: an initial exploration.

PubMed

Morrison, Elizabeth H; McLaughlin, Calvin; Rucker, Lloyd

2002-04-01

Beginning medical students spend numerous hours every week attending basic science lectures and taking notes. Medical faculty often wonder whether they should give students pre-printed instructors' notes before lectures. Proponents of this strategy argue that provided notes enhance learning by facilitating the accurate transmission of information, while opponents counter that provided notes inhibit students' cognitive processing or even discourage students from attending lectures. Little if any research has directly addressed medical students' note-taking or the value of providing instructors' notes. The educational literature does suggest that taking lecture notes enhances university students' learning. University students perform best on post-lecture testing if they review a combination of provided notes and their own personal notes, particularly if the provided notes follow a 'skeletal' format that encourages active note-taking.

Artificial intelligence approaches for rational drug design and discovery.

PubMed

Duch, Włodzisław; Swaminathan, Karthikeyan; Meller, Jarosław

2007-01-01

Pattern recognition, machine learning and artificial intelligence approaches play an increasingly important role in rational drug design, screening and identification of candidate molecules and studies on quantitative structure-activity relationships (QSAR). In this review, we present an overview of basic concepts and methodology in the fields of machine learning and artificial intelligence (AI). An emphasis is put on methods that enable an intuitive interpretation of the results and facilitate gaining an insight into the structure of the problem at hand. We also discuss representative applications of AI methods to docking, screening and QSAR studies. The growing trend to integrate computational and experimental efforts in that regard and some future developments are discussed. In addition, we comment on a broader role of machine learning and artificial intelligence approaches in biomedical research.

The mathematics of a successful deconvolution: a quantitative assessment of mixture-based combinatorial libraries screened against two formylpeptide receptors.

PubMed

Santos, Radleigh G; Appel, Jon R; Giulianotti, Marc A; Edwards, Bruce S; Sklar, Larry A; Houghten, Richard A; Pinilla, Clemencia

2013-05-30

In the past 20 years, synthetic combinatorial methods have fundamentally advanced the ability to synthesize and screen large numbers of compounds for drug discovery and basic research. Mixture-based libraries and positional scanning deconvolution combine two approaches for the rapid identification of specific scaffolds and active ligands. Here we present a quantitative assessment of the screening of 32 positional scanning libraries in the identification of highly specific and selective ligands for two formylpeptide receptors. We also compare and contrast two mixture-based library approaches using a mathematical model to facilitate the selection of active scaffolds and libraries to be pursued for further evaluation. The flexibility demonstrated in the differently formatted mixture-based libraries allows for their screening in a wide range of assays.

NASA's university program: Active grants and research contracts, fiscal year 1977

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1977-01-01

As basic policy NASA believes that colleges and universities should be encouraged to participate in the nation's space and aeronautics program to the maximum extent practicable. The Office of University Affairs (OUA) serves as a focal point for NASA's relationships with colleges and universities. One of its roles is to provide information on the NASA University Program. The present document is designed to serve several purposes and a wide range of audiences from private individuals to NASA employees. The emphasis is on the technical content of the program, rather than on fiscal data, which is available separately from OUA. As some terminology will not be familiar to all readers, a User's Guide is included to facilitate the fullest use of the material related to the interests of any particular reader.

Basic Principles of Magnetic Resonance Imaging—An Update

PubMed Central

Scherzinger, Ann L.; Hendee, William R.

1985-01-01

Magnetic resonance (MR) imaging technology has undergone many technologic advances over the past few years. Many of these advances were stimulated by the wealth of information emerging from nuclear magnetic resonance research in the areas of new and optimal scanning methods and radio-frequency coil design. Other changes arose from the desire to improve image quality, ease siting restrictions and generally facilitate the clinical use of MR equipment. Many questions, however, remain unanswered. Perhaps the most controversial technologic question involves the optimal field strength required for imaging or spectroscopic applications or both. Other issues include safety and clinical efficacy. Technologic issues affect all aspects of MR use including the choice of equipment, examination procedure and image interpretation. Thus, an understanding of recent changes and their theoretic basis is necessary. ImagesFigure 9. PMID:3911591

Systems biology solutions for biochemical production challenges.

PubMed

Hansen, Anne Sofie Lærke; Lennen, Rebecca M; Sonnenschein, Nikolaus; Herrgård, Markus J

2017-06-01

There is an urgent need to significantly accelerate the development of microbial cell factories to produce fuels and chemicals from renewable feedstocks in order to facilitate the transition to a biobased society. Methods commonly used within the field of systems biology including omics characterization, genome-scale metabolic modeling, and adaptive laboratory evolution can be readily deployed in metabolic engineering projects. However, high performance strains usually carry tens of genetic modifications and need to operate in challenging environmental conditions. This additional complexity compared to basic science research requires pushing systems biology strategies to their limits and often spurs innovative developments that benefit fields outside metabolic engineering. Here we survey recent advanced applications of systems biology methods in engineering microbial production strains for biofuels and -chemicals. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Acceptance of mixed scientific and clinical activities in a sub-speciality urology meeting.

PubMed

Buchholz, Noor N P; El Howairis, Mohammed El Fatih; Durner, Leopold; Harry, Damiete; Kachrilas, Stefanos; Rodgers, Allen L; Hakenberg, Oliver

2015-04-01

Basic urolithiasis research into the causes for stone formation has been stagnating for a long time. Emergence of effective stone treatment modalities has shifted the public and clinicians' focus away from basic research towards symptomatic treatment solutions. This has occurred in spite of urolithiasis being a highly recurrent disease with an enormous socio-economic impact warranting a prophylactic and recurrence-preventing approach. An integrated, multidisciplinary translational platform has been developed in the form of urolithiasis meetings bringing together urologists, radiologists, nephrologists, basic scientists, dieticians and other stake holders interested in stone disease, for an exchange of knowledge, mutual education and understanding, and professional networking. Traditionally, such combined meetings are split into sessions addressing the specific interests of clinicians and scientists. At the recent Experts in Stone Disease Symposium we devised and implemented a program which mixed clinical and basic science activities throughout. We interviewed delegates between sessions regarding their acceptance of this novel concept using a standardized questionnaire. Sessions were well-attended, alleviating our initial anxiety that delegates would not appreciate a "no-choice" program. Of the 74 delegates who were interviewed, 60 (81%) were urologists, and 14 (19%) were non-urologists such as nephrologists, dieticians, and students. This is representative of the overall distribution of delegates at the conference. 71% felt that a closer co-operation and understanding between clinicians and scientists will ultimately benefit both groups, as well as patients; 95% found the mixed session approach beneficial, with half appreciating it as very good and innovative; 94% believed that they had derived useful learnings from the "other side"; 94% found that such mixed sessions are useful for their future work and understanding of the urolithiasis field as a whole; 94% agreed that mixed meetings of this type are useful in enhancing networking between the different stake holders in urolithiasis treatment and research. Finally, 85% would like to visit future mixed session meetings, and 89% would encourage their juniors to attend, too. Not only was a platform created to facilitate multidisciplinary exchange and networking, but delegates from several different backgrounds were encouraged to attend presentations in disciplines other than their own. The results of our survey confirm an overwhelmingly positive acceptance of this integrated multidisciplinary concept for stone meetings. As such, we are encouraged to continue with this concept in future conferences.

Blocking Infralimbic Basic Fibroblast Growth Factor (bFGF or FGF2) Facilitates Extinction of Drug Seeking After Cocaine Self-Administration.

PubMed

Hafenbreidel, Madalyn; Twining, Robert C; Rafa Todd, Carolynn; Mueller, Devin

2015-12-01

Drug exposure results in structural and functional changes in brain regions that regulate reward and these changes may underlie the persistence of compulsive drug seeking and relapse. Neurotrophic factors, such as basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF or FGF2), are necessary for neuronal survival, growth, and differentiation, and may contribute to these drug-induced changes. Following cocaine exposure, bFGF is increased in addiction-related brain regions, including the infralimbic medial prefrontal cortex (IL-mPFC). The IL-mPFC is necessary for extinction, but whether drug-induced overexpression of bFGF in this region affects extinction of drug seeking is unknown. Thus, we determined whether blocking bFGF in IL-mPFC would facilitate extinction following cocaine self-administration. Rats were trained to lever press for intravenous infusions of cocaine before extinction. Blocking bFGF in IL-mPFC before four extinction sessions resulted in facilitated extinction. In contrast, blocking bFGF alone was not sufficient to facilitate extinction, as blocking bFGF and returning rats to their home cage had no effect on subsequent extinction. Furthermore, bFGF protein expression increased in IL-mPFC following cocaine self-administration, an effect reversed by extinction. These results suggest that cocaine-induced overexpression of bFGF inhibits extinction, as blocking bFGF during extinction permits rapid extinction. Therefore, targeted reductions in bFGF during therapeutic interventions could enhance treatment outcomes for addiction.

Age-Related Effects of Alcohol from Adolescent, Adult, and Aged Populations Using Human and Animal Models

PubMed Central

Squeglia, Lindsay M.; Boissoneault, Jeff; Van Skike, Candice E.; Nixon, Sara Jo; Matthews, Douglas B.

2014-01-01

Background This review incorporates current research examining alcohol's differential effects on adolescents, adults, and aged populations in both animal and clinical models. Methods The studies presented range from cognitive, behavioral, molecular, and neuroimaging techniques, leading to a more comprehensive understanding of how acute and chronic alcohol use affects the brain throughout the life span. Results Age of life is a significant factor in determining the effect of alcohol on brain functioning. Adolescents and aged populations may be more negatively affected by heavy alcohol use when compared to adults. Conclusions Investigations limiting alcohol effects to a single age group constrains understanding of differential trajectories and outcomes following acute and chronic use. To meaningfully address the sequencing and interaction effects of alcohol and age, the field must incorporate collaborative and integrated research efforts focused on interdisciplinary questions facilitated by engaging basic and applied scientists with expertise in a range of disciplines including alcohol, neurodevelopment, and aging. PMID:25156779

Reproducible and controllable light induction of in vitro fruiting of the white-rot basidiomycete Pleurotus ostreatus.

PubMed

Arjona, Davinia; Aragón, Carlos; Aguilera, José Antonio; Ramírez, Lucía; Pisabarro, Antonio G

2009-05-01

Fruiting is a crucial developmental process in basidiomycetes yet the genetic and molecular factors that control it are not yet fully understood. The search for fruiting inducers is of major relevance for both basic research and for their use in industrial applications. In this paper, an efficient and reproducible protocol for controlled fruiting induction of Pleurotus ostreatus growing on synthetic medium is described. The protocol is based on the control of light intensity and photoperiod and permits the life cycle for this fungus to be completed in less than two weeks. The fruiting bodies produced by this method release fertile spores after 4-5 d of culture. Our results indicate that fruiting induction is solely dependent on the illumination regime and that it occurs long before the available nutrients are depleted in the culture. This protocol will greatly facilitate molecular and developmental biology research in this fungus as it avoids the need for complex culture media based on lignocellulosic materials or the use of chemical inducers.

PopSc: Computing Toolkit for Basic Statistics of Molecular Population Genetics Simultaneously Implemented in Web-Based Calculator, Python and R

PubMed Central

Huang, Ying; Li, Cao; Liu, Linhai; Jia, Xianbo; Lai, Song-Jia

2016-01-01

Although various computer tools have been elaborately developed to calculate a series of statistics in molecular population genetics for both small- and large-scale DNA data, there is no efficient and easy-to-use toolkit available yet for exclusively focusing on the steps of mathematical calculation. Here, we present PopSc, a bioinformatic toolkit for calculating 45 basic statistics in molecular population genetics, which could be categorized into three classes, including (i) genetic diversity of DNA sequences, (ii) statistical tests for neutral evolution, and (iii) measures of genetic differentiation among populations. In contrast to the existing computer tools, PopSc was designed to directly accept the intermediate metadata, such as allele frequencies, rather than the raw DNA sequences or genotyping results. PopSc is first implemented as the web-based calculator with user-friendly interface, which greatly facilitates the teaching of population genetics in class and also promotes the convenient and straightforward calculation of statistics in research. Additionally, we also provide the Python library and R package of PopSc, which can be flexibly integrated into other advanced bioinformatic packages of population genetics analysis. PMID:27792763

Multiple criteria approach to site selection of radioactive waste disposal facility in the Republic of Croatia

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

Schaller, A.; Skanata, D.

1995-12-31

Site selection approach to radioactive waste disposal facility, which is under way in Croatia, is presented in the paper. This approach is based on application of certain relevant terrestrial and technical criteria in the site selection process. Basic documentation used for this purpose are regional planning documents prepared by the Regional Planning Institute of Croatia. The basic result of research described in the paper is the proposal of several potential areas which are suitable for siting a radioactive waste repository. All relevant conclusions are based on both data groups -- generic and on-field experienced (measured). Out of a dozen potentialmore » areas, four have been chosen as representative by the authors. The presented comparative analysis was made by means of the VISA II computer code, developed by the V. Belton and SPV Software Products. The code was donated to the APO by the IAEA. The main objective of the paper is to initiate and facilitate further discussions on possible ways of evaluation and comparison of potential areas for sitting of radioactive waste repository in this country, as well as to provide additional contributions to the current site selection process in the Republic of Croatia.« less

PopSc: Computing Toolkit for Basic Statistics of Molecular Population Genetics Simultaneously Implemented in Web-Based Calculator, Python and R.

PubMed

Chen, Shi-Yi; Deng, Feilong; Huang, Ying; Li, Cao; Liu, Linhai; Jia, Xianbo; Lai, Song-Jia

2016-01-01

Although various computer tools have been elaborately developed to calculate a series of statistics in molecular population genetics for both small- and large-scale DNA data, there is no efficient and easy-to-use toolkit available yet for exclusively focusing on the steps of mathematical calculation. Here, we present PopSc, a bioinformatic toolkit for calculating 45 basic statistics in molecular population genetics, which could be categorized into three classes, including (i) genetic diversity of DNA sequences, (ii) statistical tests for neutral evolution, and (iii) measures of genetic differentiation among populations. In contrast to the existing computer tools, PopSc was designed to directly accept the intermediate metadata, such as allele frequencies, rather than the raw DNA sequences or genotyping results. PopSc is first implemented as the web-based calculator with user-friendly interface, which greatly facilitates the teaching of population genetics in class and also promotes the convenient and straightforward calculation of statistics in research. Additionally, we also provide the Python library and R package of PopSc, which can be flexibly integrated into other advanced bioinformatic packages of population genetics analysis.

A descriptive qualitative examination of knowledge translation practice among health researchers in Manitoba, Canada.

PubMed

Sibley, Kathryn M; Roche, Patricia L; Bell, Courtney P; Temple, Beverley; Wittmeier, Kristy D M

2017-09-06

The importance of effective translation of health research findings into action has been well recognized, but there is evidence to suggest that the practice of knowledge translation (KT) among health researchers is still evolving. Compared to research user stakeholders, researchers (knowledge producers) have been under-studied in this context. The goals of this study were to understand the experiences of health researchers in practicing KT in Manitoba, Canada, and identify their support needs to sustain and increase their participation in KT. Qualitative semi-structured interviews were conducted with 26 researchers studying in biomedical; clinical; health systems and services; and social, cultural, environmental and population health research. Interview questions were open-ended and probed participants' understanding of KT, their experiences in practicing KT, barriers and facilitators to practicing KT, and their needs for KT practice support. KT was broadly conceptualized across participants. Participants described a range of KT practice experiences, most of which related to dissemination. Participants also expressed a number of negative emotions associated with the practice of KT. Many individual, logistical, and systemic or organizational barriers to practicing KT were identified, which included a lack of institutional support for KT in both academic and non-academic systems. Participants described the presence of good relationships with stakeholders as a critical facilitator for practicing KT. The most commonly identified needs for supporting KT practice were access to education and training, and access to resources to increase awareness and promotion of KT. While there were few major variations in response trends across most areas of health research, the responses of biomedical researchers suggested a unique KT context, reflected by distinct conceptualizations of KT (such as commercialization as a core component), experiences (including frustration and lack of support), and barriers to practicing KT (for example, intellectual property concerns). The major findings of this study were the continued variations in conceptualization of KT, and persisting support needs that span basic individual to comprehensive systemic change. Expanding the study to additional regions of Canada will present opportunities to compare and contrast the state of KT practice and its influencing factors.

Ethics and fraud in science: a review of scientific misconduct and applications to craniofacial research.

PubMed

Eliades, Theodore; Athanasiou, Athanasios E; Papadopulos, Jannis S

2005-01-01

The purpose of this article is to review and discuss the occurrence of fraud in biomedical research and analyze the definition, origin, and various forms of scientific misconduct. Fraud in research most often involves reporting data for which no records of experiment or population are present; manipulating research materials, equipment, or procedures to arrive at the desirable result; adding, changing, or omitting results, which positively or negatively relate to the hypothesis that the research intends to test; and incorporating ideas, statements, procedures of others' work without permission and appropriate credit to the source. The etiologic factors contributing to this deviant behavior, and measures taken by relevant bodies to eliminate this phenomenon are discussed. Ethical and integrity aspects of craniofacial research are explored and a set of criteria to facilitate rigorous assessment of the integrity of clinical and basic research protocols is proposed. These include (1) an integrity-focused training of researchers to adhere to specific laboratory procedure and tactics which discourage fraud; (2) appointment of external reviewers to detect unusual and suspicious experimental process or data patterns; and (3) encouragement of multicenter trials. Although it is widely recognized that the sole determinant of scientific misconduct is the individual investigator's integrity, a number of precautions may effectively reduce the prevalence of this event, which may affect the status and trends of biomedical research in general.

Basic-education mexican teachers' knowledge of biotechnology and attitudes about the consumption of genetically modified foods.

PubMed

Jiménez-Salas, Zacarías; Campos-Góngora, Eduardo; González-Martínez, Blanca E; Tijerina-Sáenz, Alexandra; Escamilla-Méndez, Angélica D; Ramírez-López, Erik

2017-09-01

Over the past few years, a new research field has emerged, focusing on the social-scientific criteria for the study of opinions toward genetically modified foods (GMFs), since these may be limiting factors for the success or failure of these products. Basic education is the first step in the Mexican education system, and teachers may wield an outsized influence on the attitudes and preferences of children, prospective future consumers of these products. To better understand the current state of knowledge of biotechnology issues and opinions toward the consumption of GMF of Mexican teachers, a questionnaire was distributed, and 362 Mexican teachers of basic education responded. The survey included questions about the benefits and risks of consuming GMF. The mean percentage of teachers expressing knowledge of a given topic in biotechnology was 50%. More than 60% of teachers believed that GMFs would be useful in preventing world hunger, while 39.2% considered GMF to be hazards for future generations. Although 47.0% reported not having enough knowledge about these topics, almost all (90.3%) respondents expressed an interest and willingness to learn about biotechnology. In light of the fact that teachers of basic education represent the first and potentially most lasting stage in the education of young children, this survey establishes the urgent need to develop strategies to improve the scientific knowledge of teachers and to facilitate decision making and the promotion of scientific and technological advances for their students. © 2017 by The International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, 45(5):396-402, 2017. © 2017 The International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology.

[Basic research in traumatology and its contribution to routine operation].

PubMed

Hausner, T; Redl, H

2017-02-01

Basic research in traumatology supports the clinical outcome of patients in trauma care and tries to find science-based solutions for clinical problems. Furthermore, institutions for basic research in traumatology usually offer training in different skills, such as how to write a scientific paper, or practice in microsurgery or intubation. Two examples of clinically significant research topics are presented.

Universal Influenza B Virus Genomic Amplification Facilitates Sequencing, Diagnostics, and Reverse Genetics

PubMed Central

Zhou, Bin; Lin, Xudong; Wang, Wei; Halpin, Rebecca A.; Bera, Jayati; Stockwell, Timothy B.; Barr, Ian G.

2014-01-01

Although human influenza B virus (IBV) is a significant human pathogen, its great genetic diversity has limited our ability to universally amplify the entire genome for subsequent sequencing or vaccine production. The generation of sequence data via next-generation approaches and the rapid cloning of viral genes are critical for basic research, diagnostics, antiviral drugs, and vaccines to combat IBV. To overcome the difficulty of amplifying the diverse and ever-changing IBV genome, we developed and optimized techniques that amplify the complete segmented negative-sense RNA genome from any IBV strain in a single tube/well (IBV genomic amplification [IBV-GA]). Amplicons for >1,000 diverse IBV genomes from different sample types (e.g., clinical specimens) were generated and sequenced using this robust technology. These approaches are sensitive, robust, and sequence independent (i.e., universally amplify past, present, and future IBVs), which facilitates next-generation sequencing and advanced genomic diagnostics. Importantly, special terminal sequences engineered into the optimized IBV-GA2 products also enable ligation-free cloning to rapidly generate reverse-genetics plasmids, which can be used for the rescue of recombinant viruses and/or the creation of vaccine seed stock. PMID:24501036

Organizational approaches to collaboration in vocational rehabilitation—an international literature review

PubMed Central

Andersson, Johanna; Ahgren, Bengt; Axelsson, Susanna Bihari; Eriksson, Andrea; Axelsson, Runo

2011-01-01

Introduction Collaboration between welfare organizations is an important strategy for integrating different health and welfare services. This article reports a review of the international literature on vocational rehabilitation, focusing on different organizational models of collaboration as well as different barriers and facilitating factors. Methods The review was based on an extensive search in scientific journals from 1995 to 2010, which generated more than 13,000 articles. The number of articles was reduced in different steps through a group procedure based on the abstracts. Finally, 205 articles were read in full text and 62 were included for content analysis. Results Seven basic models of collaboration were identified in the literature. They had different degrees of complexity, intensity and formalization. They could also be combined in different ways. Several barriers and facilitators of collaboration were also identified. Most of these were related to factors as communication, trust and commitment. Conclusion There is no optimal model of collaboration to be applied everywhere, but one model could be more appropriate than others in a certain context. More research is needed to compare different models and to see whether they are applicable also in other fields of collaboration inside or outside the welfare system. PMID:22128280

Cardio-Facio-Cutaneous Syndrome: Clinical Features, Diagnosis, and Management Guidelines

PubMed Central

Magoulas, Pilar L.; Adi, Saleh; Kavamura, Maria Ines; Neri, Giovanni; Noonan, Jacqueline; Pierpont, Elizabeth I.; Reinker, Kent; Roberts, Amy E.; Shankar, Suma; Sullivan, Joseph; Wolford, Melinda; Conger, Brenda; Santa Cruz, Molly; Rauen, Katherine A.

2014-01-01

Cardio-facio-cutaneous syndrome (CFC) is one of the RASopathies that bears many clinical features in common with the other syndromes in this group, most notably Noonan syndrome and Costello syndrome. CFC is genetically heterogeneous and caused by gene mutations in the Ras/mitogen-activated protein kinase pathway. The major features of CFC include characteristic craniofacial dysmorphology, congenital heart disease, dermatologic abnormalities, growth retardation, and intellectual disability. It is essential that this condition be differentiated from other RASopathies, as a correct diagnosis is important for appropriate medical management and determining recurrence risk. Children and adults with CFC require multidisciplinary care from specialists, and the need for comprehensive management has been apparent to families and health care professionals caring for affected individuals. To address this need, CFC International, a nonprofit family support organization that provides a forum for information, support, and facilitation of research in basic medical and social issues affecting individuals with CFC, organized a consensus conference. Experts in multiple medical specialties provided clinical management guidelines for pediatricians and other care providers. These guidelines will assist in an accurate diagnosis of individuals with CFC, provide best practice recommendations, and facilitate long-term medical care. PMID:25180280

Experimental psychiatric illness and drug abuse models: from human to animal, an overview.

PubMed

Edwards, Scott; Koob, George F

2012-01-01

Preclinical animal models have supported much of the recent rapid expansion of neuroscience research and have facilitated critical discoveries that undoubtedly benefit patients suffering from psychiatric disorders. This overview serves as an introduction for the following chapters describing both in vivo and in vitro preclinical models of psychiatric disease components and briefly describes models related to drug dependence and affective disorders. Although there are no perfect animal models of any psychiatric disorder, models do exist for many elements of each disease state or stage. In many cases, the development of certain models is essentially restricted to the human clinical laboratory domain for the purpose of maximizing validity, whereas the use of in vitro models may best represent an adjunctive, well-controlled means to model specific signaling mechanisms associated with psychiatric disease states. The data generated by preclinical models are only as valid as the model itself, and the development and refinement of animal models for human psychiatric disorders continues to be an important challenge. Collaborative relationships between basic neuroscience and clinical modeling could greatly benefit the development of new and better models, in addition to facilitating medications development.

Patent databases and analytical tools for space technology commercialization (Part 2)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hulsey, William N., III

2002-07-01

A shift in the space industry has occurred that requires technology developers to understand the basics of the intellectual property laws; Global harmonization facilitates this understanding; internet-based tools enable knowledge of these rights and the facts affecting them.

R and D Evaluation Workshop report, U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Energy Research, September 7--8, 1995

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

Jordan, G.

1995-10-30

The objective of the workshop was to promote discussions between experts and research managers on developing approaches for assessing the impact of DOE`s basic energy research upon the energy mission, applied research, technology transfer, the economy, and society. The purpose of this impact assessment is to demonstrate results and improve ER research programs in this era when basic research is expected to meet changing national economic and social goals. The questions addressed were: (1) By what criteria and metrics does Energy Research measure performance and evaluate its impact on the DOE mission and society while maintaining an environment that fostersmore » basic research? (2) What combination of evaluation methods best applies to assessing the performance and impact of OBES basic research? The focus will be upon the following methods: Case studies, User surveys, Citation analysis, TRACES approach, Return on DOE investment (ROI)/Econometrics, and Expert panels. (3) What combination of methods and specific rules of thumb can be applied to capture impacts along the spectrum from basic research to products and societal impacts?« less

Detection of lipid-induced structural changes of the Marburg virus matrix protein VP40 using hydrogen/deuterium exchange-mass spectrometry

PubMed Central

Wijesinghe, Kaveesha J.; Urata, Sarah; Bhattarai, Nisha; Kooijman, Edgar E.; Gerstman, Bernard S.; Chapagain, Prem P.; Li, Sheng; Stahelin, Robert V.

2017-01-01

Marburg virus (MARV) is a lipid-enveloped virus from the Filoviridae family containing a negative sense RNA genome. One of the seven MARV genes encodes the matrix protein VP40, which forms a matrix layer beneath the plasma membrane inner leaflet to facilitate budding from the host cell. MARV VP40 (mVP40) has been shown to be a dimeric peripheral protein with a broad and flat basic surface that can associate with anionic phospholipids such as phosphatidylserine. Although a number of mVP40 cationic residues have been shown to facilitate binding to membranes containing anionic lipids, much less is known on how mVP40 assembles to form the matrix layer following membrane binding. Here we have used hydrogen/deuterium exchange (HDX) mass spectrometry to determine the solvent accessibility of mVP40 residues in the absence and presence of phosphatidylserine and phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate. HDX analysis demonstrates that two basic loops in the mVP40 C-terminal domain make important contributions to anionic membrane binding and also reveals a potential oligomerization interface in the C-terminal domain as well as a conserved oligomerization interface in the mVP40 N-terminal domain. Lipid binding assays confirm the role of the two basic patches elucidated with HD/X measurements, whereas molecular dynamics simulations and membrane insertion measurements complement these studies to demonstrate that mVP40 does not appreciably insert into the hydrocarbon region of anionic membranes in contrast to the matrix protein from Ebola virus. Taken together, we propose a model by which association of the mVP40 dimer with the anionic plasma membrane facilitates assembly of mVP40 oligomers. PMID:28167534

Detection of lipid-induced structural changes of the Marburg virus matrix protein VP40 using hydrogen/deuterium exchange-mass spectrometry.

PubMed

Wijesinghe, Kaveesha J; Urata, Sarah; Bhattarai, Nisha; Kooijman, Edgar E; Gerstman, Bernard S; Chapagain, Prem P; Li, Sheng; Stahelin, Robert V

2017-04-14

Marburg virus (MARV) is a lipid-enveloped virus from the Filoviridae family containing a negative sense RNA genome. One of the seven MARV genes encodes the matrix protein VP40, which forms a matrix layer beneath the plasma membrane inner leaflet to facilitate budding from the host cell. MARV VP40 (mVP40) has been shown to be a dimeric peripheral protein with a broad and flat basic surface that can associate with anionic phospholipids such as phosphatidylserine. Although a number of mVP40 cationic residues have been shown to facilitate binding to membranes containing anionic lipids, much less is known on how mVP40 assembles to form the matrix layer following membrane binding. Here we have used hydrogen/deuterium exchange (HDX) mass spectrometry to determine the solvent accessibility of mVP40 residues in the absence and presence of phosphatidylserine and phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate. HDX analysis demonstrates that two basic loops in the mVP40 C-terminal domain make important contributions to anionic membrane binding and also reveals a potential oligomerization interface in the C-terminal domain as well as a conserved oligomerization interface in the mVP40 N-terminal domain. Lipid binding assays confirm the role of the two basic patches elucidated with HD/X measurements, whereas molecular dynamics simulations and membrane insertion measurements complement these studies to demonstrate that mVP40 does not appreciably insert into the hydrocarbon region of anionic membranes in contrast to the matrix protein from Ebola virus. Taken together, we propose a model by which association of the mVP40 dimer with the anionic plasma membrane facilitates assembly of mVP40 oligomers. © 2017 by The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.

Education in Basic Skills and Training for Productive Work

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Labarca, Guillermo

1998-09-01

The success of global policies and strategies aimed at training for productive work depends to a large extent on the level of development of basic skills among the work force and, likewise, training costs will vary according to the level of general preparation of those entering on the process. In view of the close relationship between the structure of the school system, the development of basic skills and actual training, different options are available to resolve imbalances between training for productive employment and previous basic education. Our conclusions are that training cannot replace basic education, that the process of technological change goes hand in hand with an increased demand for workers with a high level of education, that substituting training in specific skills for good basic education is not the most efficient option, and that one of the favorable effects of primary education is that it facilitates after- school training. This article seeks to identify certain dimensions of human resource training which are often overlooked in relation to both basic skills and specific training proper: namely, the imbalances existing between vocational training and previous education, and the options available for correcting them.

Early neonatal mortality and neurological outcomes of neonatal resuscitation in a resource-limited setting on the Thailand-Myanmar border: A descriptive study.

PubMed

Janet, Sophie; Carrara, Verena I; Simpson, Julie A; Thin, Nant War War; Say, Wah Wah; Paw, Naw Ta Mlar; Chotivanich, Kesinee; Turner, Claudia; Crawley, Jane; McGready, Rose

2018-01-01

Of the 4 million neonatal deaths worldwide yearly, 98% occur in low and middle-income countries. Effective resuscitation reduces mortality and morbidity but long-term outcomes in resource-limited settings are poorly described. This study reports on newborn neurological outcomes following resuscitation at birth in a resource-limited setting where intensive newborn care including intubation is unavailable. Retrospective analysis of births records from 2008 to 2015 at Shoklo Malaria Research Unit (SMRU) on the Thailand-Myanmar border. From 21,225 newbonrs delivered, 15,073 (71%) met the inclusion criteria (liveborn, singleton, ≥28 weeks' gestation, delivered in SMRU). Neonatal resuscitation was performed in 460 (3%; 422 basic, 38 advanced) cases. Overall early neonatal mortality was 6.6 deaths per 1000 live births (95% CI 5.40-8.06). Newborns receiving basic and advanced resuscitation presented an adjusted rate for death of 1.30 (95%CI 0.66-2.55; p = 0.442), and 6.32 (95%CI 3.01-13.26; p<0.001) respectively, compared to newborns given routine care. Main factors related to increased need for resuscitation were breech delivery, meconium, and fetal distress (p<0.001). Neurodevelopmental follow-up to one year was performed in 1,608 (10.5%) of the 15,073 newborns; median neurodevelopmental scores of non-resuscitated newborns and those receiving basic resuscitation were similar (64 (n = 1565) versus 63 (n = 41); p = 0.732), while advanced resuscitation scores were significantly lower (56 (n = 5); p = 0.017). Newborns requiring basic resuscitation at birth have normal neuro-developmental outcomes at one year of age compared to low-risk newborns. Identification of risk factors (e.g., breech delivery) associated with increased need for neonatal resuscitation may facilitate allocation of staff to high-risk deliveries. This work endorses the use of basic resuscitation in low-resource settings, and supports on-going staff training to maintain bag-and-mask ventilation skills.

Comparing early signs and basic symptoms as methods for predicting psychotic relapse in clinical practice.

PubMed

Eisner, Emily; Drake, Richard; Lobban, Fiona; Bucci, Sandra; Emsley, Richard; Barrowclough, Christine

2018-02-01

Early signs interventions show promise but could be further developed. A recent review suggested that 'basic symptoms' should be added to conventional early signs to improve relapse prediction. This study builds on preliminary evidence that basic symptoms predict relapse and aimed to: 1. examine which phenomena participants report prior to relapse and how they describe them; 2. determine the best way of identifying pre-relapse basic symptoms; 3. assess current practice by comparing self- and casenote-reported pre-relapse experiences. Participants with non-affective psychosis were recruited from UK mental health services. In-depth interviews (n=23), verbal checklists of basic symptoms (n=23) and casenote extracts (n=208) were analysed using directed content analysis and non-parametric statistical tests. Three-quarters of interviewees reported basic symptoms and all reported conventional early signs and 'other' pre-relapse experiences. Interviewees provided rich descriptions of basic symptoms. Verbal checklist interviews asking specifically about basic symptoms identified these experiences more readily than open questions during in-depth interviews. Only 5% of casenotes recorded basic symptoms; interviewees were 16 times more likely to report basic symptoms than their casenotes did. The majority of interviewees self-reported pre-relapse basic symptoms when asked specifically about these experiences but very few casenotes reported these symptoms. Basic symptoms may be potent predictors of relapse that clinicians miss. A self-report measure would aid monitoring of basic symptoms in routine clinical practice and would facilitate a prospective investigation comparing basic symptoms and conventional early signs as predictors of relapse. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

48 CFR 35.001 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... CONTRACTING RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT CONTRACTING 35.001 Definitions. Applied research means the effort that (a) normally follows basic research, but may not be severable from the related basic research; (b) attempts to...

Assessment of Department of Defense Basic Research

DTIC Science & Technology

2005-01-01

Sciences, the National Academy of Engineering, the Institute of Medicine, and the National Research Council: • Download hundreds of free books in PDF...with our innovative research tools Thank you for downloading this free PDF. If you have comments, questions or just want more information... downloaded from: http://www.nap.edu/catalog/11177.html Assessment of Department of Defense Basic Research Committee on Department of Defense Basic

America's Basic Research: Prosperity Through Discovery. A Policy Statement by the Research and Policy Committee of the Committee for Economic Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Committee for Economic Development, 1998

1998-01-01

This policy statement looks at America's basic research enterprise and lays out the processes and systematic reforms needed to meet emerging risks to the outcomes from investments in basic research. The Committee for Economic Development (CED) undertook this project in the belief that significant progress with many of society's problems and new…

Policies to increase the social value of science and the scientist satisfaction. An exploratory survey among Harvard bioscientists.

PubMed Central

Ballabeni, Andrea; Boggio, Andrea; Hemenway, David

2014-01-01

Basic research in the biomedical field generates both knowledge that has a value per se regardless of its possible practical outcome and knowledge that has the potential to produce more practical benefits. Policies can increase the benefit potential to society of basic biomedical research by offering various kinds of incentives to basic researchers. In this paper we argue that soft incentives or “nudges” are particularly promising. However, to be well designed, these incentives must take into account the motivations, goals and views of the basic scientists. In the paper we present the results of an investigation that involved more than 300 scientists at Harvard Medical School and affiliated institutes. The results of this study suggest that some soft incentives could be valuable tools to increase the transformative value of fundamental investigations without affecting the spirit of the basic research and scientists’ work satisfaction. After discussing the findings, we discuss a few examples of nudges for basic researchers in the biomedical fields. PMID:24795807

Policies to increase the social value of science and the scientist satisfaction. An exploratory survey among Harvard bioscientists.

PubMed

Ballabeni, Andrea; Boggio, Andrea; Hemenway, David

2014-01-01

Basic research in the biomedical field generates both knowledge that has a value per se regardless of its possible practical outcome and knowledge that has the potential to produce more practical benefits. Policies can increase the benefit potential to society of basic biomedical research by offering various kinds of incentives to basic researchers. In this paper we argue that soft incentives or "nudges" are particularly promising. However, to be well designed, these incentives must take into account the motivations, goals and views of the basic scientists. In the paper we present the results of an investigation that involved more than 300 scientists at Harvard Medical School and affiliated institutes. The results of this study suggest that some soft incentives could be valuable tools to increase the transformative value of fundamental investigations without affecting the spirit of the basic research and scientists' work satisfaction. After discussing the findings, we discuss a few examples of nudges for basic researchers in the biomedical fields.

Difficult Decisions: A Qualitative Exploration of the Statistical Decision Making Process from the Perspectives of Psychology Students and Academics

PubMed Central

Allen, Peter J.; Dorozenko, Kate P.; Roberts, Lynne D.

2016-01-01

Quantitative research methods are essential to the development of professional competence in psychology. They are also an area of weakness for many students. In particular, students are known to struggle with the skill of selecting quantitative analytical strategies appropriate for common research questions, hypotheses and data types. To begin understanding this apparent deficit, we presented nine psychology undergraduates (who had all completed at least one quantitative methods course) with brief research vignettes, and asked them to explicate the process they would follow to identify an appropriate statistical technique for each. Thematic analysis revealed that all participants found this task challenging, and even those who had completed several research methods courses struggled to articulate how they would approach the vignettes on more than a very superficial and intuitive level. While some students recognized that there is a systematic decision making process that can be followed, none could describe it clearly or completely. We then presented the same vignettes to 10 psychology academics with particular expertise in conducting research and/or research methods instruction. Predictably, these “experts” were able to describe a far more systematic, comprehensive, flexible, and nuanced approach to statistical decision making, which begins early in the research process, and pays consideration to multiple contextual factors. They were sensitive to the challenges that students experience when making statistical decisions, which they attributed partially to how research methods and statistics are commonly taught. This sensitivity was reflected in their pedagogic practices. When asked to consider the format and features of an aid that could facilitate the statistical decision making process, both groups expressed a preference for an accessible, comprehensive and reputable resource that follows a basic decision tree logic. For the academics in particular, this aid should function as a teaching tool, which engages the user with each choice-point in the decision making process, rather than simply providing an “answer.” Based on these findings, we offer suggestions for tools and strategies that could be deployed in the research methods classroom to facilitate and strengthen students' statistical decision making abilities. PMID:26909064

Difficult Decisions: A Qualitative Exploration of the Statistical Decision Making Process from the Perspectives of Psychology Students and Academics.

PubMed

Allen, Peter J; Dorozenko, Kate P; Roberts, Lynne D

2016-01-01

Quantitative research methods are essential to the development of professional competence in psychology. They are also an area of weakness for many students. In particular, students are known to struggle with the skill of selecting quantitative analytical strategies appropriate for common research questions, hypotheses and data types. To begin understanding this apparent deficit, we presented nine psychology undergraduates (who had all completed at least one quantitative methods course) with brief research vignettes, and asked them to explicate the process they would follow to identify an appropriate statistical technique for each. Thematic analysis revealed that all participants found this task challenging, and even those who had completed several research methods courses struggled to articulate how they would approach the vignettes on more than a very superficial and intuitive level. While some students recognized that there is a systematic decision making process that can be followed, none could describe it clearly or completely. We then presented the same vignettes to 10 psychology academics with particular expertise in conducting research and/or research methods instruction. Predictably, these "experts" were able to describe a far more systematic, comprehensive, flexible, and nuanced approach to statistical decision making, which begins early in the research process, and pays consideration to multiple contextual factors. They were sensitive to the challenges that students experience when making statistical decisions, which they attributed partially to how research methods and statistics are commonly taught. This sensitivity was reflected in their pedagogic practices. When asked to consider the format and features of an aid that could facilitate the statistical decision making process, both groups expressed a preference for an accessible, comprehensive and reputable resource that follows a basic decision tree logic. For the academics in particular, this aid should function as a teaching tool, which engages the user with each choice-point in the decision making process, rather than simply providing an "answer." Based on these findings, we offer suggestions for tools and strategies that could be deployed in the research methods classroom to facilitate and strengthen students' statistical decision making abilities.

[Activities of Research Institute for Advanced Computer Science

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gross, Anthony R. (Technical Monitor); Leiner, Barry M.

2001-01-01

The Research Institute for Advanced Computer Science (RIACS) carries out basic research and technology development in computer science, in support of the National Aeronautics and Space Administrations missions. RIACS is located at the NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, California. RIACS research focuses on the three cornerstones of IT research necessary to meet the future challenges of NASA missions: 1. Automated Reasoning for Autonomous Systems Techniques are being developed enabling spacecraft that will be self-guiding and self-correcting to the extent that they will require little or no human intervention. Such craft will be equipped to independently solve problems as they arise, and fulfill their missions with minimum direction from Earth. 2. Human-Centered Computing Many NASA missions require synergy between humans and computers, with sophisticated computational aids amplifying human cognitive and perceptual abilities. 3. High Performance Computing and Networking Advances in the performance of computing and networking continue to have major impact on a variety of NASA endeavors, ranging from modeling and simulation to analysis of large scientific datasets to collaborative engineering, planning and execution. In addition, RIACS collaborates with NASA scientists to apply IT research to a variety of NASA application domains. RIACS also engages in other activities, such as workshops, seminars, visiting scientist programs and student summer programs, designed to encourage and facilitate collaboration between the university and NASA IT research communities.

Concept and analytical basis for revistas - A fast, flexible computer/graphic system for generating periodic satellite coverage patterns

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

King, J. C.

1976-01-01

The generation of satellite coverage patterns is facilitated by three basic strategies: use of a simplified physical model, permitting rapid closed-form calculation; separation of earth rotation and nodal precession from initial geometric analyses; and use of symmetries to construct traces of indefinite length by repetitive transposition of basic one-quadrant elements. The complete coverage patterns generated consist of a basic nadir trace plus a number of associated off-nadir traces, one for each sensor swath edge to be delineated. Each trace is generated by transposing one or two of the basic quadrant elements into a circle on a nonrotating earth model sphere, after which the circle is expanded into the actual 'helical' pattern by adding rotational displacements to the longitude coordinates. The procedure adapts to the important periodic coverage cases by direct insertion of the characteristic integers N and R (days and orbital revolutions, respectively, per coverage period).

Whose statistical reasoning is facilitated by a causal structure intervention?

PubMed

McNair, Simon; Feeney, Aidan

2015-02-01

People often struggle when making Bayesian probabilistic estimates on the basis of competing sources of statistical evidence. Recently, Krynski and Tenenbaum (Journal of Experimental Psychology: General, 136, 430-450, 2007) proposed that a causal Bayesian framework accounts for peoples' errors in Bayesian reasoning and showed that, by clarifying the causal relations among the pieces of evidence, judgments on a classic statistical reasoning problem could be significantly improved. We aimed to understand whose statistical reasoning is facilitated by the causal structure intervention. In Experiment 1, although we observed causal facilitation effects overall, the effect was confined to participants high in numeracy. We did not find an overall facilitation effect in Experiment 2 but did replicate the earlier interaction between numerical ability and the presence or absence of causal content. This effect held when we controlled for general cognitive ability and thinking disposition. Our results suggest that clarifying causal structure facilitates Bayesian judgments, but only for participants with sufficient understanding of basic concepts in probability and statistics.

National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute and the translation of cardiovascular discoveries into therapeutic approaches.

PubMed

Galis, Zorina S; Black, Jodi B; Skarlatos, Sonia I

2013-04-26

The molecular causes of ≈4000 medical conditions have been described, yet only 5% have associated therapies. For decades, the average time for drug development through approval has taken 10 to 20 years. In recent years, the serious challenges that confront the private sector have made it difficult to capitalize on new opportunities presented by advances in genomics and cellular therapies. Current trends are disturbing. Pharmaceutical companies are reducing their investments in research, and biotechnology companies are struggling to obtain venture funds. To support early-stage translation of the discoveries in basic science, the National Institutes of Health and the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute have developed new approaches to facilitating the translation of basic discoveries into clinical applications and will continue to develop a variety of programs that create teams of academic investigators and industry partners. The goal of these programs is to maximize the public benefit of investment of taxpayer dollars in biomedical research and to lessen the risk required for industry partners to make substantial investments. This article highlights several examples of National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute-initiated translational programs and National Institutes of Health translational resources designed to catalyze and enable the earliest stages of the biomedical product development process. The translation of latest discoveries into therapeutic approaches depends on continued federal funding to enhance the early stages of the product development process and to stimulate and catalyze partnerships between academia, industry, and other sources of capital.

The Role of Extracellular Binding Proteins in the Cellular Uptake of Drugs: Impact on Quantitative In Vitro-to-In Vivo Extrapolations of Toxicity and Efficacy in Physiologically Based Pharmacokinetic-Pharmacodynamic Research.

PubMed

Poulin, Patrick; Burczynski, Frank J; Haddad, Sami

2016-02-01

A critical component in the development of physiologically based pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic (PBPK/PD) models for estimating target organ dosimetry in pharmacology and toxicology studies is the understanding of the uptake kinetics and accumulation of drugs and chemicals at the cellular level. Therefore, predicting free drug concentrations in intracellular fluid will contribute to our understanding of concentrations at the site of action in cells in PBPK/PD research. Some investigators believe that uptake of drugs in cells is solely driven by the unbound fraction; conversely, others argue that the protein-bound fraction contributes a significant portion of the total amount delivered to cells. Accordingly, the current literature suggests the existence of a so-called albumin-mediated uptake mechanism(s) for the protein-bound fraction (i.e., extracellular protein-facilitated uptake mechanisms) at least in hepatocytes and cardiac myocytes; however, such mechanism(s) and cells from other organs deserve further exploration. Therefore, the main objective of this present study was to discuss further the implication of potential protein-facilitated uptake mechanism(s) on drug distribution in cells under in vivo conditions. The interplay between the protein-facilitated uptake mechanism(s) and the effects of a pH gradient, metabolism, transport, and permeation limitation potentially occurring in cells was also discussed, as this should violate the basic assumption on similar free drug concentration in cells and plasma. This was made because the published equations used to calculate drug concentrations in cells in a PBPK/PD model did not consider potential protein-facilitated uptake mechanism(s). Consequently, we corrected some published equations for calculating the free drug concentrations in cells compared with plasma in PBPK/PD modeling studies, and we proposed a refined strategy for potentially performing more accurate quantitative in vitro-to-in vivo extrapolations (IVIVEs) of toxicity (efficacy) at the cellular level from data generated in cell assays. Overall, this present study may help to optimize the human dose prediction in preclinical and clinical studies, while prescribing drugs with narrow therapeutic windows that are highly bound to extracellular proteins and/or highly ionized at the physiological pH. This may facilitate building a more accurate safety (efficacy) profile for such drugs. Copyright © 2016 American Pharmacists Association®. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Information-seeking behavior of basic science researchers: implications for library services.

PubMed

Haines, Laura L; Light, Jeanene; O'Malley, Donna; Delwiche, Frances A

2010-01-01

This study examined the information-seeking behaviors of basic science researchers to inform the development of customized library services. A qualitative study using semi-structured interviews was conducted on a sample of basic science researchers employed at a university medical school. The basic science researchers used a variety of information resources ranging from popular Internet search engines to highly technical databases. They generally relied on basic keyword searching, using the simplest interface of a database or search engine. They were highly collegial, interacting primarily with coworkers in their laboratories and colleagues employed at other institutions. They made little use of traditional library services and instead performed many traditional library functions internally. Although the basic science researchers expressed a positive attitude toward the library, they did not view its resources or services as integral to their work. To maximize their use by researchers, library resources must be accessible via departmental websites. Use of library services may be increased by cultivating relationships with key departmental administrative personnel. Despite their self-sufficiency, subjects expressed a desire for centralized information about ongoing research on campus and shared resources, suggesting a role for the library in creating and managing an institutional repository.

Information-seeking behavior of basic science researchers: implications for library services

PubMed Central

Haines, Laura L.; Light, Jeanene; O'Malley, Donna; Delwiche, Frances A.

2010-01-01

Objectives: This study examined the information-seeking behaviors of basic science researchers to inform the development of customized library services. Methods: A qualitative study using semi-structured interviews was conducted on a sample of basic science researchers employed at a university medical school. Results: The basic science researchers used a variety of information resources ranging from popular Internet search engines to highly technical databases. They generally relied on basic keyword searching, using the simplest interface of a database or search engine. They were highly collegial, interacting primarily with coworkers in their laboratories and colleagues employed at other institutions. They made little use of traditional library services and instead performed many traditional library functions internally. Conclusions: Although the basic science researchers expressed a positive attitude toward the library, they did not view its resources or services as integral to their work. To maximize their use by researchers, library resources must be accessible via departmental websites. Use of library services may be increased by cultivating relationships with key departmental administrative personnel. Despite their self-sufficiency, subjects expressed a desire for centralized information about ongoing research on campus and shared resources, suggesting a role for the library in creating and managing an institutional repository. PMID:20098658

Consulting Basics for the Teacher-Turned-Technology Consultant.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stager, Sue; Green, Kathy

1988-01-01

Discusses the role of educational technology consultants who may be classroom teachers with no formal training in consulting. Consulting models are described, including content-oriented and process-oriented approaches; Schein's process facilitator model is examined; and Kurpius' consulting model is explained and expanded. (LRW)

A European Navy: Can it Complete European Political and Economic Integration?

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-06-01

would enjoy a comprehensive and complete defense structure, perhaps even more effective and cost-efficient than is possible with the current lineup ...malfunctions or operator error. A unified and unifying European Navy would standardize basic equipment and procedures , facilitating effective exercises

The Social Justice Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Loewen, Gladys; Pollard, William

2010-01-01

This article shines an important light on the continuing struggle of disabled people for dignity, citizenship rights, and access to the marketplace. Common threads bind the struggle for basic human rights among disenfranchised groups, offer experience and approaches to facilitate change, and move society towards social justice. The philosophy…

Helping Hands: A World of Manipulatives To Boost Handwriting Skills.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Naus, June M.

2000-01-01

This article identifies possible causes of handwriting difficulties and suggests activities to facilitate the development of hand muscles and handwriting skills. It discusses handwriting readiness, wrist stability, hand development activities, pencil grasp, hand dominance, eye-hand coordination, basic strokes, general readiness skills, writing…

A Dialogue with Carl Rogers: Cross-Cultural Challenges of Facilitating Person-Centered Groups in Africa.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hain-Hill, Alicia; Rogers, Carl R.

1988-01-01

Presents brainstorming dialogue with Carl Rogers which was held in January of 1987, shortly before Rogers's death. Explores basic challenges involved in a large-scale, cross-cultural application of person-centered group work in South Africa. (Author)

DCS facilitation of fear extinction and exposure-based therapy may rely on lower-level, automatic mechanisms

PubMed Central

Grillon, Christian

2009-01-01

Exposure-based therapy (EBT), a leading technique in the treatment of a range of anxiety disorders, is facilitated by D-cycloserine (DCS), a partial N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor agonist. This review discusses the potential mechanisms involved in this facilitation, and its implications for developing theories of fear conditioning in humans. Basic research in rodents suggests that DCS acts by speeding up extinction. However, several lab-based investigations found that DCS had no effect on extinction in humans. This paper proposes that these observations can be accounted for by a dual-model theory of fear conditioning in humans that engages two complementary defensive systems: a reflexive lower-order system independent of conscious awareness and a higher-order cognitive system associated with conscious awareness of danger and expectation. DCS studies in animals appear to have explored lower-order conditioning mechanisms, whereas human studies have explored higher-order cognitive processes. These observations suggest that DCS may act preferentially on lower- rather than higher-order learning. This paper presents evidence suggesting that, in humans, DCS may similarly affect lower-order learning during EBT and, consequently, may be less effective during cognitive therapy (e.g., cognitive restructuring). Finally, it is recommended that extinction studies using DCS in humans be conducted using fear-relevant stimuli (e.g., snakes), short conditional stimulus-unconditioned stimulus (CS-US) intervals, and intense US in order to promote lower-order conditioning processes. PMID:19520359

DockoMatic 2.0: high throughput inverse virtual screening and homology modeling.

PubMed

Bullock, Casey; Cornia, Nic; Jacob, Reed; Remm, Andrew; Peavey, Thomas; Weekes, Ken; Mallory, Chris; Oxford, Julia T; McDougal, Owen M; Andersen, Timothy L

2013-08-26

DockoMatic is a free and open source application that unifies a suite of software programs within a user-friendly graphical user interface (GUI) to facilitate molecular docking experiments. Here we describe the release of DockoMatic 2.0; significant software advances include the ability to (1) conduct high throughput inverse virtual screening (IVS); (2) construct 3D homology models; and (3) customize the user interface. Users can now efficiently setup, start, and manage IVS experiments through the DockoMatic GUI by specifying receptor(s), ligand(s), grid parameter file(s), and docking engine (either AutoDock or AutoDock Vina). DockoMatic automatically generates the needed experiment input files and output directories and allows the user to manage and monitor job progress. Upon job completion, a summary of results is generated by Dockomatic to facilitate interpretation by the user. DockoMatic functionality has also been expanded to facilitate the construction of 3D protein homology models using the Timely Integrated Modeler (TIM) wizard. The wizard TIM provides an interface that accesses the basic local alignment search tool (BLAST) and MODELER programs and guides the user through the necessary steps to easily and efficiently create 3D homology models for biomacromolecular structures. The DockoMatic GUI can be customized by the user, and the software design makes it relatively easy to integrate additional docking engines, scoring functions, or third party programs. DockoMatic is a free comprehensive molecular docking software program for all levels of scientists in both research and education.

A Feasibility Trial of Mental Health First Aid First Nations: Acceptability, Cultural Adaptation, and Preliminary Outcomes.

PubMed

Crooks, Claire V; Lapp, Andrea; Auger, Monique; van der Woerd, Kim; Snowshoe, Angela; Rogers, Billie Jo; Tsuruda, Samantha; Caron, Cassidy

2018-03-25

The Mental Health First Aid First Nations course was adapted from Mental Health First Aid Basic to create a community-based, culturally safe and relevant approach to promoting mental health literacy in First Nations contexts. Over 2.5 days, the course aims to build community capacity by teaching individuals to recognize and respond to mental health crises. This feasibility trial utilized mixed methods to evaluate the acceptability, cultural adaptation, and preliminary effectiveness of MHFAFN. Our approach was grounded in community-based participatory research principles, emphasizing relationship-driven procedures to collecting data and choice for how participants shared their voices. Data included participant interviews (n = 89), and surveys (n = 91) from 10 groups in four provinces. Surveys contained open-ended questions, retrospective pre-post ratings, and a scenario. We utilized data from nine facilitator interviews and 24 facilitator implementation surveys. The different lines of evidence converged to highlight strong acceptability, mixed reactions to the cultural adaptation, and gains in participants' knowledge, mental health first aid skill application, awareness, and self-efficacy, and reductions in stigma beliefs. Beyond promoting individual gains, the course served as a community-wide prevention approach by situating mental health in a colonial context and highlighting local resources and cultural strengths for promoting mental well-being. © 2018 The Authors American Journal of Community Psychology published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of Society for Community Research and Action.

Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Basics | Hydrogen and Fuel Cells | NREL

Science.gov Websites

Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Basics Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Basics NREL researchers are working to unlock the potential of hydrogen as a fuel and to advance fuel cell technologies for automobiles, equipment basics of NREL's hydrogen and fuel cell research and development. Fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs

Molecular communication among biological nanomachines: a layered architecture and research issues.

PubMed

Nakano, Tadashi; Suda, Tatsuya; Okaie, Yutaka; Moore, Michael J; Vasilakos, Athanasios V

2014-09-01

Molecular communication is an emerging communication paradigm for biological nanomachines. It allows biological nanomachines to communicate through exchanging molecules in an aqueous environment and to perform collaborative tasks through integrating functionalities of individual biological nanomachines. This paper develops the layered architecture of molecular communication and describes research issues that molecular communication faces at each layer of the architecture. Specifically, this paper applies a layered architecture approach, traditionally used in communication networks, to molecular communication, decomposes complex molecular communication functionality into a set of manageable layers, identifies basic functionalities of each layer, and develops a descriptive model consisting of key components of the layer for each layer. This paper also discusses open research issues that need to be addressed at each layer. In addition, this paper provides an example design of targeted drug delivery, a nanomedical application, to illustrate how the layered architecture helps design an application of molecular communication. The primary contribution of this paper is to provide an in-depth architectural view of molecular communication. Establishing a layered architecture of molecular communication helps organize various research issues and design concerns into layers that are relatively independent of each other, and thus accelerates research in each layer and facilitates the design and development of applications of molecular communication.

NASA's Initiative to Develop Education through Astronomy (IDEA)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bennett, Jeffrey O.; Morrow, Cherilynn A.

1994-04-01

We describe a progressive program in science education called the Initiative to Develop Education through Astronomy (IDEA). IDEA represents a commitrnent by the Astrophysics Division of NASA Headquarters to pre-collegiate and public learning. The program enlists the full participation of research astronomers in taking advantage of the natural appeal of astronomy and the unique features of space astrophysics missions to generate valuable learning experiences and scientifically accurate and educationally effective products for students, teachers and citizens. One of the premier projects is called Flight Opportunities for Science Teacher EnRichment (FOSTER) — a program to fly teachers aboard the Kuiper Airborne Observatory during actual research missions. IDEA is managed by a visiting scientist with extensive educational background (each of the authors have served in this role), and the program is unique within NASA science divisions for having a full time scientist devoted to education. IDEA recognizes that the rapidly shifting social and political landscape has caused a fundamental change in how science is expected to contribute to society. It is in the enlightened self-interest of all research scientists to respond to the challenge of connecting forefront research to basic educational needs. IDEA is exploring the avenues needed to facilitate these connections, including supplementing research grants for educational purposes.

NASA's initiative to develop education through astronomy (IDEA)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bennett, Jeffrey O.; Morrow, Cherilynn A.

1994-01-01

We describe a progressive program in science education called the Initiative to Develop Education through Astronomy (IDEA). IDEA represents a commitment by the Astrophysics Division of NASA Headquarters to pre-collegiate and public learning. The program enlists the full participation of research astronomers in taking advantage of the natural appeal of astronomy and the unique features of space astrophysics missions to generate valuable learning experiences and scientifically accurate and educationally effective products for students, teachers and citizens. One of the premier projects is called Flight Opportunities for Science Teacher EnRichment (FOSTER) - a program to fly teachers aboard the Kuiper Airborne Observatory during actual research missions. IDEA is managed by a visiting scientist with extensive educational background (each of the authors have served in this role), and the program is unique within NASA science divisions for having a full time scientist devoted to education. IDEA recognizes that the rapidly shifting social and political landscape has caused a fundamental change in how science is expected to contribute to society. It is in the enlightened self-interest of all research scientists to respond to the challenge of connecting forefront research to basic educational needs. IDEA is exploring the avenues needed to facilitate these connections, including supplementing research grants for educational purposes.

Disrupting Improvised Explosive Device Terror Campaigns: Basic Research Opportunities

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-01-01

2008 2. REPORT TYPE 3. DATES COVERED 00-00-2008 to 00-00-2008 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE Disrupting Improvised Explosive Device Terror Campaigns... Explosive Device Terror Campaigns: Basic Research Opportunities A WORKSHOP REPORT Committee on Defeating Improvised Explosive Devices...iv v COMMITTEE ON DEFEATING IMPROVISED EXPLOSIVE DEVICES: BASIC RESEARCH TO INTERRUPT THE IED DELIVERY CHAIN Chairperson

Clinical studies of the Research Committee on Intractable Vasculitides, the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare of Japan.

PubMed

Makino, Hirofumi; Sada, Ken-Ei

2013-10-01

In Japan, the Research Committee on Intractable Vasculitides, supported by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, has been promoting basic and clinical research on vasculitis since 1972. The present Research Committee on Intractable Vasculitides comprises 4 subcommittees under the direction of a Principal Investigator: Basic and Pathological Research Subcommittee, Clinical Research Subcommittee of Small and Medium-sized Vessel Vasculitis, Clinical Research Subcommittee of Large-sized Vessel Vasculitis, and International Cooperation Research Subcommittee. Since 2008, 9 nationwide clinical studies for vasculitis have been conducted and 8 clinical and basic studies are in progress.

Best-practice checklists for tephra collection, analysis and reporting - a draft consensus from the Tephra 2014 workshop

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wallace, K.; Bursik, M. I.; Kuehn, S. C.

2015-12-01

The Tephra 2014 Workshop (3-7 August 2014) discussed major developments, best practices, future directions, and critical needs in tephra studies from both volcanological and tephrochronological perspectives. In a consensus-seeking session held at the end of the workshop, the international group of over 70 tephra scientists focused on two complementary themes: (A) the need for common best practices in tephra data collection and reporting among different scientific disciplines, and (B) the need to establish common, accessible mechanisms for tephra data archiving and retrieval. Tephra is the focus of a wide range of research in volcanology, petrology, tephrochronology and tephrostratigraphy (with applications in studies of environmental/climate change, surface processes, paleolimnology, etc.), ash dispersion and fallout modeling, and archaeology, paleoanthropology, and human origins. Researchers in each field have specific objectives that may or may not overlap. The focus on best practices is a first step towards standardized protocols for the collection, analysis and reporting of tephra data across and within disciplines. Such uniformity will facilitate the development and population of useful tephra databases. Current initiatives include the development of best practice checklists as a starting point for ensuring uniformity and completeness. The goals of the checklists are to: 1) ensure consistency among tephra scientists, regardless of research focus, 2) provide basic, comprehensible, metadata requirements, especially those who collect tephra as a peripheral part of their research, 3) help train students, and 4) help journal editors to know which essential metadata should be included in published works. Consistency in tephra sample collection, analysis, and reporting attained by use of these checklists should ultimately aid in improving correlation of tephras across geographically large areas, and facilitate collaborative tephra research. Current and future versions of the checklists will be made available at: https://vhub.org/groups/tephra2014/resources

The Role of Qualitative Research Methods in Discrete Choice Experiments.

PubMed

Vass, Caroline; Rigby, Dan; Payne, Katherine

2017-04-01

The use of qualitative research (QR) methods is recommended as good practice in discrete choice experiments (DCEs). This study investigated the use and reporting of QR to inform the design and/or interpretation of healthcare-related DCEs and explored the perceived usefulness of such methods. DCEs were identified from a systematic search of the MEDLINE database. Studies were classified by the quantity of QR reported (none, basic, or extensive). Authors ( n = 91) of papers reporting the use of QR were invited to complete an online survey eliciting their views about using the methods. A total of 254 healthcare DCEs were included in the review; of these, 111 (44%) did not report using any qualitative methods; 114 (45%) reported "basic" information; and 29 (11%) reported or cited "extensive" use of qualitative methods. Studies reporting the use of qualitative methods used them to select attributes and/or levels ( n = 95; 66%) and/or pilot the DCE survey ( n = 26; 18%). Popular qualitative methods included focus groups ( n = 63; 44%) and interviews ( n = 109; 76%). Forty-four studies (31%) reported the analytical approach, with content ( n = 10; 7%) and framework analysis ( n = 5; 4%) most commonly reported. The survey identified that all responding authors ( n = 50; 100%) found that qualitative methods added value to their DCE study, but many ( n = 22; 44%) reported that journals were uninterested in the reporting of QR results. Despite recommendations that QR methods be used alongside DCEs, the use of QR methods is not consistently reported. The lack of reporting risks the inference that QR methods are of little use in DCE research, contradicting practitioners' assessments. Explicit guidelines would enable more clarity and consistency in reporting, and journals should facilitate such reporting via online supplementary materials.

Reflections on scientific collaboration between basic researchers and clinicians.

PubMed

Muia, J; Casari, C

2016-10-01

Early career researchers face uncertainties with respect to their job prospects due to dwindling job markets, decreased availability of funding and undefined career paths. As basic researchers and clinicians tend to have different approaches to scientific problems, there are many advantages from successful collaborations between them. Here, we discuss how collaborations between basic and clinical scientists should be promoted early in their careers. To achieve this, researchers, both basic and clinical, must be proactive during their training and early stages of their careers. Mentors can further augment collaborative links in many ways. We suggest that universities and institutions might reassess their involvement in promoting collaborations between basic and clinical researchers. We hope that this paper will serve as a reminder of the importance of such collaborations, and provide the opportunity for all members of the scientific community to reflect on and ameliorate their own contributions. © 2016 International Society on Thrombosis and Haemostasis.

SeedUSoon: A New Software Program to Improve Seed Stock Management and Plant Line Exchanges between Research Laboratories

PubMed Central

Charavay, Céline; Segard, Stéphane; Pochon, Nathalie; Nussaume, Laurent; Javot, Hélène

2017-01-01

Plant research is supported by an ever-growing collection of mutant or transgenic lines. In the past, a typical basic research laboratory would focus on only a few plant lines that were carefully isolated from collections of lines containing random mutations. The subsequent technological breakthrough in high-throughput sequencing, combined with novel and highly efficient mutagenesis techniques (including site-directed mutagenesis), has led to a recent exponential growth in plant line collections used by individual researchers. Tracking the generation and genetic properties of these genetic resources is thus becoming increasingly challenging for researchers. Another difficulty for researchers is controlling the use of seeds protected by a Material Transfer Agreement, as often only the original recipient of the seeds is aware of the existence of such documents. This situation can thus lead to difficult legal situations. Simultaneously, various institutions and the general public now demand more information about the use of genetically modified organisms (GMOs). In response, researchers are seeking new database solutions to address the triple challenge of research competition, legal constraints, and institutional/public demands. To help plant biology laboratories organize, describe, store, trace, and distribute their seeds, we have developed the new program SeedUSoon, with simplicity in mind. This software contains data management functions that allow the separate tracking of distinct mutations, even in successive crossings or mutagenesis. SeedUSoon reflects the biotechnological diversity of mutations and transgenes contained in any specific line, and the history of their inheritance. It can facilitate GMO certification procedures by distinguishing mutations on the basis of the presence/absence of a transgene, and by recording the technology used for their generation. Its interface can be customized to match the context and rules of any laboratory. In addition, SeedUSoon includes functions to help the laboratory protect intellectual property, export data, and facilitate seed exchange between laboratories. The SeedUSoon program, which is customizable to match individual practices and preferences, provides a powerful toolkit to plant laboratories searching for innovative approaches in laboratory management. PMID:28163712

Engaging basic scientists in translational research: identifying opportunities, overcoming obstacles

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

This report is based on the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology’s symposium, “Engaging basic Scientists in Translational Research: Identifying Opportunities, Overcoming Obstacles,” held in Chevy Chase, MD, March 24–25, 2011. Meeting participants examined the benefits of engaging basic scientists in translational research, the challenges to their participation in translational research, and the roles that research institutions, funding organizations, professional societies, and scientific publishers can play to address these challenges. PMID:22500917

AXIS: Adult Education eXpress Intercommunication Support. Final Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Reiff, Tana

This package includes the final report and selected products of the Adult education eXpress Intercommunication Support (AXIS) project, which was conducted to facilitate communication related to professional development services administered by the Pennsylvania Department of Education's Bureau of Adult Basic and Literacy Education (ABLE) and…

Social Networking Tools to Facilitate Cross-Program Collaboration

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wallace, Paul; Howard, Barbara

2010-01-01

Students working on a highly collaborative project used social networking technology for community building activities as well as basic project-related communication. Requiring students to work on cross-program projects gives them real-world experience working in diverse, geographically dispersed groups. An application used at Appalachian State…

Improving Learning in Rural Schools through Instructional Computing.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Friedman, Daniel

Effective individualized learning continues to be the primary educational goal of small-rural schools. Three thrusts towards individualized learning--non-graded instruction, an emphasis on basic skills, and socially relevant education--can be enhanced by instructional computing, the use of microcomputers to facilitate learning. However, most…

Laboratory Activities for Developing Process Skills.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Institute for Services to Education, Inc., Washington, DC.

This workbook contains laboratory exercises designed for use in a college introductory biology course. Each exercise helps the student develop a basic science skill. The exercises are arranged in a hierarchical sequence suggesting the scientific method. Each skill facilitates the development of succeeding ones. Activities include Use of the…

Language in America.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Postman, Neil, Ed.; And Others

The essays published in this collection were written in response to the basic question, "To what extent is the language of politics/advertising/psychotherapy/education/bureaucracy/etc. facilitating or impeding our chances of survival?" The general topic here is the contemporary use of language and the semantic environment in America, especially in…

Self-Determination Theory: Intrinsic Motivation and Behavioral Change.

PubMed

Flannery, Marie

2017-03-01

Motivation is a central concept in behavioral change. This article reviews the self-determination theory with an emphasis on "intrinsic motivation," which is facilitated when three basic psychological needs (autonomy, competence, and relatedness) are met. Intrinsic motivation is associated with improved well-being and sustained behavioral change.

Increasing both the public health potential of basic research and the scientist satisfaction. An international survey of bio-scientists.

PubMed

Sorrentino, Carmen; Boggio, Andrea; Confalonieri, Stefano; Hemenway, David; Scita, Giorgio; Ballabeni, Andrea

2016-01-01

Basic scientific research generates knowledge that has intrinsic value which is independent of future applications. Basic research may also lead to practical benefits, such as a new drug or diagnostic method. Building on our previous study of basic biomedical and biological researchers at Harvard, we present findings from a new survey of similar scientists from three countries. The goal of this study was to design policies to enhance both the public health potential and the work satisfaction and test scientists' attitudes towards these factors. The present survey asked about the scientists' motivations, goals and perspectives along with their attitudes concerning  policies designed to increase both the practical (i.e. public health) benefits of basic research as well as their own personal satisfaction. Close to 900 basic investigators responded to the survey; results corroborate the main findings from the previous survey of Harvard scientists. In addition, we find that most bioscientists disfavor present policies that require a discussion of the public health potential of their proposals in grants but generally favor softer policies aimed at increasing the quality of work and the potential practical benefits of basic research. In particular, bioscientists are generally supportive of those policies entailing the organization of more meetings between scientists and the general public, the organization of more academic discussion about the role of scientists in the society, and the implementation of a "basic bibliography" for each new approved drug.

Increasing both the public health potential of basic research and the scientist satisfaction. An international survey of bio-scientists

PubMed Central

Sorrentino, Carmen; Boggio, Andrea; Confalonieri, Stefano; Hemenway, David; Scita, Giorgio; Ballabeni, Andrea

2016-01-01

Basic scientific research generates knowledge that has intrinsic value which is independent of future applications. Basic research may also lead to practical benefits, such as a new drug or diagnostic method. Building on our previous study of basic biomedical and biological researchers at Harvard, we present findings from a new survey of similar scientists from three countries. The goal of this study was to design policies to enhance both the public health potential and the work satisfaction and test scientists’ attitudes towards these factors. The present survey asked about the scientists’ motivations, goals and perspectives along with their attitudes concerning  policies designed to increase both the practical (i.e. public health) benefits of basic research as well as their own personal satisfaction. Close to 900 basic investigators responded to the survey; results corroborate the main findings from the previous survey of Harvard scientists. In addition, we find that most bioscientists disfavor present policies that require a discussion of the public health potential of their proposals in grants but generally favor softer policies aimed at increasing the quality of work and the potential practical benefits of basic research. In particular, bioscientists are generally supportive of those policies entailing the organization of more meetings between scientists and the general public, the organization of more academic discussion about the role of scientists in the society, and the implementation of a “basic bibliography” for each new approved drug. PMID:27347372

[Basic research in ophthalmology in Germany and its international context].

PubMed

Schlötzer-Schrehardt, U; Cursiefen, C

2017-09-01

Experimental basic research provides the foundations for the elucidation of pathophysiological mechanisms of diseases and the development of novel diagnostic and therapeutic strategies for ophthalmological diseases. The objective of this contribution is to provide an overview of the international interconnection of basic research in ophthalmology in Germany. The international context of ophthalmological research conducted in Germany is presented by means of personal experiences and data published by the German Ophthalmological Society (DOG), the German Research Foundation (DFG) and the European Union (EU). Due to the lack of organized databases this article lays no claim to completeness. Basic research in ophthalmology in Germany is mainly conducted in university eye departments and is mainly related to the etiology, pathophysiology and therapy development for various ophthalmic diseases. It is primarily funded by the DFG, the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) and the EU plays an increasingly important role. Thus, ophthalmological research is integrated into numerous European research networks and beyond that into many international interconnections and relationships. In Germany, both clinical and basic research in ophthalmology is integrated into many international networks and is only functionally viable in an international context; however, given the increasing impact of ophthalmological research in Asian countries, future strategies require a continued focus on career development, research infrastructure, working environment and international cooperation.

The Brown Superfund Basic Research Program: A Multistakeholder Partnership Addresses Real-World Problems in Contaminated Communities

PubMed Central

Senier, Laura; Hudson, Benjamin; Fort, Sarah; Hoover, Elizabeth; Tillson, Rebecca; Brown, Phil

2008-01-01

The NIEHS funds several basic and applied research programs, many of which also require research translation or outreach. This paper reports on a project by the Brown University Superfund Basic Research Program (SBRP), in which outreach and research translation teams collaborated with state regulatory agency personnel and community activists on a legislative initiative to mitigate the financial impacts of living in a contaminated community. The Environmentally Compromised Home Ownership (ECHO) program makes home equity loans of up to $25,000 available to qualified applicants. This collaboration provides a case study in community engagement and demonstrates how research translation and outreach activities that are clearly differentiated yet well integrated can improve a suite of basic and applied research. Although engaging diverse constituencies can be difficult, community-engaged translation and outreach have the potential to make research findings more useful to communities, address some of the social impacts of contamination, and empower stakeholders to pursue their individual and collectively-held goals for remediation. The NIEHS has recently renewed its commitment to community-engaged research and advocacy, making this an optimal time to reflect on how basic research programs that engage stakeholders through research translation and outreach can add value to the overall research enterprise. PMID:18677987

Brown Superfund Basic research Program: a multistakeholder partnership addresses real-world problems in contaminated communities.

PubMed

Senier, Laura; Hudson, Benjamin; Fort, Sarah; Hoover, Elizabeth; Tillson, Rebecca; Brown, Phil

2008-07-01

The NIEHS funds several basic and applied research programs, many of which also require research translation or outreach. This paper reports on a project by the Brown University Superfund Basic Research Program (SBRP), in which outreach and research translation teams collaborated with state regulatory agency personnel and community activists on a legislative initiative to mitigate the financial impacts of living in a contaminated community. The Environmentally Compromised Home Ownership (ECHO) program makes home equity loans of up to $25,000 available to qualified applicants. This collaboration provides a case study in community engagement and demonstrates how research translation and outreach activities that are clearly differentiated yet well-integrated can improve a suite of basic and applied research. Although engaging diverse constituencies can be difficult community-engaged translation and outreach have the potential to make research findings more useful to communities, address some of the social impacts of contamination, and empower stakeholders to pursue their individual and collectively held goals for remediation. The NIEHS has recently renewed its commitment to community-engaged research and advocacy, making this an optimal time to reflect on how basic research programs that engage stakeholders through research translation and outreach can add value to the overall research enterprise.

Policy on reintegration of women with histories of substance abuse: A mixed methods study of predictors of relapse and facilitators of recovery

PubMed Central

VanDeMark, Nancy R

2007-01-01

Background The predominant U.S. policy approach toward individuals with substance abuse problems has relied on stigma and punishment by withholding access to education, cash assistance, housing, social support, and normal social roles. In contrast to this approach, the theory of reintegrative shaming asserts that providing individuals with the opportunity to reconnect with society is more effective in reducing potential to relapse to crime and drug abuse. Strategies that promote such reconnection include expanding access to basic needs and supportive relationships along with increasing opportunities to fully participate in mainstream social roles. Methods The present cross-sectional study examined the predictors of relapse and the facilitators of recovery in a sample of 325 women with histories of substance abuse. Analysis of secondary data, collected as part of a national cross-site study, employed a mixed methods approach conducting (1) logistic regression to examine the predictors of relapse and (2) an inductive qualitative analysis of responses from open-ended items to explore the women's perceptions of barriers to and facilitators of recovery. Results Results suggest that lower levels of instrumental support, affective support, and participation in normal roles (such as parent, employee, student, and citizen) are significant predictors of relapse to drug use and criminal behaviors. Qualitative findings support the quantitative results, revealing that participating women perceived the variables of support and role participation as critical in facilitating their recovery. They also noted the importance of individual characteristics such as optimism and strength and emphasized the significance of their relationship with their children in motivating them to avoid relapse. Findings suggest that punitive policies toward women with substance abuse histories may be ineffective. Conclusion The author concludes that current policies designed to withhold access to basic needs such as housing, education, cash assistance, and positive relationships may deprive women with histories of substance abuse of the means to reconnect with society. Policies that promote access to basic needs and offer avenues for women to participate in normal societal roles should be more fully explored. PMID:17880725

A 12-week commercial web-based weight-loss program for overweight and obese adults: randomized controlled trial comparing basic versus enhanced features.

PubMed

Collins, Clare E; Morgan, Philip J; Jones, Penelope; Fletcher, Kate; Martin, Julia; Aguiar, Elroy J; Lucas, Ashlee; Neve, Melinda J; Callister, Robin

2012-04-25

The development and use of Web-based programs for weight loss is increasing rapidly, yet they have rarely been evaluated using randomized controlled trials (RCTs). Interestingly, most people who attempt weight loss use commercially available programs, yet it is very uncommon for commercial programs to be evaluated independently or rigorously. To compare the efficacy of a standard commercial Web-based weight-loss program (basic) versus an enhanced version of this Web program that provided additional personalized e-feedback and contact from the provider (enhanced) versus a wait-list control group (control) on weight outcomes in overweight and obese adults. This purely Web-based trial using a closed online user group was an assessor-blinded RCT with participants randomly allocated to the basic or enhanced 12-week Web-based program, based on social cognitive theory, or the control, with body mass index (BMI) as the primary outcome. We enrolled 309 adults (129/309, 41.8% male, BMI mean 32.3, SD 4 kg/m(2)) with 84.1% (260/309) retention at 12 weeks. Intention-to-treat analysis showed that both intervention groups reduced their BMI compared with the controls (basic: -0.72, SD 1.1 kg/m(2), enhanced: -1.0, SD 1.4, control: 0.15, SD 0.82; P < .001) and lost significant weight (basic: -2.1, SD 3.3 kg, enhanced: -3.0, SD 4.1, control: 0.4, SD 2.3; P < .001) with changes in waist circumference (basic: -2.0, SD 3.5 cm, enhanced: -3.2, SD 4.7, control: 0.5, SD 3.0; P < .001) and waist-to-height ratio (basic: -0.01, SD 0.02, enhanced: -0.02, SD 0.03, control: 0.0, SD 0.02; P < .001), but no differences were observed between the basic and enhanced groups. The addition of personalized e-feedback and contact provided limited additional benefits compared with the basic program. A commercial Web-based weight-loss program can be efficacious across a range of weight-related outcomes and lifestyle behaviors and achieve clinically important weight loss. Although the provision of additional personalized feedback did not facilitate greater weight loss after 12 weeks, the impact of superior participant retention on longer-term outcomes requires further study. Further research is required to determine the optimal mix of program features that lead to the biggest treatment impact over time. Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (ANZCTR): 12610000197033.

Development and validation of MIX: comprehensive free software for meta-analysis of causal research data

PubMed Central

Bax, Leon; Yu, Ly-Mee; Ikeda, Noriaki; Tsuruta, Harukazu; Moons, Karel GM

2006-01-01

Background Meta-analysis has become a well-known method for synthesis of quantitative data from previously conducted research in applied health sciences. So far, meta-analysis has been particularly useful in evaluating and comparing therapies and in assessing causes of disease. Consequently, the number of software packages that can perform meta-analysis has increased over the years. Unfortunately, it can take a substantial amount of time to get acquainted with some of these programs and most contain little or no interactive educational material. We set out to create and validate an easy-to-use and comprehensive meta-analysis package that would be simple enough programming-wise to remain available as a free download. We specifically aimed at students and researchers who are new to meta-analysis, with important parts of the development oriented towards creating internal interactive tutoring tools and designing features that would facilitate usage of the software as a companion to existing books on meta-analysis. Results We took an unconventional approach and created a program that uses Excel as a calculation and programming platform. The main programming language was Visual Basic, as implemented in Visual Basic 6 and Visual Basic for Applications in Excel 2000 and higher. The development took approximately two years and resulted in the 'MIX' program, which can be downloaded from the program's website free of charge. Next, we set out to validate the MIX output with two major software packages as reference standards, namely STATA (metan, metabias, and metatrim) and Comprehensive Meta-Analysis Version 2. Eight meta-analyses that had been published in major journals were used as data sources. All numerical and graphical results from analyses with MIX were identical to their counterparts in STATA and CMA. The MIX program distinguishes itself from most other programs by the extensive graphical output, the click-and-go (Excel) interface, and the educational features. Conclusion The MIX program is a valid tool for performing meta-analysis and may be particularly useful in educational environments. It can be downloaded free of charge via or . PMID:17038197

Development and validation of MIX: comprehensive free software for meta-analysis of causal research data.

PubMed

Bax, Leon; Yu, Ly-Mee; Ikeda, Noriaki; Tsuruta, Harukazu; Moons, Karel G M

2006-10-13

Meta-analysis has become a well-known method for synthesis of quantitative data from previously conducted research in applied health sciences. So far, meta-analysis has been particularly useful in evaluating and comparing therapies and in assessing causes of disease. Consequently, the number of software packages that can perform meta-analysis has increased over the years. Unfortunately, it can take a substantial amount of time to get acquainted with some of these programs and most contain little or no interactive educational material. We set out to create and validate an easy-to-use and comprehensive meta-analysis package that would be simple enough programming-wise to remain available as a free download. We specifically aimed at students and researchers who are new to meta-analysis, with important parts of the development oriented towards creating internal interactive tutoring tools and designing features that would facilitate usage of the software as a companion to existing books on meta-analysis. We took an unconventional approach and created a program that uses Excel as a calculation and programming platform. The main programming language was Visual Basic, as implemented in Visual Basic 6 and Visual Basic for Applications in Excel 2000 and higher. The development took approximately two years and resulted in the 'MIX' program, which can be downloaded from the program's website free of charge. Next, we set out to validate the MIX output with two major software packages as reference standards, namely STATA (metan, metabias, and metatrim) and Comprehensive Meta-Analysis Version 2. Eight meta-analyses that had been published in major journals were used as data sources. All numerical and graphical results from analyses with MIX were identical to their counterparts in STATA and CMA. The MIX program distinguishes itself from most other programs by the extensive graphical output, the click-and-go (Excel) interface, and the educational features. The MIX program is a valid tool for performing meta-analysis and may be particularly useful in educational environments. It can be downloaded free of charge via http://www.mix-for-meta-analysis.info or http://sourceforge.net/projects/meta-analysis.

Functional phosphoproteomic mass spectrometry-based approaches

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Mass Spectrometry (MS)-based phosphoproteomics tools are crucial for understanding the structure and dynamics of signaling networks. Approaches such as affinity purification followed by MS have also been used to elucidate relevant biological questions in health and disease. The study of proteomes and phosphoproteomes as linked systems, rather than research studies of individual proteins, are necessary to understand the functions of phosphorylated and un-phosphorylated proteins under spatial and temporal conditions. Phosphoproteome studies also facilitate drug target protein identification which may be clinically useful in the near future. Here, we provide an overview of general principles of signaling pathways versus phosphorylation. Likewise, we detail chemical phosphoproteomic tools, including pros and cons with examples where these methods have been applied. In addition, basic clues of electrospray ionization and collision induced dissociation fragmentation are detailed in a simple manner for successful phosphoproteomic clinical studies. PMID:23369623

Conducting Research on the International Space Station Using the EXPRESS Rack Facilities

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Thompson, Sean W.; Lake, Robert E.

2014-01-01

EXPRESS Racks provide capability for payload access to ISS resources. The successful on-orbit operations and versatility of the EXPRESS Rack has facilitated the operations of many scientific areas, with the promise of continued payload support for years to come. EXPRESS Racks are currently deployed in the US Lab, Columbus and JEM. Process improvements and enhancements continue to improve the accommodations and make the integration and operations process more efficient. Payload Integration Managers serve as the primary interface between the ISS Program and EXPRESS Payload Developers. EXPRESS Project coordinates across multiple functional areas and organizations to ensure integrated EXPRESS Rack and subrack products and hardware are complete, accurate, on time, safe, and certified for flight. NASA is planning to expand the EXPRESS payload capacity by developing new Basic Express Racks expected to be on ISS in 2018.

Thinking about Winnicott and the origins of the self.

PubMed

Gaddini, Renata

2004-01-01

Reading Rodman's "Winnicott: Life and Work" has induced some considerations in the author who for years has shared Winnicott's "research analysis" in the field of potential space. Among these considerations is the rarely remarked affinity between Erikson and Winnicott in their view of human nature as well as in their seeing basic trust as the essence of good growth. For Winnicott particularly maternal functions have great maturational value, facilitating the process which takes infants from their first sensory experiences to mentalization, where father will exist in reality. The significance of illusion at different maturational stages is briefly considered as opposed to reality. To the latter a distant origin (possibly in foetal movements, which in utero meet resistance) has been attributed by Winnicott as mentioned in one of his last letter. "Meeting resistance one feels real" was one of his sayings (Gaddini, 2003).

The Mathematics of a Successful Deconvolution: A Quantitative Assessment of Mixture-Based Combinatorial Libraries Screened Against Two Formylpeptide Receptors

PubMed Central

Santos, Radleigh G.; Appel, Jon R.; Giulianotti, Marc A.; Edwards, Bruce S.; Sklar, Larry A.; Houghten, Richard A.; Pinilla, Clemencia

2014-01-01

In the past 20 years, synthetic combinatorial methods have fundamentally advanced the ability to synthesize and screen large numbers of compounds for drug discovery and basic research. Mixture-based libraries and positional scanning deconvolution combine two approaches for the rapid identification of specific scaffolds and active ligands. Here we present a quantitative assessment of the screening of 32 positional scanning libraries in the identification of highly specific and selective ligands for two formylpeptide receptors. We also compare and contrast two mixture-based library approaches using a mathematical model to facilitate the selection of active scaffolds and libraries to be pursued for further evaluation. The flexibility demonstrated in the differently formatted mixture-based libraries allows for their screening in a wide range of assays. PMID:23722730

The birth of a giant panda: Tracking the biological factors that successfully contribute to conception through to postnatal development.

PubMed

Kersey, David C; Aitken-Palmer, Copper; Rivera, Sam; Willis, Erin L; Liang, Liu Yu; Snyder, Rebecca J

2016-03-01

Reproducing giant pandas (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) remains the most challenging aspect of managed care of this species. However, advancement in knowledge stemming from basic science research on the giant panda has facilitated a growth in the population. Here, we report the successful application of reproductive technologies, including noninvasive hormone monitoring, behavioral/morphometric observations, ultrasonographic evaluations, and acute phase protein assessment, in an individual female. By applying these approaches to one female, we report the practicality and usefulness of a multidisciplinary approach to reproductive care of the species. In addition, the utilization of various technologies across multiple physiological states also provided us an opportunity to record previously understudied events, such as maternal response to weaning and growth of a conceptus. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Space Station

NASA Image and Video Library

1971-01-01

This is an artist's concept of the Research and Applications Modules (RAM). Evolutionary growth was an important consideration in space station plarning, and another project was undertaken in 1971 to facilitate such growth. The RAM study, conducted through a Marshall Space Flight Center contract with General Dynamics Convair Aerospace, resulted in the conceptualization of a series of RAM payload carrier-sortie laboratories, pallets, free-flyers, and payload and support modules. The study considered two basic manned systems. The first would use RAM hardware for sortie mission, where laboratories were carried into space and remained attached to the Shuttle for operational periods up to 7 days. The second envisioned a modular space station capability that could be evolved by mating RAM modules to the space station core configuration. The RAM hardware was to be built by Europeans, thus fostering international participation in the space program.

New rules of thumb maximizing energy efficiency in street lighting with discharge lamps: The general equations for lighting design

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Peña-García, A.; Gómez-Lorente, D.; Espín, A.; Rabaza, O.

2016-06-01

New relationships between energy efficiency, illuminance uniformity, spacing and mounting height in public lighting installations were derived from the analysis of a large sample of outputs generated with a widely used software application for lighting design. These new relationships greatly facilitate the calculation of basic lighting installation parameters. The results obtained are also based on maximal energy efficiency and illuminance uniformity as a premise, which are not included in more conventional methods. However, these factors are crucial since they ensure the sustainability of the installations. This research formulated, applied and analysed these new equations. The results of this study highlight their usefulness in rapid planning and urban planning in developing countries or areas affected by natural disasters where engineering facilities and computer applications for this purpose are often unavailable.

Characteristics of physicians engaged in basic science: a questionnaire survey of physicians in basic science departments of a medical school in Japan.

PubMed

Yamazaki, Yuka; Uka, Takanori; Shimizu, Haruhiko; Miyahira, Akira; Sakai, Tatsuo; Marui, Eiji

2012-09-01

The number of physicians engaged in basic science and teaching is sharply decreasing in Japan. To alleviate this shortage, central government has increased the quota of medical students entering the field. This study aimed to determine the characteristics of physicians who are engaged in basic science in efforts to recruit talent. A questionnaire was distributed to all 30 physicians in the basic science departments of Juntendo University School of Medicine. Question items inquired about sex, years since graduation, years between graduation and time entering basic science, clinical experience, recommending the career to medical students, expected obstacles to students entering basic science, efforts to inspire students in research, increased number of lectures and practical training sessions on research, and career choice satisfaction. Correlations between the variables were examined using χ(2) tests. Overall, 26 physicians, including 7 female physicians, returned the questionnaire (response rate 86.7%). Most physicians were satisfied with their career choice. Medical students were deemed not to choose basic science as their future career, because they aimed to become clinicians and because they were concerned about salary. Women physicians in basic science departments were younger than men. Women physicians also considered themselves to make more efforts in inspiring medical students to be interested in research. Moreover, physicians who became basic scientists earlier in their career wanted more research-related lectures in medical education. Improving physicians' salaries in basic science is important to securing talent. In addition, basic science may be a good career path for women physicians to follow.

Profile of Knowledge Management, Basic Sanitation and Attitudes towards Clean and Health Community in Kupang City

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nikmah; Ardi, Muhammad; Yahya, Mohamad; Upa, Muhamad D. Pua; Dirawan, Gufran Darma

2017-01-01

The objective of research is to describe the knowledge and attitude of basic sanitation management community in Kupang City. This type of research is a survey research using quantitative approach. Data were collected by using the instrument in the form of test knowledge of basic sanitation management and attitude questionnaire. The data was then…

26 CFR 1.41-5 - Basic research for taxable years beginning after December 31, 1986. [Reserved

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... 26 Internal Revenue 1 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 true Basic research for taxable years beginning after December 31, 1986. [Reserved] 1.41-5 Section 1.41-5 Internal Revenue INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY INCOME TAX INCOME TAXES Credits Against Tax § 1.41-5 Basic research for taxable years...

Research projects in the Surgeon-Scientist and Clinician-Investigator programs at the University of Toronto (1987-2016): a cohort study.

PubMed

Goldenberg, Neil M; Steinberg, Benjamin E; Rutka, James T; Chen, Robert; Cabral, Val; Rosenblum, Norman D; Kapus, Andras; Lee, Warren L

2016-01-01

Physicians have traditionally been at the forefront of medical research, bringing clinical questions to the laboratory and returning with ideas for treatment. However, we have anecdotally observed a decline in the popularity of basic science research among trainees. We hypothesized that fewer resident physicians have been pursuing basic science research training over time. We examined records from residents in the Surgeon-Scientist and Clinician-Investigator programs at the University of Toronto (1987-2016). Research by residents was categorized independently by 2 raters as basic science, clinical epidemiology or education-related based on the title of the project, the name of the supervisor and Pubmed searches. The study population was divided into quintiles of time, and the proportion pursuing basic science training in each quintile was calculated. Agreement between the raters was 100%; the categorization of the research topic remained unclear in 9 cases. The proportion of trainees pursuing basic science training dropped by 60% from 1987 to 2016 ( p = 0.005). Significantly fewer residents in the Surgeon-Scientist and Clinician-Investigator Programs at the University of Toronto are pursuing training in the basic sciences as compared with previous years.

Perspectives on Research Participation and Facilitation Among Dialysis Patients, Clinic Personnel, and Medical Providers: A Focus Group Study.

PubMed

Flythe, Jennifer E; Narendra, Julia H; Dorough, Adeline; Oberlander, Jonathan; Ordish, Antoinette; Wilkie, Caroline; Dember, Laura M

2017-12-19

Most prospective studies involving individuals receiving maintenance dialysis have been small, and many have had poor clinical translatability. Research relevance can be enhanced through stakeholder engagement. However, little is known about dialysis clinic stakeholders' perceptions of research participation and facilitation. The objective of this study was to characterize the perspectives of dialysis clinic stakeholders (patients, clinic personnel, and medical providers) on: (1) research participation by patients and (2) research facilitation by clinic personnel and medical providers. We also sought to elucidate stakeholder preferences for research communication. Qualitative study. 7 focus groups (59 participants: 8 clinic managers, 14 nurses/patient care technicians, 8 social workers/dietitians, 11 nephrologists/advanced practice providers, and 18 patients/care partners) from 7 North Carolina dialysis clinics. Clinics and participants were purposively sampled. Focus groups were recorded and transcribed. Thematic analysis. We identified 11 themes that captured barriers to and facilitators of research participation by patients and research facilitation by clinic personnel and medical providers. We collapsed these themes into 4 categories to create an organizational framework for considering stakeholder (narrow research understanding, competing personal priorities, and low patient literacy and education levels), relationship (trust, buy-in, and altruistic motivations), research design (convenience, follow-up, and patient incentives), and dialysis clinic (professional demands, teamwork, and communication) aspects that may affect stakeholder interest in participating in or facilitating research. These themes appear to shape the degree of research readiness of a dialysis clinic environment. Participants preferred short research communications delivered in multiple formats. Potential selection bias and inclusion of English-speaking participants only. Our findings revealed patient interest in participating in research and clinical personnel and medical provider interest in facilitating research. Overall, our results suggest that dialysis clinic research readiness may be enhanced through increased stakeholder research knowledge and alignment of clinical and research activities. Copyright © 2017 National Kidney Foundation, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Detection and characterization of translational research in cancer and cardiovascular medicine

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background Scientists and experts in science policy have become increasingly interested in strengthening translational research. Efforts to understand the nature of translational research and monitor policy interventions face an obstacle: how can translational research be defined in order to facilitate analysis of it? We describe methods of scientometric analysis that can do this. Methods We downloaded bibliographic and citation data from all articles published in 2009 in the 75 leading journals in cancer and in cardiovascular medicine (roughly 15,000 articles for each field). We calculated citation relationships between journals and between articles and we extracted the most prevalent natural language concepts. Results Network analysis and mapping revealed polarization between basic and clinical research, but with translational links between these poles. The structure of the translational research in cancer and cardiac medicine is, however, quite different. In the cancer literature the translational interface is composed of different techniques (e.g., gene expression analysis) that are used across the various subspecialties (e.g., specific tumor types) within cancer research and medicine. In the cardiac literature, the clinical problems are more disparate (i.e., from congenital anomalies to coronary artery disease); although no distinctive translational interface links these fields, translational research does occur in certain subdomains, especially in research on atherosclerosis and hypertension. Conclusions These techniques can be used to monitor the continuing evolution of translational research in medicine and the impact of interventions designed to enhance it. PMID:21569299

Health systems research training enhances workplace research skills: a qualitative evaluation.

PubMed

Adams, Jolene; Schaffer, Angela; Lewin, Simon; Zwarenstein, Merrick; van der Walt, Hester

2003-01-01

In-service education is a widely used means of enhancing the skills of health service providers, for example, in undertaking research. However, the transfer of skills acquired during an education course to the workplace is seldom evaluated. The objectives of this study were to assess learner, teacher, and health service manager perceptions of the usefulness, in the work setting, of skills taught on a health systems research education course in South Africa and to assess the extent to which the course stimulated awareness and development of health systems research in the work setting. The education course was evaluated using a qualitative approach. Respondents were selected for interview using purposive sampling. Interviews were conducted with 39 respondents, including all of the major stakeholders. The interviews lasted between 20 and 60 minutes and were conducted either face to face or over the telephone. Thematic analysis was applied to the data, and key themes were identified. The course demystified health systems research and stimulated interest in reading and applying research findings. The course also changed participants' attitudes to routine data collection and was reported to have facilitated the application of informal research or problem-solving methods to everyday work situations. However, inadequate support within the workplace was a significant obstacle to applying the skills learned. A 2-week intensive, experiential course in health systems research methods can provide a mechanism for introducing basic research skills to a wide range of learners. Qualitative evaluation is a useful approach for assessing the impacts of education courses.

RIACS FY2002 Annual Report

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Leiner, Barry M.; Gross, Anthony R. (Technical Monitor)

2002-01-01

The Research Institute for Advanced Computer Science (RIACS) carries out basic research and technology development in computer science, in support of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's missions. Operated by the Universities Space Research Association (a non-profit university consortium), RIACS is located at the NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, California. It currently operates under a multiple year grant/cooperative agreement that began on October 1, 1997 and is up for renewal in September 2003. Ames has been designated NASA's Center of Excellence in Information Technology. In this capacity, Ames is charged with the responsibility to build an Information Technology (IT) Research Program that is preeminent within NASA. RIACS serves as a bridge between NASA Ames and the academic community, and RIACS scientists and visitors work in close collaboration with NASA scientists. RIACS has the additional goal of broadening the base of researchers in these areas of importance to the nation's space and aeronautics enterprises. RIACS research focuses on the three cornerstones of IT research necessary to meet the future challenges of NASA missions: 1) Automated Reasoning for Autonomous Systems; 2) Human-Centered Computing; and 3) High Performance Computing and Networking. In addition, RIACS collaborates with NASA scientists to apply IT research to a variety of NASA application domains including aerospace technology, earth science, life sciences, and astrobiology. RIACS also engages in other activities, such as workshops, seminars, visiting scientist programs and student summer programs, designed to encourage and facilitate collaboration between the university and NASA IT research communities.

Materials Discovery | Materials Science | NREL

Science.gov Websites

measurement methods and specialized analysis algorithms. Projects Basic Research The basic research projects applications using high-throughput combinatorial research methods. Email | 303-384-6467 Photo of John Perkins

Exploring Attractiveness of the Basic Sciences for Female Physicians.

PubMed

Yamazaki, Yuka; Fukushima, Shinji; Kozono, Yuki; Uka, Takanori; Marui, Eiji

2018-01-01

In Japan, traditional gender roles of women, especially the role of motherhood, may cause early career resignations in female physicians and a shortage of female researchers. Besides this gender issue, a general physician shortage is affecting basic science fields. Our previous study suggested that female physicians could be good candidates for the basic sciences because such work offers good work-life balance. However, the attractiveness for female physicians of working in the basic sciences, including work-life balance, is not known. In a 2012 nationwide cross-sectional questionnaire survey, female physicians holding tenured positions in the basic sciences at Japan's medical schools were asked an open-ended question about positive aspects of basic sciences that clinical medicine lacks, and we analyzed 58 respondents' comments. Qualitative analysis using the Kawakita Jiro method revealed four positive aspects: research attractiveness, priority on research productivity, a healthy work-life balance, and exemption from clinical duties. The most consistent positive aspect was research attractiveness, which was heightened by medical knowledge and clinical experience. The other aspects were double-edged swords; for example, while the priority on research productivity resulted in less gender segregation, it sometimes created tough competition, and while exemption from clinical duties contributed to a healthy work-life balance, it sometimes lowered motivation as a physician and provided unstable income. Overall, if female physicians lack an intrinsic interest in research and seek good work-life balance, they may drop out of research fields. Respecting and cultivating students' research interest is critical to alleviating the physician shortage in the basic sciences.

An Advance Organizer for Teaching Bacterial Metabolism

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Barbosa, Heloiza R.; Marques, Marilis V.; Torres, Bayardo B.

2005-01-01

The metabolic versatility of bacteria is a source of learning difficulty for students in classical microbiology courses. To facilitate the learning process, the authors developed an advance organizer. It consists of a set of six diagrams of metabolic pathways describing the basic living requirements of several types of bacteria: energy, carbon…

Facilitating Student Learning through Contextualization. CCRC Working Paper No. 29

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Perin, Dolores

2011-01-01

This paper is a literature review that explores the nature and effectiveness of contextualization as a way to improve outcomes for academically underprepared college students. Two forms of contextualization have been studied: "contextualized" and "integrated" instruction. There is more descriptive work on the contextualization of basic skills than…

Basic Land Drills for Swimming Stroke Acquisition

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zhang, Peng

2014-01-01

Teaching swimming strokes can be a challenging task in physical education. The purpose of the article is to introduce 12 on land drills that can be utilized to facilitate the learning of swimming strokes, including elementary back stroke, sidestroke, front crawl, back stroke, breaststroke, and butterfly. Each drill consists of four components…

Development of Employable Skills in Vocational Education by the Utilization of Instructional Materials

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Owoh, Titus M.

2016-01-01

The acquisition of practical and applied skills as well as the basic scientific knowledge that would facilitate efficient occupational training requires good manipulation of skills oriented instructional facilities in a conducive learning situation. Thus, the provision and effective utilization of functional instructional materials are essential…

Personalised Context-Aware Ubiquitous Learning System for Supporting Effective English Vocabulary Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chen, Chih-Ming; Li, Yi-Lun

2010-01-01

Because learning English is extremely popular in non-native English speaking countries, developing modern assisted-learning schemes that facilitate effective English learning is a critical issue in English-language education. Vocabulary learning is vital within English learning because vocabulary comprises the basic building blocks of English…

Community-Based Prevention Specialist. Trainer Manual.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

University Research Corp., Bethesda, MD.

This trainer manual is designed to assist facilitators in the design of entry-level courses and programs for substance abuse prevention specialists. The manual initially concentrates on a basic, generic approach to community work, and introduces the knowledge and skills needed to implement substance abuse prevention programs by using the community…

Using Clinical Gait Case Studies to Enhance Learning in Biomechanics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chester, Victoria

2011-01-01

Clinical case studies facilitate the development of clinical reasoning strategies through knowledge and integration of the basic sciences. Case studies have been shown to be more effective in developing problem-solving abilities than the traditional lecture format. To enhance the learning experiences of students in biomechanics, clinical case…

Special Education Curriculum (Computerized IEP Catalog).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Garland Independent School District, TX.

This special education curriculum, developed by the Garland (Texas) Independent School District, outlines the basic tools for preparing an Individual Educational Plan (IEP) for each handicapped student. The curricular information is organized and coded to facilitate computerized printing of the IEP. The document begins with a list of 13…

Millennials Need Training Too: Using Communication Technology to Facilitate Teamwork

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Charsky, Dennis; Kish, Mary L.; Briskin, Jessica; Hathaway, Sarah; Walsh, Kira; Barajas, Nicolas

2009-01-01

Human Communication in Organizations (HCO) is an introductory college course at Ithaca College, typically taken in the freshman year, in which students from a wide variety of majors examine the basic concepts, issues, and uses of organizational communication including communication theory, superior-subordinate and peer relationships, leadership,…

Population biology of the forest pathogen Heterbasidion annosum:implications for forest management

Treesearch

M. Garbelotto; W.J. Otrosina; F.W. Cobb; T.D. Bruns

1998-01-01

Heterobasidion annosumranks as one of the most destructive pathogens in North American coniferous forests. Understanding the popula­tion biology of this fungus may facilitate un­derstanding not only the basic biology of the organism, but also the general patterns of disease development,...

Gourmet Foods. Course of Study.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Marshall, Martha; And Others

Four units are included in this curriculum guide for a semester elective credit course in gourmet foods for high school juniors and seniors: (1) Introudction to the Course, and the Development of "A Gourmet," intended to facilitate defining and participating in planning the course program and goals, (2) "Basic Food Preparation for…

Moral Development in Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Liddell, Debora L.; Cooper, Diane L.

2012-01-01

In this article, the authors lay out the basic foundational concepts and assumptions that will guide the reader through the chapters to come as the chapter authors explore "how" moral growth can be facilitated through various initiatives on the college campus. This article presents a brief review of the theoretical frameworks that provide the…

PHARMAVIRTUA: Educational Software for Teaching and Learning Basic Pharmacology

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fidalgo-Neto, Antonio Augusto; Alberto, Anael Viana Pinto; Bonavita, André Gustavo Calvano; Bezerra, Rômulo José Soares; Berçot, Felipe Faria; Lopes, Renato Matos; Alves, Luiz Anastacio

2014-01-01

Information and communication technologies have become important tools for teaching scientific subjects such as anatomy and histology as well as other, nondescriptive subjects like physiology and pharmacology. Software has been used to facilitate the learning of specific concepts at the cellular and molecular levels in the biological and health…

Customer Service/Telephone Communications.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fletcher, Karen

This document is the facilitator's edition of a curriculum designed to be presented as a four-session workshop for customer service and credit department employees of a manufacturing company. It was developed by educators from the Emily Griffith Opportunity School. The workshop is designed around a basic communication model incorporating the three…

The impact of culture collections on molecular identification, taxonomy, and solving real problems

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Among the fungi, Fusarium has stood out as a major focus for culture collection resource development over the last century. This has facilitated unprecedented molecular taxonomic advancements, which in turn has led to problem solving in plant pathology, mycotoxicology, medical mycology, and basic re...

78 FR 45203 - Agency Information Collection Activities: Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-07-26

... populations (including adults with disabilities, adults with chronic illnesses, and children with special... including immediately family members of the physician. Currently the CMS 855A captures basic ownership and... assistance when they need it. Navigators will assist consumers by providing education about and facilitating...

Freire (with Bakhtin) and the Dialogic Classroom Seminar

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bowers, Rick

2005-01-01

This article on pedagogy in the classroom seminar combines the basic principles of dialogue and liberation as expressed especially by 20th-century thinkers Bakhtin and Freire. It argues for a pedagogy of educational growth and facilitation of ideas. Through learner-centered knowledge, dialogic interaction, open exploration, mutual respect, and…

Advanced Instruction: Facilitation of Individual Learning Processes in Large Groups

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Putz, Claus; Intveen, Geesche

2009-01-01

By supplying various combinations of advanced instructions and different forms of exercises individual learning processes within the impartation of basic knowledge can be activated and supported at best. The fundamentals of our class "Introduction to spatial-geometric cognition using CAD" are constructional inputs, which systematically induce the…

Barriers and facilitators to recruitment in mental health services: care coordinators' expectations and experience of referring to a psychosis research trial.

PubMed

Bucci, Sandra; Butcher, Isabelle; Hartley, Samantha; Neil, Sandra T; Mulligan, John; Haddock, Gillian

2015-09-01

High-quality research trials are necessary to provide evidence for the effective management of mental health difficulties, but successful recruitment can be challenging. This qualitative study examines the perceived barriers and facilitators to referring mental health service users to research trials. Seven care coordinators (n = 7) who facilitated the recruitment of participants to a cognitive behaviour therapy - informed psychosis intervention trial were interviewed. Demographic information was collected by questionnaire and a semi-structured guide was used to explore barriers and facilitators to referring to a partially randomized participant preference trial. Qualitative data were thematically analysed. Four key themes, each with a number of sub-themes, were identified: (1) engage the care coordinator in the recruitment process, (2) barriers to referring to research studies, (3) facilitators to referring to research studies; (4) organisational constraints impact on implementing research outcomes into routine clinical practice. Understanding the barriers and facilitators to recruitment in mental health research could improve recruitment strategies. Our findings highlight the need for researchers' to closely consider their recruitment strategies as service users are not always given the choice to participate in research. Several key recommendations are made based on these findings in order to maximize successful recruitment to research studies. Overall, we recommend that researchers' adopt a flexible, tailor-made approach for each clinical team to ensure a collaborative relationship is developed between research staff and clinicians. A qualitative approach to understanding recruitment challenges provides a useful opportunity to explore the barriers and facilitators to recruiting participants to research studies. These findings have practical implications that highlight the need for a collaborative partnership between researchers and clinical services. Understanding the challenges and issues related to recruitment can help researchers consider strategies to overcome recruitment issues. More research with a larger sample, across a broader population and in different mental health services is required. © 2014 The British Psychological Society.

Basic Research on Remote Sensing of Fissile Materials utilizing Gamma-rays and Neutrons

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-02-01

6201 Fort Belvoir, VA 22060-6201 T E C H N IC A L R E P O R T DTRA-TR-15-56 Basic Research on Remote Sensing of Fissile Materials...factor to get the U.S. customary unit. C Final Report, November 2013 Grant No. HDTRA1-09-1-0059 Title: Basic Research on Remote Sensing of Fissile

Barriers to and Facilitators of Research Utilization: A Survey of Registered Nurses in China

PubMed Central

Wang, Li-Ping; Jiang, Xiao-Lian; Wang, Lei; Wang, Guo-Rong; Bai, Yang-Jing

2013-01-01

Aims This survey aims to describe the perception of barriers to and facilitators of research utilization by registered nurses in Sichuan province, China, and to explore the factors influencing the perceptions of the barriers to and facilitators of research utilization. Methods A cross sectional survey design and a double cluster sampling method were adopted. A total of 590 registered nurses from 3 tertiary level hospitals in Sichuan province, China, were recruited in a period from September 2006 to January 2007. A modified BARRUERS Scale and a Facilitators Scale were used. Data were analyzed with descriptive statistics, rank transformation test, and multiple linear regression. Results Barriers related to the setting subscale were more influential than barriers related to other subscales. The lack of authority was ranked as the top greatest barrier (15.7%), followed by the lack of time (13.4%) and language barrier (15.0%). Additional barriers identified were the reluctance of patients to research utilization, the lack of funding, and the lack of legal protection. The top three greatest facilitators were enhancing managerial support (36.9%), advancing education to increase knowledge base (21.1%), and increasing time for reviewing and implementing (17.5%), while cooperation of patients to research utilization, establishing a panel to evaluate researches, and funding were listed as additional facilitators. Hospital, educational background, research experience, and knowledge on evidence-based nursing were the factors influencing perceptions of the barriers and facilitators. Conclusions Nurses in China are facing a number of significant barriers in research utilization. Enhancing managerial support might be the most promising facilitator, given Chinese traditional culture and existing health care system. Hospital, educational background, research experience and knowledge on evidence-based nursing should be taken into account to promote research utilization. The BARRIERS Scale should consider funding and involvement of patients in research utilization. PMID:24312380

The ACEE program and basic composites research at Langley Research Center (1975 to 1986): Summary and bibliography

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dow, Marvin B.

1987-01-01

Composites research conducted at the Langley Research Center during the period from 1975 to 1986 is described, and an annotated bibliography of over 600 documents (with their abstracts) is presented. The research includes Langley basic technology and the composite primary structures element of the NASA Aircraft Energy Efficiency (ACEE) Program. The basic technology documents cited in the bibliography are grouped according to the research activity such as design and analysis, fatigue and fracture, and damage tolerance. The ACEE documents cover development of composite structures for transport aircraft.

Climate Change, Permafrost and Infrastructure: Task Force Report of the U.S. Arctic Research Commission

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brigham, L. W.; Nelson, F. E.

2003-12-01

During 2002 the U.S. Arctic Research Commission chartered a task force on climate change, permafrost and infrastructure impacts. The task force was asked to identify key issues and research needs to foster a greater understanding of global change impacts on permafrost in the Arctic and their importance to natural and human systems. Permafrost was found to play three key roles in the context of climatic change: as a record keeper by functioning as a temperature archive; as a translator of climate change through subsidence and related impacts; and, as a facilitator of further change through its impacts on the global carbon cycle. Evidence of widespread warming of permafrost and observations of thawing have serious implications for Alaska's transportation network, for the trans-Alaska pipeline, and for nearly 100,000 Alaskans living in areas of permafrost. These impacts resulting from changing permafrost must be met by a timely, well-informed, and coordinated response by a host of federal and state organizations. Key task force findings include: requirements for a dedicated U.S. federal permafrost research program; data management needs; baseline permafrost mapping in Alaska; basic permafrost research focusing on process studies and modeling; and, applied permafrost research on design criteria and contaminants in permafrost environments. This report to the Commissioners makes specific recommendations to seven federal agencies, the State of Alaska, and the National Research Council. These recommendations will be incorporated in future Arctic research planning documents of the U.S. Arctic Research Commission.

Water Resources Research October 1, 1979 - September 30, 1980: Summary statements of research activities by the Water Resources Division

USGS Publications Warehouse

,

1981-01-01

Research in the WRD had its beginnings in the late 1950's when the "core research" line item was added to the Congressional budget. Since this time the Federal program has grown from a "basic sciences" program to one that includes a broad spectrum of basic and applied scientific investigations. Water resources research in WRD includes the study of water in all its phases and uses the basic sciences of mathematics, chemistry, physics, biology, geology and engineering to gain a fundamental understanding of the processes that affect the movement of water and its chemical constituents through hydrologic systems. The basic knowledge and methodologies derived from water resources research are applicable not only to the solution of current problems associated with the Nation's water resources, but also to anticipated hydrologic issues.

A Generic Data Harmonization Process for Cross-linked Research and Network Interaction. Construction and Application for the Lung Cancer Phenotype Database of the German Center for Lung Research.

PubMed

Firnkorn, D; Ganzinger, M; Muley, T; Thomas, M; Knaup, P

2015-01-01

Joint data analysis is a key requirement in medical research networks. Data are available in heterogeneous formats at each network partner and their harmonization is often rather complex. The objective of our paper is to provide a generic approach for the harmonization process in research networks. We applied the process when harmonizing data from three sites for the Lung Cancer Phenotype Database within the German Center for Lung Research. We developed a spreadsheet-based solution as tool to support the harmonization process for lung cancer data and a data integration procedure based on Talend Open Studio. The harmonization process consists of eight steps describing a systematic approach for defining and reviewing source data elements and standardizing common data elements. The steps for defining common data elements and harmonizing them with local data definitions are repeated until consensus is reached. Application of this process for building the phenotype database led to a common basic data set on lung cancer with 285 structured parameters. The Lung Cancer Phenotype Database was realized as an i2b2 research data warehouse. Data harmonization is a challenging task requiring informatics skills as well as domain knowledge. Our approach facilitates data harmonization by providing guidance through a uniform process that can be applied in a wide range of projects.

Building a functional multiple intelligences theory to advance educational neuroscience

PubMed Central

Cerruti, Carlo

2013-01-01

A key goal of educational neuroscience is to conduct constrained experimental research that is theory-driven and yet also clearly related to educators’ complex set of questions and concerns. However, the fields of education, cognitive psychology, and neuroscience use different levels of description to characterize human ability. An important advance in research in educational neuroscience would be the identification of a cognitive and neurocognitive framework at a level of description relatively intuitive to educators. I argue that the theory of multiple intelligences (MI; Gardner, 1983), a conception of the mind that motivated a past generation of teachers, may provide such an opportunity. I criticize MI for doing little to clarify for teachers a core misunderstanding, specifically that MI was only an anatomical map of the mind but not a functional theory that detailed how the mind actually processes information. In an attempt to build a “functional MI” theory, I integrate into MI basic principles of cognitive and neural functioning, namely interregional neural facilitation and inhibition. In so doing I hope to forge a path toward constrained experimental research that bears upon teachers’ concerns about teaching and learning. PMID:24391613

Architectural Optimization of Digital Libraries

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Biser, Aileen O.

1998-01-01

This work investigates performance and scaling issues relevant to large scale distributed digital libraries. Presently, performance and scaling studies focus on specific implementations of production or prototype digital libraries. Although useful information is gained to aid these designers and other researchers with insights to performance and scaling issues, the broader issues relevant to very large scale distributed libraries are not addressed. Specifically, no current studies look at the extreme or worst case possibilities in digital library implementations. A survey of digital library research issues is presented. Scaling and performance issues are mentioned frequently in the digital library literature but are generally not the focus of much of the current research. In this thesis a model for a Generic Distributed Digital Library (GDDL) and nine cases of typical user activities are defined. This model is used to facilitate some basic analysis of scaling issues. Specifically, the calculation of Internet traffic generated for different configurations of the study parameters and an estimate of the future bandwidth needed for a large scale distributed digital library implementation. This analysis demonstrates the potential impact a future distributed digital library implementation would have on the Internet traffic load and raises questions concerning the architecture decisions being made for future distributed digital library designs.

Norms for 10,491 Spanish words for five discrete emotions: Happiness, disgust, anger, fear, and sadness.

PubMed

Stadthagen-González, Hans; Ferré, Pilar; Pérez-Sánchez, Miguel A; Imbault, Constance; Hinojosa, José Antonio

2017-09-18

The discrete emotion theory proposes that affective experiences can be reduced to a limited set of universal "basic" emotions, most commonly identified as happiness, sadness, anger, fear, and disgust. Here we present norms for 10,491 Spanish words for those five discrete emotions collected from a total of 2,010 native speakers, making it the largest set of norms for discrete emotions in any language to date. When used in conjunction with the norms from Hinojosa, Martínez-García et al. (Behavior Research Methods, 48, 272-284, 2016) and Ferré, Guasch, Martínez-García, Fraga, & Hinojosa (Behavior Research Methods, 49, 1082-1094, 2017), researchers now have access to ratings of discrete emotions for 13,633 Spanish words. Our norms show a high degree of inter-rater reliability and correlate highly with those from Ferré et al. (2017). Our exploration of the relationship between the five discrete emotions and relevant lexical and emotional variables confirmed findings of previous studies conducted with smaller datasets. The availability of such large set of norms will greatly facilitate the study of emotion, language and related fields. The norms are available as supplementary materials to this article.

Watershed management and organizational dynamics: nationwide findings and regional variation

USGS Publications Warehouse

Clark, B.T.; Burkardt, N.; King, M.D.

2005-01-01

Recent attention has focused on resource management initiatives at the watershed scale with emphasis on collaborative, locally driven, and decentralized institutional arrangements. Existing literature on limited selections of well-established watershed-based organizations has provided valuable insights. The current research extends this focus by including a broad survey of watershed organizations from across the United States as a means to estimate a national portrait. Organizational characteristics include year of formation, membership size and composition, budget, guiding principles, and mechanisms of decision-making. These characteristics and the issue concerns of organizations are expected to vary with respect to location. Because this research focuses on organizations that are place based and stakeholder driven, the forces driving them are expected to differ across regions of the country. On this basis of location, we suggest basic elements for a regional assessment of watershed organizations to channel future research and to better approximate the organizational dynamics, issue concerns, and information needs unique to organizations across the country. At the broadest level, the identification of regional patterns or organizational similarities may facilitate the linkage among organizations to coordinate their actions at the much broader river basin or ecosystem scale.

Watershed management and organizational dynamics: nationwide findings and regional variation.

PubMed

Clark, Brad T; Burkardt, Nina; King, Dawn

2005-08-01

Recent attention has focused on resource management initiatives at the watershed scale with emphasis on collaborative, locally driven, and decentralized institutional arrangements. Existing literature on limited selections of well-established watershed-based organizations has provided valuable insights. The current research extends this focus by including a broad survey of watershed organizations from across the United States as a means to estimate a national portrait. Organizational characteristics include year of formation, membership size and composition, budget, guiding principles, and mechanisms of decision-making. These characteristics and the issue concerns of organizations are expected to vary with respect to location. Because this research focuses on organizations that are place based and stakeholder driven, the forces driving them are expected to differ across regions of the country. On this basis of location, we suggest basic elements for a regional assessment of watershed organizations to channel future research and to better approximate the organizational dynamics, issue concerns, and information needs unique to organizations across the country. At the broadest level, the identification of regional patterns or organizational similarities may facilitate the linkage among organizations to coordinate their actions at the much broader river basin or ecosystem scale.

Space Biosensor Systems: Implications for Technology Transfer

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hines, J. W.; Somps, C. J.; Madou, M.; Imprescia, Clifford C. (Technical Monitor)

1997-01-01

To meet the need for continuous, automated monitoring of animal subjects, including; humans, during space flight, NASA is developing advanced physiologic sensor and biotelemetry system technologies. The ability to continuously track basic physiological parameters, such as heart rate, blood pH, and body temperature, in untethered subjects in space is a challenging task. At NASA's Ames Research Center, where a key focus is gravitational biology research, engineers have teamed with life scientists to develop wireless sensor systems for automated physiologic monitoring of animal models as small as the rat. This technology is also being adapted, in collaboration with medical professionals, to meet human clinical monitoring needs both in space and on the ground. Thus, these advanced monitoring technologies have important dual-use functions; they meet space flight data collection requirements and constraints, while concurrently addressing a number of monitoring and data acquisition challenges on the ground in areas of clinical monitoring and biomedical research. Additional applications for these and related technologies are being sought and additional partnerships established that enhance development efforts, reduce costs and facilitate technology infusion between the public and private sectors. This paper describes technology transfer and co-development projects that have evolved out of NASA's miniaturized, implantable chemical sensor development efforts.

Senior Computational Scientist | Center for Cancer Research

Cancer.gov

The Basic Science Program (BSP) pursues independent, multidisciplinary research in basic and applied molecular biology, immunology, retrovirology, cancer biology, and human genetics. Research efforts and support are an integral part of the Center for Cancer Research (CCR) at the Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research (FNLCR). The Cancer & Inflammation Program (CIP),

Secretary | Center for Cancer Research

Cancer.gov

The Basic Science Program (BSP) pursues independent, multidisciplinary research programs in basic or applied molecular biology, immunology, retrovirology, cancer biology, or human genetics. Research efforts and support are an integral part of the Center for Cancer Research (CCR) at the Frederick national Laboratory for Cancer Research (FNLCR). The BSP Office provides

Vertical integration of biochemistry and clinical medicine using a near-peer learning model.

PubMed

Gallan, Alexander J; Offner, Gwynneth D; Symes, Karen

2016-11-12

Vertical integration has been extensively implemented across medical school curricula but has not been widely attempted in the field of biochemistry. We describe a novel curricular innovation in which a near-peer learning model was used to implement vertical integration in our medical school biochemistry course. Senior medical students developed and facilitated a case-based small group session for first year biochemistry students. Students were surveyed before and after the session on their attitudes about biochemistry, as well as the effectiveness of the session. Prior to the session, the students believed biochemistry was more important to understanding the basic science of medicine than it was to understanding clinical medicine or becoming a good physician. The session improved students' attitudes about the importance of biochemistry in clinical medicine, and after the session they now believe that understanding biochemistry is equally important to the basic sciences as clinical medicine. Students would like more sessions and believe the senior student facilitators were knowledgeable and effective teachers. The facilitators believe they improved their teaching skills. This novel combination of near-peer learning and vertical integration in biochemistry provided great benefit to both first year and senior medical students, and can serve as a model for other institutions. © 2016 by The International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, 44(6):507-516, 2016. © 2016 The International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology.

Views of Translational Research from a Somewhat Translational Scientist

PubMed Central

Talman, William T.

2013-01-01

This review arose from a talk entitled “Identifying Targets” and given by the author at EB2011 at the invitation of the American Federation for Medical Research (AFMR). The presentation was part of the AFMR workshop entitled “Keys for Translation: Science and Strategy” and focused on identifying clinically relevant targets as a result of observations made during basic scientific studies. The review emphasizes that targets do not have to be the aim that drives basic discovery, but communication between the basic scientist and clinical investigators may aid recognition of such targets and their translation to clinical applications. Using one line of investigator-initiated research from his own laboratory as an example, the author emphasizes that basic discovery must be hypothesis driven and allowed to follow its logical sequence. Finding treatments, while always an aim of biomedical research, may arise as a result of basic studies that were not originally aimed at a target of translational research. PMID:22781556

The "social" facilitation of eating without the presence of others: Self-reflection on eating makes food taste better and people eat more.

PubMed

Nakata, Ryuzaburo; Kawai, Nobuyuki

2017-10-01

Food tastes better and people eat more of it when eaten with company than alone. Although several explanations have been proposed for this social facilitation of eating, they share the basic assumption that this phenomenon is achieved by the existence of co-eating others. Here, we demonstrate a similar "social" facilitation of eating in the absence of other individuals. Elderly participants tasted a piece of popcorn alone while in front of a mirror (which reflects the participant themselves eating popcorn) or in front of a wall-reflecting monitor, and were found to eat more popcorn and rate it better tasting in the self-reflecting condition than in the monitor condition. Similar results were found for younger adults. The results suggest that the social facilitation of eating does not necessarily require the presence of another individual. Furthermore, we observed a similar "social" facilitation of eating even when participants ate a piece of popcorn in front of a static picture of themselves eating, suggesting that static visual information of "someone" eating food is sufficient to produce the "social" facilitation of eating. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Basic Research in the Mission Agencies: Agency Perspectives on the Conduct and Support of Basic Research. Report of the National Science Board, 1978.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Science Foundation, Washington, DC. National Science Board.

A survey was conducted by the National Science Board of the basic research supported by executive branch agencies of the federal government. Most of the data came from information solicited by the Board from federal agencies involved in science. Fourteen mission agencies and two agencies not so classified and 20 subunits of these responded.…

Basic and Applied Research on Education and Social Inequality: Proceedings of the New York Education Policy Seminar (6th, Albany, New York, November 1988).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alexander, Karl L.; And Others

A seminar paper concerning the relationship between applied and basic research in the study of educational and social inequality, and two commentaries are presented. The paper--"In Defense of Ivory-Towerism: Confessions of an Unreconstructed Basic Researcher," by Karl L. Alexander, the seminar's main speaker, presents the point of view of a…

The tragedy of the biodiversity data commons: a data impediment creeping nigher?

PubMed Central

Galicia, David; Ariño, Arturo H

2018-01-01

Abstract Researchers are embracing the open access movement to facilitate unrestricted availability of scientific results. One sign of this willingness is the steady increase in data freely shared online, which has prompted a corresponding increase in the number of papers using such data. Publishing datasets is a time-consuming process that is often seen as a courtesy, rather than a necessary step in the research process. Making data accessible allows further research, provides basic information for decision-making and contributes to transparency in science. Nevertheless, the ease of access to heaps of data carries a perception of ‘free lunch for all’, and the work of data publishers is largely going unnoticed. Acknowledging such a significant effort involving the creation, management and publication of a dataset remains a flimsy, not well established practice in the scientific community. In a meta-analysis of published literature, we have observed various dataset citation practices, but mostly (92%) consisting of merely citing the data repository rather than the data publisher. Failing to recognize the work of data publishers might lead to a decrease in the number of quality datasets shared online, compromising potential research that is dependent on the availability of such data. We make an urgent appeal to raise awareness about this issue. PMID:29688384

Advanced In-Pile Instrumentation for Materials Testing Reactors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rempe, J. L.; Knudson, D. L.; Daw, J. E.; Unruh, T. C.; Chase, B. M.; Davis, K. L.; Palmer, A. J.; Schley, R. S.

2014-08-01

The U.S. Department of Energy sponsors the Advanced Test Reactor (ATR) National Scientific User Facility (NSUF) program to promote U.S. research in nuclear science and technology. By attracting new research users - universities, laboratories, and industry - the ATR NSUF facilitates basic and applied nuclear research and development, advancing U.S. energy security needs. A key component of the ATR NSUF effort is to design, develop, and deploy new in-pile instrumentation techniques that are capable of providing real-time measurements of key parameters during irradiation. This paper describes the strategy developed by the Idaho National Laboratory (INL) for identifying instrumentation needed for ATR irradiation tests and the program initiated to obtain these sensors. New sensors developed from this effort are identified, and the progress of other development efforts is summarized. As reported in this paper, INL researchers are currently involved in several tasks to deploy real-time length and flux detection sensors, and efforts have been initiated to develop a crack growth test rig. Tasks evaluating `advanced' technologies, such as fiber-optics based length detection and ultrasonic thermometers, are also underway. In addition, specialized sensors for real-time detection of temperature and thermal conductivity are not only being provided to NSUF reactors, but are also being provided to several international test reactors.

The Rockefeller University Navigation Program: A Structured Multidisciplinary Protocol Development and Educational Program to Advance Translational Research

PubMed Central

Kost, Rhonda G.; Dowd, Kathleen A.; Hurley, Arlene M.; Rainer, Tyler‐Lauren; Coller, Barry S.

2014-01-01

Abstract The development of translational clinical research protocols is complex. To assist investigators, we developed a structured supportive guidance process (Navigation) to expedite protocol development to the standards of good clinical practice (GCP), focusing on research ethics and integrity. Navigation consists of experienced research coordinators leading investigators through a concerted multistep protocol development process from concept initiation to submission of the final protocol. To assess the effectiveness of Navigation, we collect data on the experience of investigators, the intensity of support required for protocol development, IRB review outcomes, and protocol start and completion dates. One hundred forty‐four protocols underwent Navigation and achieved IRB approval since the program began in 2007, including 37 led by trainee investigators, 26 led by MDs, 9 by MD/PhDs, 57 by PhDs, and 12 by investigators with other credentials (e.g., RN, MPH). In every year, more than 50% of Navigated protocols were approved by the IRB within 30 days. For trainees who had more than one protocol navigated, the intensity of Navigation support required decreased over time. Navigation can increase access to translational studies for basic scientists, facilitate GCP training for investigators, and accelerate development and approval of protocols of high ethical and scientific quality. PMID:24405608

"That is why I have trust": unpacking what 'trust' means to participants in international genetic research in Pakistan and Denmark.

PubMed

Sheikh, Zainab; Hoeyer, Klaus

2018-06-01

Trust features prominently in a number of policy documents that have been issued in recent years to facilitate data sharing and international collaboration in medical research. However, it often remains unclear what is meant by 'trust'. By exploring a concrete international collaboration between Denmark and Pakistan, we develop a way of unpacking trust that shifts focus from what trust 'is' to what people invest in relationships and what references to trust do for them in these relationships. Based on interviews in both Pakistan and Denmark with people who provide blood samples and health data for the same laboratory, we find that when participants discuss trust they are trying to shape their relationship to researchers while simultaneously communicating important hopes, fears and expectations. The types of trust people talk about are never unconditional, but involve awareness of uncertainties and risks. There are different things at stake for people in different contexts, and therefore it is not the same to trust researchers in Pakistan as it is in Denmark, even when participants donate to the same laboratory. We conclude that casual references to 'trust' in policy documents risk glossing over important local differences and contribute to a de-politicization of basic inequalities in access to healthcare.

Evaluating Patient-Centered Outcomes in Clinical Trials of Procedural Sedation, Part 2 Safety: Sedation Consortium on Endpoints and Procedures for Treatment, Education, and Research Recommendations.

PubMed

Ward, Denham S; Williams, Mark R; Berkenbosch, John W; Bhatt, Maala; Carlson, Douglas; Chappell, Phillip; Clark, Randall M; Constant, Isabelle; Conway, Aaron; Cravero, Joseph; Dahan, Albert; Dexter, Franklin; Dionne, Raymond; Dworkin, Robert H; Gan, Tong J; Gozal, David; Green, Steven; Irwin, Michael G; Karan, Suzanne; Kochman, Michael; Lerman, Jerrold; Lightdale, Jenifer R; Litman, Ronald S; Mason, Keira P; Miner, James; O'Connor, Robert E; Pandharipande, Pratik; Riker, Richard R; Roback, Mark G; Sessler, Daniel I; Sexton, Anne; Tobin, Joseph R; Turk, Dennis C; Twersky, Rebecca S; Urman, Richard D; Weiss, Mark; Wunsch, Hannah; Zhao-Wong, Anna

2018-05-17

The Sedation Consortium on Endpoints and Procedures for Treatment, Education, and Research, established by the Analgesic, Anesthetic, and Addiction Clinical Trial Translations, Innovations, Opportunities, and Networks, a public-private partnership with the US Food and Drug Administration, convened a second meeting of sedation experts from a variety of clinical specialties and research backgrounds to develop recommendations for procedural sedation research. The previous meeting addressed efficacy and patient- and/or family-centered outcomes. This meeting addressed issues of safety, which was defined as "the avoidance of physical or psychological harm." A literature review identified 133 articles addressing safety measures in procedural sedation clinical trials. After basic reporting of vital signs, the most commonly measured safety parameter was oxygen saturation. Adverse events were inconsistently defined throughout the studies. Only 6 of the 133 studies used a previously validated measure of safety. The meeting identified methodological problems associated with measuring infrequent adverse events. With a consensus discussion, a set of core and supplemental measures were recommended to code for safety in future procedural clinical trials. When adopted, these measures should improve the integration of safety data across studies and facilitate comparisons in systematic reviews and meta-analyses.

Organ donation education initiatives: A report of the Donor Management Task Force.

PubMed

Michetti, Christopher P; Nakagawa, Thomas A; Malinoski, Darren; Wright, Charles; Swanson, LeAnn

2016-10-01

It is essential that hospitals and health professionals establish systems to facilitate patients' organ donation wishes. Donation education has been neither standardized nor systematic, and resources related to donation processes have not been widely accessible. This report describes 2 free, publicly available educational resources about the organ donation process created to advance the mission of basic education and improve donation processes within hospitals and health care systems. Members of the Donor Management Task Force of the Organ Donation and Transplantation Alliance (the Alliance) and the Health Resources and Services Administration of the US Department of Health and Human Services convened annually in person and by teleconferencing during the year to develop 2 educational vehicles on organ donation. Two educational products were developed: the Organ Donation Toolbox, an online repository of documents and resources covering all aspects of the donation process, and the Educational Training Video that reviews the basic foundations of a successful hospital donation system. There is a need for more research and education about the process of organ donation as it relates to the medical and psychosocial care of patients and families before the end of life. The educational products described can help fill this critical need. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.