The role of the support worker in nursing homes: a consideration of key issues.

PubMed

Baldwin, Julie; Roberts, Julia D; Fitzpatrick, Joanne I; While, Alison; Cowan, David T

2003-11-01

The aim of this paper is to critically consider the role of the support worker in the nursing home sector and with particular reference to the United Kingdom situation. With the expansion of the nursing home sector, there is an increasing population of support workers in this field. Literature in this paper covers the period between 1989 and 2002, beginning with the build up to the introduction of the National Health Service and Community Care Act (available at: http://www.hmso.gov.uk), which necessitated a major shift between public and private sector employment. The findings of this paper indicate limited research, investigating the role of support workers in general and specifically those working in the nursing home sector. The literature suggests that the majority of the role focuses on direct patient care, however, a lack of role clarification was evident and differences emerged between the views of support workers and Registered Nurses regarding the place of support workers in the care process. In particular, support workers saw their role as similar to that of the Registered Nurse, although Registered Nurse regarded 'basic nursing care' as the key remit of the support worker role. The paper also indicated inadequate preparation and subsequent supervision of support workers. These key findings indicate that role clarification, appropriate preparation and a process of continuing development require careful consideration by managers if the positive contribution of this group of care workers is to be fully realized. Furthermore, while there exists no central source of funding to finance the role preparation and mentorship of support workers, training provision will remain ad hoc. Obtaining core funding would allow for the training and education of support workers to become standard practice, which, in turn, is more likely to lead to improvements in the planning and resourcing of care provision. Equally, further research is needed if the support worker role is to be used effectively and efficiently within the expanding nursing home sector.

"It's horrendous--but really, what can you do?" Preliminary findings on financial impact of relocation for specialist treatment.

PubMed

McGrath, P

2000-01-01

There has been little analysis of the process of relocation for specialist treatment for patients with haematological malignancies. Existing work does not cover the financial impact on families of such an experience. This paper describes seminal work in this area by presenting findings from research based on interviews with patients and families affected by relocation. The two-fold intent informing this discussion is to provide data to initiate research in the area, whilst fostering a consideration of epistemological issues at the interface of qualitative and quantitative research. The results show that there are very significant financial problems. In planning psychosocial support for such families, serious consideration must be given to both their short and long-term economic plight.

Inspection of care: Findings from an innovative demonstration

PubMed Central

Morris, John N.; Sherwood, Clarence C.; Dreyer, Paul

1989-01-01

In this article, information is presented concerning the efficacy of a sample-based approach to completing inspection of care reviews of Medicaid-supported nursing home residents. Massachusetts nursing homes were randomly assigned to full (the control group) or sample (the experimental group) review conditions. The primary research focus was to determine whether the proportion of facilities found to be deficient (based on quality of care and level of care criteria) in the experimental sample was comparable to the proportion in the control sample. The findings supported such a hypothesis: Deficient facilities appear to be equally identifiable using the random or full-sampling protocols, and the process can be completed with a considerable savings of surveyor time. PMID:10313458

Space station systems analysis study. Part 2, volume 3: Appendixes, Book 2: Supporting data (7 through 18)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1977-01-01

Topics discussed include: (1) design considerations for a MARS sample return laboratory module for space station investigations; (2) crew productivity as a function of work shift arrangement; (3) preliminary analysis of the local logistics problem on the space construction base; (4) mission hardware construction operational flows and timelines; (5) orbit transfer vehicle concept definition; (6) summary of results and findings of space processing working review; (7) crew and habitability subsystem (option L); (8) habitability subsystem considerations for shuttle tended option L; (9) orbiter utilization in manned sortie missions; (10) considerations in definition of space construction base standard module configuration (option L); (11) guidance, control, and navigation subsystems; and (12) system and design tradeoffs.

Robust and Cost-Efficient Communication Based on SNMP in Mobile Networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ryu, Sang-Hoon; Baik, Doo-Kwon

A main challenge in the design of this mobile network is the development of dynamic routing protocols that can efficiently find routes between two communicating nodes. Multimedia streaming services are receiving considerable interest in the mobile network business. An entire mobile network may change its point of attachment to the Internet. The mobile network is operated by a basic specification to support network mobility called Network Mobility (NEMO) Basic Support. However, NEMO basic Support mechanism has some problem in continuous communication. In this paper, we propose robust and cost-efficient algorithm. And we simulate proposed method and conclude some remarks.

Pre-entry Characteristics, Perceived Social Support, Adjustment and Academic Achievement in First-Year Spanish University Students: A Path Model.

PubMed

Rodríguez, María Soledad; Tinajero, Carolina; Páramo, María Fernanda

2017-11-17

Transition to university is a multifactorial process to which scarce consideration has been given in Spain, despite this being one of the countries with the highest rates of academic failure and attrition within the European Union. The present study proposes an empirical model for predicting Spanish students' academic achievement at university by considering pre-entry characteristics, perceived social support and adaptation to university, in a sample of 300 traditional first-year university students. The findings of the path analysis showed that pre-university achievement and academic and personal-emotional adjustment were direct predictors of academic achievement. Furthermore, gender, parents' education and family support were indirect predictors of academic achievement, mediated by pre-university grades and adjustment to university. The current findings supporting evidence that academic achievement in first-year Spanish students is the cumulative effect of pre-entry characteristics and process variables, key factors that should be taken into account in designing intervention strategies involving families and that establish stronger links between research findings and university policies.

Prevention of school bullying: the important role of autonomy-supportive teaching and internalization of pro-social values.

PubMed

Roth, Guy; Kanat-Maymon, Yaniv; Bibi, Uri

2011-12-01

This study examined students' perceptions of autonomy-supportive teaching (AST) and its relations to internalization of pro-social values and bullying in class. We hypothesized that: (1) teachers' AST, which involves provision of rationale and taking the student's perspective, would relate positively to students' identified internalization of considerateness towards classmates, and would relate negatively to external regulation (considerateness to obtain rewards or avoid punishments); (2) students' identified regulation would relate negatively to self-reported bullying in class, whereas external regulation would relate positively to bullying; and (3) the relation between teachers' AST and student bullying would be mediated by students' identification with the value of considerateness towards others. The sample consisted of 725 junior high school students (50% females) in Grades 7 and 8 from 27 classes in four schools serving students from lower-middle to middle-class socioeconomic backgrounds.   The participants completed questionnaires assessing the variables of interest. Correlational analysis supported the hypotheses. Moreover, mediational analyses using hierarchical linear modelling (HLM) demonstrated that identified regulation mediates the negative relation between AST and self-reported bullying in class. The mediational hypothesis was supported at the between-class level and at the within-class level.   The findings suggest that school policy aimed at bullying reduction should go beyond external control that involves external rewards and sanctions and should help teachers acquire autonomy-supportive practices focusing on students' meaningful internalization. ©2010 The British Psychological Society.

Policy and Practice Considerations for Response to Intervention: Reflections and Commentary

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ikeda, Martin J.

2012-01-01

The Education for All Handicapped Children Act (EHCA) was legislated in 1975 in part to provide funding to states, parent centers, and research centers, for supporting access to public education for students with disabilities. In 1975, the intent of EHCA was to find children with disabilities and ensure that children were evaluated, identified,…

Capacity reconsidered: Finding consensus and clarifying differences

Treesearch

Doug Whittaker; Bo Shelby; Robert Manning; David Cole; Glenn Haas

2011-01-01

In a world where populations and resource demands continue to grow, there is a long history of concern about the "capacity" of the environment to support human uses, including timber, rangelands, fish and wildlife, and recreation. In the context of recreation, work on visitor capacities has evolved considerably since the late 1960s as a result of...

75 FR 52772 - Notice of Neighborhood Stabilization Program Reallocation Process Changes

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-08-27

... recaptured under the authority of 42 U.S.C. 5304(e) and 5311 of the HCD Act. However, upon further reflection... support this consideration, HUD is providing a self-assessment tool that grantees may find useful in better understanding their capacity to undertake and manage NSP1 activities. This is the same self...

Salmonellosis Outbreak Traced to Playground Sand, Australia, 2007–2009

PubMed Central

Musto, Jennie; Hogg, Geoff; Janssen, Monika; Rose, Karrie

2012-01-01

A community outbreak of gastroenteritis in Australia during 2007–2009 was caused by ingestion of playground sand contaminated with Salmonella enterica Paratyphi B, variant Java. The bacterium was also isolated from local wildlife. Findings support consideration of nonfood sources during salmonellosis outbreak investigations and indicate transmission through the animal–human interface. PMID:22709539

Temporal framing and consideration of future consequences: effects on smokers' and at-risk nonsmokers' responses to cigarette health warnings.

PubMed

Zhao, Xiaoquan; Nan, Xiaoli; Iles, Irina Alexandra; Yang, Bo

2015-01-01

This research examines the influence of temporal framing (long-term vs. short-term) and individual difference in consideration of future consequences (CFC) on the effectiveness of cigarette health warnings among smokers and at-risk nonsmokers in a college population. An online experiment (N = 395) revealed a three-way interaction among temporal framing, CFC, and smoking status. The results among at-risk nonsmokers supported the temporal fit hypothesis--those high in CFC responded more favorably to long-term framing, whereas those low in CFC responded more positively to short-term framing. The findings among smokers revealed a different pattern in which short-term framing was more effective among high-CFC smokers, whereas among low-CFC smokers the framing effect was not distinct. Theoretical and practical implications of the findings are discussed.

Are Key Principles for improved health technology assessment supported and used by health technology assessment organizations?

PubMed

Neumann, Peter J; Drummond, Michael F; Jönsson, Bengt; Luce, Bryan R; Schwartz, J Sanford; Siebert, Uwe; Sullivan, Sean D

2010-01-01

Previously, our group-the International Working Group for HTA Advancement-proposed a set of fifteen Key Principles that could be applied to health technology assessment (HTA) programs in different jurisdictions and across a range of organizations and perspectives. In this commentary, we investigate the extent to which these principles are supported and used by fourteen selected HTA organizations worldwide. We find that some principles are broadly supported: examples include being explicit about HTA goals and scope; considering a wide range of evidence and outcomes; and being unbiased and transparent. Other principles receive less widespread support: examples are addressing issues of generalizability and transferability; being transparent on the link between HTA findings and decision-making processes; considering a full societal perspective; and monitoring the implementation of HTA findings. The analysis also suggests a lack of consensus in the field about some principles--for example, considering a societal perspective. Our study highlights differences in the uptake of key principles for HTA and indicates considerable room for improvement for HTA organizations to adopt principles identified to reflect good HTA practices. Most HTA organizations espouse certain general concepts of good practice--for example, assessments should be unbiased and transparent. However, principles that require more intensive follow-up--for example, monitoring the implementation of HTA findings--have received little support and execution.

Household Migration, Social Support, and Psychosocial Health: The Perspective from Migrant-Sending Areas

PubMed Central

Lu, Yao

2011-01-01

An extensive literature demonstrates various negative health consequences of family disruption in Western societies, which is largely due to marital dissolution. In developing settings, family disruption commonly arises in the context of labor out-migration. However, studies on household emigration often focus on the economic benefits from remittances, overlooking emigration as a source of stress and loss of social support. This research examines the psychosocial consequences of internal out-migration using longitudinal survey data collected in Indonesia between 1993 and 2007. Results demonstrate considerable psychosocial costs of out-migration, with adults left behind by migrants more susceptible to stress-related health impairments such as hypertension and to psychological distress such as depressive symptoms. These findings largely hold when specific relations are investigated, including spouses left behind and parents left behind by adult children. This study also finds some support for the stress-buffering role of social support from extended families and the differential psychosocial processes for men and women. PMID:22169626

Corrective Feedback in L2 Writing: Theoretical Perspectives, Empirical Insights, and Future Directions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Van Beuningen, Catherine

2010-01-01

The role of (written) corrective feedback (CF) in the process of acquiring a second language (L2) has been an issue of considerable controversy among theorists and researchers alike. Although CF is a widely applied pedagogical tool and its use finds support in SLA theory, practical and theoretical objections to its usefulness have been raised…

77 FR 65208 - Notice of Consideration of Approval of Application Regarding Proposed Indirect Transfer of...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-10-25

..., which is currently under review. In its August 30, 2012, application, MOX Services proposes to make... of the proceeding, and is material to the findings that NRC must make to support the granting of a... permitted to make a limited appearance pursuant to the provisions of 10 CFR 2.315(a), by making an oral or...

Analysis of Commercial Contract Training for the Navy (Phase II) [And] Commercial Contract Training Navy Area VOTEC Support Center (AVSC) Guidelines. Final Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Copeland, D. Robert; And Others

The two-part report describing the Phase 2 findings of a two-phase study demonstrates the utility of the commercial contract training concept for satisfying certain Navy skill training requirements. Part 1 concerns source evaluation, skill analysis and selection, contractual considerations, and comparative training capability evaluation. It…

The Historical Foundation of Learning Disabilities: A Quantitative Synthesis Assessing the Validity of Strauss and Werner's Exogenous versus Endogenous Distinction of Mental Retardation.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kavale, Kenneth A.; Forness, Steven R.

1985-01-01

The paper reviews research of A. Strauss and H. Werner on behavioral differences between exogeneous (brain injured) and endogeneous (familial-cultural) mental retardation using quantitative methods of research synthesis. Findings offer little empirical support for the presumed behavioral differences and reveal considerable overlap among the…

Collaborative hospital orientation: simulation as a teaching strategy.

PubMed

Lamers, Karilyn; Janisse, Lisa; Brown, Gail; Butler, Carol; Watson, Barb

2013-01-01

For nurses, the stress caused by entering a new place of employment may give rise to insecurity and a lack of confidence. Lack of confidence in one's nursing skills can affect performance and, ultimately, patient care and safety. In healthcare, growing fiscal constraints have resulted in lost resources, and support for new nursing staff is limited by both time and cost considerations. Clinical educators therefore must find innovative ways to provide education and support, including creative learning modalities that facilitate nurses' transition into a new role and work environment.

Mobile health (mHealth) for mental health in Asia: objectives, strategies, and limitations.

PubMed

Brian, Rachel M; Ben-Zeev, Dror

2014-08-01

Mobile technologies are transforming the way in which we interact with one another, access resources, find information, and conduct business around the world. Harnessing the capabilities of mobile technologies to support health care initiatives worldwide has developed into a new interdisciplinary field called mobile health (mHealth). In the current paper, we review the penetration of mobile technology in Asia, and consider the integration of mobile technologies into the study, diagnoses, and treatment of mental disorders in the region. We outline how mHealth programs could improve mental health literacy, provide greater access to mental health services, extend community-based outreach and engagement, support self-management of illness, and regulate medication distribution. We end with a consideration of the potential barriers and limitations of mHealth for mental health, including funding, language and literacy barriers, power supply considerations, data security, and privacy issues. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Collegiality and commerce: The culture of consideration amongst engineers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nugent, Paul David

This study is a participant observation ethnography of engineering relationships at a defense contracting plant that specializes in the design and manufacture of launch control systems for nuclear submarines. "Consideration" is presented as a unique mode of interaction enabling resource exchange and pivotal in developing and strengthening work relationships. Consideration differs from other modes of exchange such as markets, gift-giving, and charity primarily in that the bestowal of the resource involves little sacrifice. The manner in which consideration is enacted by the engineers, the structural and cultural conditions supporting consideration, and the social and economic consequences of consideration are presented. From these findings it is concluded that consideration is a unique form of economic exchange embedded in concrete relationships that forces us to rethink and extend current conceptualizations of trust, networks, social capital, and friendship in the workplace. The data for the analysis were drawn from twenty interviews and fieldnotes collected and transcribed over a twelve month period. Quotations from the interviews and exerpts from the fieldnotes are included to illustrate claims being made in the analysis as well as to familiarize the reader with the culture developed by engineers and managers in a defense contracting plant.

Full-Range Public Health Leadership, Part 2: Qualitative Analysis and Synthesis.

PubMed

Carlton, Erik L; Holsinger, James W; Riddell, Martha C; Bush, Heather

2015-01-01

Public health leadership is an important topic in the era of U.S. health reform, population health innovation, and health system transformation. This study utilized the full-range leadership model in order to examine the public health leadership. We sought to understand local public health leadership from the perspective of local health department leaders and those who work with and for them. Public health leadership was explored through interviews and focus groups with directors (n = 4) and staff (n = 33) from local health departments. Qualitative analytic methods included reflexive journals, code-recode procedures, and member checking, with analysis facilitated by Atlas.ti v.6.0. Qualitative results supported and expanded upon previously reported quantitative findings. Leading by example and providing individual consideration to followers were found to be more important than other leader factors, such as intellectual stimulation, inspirational motivation, or idealized attributes of leaders. Having a clear and competent vision of public health, being able to work collaboratively with other community agencies, and addressing the current challenges to public health with creativity and innovation were also important findings. Idealized leadership behaviors and individual consideration should be the focus of student and professional development. Models that incorporate contextual considerations, such as the situational leadership model, could be utilized to ensure that optimal individual consideration is given to followers.

Reasoning with alternative explanations in physics: The cognitive accessibility rule

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Heckler, Andrew F.; Bogdan, Abigail M.

2018-06-01

A critical component of scientific reasoning is the consideration of alternative explanations. Recognizing that decades of cognitive psychology research have demonstrated that relative cognitive accessibility, or "what comes to mind," strongly affects how people reason in a given context, we articulate a simple "cognitive accessibility rule", namely that alternative explanations are considered less frequently when an explanation with relatively high accessibility is offered first. In a series of four experiments, we test the cognitive accessibility rule in the context of consideration of alternative explanations for six physical scenarios commonly found in introductory physics curricula. First, we administer free recall and recognition tasks to operationally establish and distinguish between the relative accessibility and availability of common explanations for the physical scenarios. Then, we offer either high or low accessibility explanations for the physical scenarios and determine the extent to which students consider alternatives to the given explanations. We find two main results consistent across algebra- and calculus-based university level introductory physics students for multiple answer formats. First, we find evidence that, at least for some contexts, most explanatory factors are cognitively available to students but not cognitively accessible. Second, we empirically verify the cognitive accessibility rule and demonstrate that the rule is strongly predictive, accounting for up to 70% of the variance of the average student consideration of alternative explanations across scenarios. Overall, we find that cognitive accessibility can help to explain biases in the consideration of alternatives in reasoning about simple physical scenarios, and these findings lend support to the growing number of science education studies demonstrating that tasks relevant to science education curricula often involve rapid, automatic, and potentially predictable processes and outcomes.

Survey finds public support for legal interventions directed at health behavior to fight noncommunicable disease.

PubMed

Morain, Stephanie; Mello, Michelle M

2013-03-01

The high prevalence of chronic diseases in the United States with lifestyle-related risk factors, such as obesity and tobacco use, has sparked interest in legal strategies to influence health behavior. However, little is known about the public's willingness to accept these policies as legitimate, which in turn may affect compliance. We present results from a national survey of 1,817 US adults concerning the acceptability of different public health legal interventions that address noncommunicable, or chronic, diseases. We found that support for these new interventions is high overall; substantially greater among African Americans and Hispanics than among whites; and tied to perceptions of democratic representation in policy making. There was much support for strategies that enable people to exercise healthful choices--for example, menu labeling and improving access to nicotine patches--but considerably less for more coercive measures, such as insurance premium surcharges. These findings suggest that the least coercive path will be the smoothest and that support for interventions may be widespread among different social groups. In addition, the findings underscore the need for policy makers to involve the public in decision making, understand the public's values, and communicate how policy decisions reflect this understanding.

A Twin Study Examining Rumination as a Transdiagnostic Correlate of Psychopathology

PubMed Central

Johnson, Daniel P.; Rhee, Soo Hyun; Friedman, Naomi P.; Corley, Robin P.; Munn-Chernoff, Melissa A.; Hewitt, John K.; Whisman, Mark A.

2016-01-01

This study examined the genetic and environmental influences on rumination and its associations with several forms of psychopathology in a sample of adult twins (N = 744). Rumination was significantly associated with major depressive disorder, depressive symptoms, generalized anxiety disorder, eating pathology, and substance dependence symptoms. There were distinct patterns of etiological overlap between rumination and each form of psychopathology; rumination had considerable genetic overlap with depression, modest genetic overlap with eating pathology, and almost no genetic overlap with substance dependence. Findings further suggest considerable overlap between genetic and environmental influences on rumination and those contributing to the covariance between forms of psychopathology. Results were specific to ruminative thought and did not extend to self-reflection. These findings support the conceptualization of rumination as a transdiagnostic correlate and risk factor for psychopathology and also suggest that the biological and environmental mechanisms linking rumination to psychopathology may differ depending on the disorder. PMID:28111610

Is General or Alcohol-Specific Perceived Social Support Associated with Depression among Adults in Substance Use Treatment?

PubMed Central

Shorey, Ryan C.; Dawson, Anne E.; Haynes, Ellen; Strauss, Catherine; Elmquist, JoAnna; Anderson, Scott; Stuart, Gregory L.

2017-01-01

Alcohol use disorders are among the most common mental health disorders in the world and incur considerable costs for individuals and society. Previous research has demonstrated that Perceived social support (PSS) may decrease rates of depression and relapse in individuals seeking treatment for alcohol use. The current study developed and investigated a self-report measure for perceived social support for sobriety from alcohol (PSSA) in a sample of men and women in residential treatment for substance use (N = 231), and examined the relationship between general or alcohol-specific perceived social support and depression. Analyses demonstrated sound factor structure, reliability, and validity for the PSSA. Additionally, the new measure of PSS for alcohol sobriety was negatively and uniquely associated with depression, even after controlling for general PSS, enacted social support, and negative social interactions. Overall, findings demonstrated that the PSSA was associated with fewer depressive symptoms, even after accounting for other known correlates of depression. Future research should replicate and extend these findings and examine whether this new measure predicts abstinence from alcohol following treatment. PMID:27627959

Lagged effects of family-supportive organization perceptions and supervision in relation to generalized work-related resources.

PubMed

Matthews, Russell A; Toumbeva, Tatiana H

2015-07-01

In the present study, grounded in organizational support and social exchange theory, the dynamic lagged interplay between family supportive supervision (FSS), family supportive organization perceptions (FSOP), perceived organizational support (POS), and leader-member exchange (LMX) was examined. Data were collected from 435 respondents over 3 time points with 6-week lags between assessments. Consistent with theory, FSS had a significant lagged effect on FSOP, whereas the reverse relationship was not supported. Interestingly, contrary to conservation of resources theory, we did not find significant lagged effects between POS and FSOP. Results further indicated that LMX and FSS were reciprocally related over time, suggesting the potential for a dynamic, mutually beneficial exchange relationship between subordinates and supervisors. Theoretical implications and considerations for research and practice are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved).

Analysis of Commercial Contract Training for the Marine Corps (Phase II) [And] Commercial Contract Training Marine Corps Area VOTEC Support Center (AVSC) Guidelines. Final Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Copeland, D. Robert; And Others

The two-part report describing the Phase 2 findings of a two-phase study demonstrates the utility of the commercial contract training concept for satisfying certain Marine Corps skill training requirements. Part 1 concerns source evaluation, skill analysis and selection, contractual considerations, and comparative training capability evaluation.…

Quasi-Monochromatic Visual Environments and the Resting Point of Accommodation

DTIC Science & Technology

1988-01-01

accommodation. No statistically significant differences were revealed to support the possibility of color mediated differential regression to resting...discussed with respect to the general findings of the total sample as well as the specific behavior of individual participants. The summarized statistics ...remaining ten varied considerably with respect to the averaged trends reported in the above descriptive statistics as well as with respect to precision

A Study of Placing Army Requirements on Contract

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-04-01

perhaps being unable to control the external environment, has management authority over business and technical aspects of a specific program. The PM...research is the last element of the planning phase addressing both business and technical considerations. The acquisition team equips themselves with...report is the final product utilizing documented findings and supports the business strategy (DoD, Guidebook for the Acquisition of Services, 2011

Referrals. Electric avenue.

PubMed

Solly, J

2001-11-22

A pilot electronic booking project for outpatient appointments at King's College Hospital, London, has been well received by consultants. But only a minority of practices are taking part--only 24 of the 160 local practices are participating. A considerable culture change is needed to persuade practices to become involved. GPs accustomed to traditional referral letters find electronic referrals a big step. More day-to-day support might encourage GP involvement.

Using a knowledge utilization framework to explore how findings from one study can be applied to other nursing contexts.

PubMed

Olsen, P R; Bradbury-Jones, C

2013-09-01

To discuss the complexities of moving research into practice and through a case example, explore how empirical findings from one specific study could be applied to nursing in other contexts. The processes of moving research findings into practice are complex and multidimensional. In this paper, an innovative approach to social support, network-focused nursing (NFN), is used as a case example to illustrate these complexities. Social support is associated with better recovery and survival after illness and based on this, a NFN programme was developed in a Danish oncology youth unit. Subsequently, a research study was undertaken to investigate the programme and based on the findings, the concept NFN was developed. A knowledge utilization framework is used to explore how empirical findings from the NFN study could be applied to nursing more generally. Aligned with this, the specific considerations for implementing NFN are explicated. Strong leadership, education, management support and effective communication are critical factors for research utilization. Moving research into practice requires openness to new ideas. Nursing and healthcare policies therefore need to support environments in which creativity and innovation can flourish. NFN was developed in teenager and young adult cancer care, but its principles may be transferable to other clinical environments. It is important that nurse managers and policy makers ensure that support and education are available to nurses to facilitate moving research into practice. Moreover, resources need to be considered, particularly in countries where financial and organizational infrastructures may be weak. © 2013 The Authors. International Nursing Review © 2013 International Council of Nurses.

SUPPORT Tools for evidence-informed health Policymaking (STP) 12: Finding and using research evidence about resource use and costs

PubMed Central

2009-01-01

This article is part of a series written for people responsible for making decisions about health policies and programmes and for those who support these decision makers. In this article, we address considerations about resource use and costs. The consequences of a policy or programme option for resource use differ from other impacts (both in terms of benefits and harms) in several ways. However, considerations of the consequences of options for resource use are similar to considerations related to other impacts in that policymakers and their staff need to identify important impacts on resource use, acquire and appraise the best available evidence regarding those impacts, and ensure that appropriate monetary values have been applied. We suggest four questions that can be considered when assessing resource use and the cost consequences of an option. These are: 1. What are the most important impacts on resource use? 2. What evidence is there for important impacts on resource use? 3. How confident is it possible to be in the evidence for impacts on resource use? 4. Have the impacts on resource use been valued appropriately in terms of their true costs? PMID:20018102

Army General Fund Adjustments Not Adequately Documented or Supported

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-07-26

compilation process. Finding The Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Army (Financial Management & Comptroller) (OASA[FM&C]) and the Defense Finance and...statements were unreliable and lacked an adequate audit trail. Furthermore, DoD and Army managers could not rely on the data in their accounting...systems when making management and resource decisions. Until the Army and DFAS Indianapolis correct these control deficiencies, there is considerable

Full-Range Public Health Leadership, Part 2: Qualitative Analysis and Synthesis

PubMed Central

Carlton, Erik L.; Holsinger, James W.; Riddell, Martha C.; Bush, Heather

2015-01-01

Public health leadership is an important topic in the era of U.S. health reform, population health innovation, and health system transformation. This study utilized the full-range leadership model in order to examine the public health leadership. We sought to understand local public health leadership from the perspective of local health department leaders and those who work with and for them. Public health leadership was explored through interviews and focus groups with directors (n = 4) and staff (n = 33) from local health departments. Qualitative analytic methods included reflexive journals, code-recode procedures, and member checking, with analysis facilitated by Atlas.ti v.6.0. Qualitative results supported and expanded upon previously reported quantitative findings. Leading by example and providing individual consideration to followers were found to be more important than other leader factors, such as intellectual stimulation, inspirational motivation, or idealized attributes of leaders. Having a clear and competent vision of public health, being able to work collaboratively with other community agencies, and addressing the current challenges to public health with creativity and innovation were also important findings. Idealized leadership behaviors and individual consideration should be the focus of student and professional development. Models that incorporate contextual considerations, such as the situational leadership model, could be utilized to ensure that optimal individual consideration is given to followers. PMID:26217654

Making Ends Meet After Prison

PubMed Central

Harding, David J.; Wyse, Jessica J.B.; Dobson, Cheyney; Morenoff, Jeffrey D.

2014-01-01

Former prisoners are at high risk of economic insecurity due to the challenges they face in finding employment and to the difficulties of securing and maintaining public assistance while incarcerated. This study examines the processes through which former prisoners attain economic security, examining how they meet basic material needs and achieve upward mobility over time. It draws on unique qualitative data from in-depth, unstructured interviews with a sample of former prisoners followed over a two to three year period to assess how subjects draw upon a combination of employment, social supports, and public benefits to make ends meet. Findings reveal considerable struggle among our subjects to meet even minimal needs for shelter and food, although economic security and stability could be attained when employment or public benefits were coupled with familial social support. Sustained economic security was rarely achieved absent either strong social support or access to long-term public benefits. However, a select few were able to leverage material support and social networks into trajectories of upward mobility and economic independence. Policy implications are discussed. PMID:25584015

Investigating the Heart Pump Implant Decision Process: Opportunities for Decision Support Tools to Help

PubMed Central

Yang, Qian; Zimmerman, John; Steinfeld, Aaron; Carey, Lisa; Antaki, James F.

2016-01-01

Clinical decision support tools (DSTs) are computational systems that aid healthcare decision-making. While effective in labs, almost all these systems failed when they moved into clinical practice. Healthcare researchers speculated it is most likely due to a lack of user-centered HCI considerations in the design of these systems. This paper describes a field study investigating how clinicians make a heart pump implant decision with a focus on how to best integrate an intelligent DST into their work process. Our findings reveal a lack of perceived need for and trust of machine intelligence, as well as many barriers to computer use at the point of clinical decision-making. These findings suggest an alternative perspective to the traditional use models, in which clinicians engage with DSTs at the point of making a decision. We identify situations across patients’ healthcare trajectories when decision supports would help, and we discuss new forms it might take in these situations. PMID:27833397

Use of programme theory to understand the differential effects of interventions across socio-economic groups in systematic reviews-a systematic methodology review.

PubMed

Maden, Michelle; Cunliffe, Alex; McMahon, Naoimh; Booth, Andrew; Carey, Gina Michelle; Paisley, Suzy; Dickson, Rumona; Gabbay, Mark

2017-12-29

Systematic review guidance recommends the use of programme theory to inform considerations of if and how healthcare interventions may work differently across socio-economic status (SES) groups. This study aimed to address the lack of detail on how reviewers operationalise this in practice. A methodological systematic review was undertaken to assess if, how and the extent to which systematic reviewers operationalise the guidance on the use of programme theory in considerations of socio-economic inequalities in health. Multiple databases were searched from January 2013 to May 2016. Studies were included if they were systematic reviews assessing the effectiveness of an intervention and included data on SES. Two reviewers independently screened all studies, undertook quality assessment and extracted data. A narrative approach to synthesis was adopted. A total of 37 systematic reviews were included, 10 of which were explicit in the use of terminology for 'programme theory'. Twenty-nine studies used programme theory to inform both their a priori assumptions and explain their review findings. Of these, 22 incorporated considerations of both what and how interventions do/do not work in SES groups to both predict and explain their review findings. Thirteen studies acknowledged 24 unique theoretical references to support their assumptions of what or how interventions may have different effects in SES groups. Most reviewers used supplementary evidence to support their considerations of differential effectiveness. The majority of authors outlined a programme theory in the "Introduction" and "Discussion" sections of the review to inform their assumptions or provide explanations of what or how interventions may result in differential effects within or across SES groups. About a third of reviews used programme theory to inform the review analysis and/or synthesis. Few authors used programme theory to inform their inclusion criteria, data extraction or quality assessment. Twenty-one studies tested their a priori programme theory. The use of programme theory to inform considerations of if, what and how interventions lead to differential effects on health in different SES groups in the systematic review process is not yet widely adopted, is used implicitly, is often fragmented and is not implemented in a systematic way.

Integrating Environmental Sustainability Considerations into Food and Nutrition Policies: Insights from Australia's National Food Plan.

PubMed

Ridgway, Ella Megan; Lawrence, Mark Andrew; Woods, Julie

2015-01-01

The environmental sustainability (ES) of food systems is a critical challenge for policy makers. This is a highly contested policy area with differing views among stakeholders. The aim of the study was to develop a better understanding of how ES considerations are addressed in Australian food and nutrition policies and the way that consultation processes affect final policy outcomes. A mixed-methods study design combined a detailed chronology of key policy developments (2009-2015), a content analysis of written submissions obtained during the NFP's consultation period (2011-2013) and a frame analysis of the sustainability perspectives - efficiency, demand restraint, and system transformation - in the NFP's Issues, Green, and White Papers. There were 555 written submissions responding to two consultation papers. Stakeholders represented all sectors of Australia's food system including government, non-government organizations, the food supply chain, research and academic institutions, and members of the general public. Around 74% of submissions referred to ES considerations and ~65% supported their inclusion into the final policy. Efficiency frames were most dominant; emphasizing a production-oriented approach that regards the environment as a natural resource base for food production but overlooks consumption and equity concerns. Despite strong support for the inclusion of ES considerations in the NFP, the influence of Australia's socio-political context, powerful, industry-dominated stakeholders, and a reliance on traditional production-oriented perspectives delivered a business-as-usual approach to food policy making. It has since been replaced by an agricultural strategy that provides only cursory attention to ES. Our findings indicate that Australia's political environment is not sufficiently mature for ES considerations to be integrated into food and nutrition policies. We propose reforms to the current consultation process in Australia to better support this integration by promoting greater transparency and participation in the development of food and nutrition policy making.

Integrating Environmental Sustainability Considerations into Food and Nutrition Policies: Insights from Australia’s National Food Plan

PubMed Central

Ridgway, Ella Megan; Lawrence, Mark Andrew; Woods, Julie

2015-01-01

The environmental sustainability (ES) of food systems is a critical challenge for policy makers. This is a highly contested policy area with differing views among stakeholders. The aim of the study was to develop a better understanding of how ES considerations are addressed in Australian food and nutrition policies and the way that consultation processes affect final policy outcomes. A mixed-methods study design combined a detailed chronology of key policy developments (2009–2015), a content analysis of written submissions obtained during the NFP’s consultation period (2011–2013) and a frame analysis of the sustainability perspectives – efficiency, demand restraint, and system transformation – in the NFP’s Issues, Green, and White Papers. There were 555 written submissions responding to two consultation papers. Stakeholders represented all sectors of Australia’s food system including government, non-government organizations, the food supply chain, research and academic institutions, and members of the general public. Around 74% of submissions referred to ES considerations and ~65% supported their inclusion into the final policy. Efficiency frames were most dominant; emphasizing a production-oriented approach that regards the environment as a natural resource base for food production but overlooks consumption and equity concerns. Despite strong support for the inclusion of ES considerations in the NFP, the influence of Australia’s socio-political context, powerful, industry-dominated stakeholders, and a reliance on traditional production-oriented perspectives delivered a business-as-usual approach to food policy making. It has since been replaced by an agricultural strategy that provides only cursory attention to ES. Our findings indicate that Australia’s political environment is not sufficiently mature for ES considerations to be integrated into food and nutrition policies. We propose reforms to the current consultation process in Australia to better support this integration by promoting greater transparency and participation in the development of food and nutrition policy making. PMID:26442275

A Competing Neurobehavioral Decision Systems Model of SES-Related Health and Behavioral Disparities

PubMed Central

Bickel, W. K.; Moody, L.; Quisenberry, A. J.; Ramey, C. T.; Sheffer, C. E.

2014-01-01

We propose that executive dysfunction is an important component relating the socioeconomic status gradient of select health behaviors. We review and find evidence supporting an SES gradient associated with (1) negative health behaviors (e.g., obesity, excessive use of alcohol, tobacco and other substances), and (2) executive dysfunction. Moreover, the evidence supports that stress and insufficient cognitive resources contribute to executive dysfunction and that executive dysfunction is evident among individuals who smoke cigarettes, are obese, abuse alcohol, and use illicit drugs. Collectively these data supports the dual system model of cognitive control, referred to here as the Competing Neurobehavioral Decision Systems hypothesis. The implications of these relationships for intervention and social justice considerations are discussed. PMID:25008219

Participatory design of probability-based decision support tools for in-hospital nurses.

PubMed

Jeffery, Alvin D; Novak, Laurie L; Kennedy, Betsy; Dietrich, Mary S; Mion, Lorraine C

2017-11-01

To describe nurses' preferences for the design of a probability-based clinical decision support (PB-CDS) tool for in-hospital clinical deterioration. A convenience sample of bedside nurses, charge nurses, and rapid response nurses (n = 20) from adult and pediatric hospitals completed participatory design sessions with researchers in a simulation laboratory to elicit preferred design considerations for a PB-CDS tool. Following theme-based content analysis, we shared findings with user interface designers and created a low-fidelity prototype. Three major themes and several considerations for design elements of a PB-CDS tool surfaced from end users. Themes focused on "painting a picture" of the patient condition over time, promoting empowerment, and aligning probability information with what a nurse already believes about the patient. The most notable design element consideration included visualizing a temporal trend of the predicted probability of the outcome along with user-selected overlapping depictions of vital signs, laboratory values, and outcome-related treatments and interventions. Participants expressed that the prototype adequately operationalized requests from the design sessions. Participatory design served as a valuable method in taking the first step toward developing PB-CDS tools for nurses. This information about preferred design elements of tools that support, rather than interrupt, nurses' cognitive workflows can benefit future studies in this field as well as nurses' practice. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the American Medical Informatics Association 2017. This work is written by US Government employees and is in the public domain in the United States.

Implementing OpenMRS for patient monitoring in an HIV/AIDS care and treatment program in rural Mozambique.

PubMed

Manders, Eric-Jan; José, Eurico; Solis, Manuel; Burlison, Janeen; Nhampossa, José Leopoldo; Moon, Troy

2010-01-01

We have adopted the Open Medical Record System (OpenMRS) framework to implement an electronic patient monitoring system for an HIV care and treatment program in Mozambique. The program provides technical assistance to the Ministry of Health supporting the scale up of integrated HIV care and support services in health facilities in rural resource limited settings. The implementation is in use for adult and pediatric programs, with ongoing roll-out to cover all supported sites. We describe early experiences in adapting the system to the program needs, addressing infrastructure challenges, creating a regional support team, training data entry staff, migrating a legacy database, deployment, and current use. We find that OpenMRS offers excellent prospects for in-country development of health information systems, even in severely resource limited settings. However, it also requires considerable organizational infrastructure investment and technical capacity building to ensure continued local support.

PEPFAR support for the scaling up of collaborative TB/HIV activities.

PubMed

Howard, Andrea A; Gasana, Michel; Getahun, Haileyesus; Harries, Anthony; Lawn, Stephen D; Miller, Bess; Nelson, Lisa; Sitienei, Joseph; Coggin, William L

2012-08-15

The US President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) has supported a comprehensive package of care in which interventions to address HIV-related tuberculosis (TB) have received increased funding and support in recent years. PEPFAR's TB/HIV programming is based on the World Health Organization's 12-point policy for collaborative TB/HIV activities, which are integrated into PEPFAR annual guidance. PEPFAR implementing partners have provided crucial support to TB/HIV collaboration, and as a result, PEPFAR-supported countries in sub-Saharan Africa have made significant gains in HIV testing and counseling of TB patients and linkages to HIV care and treatment, intensified TB case finding, and TB infection control. PEPFAR's support of TB/HIV integration has also included significant investment in health systems, including improved laboratory services and educating and enlarging the workforce. The scale-up of antiretroviral therapy along with support of programs to increase HIV counseling and testing and improve linkage and retention in HIV care may have considerable impact on TB morbidity and mortality, if used synergistically with isoniazid preventive therapy, intensified case finding, and infection control. Issues to be addressed by future programming include accelerating implementation of isoniazid preventive therapy, increasing access and ensuring appropriate use of new TB diagnostics, supporting early initiation of antiretroviral therapy for HIV-infected TB patients, and strengthening systems to monitor and evaluate program implementation.

PEPFAR Support for the Scaling Up of Collaborative TB/HIV Activities

PubMed Central

Howard, Andrea A.; Gasana, Michel; Getahun, Haileyesus; Harries, Anthony; Lawn, Stephen D.; Miller, Bess; Nelson, Lisa; Sitienei, Joseph; Coggin, William L.

2014-01-01

The US President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) has supported a comprehensive package of care in which interventions to address HIV-related tuberculosis (TB) have received increased funding and support in recent years. PEPFAR’s TB/HIV programming is based on the World Health Organization 12-point policy for collaborative TB/HIV activities, which are integrated into PEPFAR annual guidance. PEPFAR implementing partners have provided crucial support to TB/HIV collaboration, and as a result PEPFAR-supported countries in sub-Saharan Africa have made significant gains in HIV testing and counseling of TB patients and linkages to HIV care and treatment, intensified TB case finding, and TB infection control. PEPFAR’s support of TB/HIV integration has also included significant investment in health systems, including improved laboratory services and educating and enlarging the workforce. The scale-up of antiretroviral therapy along with support of programs to increase HIV counseling and testing and improve linkage and retention in HIV care may have considerable impact on TB morbidity and mortality, if used synergistically with isoniazid preventive therapy (IPT), intensified case finding and infection control. Issues to be addressed by future programming include accelerating implementation of IPT, increasing access and ensuring appropriate use of new TB diagnostics, supporting early initiation of antiretroviral therapy for HIV-infected TB patients, and strengthening systems to monitor and evaluate program implementation. PMID:22797735

OAST Space Theme Workshop. Volume 1: Summary report. 1: Introduction. 2: General observations and some key findings. 3: Follow-on activity. Quick-look comments and working papers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1976-01-01

The Outlook for Space Study, consideration of National needs and OAST technology goals were factors in the selection of the following themes for candidate technical initiative and supporting program plans: space power station; search for extraterrestrial life; industrialization of space; global service station; exploration of the solar system; and advanced space transportation system. An overview is presented of the Space Theme Workshop activities in developing technology needs, program requirements, and proposed plans in support of each theme. The unedited working papers used by team members are included.

DOA Finding with Support Vector Regression Based Forward-Backward Linear Prediction.

PubMed

Pan, Jingjing; Wang, Yide; Le Bastard, Cédric; Wang, Tianzhen

2017-05-27

Direction-of-arrival (DOA) estimation has drawn considerable attention in array signal processing, particularly with coherent signals and a limited number of snapshots. Forward-backward linear prediction (FBLP) is able to directly deal with coherent signals. Support vector regression (SVR) is robust with small samples. This paper proposes the combination of the advantages of FBLP and SVR in the estimation of DOAs of coherent incoming signals with low snapshots. The performance of the proposed method is validated with numerical simulations in coherent scenarios, in terms of different angle separations, numbers of snapshots, and signal-to-noise ratios (SNRs). Simulation results show the effectiveness of the proposed method.

First Crewed Flight: Rationale, Considerations and Challenges from the Constellation Experience

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Noriega, Carlos; Arceneaux, William; Williams, Jeffrey A.; Rhatigan, Jennifer L.

2011-01-01

NASA's Constellation Program has made the most progress in a generation towards building an integrated human-rated spacecraft and launch vehicle. During that development, it became clear that NASA's human-rating requirements lacked the specificity necessary to defend a program plan, particularly human-rating test flight plans, from severe budget challenges. This paper addresses the progress Constellation achieved, problems encountered in clarifying and defending a human-rating certification plan, and discusses key considerations for those who find themselves in similar straits with future human-rated spacecraft and vehicles. We assert, and support with space flight data, that NASA's current human-rating requirements do not adequately address "unknown-unknowns", or the unexpected things the hardware can reveal to the designer during test.

Facebook friends with (health) benefits? Exploring social network site use and perceptions of social support, stress, and well-being.

PubMed

Nabi, Robin L; Prestin, Abby; So, Jiyeon

2013-10-01

There is clear evidence that interpersonal social support impacts stress levels and, in turn, degree of physical illness and psychological well-being. This study examines whether mediated social networks serve the same palliative function. A survey of 401 undergraduate Facebook users revealed that, as predicted, number of Facebook friends associated with stronger perceptions of social support, which in turn associated with reduced stress, and in turn less physical illness and greater well-being. This effect was minimized when interpersonal network size was taken into consideration. However, for those who have experienced many objective life stressors, the number of Facebook friends emerged as the stronger predictor of perceived social support. The "more-friends-the-better" heuristic is proposed as the most likely explanation for these findings.

The convergent and discriminant validity of burnout measures in sport: a multi-trait/multi-method analysis.

PubMed

Cresswell, Scott L; Eklund, Robert C

2006-02-01

Athlete burnout research has been hampered by the lack of an adequate measurement tool. The Athlete Burnout Questionnaire (ABQ) and the Maslach Burnout Inventory General Survey (MBI-GS) are two recently developed self-report instruments designed to assess burnout. The convergent and discriminant validity of the ABQ and MBI-GS were assessed through multi-trait/multi-method analysis with a sporting population. Overall, the ABQ and the MBI-GS displayed acceptable convergent validity with matching subscales highly correlated, and satisfactory internal discriminant validity with lower correlations between non-matching subscales. Both scales also indicated an adequate discrimination between the concepts of burnout and depression. These findings add support to previous findings in non-sporting populations that depression and burnout are separate constructs. Based on the psychometric results, construct validity analysis and practical considerations, the results support the use of the ABQ to assess athlete burnout.

Understanding Digital Note-Taking Practice for Visualization.

PubMed

Willett, Wesley; Goffin, Pascal; Isenberg, Petra

2015-05-13

We present results and design implications from a study of digital note-taking practice to examine how visualization can support revisitation, reflection, and collaboration around notes. As digital notebooks become common forms of external memory, keeping track of volumes of content is increasingly difficult. Information visualization tools can help give note-takers an overview of their content and allow them to explore diverse sets of notes, find and organize related content, and compare their notes with their collaborators. To ground the design of such tools, we conducted a detailed mixed-methods study of digital note-taking practice. We identify a variety of different editing, organization, and sharing methods used by digital note-takers, many of which result in notes becoming "lost in the pile''. These findings form the basis for our design considerations that examine how visualization can support the revisitation, organization, and sharing of digital notes.

A review of cryogenic testing performed by the thermochemical test branch, Manned Spacecraft Center in support of Apollo 13 and14

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Propp, C. E.; Mcgee, J. M.

1971-01-01

The Apollo 13 anomaly provided considerable impetus for a variety of types of cryogenic and ignition tests. The logic of the various test program designs, the test techniques, and their final impact upon the investigation findings are described. In addition, several test programs initiated to determine the thermal performance and general performance characteristics of the redesigned Apollo 14 cryogenic storage system are presented.

Engaging students and faculty: implications of self-determination theory for teachers and leaders in academic medicine

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Much of the work of teachers and leaders at academic health centers involves engaging learners and faculty members in shared goals. Strategies to do so, however, are seldom informed by empirically-supported theories of human motivation. Discussion This article summarizes a substantial body of motivational research that yields insights and approaches of importance to academic faculty leaders. After identification of key limitations of traditional rewards-based (i.e., incentives, or 'carrots and sticks’) approaches, key findings are summarized from the science of self-determination theory. These findings demonstrate the importance of fostering autonomous motivation by supporting the fundamental human needs for autonomy, competence, and relatedness. In turn, these considerations lead to specific recommendations about approaches to engaging autonomous motivation, using examples in academic health centers. Summary Since supporting autonomous motivation maximizes both functioning and well-being (i.e., people are both happier and more productive), the approaches recommended will help academic health centers recruit, retain, and foster the success of learners and faculty members. Such goals are particularly important to address the multiple challenges confronting these institutions. PMID:24215369

Engaging students and faculty: implications of self-determination theory for teachers and leaders in academic medicine.

PubMed

Lyness, Jeffrey M; Lurie, Stephen J; Ward, Denham S; Mooney, Christopher J; Lambert, David R

2013-11-11

Much of the work of teachers and leaders at academic health centers involves engaging learners and faculty members in shared goals. Strategies to do so, however, are seldom informed by empirically-supported theories of human motivation. This article summarizes a substantial body of motivational research that yields insights and approaches of importance to academic faculty leaders. After identification of key limitations of traditional rewards-based (i.e., incentives, or 'carrots and sticks') approaches, key findings are summarized from the science of self-determination theory. These findings demonstrate the importance of fostering autonomous motivation by supporting the fundamental human needs for autonomy, competence, and relatedness. In turn, these considerations lead to specific recommendations about approaches to engaging autonomous motivation, using examples in academic health centers. Since supporting autonomous motivation maximizes both functioning and well-being (i.e., people are both happier and more productive), the approaches recommended will help academic health centers recruit, retain, and foster the success of learners and faculty members. Such goals are particularly important to address the multiple challenges confronting these institutions.

The Influence of Husbands' or Male Partners' Support on Women's Psychosocial Adjustment to Having an Ostomy Resulting from Colorectal Cancer

PubMed Central

Altschuler, Andrea; Ramirez, Michelle; Grant, Marcia; Wendel, Christopher; Hornbrook, Mark C.; Herrinton, Lisa; Krouse, Robert S.

2009-01-01

Objective Some patients with colorectal cancer (CRC) require a permanent ostomy, which changes bodily function and can create psychosocial distress. However, little is known about the influence of men's support on women's psychosocial adjustment to having an ostomy as a result of CRC. Methods Participants initially completed the City of Hope-CRC Quality of Life questionnaire. We then conducted in-depth interviews with 30 female participants. Interview questions focused on body image, gender, and sexuality. Interviews were recorded and transcribed. We used qualitative methods to analyze the interview data and compared global HRQOL quartile scores to the overall ways that women discussed husbands' or partners' support regarding psychosocial adjustments to having ostomies. Results Of 30 participants, 22 were married or partnered at the time of surgery and 8 were single. The non-partnered respondents are not included in this analysis. Of the 22 married/partnered women, 17 described positive support from husbands being central to their psychosocial adjustment, 3 described a lack or withdrawal of support negatively affecting adjustment, and 2 described support as neither positive nor negative. In 17 cases, women's high or low quantitative HRQOL scores matched the positive or negative qualitative findings. There were 3 cases in which there were positive qualitative data and low HRQOL scores, but each of these cases, women reported serious current co-morbidities. Conclusions These findings suggest that the provision or withdrawal of husbands' or partners' support can have a considerable impact on the psychosocial adjustment of female CRC patients with ostomies. These findings appear to be both short- and long-term. Survivorship assessments should include appraisals of women's relationships to spouses/partners. PMID:19448512

The influence of husbands' or male partners' support on women's psychosocial adjustment to having an ostomy resulting from colorectal cancer.

PubMed

Altschuler, Andrea; Ramirez, Michelle; Grant, Marcia; Wendel, Christopher; Hornbrook, Mark C; Herrinton, Lisa; Krouse, Robert S

2009-01-01

Some patients with colorectal cancer (CRC) require a permanent ostomy, which changes bodily function and can create psychosocial distress. However, little is known about the influence of men's support on women's psychosocial adjustment to having an ostomy as a result of CRC. Participants initially completed the City of Hope-CRC Quality of Life questionnaire. We then conducted in-depth interviews with 30 female participants. Interview questions focused on body image, gender, and sexuality. Interviews were recorded and transcribed. We used qualitative methods to analyze the interview data and compared global health-related quality of life (HRQOL) quartile scores to the overall ways that women discussed husbands' or partners' support regarding psychosocial adjustments to having ostomies. Of 30 participants, 22 were married or partnered at the time of surgery and 8 were single. The nonpartnered respondents are not included in this analysis. Of the 22 married/partnered women, 17 described positive support from husbands being central to their psychosocial adjustment, 3 described a lack or withdrawal of support negatively affecting adjustment, and 2 described support as neither positive nor negative. In 17 cases, women's high or low quantitative HRQOL scores matched the positive or negative qualitative findings. There were 3 cases in which there were positive qualitative data and low HRQOL scores, but in each of these cases, women reported serious current comorbidities. These findings suggest that the provision or withdrawal of husbands' or partners' support can have a considerable impact on the psychosocial adjustment of female CRC patients with ostomies. These findings appear to be both short term and long term. Survivorship assessments should include appraisals of women's relationships to their spouses/partners.

Community-level climate change vulnerability research: trends, progress, and future directions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McDowell, Graham; Ford, James; Jones, Julie

2016-03-01

This study systematically identifies, characterizes, and critically evaluates community-level climate change vulnerability assessments published over the last 25 years (n = 274). We find that while the field has advanced considerably in terms of conceptual framing and methodological approaches, key shortcomings remain in how vulnerability is being studied at the community-level. We argue that vulnerability research needs to more critically engage with the following: methods for evaluating future vulnerability, the relevance of vulnerability research for decision-making, interdependencies between social and ecological systems, attention to researcher / subject power dynamics, critical interpretation of key terms, and consideration of the potentially positive opportunities presented by a changing climate. Addressing these research needs is necessary for generating knowledge that supports climate-affected communities in navigating the challenges and opportunities ahead.

'Fracking' Controversy and Communication: Using National Survey Data to Understand Public Perceptions of Hydraulic Fracturing (Invited)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Boudet, H. S.

2013-12-01

The recent push to develop unconventional sources of oil and gas both in the U.S. and abroad via hydraulic fracturing ('fracking') has generated a great deal of controversy. Effectively engaging stakeholders and setting appropriate policies requires insights into current public perceptions of this issue. Using a nationally representative U.S. sample (N=1,061), we examine public perceptions of hydraulic fracturing including: 'top of mind' associations; familiarity with the issue; levels of support/opposition; and predictors of such judgments. Similar to findings on other emerging technologies, our results suggest limited familiarity with the process and its potential impacts and considerable uncertainty about whether to support it. Multiple regression analysis (r2 = 0.49) finds that women, those holding egalitarian worldviews, those who read newspapers more than once a week, those more familiar with hydraulic fracturing, and those who associate the process with environmental impacts are more likely to oppose fracking. In contrast, people more likely to support fracking tend to be older, hold a bachelor's degree or higher, politically conservative, watch TV news more than once a week, and associate the process with positive economic or energy supply outcomes. Based on these findings, we discuss recommendations for future research, risk communication, and energy policy.

Added Qualifications in Microsurgery: Consideration for Subspecialty Certification in Microvascular Surgery in Europe.

PubMed

Heidekrueger, Paul I; Tanna, Neil; Weichman, Katie E; Szpalski, Caroline; Tos, Pierluigi; Ninkovic, Milomir; Broer, P Niclas

2016-07-01

Background While implementation of subspecializations may increase expertise in a certain area of treatment, there also exist downsides. Aim of this study was, across several disciplines, to find out if the technique of microsurgery warrants the introduction of a "Certificate of Added Qualifications (CAQ) in microsurgery." Methods An anonymous, web-based survey was administered to directors of microsurgical departments in Europe (n = 205). Respondents were asked, among other questions, whether they had completed a 12-month microvascular surgery fellowship and whether they believed a CAQ in microvascular surgery should be instituted. Results The response rate was 57%, and 33% of the respondents had completed a 12-month microvascular surgery fellowship.A total of 61% of all surgeons supported a CAQ in microsurgery. Answers ranged from 47% of support to 100% of support, depending on the countries surveyed. Discussion This is one of the few reports to evaluate the potential role of subspecialty certification of microvascular surgery across several European countries. The data demonstrate that the majority of directors of microsurgical departments support such a certificate. There was significantly greater support for a CAQ in microsurgery among those who have completed a formal microvascular surgery fellowship themselves. Conclusion This study supports the notion that further discussion and consideration of subspecialty certification in microvascular surgery appears necessary. There are multiple concerns surrounding this issue. Similar to the evolution of hand surgery certification, an exploratory committee of executive members of the respective medical boards and official societies may be warranted. Thieme Medical Publishers 333 Seventh Avenue, New York, NY 10001, USA.

How strong is the Social Security safety net? Using the Elder Index to assess gaps in economic security.

PubMed

Mutchler, Jan E; Li, Yang; Xu, Ping

2018-04-16

Older Americans rely heavily on Social Security benefits (SSBs) to support independent lifestyles, and many have few or no additional sources of income. We establish the extent to which SSBs adequately support economic security, benchmarked by the Elder Economic Security Standard Index. We document variability across U.S. counties in the adequacy levels of SSBs among older adults. We find that the average SSBs fall short of what is required for economic security in every county in the United States, but the level of shortfall varies considerably by location. Policy implications relating to strengthening Social Security and other forms of retirement income are discussed.

Ethics and health promotion practice: exploring attitudes and practices in Western Australian health organisations.

PubMed

Reilly, T; Crawford, G; Lobo, R; Leavy, J; Jancey, J

2016-04-01

Issue addressed Evidence-informed practice underpinned by ethics is fundamental to developing the science of health promotion. Knowledge and application of ethical principles are competencies required for health promotion practice. However, these competencies are often inconsistently understood and applied. This research explored attitudes, practices, enablers and barriers related to ethics in practice in Western Australian health organisations. Methods Semistructured, in-depth interviews were conducted with 10 health promotion practitioners, purposefully selected to provide a cross-section of government and non-government organisations. Interviews were recorded, transcribed and then themed. Results The majority of participants reported consideration of ethics in their practice; however, only half reported seeking Human Research Ethics Committee (HREC) approval for projects in the past 12 months. Enablers identified as supporting ethics in practice and disseminating findings included: support preparing ethics applications; resources and training about ethical practice; ability to access HRECs for ethics approval; and a supportive organisational culture. Barriers included: limited time; insufficient resourcing and capacity; ethics approval not seen as part of core business; and concerns about academic writing. Conclusion The majority of participants were aware of the importance of ethics in practice and the dissemination of findings. However, participants reported barriers to engaging in formal ethics processes and to publishing findings. So what? Alignment of evidence-informed and ethics-based practice is critical. Resources and information about ethics may be required to support practice and encourage dissemination of findings, including in the peer-reviewed literature. Investigating the role of community-based ethics boards may be valuable to bridging the ethics-evidence gap.

Economic dependency and divorce: implications for the private sphere.

PubMed

Clark, R

1990-01-01

"This paper asserts a connection between economic dependency and divorce. It argues that, because dependency deprives women of equal access to the public sphere and because it confines them, through normative definition, to the private sphere, it reduces their likelihood of seeking divorce. The paper also argues, contrary to recent findings, that socioeconomic development should be linearly and positively associated with divorce. Data from 51 nations are examined and multiple regression analysis [suggests] considerable support for these arguments." excerpt

Food intake rates of inactive fish are positively linked to boldness in three‐spined sticklebacks Gasterosteus aculeatus

PubMed Central

Manica, A.; Boogert, N. J.

2016-01-01

To investigate the link between personality and maximum food intake of inactive individuals, food‐deprived three‐spined sticklebacks Gasterosteus aculeatus at rest in their home compartments were provided with ad libitum prey items. Bolder individuals ate considerably more than shyer individuals, even after accounting for body size, while sociability did not have an effect. These findings support pace‐of‐life theory predicting that life‐history strategies are linked to boldness. PMID:26940195

Business cycles, migration and health.

PubMed

Halliday, Timothy J

2007-04-01

We investigate the proposition that illness poses as an obstacle to one's ability to use migration to hedge the business cycle. We employ data on migration, regional unemployment rates and health status from 10 years (1984-1993) of the US Panel Study of Income Dynamics. Our results provide considerable for support this proposition. The evidence is the strongest for men, but we also find weaker evidence for married women. These results suggest that--ceterus paribus--aggregate health outcomes in an area should improve when the regional economy expands.

The Role of Adult Day Services in Supporting the Occupational Participation of People with Dementia and Their Carers: An Integrative Review.

PubMed

Du Preez, Janice; Millsteed, Jeannine; Marquis, Ruth; Richmond, Janet

2018-05-08

The increasing numbers of people with dementia places considerable stress on health and aged care services and has resulted in the development of community adult day services. Aim : The aim of this integrative review is to determine the extent to which these services support the occupational participation of people with dementia, and how they impact their primary carers. Method : The mixed-methods appraisal tool (MMAT) was used to identify relevant studies in the period 2011⁻2016. Results : Nine databases were searched and yielded 16 articles with a variety of research designs for inclusion in the review. Conclusions : Findings indicate that adult day services use a range of approaches to support attendees and their carers. In spite of these efforts, there appears to be a lack of interest in utilizing these services while a person is in the early stages of dementia. This suggests that policies in aged care, such as aging-in-place, need to consider the pressure and stress they exert on carer’s quality of life. Another consideration is to better promote the benefits of participating in adult day services in the early stages of dementia for both the attendees and their carers, thereby delaying the tendency towards early institutionalization.

Habitat Concepts for Deep Space Exploration

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Smitherman, David; Griffin, Brand N.

2014-01-01

Future missions under consideration requiring human habitation beyond the International Space Station (ISS) include deep space habitats in the lunar vicinity to support asteroid retrieval missions, human and robotic lunar missions, satellite servicing, and Mars vehicle servicing missions. Habitat designs are also under consideration for missions beyond the Earth-Moon system, including transfers to near-Earth asteroids and Mars orbital destinations. A variety of habitat layouts have been considered, including those derived from the existing ISS designs and those that could be fabricated from the Space Launch System (SLS) propellant tanks. This paper presents a comparison showing several options for asteroid, lunar, and Mars mission habitats using ISS derived and SLS derived modules and identifies some of the advantages and disadvantages inherent in each. Key findings indicate that the larger SLS diameter modules offer built-in compatibility with the launch vehicle, single launch capability without on-orbit assembly, improved radiation protection, lighter structures per unit volume, and sufficient volume to accommodate consumables for long duration missions without resupply. The information provided with the findings includes mass and volume comparison data that should be helpful to future exploration mission planning efforts.

Reciprocity of agonistic support in ravens.

PubMed

Fraser, Orlaith N; Bugnyar, Thomas

2012-01-01

Cooperative behaviour through reciprocation or interchange of valuable services in primates has received considerable attention, especially regarding the timeframe of reciprocation and its ensuing cognitive implications. Much less, however, is known about reciprocity in other animals, particularly birds. We investigated patterns of agonistic support (defined as a third party intervening in an ongoing conflict to attack one of the conflict participants, thus supporting the other) in a group of 13 captive ravens, Corvus corax. We found support for long-term, but not short-term, reciprocation of agonistic support. Ravens were more likely to support individuals who preened them, kin and dominant group members. These results suggest that ravens do not reciprocate on a calculated tit-for-tat basis, but aid individuals from whom reciprocated support would be most useful and those with whom they share a good relationship. Additionally, dyadic levels of agonistic support and consolation (postconflict affiliation from a bystander to the victim) correlated strongly with each other, but we found no evidence to suggest that receiving agonistic support influences the victim's likelihood of receiving support (consolation) after the conflict ends. Our findings are consistent with an emotionally mediated form of reciprocity in ravens and provide additional support for convergent cognitive evolution in birds and mammals.

Selective Disclosure of HIV Status in Egocentric Support Networks of People Living with HIV/AIDS

PubMed Central

Zang, Chunpeng; He, Xin

2014-01-01

The objective of this study was to investigate HIV disclosure activities in social support networks of people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHAs). An egocentric network study was conducted in Nanning, China. A sample of 147 PLWHAs (egos) nominated 922 network members (alters) who would provide egos with social support. All egos disclosed their HIV status to at least one alter in their support networks and 26.5 % disclosed to all alters. Among network alters, 95.7 % of spouse alters, 59.9 % of other family member alters, and 29.7 % of friend alters were aware of egos’ HIV status. PLWHA egos were more likely to disclose their HIV status to their spouse and other family members, frequently-contacted alters, and alters who provided more social support. In addition, older egos and unmarried egos were more likely to disclose their HIV status. The findings indicate that network-based HIV intervention programs should take into consideration selective disclosure in social networks. PMID:24996393

Support for international trade law: The US and the EU compared.

PubMed

Eckhardt, Jappe; Elsig, Manfred

2015-10-01

In this article we compare US and EU support for bilateral and multilateral international trade law. We assess the support for international law of both trading blocs by focusing on the following four dimensions: leadership, consent, compliance and internalization. Although we find strong support for international trade law from both the US and the EU in general, we also witness some variation, most notably in relation to the design of preferential trade agreements (PTAs) and compliance with World Trade Organization (WTO) law. Turning to explaining these (moderate) differences, we argue that outcomes in US trade policy can best be explained by a domestic political factor, namely the direct influence of interest groups. Although the involvement of societal interests also goes a long way in explaining EU behavior, it does not tell the entire story. We posit that, in EU trade policy, institutions are a particular conditioning factor that needs to be stressed. Moreover, we suggest that foreign policy considerations in managing trade relations have characterized EU's support for international trade law.

Gender Imbalance and Terrorism in Developing Countries.

PubMed

Younas, Javed; Sandler, Todd

2017-03-01

This article investigates whether gender imbalance may be conducive to domestic terrorism in developing countries. A female-dominated society may not provide sufficient administration, law, or order to limit domestic terrorism, especially since societies in developing countries primarily turn to males for administration, policing, and paramilitary forces. Other economic considerations support female imbalance resulting in grievance-generated terrorism. Because male dominance may also be linked to terrorism, empirical tests are ultimately needed to support our prediction. Based on panel data for 128 developing countries for 1975 to 2011, we find that female gender imbalance results in more total and domestic terrorist attacks. This female gender imbalance does not affect transnational terrorism in developing countries or domestic and transnational terrorism in developed countries. Further tests show that gender imbalance affects terrorism only when bureaucratic institutions are weak. Many robustness tests support our results.

Gender Imbalance and Terrorism in Developing Countries

PubMed Central

Younas, Javed

2016-01-01

This article investigates whether gender imbalance may be conducive to domestic terrorism in developing countries. A female-dominated society may not provide sufficient administration, law, or order to limit domestic terrorism, especially since societies in developing countries primarily turn to males for administration, policing, and paramilitary forces. Other economic considerations support female imbalance resulting in grievance-generated terrorism. Because male dominance may also be linked to terrorism, empirical tests are ultimately needed to support our prediction. Based on panel data for 128 developing countries for 1975 to 2011, we find that female gender imbalance results in more total and domestic terrorist attacks. This female gender imbalance does not affect transnational terrorism in developing countries or domestic and transnational terrorism in developed countries. Further tests show that gender imbalance affects terrorism only when bureaucratic institutions are weak. Many robustness tests support our results. PMID:28232755

Global economic potential for reducing carbon dioxide emissions from mangrove loss.

PubMed

Siikamäki, Juha; Sanchirico, James N; Jardine, Sunny L

2012-09-04

Mangroves are among the most threatened and rapidly disappearing natural environments worldwide. In addition to supporting a wide range of other ecological and economic functions, mangroves store considerable carbon. Here, we consider the global economic potential for protecting mangroves based exclusively on their carbon. We develop unique high-resolution global estimates (5' grid, about 9 × 9 km) of the projected carbon emissions from mangrove loss and the cost of avoiding the emissions. Using these spatial estimates, we derive global and regional supply curves (marginal cost curves) for avoided emissions. Under a broad range of assumptions, we find that the majority of potential emissions from mangroves could be avoided at less than $10 per ton of CO(2). Given the recent range of market price for carbon offsets and the cost of reducing emissions from other sources, this finding suggests that protecting mangroves for their carbon is an economically viable proposition. Political-economy considerations related to the ability of doing business in developing countries, however, can severely limit the supply of offsets and increases their price per ton. We also find that although a carbon-focused conservation strategy does not automatically target areas most valuable for biodiversity, implementing a biodiversity-focused strategy would only slightly increase the costs.

Letter to the editor concerning the article "Performance of gymnastics skill benefits from an external focus of attention" by Abdollahipour, Wulf, Psotta & Nieto (2015).

PubMed

Collins, Dave; Carson, Howie J; Toner, John

2016-01-01

Abdollahipour, Wulf, Psotta, and Nieto (2015) recently published data in the Journal of Sports Sciences to show that an external focus of attention promotes superior performance effects (gymnastics jump height and judged movement form score) when compared to internal or control foci during skill execution without an implement involved. While we do not contest the veracity of findings reported, nor others that have been used to support beneficial effects of an external focus of attention, in this Letter to the Editor we comment on considerable methodological limitations associated with this and previous studies that, we suggest, have resulted in serious theoretical oversights regarding the control of movement and, most crucially from our practitioner perspective, suboptimal recommendations for applied coaching practice. Specifically, we discuss the lack of consideration towards translational research in this area, the problematic nature of attentional focus cues employed, interpretation of findings in relation to other applied recommendations and coherence with mechanistic underpinning and, finally, the representative nature of task involved. In summary, while (laboratory) research evidence may appear to be conclusive, we suggest that the focus of attention effects are in need of more ecologically valid and rigorous testing as well as consideration of current coaching practices if it is to optimally serve the applied sporting domain that it purportedly aims to.

Too good to be true: when overwhelming evidence fails to convince.

PubMed

Gunn, Lachlan J; Chapeau-Blondeau, François; McDonnell, Mark D; Davis, Bruce R; Allison, Andrew; Abbott, Derek

2016-03-01

Is it possible for a large sequence of measurements or observations, which support a hypothesis, to counterintuitively decrease our confidence? Can unanimous support be too good to be true? The assumption of independence is often made in good faith; however, rarely is consideration given to whether a systemic failure has occurred. Taking this into account can cause certainty in a hypothesis to decrease as the evidence for it becomes apparently stronger. We perform a probabilistic Bayesian analysis of this effect with examples based on (i) archaeological evidence, (ii) weighing of legal evidence and (iii) cryptographic primality testing. In this paper, we investigate the effects of small error rates in a set of measurements or observations. We find that even with very low systemic failure rates, high confidence is surprisingly difficult to achieve; in particular, we find that certain analyses of cryptographically important numerical tests are highly optimistic, underestimating their false-negative rate by as much as a factor of 2 80 .

Effects of Couple Interactions and Relationship Quality on Plasma Oxytocin and Cardiovascular Reactivity: Empirical Findings and Methodological Considerations

PubMed Central

Smith, Timothy W.; Uchino, Bert N.; MacKenzie, Justin; Hicks, Angela; Campo, Rebecca A.; Reblin, Maija; Grewen, Karen; Amico, Janet A.; Light, Kathleen C.

2016-01-01

Cardiovascular reactivity is a potential mechanism underlying associations of close relationship quality with cardiovascular disease. Two models describe oxytocin as another mechanism. The “calm and connect” model posits an association between positive relationship experiences and oxytocin levels and responses, whereas the “tend and befriend” model emphasizes the effects of negative relationship experiences in evoking oxytocin release. In this study of 180 younger couples, relationship quality had a small, marginally significant inverse association with plasma oxytocin levels, and neither positive nor negative couple interactions evoked change in plasma oxytocin. Negative couple interactions evoked significant cardiovascular reactivity, especially among women. Hence, in the largest study of these issues to date, there was little support for key tenets of the “calm and connect” model, and only very modest support for the ”tend and befriend” model. However, findings were consistent with the view that CVR contributes to the effects of relationship difficulties on health. PMID:22543270

Patient-centered medical homes in Louisiana had minimal impact on Medicaid population's use of acute care and costs.

PubMed

Cole, Evan S; Campbell, Claudia; Diana, Mark L; Webber, Larry; Culbertson, Richard

2015-01-01

The patient-centered medical home model of primary care has received considerable attention for its potential to improve outcomes and reduce health care costs. Yet little information exists about the model's ability to achieve these goals for Medicaid patients. We sought to evaluate the effect of patient-centered medical home certification of Louisiana primary care clinics on the quality and cost of care over time for a Medicaid population. We used a quasi-experimental pre-post design with a matched control group to assess the effect of medical home certification on outcomes. We found no impact on acute care use and modest support for reduced costs and primary care use among medical homes serving higher proportions of chronically ill patients. These findings provide preliminary results related to the ability of the patient-centered medical home model to improve outcomes for Medicaid beneficiaries. The findings support a case-mix-adjusted payment policy for medical homes going forward. Project HOPE—The People-to-People Health Foundation, Inc.

Returning findings within longitudinal cohort studies: the 1958 birth cohort as an exemplar.

PubMed

Wallace, Susan E; Walker, Neil M; Elliott, Jane

2014-01-01

Population-based, prospective longitudinal cohort studies are considering the issues surrounding returning findings to individuals as a result of genomic and other medical research studies. While guidance is being developed for clinical settings, the process is less clear for those conducting longitudinal research. This paper discusses work conducted on behalf of The UK Cohort and Longitudinal Study Enhancement Resource programme (CLOSER) to examine consent requirements, process considerations and specific examples of potential findings in the context of the 1958 British Birth cohort. Beyond deciding which findings to return, there are questions of whether re-consent is needed and the possible impact on the study, how the feedback process will be managed, and what resources are needed to support that process. Recommendations are made for actions a cohort study should consider taking when making vital decisions regarding returning findings. Any decisions need to be context-specific, arrived at transparently, communicated clearly, and in the best interests of both the participants and the study.

Success factors for implementation of the balanced scorecard in a NHS multi-agency setting.

PubMed

Radnor, Zoe; Lovell, Bill

2003-01-01

Even though the balanced scorecard (BSC) has become a highly popular performance management tool, usage in local public sector National Health Service (NHS) organisations is still rare. This paper conditionally outlines some grounds in supporting such usage. In particular underlying conceptual concerns with the BSC system and its implementation pitfalls require full consideration. This paper then outlines some factors to be taken into account for "successful" BSC implementation in a NHS multi-agency setting. These findings emerged from a series of focus groups that took place with contributors drawn from all the key organisations within the Bradford Health Action Zone. Finally, this paper argues that if key criteria are met, successful implementation of the BSC may then proceed. However, "blind" BSC implementation without consideration of these factors may result in potential "failure".

How the negative and positive aspects of partner relationships affect the mental health of young married people.

PubMed

Horwitz, A V; McLaughlin, J; White, H R

1998-06-01

The relationship between marriage and positive mental health is one of the most established findings in the stress literature. Few studies, however, examine the problematic as well as the supportive impacts of marriage on mental health. This paper uses a cohort of young adults who were sampled at 18, 21, or 24 years of age and resampled seven years later when they were married at 25, 28, or 31. It examines what factors are associated with the quality of marital relationships, the relative impact of and balance between negative and positive partner relationships on mental health, and sex differences in the determinants and outcomes of marital quality. The results indicate that the structural strains of parenthood and financial need and their interaction predict problematic and supportive spousal relationships and the difference in the levels of these two relationships. Problematic relationships with spouses have considerably stronger impacts than supportive relationships on depression. However, the difference between the amounts of supportive and problematic relationships with spouses has a greater impact on mental health than levels of either considered separately. Finally, relational quality has a greater impact on the mental health of wives than husbands. These findings indicate the importance of considering how marriage affects mental health in complex, rather than in straightforward, ways.

Training and support to improve ICD coding quality: A controlled before-and-after impact evaluation.

PubMed

Dyers, Robin; Ward, Grant; Du Plooy, Shane; Fourie, Stephanus; Evans, Juliet; Mahomed, Hassan

2017-05-24

The proposed National Health Insurance policy for South Africa (SA) requires hospitals to maintain high-quality International Statistical Classification of Diseases (ICD) codes for patient records. While considerable strides had been made to improve ICD coding coverage by digitising the discharge process in the Western Cape Province, further intervention was required to improve data quality. The aim of this controlled before-and-after study was to evaluate the impact of a clinician training and support initiative to improve ICD coding quality. To compare ICD coding quality between two central hospitals in the Western Cape before and after the implementation of a training and support initiative for clinicians at one of the sites. The difference in differences in data quality between the intervention site and the control site was calculated. Multiple logistic regression was also used to determine the odds of data quality improvement after the intervention and to adjust for potential differences between the groups. The intervention had a positive impact of 38.0% on ICD coding completeness over and above changes that occurred at the control site. Relative to the baseline, patient records at the intervention site had a 6.6 (95% confidence interval 3.5 - 16.2) adjusted odds ratio of having a complete set of ICD codes for an admission episode after the introduction of the training and support package. The findings on impact on ICD coding accuracy were not significant. There is sufficient pragmatic evidence that a training and support package will have a considerable positive impact on ICD coding completeness in the SA setting.

The Role of Geoscience Information in Reducing Catastrophic Loss Using a Web-Based Economics Experiment

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bernknopf, Richard L.; Brookshire, David S.; Ganderton, Philip T.

2003-01-01

What role can geoscience information play in the assessment of risk and the value of insurance, especially for natural hazard type risks? In an earlier, related paper Ganderton and others (2000) provided subjects with relatively simple geoscience information concerning natural hazard-type risks. Their research looked at how subjects purchase insurance when faced with relatively low probability but high loss risks of the kind that characterize natural hazards and now, increasingly, manmade disasters. They found evidence to support the expected utility theory (definitions of economics terms can be found in a glossary at the end of report), yet there remained the implication that subjects with excessive aversion to risk were willing to pay considerably more for insurance than the actuarially fair price plus any reasonable risk premium. Here, we report the results of additional experiments that provide further support for the basic postulates of expected utility theory. However, these new experiments add considerably to the decision environment facing subjects by offering an option to purchase geoscientific information that would assist them when calculating expected losses from hazards more accurately. Using an Internet-based mechanism to present information and gather data in an experimental setting, this research provided subjects with considerable textual and graphical information, and time to process it. Over a period of three months, almost 400 subjects participated in on-line experiments that generated approximately 22,000 usable data points for the empirical analysis discussed in this report. In the design of the experiment, we modeled the decisions to purchase (1) a detailed map giving subjects more information regarding the distribution of losses from a hazard and (2) insurance to indemnify them from any losses should they occur. On the basis of this design, we find strong evidence in support of the expected utility theory. Many of the findings reinforce those found in the early, similar study (Ganderton and others, 2000). However, this research also finds interactions between the decision to become better informed and the decision to insure. We chose an empirical framework that allows for both explicit and implicit (unobservable) correlations between the two decisions. The results suggest that at the end of the computer game subjects recognize the benefits of greater geoscience information. They take advantage of it, but are sensitive to its cost. When subjects use the more detailed information, they are more likely to purchase insurance when it offers a net benefit.

CHAMP (Camera, Handlens, and Microscope Probe)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mungas, Greg S.; Boynton, John E.; Balzer, Mark A.; Beegle, Luther; Sobel, Harold R.; Fisher, Ted; Klein, Dan; Deans, Matthew; Lee, Pascal; Sepulveda, Cesar A.

2005-01-01

CHAMP (Camera, Handlens And Microscope Probe)is a novel field microscope capable of color imaging with continuously variable spatial resolution from infinity imaging down to diffraction-limited microscopy (3 micron/pixel). As a robotic arm-mounted imager, CHAMP supports stereo imaging with variable baselines, can continuously image targets at an increasing magnification during an arm approach, can provide precision rangefinding estimates to targets, and can accommodate microscopic imaging of rough surfaces through a image filtering process called z-stacking. CHAMP was originally developed through the Mars Instrument Development Program (MIDP) in support of robotic field investigations, but may also find application in new areas such as robotic in-orbit servicing and maintenance operations associated with spacecraft and human operations. We overview CHAMP'S instrument performance and basic design considerations below.

Robotic Companions for Older People: A Case Study in the Wild.

PubMed

Doering, Nicola; Richter, Katja; Gross, Horst-Michael; Schroeter, Christof; Mueller, Steffen; Volkhardt, Michael; Scheidig, Andrea; Debes, Klaus

2015-01-01

Older people tend to have difficulties using unknown technical devices and are less willing to accept technical shortcomings. Therefore, a robot that is supposed to support older people in managing daily life has to adapt to the users' needs and capabilities that are very heterogeneous within the target group. The aim of the presented case study was to provide in-depth insights on individual usage patterns and acceptance of a mobile service robot in real live environments (i.e. in the users' homes). Results from three cases (users aged 67, 78 and 85 living in their own apartments) are reported. Findings on usability and user experience illustrate that the robot has considerable potential to be accepted to support daily living at home.

What Contributes to the (Im)Balanced Division of Family Work Between the Sexes?

PubMed Central

Lothaller, Harald; Mikula, Gerold; Schoebi, Dominik

2011-01-01

This study examines a comprehensive set of variables that have been proposed as explaining the imbalance of the division of family work between the sexes. The analyses use survey data of 735 dual-earner couples from Austria, the Netherlands, and Portugal. The results support theoretical explanations referring to time availability, gender ideology, relative resources, and the importance of characteristics of the family system. No support was obtained for the doing-gender perspective. Additional findings suggest that increased consideration of psychological concepts adds to the understanding of why women do more family work than men. The analyses revealed similarities, but also differences between the factors that contribute to the division of household labor and childcare. PMID:22318972

Shining lights: studies that have most influenced the understanding of health promotion's financial impact.

PubMed

Golaszewski, T

2001-01-01

To examine the literature from the past 20 years and identify those studies that support the economic merit of health promotion. A panel of experts was used to identify the top studies supporting the purpose of this article. Studies were chosen based on the following criteria: the study (1) examined the relationship between health risks and financial outcomes, or health promotion programs and financial outcomes; (2) provided strong and compelling financial data supporting the worth of health promotion; (3) had a high-quality methodology; (4) answered an important question or replicated important findings with superior methodology; and (5) represented U.S.-based initiatives published since 1980. After initially nominating a group of studies for consideration, panelists rated each on a scale from 1 to 3 representing their opinion of importance. Studies rating the highest were included for this discussion. Studies were analyzed by population characteristics, design, statistical tests, limitations, and results. This information was summarized for each identified article. A relationship between modifiable health risk factors and health care costs is supported by research. Health promotion interventions appear to provide positive financial returns, most notably for health care costs and absenteeism reduction. Private sector initiatives seem to be driving economic-based research. Overall, health promotion shows promising results for providing financial advantages for its sponsors; however, if this discipline is to show its true worth, considerable funding is needed from government or philanthropic sources to cover the substantial costs of quality research.

Pesticides, chemical and industrial exposures in relation to systemic lupus erythematosus

PubMed Central

Parks, Christine G.; De Roos, Anneclaire J.

2013-01-01

Growing evidence suggests exposure to chemicals and industrial pollutants may increase risk of SLE. Here we review research on SLE associations with occupational and industrial exposures, primarily drawing on studies in human populations and summarizing epidemiologic research published in the past decade. The association of occupational silica exposure with SLE is well established, but key questions remain, including the required dose and susceptibility factors, and SLE risk due to other silicate exposures. Research on SLE and other exposures is less well developed, though several potential associations merit further consideration due to the consistency of preliminary human findings, experimental animal research, and biologic plausibility. These include pesticides and solvents, for which experimental findings also support investigation of specific agents, including organochlorines and trichloroethylene. Experimental findings and biologic plausibility suggest research on SLE and occupational exposure to hydrocarbons (i.e., mineral oils) is warranted, especially given the widespread exposures in the population. Experimental and limited human findings support further investigation of SLE related to mercury exposure, especially in dental occupations. Research on environmental risk factors in risk-enriched cohorts (family based) is recommended, as is further investigation of exposures in relation to intermediate markers of effect (e.g., antinuclear antibodies), clinical features (e.g., nephritis) and outcomes. PMID:24763537

Social pedagogy as a model to provide support for siblings of children with intellectual disabilities: A report of the views of the children and young people using a sibling support group.

PubMed

Carter, Sid; Cook, James; Sutton-Boulton, Gary; Ward, Vicki; Clarke, Steve

2016-03-01

The experiences of non-disabled children growing up with a sibling with an intellectual disability vary considerably, with reported impact ranging from increased mental health problems through evaluations of life enhancement. However, there is evidence that the net impact is neutral to positive, which was supported by the findings of this report of a service evaluation survey. The value of providing support to those young siblings is however clear. An established method of support is within a group of peers who also have a sibling with an intellectual disability, though no specific method for running this type of group has yet been fully explored. This article reports the views of 39 children taking part in such a group, analysing their perspective through a proposed model for the operation of sibling groups: social pedagogy. It was found that the closer the group's activities were to social pedagogy, the more supported the children and young people felt. © The Author(s) 2015.

Utilized social support and self-esteem mediate the relationship between perceived social support and suicide ideation. A test of a multiple mediator model.

PubMed

Kleiman, Evan M; Riskind, John H

2013-01-01

While perceived social support has received considerable research as a protective factor for suicide ideation, little attention has been given to the mechanisms that mediate its effects. We integrated two theoretical models, Joiner's (2005) interpersonal theory of suicide and Leary's (Leary, Tambor, Terdal, & Downs, 1995) sociometer theory of self-esteem to investigate two hypothesized mechanisms, utilization of social support and self-esteem. Specifically, we hypothesized that individuals must utilize the social support they perceive that would result in increased self-esteem, which in turn buffers them from suicide ideation. Participants were 172 college students who completed measures of social support, self-esteem, and suicide ideation. Tests of simple mediation indicate that utilization of social support and self-esteem may each individually help to mediate the perceived social support/suicide ideation relationship. Additionally, a test of multiple mediators using bootstrapping supported the hypothesized multiple-mediator model. The use of a cross-sectional design limited our ability to find true cause-and-effect relationships. Results suggested that utilized social support and self-esteem both operate as individual moderators in the social support/self-esteem relationship. Results further suggested, in a comprehensive model, that perceived social support buffers suicide ideation through utilization of social support and increases in self-esteem.

A meta-analytic review of the association between perceived social support and depression in childhood and adolescence.

PubMed

Rueger, Sandra Yu; Malecki, Christine Kerres; Pyun, Yoonsun; Aycock, Chase; Coyle, Samantha

2016-10-01

This meta-analysis evaluated the relation between social support and depression in youth and compared the cumulative evidence for 2 theories that have been proposed to explain this association: the general benefits (GB; also known as main effects) and stress-buffering (SB) models. The study included 341 articles (19% unpublished) gathered through a search in PsycINFO, PsycARTICLES, ERIC, and ProQuest, and a hand search of 11 relevant journals. Using a random effects model, the overall effect size based on k = 341 studies and N = 273,149 participants was r = .26 (95% CI [.24, .28]), with robust support for the GB model and support for the SB model among medically ill youth. Stress-buffering analyses suggest that different stressful contexts may not allow youth to fully draw on the benefits of social support, and we propose value in seeking to better understand both stress-buffering (effects of social support are enhanced) and reverse stress-buffering (effects of social support are dampened) processes. Key findings regarding other moderators include a different pattern of effect sizes across various sources of support. In addition, gender differences were largely absent from this study, suggesting that social support may be a more critical resource for boys than is typically acknowledged. Results also demonstrated the importance of using instruments with adequate psychometric support, with careful consideration of methodological and conceptual issues. Building upon these collective findings, we provide recommendations for theory and practice, as well as recommendations for addressing limitations in the extant literature to guide future investigations. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

The influence of individualism and drinking identity on alcohol problems.

PubMed

Foster, Dawn W; Yeung, Nelson; Quist, Michelle C

2014-12-01

This study evaluated the interactive association between individualism and drinking identity predicting alcohol use and problems. Seven hundred and ten undergraduates (Mean age =22.84, SD = 5.31, 83.1% female) completed study materials. We expected that drinking identity and individualism would positively correlate with drinking variables. We further expected that individualism would moderate the association between drinking identity and drinking such that the relationship between drinking identity and alcohol outcomes would be positively associated, particularly among those high in individualism. Our findings supported our hypotheses. These findings better explain the relationship between drinking identity, individualism, and alcohol use. Furthermore, this research encourages the consideration of individual factors and personality characteristics in order to develop culturally tailored materials to maximize intervention efficacy across cultures.

Humans in earth orbit and planetary exploration missions; IAA Man in Space Symposium, 8th, Tashkent, Uzbek SSR, Sept. 29-Oct. 3, 1990, Selection of Papers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Grigor'ev, A. I. (Editor); Klein, K. E. (Editor); Nicogossian, A. (Editor)

1991-01-01

The present conference on findings from space life science investigations relevant to long-term earth orbit and planetary exploration missions, as well as considerations for future research projects on these issues, discusses the cardiovascular system and countermeasures against its deterioration in the microgravity environment, cerebral and sensorimotor functions, findings to date in endocrinology and immunology, the musculoskeletal system, and health maintenance and medical care. Also discussed are radiation hazards and protective systems, life-support and habitability factors, and such methodologies and equipment for long space mission research as the use of animal models, novel noninvasive techniques for space crew health monitoring, and an integrated international aerospace medical information system.

Courtesy stigma: A concealed consternation among caregivers of people affected by leprosy.

PubMed

Dako-Gyeke, Mavis

2018-01-01

This study explored experiences of courtesy stigma among caregivers of people affected by leprosy. Using a qualitative research approach, twenty participants were purposively selected and in-depth interviews conducted. The interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed, and analyzed to identify emerging themes that addressed objectives of the study. The findings indicated that caregivers of people affected by leprosy experienced courtesy stigma. Evidence showed that fear of contagion underpinned caregivers' experiences, especially in employment and romantic relationships. In addition, participants adopted different strategies (disregarding, concealment, education, faith-based trust) to handle courtesy stigma. The findings demonstrate that psychosocial support and financial assistance to caregivers are necessary considerations for attainment of effective care for people affected by leprosy. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Case management: developing practice through action research.

PubMed

Smith, Annetta; Mackay, Seonaid; McCulloch, Kathleen

2013-09-01

This article is a report of an action research study carried out with community nurses to help develop case management within their practice. Using action research principles, nurses reviewed and analysed their current practice and developed recommendations for further embedding case management as a means of supporting patients with complex care needs in their own homes. Findings indicate that a number of factors can influence the community nurse's ability to implement case management. These factors include approaches to case finding, availability of resources and interprofessional working. Important considerations for nurses were the influence of the context of care, the geographical location and the health needs of the local patient population, which meant that case management may need to be adapted to meet local circumstances.

Experimental support that ocular tremor in Parkinson's disease does not originate from head movement.

PubMed

Gitchel, George T; Wetzel, Paul A; Qutubuddin, Abu; Baron, Mark S

2014-07-01

Our recent report of ocular tremor in Parkinson's disease (PD) has raised considerable controversy as to the origin of the tremor. Using an infrared based eye tracker and a magnetic head tracker, we reported that ocular tremor was recordable in PD subjects with no apparent head tremor. However, other investigators suggest that the ocular tremor may represent either transmitted appendicular tremor or subclinical head tremor inducing the vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR). The present study aimed to further investigate the origin of ocular tremor in PD. Eye movements were recorded in 8 PD subjects both head free, and with full head restraint by means of a head holding device and a dental impression bite plate. Head movements were recorded independently using both a high sensitivity tri-axial accelerometer and a magnetic tracking system, each synchronized to the eye tracker. Ocular tremor was observed in all 8 PD subjects and was not influenced by head free and head fixed conditions. Both magnetic tracking and accelerometer recordings supported that the ocular tremor was fully independent of head position. The present study findings support our initial findings that ocular tremor is a fundamental feature of PD unrelated to head movements. Although the utility of ocular tremor for diagnostic purposes requires validation, current findings in large cohorts of PD subjects suggest its potential as a reliable clinical biomarker. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Caught between intending and doing: older people ideating on a self-chosen death

PubMed Central

van Wijngaarden, Els; Leget, Carlo; Goossensen, Anne

2016-01-01

Objectives The aim of this paper is to provide insight into what it means to live with the intention to end life at a self-chosen moment from an insider perspective. Setting Participants who lived independent or semidependent throughout the Netherlands. Participants 25 Dutch older citizens (mean age of 82 years) participated. They were ideating on a self-chosen death because they considered their lives to be no longer worth living. Inclusion criteria were that they: (1) considered their lives to be ‘completed’; (2) suffered from the prospect of living on; (3) currently wished to die; (4) were 70 years of age or older; (5) were not terminally ill; (6) considered themselves to be mentally competent; (7) considered their death wish reasonable. Design In this qualitative study, in-depth interviews were carried out in the participants’ everyday home environment (median lasting 1.56 h). Verbatim transcripts were analysed based on the principles of phenomenological thematic analysis. Results The liminality or ‘in-betweenness’ of intending and actually performing self-directed death (or not) is characterised as a constant feeling of being torn explicated by the following pairs of themes: (1) detachment and attachment; (2) rational and non-rational considerations; (3) taking control and lingering uncertainty; (4) resisting interference and longing for support; (5) legitimacy and illegitimacy. Conclusions Our findings show that the in-between period emerges as a considerable, existential challenge with both rational and non-rational concerns and thoughts, rather than a calculative, coherent sum of rational considerations. Our study highlights the need to take due consideration of all ambiguities and ambivalences present after a putatively rational decision has been made in order to develop careful policy and support for this particular group of older people. PMID:26781505

Political violence and mental health: a multi-disciplinary review of the literature on Nepal.

PubMed

Tol, Wietse A; Kohrt, Brandon A; Jordans, Mark J D; Thapa, Suraj B; Pettigrew, Judith; Upadhaya, Nawaraj; de Jong, Joop T V M

2010-01-01

Implementation of current international consensus guidelines regarding mental health and psychosocial support in emergencies requires the consideration of findings from both the medical and social sciences. This paper presents a multi-disciplinary review of reported findings regarding the relations between political violence, mental health and psychosocial wellbeing in Nepal. A systematic search of six databases resulted in the identification of 572 studies, of which 44 were included in the review. These studies investigated the influence of political violence on contextual variables that shape mental health and psychosocial wellbeing, and examined psychological distress and mental disorders in the context of political violence. The majority of studies addressed the mental health of Bhutanese refugees in Nepal and the impact of the Maoist People's War. Based upon these results from Nepal, we discuss a number of issues of concern to international researchers and practitioners and present policy and research recommendations. Specifically, we consider (a) the need for longitudinal multi-disciplinary research into protective and risk factors, including agency, of psychological distress and mental disorders in situations of political violence, (b) the continuing controversy regarding the PTSD construct, and (c) the lack of robust findings regarding the effectiveness of mental health and psychosocial support.

Oral infection of Aedes aegypti with yellow fever virus: geographic variation and genetic considerations.

PubMed

Tabachnick, W J; Wallis, G P; Aitken, T H; Miller, B R; Amato, G D; Lorenz, L; Powell, J R; Beaty, B J

1985-11-01

Twenty-eight populations representing a worldwide distribution of Aedes aegypti were tested for their ability to become orally infected with yellow fever virus (YFV). Populations had been analyzed for genetic variations at 11 isozyme loci and assigned to one of 8 genetic geographic groups of Ae. aegypti. Infection rates suggest that populations showing isozyme genetic relatedness also demonstrate similarity to oral infection rates with YFV. The findings support the hypothesis that genetic variation exists for oral susceptibility to YFV in Ae. aegypti.

The best of both worlds: a consideration of gender in team building.

PubMed

Rudan, Vincent T

2003-03-01

As teams continue to supplant individuals as the fundamental work unit, healthcare organizations increasingly are turning to high-performance care and service groups as keys to success. In this article, the author presents research and findings of an ethnographic case study of a mixed-gender work team of healthcare administrators. Focusing on gender issues and their impact on outcomes, the study offers insights for promoting cultural change and improving nursing practice systems that will influence health policy and support a new architecture for the healthcare industry.

Guidance for human interface with artificial intelligence systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Potter, Scott S.; Woods, David D.

1991-01-01

The beginning of a research effort to collect and integrate existing research findings about how to combine computer power and people is discussed, including problems and pitfalls as well as desirable features. The goal of the research is to develop guidance for the design of human interfaces with intelligent systems. Fault management tasks in NASA domains are the focus of the investigation. Research is being conducted to support the development of guidance for designers that will enable them to make human interface considerations into account during the creation of intelligent systems.

Caregiver informational support in different patient care settings at end of life.

PubMed

Lavalley, Susan A

2018-01-01

Caregivers of the terminally ill face many complicated tasks including providing direct patient care, communicating with clinicians, and managing the logistical demands of daily activities. They require instructive information at all points in the illness process and across several settings where patients receive end-of-life care. This study examines how the setting where a patient receives end-of-life care affects caregivers' informational support needs by thematically analyzing data from caregiver interviews and clinical observations. Caregivers providing care for patients at home received informational support related to meeting patients' mobility, medication, and nutritional needs. Caregivers who provided care remotely received informational support to navigate transitions between patient care settings or long-term care arrangements, including financial considerations and insurance logistics. The findings document that interventions designed to enhance information for caregivers should account for caregiving context and that health care providers should proactively and repeatedly assess caregiver information needs related to end-of-life patient care.

No rationale for 1 variable per 10 events criterion for binary logistic regression analysis.

PubMed

van Smeden, Maarten; de Groot, Joris A H; Moons, Karel G M; Collins, Gary S; Altman, Douglas G; Eijkemans, Marinus J C; Reitsma, Johannes B

2016-11-24

Ten events per variable (EPV) is a widely advocated minimal criterion for sample size considerations in logistic regression analysis. Of three previous simulation studies that examined this minimal EPV criterion only one supports the use of a minimum of 10 EPV. In this paper, we examine the reasons for substantial differences between these extensive simulation studies. The current study uses Monte Carlo simulations to evaluate small sample bias, coverage of confidence intervals and mean square error of logit coefficients. Logistic regression models fitted by maximum likelihood and a modified estimation procedure, known as Firth's correction, are compared. The results show that besides EPV, the problems associated with low EPV depend on other factors such as the total sample size. It is also demonstrated that simulation results can be dominated by even a few simulated data sets for which the prediction of the outcome by the covariates is perfect ('separation'). We reveal that different approaches for identifying and handling separation leads to substantially different simulation results. We further show that Firth's correction can be used to improve the accuracy of regression coefficients and alleviate the problems associated with separation. The current evidence supporting EPV rules for binary logistic regression is weak. Given our findings, there is an urgent need for new research to provide guidance for supporting sample size considerations for binary logistic regression analysis.

A needs assessment on addressing environmental health issues within reproductive health service provision: Considerations for continuing education and support.

PubMed

Williamson, Linzi; Sangster, Sarah; Bayly, Melanie; Gibson, Kirstian; Lawson, Karen; Clark, Megan

2017-12-01

This needs assessment was initially undertaken to explore the beliefs and knowledge of nurses and physicians about the impact of environmental toxicants on maternal and infant health, as well as to describe current practice and needs related to addressing environmental health issues (EHI). One hundred and thirty-five nurses (n = 99) and physicians (n = 36) working in Saskatchewan completed an online survey. Survey questions were designed to determine how physicians and nurses think about and incorporate environmental health issues into their practice and means of increasing their capacity to do so. Although participants considered it important to address EHIs with patients, in actual practice they do so with only moderate frequency. Participants reported low levels of knowledge about EHIs' impact on health, and low levels of confidence discussing them with patients. Participants requested additional information on EHIs, especially in the form of online resources. The results suggests that while nurses and physicians consider EHIs important to address with patients, more education, support, and resources would increase their capacity to do so effectively. Based on the findings, considerations and recommendations for continuing education in this area have been provided.

System design and improvement of an emergency department using Simulation-Based Multi-Objective Optimization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Goienetxea Uriarte, A.; Ruiz Zúñiga, E.; Urenda Moris, M.; Ng, A. H. C.

2015-05-01

Discrete Event Simulation (DES) is nowadays widely used to support decision makers in system analysis and improvement. However, the use of simulation for improving stochastic logistic processes is not common among healthcare providers. The process of improving healthcare systems involves the necessity to deal with trade-off optimal solutions that take into consideration a multiple number of variables and objectives. Complementing DES with Multi-Objective Optimization (SMO) creates a superior base for finding these solutions and in consequence, facilitates the decision-making process. This paper presents how SMO has been applied for system improvement analysis in a Swedish Emergency Department (ED). A significant number of input variables, constraints and objectives were considered when defining the optimization problem. As a result of the project, the decision makers were provided with a range of optimal solutions which reduces considerably the length of stay and waiting times for the ED patients. SMO has proved to be an appropriate technique to support healthcare system design and improvement processes. A key factor for the success of this project has been the involvement and engagement of the stakeholders during the whole process.

Reciprocity of agonistic support in ravens

PubMed Central

Fraser, Orlaith N.; Bugnyar, Thomas

2012-01-01

Cooperative behaviour through reciprocation or interchange of valuable services in primates has received considerable attention, especially regarding the timeframe of reciprocation and its ensuing cognitive implications. Much less, however, is known about reciprocity in other animals, particularly birds. We investigated patterns of agonistic support (defined as a third party intervening in an ongoing conflict to attack one of the conflict participants, thus supporting the other) in a group of 13 captive ravens, Corvus corax. We found support for long-term, but not short-term, reciprocation of agonistic support. Ravens were more likely to support individuals who preened them, kin and dominant group members. These results suggest that ravens do not reciprocate on a calculated tit-for-tat basis, but aid individuals from whom reciprocated support would be most useful and those with whom they share a good relationship. Additionally, dyadic levels of agonistic support and consolation (postconflict affiliation from a bystander to the victim) correlated strongly with each other, but we found no evidence to suggest that receiving agonistic support influences the victim’s likelihood of receiving support (consolation) after the conflict ends. Our findings are consistent with an emotionally mediated form of reciprocity in ravens and provide additional support for convergent cognitive evolution in birds and mammals. PMID:22298910

Space Station logistics policy - Risk management from the top down

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Paules, Granville; Graham, James L., Jr.

1990-01-01

Considerations are presented in the area of risk management specifically relating to logistics and system supportability. These considerations form a basis for confident application of concurrent engineering principles to a development program, aiming at simultaneous consideration of support and logistics requirements within the engineering process as the system concept and designs develop. It is shown that, by applying such a process, the chances of minimizing program logistics and supportability risk in the long term can be improved. The problem of analyzing and minimizing integrated logistics risk for the Space Station Freedom Program is discussed.

The Impact of Stakeholder Preferences on Service User Adherence to Treatments for Schizophrenia and Metabolic Comorbidities.

PubMed

Poremski, Daniel; Sagayadevan, Vathsala D/O; Wang, Peizhi; Lum, Alvin; Subramaniam, Mythily; Ann, Chong Siow

2016-01-01

To determine how stakeholder opinions of treatments influence service user decisions to adhere to courses of actions necessary to treat metabolic conditions. Qualitative open-ended interviews were conducted with 20 service providers, 25 service users, and 9 caregivers. Grounded theory was used to generate an understanding that linked preferences of care with adherence to follow-up treatments. Participants spoke about several considerations when discussing adherence: Resource limitations were the predominant consideration. Social considerations such as stigma and support surfaced in caregiver and service-user interviews. The influence of symptoms, especially their absence could reduce adherence, and organizational considerations related to the opinions they had about the qualifications of professionals. A rational patient model partially organizes our findings, but emotional components related to stigma and the opinion of service providers do not fit well into such a model. If service providers do not consider components of the decision making process which fall outside of the rational patient model, they may incorrectly be leveraging suboptimal values to bring about adherence to treatment plans. Being sensitive to the values of service users and their caregivers may allow service providers to better act on points that may bring about change in non-compliant service users with schizophrenia and metabolic comorbidities.

Insights into Putative Health Implications of Gelam (Melaleuca cajuputi) Honey: Evidence from In-Vivo and In-Vitro Studies

PubMed Central

Chan, Boon Keng; Haron, Hasnah

2016-01-01

Honey has been used as a therapeutic agent since ancient times for health maintenance and the treatment of various ailments. In modern days, researchers reappraised the therapeutic values of honey, such as anti-oxidative, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, anti-diabetic, anti-tumor, and wound healing properties. These findings supported its applications in the modern healthcare system as complementary medicine. Gelam honey (GH) is a monofloral Malaysian honey which has been proven to have considerable health benefits. This paper presents a state of the art review on the therapeutic values of GH. A descriptive elucidation is performed to elaborate a wide spectrum of biological activities of GH using evidence from a considerable body of literature. The compositional and physiochemical characteristics of GH have contributed substantially to its putative biological properties. A brief explanation will be presented on GH attributes to familiarize readers with this novel natural health product. PMID:29083367

Increasing social support for depressed individuals: a cross-cultural assessment of an affect-expectancy approach.

PubMed

Siegel, Jason T; Alvaro, Eusebio M; Crano, William D; Lienemann, Brianna A; Hohman, Zachary P; O'Brien, Erin

2012-01-01

Depression is a mental illness affecting 121 million people. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration recently launched a national, bilingual (English and Spanish) campaign to motivate young adults to support friends with mental illness. This article highlights and assesses the usefulness of two theoretically derived variables for increasing the social support received by all depressed individuals: (a) affect and (b) social support outcome expectations. In accord with the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration's bilingual campaign, the authors conducted two studies using intercepts at 2 swap meets in the U.S. Southwest. One study sample consisted of Spanish-dominant Hispanics, the other non-Hispanics. For both samples, results indicate that affect, social support outcome expectations, and their interaction accounted for more than 50% of the variance of social support intentions (67% in the Hispanic sample when familism was considered). Affect is commonplace in the helping behavior literature; results indicate social support outcome expectations deserve equal consideration. Moreover, an unexpected finding emerged: Perceiving a lack of willpower, need for attention, and lack of moral character to be the cause of depression resulted in increased sympathy among the Hispanic sample but increased anger among non-Hispanics.

Support for international trade law: The US and the EU compared

PubMed Central

Eckhardt, Jappe; Elsig, Manfred

2015-01-01

In this article we compare United States and European Union support for bilateral and multilateral international trade law. We assess the support for international law of both trading blocs by focusing on the following four dimensions: leadership, consent, compliance and internalization. Although we find strong support for international trade law from both the US and the EU in general, we also witness some variation, most notably in relation to the design of preferential trade agreements (PTAs) and compliance with World Trade Organization (WTO) law. Turning to explaining these (moderate) differences, we argue that outcomes in US trade policy can best be explained by a domestic political factor, namely the direct influence of interest groups. Although the involvement of societal interests also goes a long way in explaining EU behavior, it does not tell the entire story. We posit that, in EU trade policy, institutions are a particular conditioning factor that needs to be stressed. Moreover, we suggest that foreign policy considerations in managing trade relations have characterized EU’s support for international trade law. PMID:27867316

Family policies in OECD countries: a comparative analysis.

PubMed

Thévenon, Olivier

2011-01-01

This article discusses the diversity of family policy models in 28 OECD countries in terms of the balance between their different objectives and the mix of instruments adopted to implement the policies. Cross-country policy differences are investigated by applying a principal component analysis to comprehensive country-level data from the OECD Family database covering variables such as parental leave conditions, childcare service provision, and financial support to families. The results find persistent differences in the family policy patterns embedded in different contexts of work-family "outcomes." Country classifications of family policy packages only partially corroborate categorizations in earlier studies, owing to considerable within-group heterogeneity and the presence of group outliers. The Nordic countries outdistance the others with comprehensive support to working parents with very young children. Anglo-Saxon countries provide much less support for working parents with very young children, and financial support is targeted on low-income and large families and focuses on preschool and early elementary education. Continental and Eastern European countries form a more heterogeneous group, while the support received by families in Southern Europe and in Asian countries is much lower in all its dimensions.

Maternal trait personality and childbirth: the role of extraversion and neuroticism.

PubMed

Johnston, R G; Brown, A E

2013-11-01

anxiety during pregnancy and childbirth can increase risk of complications and interventions for both mother and infant. Although considerable work has explored fear of childbirth and anxiety during labour and subsequent birth outcomes there has been less consideration of the role of more stable maternal personality upon childbirth. Traits of neuroticism and extraversion are however predictive of health outcomes in other fields potentially through biological, psychological and social mechanisms. The aim of the current research was thus to examine the relationship between trait personality and childbirth experience. seven hundred and fifty-five mothers with an infant aged 0-6 months completed a self-report questionnaire including the Ten Item Personality Measure and descriptions of birth experience including mode of birth [vaginal vs. caesarean section] and complications [failure to progress, fetal distress, post-partum haemorrhage, assisted birth and severe tear]. personality traits were significantly associated with birth experience. Specifically mothers scoring low in extraversion and emotional stability were significantly more likely to have a caesarean section and experience a number of complications during labour and birth including an assisted birth, fetal distress, failure to progress and a severe tear. Findings were independent of maternal age, education and parity. the personality traits of extraversion and emotional stability appear to facilitate likelihood of normal birth. Potential explanations for this include biological (physiological reactivity, pain thresholds, oxytocin and dopamine release) and psychological (coping mechanisms, social support, self-efficacy) factors. The findings have important implications for antenatal education and support during labour. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Habitation Concepts for Human Missions Beyond Low-Earth-Orbit

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Smitherman, David V.

2016-01-01

The Advanced Concepts Office at the NASA Marshall Space Flight Center has been engaged for several years in a variety of study activities to help define various options for deep space habitation. This work includes study activities supporting asteroid, lunar and Mars mission activities for the Human spaceflight Architecture Team (HAT), the Deep Space Habitat (DSH) project, and the Exploration Augmentation Module (EAM) project through the NASA Advanced Exploration Systems (AES) Program. The missions under consideration required human habitation beyond low-Earth-orbit (LEO) including deep space habitation in the lunar vicinity to support asteroid retrieval missions, human and robotic lunar surface missions, deep space research facilities, Mars vehicle servicing, and Mars transit missions. Additional considerations included international interest and near term capabilities through the International Space Station (ISS) and Space Launch System (SLS) programs. A variety of habitat layouts have been considered, including those derived from the existing ISS systems, those that could be fabricated from SLS components, and other approaches. This paper presents an overview of several leading designs explored in late fiscal year (FY) 2015 for asteroid, lunar, and Mars mission habitats and identifies some of the known advantages and disadvantages inherent in each. Key findings indicate that module diameters larger than those used for ISS can offer lighter structures per unit volume, and sufficient volume to accommodate consumables for long-duration missions in deep space. The information provided with the findings includes mass and volume data that should be helpful to future exploration mission planning and deep space habitat design efforts.

The CRF system, stress, depression and anxiety – insights from human genetic studies

PubMed Central

Binder, Elisabeth B.; Nemeroff, Charles B.

2011-01-01

A concatenation of findings from preclinical and clinical studies support a preeminent role for the corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) system in mediating the physiological response to external stressors and in the pathophysiology of anxiety and depression. Recently, human genetic studies have provided considerable support to several long-standing hypotheses of mood and anxiety disorders, including the CRF hypothesis. These data, reviewed in this report, are congruent with the hypothesis that this system is of paramount importance in mediating stress-related psychopathology. More specifically variants in the gene encoding the CRF1 receptor interact with adverse environmental factors to predict risk for stress-related psychiatric disorders. In depth characterization of these variants will likely be important in furthering our understanding of the long term consequences of adverse experience. PMID:20010888

Breastfeeding and Social Media among First-Time African American Mothers

PubMed Central

Asiodu, Ifeyinwa V.; Waters, Catherine M.; Dailey, Dawn E.; Lee, Kathryn A.; Lyndon, Audrey

2015-01-01

Objective To describe the use of social media during the antepartum and postpartum periods among first-time African American mothers and their support persons. Design A qualitative critical ethnographic research design within the contexts of Family Life Course Development Theory and Black Feminist Theory. Setting Participants were recruited from community-based, public health, and home visiting programs. Participants A purposive sample was recruited, consisting of 14 pregnant African American women and eight support persons. Methods Pregnant and postpartum African American women and their support persons were interviewed separately during the antepartum and postpartum periods. Data were analyzed thematically. Results Participants frequently used social media for educational and social support and searched the internet for perinatal and parenting information. Most participants reported using at least one mobile application during their pregnancies and after giving birth. Social media were typically accessed through smartphones and/or computers using different websites and applications. While participants gleaned considerable information about infant development from these applications, they had difficulty finding and recalling information about infant feeding. Conclusion Social media are an important vehicle to disseminate infant feeding information; however, they are not currently being used to full potential. Our findings suggest that future interventions geared towards African American mothers and their support persons should include social media approaches. The way individuals gather, receive, and interpret information is dynamic. The increasing popularity and use of social media platforms offers the opportunity to create more innovative, targeted mobile health interventions for infant feeding and breastfeeding promotion. PMID:25712127

Are there differential relationships between different types of childhood maltreatment and different types of adult personality pathology?

PubMed

Cohen, Lisa Janet; Tanis, Thachell; Bhattacharjee, Reetuparna; Nesci, Christina; Halmi, Winter; Galynker, Igor

2014-01-30

While considerable data support the relationship between childhood trauma and adult personality pathology in general, there is little research investigating the specific relationships between different types of childhood maltreatment and adult personality disorders. The present study tested a model incorporating five a priori hypotheses regarding the association between distinct forms of childhood maltreatment and personality pathology in 231 psychiatric patients using multiple self-report measures (Personality Diagnostic Questionnaire-4th Edition, Child Trauma Questionnaire, Conflict in Tactics Scale Parent-Child Child-Adult, and Multidimensional Neglectful Behavior Scale). Step-wise linear regressions supported three out of five hypotheses, suggesting independent relationships between: physical abuse and antisocial personality disorder traits; emotional abuse and Cluster C personality disorder traits; and maternal neglect and Cluster A personality disorder traits after controlling for co-occurring maltreatment types and personality disorder traits. Results did not support an independent relationship between sexual abuse and borderline personality traits nor between emotional abuse and narcissistic personality disorder traits. Additionally, there were three unexpected findings: physical abuse was independently and positively associated with narcissistic and paranoid traits and negatively associated with Cluster C traits. These findings can help refine our understanding of adult personality pathology and support the future development of clinical tools for survivors of childhood maltreatment. © 2013 Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd.

Midwives caring for asylum-seeking women: research findings.

PubMed

Bennett, Sarah; Scammell, Janet

2014-01-01

Over the past decade, the numbers of women seeking asylum in the United Kingdom (UK) and requiring midwifery care have increased significantly (Office for National Statistics (ONS) 2012). This article describes findings from a small study that explored the experiences of midwives caring for asylum seeking women. Time and communication emerged as significant factors impacting on quality of care and these are the focus of this article. Caring for these women was emotionally challenging and at times frustrating due to poor access to information and support. In conclusion, whilst considerable knowledge and skills were required to care for this vulnerable group, these appeared to be learned almost solely 'on the job': Implications for service delivery and education are explored and recommendations made to improve experiences for women and midwives.

The influence of individualism and drinking identity on alcohol problems

PubMed Central

Foster, Dawn W.; Yeung, Nelson; Quist, Michelle C.

2014-01-01

This study evaluated the interactive association between individualism and drinking identity predicting alcohol use and problems. Seven hundred and ten undergraduates (Mean age =22.84, SD = 5.31, 83.1% female) completed study materials. We expected that drinking identity and individualism would positively correlate with drinking variables. We further expected that individualism would moderate the association between drinking identity and drinking such that the relationship between drinking identity and alcohol outcomes would be positively associated, particularly among those high in individualism. Our findings supported our hypotheses. These findings better explain the relationship between drinking identity, individualism, and alcohol use. Furthermore, this research encourages the consideration of individual factors and personality characteristics in order to develop culturally tailored materials to maximize intervention efficacy across cultures. PMID:25525420

Family wellbeing of individuals with autism spectrum disorder: A scoping review.

PubMed

Tint, Ami; Weiss, Jonathan A

2016-04-01

Families play an important role in supporting individuals with autism spectrum disorder across the lifespan. Indicators of family wellbeing can help to establish benchmarks for service provision and evaluation; however, a critical first step is a clear understanding of the construct in question. The purpose of the current scoping review was to (a) summarize current conceptualizations and measurements of family wellbeing, (b) synthesize key findings, and (c) highlight gaps and limitations in the extant literature. A final review of 86 articles highlighted the difficulty of synthesizing findings of family wellbeing in the autism spectrum disorder literature due to varied measurement techniques and the limited use of a common theoretical direction. Considerations for future research are presented with an eye toward policy relevance. © The Author(s) 2015.

On the Consideration of Adoption and Implementation of The Next Generation Science Standards in a Local-Control Context: Supporting the Epistemology of Science through Education Policy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lazzaro, Christopher C.

On the Consideration of Adoption and Implementation of The Next Generation Science Standards in a Local-Control Context: Supporting the Epistemology of Science through Education Policy. Christopher C Lazzaro. The primary purpose of this research is to understand how and why members at each of the three levels of the education system within a local-control state made the decisions they did in supporting or hindering the adoption and implementation of the Next Generation Science Standards. This research concentrates on three levels of the education system in a local-control state; 1) the state level, 2) the district level, and 3) the school/teacher level, while investigating the following questions: 1. To what extent, and in what ways, do members in each of the three levels of the state education system advocate for adoption and implementation of the Next Generation Science Standards? 2. Are the members in each of the three levels motivated or compelled to consider adoption and implementation of the Next Generation Science Standards, why or why not? 3. To what extent, and in what ways, do the members in each of the three levels take into account science epistemology in their overall consideration of adoption/implementation of the NGSS? The data drew from a series of interviews from a prior study, "Challenges of Implementing the Next Generation Science Standards in Local-Control States in the U.S." (Sevian, Foster, & Scheff, 2012). After these data were coded and analyzed around the three research questions, this phenomenographic research study identified four key findings: Key Finding 1 - As the District Coordinators are uniquely situated within the state education system to be able to see both the on-the-ground practical implications and the high-level policy pressures of adopting and implementing the NGSS, they reflect the deepest level of awareness of how to best advocate for adoption and implementation of the NGSS. Key Finding 2 - Motivation to adopt and implement the NGSS is highly nuanced. The most significant factor influencing motivation to adopt or implement the NGSS at each level is related to assessment. The reasons assessment affects motivation is different at each level. Key Finding 3 - Each interviewee at each level demonstrated awareness that the NGSS are significantly different from prior standards in some way. While teachers and SSCs sometimes cited the science practices as the critical difference, they were not able to meaningfully elaborate on what "science practices" are. Conversely, the District Coordinators demonstrated a deeper level of awareness and were able to comment more specifically on the practices and how they would affect science education in their state. Key Finding 4 - Regardless of level, the better a participant reflected an awareness of epistemology, the more likely they were to advocate for adoption and implementation of the NGSS. Similarly, the better a participant reflected an awareness of epistemology, the more likely they were motivated to consider adoption and implementation of the NGSS. The implications of the findings in this current study can; inform the supplemental materials and dissemination of information by standards writers, help policy makers engage stakeholders appropriately at each level by illustrating how national reform efforts play out in local-control states, and aid school based employees by identifying how and where they can participate in state level policy discussion and where their input could be valuable.

Particulate Matter Filtration Design Considerations for Crewed Spacecraft Life Support Systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Agui, Juan H.; Vijayakumar, R.; Perry, Jay L.

2016-01-01

Particulate matter filtration is a key component of crewed spacecraft cabin ventilation and life support system (LSS) architectures. The basic particulate matter filtration functional requirements as they relate to an exploration vehicle LSS architecture are presented. Particulate matter filtration concepts are reviewed and design considerations are discussed. A concept for a particulate matter filtration architecture suitable for exploration missions is presented. The conceptual architecture considers the results from developmental work and incorporates best practice design considerations.

The Effects of Coaching Using a Reflective Framework on Early Childhood Science Teachers' Depth of Reflection and Change in Practice

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bloomquist, Debra L.

This embedded-mixed methods study examined if the use of a reflective framework with guiding prompts could support early childhood science teachers in improving their reflective practice and subsequently changing their pedagogy. It further investigated whether type of cognitive coaching group, individual or collaborative, impacted teacher depth of reflection and change in practice. Data included teacher reflections that were rated using the Level of Reflection-On-Action Assessment, reflective codes and inductive themes, as well as videos of participants lessons coded using the SCIIENCE instrument. Findings demonstrated that through guided reflection, teachers developed reflective thinking skills, and through this reflection became more critical and began to improve their pedagogical practice. Further findings supported that collaborative cognitive coaching may not be the most effective professional development for all teachers; as some teachers in the study were found to have difficulty improving their reflectivity and thus their teaching practice. Based on these findings it is recommended that coaches and designers of professional development continue to use reflective frameworks with guiding prompts to support teachers in the reflective process, but take into consideration that coaching may need to be differentiated for the various reflective levels demonstrated by teachers. Future studies will be needed to establish why some teachers have difficulty with the reflective process and how coaches or designers of professional development can further assist these teachers in becoming more critical reflectors.

Avatar Web-Based Self-Report Survey System Technology for Public Health Research: Technical Outcome Results and Lessons Learned.

PubMed

Savel, Craig; Mierzwa, Stan; Gorbach, Pamina M; Souidi, Samir; Lally, Michelle; Zimet, Gregory; Interventions, Aids

2016-01-01

This paper reports on a specific Web-based self-report data collection system that was developed for a public health research study in the United States. Our focus is on technical outcome results and lessons learned that may be useful to other projects requiring such a solution. The system was accessible from any device that had a browser that supported HTML5. Report findings include: which hardware devices, Web browsers, and operating systems were used; the rate of survey completion; and key considerations for employing Web-based surveys in a clinical trial setting.

Food intake rates of inactive fish are positively linked to boldness in three-spined sticklebacks Gasterosteus aculeatus.

PubMed

Jolles, J W; Manica, A; Boogert, N J

2016-04-01

To investigate the link between personality and maximum food intake of inactive individuals, food-deprived three-spined sticklebacks Gasterosteus aculeatus at rest in their home compartments were provided with ad libitum prey items. Bolder individuals ate considerably more than shyer individuals, even after accounting for body size, while sociability did not have an effect. These findings support pace-of-life theory predicting that life-history strategies are linked to boldness. © 2016 The Authors. Journal of Fish Biology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of The Fisheries Society of the British Isles.

Underwater Sound Levels at a Wave Energy Device Testing Facility in Falmouth Bay, UK.

PubMed

Garrett, Joanne K; Witt, Matthew J; Johanning, Lars

2016-01-01

Passive acoustic monitoring devices were deployed at FaBTest in Falmouth Bay, UK, a marine renewable energy device testing facility during trials of a wave energy device. The area supports considerable commercial shipping and recreational boating along with diverse marine fauna. Noise monitoring occurred during (1) a baseline period, (2) installation activity, (3) the device in situ with inactive power status, and (4) the device in situ with active power status. This paper discusses the preliminary findings of the sound recording at FabTest during these different activity periods of a wave energy device trial.

Qualitative analysis and conceptual mapping of patient experiences in home health care.

PubMed

Lines, Lisa M; Anderson, Wayne L; Blackmon, Brian D; Pronier, Cristalle R; Allen, Rachael W; Kenyon, Anne E

2018-01-01

This study explored patient experiences in home health care through a literature review, focus groups, and interviews. Our goal was to develop a conceptual map of home health care patient experience domains. The conceptual map identifies technical and personal spheres of care, relating prior studies to new focus group and interview findings and identifying the most important domains of care. Study participants (n = 35) most frequently reported the most important domain as staff who are caring, supportive, patient, empathetic, respectful, and considerate (endorsed by 29% of participants). The conceptual map includes 114 discrete domains.

On the wide-range bias dependence of transistor d.c. and small-signal current gain factors.

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schmidt, P.; Das, M. B.

1972-01-01

Critical reappraisal of the bias dependence of the dc and small-signal ac current gain factors of planar bipolar transistors over a wide range of currents. This is based on a straightforward consideration of the three basic components of the dc base current arising due to emitter-to-base injected minority carrier transport, base-to-emitter carrier injection, and emitter-base surface depletion layer recombination effects. Experimental results on representative n-p-n and p-n-p silicon devices are given which support most of the analytical findings.

Contextualizing the findings of a systematic review on patient and carer experiences of dementia diagnosis and treatment: a qualitative study.

PubMed

Bunn, Frances; Sworn, Katie; Brayne, Carol; Iliffe, Steve; Robinson, Louise; Goodman, Claire

2015-10-01

Involving service users in the systematic review process is seen as increasingly important. As systematic reviews often include studies from diverse settings and covering a time span of several decades, involving service users in consideration of applicability to specific populations or settings might make reviews more useful to practitioners and policymakers. To test and contextualize the findings of a systematic review of qualitative studies looking at patient and carer experiences of diagnosis and treatment of dementia. Results from the systematic review were discussed in focus groups and semi-structured interviews with patient, public and professional participants in the South East of England. Analysis was guided by coding frameworks developed from the results of the systematic review. We recruited 27 participants, including three people with dementia, 12 carers, six service providers and five older people without dementia. Findings from the focus groups and interviews were consistent with those from the systematic review and suggest that our review findings were applicable to the local setting. We found some evidence that access to information and diagnostic services had improved but, as in the systematic review, post-diagnosis support was still often experienced as inadequate. Focus groups and interviews with service users and their representatives can provide useful contextual information. However, such strategies can require considerable investment of the part of the researcher in terms of time and resources, and more work is needed to refine strategies and establish the benefits for patients and the organization of services. © 2013 The Authors Health Expectations Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Tiered Systems of Support: Practical Considerations for School Districts. Issue Focus

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

MDRC, 2017

2017-01-01

Students learn or progress at their own paces. How can schools make sure that they get the help they need--and only the help they need? Many are turning to multi-tiered systems of support. This brief provides some practical considerations for schools contemplating tiered approaches.

Role stressors and coping strategies among nurse managers.

PubMed

Udod, Sonia; Cummings, Greta G; Care, W Dean; Jenkins, Megan

2017-02-06

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to share preliminary evidence about nurse managers' (NMs) role stressors and coping strategies in acute health-care facilities in Western Canada. Design/methodology/approach A qualitative exploratory inquiry provides deeper insight into NMs' perceptions of their role stressors, coping strategies and factors and practices in the organizational context that facilitate and hinder their work. A purposeful sample of 17 NMs participated in this study. Data were collected through individual interviews and a focus group interview. Braun and Clarke's (2006) six phase approach to thematic analysis guided data analysis. Findings Evidence demonstrates that individual factors, organizational practices and structures affect NMs stress creating an evolving role with unrealistic expectations, responding to continuous organizational change, a fragmented ability to effectively process decisions because of work overload, shifting organizational priorities and being at risk for stress-related ill health. Practical implications These findings have implications for organizational support, intervention programs that enhance leadership approaches, address individual factors and work processes and redesigning the role in consideration of the role stress and work complexity affecting NMs health. Originality/value It is anticipated that health-care leaders would find these results concerning and inspire them to take action to support NMs to do meaningful work as a way to retain existing managers and attract front line nurses to positions of leadership.

Intuitions, principles and consequences

PubMed Central

Shaw, A

2001-01-01

Some approaches to the assessment of moral intuitions are discussed. The controlled ethical trial isolates a moral issue from confounding factors and thereby clarifies what a person's intuition actually is. Casuistic reasoning from situations, where intuitions are clear, suggests or modifies principles, which can then help to make decisions in situations where intuitions are unclear. When intuitions are defended by a supporting principle, that principle can be tested by finding extreme cases, in which it is counterintuitive to follow the principle. An approach to the resolution of conflict between valid moral principles, specifically the utilitarian and justice principles, is considered. It is argued that even those who justify intuitions by a priori principles are often obliged to modify or support their principles by resort to the consideration of consequences. Key Words: Intuitions • principles • consequences • utilitarianism PMID:11233371

Survival rates of birds of tropical and temperate forests: will the dogma survive?

USGS Publications Warehouse

Karr, J.R.; Nichols, J.D.; Klimkiewicz, M.K.; Brawn, J.D.

1990-01-01

Survival rates of tropical forest birds are widely assumed to be high relative to the survival rates of temperate forest birds. Much life-history theory is based on this assumption despite the lack of empirical data to support it. We provide the first detailed comparison of survival rates of tropical and temperate forest birds based on extensive data bases and modern capture-recapture models. We find no support for the conventional wisdom. Because clutch size is only one component of reproductive rate, the frequently assumed, simple association between clutch size and adult survival rates should not necessarily be expected. Our results emphasize the need to consider components of fecundity in addition to clutch size when comparing the life histories of tropical and temperate birds and suggest similar considerations in the development of vertebrate life-history theory.

Effect of Public Deliberation on Attitudes toward Return of Secondary Results in Genomic Sequencing

PubMed Central

Gornick, Michele C.; Scherer, Aaron M.; Sutton, Erica J.; Ryan, Kerry A.; Exe, Nicole L.; Li, Ming; Uhlmann, Wendy R.; Kim, Scott Y.H.; Roberts, J. Scott; De Vries, Raymond G.

2016-01-01

The increased use of genomic sequencing in clinical diagnostics and therapeutics makes imperative the development of guidelines and policies about how to handle secondary findings. For reasons both practical and ethical, the creation of these guidelines must take into consideration the informed opinions of the lay public. As part of a larger Clinical Sequencing Exploratory Research (CSER) consortium project, we organized a deliberative democracy (DD) session that engaged 66 participants in dialogue about the benefits and risks associated with the return of secondary findings from clinical genomic sequencing. Participants were educated about the scientific and ethical aspects of the disclosure of secondary findings by experts in medical genetics and bioethics, and then engaged in facilitated discussion of policy options for the disclosure of three types of secondary findings: 1) medically actionable results; 2) adult onset disorders found in children; and 3) carrier status. Participants’ opinions were collected via surveys administered one month before, immediately following, and one month after the DD session. Post DD session, participants were significantly more willing to support policies that do not allow access to secondary findings related to adult onset conditions in children (Χ2 (2, N = 62) = 13.300, p = 0.001) or carrier status (Χ2 (2, N = 60) = 11.375, p = 0.003). After one month, the level of support for the policy denying access to secondary findings regarding adult-onset conditions remained significantly higher than the pre-DD level, although less than immediately post-DD (Χ2 (1, N = 60) = 2.465, p = 0.041). Our findings suggest that education and deliberation enhance public appreciation of the scientific and ethical complexities of genome sequencing. PMID:27307100

Effect of Public Deliberation on Attitudes toward Return of Secondary Results in Genomic Sequencing.

PubMed

Gornick, Michele C; Scherer, Aaron M; Sutton, Erica J; Ryan, Kerry A; Exe, Nicole L; Li, Ming; Uhlmann, Wendy R; Kim, Scott Y H; Roberts, J Scott; De Vries, Raymond G

2017-02-01

The increased use of genomic sequencing in clinical diagnostics and therapeutics makes imperative the development of guidelines and policies about how to handle secondary findings. For reasons both practical and ethical, the creation of these guidelines must take into consideration the informed opinions of the lay public. As part of a larger Clinical Sequencing Exploratory Research (CSER) consortium project, we organized a deliberative democracy (DD) session that engaged 66 participants in dialogue about the benefits and risks associated with the return of secondary findings from clinical genomic sequencing. Participants were educated about the scientific and ethical aspects of the disclosure of secondary findings by experts in medical genetics and bioethics, and then engaged in facilitated discussion of policy options for the disclosure of three types of secondary findings: 1) medically actionable results; 2) adult onset disorders found in children; and 3) carrier status. Participants' opinions were collected via surveys administered one month before, immediately following, and one month after the DD session. Post DD session, participants were significantly more willing to support policies that do not allow access to secondary findings related to adult onset conditions in children (Χ 2 (2, N = 62) = 13.300, p = 0.001) or carrier status (Χ 2 (2, N = 60) = 11.375, p = 0.003). After one month, the level of support for the policy denying access to secondary findings regarding adult-onset conditions remained significantly higher than the pre-DD level, although less than immediately post-DD (Χ 2 (1, N = 60) = 2.465, p = 0.041). Our findings suggest that education and deliberation enhance public appreciation of the scientific and ethical complexities of genome sequencing.

Differentially Private Frequent Subgraph Mining

PubMed Central

Xu, Shengzhi; Xiong, Li; Cheng, Xiang; Xiao, Ke

2016-01-01

Mining frequent subgraphs from a collection of input graphs is an important topic in data mining research. However, if the input graphs contain sensitive information, releasing frequent subgraphs may pose considerable threats to individual's privacy. In this paper, we study the problem of frequent subgraph mining (FGM) under the rigorous differential privacy model. We introduce a novel differentially private FGM algorithm, which is referred to as DFG. In this algorithm, we first privately identify frequent subgraphs from input graphs, and then compute the noisy support of each identified frequent subgraph. In particular, to privately identify frequent subgraphs, we present a frequent subgraph identification approach which can improve the utility of frequent subgraph identifications through candidates pruning. Moreover, to compute the noisy support of each identified frequent subgraph, we devise a lattice-based noisy support derivation approach, where a series of methods has been proposed to improve the accuracy of the noisy supports. Through formal privacy analysis, we prove that our DFG algorithm satisfies ε-differential privacy. Extensive experimental results on real datasets show that the DFG algorithm can privately find frequent subgraphs with high data utility. PMID:27616876

Exploring risk factors associated with intimate partner violence in Vietnam: results from a cross-sectional national survey.

PubMed

Jansen, Henrica A F M; Nguyen, Thi Viet Nga; Hoang, Tu Anh

2016-11-01

Empirical evidence documents that some risk factors for intimate partner violence (IPV) are similar across contexts, while others differ considerably. In Vietnam, there was a need to investigate risk factors for IPV to support evidence-based policy and programming. Using the dataset gathered in the 2010 National Study on Domestic Violence against Women, forty variables were explored in logistic regression analysis, including socio-demographic characteristics of women and their husbands, other experiences with violence, husband's behaviours, family support, and context-specific variables such as the sex of their children. Fifteen independent factors remained strongly associated with IPV. Significant risk was associated with husbands' behaviour that supports male power (extra-marital relationships; fighting with other men) and alcohol use. Violence experienced in childhood increased the likelihood of women experiencing and of men perpetrating IPV. Notable was further the association with women's higher financial contribution to the household and lack of association with not having sons. The findings support theories describing how underlying gender and power imbalance are fundamental causes of IPV and indicate the need for context-specific interventions.

A free market solution for prescription drug crises.

PubMed

Baker, Dean

2004-01-01

The cost of prescription drugs is imposing an ever greater burden on families and varying levels of government. The vast majority of this cost is attributable to patent protection, since most drugs are actually relatively cheap to produce. The temporary monopolies provided by patent protection have been the main mechanism through which corporations have financed their drug research. This article examines the efficiency of publicly supported drug research relative to the current patent system. The author shows that even if publicly funded research were considerably less efficient on a dollar-per-dollar basis than patent-supported research, there would still be enormous gains from switching to a system of publicly supported research. The main reason for this conclusion is that patent monopolies lead to enormous economic distortions, including expensive sales promotion efforts, research into "copycat drugs," incentives to conceal unfavorable research findings, and other inefficiencies that economic theory predicts would result from a government-created monopoly. The gains from publicly supported research, coupled with a free market in the production of drugs, could reach into several hundred billion dollars annually within a decade.

Correlates of Quality of Life in New Migrants to Hong Kong from Mainland China.

PubMed

Wong, Winky K F; Chou, Kee-Lee; Chow, Nelson W S

2012-06-01

The concept of Quality of life (QOL) has received considerable attention from different disciplines. The aim of this study was to identify what are the correlates of QOL among Chinese new immigrants in Hong Kong. Data were collected through a cross-sectional survey among 449 Hong Kong new immigrants from Mainland China. Bivariate and multiple regression analyses were performed to examine the association between immigrants' QOL and their demographic characteristics, socio-economic factors, optimism, sense of control, perceived social support, perceived neighborhood disorder, collective efficacy, pre-migration planning, depressive symptoms and acculturation stress. Our findings demonstrated that depressive symptom is the most prominent factor in reducing immigrants' level of QOL, perceived social support and optimism are the two important factors that enhance the QOL of these depressed immigrants. Our results indicate that preventive measures must be developed, and professional counseling and psychological support services must be provided to new immigrants in Hong Kong, especially those who have depressive symptoms.

Caring in the Information Age: Personal Online Networks to Improve Caregiver Support.

PubMed

Piraino, Emily; Byrne, Kerry; Heckman, George A; Stolee, Paul

2017-06-01

It is becoming increasingly important to find ways for caregivers and service providers to collaborate. This study explored the potential for improving care and social support through shared online network use by family caregivers and service providers in home care. This qualitative study was guided by Rogers' Theory of Diffusion of Innovations [NY: Free Press; 1995], and involved focus group and individual interviews of service providers (n = 31) and family caregivers (n = 4). Interview transcriptions were analyzed using descriptive, topic, and analytic coding, followed by thematic analysis. The network was identified as presenting an opportunity to fill communication gaps presented by other modes of communication and further enhance engagement with families. Barriers included time limitations and policy-related restrictions, privacy, security, and information ownership. Online networks may help address longstanding home-care issues around communication and information-sharing. The success of online networks in home care requires support from care partners. Future research should pilot the use of online networks in home care using barrier and facilitator considerations from this study.

The Insulin-Like Growth Factor System and Nutritional Assessment

PubMed Central

Livingstone, Callum

2012-01-01

Over recent years there has been considerable interest in the role of the insulin-like growth factor (IGF) system in health and disease. It has long been known to be dysregulated in states of under- and overnutrition, serum IGF-I levels falling in malnourished patients and responding promptly to nutritional support. More recently, other proteins in this system have been observed to be dysregulated in both malnutrition and obesity. Currently no biochemical marker is sufficiently specific for use in screening for malnutrition, but levels may be valuable in providing information on nutritional status and in monitoring of nutritional support. All have limitations as nutritional markers in that their serum levels are influenced by factors other than nutritional status, most importantly the acute phase response (APR). Levels should be interpreted along with clinical findings and the results of other investigations such as C-reactive protein (CRP). This paper reviews data supporting the use of proteins of the IGF system as nutritional markers. PMID:24278739

Putting lexical constraints in context into the visual-world paradigm.

PubMed

Novick, Jared M; Thompson-Schill, Sharon L; Trueswell, John C

2008-06-01

Prior eye-tracking studies of spoken sentence comprehension have found that the presence of two potential referents, e.g., two frogs, can guide listeners toward a Modifier interpretation of Put the frog on the napkin... despite strong lexical biases associated with Put that support a Goal interpretation of the temporary ambiguity (Tanenhaus, M. K., Spivey-Knowlton, M. J., Eberhard, K. M. & Sedivy, J. C. (1995). Integration of visual and linguistic information in spoken language comprehension. Science, 268, 1632-1634; Trueswell, J. C., Sekerina, I., Hill, N. M. & Logrip, M. L. (1999). The kindergarten-path effect: Studying on-line sentence processing in young children. Cognition, 73, 89-134). This pattern is not expected under constraint-based parsing theories: cue conflict between the lexical evidence (which supports the Goal analysis) and the visuo-contextual evidence (which supports the Modifier analysis) should result in uncertainty about the intended analysis and partial consideration of the Goal analysis. We reexamined these put studies (Experiment 1) by introducing a response time-constraint and a spatial contrast between competing referents (a frog on a napkin vs. a frog in a bowl). If listeners immediately interpret on the... as the start of a restrictive modifier, then their eye movements should rapidly converge on the intended referent (the frog on something). However, listeners showed this pattern only when the phrase was unambiguously a Modifier (Put the frog that's on the...). Syntactically ambiguous trials resulted in transient consideration of the Competitor animal (the frog in something). A reading study was also run on the same individuals (Experiment 2) and performance was compared between the two experiments. Those individuals who relied heavily on lexical biases to resolve a complement ambiguity in reading (The man heard/realized the story had been...) showed increased sensitivity to both lexical and contextual constraints in the put-task; i.e., increased consideration of the Goal analysis in 1-Referent Scenes, but also adeptness at using spatial constraints of prepositions (in vs. on) to restrict referential alternatives in 2-Referent Scenes. These findings cross-validate visual world and reading methods and support multiple-constraint theories of sentence processing in which individuals differ in their sensitivity to lexical contingencies.

Are life-extending treatments for terminal illnesses a special case? Exploring choices and societal viewpoints.

PubMed

McHugh, Neil; van Exel, Job; Mason, Helen; Godwin, Jon; Collins, Marissa; Donaldson, Cam; Baker, Rachel

2018-02-01

Criteria used by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) to assess life-extending, end-of-life (EoL) treatments imply that health gains from such treatments are valued more than other health gains. Despite claims that the policy is supported by societal values, evidence from preference elicitation studies is mixed and in-depth research has shown there are different societal viewpoints. Few studies elicit preferences for policies directly or combine different approaches to understand preferences. Survey questions were designed to investigate support for NICE EoL guidance at national and regional levels. These 'Decision Rule' and 'Treatment Choice' questions were administered to an online sample of 1496 UK respondents in May 2014. The same respondents answered questions designed to elicit their agreement with three viewpoints (previously identified and described) in relation to provision of EoL treatments for terminally ill patients. We report the findings of these choice questions and examine how they relate to each other and respondents' viewpoints. The Decision Rule questions described three policies: DA - a standard 'value for money' test, applied to all health technologies; DB - giving special consideration to all treatments for terminal illnesses; and DC - giving special consideration to specific categories of treatments for terminal illnesses e.g. life extension (as in NICE EoL guidance) or those that improve quality-of-life (QoL). Three Treatment Choices were presented: TA - improving QoL for patients with a non-terminal illness; TB - extending life for EoL patients; and TC - improving QoL at the EoL. DC received most support (45%) with most respondents giving special consideration to EoL only when treatments improved QoL. The most commonly preferred treatment choices were TA (51%) and TC (43%). Overall, this study challenges claims about public support for NICE's EoL guidance and the focus on life extension at EoL and substantiates existing evidence of plurality in societal values. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Life sciences and Mars exploration

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sulzman, Frank M.; Rummel, John D.; Leveton, Lauren B.; Teeter, Ron

1990-01-01

The major life science considerations for Mars exploration missions are discussed. Radiation protection and countermeasures for zero gravity are discussed. Considerations of crew psychological health considerations and life support systems are addressed. Scientific opportunities presented by manned Mars missions are examined.

Factors that influence career decisions in Canada's nurses.

PubMed

Price, Sheri; Hall, Linda McGillis; Lalonde, Michelle; Andrews, Gavin; Harris, Alexandra; MacDonald-Rencz, Sandra

2013-01-01

Understanding the experiences of nurses who have moved between the provinces and territories (P/T) in Canada for work provides insight into the role of professional socialization in career decision-making. This paper analyzes some of the qualitative data arising from a survey of nurses from across Canada. The findings provide insight into nurses' professional socialization and demonstrate that early perceptions and expectations of nursing practice can influence future career decisions such as mobility and intent to remain. Participants described how "caring" and direct patient contact were central to their choice of nursing and career satisfaction. As the data reveal, nursing is also regarded as a career that enables mobility to accommodate both family considerations and professional development opportunities. The findings highlight the need for professional socialization strategies and supports that motivate Canadian nurses to continue practising within the profession and the country.

The effectiveness of mindfulness-based interventions for supporting people with intellectual disabilities: a narrative review.

PubMed

Harper, Sarah K; Webb, Thomas L; Rayner, Kelly

2013-05-01

A number of studies have used mindfulness-based interventions to influence the behavior of people with intellectual disabilities, to improve their quality of life, and to reduce challenging behavior. The present review critically evaluates 18 studies and assesses the clinical and academic impact of their findings. Strengths identified included replicable methodological approaches, use of multiple baseline designs, strong construct and criterion validity, and consideration of the mechanisms by which mindfulness influences behavior change. Limitations included a lack of randomized controlled trials, inclusion of qualitative data without structured analysis, limited use of statistical analyses, and problems with sampling leading to difficulties generalizing findings. There was also a paucity of research investigating the impact of "Dialectical Behavior Therapy" and "Acceptance and Commitment Therapy" and the role of mindfulness within these approaches. Further research is warranted in this regard.

Final Syllable Lengthening (FSL) in infant vocalizations.

PubMed

Nathani, Suneeti; Oller, D Kimbrough; Cobo-Lewis, Alan B

2003-02-01

Final Syllable Lengthening (FSL) has been extensively examined in infant vocalizations in order to determine whether its basis is biological or learned. Findings suggest there may be a U-shaped developmental trajectory for FSL. The present study sought to verify this pattern and to determine whether vocal maturity and deafness influence FSL. Eight normally hearing infants, aged 0;3 to 1;0, and eight deaf infants, aged 0;8 to 4;0, were examined at three levels of prelinguistic vocal development: precanonical, canonical, and postcanonical. FSL was found at all three levels suggesting a biological basis for this phenomenon. Individual variability was, however, considerable. Reduction in the magnitude of FSL across the three sessions provided some support for a downward trend for FSL in infancy. Findings further indicated that auditory deprivation can significantly affect temporal aspects of infant speech production.

Breastfeeding and use of social media among first-time African American mothers.

PubMed

Asiodu, Ifeyinwa V; Waters, Catherine M; Dailey, Dawn E; Lee, Kathryn A; Lyndon, Audrey

2015-01-01

To describe the use of social media during the antepartum and postpartum periods among first-time African American mothers and their support persons. A qualitative critical ethnographic research design within the contexts of family life course development theory and Black feminist theory. Participants were recruited from community-based, public health, and home visiting programs. A purposive sample was recruited, consisting of 14 pregnant African American women and eight support persons. Pregnant and postpartum African American women and their support persons were interviewed separately during the antepartum and postpartum periods. Data were analyzed thematically. Participants frequently used social media for education and social support and searched the Internet for perinatal and parenting information. Most participants reported using at least one mobile application during their pregnancies and after giving birth. Social media were typically accessed through smartphones and/or computers using different websites and applications. Although participants gleaned considerable information about infant development from these applications, they had difficulty finding and recalling information about infant feeding. Social media are an important vehicle to disseminate infant feeding information; however, they are not currently being used to full potential. Our findings suggest that future interventions geared toward African American mothers and their support persons should include social media approaches. The way individuals gather, receive, and interpret information is dynamic. The increasing popularity and use of social media platforms offers the opportunity to create more innovative, targeted mobile health interventions for infant feeding and breastfeeding promotion. © 2015 AWHONN, the Association of Women's Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses.

Social Learning Theory, Gender, and Intimate Partner Violent Victimization: A Structural Equations Approach.

PubMed

Powers, Ráchael A; Cochran, John K; Maskaly, Jon; Sellers, Christine S

2017-05-01

The purpose of this study is to examine the applicability of Akers's Social Learning Theory (SLT) to explain intimate partner violence (IPV) victimization. In doing so, we draw on the Intergenerational Transmission of Violence Theory (IGT) to extend the scope of SLT to the explanation of victimization and for a consideration of uniquely gendered pathways in its causal structure. Using a structural equation modeling approach with self-report data from a sample of college students, the present study tests the extent to which SLT can effectively explain and predict IPV victimization and the degree, if any, to which the social learning model is gender invariant. Although our findings are largely supportive of SLT and, thus, affirm its extension to victimization as well as perpetration, the findings are also somewhat mixed. More significantly, in line with IGT literature, we find that the social learning process is not gender invariant. The implications of the latter are discussed.

'I've put diabetes completely on the shelf till the mental stuff is in place'. How patients with doctor-assessed impaired self-care perceive disease, self-care, and support from general practitioners. A qualitative study.

PubMed

Kristensen, Mads Aage Toft; Guassora, Ann Dorrit; Arreskov, Anne Beiter; Waldorff, Frans Boch; Hølge-Hazelton, Bibi

2018-06-22

This paper investigated patients' experiences of disease and self-care as well as perceptions of the general practitioner's role in supporting patients with impaired self-care ability. Qualitative interviews with 13 patients with type 2 diabetes, concurrent chronic diseases, and impaired self-care ability assessed by a general practitioner. We analyzed our data using systematic text condensation. The shifting perspectives model of chronic illness formed the theoretical background for the study. Although most patients experienced challenges in adhering to recommended self-care activities, many had developed additional, personal self-care routines that increased wellbeing. Some patients were conscious of self-care trade-offs, including patients with concurrent mental disorders who were much more attentive to their mental disorder than their somatic diseases. Patients' perspectives on diseases could shift over time and were dominated by emotional considerations such as insisting on leading a normal life or struggling with limitations caused by disease. Most patients found support in the ongoing relationship with the same general practitioner, who was valued as a companion or appreciated as a trustworthy health informant. Patient experiences of self-care may collide with what general practitioners find appropriate in a medical regimen. Health professionals should be aware of patients' prominent and shifting considerations about the emotional aspects of disease. Patients valued the general practitioner's role in self-care support, primarily through the long-term doctor-patient relationship. Therefore, relational continuity should be prioritized in chronic care, especially for patients with impaired self-care ability who often have a highly complex disease burden and situational context. Key points   Little is known about the perspectives of disease and self-care in patients with a doctor-assessed impaired ability of self-care.   • Although patients knew the prescribed regimen they often prioritized self-care routines that increased well-being at the cost of medical recommendations.   • Shifting emotional aspects were prominent in patients' considerations of disease and sustained GPs' use of a patient-centred clinical method when discussing self-care.   • Relational continuity with general practitioners was a highly valued support and should be prioritized for patients with impaired self-care.

Predictors of alcohol abusers' inconsistent self-reports of their drinking and life events.

PubMed

Toneatto, T; Sobell, L C; Sobell, M B

1992-06-01

Although considerable research supports the veridicality of alcohol abusers' self-reports, all studies find that some proportion of self-reports are inaccurate. Recently, a few studies have examined variables predictive of inaccurate self-reports and found considerable intersubject variability. The present study examined predictors of alcohol abusers' inconsistent reports of life events and drinking using test-retest reliability data from two questionnaires. Results indicated that inconsistent self-reports were associated with the type (i.e., objective versus subjective) and amount (i.e., more drinking involvement at the first interview was associated with greater discrepant reports at the second interview) of information to be recalled. It appears that the nature of the questions asked may be as much or more of a contributing factor to inaccurate self-reports as subject or setting factors, especially for individuals who report high levels of alcohol use, for whom special efforts may be necessary to gather valid self-report data.

The use of engineering design scenarios to assess student knowledge of global, societal, economic, and environmental contexts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McKenna, Ann F.; Hynes, Morgan M.; Johnson, Amy M.; Carberry, Adam R.

2016-07-01

Product archaeology as an educational approach asks engineering students to consider and explore the broader societal and global impacts of a product's manufacturing, distribution, use, and disposal on people, economics, and the environment. This study examined the impact of product archaeology in a project-based engineering design course on student attitudes and perceptions about engineering and abilities to extend and refine knowledge about broader contexts. Two design scenarios were created: one related to dental hygiene and one related to vaccination delivery. Design scenarios were used to (1) assess knowledge of broader contexts, and (2) test variability of student responses across different contextual situations. Results from pre- to post-surveying revealed improved student perceptions of knowledge of broader contexts. Significant differences were observed between the two design scenarios. The findings support the assumption that different design scenarios elicit consideration of different contexts and design scenarios can be constructed to target specific contextual considerations.

Avatar Web-Based Self-Report Survey System Technology for Public Health Research: Technical Outcome Results and Lessons Learned

PubMed Central

Savel, Craig; Mierzwa, Stan; Gorbach, Pamina M.; Souidi, Samir; Lally, Michelle; Zimet, Gregory; Interventions, AIDS

2016-01-01

This paper reports on a specific Web-based self-report data collection system that was developed for a public health research study in the United States. Our focus is on technical outcome results and lessons learned that may be useful to other projects requiring such a solution. The system was accessible from any device that had a browser that supported HTML5. Report findings include: which hardware devices, Web browsers, and operating systems were used; the rate of survey completion; and key considerations for employing Web-based surveys in a clinical trial setting. PMID:28149445

Cultural circumcision in EU public hospitals--an ethical discussion.

PubMed

Brusa, Margherita; Barilan, Y Michael

2009-10-01

The paper explores the ethical aspects of introducing cultural circumcision of children into the EU public health system. We reject commonplace arguments against circumcision: considerations of good medical practice, justice, bodily integrity, autonomy and the analogy from female genital mutilation. From the unique structure of patient-medicine interaction, we argue that the incorporation of cultural circumcision into EU public health services is a kind of medicalization, which does not fit the ethos of universal healthcare. However, we support a utilitarian argument that finds hospital based circumcision safer than non-medicalized alternatives. The argument concerning medicalization and the utilitarian argument both rely on preliminary empirical data, which depend on future validation

Home care nurses' experience of job stress and considerations for the work environment.

PubMed

Samia, Linda W; Ellenbecker, Carol Hall; Friedman, Donna Haig; Dick, Karen

2012-01-01

Home care nurses report increased stress in their jobs due to work environment characteristics that impact professional practice. Stressors and characteristics of the professional practice environment that moderate nurses' experience of job stress were examined in this embedded multiple case study. Real life experiences within a complex environment were drawn from interviews and observations with 29 participants across two home care agencies from one eastern U.S. state. Findings suggest that role overload, role conflict, and lack of control can be moderated in agencies where there are meaningful opportunities for shared decision making and the nurse-patient relationship is supported.

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder--a review.

PubMed Central

Williams, C; Wright, B; Partridge, I

1999-01-01

The topic of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is fascinating and controversial. A variety of stances have been taken by different clinicians, support groups, and the media. A nature/nurture argument has developed that may have a tendency to polarize views. This review aims to present research findings that inform the debate. It deals with symptomatology, aetiology, and prevalence, with assessment for diagnosis, management, and outcome. The importance of comprehensive management taking into consideration not just attention abilities but a range of other factors that have an impact upon them is stressed. Management should be pragmatic, multifaceted, and based around the establishment of good working relationships with family and school. PMID:10621994

The role of rewards in motivating participation in simple warfare.

PubMed

Glowacki, Luke; Wrangham, Richard W

2013-12-01

In the absence of explicit punitive sanctions, why do individuals voluntarily participate in intergroup warfare when doing so incurs a mortality risk? Here we consider the motivation of individuals for participating in warfare. We hypothesize that in addition to other considerations, individuals are incentivized by the possibility of rewards. We test a prediction of this "cultural rewards war-risk hypothesis" with ethnographic literature on warfare in small-scale societies. We find that a greater number of benefits from warfare is associated with a higher rate of death from conflict. This provides preliminary support for the relationship between rewards and participation in warfare.

Combating weight-based bullying in schools: is there public support for the use of litigation?

PubMed

Puhl, Rebecca; Luedicke, Joerg; King, Kelly M

2015-06-01

Bullying litigation is an emerging area of law that has increased in response to serious cases of bullying at school. Weight-based bullying is prevalent at school, but no research has examined the use of litigation to address this problem. We assessed public support for litigation approaches to address weight-based bullying at school, and whether support for litigation varies according to the reason why a student is bullied. A national sample of 994 adults (49% parents) completed an online questionnaire assessing their support for litigation approaches in response to hypothetical incidents of youth bullying. As many as two thirds of participants supported litigation against schools for failing to intervene and protect students from weight-based bullying. Litigation remedies received slightly higher support in response to bullying due to race or sexual orientation compared to body weight. Participants favored litigation approaches that target schools for inadequate intervention or a bully's parents on behalf of their child's actions. Our study offers novel findings about public and parental views of litigation as a potential approach to address weight-based (and other forms of) bullying, and introduces considerations about the potential role of litigation as part of broader remedies to address youth bullying. © 2015, American School Health Association.

Breastfeeding practices that support women with diabetes to breastfeed.

PubMed

Fallon, Anne; Dunne, Fidelma

2015-10-01

The aim of this literature review was to identify breastfeeding practices that support women with diabetes to breastfeed. A search was undertaken of CINAHL and Medline databases to identify studies that inform breastfeeding practice for women with diabetes. This resulted in 14 studies (19 records). Most studies focused on women with GDM and T1D with some consideration of T2D. The review has been organised using Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs, to enable a clear focus on the needs of women while identifying supportive practices. The key findings of this review are that breastfeeding as the first feed and exclusive breastfeeding are beneficial to meeting physiological needs. Preparations such as having food nearby and having someone to call on can help meet the woman's safety and security needs. A sense of love and belonging is supported by the practice of an early first breastfeed, but antenatal breast milk expression is currently not recommended. The woman's self-esteem can be enhanced through informed multidisciplinary support. Finally, self-actualisation or success with breastfeeding has been achieved by women with diabetes. Common breastfeeding concerns rather than diabetes have been identified as reasons for cessation of breastfeeding. Practices that support women deal with these concerns are recommended. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Hepatitis C education and support in Australian prisons: preliminary findings of a nationwide survey.

PubMed

Dyer, Jade; Tolliday, Lyn

2009-04-01

Rates of hepatitis C infection are up to 60 times higher in correctional facilities than in the general population, yet prisoners have limited access to many methods of blood-borne virus prevention. The aim of this study was therefore to explore the efficiency of hepatitis C education and support services available in custodial settings, from the perspective of health educators and policy makers. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 23 health professionals, from all states and territories of Australia, who were involved in the management or provision of hepatitis C education or support to prisoners. Results were interpreted using thematic analysis. Participant reports regarding the provision of hepatitis C education and support services varied considerably between prisons and across states. Interviewees identified successful services and barriers to improvement, including limited time, insufficient funding and frequent personnel changes. Many prisons were believed to have unique needs and educators from external agencies were not always aware of the medical procedures or methods of harm reduction available in particular facilities. Interviewee perceptions indicated that the delivery of hepatitis C education and support services in Australian custodial settings is marred by inconsistency. However, both education programs and psychological support services could be developed by external agencies wishing to reduce the impact of hepatitis C within the prison system.

Key Considerations of Community, Scalability, Supportability, Security, and Functionality in Selecting Open-Source Software in California Universities as Perceived by Technology Leaders

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Britton, Todd Alan

2014-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine the key considerations of community, scalability, supportability, security, and functionality for selecting open-source software in California universities as perceived by technology leaders. Methods: After a review of the cogent literature, the key conceptual framework categories were identified…

Effects of Social Supports on the Career Choice Consideration of Chinese Farmers: A Social Cognitive Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zhao, Li

2012-01-01

Drawing from social cognitive career theory (Lent, Brown, & Hackett, 1994), this study explored social supports' influence on the career choice consideration of farmers during China's current process of urbanization. A questionnaire was designed based on interviews with 140 people and a pretest with a sample of 419 participants. A total of 628…

5 CFR 332.407 - Restriction of consideration to one sex.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... 5 Administrative Personnel 1 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Restriction of consideration to one sex... Restriction of consideration to one sex. An appointing officer may not restrict his consideration of eligibles... competitive service to one sex, except in unusual circumstances when OPM finds the action justified. [34 FR...

5 CFR 332.407 - Restriction of consideration to one sex.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... 5 Administrative Personnel 1 2014-01-01 2014-01-01 false Restriction of consideration to one sex... Restriction of consideration to one sex. An appointing officer may not restrict his consideration of eligibles... competitive service to one sex, except in unusual circumstances when OPM finds the action justified. [34 FR...

5 CFR 332.407 - Restriction of consideration to one sex.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... 5 Administrative Personnel 1 2012-01-01 2012-01-01 false Restriction of consideration to one sex... Restriction of consideration to one sex. An appointing officer may not restrict his consideration of eligibles... competitive service to one sex, except in unusual circumstances when OPM finds the action justified. [34 FR...

5 CFR 332.407 - Restriction of consideration to one sex.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 5 Administrative Personnel 1 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Restriction of consideration to one sex... Restriction of consideration to one sex. An appointing officer may not restrict his consideration of eligibles... competitive service to one sex, except in unusual circumstances when OPM finds the action justified. [34 FR...

5 CFR 332.407 - Restriction of consideration to one sex.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... 5 Administrative Personnel 1 2013-01-01 2013-01-01 false Restriction of consideration to one sex... Restriction of consideration to one sex. An appointing officer may not restrict his consideration of eligibles... competitive service to one sex, except in unusual circumstances when OPM finds the action justified. [34 FR...

The Role of Empowerment in a School-Based Community Service Program with Inner-City, Minority Youth

PubMed Central

Gullan, Rebecca L.; Power, Thomas J.; Leff, Stephen S.

2014-01-01

Despite considerable fiscal and structural support for youth service programs, research has not demonstrated consistent outcomes across participants or programs, suggesting the need to identify critical program processes. The present study addresses this need through preliminary examination of the role of program empowerment in promoting positive identity development in inner-city, African American youth participating in a pilot school-based service program. Results suggest that participants who experienced the program as empowering experienced increases in self-efficacy, sense of civic responsibility, and ethnic identity, over and above general engagement and enjoyment of the program. Preliminary exploration of differences based on participant gender suggests that some results may be stronger and more consistent for males than females. These findings provide preliminary support for the importance of theoretically grounded program processes in producing positive outcomes for youth service participants. PMID:25104875

Ancient maize from Chacoan great houses: Where was it grown?

PubMed Central

Benson, Larry; Cordell, Linda; Vincent, Kirk; Taylor, Howard; Stein, John; Farmer, G. Lang; Futa, Kiyoto

2003-01-01

In this article, we compare chemical (87Sr/86Sr and elemental) analyses of archaeological maize from dated contexts within Pueblo Bonito, Chaco Canyon, New Mexico, to potential agricultural sites on the periphery of the San Juan Basin. The oldest maize analyzed from Pueblo Bonito probably was grown in an area located 80 km to the west at the base of the Chuska Mountains. The youngest maize came from the San Juan or Animas river floodplains 90 km to the north. This article demonstrates that maize, a dietary staple of southwestern Native Americans, was transported over considerable distances in pre-Columbian times, a finding fundamental to understanding the organization of pre-Columbian southwestern societies. In addition, this article provides support for the hypothesis that major construction events in Chaco Canyon were made possible because maize was brought in to support extra-local labor forces. PMID:14563925

Parenthood and Happiness: Effects of Work-Family Reconciliation Policies in 22 OECD Countries.

PubMed

Glass, Jennifer; Simon, Robin W; Andersson, Matthew A

2016-11-01

The recent proliferation of studies examining cross-national variation in the association between parenthood and happiness reveal accumulating evidence of lower levels of happiness among parents than nonparents in most advanced industrialized societies. Conceptualizing parenting as a stressor buffered by institutional support, we hypothesize that parental status differences in happiness are smaller in countries providing more resources and support to families. Our analyses of the European Social Surveys (ESS) and International Social Survey Programme (ISSP) reveal considerable variation in the parenthood gap in happiness across countries, with the U.S. showing the largest disadvantage of parenthood. We also find that more generous family policies, particularly paid time off and childcare subsidies, are associated with smaller disparities in happiness between parents and non-parents. Moreover, the policies that augment parental happiness do not reduce the happiness of nonparents. Our results shed light on macro-level causes of emotional processes, with important implications for public policy.

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and eating disorders across the lifespan: A systematic review of the literature.

PubMed

Levin, Rivka L; Rawana, Jennine S

2016-12-01

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and eating disorders are common and concerning mental health disorders. There is both empirical and theoretical support for an association between ADHD and eating disorders or disordered eating. This systematic review aims to summarize the extant literature on the comorbidity of ADHD and eating disorders across the lifespan, including the influences of sex, age, eating disorder diagnosis, and potential mediators. A total of 37 peer-reviewed studies on diagnosed ADHD and eating disturbances were identified through key research databases. Twenty-six studies supported a strong empirical association between ADHD and eating disorders or disordered eating. The systematic review findings suggest that children with ADHD are at risk for disordered eating, while adolescents, emerging adults, and adults are at risk for both eating disorders and disordered eating. Methodological considerations, future research, and clinical implications are discussed. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Pitting and Repair of the Space Shuttle's Inconel(Registered TradeMark) Honeycomb Conical Seal Panel

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zimmerman, Frank R.; Gentz, Steven J.; Miller, James B.; MacKay, Rebecca A.; Bright, Mark L.

2006-01-01

During return to flight servicing of the rudder speed brake (RSB) for each Space Shuttle Orbiter, inspectors discovered numerous small pits on the surface of the #4 right hand side honeycomb panel that covers the rudder speed brake actuators. Shortly after detection of the problem, concurrent investigations were initiated to determine the extent of damage, the root cause, and to develop a repair plan, since fabrication of a replacement panel is impractical for cost, schedule, and sourcing considerations. This paper describes the approach, findings, conclusions and recommendations associated with the investigation of the conical seal pitting. It documents the cause and contributing factors of the pitting, the means used to isolate each contributor, and the supporting evidence for the primary cause of the pitting. Finally, the selection, development and verification of the repair procedure used to restore the conical seal panel is described with supporting process and metallurgical rationale for selection.

Ancient maize from Chacoan great houses: Where was it grown?

USGS Publications Warehouse

Benson, L.; Cordell, L.; Vincent, K.; Taylor, Howard E.; Stein, J.; Farmer, G.L.; Futa, K.

2003-01-01

In this article, we compare chemical (87Sr/86Sr and elemental) analyses of archaeological maize from dated contexts within Pueblo Bonito, Chaco Canyon, New Mexico, to potential agricultural sites on the periphery of the San Juan Basin. The oldest maize analyzed from Pueblo Bonito probably was grown in an area located 80 km to the west at the base of the Chuska Mountains. The youngest maize came from the San Juan or Animas river floodplains 90 km to the north. This article demonstrates that maize, a dietary staple of southwestern Native Americans, was transported over considerable distances in pre-Columbian times, a finding fundamental to understanding the organization of pre-Columbian southwestern societies. In addition, this article provides support for the hypothesis that major construction events in Chaco Canyon were made possible because maize was brought in to support extra-local labor forces.

Heat and Health in a Changing Climate: Building a Decision Support Tool for California Public Health Officials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Steinberg, N.

2017-12-01

There is considerable interest in overlaying climate projections with social vulnerability maps as a mechanism for targeting community adaptation efforts. Yet the identification of relevant factors for adaptation- and resilience-based decisions remain a challenge. Our findings show that successful adaptation interventions are more likely when factors are grouped and spatially represented. By designing a decision-support tool that is focused on informing long-term planning to mitigate the public health impacts of extreme heat, communities can more easily integrate climate, land use, and population characteristics into local planning processes. The ability to compare risks and potential health impacts across census tracts may also position local practitioners to leverage scarce resources. This presentation will discuss the information gaps identified by planners and public health practitioners throughout California and illustrate the spatial variations of key health risk factors.

Young people with psychiatric disabilities and their views of day centres.

PubMed

Gunnarsson, A Birgitta; Eklund, Mona

2017-05-01

Young people with psychiatric disabilities may require support in structuring their everyday life. To learn more about the relevance of day centres in this respect, this study aimed to examine the experiences of young people with psychiatric disabilities. A particular focus was on the perceptions of meaningful occupation when visiting day centres, their reasons for not choosing this option when given it and what they desired instead. A qualitative design based on individual interviews was used. Twelve women and eight men between 18 and 35 years, with a need for organized daily occupations, participated as informants. Qualitative content analysis revealed three categories: 'Being in a context', 'Balancing between developing and stagnating', and 'Longing for something more'. The findings indicated that the occupations were inherently age neutral, as were the possibilities for socializing. There was a desire for more activities in the community and more support for engaging in occupations that other young people did. A major issue in the accomplishment of this was the need to earn money, and the lack of opportunities for doing that in the day centre context was a considerable drawback. The findings highlight the importance of identifying young people's views when designing day centres.

Can projective drawings detect if a child experienced sexual or physical abuse? A systematic review of the controlled research.

PubMed

Allen, Brian; Tussey, Chriscelyn

2012-04-01

Clinical observations have suggested that children who experience physical or sexual abuse may provide indicators in their drawings that can distinguish them from nonabused children. Some have even suggested that a child's drawings and the interpretive testimony of a trained mental health clinician should be admissible in court as evidence of a child's abuse status. Many of these comments, however, may reflect a limited consideration of the available research. The current article provides a comprehensive literature review of the controlled research to determine whether any graphic indicators (e.g., genitalia, omission of body parts) or predefined scoring system can reliability and validly discriminate abused from nonabused children. Results indicate that, although individual studies have found support for various indicators or scoring systems, these results are rarely replicated, many times studies finding significant results suffer from serious methodological flaws and alternative explanations for findings (e.g., mental illness) are often present. No graphic indicator or scoring system possessed sufficient empirical evidence to support its use for identifying sexual or physical abuse. A discussion of the legal ramifications of these results is provided.

Gender differences among prisoners in drug treatment.

PubMed

Langan, N P; Pelissier, B M

2001-01-01

Nearly all prison-based substance abuse treatment programs have been designed with male prisoners in mind. Administering these male-oriented programs to women prisoners has been the standard correctional practice. Recently, this practice has received considerable criticism. Critics argue that female prisoners have special needs that are not met by programs originally designed for male prisoners. However, most of the empirical support for the existence of such special needs rely on two inappropriate samples: prisoners who are not in treatment and treatment participants who are not incarcerated. Findings from these two different groups may not be generalizable to the population of prisoners in treatment. This paper directly addresses this generalizability problem with an examination of gender differences among 1,326 male and 318 female federal prisoners who were enrolled in a substance abuse treatment program. Women used drugs more frequently, used harder drugs, and used them for different reasons than men. Women also confronted more difficulties than men in areas linked to substance abuse such as educational background, childhood family environment, adult social environment, mental health, and physical health. We find support for the argument that substance abuse treatment programs which were originally designed for men may be inappropriate for the treatment of women.

Building expert agreement on the importance and feasibility of workplace health promotion interventions for nurses and midwives: A modified Delphi consultation.

PubMed

Perry, Lin; Nicholls, Rachel; Duffield, Christine; Gallagher, Robyn

2017-11-01

To use a Delphi panel to determine the relative importance and feasibility of workplace health promotion interventions to promote and support the health of the Australian nursing and midwifery workforce. The nursing workforce experiences rates of ill health above that of other workforces, yet there is little investment in workplace health promotion. The study used a modified Delphi design conducted between September and November 2015. Eleven of 19 purposively selected expert panellists discussed, rated and provided feedback through two rounds of an electronic questionnaire about the relative importance and feasibility of 46 workplace health promotion interventions and processes for nurses and midwives. Scores for importance and feasibility were calculated and ranked and a composite score of importance multiplied by feasibility. Mental health strategies were prioritized as the most important and feasible of the intervention topics, followed closely by healthy eating and physical activity interventions; smoking cessation ranked lowest. The most highly ranked interventions targeted healthy eating, stress management and resilience training. Highest ranked processes to support development of a healthy work environment included intersectoral collaboration and employee wellness groups. Study findings prompt consideration of health promotion opportunities to support nurses' health and well-being. Findings identified key workplace health promotion priorities and provide direction for policy makers and managers to promote nursing and midwifery workforce health. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

47 CFR 1.1308 - Consideration of environmental assessments (EAs); findings of no significant impact.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 1969 § 1.1308 Consideration of environmental assessments (EAs); findings of no significant impact. (a) Applicants shall prepare EAs for actions that may have a significant environmental impact (see § 1.1307). An...), that the proposal will have a significant environmental impact upon the quality of the human...

Consultation with specialist palliative care services in palliative sedation: considerations of Dutch physicians.

PubMed

Koper, Ian; van der Heide, Agnes; Janssens, Rien; Swart, Siebe; Perez, Roberto; Rietjens, Judith

2014-01-01

Palliative sedation is considered a normal medical practice by the Royal Dutch Medical Association. Therefore, consultation of an expert is not considered mandatory. The European Association of Palliative Care (EAPC) framework for palliative sedation, however, is more stringent: it considers the use of palliative sedation without consulting an expert as injudicious and insists on input from a multi-professional palliative care team. This study investigates the considerations of Dutch physicians concerning consultation about palliative sedation with specialist palliative care services. Fifty-four physicians were interviewed on their most recent case of palliative sedation. Reasons to consult were a lack of expertise and the view that consultation was generally supportive. Reasons not to consult were sufficient expertise, the view that palliative sedation is a normal medical procedure, time pressure, fear of disagreement with the service and regarding consultation as having little added value. Arguments in favour of mandatory consultation were that many physicians lack expertise and that palliative sedation is an exceptional intervention. Arguments against mandatory consultation were practical obstacles that may preclude fulfilling such an obligation (i.e. lack of time), palliative sedation being a standard medical procedure, corroding a physician's responsibility and deterring physicians from applying palliative sedation. Consultation about palliative sedation with specialist palliative care services is regarded as supportive and helpful when physicians lack expertise. However, Dutch physicians have both practical and theoretical objections against mandatory consultation. Based on the findings in this study, there seems to be little support among Dutch physicians for the EAPC recommendations on obligatory consultation.

Public attitudes regarding large-scale solar energy development in the U.S.

DOE PAGES

Carlisle, Juliet E.; Kane, Stephanie L.; Solan, David; ...

2015-08-01

Using data collected from both a National sample as well as an oversample in U.S. Southwest, we examine public attitudes toward the construction of utility-scale solar facilities in the U.S. as well as development in one’s own county. Our multivariate analyses assess demographic and sociopsychological factors as well as context in terms of proximity of proposed project by considering the effect of predictors for respondents living in the Southwest versus those from a National sample.We find that the predictors, and impact of the predictors, related to support and opposition to solar development vary in terms of psychological and physical distance.more » Overall, for respondents living in the U.S. Southwest we find that environmentalism, belief that developers receive too many incentives, and trust in project developers to be significantly related to support and opposition to solar development, in general. When Southwest respondents consider large-scale solar development in their county, the influence of these variables changes so that property value, race, and age only yield influence. Differential effects occur for respondents of our National sample.We believe our findings to be relevant for those outside the U.S. due to the considerable growth PV solar has experienced in the last decade, especially in China, Japan, Germany, and the U.S.« less

The Women'S Perceptions About Unwanted Pregnancy: A Qualitative Study in Iran.

PubMed

Akbarzadeh, Marzieh; Yazdanpanahi, Zahra; Zarshenas, Ladan; Sharif, Farkhondeh

2015-09-28

Unwanted pregnancy has affected different aspects of our life. Researchers point out if a child's birth is unwanted, an increase in maternal issues can be observed. The aim of this study was to describe the women's viewpoints regarding unwanted pregnancy. This qualitative study using content analysis was employed in Shiraz University in 2013-2014. 20 women with unwanted pregnancy were chosen using purposeful sampling. Data were gathered through semi-structured interviews and trustworthiness of them was evaluated. Findings of this study, according to the participants' experience, revealed maternal emotions like embarrassment for getting pregnant, mother's own negative affection, concerns about missing family and other children, and terminating the pregnancy through illegal abortion, the husband's disagreement about the termination, blaming themselves for thinking about abortion or illegal abortion, and concern about their guilt feeling. Another finding was family problems like husband's behavior and his negative outlook towards his child and fetus. The next category belonged to anxiety about the future of their child, including economic, social and relational problems, and suppression of the children's logical expectations. The last finding was the lack of maternal emotional support. Unwanted pregnancy's effects on the mothers and infants' health are considerable. A closer observation by family and health care providers for unwanted pregnancies and its results is recommended; therefore, they should be taken care of as high risk pregnancies, requiring family support.

Public attitudes regarding large-scale solar energy development in the U.S.

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

Carlisle, Juliet E.; Kane, Stephanie L.; Solan, David

Using data collected from both a National sample as well as an oversample in U.S. Southwest, we examine public attitudes toward the construction of utility-scale solar facilities in the U.S. as well as development in one’s own county. Our multivariate analyses assess demographic and sociopsychological factors as well as context in terms of proximity of proposed project by considering the effect of predictors for respondents living in the Southwest versus those from a National sample.We find that the predictors, and impact of the predictors, related to support and opposition to solar development vary in terms of psychological and physical distance.more » Overall, for respondents living in the U.S. Southwest we find that environmentalism, belief that developers receive too many incentives, and trust in project developers to be significantly related to support and opposition to solar development, in general. When Southwest respondents consider large-scale solar development in their county, the influence of these variables changes so that property value, race, and age only yield influence. Differential effects occur for respondents of our National sample.We believe our findings to be relevant for those outside the U.S. due to the considerable growth PV solar has experienced in the last decade, especially in China, Japan, Germany, and the U.S.« less

Health Consumers eHealth Literacy to Decrease Disparities in Accessing eHealth Information.

PubMed

Park, Hyejin; Cormier, Eileen; Glenna, Gordon

2016-01-01

The purpose of this study was to assess the perceived eHealth literacy of a general health consumer population so that health care professionals can effectively address skills gaps in health consumers' ability to access and use high quality online health information. Participants were recruited from three public library branches in a Northeast Florida community. The eHealth literacy scale (eHEALS) was used. The majority of participants (n = 108) reported they knew how and where to find health information and how to use it to make health decisions; knowledge of what health resources were available and confidence in the ability to distinguish high from low quality information was considerably less. The findings suggest the need for eHealth education and support to health consumers from health care professionals, in particular, how to access and evaluate the quality of health information.

Sensory and motor neuropathy in a Border Collie.

PubMed

Harkin, Kenneth R; Cash, Walter C; Shelton, G Diane

2005-10-15

A 5-month-old female Border Collie was evaluated because of progressive hind limb ataxia. The predominant clinical findings suggested a sensory neuropathy. Sensory nerve conduction velocity was absent in the tibial, common peroneal, and radial nerves and was decreased in the ulnar nerve; motor nerve conduction velocity was decreased in the tibial, common peroneal, and ulnar nerves. Histologic examination of nerve biopsy specimens revealed considerable nerve fiber depletion; some tissue sections had myelin ovoids, foamy macrophages, and axonal degeneration in remaining fibers. Marked depletion of most myelinated fibers within the peroneal nerve (a mixed sensory and motor nerve) supported the electrodiagnostic findings indicative of sensorimotor neuropathy. Progressive deterioration in motor function occurred over the following 19 months until the dog was euthanatized. A hereditary link was not established, but a littermate was similarly affected. The hereditary characteristic of this disease requires further investigation.

Enhancing the Student Experiment Experience: Visible Scientific Inquiry Through a Virtual Chemistry Laboratory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Donnelly, Dermot; O'Reilly, John; McGarr, Oliver

2013-08-01

Practical work is often noted as a core reason many students take on science in secondary schools (high schools). However, there are inherent difficulties associated with classroom practical work that militate against scientific inquiry, an approach espoused by many science educators. The use of interactive simulations to facilitate student inquiry has emerged as a complement to practical work. This study presents case studies of four science teachers using a virtual chemistry laboratory (VCL) with their students in an explicitly guided inquiry manner. Research tools included the use of the Inquiry Science Implementation Scale in a `talk-aloud' manner, Reformed Teaching Observation Protocol for video observations, and teacher interviews. The findings suggest key aspects of practical work that hinder teachers in adequately supporting inquiry and highlight where a VCL can overcome many of these difficulties. The findings also indicate considerations in using the VCL in its own right.

Cross-Cultural Effects of Cannabis Use Disorder: Evidence to Support a Cultural Neuroscience Approach

PubMed Central

Prashad, Shikha; Milligan, Amber L.; Cousijn, Janna; Filbey, Francesca M.

2017-01-01

Purpose of review Cannabis use disorders (CUDs) are prevalent worldwide. Current epidemiological studies underscore differences in behaviors that contribute to cannabis use across cultures that can be leveraged towards prevention and treatment of CUDs. This review proposes a framework for understanding the effects of cross-cultural differences on psychological, neural, and genomic processes underlying CUDs that has the potential to inform global policies and impact global public health. Recent findings We found that cultural factors may influence (1) the willingness to acknowledge CUD-related symptoms among populations of different countries, and (2) neural responses related to the sense of self, perception, emotion, and attention. These findings leverage the potential effects of culture on neural mechanisms underlying CUDs. Summary As the number of individuals seeking treatment for CUDs increases globally, it is imperative to incorporate cultural considerations to better understand and serve differing populations and develop more targeted treatment strategies and interventions. PMID:29062679

[Findings from Total Colonoscopy in Obstructive Colorectal Cancer Patients Who Underwent Stent Placement as a Bridge to Surgery(BTS)].

PubMed

Maruo, Hirotoshi; Tsuyuki, Hajime; Kojima, Tadahiro; Koreyasu, Ryohei; Nakamura, Koichi; Higashi, Yukihiro; Shoji, Tsuyoshi; Yamazaki, Masanori; Nishiyama, Raisuke; Ito, Tatsuhiro; Koike, Kota; Ikeda, Takashi; Takayanagi, Yasuhiro; Kubota, Hiroyuki

2017-11-01

We clinically investigated 34 patients with obstructive colorectal cancer who underwent placement of a colonic stent as a bridge to surgery(BTS), focusing on endoscopic findings after stent placement.Twenty -nine patients(85.3%)underwent colonoscopy after stent placement, and the entire large intestine could be observed in 28(96.6%).Coexisting lesions were observed in 22(78.6%)of these 28 patients.The lesions comprised adenomatous polyps in 17 patients(60.7%), synchronous colon cancers in 5 patients(17.9%), and obstructive colitis in 3 patients(10.7%), with some overlapping cases.All patients with multiple cancers underwent one-stage surgery, and all lesions were excised at the same time.Colonoscopy after colonic stent placement is important for preoperative diagnosis of coexisting lesions and planning the extent of resection. These considerations support the utility of colonic stenting for BTS.

Reconciling Marriage and Care after Stroke.

PubMed

Anderson, Sharon; Keating, Norah; Wilson, Donna

2017-09-01

Most research on stroke's impact on couples has focused on the transition to caregiving/receiving. Despite considerable evidence that marriage is the primary source of support in the face of chronic conditions, little is known about what happens to marriage in the context of care after stroke. To address this gap, we undertook a qualitative grounded-theory study of 18 couples in which one partner had experienced a stroke. Findings revealed two interrelated themes of the couple processes: working out care, which involved discovering and addressing disruptions in day-to-day activities; and rethinking marriage, which involved determining the meaning of their relationship within the new context of care and disability. Three distinct types of marriages evolved from these processes: reconfirmed around their pre-stroke marriage; recalibrated around care; and a parallel relationship, "his" and "her" marriage. Our findings highlight the need to consider relationship dynamics in addition to knowledge about stroke and care.

Being transgender: the experience of transgender identity development.

PubMed

Levitt, Heidi M; Ippolito, Maria R

2014-01-01

This article is based on a grounded theory analysis of interviews with transgender-identified people from different regions of the United States. Participants held a variety of gender identities under the transgender rubric (e.g., crossdresser, transman, transwoman, butch lesbian). Interviews explored the participants' experiences in arriving at their gender identity. This article presents three clusters of findings related to the common processes of transgender identity development. This process was made possible by accessibility of transgender narratives that injected hope into what was a childhood replete with criticism and scrutiny. Ultimately, participants came to their identities through balancing a desire for authenticity with demands of necessity--meaning that they weighed their internal gender experience with considerations about their available resources, coping skills, and the consequences of gender transitions. The implications of these findings are considered in terms of their contribution to gender theory, research, and clinical support for transgender clients.

Religion, health and medicine in African Americans: implications for physicians.

PubMed

Levin, Jeff; Chatters, Linda M; Taylor, Robert Joseph

2005-02-01

Recent years have seen a burgeoning of research and writing on the connections between religion and health. The very best of this work comes from epidemiologic studies of African Americans. This paper summarizes results of these investigations, including findings identifying effects of religious participation on both physical and mental health outcomes. Evidence mostly supports a protective religious effect on morbidity and mortality and on depressive symptoms and overall psychological distress among African Americans. This paper also carefully discusses what the results of these studies mean and do not mean, an important consideration due to frequent misinterpretations of findings on this topic. Because important distinctions between epidemiologic and clinical studies tend to get glossed over, reports of religion-health associations oftentimes draw erroneous conclusions that foster unrealistic expectations about the role of faith and spirituality in health and healing. Finally, implications are discussed for clinical practice, medical education and public health.

Neighborhood residential segregation and physical health among Hispanic Americans: good, bad, or benign?

PubMed

Lee, Min-Ah; Ferraro, Kenneth F

2007-06-01

Although considerable evidence shows that residential segregation is deleterious to the health of African Americans, findings regarding segregation and health for Hispanic Americans are inconsistent. Competing hypotheses regarding the effects of neighborhood segregation on health are tested with data from Puerto Rican and Mexican American residents of Chicago. Multilevel analyses reveal that segregation is associated with more health problems for Puerto Rican Americans but not for Mexican Americans. In addition, the relationship between segregation and health was conditioned by generational status for Mexican Americans: Second- or later-generation Mexican Americans living in highly segregated neighborhoods had better health than first-generation Mexican Americans in such neighborhoods. These findings reveal that residential segregation has differential effects across Hispanic groups and suggest that a high degree of contact with Mexican Americans promotes health by facilitating flow of informal health resources and social support.

Prayer beliefs and change in life satisfaction over time.

PubMed

Krause, Neal; Hayward, R David

2013-06-01

A considerable number of studies have focused on the relationship between prayer, health, and well-being. But the influence of some types of prayer (e.g., petitionary prayer) has received more attention than others. The purpose of this study is to examine an overlooked aspect of prayer: trust-based prayer beliefs. People with this orientation believe that God knows that best way to answer a prayer and He selects the best time to provide an answer. Three main findings emerge from data that were provided by a nationwide longitudinal survey of older people reveals. First, the results reveal that Conservative Protestants are more likely to endorse trust-based prayer beliefs. Second, the findings suggest that these prayer beliefs tend to be reinforced through prayer groups and informal support from fellow church members. Third, the data indicate that stronger trust-based prayer beliefs are associated with a greater sense of life satisfaction over time.

Prayer Beliefs and Change in Life Satisfaction over Time

PubMed Central

Krause, Neal; Hayward, R. David

2012-01-01

A considerable number of studies have focused on the relationship between prayer, health, and well-being. But the influence of some types of prayer (e.g., petitionary prayer) has received more attention than others. The purpose of this study is to examine an overlooked aspect of prayer: trust-based prayer beliefs. People with this orientation believe that God knows that best way to answer a prayer and He selects the best time to provide an answer. Three main findings emerge from data that were provided by a nationwide longitudinal survey of older people reveals. First, the results reveal that Conservative Protestants are more likely to endorse trust-based prayer beliefs. Second, the findings suggest that these prayer beliefs tend to be reinforced through prayer groups and informal support from fellow church members. Third, the data indicate that stronger trust-based prayer beliefs are associated with a greater sense of life satisfaction over time. PMID:23117927

Perspective on the prospects of a carrier multiplication nanocrystal solar cell.

PubMed

Nair, Gautham; Chang, Liang-Yi; Geyer, Scott M; Bawendi, Moungi G

2011-05-11

This article presents a perspective on the experimental and theoretical work to date on the efficiency of carrier multiplication (CM) in colloidal semiconductor nanocrystals (NCs). Early reports on CM in NCs suggested large CM efficiency enhancements. However, recent experiments have shown that CM in nanocrystalline samples is not significantly stronger, and often is weaker, than in the parent bulk when compared on an absolute photon energy basis. This finding is supported by theoretical consideration of the CM process and the competing intraband relaxation. We discuss the experimental artifacts that may have led to the apparently strong CM estimated in early reports. The finding of bulklike CM in NCs suggests that the main promise of quantum confinement is to boost the photovoltage at which carriers can be extracted. With this in mind, we discuss research directions that may result in effective use of CM in a solar cell.

Religion, health and medicine in African Americans: implications for physicians.

PubMed Central

Levin, Jeff; Chatters, Linda M.; Taylor, Robert Joseph

2005-01-01

Recent years have seen a burgeoning of research and writing on the connections between religion and health. The very best of this work comes from epidemiologic studies of African Americans. This paper summarizes results of these investigations, including findings identifying effects of religious participation on both physical and mental health outcomes. Evidence mostly supports a protective religious effect on morbidity and mortality and on depressive symptoms and overall psychological distress among African Americans. This paper also carefully discusses what the results of these studies mean and do not mean, an important consideration due to frequent misinterpretations of findings on this topic. Because important distinctions between epidemiologic and clinical studies tend to get glossed over, reports of religion-health associations oftentimes draw erroneous conclusions that foster unrealistic expectations about the role of faith and spirituality in health and healing. Finally, implications are discussed for clinical practice, medical education and public health. PMID:15712787

32 CFR 174.10 - Consideration for economic development conveyances.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 32 National Defense 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Consideration for economic development... Property § 174.10 Consideration for economic development conveyances. (a) For conveyances made pursuant to... the date of the initial transfer of property shall be used to support economic redevelopment of, or...

32 CFR 174.10 - Consideration for economic development conveyances.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 32 National Defense 1 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Consideration for economic development... Property § 174.10 Consideration for economic development conveyances. (a) For conveyances made pursuant to... the date of the initial transfer of property shall be used to support economic redevelopment of, or...

Results of a pilot randomised controlled trial to measure the clinical and cost effectiveness of peer support in increasing hope and quality of life in mental health patients discharged from hospital in the UK

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Mental health patients can feel anxious about losing the support of staff and patients when discharged from hospital and often discontinue treatment, experience relapse and readmission to hospital, and sometimes attempt suicide. The benefits of peer support in mental health services have been identified in a number of studies with some suggesting clinical and economic gains in patients being discharged. Methods This pilot randomised controlled trial with economic evaluation aimed to explore whether peer support in addition to usual aftercare for patients during the transition from hospital to home would increase hope, reduce loneliness, improve quality of life and show cost effectiveness compared with patients receiving usual aftercare only, with follow-up at one and three-months post-discharge. Results A total of 46 service users were recruited to the study; 23 receiving peer support and 23 in the care-as-usual arm. While this pilot trial found no statistically significant benefits for peer support on the primary or secondary outcome measures, there is an indication that hope may be further increased in those in receipt of peer support. The total cost per case for the peer support arm of the study was £2154 compared to £1922 for the control arm. The mean difference between costs was minimal and not statistically significant. However, further analyses demonstrated that peer support has a reasonably high probability of being more cost effective for a modest positive change in the measure of hopelessness. Challenges faced in recruitment and follow-up are explored alongside limitations in the delivery of peer support. Conclusions The findings suggest there is merit in conducting further research on peer support in the transition from hospital to home consideration should be applied to the nature of the patient population to whom support is offered; the length and frequency of support provided; and the contact between peer supporters and mental health staff. There is no conclusive evidence to support the cost effectiveness of providing peer support, but neither was it proven a costly intervention to deliver. The findings support an argument for a larger scale trial of peer support as an adjunct to existing services. Trial registration Current Controlled Trials ISRCTN74852771 PMID:24495599

Results of a pilot randomised controlled trial to measure the clinical and cost effectiveness of peer support in increasing hope and quality of life in mental health patients discharged from hospital in the UK.

PubMed

Simpson, Alan; Flood, Chris; Rowe, Julie; Quigley, Jody; Henry, Susan; Hall, Cerdic; Evans, Richard; Sherman, Paul; Bowers, Len

2014-02-05

Mental health patients can feel anxious about losing the support of staff and patients when discharged from hospital and often discontinue treatment, experience relapse and readmission to hospital, and sometimes attempt suicide. The benefits of peer support in mental health services have been identified in a number of studies with some suggesting clinical and economic gains in patients being discharged. This pilot randomised controlled trial with economic evaluation aimed to explore whether peer support in addition to usual aftercare for patients during the transition from hospital to home would increase hope, reduce loneliness, improve quality of life and show cost effectiveness compared with patients receiving usual aftercare only, with follow-up at one and three-months post-discharge. A total of 46 service users were recruited to the study; 23 receiving peer support and 23 in the care-as-usual arm. While this pilot trial found no statistically significant benefits for peer support on the primary or secondary outcome measures, there is an indication that hope may be further increased in those in receipt of peer support. The total cost per case for the peer support arm of the study was £2154 compared to £1922 for the control arm. The mean difference between costs was minimal and not statistically significant. However, further analyses demonstrated that peer support has a reasonably high probability of being more cost effective for a modest positive change in the measure of hopelessness. Challenges faced in recruitment and follow-up are explored alongside limitations in the delivery of peer support. The findings suggest there is merit in conducting further research on peer support in the transition from hospital to home consideration should be applied to the nature of the patient population to whom support is offered; the length and frequency of support provided; and the contact between peer supporters and mental health staff. There is no conclusive evidence to support the cost effectiveness of providing peer support, but neither was it proven a costly intervention to deliver. The findings support an argument for a larger scale trial of peer support as an adjunct to existing services. Current Controlled Trials ISRCTN74852771.

Design of fluidized-bed fermentors

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

Andrews, G.F.; Przezdziecki, J.

1986-06-01

Designing a fluidized-bed bioreactor requires choosing the best support particle (if any). Effectiveness factors (proportional to reactor volumetric productivity) are derived for flocs, solid spherical supports, porous supports, and adsorbent supports. The derivation demonstrates a mathematical procedure for reducing the diffusion/uptake equations for many components (substrates and inhibitory products) to a single equation, and for identifying the limiting component. With solid supports there exists a film thickness that maximizes the effectiveness, and the design objective is to keep the film near this optimum throughout the bed. This involves consideration of the effect of support particle density and film growth onmore » bed stratification. Other considerations in packing support particles are obtaining reasonable values for bed height and diameter, minimizing mass transfer resistance between liquid and biomass, and preventing surface shear from stripping off the biomass. 20 references.« less

The moderating role of social support on the relationship between impulsivity and suicide risk.

PubMed

Kleiman, Evan M; Riskind, John H; Schaefer, Karen E; Weingarden, Hilary

2012-01-01

Suicide is the second leading cause of death among college students. There has been considerable research into risk factors for suicide, such as impulsivity, but considerably less research on protective factors. The present study examines the role that social support plays in the relationship between impulsivity and suicide risk. Participants were 169 undergraduates who completed self-report measures of impulsivity and social support. Suicide risk was assessed using an interview measure. Social support moderates the relationship between impulsivity and suicide risk, such that those who are highly impulsive are less likely to be at risk for suicide if they also have high levels of social support. Social support can be a useful buffer to suicide risk for at-risk individuals who are highly impulsive.

Do They Need Goals or Support? A Report from a Goal-Setting Intervention Using Physical Activity Monitors in Youth

PubMed Central

Bronikowski, Michal; Bronikowska, Malgorzata; Glapa, Agata

2016-01-01

The objective of this study was to investigate the association between physical activity (PA) and different goal setting and strategies in youth. The study took into consideration different sources of support as well as gender variations. Classmate and Teacher Support scales were used to evaluate support in physical education (PE) classes, and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) was reported. Garmin Vivofit® activity trackers were used during an 8 week-long intervention to count daily steps. Data was collected from 65 adolescents (mean age 17.2 ± 0.2), 74 young adolescents (mean age 15.3 ± 0.2) and 57 children (mean age 11.5 ± 0.4). An experimental design was employed, with “goal” and “do your best” groups given different step goal strategies. The results show that both groups achieved a comparable number of steps. Two-way ANOVA showed interactional effects between gender and teacher support. There were no such effects for MVPA and number of steps. Although classmate support in PE was reported to be reasonably high, the findings show that it does not play a significant role in increasing MVPA behaviors in youths. However, the problem of significantly lower support given to adolescent girls by PE teachers should be embedded into the teaching context of PE students and counteracted in school setting realities. PMID:27649219

Do They Need Goals or Support? A Report from a Goal-Setting Intervention Using Physical Activity Monitors in Youth.

PubMed

Bronikowski, Michal; Bronikowska, Malgorzata; Glapa, Agata

2016-09-13

The objective of this study was to investigate the association between physical activity (PA) and different goal setting and strategies in youth. The study took into consideration different sources of support as well as gender variations. Classmate and Teacher Support scales were used to evaluate support in physical education (PE) classes, and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) was reported. Garmin Vivofit(®) activity trackers were used during an 8 week-long intervention to count daily steps. Data was collected from 65 adolescents (mean age 17.2 ± 0.2), 74 young adolescents (mean age 15.3 ± 0.2) and 57 children (mean age 11.5 ± 0.4). An experimental design was employed, with "goal" and "do your best" groups given different step goal strategies. The results show that both groups achieved a comparable number of steps. Two-way ANOVA showed interactional effects between gender and teacher support. There were no such effects for MVPA and number of steps. Although classmate support in PE was reported to be reasonably high, the findings show that it does not play a significant role in increasing MVPA behaviors in youths. However, the problem of significantly lower support given to adolescent girls by PE teachers should be embedded into the teaching context of PE students and counteracted in school setting realities.

Cultural context, obsessive-compulsive disorder symptoms, and cognitions: a preliminary study of three Turkish samples living in different countries.

PubMed

Yorulmaz, Orçun; Işık, Bilgen

2011-04-01

Previous research findings have suggested that recent cognitive accounts of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) are valid across different cultural contexts for both clinical and nonclinical samples; however, there is evidence that cultural differences may have an impact on a number of cognitive variables. For this reason, immigration provides an exceptional opportunity for an examination of the role of cultural context in cognitions and possible changes in cultural characteristics. To this end, the present study examined the interrelationships between thought-action fusion, thought control strategies and OCD symptoms in three nonclinical samples, taking the immigration factor into consideration. Thus, the current study included three Turkish sample groups: those who remigrated to Turkey from Bulgaria, those still living in Bulgaria, and those that have always resided in Turkey. The findings of the study supported the role of thought and action fusion and control strategies in OCD symptoms in a cross-cultural context. To illustrate, worry, as a thought control strategy for OCD symptoms, was a common factor in all three sample groups. However, differences were also noted between the groups, despite having the same ethnic origin. Although they immigrated back to Turkey and have been living there for a considerable period of time, the Turkish remigrants retained similar characteristics to the respondents in Bulgaria on cognitions in general. Consequently, it may be suggested that cultural context might have a relative impact on certain correlates. A replication of these findings using different immigration groups and examining various cultural factors is strongly encouraged.

AChE Inhibitors and NMDA Receptor Antagonists in Advanced Alzheimer's Disease.

PubMed

Glynn-Servedio, Brianna E; Ranola, Trisha Seys

2017-09-01

The objective of this article is to review the available evidence for duration of treatment with, and considerations for discontinuation of, acetylcholinesterase inhibitors and N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor antagonists in Alzheimer's disease. Literature searches of clinical trials and meta-analyses were conducted using PubMed with the search terms Alzheimer's, dementia, donepezil, galantamine, memantine, and rivastigmine. References from included trials were also used to find additional citations. 2,925 articles were initially identified. Twenty-one studies were included that looked at the use of acetylcholinesterase inhibitors and/or memantine in the treatment of moderate-to-severe Alzheimer's dementia. Several clinical trials have demonstrated small improvements in measures of cognition and activities of daily living with medications used to treat dementia. However, not all patients will benefit from treatment, and the impact of treatment on long-term outcomes, including institutionalization, remains unclear. This paper reviews the available data to support the use of acetylcholinesterase inhibitors and/or memantine in patients with advanced Alzheimer's disease, including those in nursing facilities, and reviews recommendations for consideration of therapy discontinuation. The evidence to support a specific time frame for discontinuation of Alzheimer's disease treatment is limited. It is reasonable to stop a medication if there is no noticeable benefit after the first three months of treatment or once a patient's dementia progresses to a point where there would be no meaningful benefit from continued therapy.

Translation and cross-cultural adaptation of a family booklet on comfort care in dementia: sensitive topics revised before implementation.

PubMed

van der Steen, Jenny T; Hertogh, Cees M P M; de Graas, Tjomme; Nakanishi, Miharu; Toscani, Franco; Arcand, Marcel

2013-02-01

Families of patients with dementia may need support in difficult end-of-life decision making. Such guidance may be culturally sensitive. To support families in Canada, a booklet was developed to aid decision making on palliative care issues. For reasons of cost effectiveness and promising effects, we prepared for its implementation in Italy, the Netherlands and Japan. Local teams translated and adapted the booklet to local ethical, legal and medical standards where needed, retaining guidance on palliative care. Using qualitative content analyses, we grouped and compared adaptations to understand culturally sensitive aspects. Three themes emerged: (1) relationships among patient, physician and other professionals-the authority of the physician was more explicit in adapted versions; (2) patient rights and family position-adding detail about local regulations; and (3) typology of treatments and decisions. Considerations underlying palliative care decisions were detailed (Dutch and Italian versions), and the Japanese version frequently referred to professional and legal standards, and life-prolongation was a competing goal. Text on artificial feeding or fluids and euthanasia was revised extensively. Providing artificial feeding and fluids and discussing euthanasia may be particularly sensitive topics, and guidance on these subjects needs careful consideration of ethical aspects and possible adaptations to local standards and practice. The findings may promote cross-national debate on sensitive, core issues regarding end-of-life care in dementia.

Experiences of the individual placement and support approach in persons with severe mental illness.

PubMed

Areberg, Cecilia; Björkman, Tommy; Bejerholm, Ulrika

2013-09-01

Across several research studies comparing the individual placement and support (IPS) approach to traditional vocational services, the approach has achieved employment outcomes superior to comparison conditions. However, to understand the efficacy of IPS, it is equally important to consider what is more or less effective as viewed by the IPS participants. To investigate participants' experiences of IPS participation and their experiences of receiving support from an employment specialist (ES). Interviews were conducted with 17 persons with severe mental illness. The interviews were subjected to qualitative content analysis. The principles of informed consent and the voluntary nature of participation were included as ethical considerations. Participation in IPS was associated with hope, meaning and an individualized support provided by the ES. The skills of the ES facilitated the relationship with the participant and the contact with the labour market. However, to make a change happen, everybody involved in IPS had to contribute. These findings have endorsed the guiding principles of IPS and emphasized the ES's role and skills during IPS as well as the participant's motivation. © 2012 The Authors. Scandinavian Journal of Caring Sciences © 2012 Nordic College of Caring Science.

GeoLab 2011: New Instruments and Operations Tested at Desert RATS

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Evans, Cindy A.; Calaway, M. J.; Bell, M. S.

2012-01-01

GeoLab is a geological laboratory and testbed designed for supporting geoscience activities during NASA's analog demonstrations. Scientists at NASA's Johnson Space Center built GeoLab as part of a technology project to aid the development of science operational concepts for future planetary surface missions [1, 2, 3]. It is integrated into NASA's Habitat Demonstration Unit, a first generation exploration habitat test article. As a prototype workstation, GeoLab provides a high fidelity working space for analog mission crewmembers to perform in-situ characterization of geologic samples and communicate their findings with supporting scientists. GeoLab analog operations can provide valuable data for assessing the operational and scientific considerations of surface-based geologic analyses such as preliminary examination of samples collected by astronaut crews [4, 5]. Our analog tests also feed into sample handling and advanced curation operational concepts and procedures that will, ultimately, help ensure that the most critical samples are collected during future exploration on a planetary surface, and aid decisions about sample prioritization, sample handling and return. Data from GeoLab operations also supports science planning during a mission by providing additional detailed geologic information to supporting scientists, helping them make informed decisions about strategies for subsequent sample collection opportunities.

Predictors of nursing faculty members' organizational commitment in governmental universities.

PubMed

Al-Hussami, Mahmoud; Saleh, Mohammad Y N; Abdalkader, Raghed Hussein; Mahadeen, Alia I

2011-05-01

It is essential for all university leaders to develop and maintain an effective programme of total quality management in a climate that promotes work satisfaction and employee support. The purpose of the study was to investigate the relationship of faculty members' organizational commitment to their job satisfaction, perceived organizational support, job autonomy, workload, and pay. A quantitative study, implementing a correlational research design to determine whether relationships existed between organizational commitment and job satisfaction, perceived organizational support, job autonomy, workload and pay. Stepwise linear regression analysis was used to estimate the probability of recorded variables included significant sample characteristics namely, age, experience and other work related attributes. The outcome showed a predictive model of three predictors which were significantly related to faculty members' commitment: job satisfaction, perceived support and age.   Although the findings were positive toward organizational commitment, continued consideration should be given to the fact that faculty members remain committed as the cost associated with leaving is high. A study of this nature increases the compartment in which faculty administrators monitor the work climate, observe and identify factors that may increase or decrease job satisfaction and the work commitment. © 2011 The Authors. Journal compilation © 2011 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Summaries of FY 1979 research in the chemical sciences

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

Not Available

1980-05-01

The purpose of this report is to help those interested in research supported by the Department of Energy's Division of Chemical Sciences, which is one of six Divisions of the Office of Basic Energy Sciences in the Office of Energy Research. Chemists, physicists, chemical engineers and others who are considering the possibility of proposing research for support by this Division wll find the booklet useful for gauging the scope of the program in basic research, and the relationship of their interests to the overall program. These smmaries are intended to provide a rapid means for becoming acquainted with the Chemicalmore » Sciences program for members of the scientific and technological public, and interested persons in the Legislative and Executive Branches of the Government, in order to indicate the areas of research supported by the Division and energy technologies which may be advanced by use of basic knowledge discovered in this program. Scientific excellence is a major criterion applied in the selection of research supported by Chemical Sciences. Another important consideration is the identifying of chemical, physical and chemical engineering subdisciplines which are advancing in ways which produce new information related to energy, needed data, or new ideas.« less

Peer learning partnerships: exploring the experience of pre-registration nursing students.

PubMed

Christiansen, Angela; Bell, Amelia

2010-03-01

This paper explores the impact of a peer learning initiative developed to facilitate, purposefully, mutually supportive learning relationships between student nurses in the practice setting. Finding effective strategies to support learning in the practice setting has been the focus of professional concern for a considerable time. In the UK clinical mentorship is seen as pivotal to ensuring fitness to practice; however, recent debate on the nature of learning has revealed the clinical workplace as a rich learning environment where learning occurs not only through hierarchical relationships, but also from a network of peer relationships. Formalising peer relationships through peer assisted learning is increasingly suggested as a strategy to support workplace learning and support novice students' transition to the clinical setting. Despite the developing literature in this field there is limited understanding about how students experience facilitated peer relationships. An interpretive qualitative design. Focus group interviews were used to collect interactive and situated discourse from nursing students who had recently participated in peer learning partnerships (n = 54). Narrative data were analysed thematically. Findings suggest that active support from a fellow student reduced the feelings of social isolation experienced by novice students in initial clinical placements, helping them to deal more effectively with the challenges faced and reducing the factors that have an impact on attrition. In addition, the reciprocity of the peer learning partnerships facilitated understanding of mentorship and created a heightened sense of readiness for registration and professional practice. Peer learning partnerships facilitated by mentors in clinical practice can support the transition to nursing for first year students and can help more experienced students gain a confidence and a heightened readiness for mentorship and registered practice. Facilitated peer learning partnerships can enhance the student experience in the practice setting and can help maximise opportunities for learning and support. This suggests that peer assisted learning is a legitimate area for innovation and further research.

A Qualitative Assessment of the Evidence Utilization for Health Policy-Making on the Basis of SUPPORT Tools in a Developing Country

PubMed Central

Hasan Imani-Nasab, Mohammad; Seyedin, Hesam; Yazdizadeh, Bahareh; Majdzadeh, Reza

2017-01-01

Background: SUPPORT tools consist of 18 articles addressing the health policy-makers so that they can learn how to make evidence-informed health policies. These tools have been particularly recommended for developing countries. The present study tries to explain the process of evidence utilization for developing policy documents in the Iranian Ministry of Health and Medical Education (MoHME) and to compare the findings with those of SUPPORT tools. Methods: A qualitative research was conducted, using the framework analysis approach. Participants consisted of senior managers and technicians in MoHME. Purposeful sampling was done, with a maximum variety, for the selection of research participants: individuals having at least 5 years of experience in preparing evidence-based policy documents. Face-to-face interviews were conducted for data collection. As a guideline for the interviews, ‘the Utilization of Evidence in Policy-Making Organizations’ procedure was used. The data were analyzed through the analysis of the framework method using MAXQDA 10 software. Results: The participants acquired the research evidence in a topic-based form, and they were less likely to search on the basis of the evidence pyramid. To assess the quality of evidence, they did not use standard critical tools; to adapt the evidence and interventions with the local setting, they did not use the ideas and experiences of all stakeholders, and in preparing the evidence-based policy documents, they did not take into consideration the window of opportunity, did not refrain from using highly technical terms, did not write user-friendly summaries, and did not present alternative policy options. In order to develop health policies, however, they used the following innovations: attention to the financial burden of policy issues on the agenda, sensitivity analysis of the preferred policy option on the basis of technical, sociopolitical, and economic feasibility, advocacy from other scholars, using the multi-criteria decision-making models for the prioritization of policy options, implementation of policy based on the degree of readiness of policy-implementing units, and the classification of policy documents on the basis of different conditions of policy-making (urgent, short-term, and long-term). Conclusion: Findings showed that the process of evidence utilization in IR-MoH enjoys some innovations for the support of health policy development. The present study provides IR-MoH with considerable opportunities for the improvement of evidence-informed health policy-making. Moreover, the SUPPORT process and tools are recommended to be used in developing countries. PMID:28812845

78 FR 34392 - Guidance for Industry and Food and Drug Administration Staff: Technical Considerations for Pen...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-06-07

...] Guidance for Industry and Food and Drug Administration Staff: Technical Considerations for Pen, Jet, and... availability of a final guidance document entitled ``Technical Considerations for Pen, Jet, and Related... developing information to support a marketing application for a pen, jet, or related injector device intended...

Posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms and attitudes about social support: Does shame matter?

PubMed

Dodson, Thomas S; Beck, J Gayle

2017-04-01

Considerable research has examined the association between posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms and social support. One facet of this relationship that deserves greater attention concerns trauma survivors' negative expectations towards social support, termed negative network orientation. To expand our understanding of negative network orientation, the current study examined shame as a possible mediator in the relationship between PTSD symptoms and negative network orientation, in a sample of 202 female survivors of intimate partner violence (IPV). Additionally, a history of child abuse (CA) was evaluated as a moderator of the association between shame and negative network orientation in this model. Path analyses indicated a significant indirect effect between PTSD symptoms and negative network orientation through shame, indicative of mediation. A history of CA moderated this effect, such that women with a history of CA in addition to IPV showed a significantly stronger relationship between PTSD symptoms and negative network orientation through shame, relative to women who only had a history of IPV. These findings support the relevance of shame in understanding the association between PTSD symptoms and negative beliefs about social support and highlight the role of childhood abuse as a moderator in this process among IPV survivors. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The role of Clinical Trial Units in investigator- and industry-initiated research projects.

PubMed

von Niederhäusern, Belinda; Fabbro, Thomas; Pauli-Magnus, Christiane

2015-01-01

Six multidisciplinary competence centres (Clinical Trial Units, CTUs) in Basel, Berne, Geneva, Lausanne, St. Gallen and Zurich provide professional support to clinical researchers in the planning, implementation, conduct and evaluation of clinical studies. Through their coordinated network, these units promote high-quality, nationally harmonised and internationally standardised clinical research conduct in Switzerland. We will describe why this network has been established, how it has been successful in stilling the growing need for clinical research support, which training and education opportunities it offers, and how it created national awareness for the still-existing hurdles towards clinical research excellence in Switzerland. Taking the CTU Basel as an example, we show that a considerable number (25%) of the studies submitted for regulatory approval in 2013 were supported by the CTU, decreasing the number of findings in ethics reviews by about one-third. We conclude that these achievements, together with a Swiss national funding model for clinical research, and improved national coordination, will be critical factors to successfully position Swiss clinical research at the international forefront.

Contributions of maltreatment and serotonin transporter genotype to depression in childhood, adolescence, and early adulthood.

PubMed

Cutuli, J J; Raby, K Lee; Cicchetti, Dante; Englund, Michelle M; Egeland, Byron

2013-07-01

Past findings on gene-by-environment (G×E) effects on depression have been mixed, leading to a debate of the plausibility of such mechanisms and methodological considerations that warrant attention. A developmental systems perspective postulates that complex, multi-level G×E effects are likely contributors to depression. Participants from families experiencing low-income status at birth were followed over 28 years. Maltreatment was recorded prospectively using multiple means and sources. Depression was measured repeatedly using well-validated interviews in middle childhood, through adolescence, and into adulthood. Findings support a G×E effect where the less efficient form of the promoter region of the serotonin transporter gene (5-HTTLPR) contributes to a vulnerability to depressogenic aspects of maltreatment in childhood and adolescence. The presence of less efficient forms of the 5-HTTLPR polymorphism and maltreatment together raised risk for depression. This G×E effect was present generally and also among those who reported clinical levels of depression at only one point in time. This study used a low-income sample which limits generalizability to other populations. Sample size and rates of different forms of depression and depression at individual developmental stages supported general analyses, but limited the sorts of specific sub-analyses that were possible. These findings support the plausibility of G×E effects on depression during childhood, adolescence, and early adulthood, key periods for the development of depression. Ongoing debates about the presence of G×E effects would be well served by additional work that was theoretically informed and employed prospective, longitudinal methodologies with well-validated measures of key constructs. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Dentistry students' perceptions of learning management systems.

PubMed

Handal, B; Groenlund, C; Gerzina, T

2010-02-01

This paper reports an exploratory survey study about students' perceptions of learning management systems (LMS) at the Faculty of Dentistry, University of Sydney. Two hundred and fifty-four students enrolled in the Bachelor of Dentistry and the Bachelor of Oral Health programmes participated in an online survey aimed at exploring their beliefs and attitudes as well as their preferences for eLearning tools. Results indicated a strong preference of students for using LMSs as resource repositories rather than for higher-order learning activities such as online discussion forums. This finding holds importance for consideration of the development of the educational resources modalities that support development of essential graduate attributes such as information literacy and collaborative learning.

Work-Related Intimate Partner Violence, Acculturation, and Socioeconomic Status Among Employed Mexican Men Enrolled in Batterer Intervention Programs.

PubMed

Galvez, Gino; Mankowski, Eric S; Glass, Nancy

2015-10-01

Intimate partner violence (IPV) has been shown to have considerable effects on women's employment and health. The purpose of this study was to examine work-related IPV, acculturation, and socioeconomic status (SES) among Latinos enrolled in batterer intervention programs. Findings indicate that 55% of men interfered with their partner's ability to get to their work, to do their work, and to maintain their job. Positive relationships between acculturation and work-related IPV were observed, and some support was found for a moderating role of SES. Implications for employers and for the conceptualization of violence against women in an employment context are discussed. © The Author(s) 2015.

Cultural differences in attitudes, values, and beliefs about osteoporosis in first and second generation Japanese-American women.

PubMed

Matsumoto, D; Pun, K K; Nakatani, M; Kadowaki, D; Weissman, M; McCarter, L; Fletcher, D; Takeuchi, S

1995-01-01

This study examines attitudinal differences related to osteoporosis between first and second generation Japanese-American women. In an interview, the women completed a battery of tests assessing their attitudes, values, and beliefs about the diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up care of osteoporosis. The groups differed in their general knowledge of osteoporosis, perceptions of the disease, attributions of its causes, anticipated and preferred support mechanisms for care, and anticipated areas of concern for self-or other-care. There were also considerable differences in treatment compliance and feelings toward physicians. The findings were discussed in relation to the effects of culture on health-care attitudes and behaviors.

Cultivating Sustainable and Authentic Service-Learning Partnerships in the Environmental Sciences

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ivanochko, Tara; Grain, Kari

2017-04-01

The two-term, community service-learning capstone course for Environmental Sciences at the University of British Columbia, Canada, aims to support both community and students using authentic science practice in service of the community. During the course development, we implemented a routine process for student and community feedback, instructor reflection and course revision. Drawing on data from 23 interviews and 9 focus groups collected over three years, findings from this study highlight ways that community partnerships can be sustained while students have an authentic science experience. Based on data collected from community partners, we highlight the key processes, challenges, successes, and practical considerations in the creation and sustainability of a scientifically robust service-learning course.

Factors to consider when reviewing and reconciling research findings: Methodological, statistical and theoretical.

PubMed

Robinson, Sally J

2017-11-07

Neuroscience is a rapidly evolving interdisciplinary field that is changing the way research is conducted and theories are developed. However, variability between studies and apparently discrepant findings may contribute to difficulties identifying commonalities that can help inform and enhance clinical practice. This article presents a framework to consider when reviewing neuropsychological studies, such that apparent discrepancies in findings may be considered in unison to provide informed theoretical understanding. For illustrative purposes, the article considers the studies of Vargha-Khadem, Salmond, Friston, Gadian, and Mishkin ( 2003 ) and Beauchamp et al. ( 2008 ), which report contrasting memory deficits during development in association with apparently similar bilateral hippocampal damage. The importance of reflecting on participant characteristics, methodological approaches, statistical analysis, and the interpretative value placed on selective test findings are discussed. Factors such as functional brain development, relationships between apparently "typical" functioning and underlying neural structures and networks, the limits of plasticity on the developing cognitive system and clinical implications are also considered. Thus, this article provides a structure that can be applied when reviewing neuropsychological studies and evaluating research inconsistencies, with consideration of the need for greater collaboration between neuroscientists and clinicians to support the development of translational research with real life implications.

Community-Centered Responses to Ebola in Urban Liberia: The View from Below

PubMed Central

Abramowitz, Sharon Alane; McLean, Kristen E.; McKune, Sarah Lindley; Bardosh, Kevin Louis; Fallah, Mosoka; Monger, Josephine; Tehoungue, Kodjo; Omidian, Patricia A.

2015-01-01

Background The West African Ebola epidemic has demonstrated that the existing range of medical and epidemiological responses to emerging disease outbreaks is insufficient, especially in post-conflict contexts with exceedingly poor healthcare infrastructures. In this context, community-based responses have proven vital for containing Ebola virus disease (EVD) and shifting the epidemic curve. Despite a surge in interest in local innovations that effectively contained the epidemic, the mechanisms for community-based response remain unclear. This study provides baseline information on community-based epidemic control priorities and identifies innovative local strategies for containing EVD in Liberia. Methodology/Principal Findings This study was conducted in September 2014 in 15 communities in Monrovia and Montserrado County, Liberia – one of the epicenters of the Ebola outbreak. Findings from 15 focus group discussions with 386 community leaders identified strategies being undertaken and recommendations for what a community-based response to Ebola should look like under then-existing conditions. Data were collected on the following topics: prevention, surveillance, care-giving, community-based treatment and support, networks and hotlines, response teams, Ebola treatment units (ETUs) and hospitals, the management of corpses, quarantine and isolation, orphans, memorialization, and the need for community-based training and education. Findings have been presented as community-based strategies and recommendations for (1) prevention, (2) treatment and response, and (3) community sequelae and recovery. Several models for community-based management of the current Ebola outbreak were proposed. Additional findings indicate positive attitudes towards early Ebola survivors, and the need for community-based psychosocial support. Conclusions/Significance Local communities’ strategies and recommendations give insight into how urban Liberian communities contained the EVD outbreak while navigating the systemic failures of the initial state and international response. Communities in urban Liberia adapted to the epidemic using multiple coping strategies. In the absence of health, infrastructural and material supports, local people engaged in self-reliance in order to contain the epidemic at the micro-social level. These innovations were regarded as necessary, but as less desirable than a well-supported health-systems based response; and were seen as involving considerable individual, social, and public health costs, including heightened vulnerability to infection. PMID:25856072

What adaptation to research is needed following crises: a comparative, qualitative study of the health workforce in Sierra Leone and Nepal.

PubMed

Raven, Joanna; Baral, Sushil; Wurie, Haja; Witter, Sophie; Samai, Mohamed; Paudel, Pravin; Subedi, Hom Nath; Martineau, Tim; Elsey, Helen; Theobald, Sally

2018-02-07

Health workers are critical to the performance of health systems; yet, evidence about their coping strategies and support needs during and post crisis is lacking. There is very limited discussion about how research teams should respond when unexpected crises occur during on-going research. This paper critically presents the approaches and findings of two health systems research projects that explored and evaluated health worker performance and were adapted during crises, and provides lessons learnt on re-orientating research when the unexpected occurs. Health systems research was adapted post crisis to assess health workers' experiences and coping strategies. Qualitative in-depth interviews were conducted with 14 health workers in a heavily affected earthquake district in Nepal and 25 frontline health workers in four districts in Ebola-affected Sierra Leone. All data were transcribed and analysed using the framework approach, which included developing coding frameworks for each study, applying the frameworks, developing charts and describing the themes. A second layer of analysis included analysis across the two contexts, whereas a third layer involved the research teams reflecting on the approaches used to adapt the research during these crises and what was learned as individuals and research teams. In Sierra Leone, health workers were heavily stigmatised by the epidemic, leading to a breakdown of trust. Coping strategies included finding renewed purpose in continuing to serve their community, peer and family support (in some cases), and religion. In Nepal, individual determination, a sense of responsibility to the community and professional duty compelled staff to stay or return to their workplace. The research teams had trusting relationships with policy-makers and practitioners, which brought credibility and legitimacy to the change of research direction as well as the relationships to maximise the opportunity for findings to inform practice. In both contexts, health workers demonstrated considerable resilience in continuing to provide services despite limited support. Embedded researchers and institutions are arguably best placed to navigate emerging ethical and social justice challenges and are strategically positioned to support the co-production of knowledge and ensure research findings have impact.

Issues in localization of brain function: The case of lateralized frontal cortex in cognition, emotion, and psychopathology.

PubMed

Miller, Gregory A; Crocker, Laura D; Spielberg, Jeffrey M; Infantolino, Zachary P; Heller, Wendy

2013-01-01

The appeal of simple, sweeping portraits of large-scale brain mechanisms relevant to psychological phenomena competes with a rich, complex research base. As a prominent example, two views of frontal brain organization have emphasized dichotomous lateralization as a function of either emotional valence (positive/negative) or approach/avoidance motivation. Compelling findings support each. The literature has struggled to choose between them for three decades, without success. Both views are proving untenable as comprehensive models. Evidence of other frontal lateralizations, involving distinctions among dimensions of depression and anxiety, make a dichotomous view even more problematic. Recent evidence indicates that positive valence and approach motivation are associated with different areas in the left-hemisphere. Findings that appear contradictory at the level of frontal lobes as the units of analysis can be accommodated because hemodynamic and electromagnetic neuroimaging studies suggest considerable functional differentiation, in specialization and activation, of subregions of frontal cortex, including their connectivity to each other and to other regions. Such findings contribute to a more nuanced understanding of functional localization that accommodates aspects of multiple theoretical perspectives.

Issues in localization of brain function: The case of lateralized frontal cortex in cognition, emotion, and psychopathology

PubMed Central

Miller, Gregory A.; Crocker, Laura D.; Spielberg, Jeffrey M.; Infantolino, Zachary P.; Heller, Wendy

2013-01-01

The appeal of simple, sweeping portraits of large-scale brain mechanisms relevant to psychological phenomena competes with a rich, complex research base. As a prominent example, two views of frontal brain organization have emphasized dichotomous lateralization as a function of either emotional valence (positive/negative) or approach/avoidance motivation. Compelling findings support each. The literature has struggled to choose between them for three decades, without success. Both views are proving untenable as comprehensive models. Evidence of other frontal lateralizations, involving distinctions among dimensions of depression and anxiety, make a dichotomous view even more problematic. Recent evidence indicates that positive valence and approach motivation are associated with different areas in the left-hemisphere. Findings that appear contradictory at the level of frontal lobes as the units of analysis can be accommodated because hemodynamic and electromagnetic neuroimaging studies suggest considerable functional differentiation, in specialization and activation, of subregions of frontal cortex, including their connectivity to each other and to other regions. Such findings contribute to a more nuanced understanding of functional localization that accommodates aspects of multiple theoretical perspectives. PMID:23386814

Genetics of antipsychotic-induced weight gain: update and current perspectives.

PubMed

Kao, Amy C C; Müller, Daniel J

2013-12-01

Antipsychotic medications are used to effectively treat various symptoms for different psychiatric conditions. Unfortunately, antipsychotic-induced weight gain (AIWG) is a common side effect that frequently results in obesity and secondary medical conditions. Twin and sibling studies have indicated that genetic factors are likely to be highly involved in AIWG. Over recent years, there has been considerable progress in this area, with several consistently replicated findings, as well as the identification of new genes and implicated pathways. Here, we will review the most recent genetic studies related to AIWG using the Medline database (PubMed) and Google Scholar. Among the steadiest findings associated with AIWG are serotonin 2C receptors (HTR2C) and leptin promoter gene variants, with more recent studies implicating MTHFR and, in particular, MC4R genes. Additional support was reported for the HRH1, BDNF, NPY, CNR1, GHRL, FTO and AMPK genes. Notably, some of the reported variants appear to have relatively large effect sizes. These findings have provided insights into the mechanisms involved in AIWG and will help to develop predictive genetic tests in the near future.

Architectural Considerations for Highly Scalable Computing to Support On-demand Video Analytics

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-04-19

enforcement . The system was tested in the wild using video files as well as a commercial Video Management System supporting more than 100 surveillance...research were used to implement a distributed on-demand video analytics system that was prototyped for the use of forensics investigators in law...cameras as video sources. The architectural considerations of this system are presented. Issues to be reckoned with in implementing a scalable

75 FR 9493 - Commission Statement in Support of Convergence and Global Accounting Standards

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-03-02

...The Securities and Exchange Commission (the ``Commission'') is publishing this statement to provide an update regarding its consideration of global accounting standards, including its continued support for the convergence of U.S. Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (``U.S. GAAP'') and International Financial Reporting Standards (``IFRS'') and the implications of convergence with respect to the Commission's ongoing consideration of incorporating IFRS into the financial reporting system for U.S. issuers.

Thinking Together: Modeling Clinical Decision-Support as a Sociotechnical System

PubMed Central

Hussain, Mustafa I.; Reynolds, Tera L.; Mousavi, Fatemeh E.; Chen, Yunan; Zheng, Kai

2017-01-01

Computerized clinical decision-support systems are members of larger sociotechnical systems, composed of human and automated actors, who send, receive, and manipulate artifacts. Sociotechnical consideration is rare in the literature. This makes it difficult to comparatively evaluate the success of CDS implementations, and it may also indicate that sociotechnical context receives inadequate consideration in practice. To facilitate sociotechnical consideration, we developed the Thinking Together model, a flexible diagrammatical means of representing CDS systems as sociotechnical systems. To develop this model, we examined the literature with the lens of Distributed Cognition (DCog) theory. We then present two case studies of vastly different CDSSs, one almost fully automated and the other with minimal automation, to illustrate the flexibility of the Thinking Together model. We show that this model, informed by DCog and the CDS literature, are capable of supporting both research, by enabling comparative evaluation, and practice, by facilitating explicit sociotechnical planning and communication. PMID:29854164

Phonon-interface scattering in multilayer graphene on an amorphous support

PubMed Central

Sadeghi, Mir Mohammad; Jo, Insun; Shi, Li

2013-01-01

The recent studies of thermal transport in suspended, supported, and encased graphene just began to uncover the richness of two-dimensional phonon physics, which is relevant to the performance and reliability of graphene-based functional materials and devices. Among the outstanding questions are the exact causes of the suppressed basal-plane thermal conductivity measured in graphene in contact with an amorphous material, and the layer thickness needed for supported or embedded multilayer graphene (MLG) to recover the high thermal conductivity of graphite. Here we use sensitive in-plane thermal transport measurements of graphene samples on amorphous silicon dioxide to show that full recovery to the thermal conductivity of the natural graphite source has yet to occur even after the MLG thickness is increased to 34 layers, considerably thicker than previously thought. This seemingly surprising finding is explained by long intrinsic scattering mean free paths of phonons in graphite along both basal-plane and cross-plane directions, as well as partially diffuse scattering of MLG phonons by the MLG-amorphous support interface, which is treated by an interface scattering model developed for highly anisotropic materials. Based on the phonon transmission coefficient calculated from reported experimental thermal interface conductance results, phonons emerging from the interface consist of a large component that is scattered across the interface, making rational choice of the support materials a potential approach to increasing the thermal conductivity of supported MLG. PMID:24067656

An Empirical Review of the Neural Underpinnings of Receiving and Giving Social Support: Implications for Health

PubMed Central

Eisenberger, Naomi I.

2013-01-01

Decades of research have demonstrated strong links between social ties and health. Although considerable evidence has shown that social support can attenuate downstream physiological stress responses that are relevant to health, the neurocognitive mechanisms that translate perceptions of social ties into altered physiological responses are still not fully understood. This review integrates research from social and affective neuroscience to illuminate some of the neural mechanisms involved in social support processes, which may further our understanding of the ways in which social support influence health. This review focuses on two types of social support that have been shown to relate to health: receiving and giving social support. As the neural basis of receiving support, this article reviews the hypothesis that receiving support may benefit health through the activation of neural regions that respond to safety and inhibit threat-related neural and physiological responding. This article will then review neuroimaging studies in which subjects were primed with or received support during a negative experience as well as studies in which self-reports of perceived support were correlated with neural responses to a negative experience. As the neural basis of giving support, this article reviews the hypothesis that neural regions involved in maternal caregiving behavior may be critical for the health benefits of support-giving through the inhibition of threat-related neural and physiological responding. Neuroimaging studies in which subjects provided support to others or engaged in other related forms of prosocial behavior will then be reviewed. Implications of these findings for furthering our understanding of the relationships between social support and health are discussed. PMID:23804014

Test plan : I-40 TTIS focus groups and personal interview

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1976-04-01

This provides specific design recommendations, design considerations, and construction techniques for the construction of lateral support systems and underpinning. The design considerations are presented for each technique or method (solider piles, s...

Nutrient Considerations for Plants Grown Under Space Flight Conditions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Levine, Howard G.; Krikorian, Abraham D.

2006-01-01

We present here results on the analysis of 100 mL medium samples extracted from sterilized foam (Smithers-Oasis, Kent OH) used to support the growth of both dicotyledonous (Haplopappus gracilis, n=75) and monocotyledonous (Hemerocallis cv Autumn Blaze, n=25) aseptic plants in NASA's Plant Growth Unit (PGU) during the 5-day CHROMEX-01 Space Shuttle flight (March 1989, STS-29). At recovery, the medium remaining within each of the five floral foam blocks (for both the space flight and ground control experiments) was extracted under vacuum, filtered and subjected to elemental analyses. Concentration levels of some elements remained the same, while some decreased and others increased. A unique aspect of this experiment was that all plants were either aseptic tissue culture generated plantlets or sterile seedling clones, and the design of the PGU facilitated the maintenance of asepsis throughout the mission (confirmed by postflight microbial sampling). This permitted the elimination of microbial considerations in the interpretation of the data. The significance of these findings for growing plants in altered gravity environments are discussed.

Turbulent transport regimes and the SOL heat flux width

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Myra, J. R.; D'Ippolito, D. A.; Russell, D. A.

2014-10-01

Understanding the responsible mechanisms and resulting scaling of the scrape-off layer (SOL) heat flux width is important for predicting viable operating regimes in future tokamaks, and for seeking possible mitigation schemes. Simulation and theory results using reduced edge/SOL turbulence models have produced SOL widths and scalings in reasonable accord with experiments in many cases. In this work, we attempt to qualitatively and conceptually understand various regimes of edge/SOL turbulence and the role of turbulent transport in establishing the SOL heat flux width. Relevant considerations include the type and spectral characteristics of underlying instabilities, the location of the gradient drive relative to the SOL, the nonlinear saturation mechanism, and the parallel heat transport regime. Recent SOLT turbulence code results are employed to understand the roles of these considerations and to develop analytical scalings. We find a heat flux width scaling with major radius R that is generally positive, consistent with older results reviewed in. The possible relationship of turbulence mechanisms to the heuristic drift mechanism is considered, together with implications for future experiments. Work supported by US DOE grant DE-FG02-97ER54392.

Challenges and gaps for energy planning models in the developing-world context

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Debnath, Kumar Biswajit; Mourshed, Monjur

2018-03-01

Energy planning models (EPMs) support multi-criteria assessments of the impact of energy policies on the economy and environment. Most EPMs originated in developed countries and are primarily aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions while enhancing energy security. In contrast, most, if not all, developing countries are predominantly concerned with increasing energy access. Here, we review thirty-four widely used EPMs to investigate their applicability to developing countries and find an absence of consideration of the objectives, challenges, and nuances of the developing context. Key deficiencies arise from the lack of deliberation of the low energy demand resulting from lack of access and availability of supply. Other inadequacies include the lack of consideration of socio-economic nuances such as the prevalence of corruption and resulting cost inflation, the methods for adequately addressing the shortcomings in data quality, availability and adequacy, and the effects of climate change. We argue for further research on characterization and modelling of suppressed demand, climate change impacts, and socio-political feedback in developing countries, and the development of contextual EPMs.

Effect of photodynamic therapy on mouse platelets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhou, Chuannong; Chi, Shunji; Deng, Jinsheng; Zhang, Hua; Liang, Junlin; Ha, Xian-wen

1993-03-01

Normal mice received hematoporphyrin derivative (10 mg/kg iv) immediately, 24 or 48 hrs prior to red light irradiation. The blood was collected and the platelet-rich plasma was irradiated by red light (100 J/cm2). The platelets were fixed immediately, 8 or 16 hrs after irradiation, and processed for EM examination. In comparison with those of control mice, the platelets of all experimental mice showed structural changes: 16 hrs after irradiation all platelets were necrotized; 8 hrs after irradiation almost one fourth of the platelets were necrotized and the remaining were considerably damaged; immediately after irradiation a small number of platelets became necrotic and most other platelets were swollen and deformed, often with many cytoplasmic projections and considerable dilatation of the canalicular membrane system. Our findings provided a clear evidence that platelets are highly sensitive to PDT action and can be directly and rapidly injured by PDT even in the absence of vascular endothelial cells. Our results give firm support to the hypothesis that both endothelial cells and platelets may play an important role in the initiation of early vascular damage and microcirculatory alterations induced by PDT in vivo.

VA's expansion of supportive housing: successes and challenges on the path toward Housing First.

PubMed

Austin, Erika Laine; Pollio, David E; Holmes, Sally; Schumacher, Joseph; White, Bert; Lukas, Carol Vandeusen; Kertesz, Stefan

2014-05-01

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is transitioning to a Housing First approach to placement of veterans in permanent supportive housing through the use of rental vouchers, an ambitious organizational transformation. This qualitative study examined the experiences of eight VA facilities undertaking this endeavor in 2012. A multidisciplinary team interviewed facility leadership, midlevel managers, and frontline staff (N=95 individuals) at eight VA facilities representing four U.S. regions. The team used a semistructured interview protocol and the constant comparative method to explore how individuals throughout the organizations experienced and responded to the challenges of transitioning to a Housing First approach. Frontline staff faced challenges in rapidly housing homeless veterans because of difficult rental markets, the need to coordinate with local public housing authorities, and a lack of available funds for move-in costs. Staff sought to balance their time spent on housing activities with intensive case management of highly vulnerable veterans. Finding low-demand sheltering options (that is, no expectations regarding sobriety or treatment participation, as in the Housing First model) for veterans waiting for housing presented a significant challenge to implementation of Housing First. Facility leadership supported Housing First implementation through resource allocation, performance monitoring, and reliance on midlevel managers to understand and meet the challenges of implementation. The findings highlight the considerable practical challenges and innovative solutions arising from a large-scale effort to implement Housing First, with particular attention to the experiences of individuals at all levels within an organization.

Pan-London tuberculosis services: a service evaluation

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background London has the largest proportion of tuberculosis (TB) cases of any western European capital, with almost half of new cases drug-resistant. Prevalence varies considerably between and within boroughs with research suggesting inadequate control of TB transmission in London. Economic pressures may exacerbate the already considerable challenges for service organisation and delivery within this context. This paper presents selected findings from an evaluation of London’s TB services’ organisation, delivery, professional workforce and skill mix, intended to support development of a strategic framework for a pan-London TB service. These may also interest health service professionals and managers in TB services in the UK, other European cities and countries and in services currently delivered by multiple providers operating independently. Methods Objectives were: 1) To establish how London’s TB services are structured and delivered in relation to leadership, management, organisation and delivery, coordination, staffing and support; 2) To identify tools/models for calculating skill mix as a basis for identifying skill mix requirements in delivering TB services across London; 3) To inform a strategic framework for the delivery of a pan-London TB service, which may be applicable to other European cities. The multi-method service audit evaluation comprised documentary analysis, semi-structured interviews with TB service users (n = 10), lead TB health professionals and managers (n = 13) representing London’s five sectors and focus groups with TB nurses (n = 8) and non-London network professionals (n = 2). Results Findings showed TB services to be mainly hospital-based, with fewer community-based services. Documentary analysis and professionals’ interviews suggested difficulties with early access to services, low suspicion index amongst some GPs and restricted referral routes. Interviews indicated lack of managed accommodation for difficult to treat patients, professional workforce shortages, a need for strategic leadership, nurse-led clinics and structured career paths for TB nurses and few social care/outreach workers to support patients with complex needs. Conclusions This paper has identified key issues relating to London’s TB services’ organisation, delivery, professional workforce and skill mix. The majority of these present challenges which need to be addressed as part of the future development of a strategic framework for a pan-London TB service. More consistent strategic planning/co-ordination and sharing of best practice is needed, together with a review of pan-London TB workforce development strategy, encompassing changing professional roles, skills development needs and patient pathways. These findings may be relevant with the development of TB services in other European cities. PMID:22805234

Lessons from UK Digitization research

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ross, Eamon T.

2002-08-01

The paper describes the findings and approach of Ex NEAR HORIZONS, which as part of a series of trials, aimed to explore the performance characteristics and potential operational benefits of a number of technology inserts for the UK Digitization Programme. Although the exercise contained 5 discrete options (hypotheses) for improvement in Command, Control, Communications, Computing and Information (C4I) this paper explores only two of these: a web-based approach and the provision of technology to support distributed and co-located collaborative team working. Despite the commercial world moving towards an information exchange model based on publish and subscribe, the trial found that, although the concept was well received, the implications for changes in organsiation and process were substantial. When working collaboratively in a distributed environment, the findings indicate difficulties in gaining an initial shared understanding of the situation and to exercise command. The participants were a wide range of regular British Army Officers, not only to provide broad views on current military benefits but also to move away from the traditional trials, which tend to expose a single HQ, with prescriptive processes and organizations to the technology. The innovative trial was considered to have been very successful, gathering a considerable body of valuable data and identifying clear paths for exploitation of information technologies to support the military decision- maker. The paper extrapolates the findings of the trial to provide comment on the potential difficulties facing the concept of Network Centric Warfare.

Human Health Effects of Biphenyl: Key Findings and Scientific Issues.

PubMed

Li, Zheng; Hogan, Karen A; Cai, Christine; Rieth, Susan

2016-06-01

In support of the Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS), the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has evaluated the human health hazards of biphenyl exposure. We review key findings and scientific issues regarding expected human health effects of biphenyl. Scientific literature from 1926 through September 2012 was critically evaluated to identify potential human health hazards associated with biphenyl exposure. Key issues related to the carcinogenicity and noncancer health hazards of biphenyl were examined based on evidence from experimental animal bioassays and mechanistic studies. Systematic consideration of experimental animal studies of oral biphenyl exposure took into account the variety of study designs (e.g., study sizes, exposure levels, and exposure durations) to reconcile differing reported results. The available mechanistic and toxicokinetic evidence supports the hypothesis that male rat urinary bladder tumors arise through urinary bladder calculi formation but is insufficient to hypothesize a mode of action for liver tumors in female mice. Biphenyl and its metabolites may induce genetic damage, but a role for genotoxicity in biphenyl-induced carcinogenicity has not been established. The available health effects data for biphenyl provides suggestive evidence for carcinogenicity in humans, based on increased incidences of male rat urinary bladder tumors at high exposure levels and on female mouse liver tumors. Kidney toxicity is also a potential human health hazard of biphenyl exposure. Li Z, Hogan KA, Cai C, Rieth S. 2016. Human health effects of biphenyl: key findings and scientific issues. Environ Health Perspect 124:703-712; http://dx.doi.org/10.1289/ehp.1509730.

The Women’S Perceptions About Unwanted Pregnancy: A Qualitative Study in Iran

PubMed Central

Akbarzadeh, Marzieh; Yazdanpanahi, Zahra; Zarshenas, Ladan; Sharif, Farkhondeh

2016-01-01

Background: Unwanted pregnancy has affected different aspects of our life. Researchers point out if a child’s birth is unwanted, an increase in maternal issues can be observed. The aim of this study was to describe the women’s viewpoints regarding unwanted pregnancy. Method: This qualitative study using content analysis was employed in Shiraz University in 2013-2014. 20 women with unwanted pregnancy were chosen using purposeful sampling. Data were gathered through semi-structured interviews and trustworthiness of them was evaluated. Results: Findings of this study, according to the participants’ experience, revealed maternal emotions like embarrassment for getting pregnant, mother’s own negative affection, concerns about missing family and other children, and terminating the pregnancy through illegal abortion, the husband’s disagreement about the termination, blaming themselves for thinking about abortion or illegal abortion, and concern about their guilt feeling. Another finding was family problems like husband’s behavior and his negative outlook towards his child and fetus. The next category belonged to anxiety about the future of their child, including economic, social and relational problems, and suppression of the children’s logical expectations. The last finding was the lack of maternal emotional support. Conclusions: Unwanted pregnancy’s effects on the mothers and infants’ health are considerable. A closer observation by family and health care providers for unwanted pregnancies and its results is recommended; therefore, they should be taken care of as high risk pregnancies, requiring family support. PMID:26652070

Neonatal response to control of noise inside the incubator.

PubMed

Johnson, A N

2001-01-01

The purpose of this study was to test the effect of acoustical foam on the level of noise inside the incubator and examine neonatal response behaviors to changes in environmental noise. The study used a repeated measure, within subject, comparative design. Data on 65 premature neonates were collected over a 14-month period at a large teaching hospital in Delaware. Sound levels, oxygen saturation, and infant states were measured and recorded during three study conditions: pre-study neonate in incubator, neonate in incubator with 5 x 5 x 1 inch acoustical foam pieces placed in each of four corners, and post-study recovery of neonate in incubator with foam removed. All state assessments were measured with oxygen saturation and sound level measurements every 2 minutes of the study for a total 40 minutes. The findings demonstrate a significant treatment effect of acoustical foam on decreasing environmental noise measurements inside the incubator (p = 0.006). Findings also demonstrate significantly changed neonatal state response behaviors with decreasing environmental noise measurements inside the incubator (p = 0.00). The results of this study support the use of acoustical foam as one method of environmental noise management in the intensive care nursery. Because there was a significant correlation between higher noise levels and oxygen support therapy, the findings suggest that special nursing considerations should be taken when caring for ventilator-dependent infants. Noise control protocols should focus on essential environmental interventions for care of these infants.

Health Technology Assessment, International Reference Pricing, and Budget Control Tools from China's Perspective: What Are the Current Developments and Future Considerations?

PubMed

Koh, Liling; Glaetzer, Christoph; Chuen Li, Shu; Zhang, Meng

2016-05-01

China is investing considerably in health care reforms to address issues in its health care system. An example is access to innovative drugs, which remains challenging because it is largely dependent on patient self-pay. Recognizing this, the government has invested considerably in its basic medical insurance. As health care expenditure increases, there are growing concerns on budget control. Several health policy tools have been discussed recently such as health technology assessment, international reference pricing, and hospital budget control tools, which can be viewed as addressing the affordability concerns of the government budget. China has also listed her health outcomes goals in "Healthy China 2020" initiative. This article aimed to discuss the "fit-for-purpose" of these tools to address budget concerns and support China in reaching her health outcomes goals. The findings are informed by a panel discussion at ISPOR Asia Pacific 2014, literature review, and authors' experience. This review looks at the current developments in China and the considerations and implications for using these tools by drawing experiences from countries where they are used. These tools are generally used in countries with advanced health care systems. China's health care spending is still below that of countries with advanced health care systems and below World Health Organization recommendation. China has not yet reached the "critical mass" necessary for the effective use of these tools. As China continues its health care reforms, increase in health care spending to balance the health needs of the population would be key. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Construct validity of the Beck Hopelessness Scale (BHS) among university students: A multitrait-multimethod approach.

PubMed

Boduszek, Daniel; Dhingra, Katie

2016-10-01

There is considerable debate about the underlying factor structure of the Beck Hopelessness Scale (BHS) in the literature. An established view is that it reflects a unitary or bidimensional construct in nonclinical samples. There are, however, reasons to reconsider this conceptualization. Based on previous factor analytic findings from both clinical and nonclinical studies, the aim of the present study was to compare 16 competing models of the BHS in a large university student sample (N = 1, 733). Sixteen distinct factor models were specified and tested using conventional confirmatory factor analytic techniques, along with confirmatory bifactor modeling. A 3-factor solution with 2 method effects (i.e., a multitrait-multimethod model) provided the best fit to the data. The reliability of this conceptualization was supported by McDonald's coefficient omega and the differential relationships exhibited between the 3 hopelessness factors ("feelings about the future," "loss of motivation," and "future expectations") and measures of goal disengagement, brooding rumination, suicide ideation, and suicide attempt history. The results provide statistical support for a 3-trait and 2-method factor model, and hence the 3 dimensions of hopelessness theorized by Beck. The theoretical and methodological implications of these findings are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

Environmental Control and Life Support (ECLS) Hardware Commonality for Exploration Vehicles

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Carrasquillo, Robyn; Anderson, Molly

2012-01-01

In August 2011, the Environmental Control and Life Support Systems (ECLSS) technical community, along with associated stakeholders, held a workshop to review NASA s plans for Exploration missions and vehicles with two objectives: revisit the Exploration Atmospheres Working Group (EAWG) findings from 2006, and discuss preliminary ECLSS architecture concepts and technology choices for Exploration vehicles, identifying areas for potential common hardware or technologies to be utilized. Key considerations for selection of vehicle design total pressure and percent oxygen include operational concepts for extravehicular activity (EVA) and prebreathe protocols, materials flammability, and controllability within pressure and oxygen ranges. New data for these areas since the 2006 study were presented and discussed, and the community reached consensus on conclusions and recommendations for target design pressures for each Exploration vehicle concept. For the commonality study, the workshop identified many areas of potential commonality across the Exploration vehicles as well as with heritage International Space Station (ISS) and Shuttle hardware. Of the 36 ECLSS functions reviewed, 16 were considered to have strong potential for commonality, 13 were considered to have some potential commonality, and 7 were considered to have limited potential for commonality due to unique requirements or lack of sufficient heritage hardware. These findings, which will be utilized in architecture studies and budget exercises going forward, are presented in detail.

Virtual users support forum: do community members really want to help you?

PubMed

Gabbiadini, Alessandro; Mari, Silvia; Volpato, Chiara

2013-04-01

The survival of a virtual community is guaranteed by the users' creation of content. However, the literature has found that the percentage of users who create innovative content is very modest. The content contribution process can also be interpreted as a social collective action in which we-intentions play a primary role. Nevertheless, some people choose not to participate in the collective action, but to benefit from the community's resources and to maximize individual outcomes. In this study (N=250), we investigated the effects of the free-riding tendency, conceived as the willingness to maximize personal outcomes. The specific setting was a virtual support forum, the most common type of web platform, generally used instrumentally by web users to find information and solutions to specific problems. We used the theory of planned behavior theoretical framework, plus social influence variables to test the effect of the free-riding tendency as a drawback for contributions, considering both the role of individual and we-intentions on the observed behavior. Findings showed that neither we-intentions nor I-intentions predicted the actual contribution behavior. Both types of intentions and contribution behavior were negatively influenced only by the free-riding tendency construct. Considerations and future developments of these results are discussed.

Development and initial evaluation of Transdiagnostic Behavior Therapy (TBT) for veterans with affective disorders.

PubMed

Gros, Daniel F

2014-12-15

Considerable attention has focused on the growing need for evidence-based psychotherapy for veterans with affective disorders within the Department of Veteran Affairs. Despite, and possibly due to, the large number of evidence-based protocols available, several obstacles remain in their widespread delivery within Veterans Affairs Medical Centers. In part as an effort to address these concerns, newer transdiagnostic approaches to psychotherapy have been developed to provide a single treatment that is capable of addressing several, related disorders. The goal of the present investigation was to develop and evaluate a transdiagnostic psychotherapy, Transdiagnostic Behavior Therapy (TBT), in veterans with affective disorders. Study 1 provided initial support for transdiagnostic presentation of evidence-based psychotherapy components in veterans with principal diagnoses of affective disorders (n=15). These findings were used to inform the development of the TBT protocol. In Study 2, an initial evaluation of TBT was completed in a second sample of veterans with principal diagnoses of affective disorders (n=29). The findings of Study 2 demonstrated significant improvements in symptoms of depression, anxiety, stress, posttraumatic stress, and related impairment across participants with various principal diagnoses. Together, the investigation provided preliminary support for effectiveness of TBT in veterans with affective disorders. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd.

Cumulative meta-analysis: a new tool for detection of temporal trends and publication bias in ecology.

PubMed Central

Leimu, Roosa; Koricheva, Julia

2004-01-01

Temporal changes in the magnitude of research findings have recently been recognized as a general phenomenon in ecology, and have been attributed to the delayed publication of non-significant results and disconfirming evidence. Here we introduce a method of cumulative meta-analysis which allows detection of both temporal trends and publication bias in the ecological literature. To illustrate the application of the method, we used two datasets from recently conducted meta-analyses of studies testing two plant defence theories. Our results revealed three phases in the evolution of the treatment effects. Early studies strongly supported the hypothesis tested, but the magnitude of the effect decreased considerably in later studies. In the latest studies, a trend towards an increase in effect size was observed. In one of the datasets, a cumulative meta-analysis revealed publication bias against studies reporting disconfirming evidence; such studies were published in journals with a lower impact factor compared to studies with results supporting the hypothesis tested. Correlation analysis revealed neither temporal trends nor evidence of publication bias in the datasets analysed. We thus suggest that cumulative meta-analysis should be used as a visual aid to detect temporal trends and publication bias in research findings in ecology in addition to the correlative approach. PMID:15347521

Individual differences in the benefits of feedback for learning.

PubMed

Kelley, Christopher M; McLaughlin, Anne Collins

2012-02-01

Research on learning from feedback has produced ambiguous guidelines for feedback design--some have advocated minimal feedback, whereas others have recommended more extensive feedback that highly supported performance. The objective of the current study was to investigate how individual differences in cognitive resources may predict feedback requirements and resolve previous conflicted findings. Cognitive resources were controlled for by comparing samples from populations with known differences, older and younger adults.To control for task demands, a simple rule-based learning task was created in which participants learned to identify fake Windows pop-ups. Pop-ups were divided into two categories--those that required fluid ability to identify and those that could be identified using crystallized intelligence. In general, results showed participants given higher feedback learned more. However, when analyzed by type of task demand, younger adults performed comparably with both levels of feedback for both cues whereas older adults benefited from increased feedbackfor fluid ability cues but from decreased feedback for crystallized ability cues. One explanation for the current findings is feedback requirements are connected to the cognitive abilities of the learner-those with higher abilities for the type of demands imposed by the task are likely to benefit from reduced feedback. We suggest the following considerations for feedback design: Incorporate learner characteristics and task demands when designing learning support via feedback.

Parenthood, information and support on the internet. A literature review of research on parents and professionals online

PubMed Central

Plantin, Lars; Daneback, Kristian

2009-01-01

Background The aim of this article was to address questions on how parents use the internet to find information and support regarding children, health and family life. Another aim was to find out how professionals use the internet to provide support and information to parents. This was done by a literature review. Methods Articles were searched for in five databases with a search strategy called "building block" approach. Results The review showed that the majority of today's parents search for both information and social support on the internet. However, there are considerable differences due to gender, age and socio-economic differences. First time middle class mothers aged 30–35 are most active in looking up health and parent information on the internet. In the same time, several studies report diminishing class differences on parent web sites. An important reason to the increasing number of parents who turn to the internet for information and interaction has shown to be the weakened support many of today's parents experience from their own parents, relatives and friends. Professionals have recognized the parents' great interest for going online and offer both information and support on the net. Conclusion Many benefits are reported, for example the possibility to reach out to a wider audience and to increase access to organisations without an increase in costs. Other benefits include the possibility for parents to remain anonymous in their contacts with professionals and that parents' perceived need for information can be effectively met around the clock. Interventions for wider groups of parents, such as parent training on the net, are still very rare and more research is needed to evaluate different types of interventions on the net. However, most studies were empirical and lacked theoretical frameworks which leave questions on how we can more fully understand this phenomenon unanswered. PMID:19450251

Parenthood, information and support on the internet. A literature review of research on parents and professionals online.

PubMed

Plantin, Lars; Daneback, Kristian

2009-05-18

The aim of this article was to address questions on how parents use the internet to find information and support regarding children, health and family life. Another aim was to find out how professionals use the internet to provide support and information to parents. This was done by a literature review. Articles were searched for in five databases with a search strategy called "building block" approach. The review showed that the majority of today's parents search for both information and social support on the internet. However, there are considerable differences due to gender, age and socio-economic differences. First time middle class mothers aged 30-35 are most active in looking up health and parent information on the internet. In the same time, several studies report diminishing class differences on parent web sites. An important reason to the increasing number of parents who turn to the internet for information and interaction has shown to be the weakened support many of today's parents experience from their own parents, relatives and friends. Professionals have recognized the parents' great interest for going online and offer both information and support on the net. Many benefits are reported, for example the possibility to reach out to a wider audience and to increase access to organisations without an increase in costs. Other benefits include the possibility for parents to remain anonymous in their contacts with professionals and that parents' perceived need for information can be effectively met around the clock. Interventions for wider groups of parents, such as parent training on the net, are still very rare and more research is needed to evaluate different types of interventions on the net. However, most studies were empirical and lacked theoretical frameworks which leave questions on how we can more fully understand this phenomenon unanswered.

Egalitarian despots: hierarchy steepness, reciprocity and the grooming-trade model in wild chimpanzees, Pan troglodytes.

PubMed

Kaburu, Stefano S K; Newton-Fisher, Nicholas E

2015-01-01

Biological market theory models the action of natural selection as a marketplace in which animals are viewed as traders with commodities to offer and exchange. Studies of female Old World monkeys have suggested that grooming might be employed as a commodity to be reciprocated or traded for alternative services, yet previous tests of this grooming-trade model in wild adult male chimpanzees have yielded mixed results. Here we provide the strongest test of the model to date for male chimpanzees: we use data drawn from two social groups (communities) of chimpanzees from different populations and give explicit consideration to variation in dominance hierarchy steepness, as such variation results in differing conditions for biological markets. First, analysis of data from published accounts of other chimpanzee communities, together with our own data, showed that hierarchy steepness varied considerably within and across communities and that the number of adult males in a community aged 20-30 years predicted hierarchy steepness. The two communities in which we tested predictions of the grooming-trade model lay at opposite extremes of this distribution. Second, in accord with the grooming-trade model, we found evidence that male chimpanzees trade grooming for agonistic support where hierarchies are steep (despotic) and consequent effective support is a rank-related commodity, but not where hierarchies are shallow (egalitarian). However, we also found that grooming was reciprocated regardless of hierarchy steepness. Our findings also hint at the possibility of agonistic competition, or at least exclusion, in relation to grooming opportunities compromising the free market envisioned by biological market theory. Our results build on previous findings across chimpanzee communities to emphasize the importance of reciprocal grooming exchanges among adult male chimpanzees, which can be understood in a biological markets framework if grooming by or with particular individuals is a valuable commodity.

Egalitarian despots: hierarchy steepness, reciprocity and the grooming-trade model in wild chimpanzees, Pan troglodytes

PubMed Central

Kaburu, Stefano S. K.; Newton-Fisher, Nicholas E.

2014-01-01

Biological market theory models the action of natural selection as a marketplace in which animals are viewed as traders with commodities to offer and exchange. Studies of female Old World monkeys have suggested that grooming might be employed as a commodity to be reciprocated or traded for alternative services, yet previous tests of this grooming-trade model in wild adult male chimpanzees have yielded mixed results. Here we provide the strongest test of the model to date for male chimpanzees: we use data drawn from two social groups (communities) of chimpanzees from different populations and give explicit consideration to variation in dominance hierarchy steepness, as such variation results in differing conditions for biological markets. First, analysis of data from published accounts of other chimpanzee communities, together with our own data, showed that hierarchy steepness varied considerably within and across communities and that the number of adult males in a community aged 20–30 years predicted hierarchy steepness. The two communities in which we tested predictions of the grooming-trade model lay at opposite extremes of this distribution. Second, in accord with the grooming-trade model, we found evidence that male chimpanzees trade grooming for agonistic support where hierarchies are steep (despotic) and consequent effective support is a rank-related commodity, but not where hierarchies are shallow (egalitarian). However, we also found that grooming was reciprocated regardless of hierarchy steepness. Our findings also hint at the possibility of agonistic competition, or at least exclusion, in relation to grooming opportunities compromising the free market envisioned by biological market theory. Our results build on previous findings across chimpanzee communities to emphasize the importance of reciprocal grooming exchanges among adult male chimpanzees, which can be understood in a biological markets framework if grooming by or with particular individuals is a valuable commodity. PMID:25580017

Return of results in translational iPS cell research: considerations for donor informed consent

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Efforts have emerged internationally to recruit donors with specific disease indications and to derive induced pluripotent cell lines. These disease-specific induced pluripotent stem cell lines have the potential to accelerate translational goals such as drug discovery and testing. One consideration for donor recruitment and informed consent is the possibility that research will result in findings that are clinically relevant to the cell donor. Management protocols for such findings should be developed a priori and disclosed during the informed consent process. The California Institute for Regenerative Medicine has developed recommendations for informing donors in sponsored research. These recommendations include obtaining consent to recontact tissue donors for a range of scientific, medical and ethical considerations. This article reviews the basis for these recommendations and suggests conditions that may be appropriate when reporting findings to donors. PMID:23336317

PATIENT-CENTERED DECISION MAKING: LESSONS FROM MULTI-CRITERIA DECISION ANALYSIS FOR QUANTIFYING PATIENT PREFERENCES.

PubMed

Marsh, Kevin; Caro, J Jaime; Zaiser, Erica; Heywood, James; Hamed, Alaa

2018-01-01

Patient preferences should be a central consideration in healthcare decision making. However, stories of patients challenging regulatory and reimbursement decisions has led to questions on whether patient voices are being considered sufficiently during those decision making processes. This has led some to argue that it is necessary to quantify patient preferences before they can be adequately considered. This study considers the lessons from the use of multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA) for efforts to quantify patient preferences. It defines MCDA and summarizes the benefits it can provide to decision makers, identifies examples of MCDAs that have involved patients, and summarizes good practice guidelines as they relate to quantifying patient preferences. The guidance developed to support the use of MCDA in healthcare provide some useful considerations for the quantification of patient preferences, namely that researchers should give appropriate consideration to: the heterogeneity of patient preferences, and its relevance to decision makers; the cognitive challenges posed by different elicitation methods; and validity of the results they produce. Furthermore, it is important to consider how the relevance of these considerations varies with the decision being supported. The MCDA literature holds important lessons for how patient preferences should be quantified to support healthcare decision making.

Public support for a sugar-sweetened beverage tax and pro-tax messages in a Mid-Atlantic US state

PubMed Central

Donaldson, Elisabeth A; Cohen, Joanna E; Rutkow, Lainie; Villanti, Andrea C; Kanarek, Norma F; Barry, Colleen L

2015-01-01

Objective To examine the characteristics of supporters and opponents of a sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) tax and to identify pro-tax messages that resonate with the public. Design A survey was administered by telephone in February 2013 to assess public opinion about a penny-per-ounce tax on SSB. Support was also examined for SSB consumption reduction and pro-tax messages. Individual characteristics including sociodemographics, political affiliation, SSB consumption behaviours and beliefs were explored as predictors of support using logistic regression. Setting A representative sample of voters was recruited from a Mid-Atlantic US state. Subjects The sample included 1000 registered voters. Results Findings indicate considerable support (50 %) for an SSB tax. Support was stronger among Democrats, those who believe SSB are a major cause of childhood obesity and those who believe childhood obesity warrants a societal intervention. Belief that a tax would be effective in lowering obesity rates was associated with support for the tax and pro-tax messages. Respondents reporting that a health-care provider had recommended they lose weight were less convinced by pro-tax messages. Women, Independents and those concerned about childhood obesity were more convinced by the SSB reduction messages. Overall, the most popular messages focused on the importance of reducing consumption among children without mentioning the tax. Conclusions Understanding who supports and opposes SSB tax measures can assist advocates in developing strategies to maximize support for this type of intervention. Messages that focus on the effect of consumption on children may be useful in framing the discussion around SSB tax proposals. PMID:25430945

Public support for a sugar-sweetened beverage tax and pro-tax messages in a Mid-Atlantic US state.

PubMed

Donaldson, Elisabeth A; Cohen, Joanna E; Rutkow, Lainie; Villanti, Andrea C; Kanarek, Norma F; Barry, Colleen L

2015-08-01

To examine the characteristics of supporters and opponents of a sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) tax and to identify pro-tax messages that resonate with the public. A survey was administered by telephone in February 2013 to assess public opinion about a penny-per-ounce tax on SSB. Support was also examined for SSB consumption reduction and pro-tax messages. Individual characteristics including sociodemographics, political affiliation, SSB consumption behaviours and beliefs were explored as predictors of support using logistic regression. A representative sample of voters was recruited from a Mid-Atlantic US state. The sample included 1000 registered voters. Findings indicate considerable support (50 %) for an SSB tax. Support was stronger among Democrats, those who believe SSB are a major cause of childhood obesity and those who believe childhood obesity warrants a societal intervention. Belief that a tax would be effective in lowering obesity rates was associated with support for the tax and pro-tax messages. Respondents reporting that a health-care provider had recommended they lose weight were less convinced by pro-tax messages. Women, Independents and those concerned about childhood obesity were more convinced by the SSB reduction messages. Overall, the most popular messages focused on the importance of reducing consumption among children without mentioning the tax. Understanding who supports and opposes SSB tax measures can assist advocates in developing strategies to maximize support for this type of intervention. Messages that focus on the effect of consumption on children may be useful in framing the discussion around SSB tax proposals.

Correspondence: In support of the IES method of evaluating light source colour rendition

DOE PAGES

Ashdown, I.; Aviles, G.; Bennett, L.; ...

2015-11-20

In this editorial, written as an open letter to the lighting community, we stand in support of widespread adoption of TM-30-15: The IES Method of Evaluating Light Source Color Rendition. We introduce important considerations related to light source color rendition, define the need for a new method of evaluation, provide a high-level overview of the IES method, discuss some of the practical considerations related to the development of the IES method and the consensus process, and conclude by inviting you to join us in support of the new measures and graphics described in TM-30-15.

Considerations Regarding the Development of an Environmental Control and Life Support System for Lunar Surface Applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bagdigian, Robert M.

2008-01-01

NASA is engaged in early architectural analyses and trade studies aimed at identifying requirements, predicting performance and resource needs, characterizing mission constraints and sensitivities, and guiding technology development planning needed to conduct a successful human exploration campaign of the lunar surface. Conceptual designs and resource estimates for environmental control and life support systems (ECLSS) within pressurized lunar surface habitats and rovers have been considered and compared in order to support these lunar campaign studies. This paper will summarize those concepts and some of the more noteworthy considerations that will likely remain as key drivers in the evolution of the lunar surface ECLSS architecture.

Mars Relays Satellite Orbit Design Considerations for Global Support of Robotic Surface Missions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hastrup, Rolf; Cesarone, Robert; Cook, Richard; Knocke, Phillip; McOmber, Robert

1993-01-01

This paper discusses orbit design considerations for Mars relay satellite (MRS)support of globally distributed robotic surface missions. The orbit results reported in this paper are derived from studies of MRS support for two types of Mars robotic surface missions: 1) the mars Environmental Survey (MESUR) mission, which in its current definition would deploy a global network of up to 16 small landers, and 2)a Small Mars Sample Return (SMSR) mission, which included four globally distributed landers, each with a return stage and one or two rovers, and up to four additional sets of lander/rover elements in an extended mission phase.

The accessibility and acceptability of self-management support interventions for men with long term conditions: a systematic review and meta-synthesis of qualitative studies.

PubMed

Galdas, Paul; Darwin, Zoe; Kidd, Lisa; Blickem, Christian; McPherson, Kerri; Hunt, Kate; Bower, Peter; Gilbody, Simon; Richardson, Gerry

2014-11-27

Self-management support interventions can improve health outcomes, but their impact is limited by the numbers of people able or willing to access them. Men's attendance at existing self-management support services appears suboptimal despite their increased risk of developing many of the most serious long term conditions. The aim of this review was to determine whether current self-management support interventions are acceptable and accessible to men with long term conditions, and explore what may act as facilitators and barriers to access of interventions and support activities. A systematic search for qualitative research was undertaken on CINAHL, EMBASE, MEDLINE, PsycINFO and Social Science Citation Index, in July 2013. Reference lists of relevant articles were also examined. Studies that used a qualitative design to explore men's experiences of, or perceptions towards, self-management support for one or more long term condition were included. Studies which focused on experiences of living with a long term condition without consideration of self-management support were excluded. Thirty-eight studies met the inclusion criteria. A meta-ethnography approach was employed to synthesise the findings. Four constructs associated with men's experience of, and perceptions towards, self-management support were identified: 1) need for purpose; 2) trusted environments; 3) value of peers; and 4) becoming an expert. The synthesis showed that men may feel less comfortable participating in self-management support if it is viewed as incongruous with valued aspects of their identity, particularly when activities are perceived to challenge masculine ideals associated with independence, stoicism, and control. Men may find self-management support more attractive when it is perceived as action-oriented, having a clear purpose, and offering personally meaningful information and practical strategies that can be integrated into daily life. Self-management support is most likely to be successful in engaging men when it is congruent with key aspects of their masculine identity. In order to overcome barriers to access and fully engage with interventions, some men may need self-management support interventions to be delivered in an environment that offers a sense of shared understanding, connectedness, and normality, and involves and/or is facilitated by men with a shared illness experience.

Sectoral Economies, Economic Contexts, and Attitudes toward Immigration.

PubMed

Dancygier, Rafaela M; Donnelly, Michael J

2013-01-01

Do economic considerations shape attitudes toward immigration? In this article, we consider the relationship between economic interests and immigration preferences by examining how developments in individuals' sectors of employment affect these views. Using survey data across European countries from 2002 to 2009 and employing new measures of industry-level exposure to immigration, we find that sectoral economies shape opinions about immigration. Individuals employed in growing sectors are more likely to support immigration than are those employed in shrinking sectors. Moreover, the economic context matters: Making use of the exogenous shock to national economies represented by the 2008 financial crisis, we show that sector-level inflows of immigrant workers have little effect on preferences when economies are expanding, but that they dampen support for immigration when economic conditions deteriorate and confidence in the economy declines. These sectoral effects remain even when controlling for natives' views about the impact of immigration on the national economy and culture. When evaluating immigration policy, individuals thus appear to take into account whether their sector of employment benefits economically from immigration.

A cocktail of humanized anti-pertussis toxin antibodies limits disease in murine and baboon models of whooping cough.

PubMed

Nguyen, Annalee W; Wagner, Ellen K; Laber, Joshua R; Goodfield, Laura L; Smallridge, William E; Harvill, Eric T; Papin, James F; Wolf, Roman F; Padlan, Eduardo A; Bristol, Andy; Kaleko, Michael; Maynard, Jennifer A

2015-12-02

Despite widespread vaccination, pertussis rates are rising in industrialized countries and remain high worldwide. With no specific therapeutics to treat disease, pertussis continues to cause considerable infant morbidity and mortality. The pertussis toxin is a major contributor to disease, responsible for local and systemic effects including leukocytosis and immunosuppression. We humanized two murine monoclonal antibodies that neutralize pertussis toxin and expressed them as human immunoglobulin G1 molecules with no loss of affinity or in vitro neutralization activity. When administered prophylactically to mice as a binary cocktail, antibody treatment completely mitigated the Bordetella pertussis-induced rise in white blood cell counts and decreased bacterial colonization. When administered therapeutically to baboons, antibody-treated, but not untreated control animals, experienced a blunted rise in white blood cell counts and accelerated bacterial clearance rates. These preliminary findings support further investigation into the use of these antibodies to treat human neonatal pertussis in conjunction with antibiotics and supportive care. Copyright © 2015, American Association for the Advancement of Science.

Parenthood and Happiness: Effects of Work-Family Reconciliation Policies in 22 OECD Countries

PubMed Central

Glass, Jennifer; Simon, Robin W.; Andersson, Matthew A

2016-01-01

The recent proliferation of studies examining cross-national variation in the association between parenthood and happiness reveal accumulating evidence of lower levels of happiness among parents than nonparents in most advanced industrialized societies. Conceptualizing parenting as a stressor buffered by institutional support, we hypothesize that parental status differences in happiness are smaller in countries providing more resources and support to families. Our analyses of the European Social Surveys (ESS) and International Social Survey Programme (ISSP) reveal considerable variation in the parenthood gap in happiness across countries, with the U.S. showing the largest disadvantage of parenthood. We also find that more generous family policies, particularly paid time off and childcare subsidies, are associated with smaller disparities in happiness between parents and non-parents. Moreover, the policies that augment parental happiness do not reduce the happiness of nonparents. Our results shed light on macro-level causes of emotional processes, with important implications for public policy. PMID:28082749

"We're Changing Our Ways": Women's Coping Strategies for Obesity Risk-reducing Behaviors in American Indian Households.

PubMed

Gadhoke, Preety; Christiansen, Karina; Pardilla, Marla; Frick, Kevin; Gittelsohn, Joel

2015-01-01

This article reveals women caregivers' perceptions and coping strategies to improve households' food and physical activity habits. Results emerged from the pre-intervention formative research phase of a multi-site, multi-level obesity prevention pilot intervention on American Indian (AI) reservations. Using purposive sampling, 250 adults and children participated in qualitative research. Results reveal that having local institutional support was a key structural facilitator. 'Family connectedness' emerged as a key relational facilitator. Hegemony of systems, food deserts, transportation, and weather were key structural barriers; Childcare needs and time constraints were key relational barriers. Women's coping strategies included planning ahead, maximizing, apportioning, tempting healthy, and social support. Findings informed the development and implementation of a novel obesity prevention pilot intervention tailored for each participating AI community addressing culturally relevant messages, institutional policies, and programs. We conclude with future consideration for comparative, ethnicity-based, class-based, and gender-specific studies on women's coping strategies for household health behaviors.

The structure of harassment and abuse in the workplace: a factorial comparison of two measures.

PubMed

Fendrich, Michael; Woodword, Paul; Richman, Judith A

2002-08-01

The structures of two measures examining negative experiences in the workplace, one focusing primarily on sexual harassment (SEQ) and one focusing on workplace abuse (GWA), were examined in detail. This article investigated whether the five subscales for the relatively unexplored measure (GWA) are reliably measured by a single underlying construct. It also investigated whether the two workplace-based measures are distinct but related constructs and the consistency of their factor structure across genders. Using a large and diverse organizational survey derived from a Midwestern university, analyses supported the distinctiveness of the two measures and showed that the factor structures for the two constructs were remarkably similar across genders. Analyses also suggested that indices of extreme behavior within each of the constructs were not reliably measured. The findings have important implications for data collection strategies in research focused on negative workplace experiences. This study provides considerable support for the continued use of both measures in research investigating the impact of adverse workplace environment on health.

Intelligent Scheduling for Underground Mobile Mining Equipment.

PubMed

Song, Zhen; Schunnesson, Håkan; Rinne, Mikael; Sturgul, John

2015-01-01

Many studies have been carried out and many commercial software applications have been developed to improve the performances of surface mining operations, especially for the loader-trucks cycle of surface mining. However, there have been quite few studies aiming to improve the mining process of underground mines. In underground mines, mobile mining equipment is mostly scheduled instinctively, without theoretical support for these decisions. Furthermore, in case of unexpected events, it is hard for miners to rapidly find solutions to reschedule and to adapt the changes. This investigation first introduces the motivation, the technical background, and then the objective of the study. A decision support instrument (i.e. schedule optimizer for mobile mining equipment) is proposed and described to address this issue. The method and related algorithms which are used in this instrument are presented and discussed. The proposed method was tested by using a real case of Kittilä mine located in Finland. The result suggests that the proposed method can considerably improve the working efficiency and reduce the working time of the underground mine.

Learning by doing? Prospective elementary teachers' developing understandings of scientific inquiry and science teaching and learning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Haefner, Leigh Ann; Zembal-Saul, Carla

This study examined prospective elementary teachers' learning about scientific inquiry in the context of an innovative life science course. Research questions included: (1) What do prospective elementary teachers learn about scientific inquiry within the context of the course? and (2) In what ways do their experiences engaging in science investigations and teaching inquiry-oriented science influence prospective elementary teachers' understanding of science and science learning and teaching? Eleven prospective elementary teachers participated in this qualitative, multi-participant case study. Constant comparative analysis strategies attempted to build abstractions and explanations across participants around the constructs of the study. Findings suggest that engaging in scientific inquiry supported the development more appropriate understandings of science and scientific inquiry, and that prospective teachers became more accepting of approaches to teaching science that encourage children's questions about science phenomena. Implications include careful consideration of learning experiences crafted for prospective elementary teachers to support the development of robust subject matter knowledge.

Brugada syndrome: diagnosis, risk stratification, and management.

PubMed

Adler, Arnon

2016-01-01

Asymptomatic patients with Brugada syndrome (BrS) have a small, but not trivial, risk of cardiac events. Their risk stratification and its impact on their management are controversial. The review focuses on the clinical aspects of BrS with special emphasis on the asymptomatic patient. Emerging data suggest that drug and fever-induced type I Brugada patterns are more common than previously appreciated. Although preliminary, these data may imply that asymptomatic patients with induced Brugada pattern are at an even lower risk than currently estimated.The latest data regarding induced ventricular arrhythmias during electrophysiological studies support its use as an indication for an implantable cardioverter defibrillator; however, this issue remains highly controversial.Several new risk markers, such as presence of the Brugada pattern in infero-lateral leads or the concomitant finding of an early repolarization pattern, have recently been proposed. Most asymptomatic BrS patients are at low risk of cardiac events. The presence of new risk markers in this population may prompt consideration of primary prevention measures; however, data supporting this approach are still limited.

The research imperative revisited: considerations for advancing the debate surrounding medical research as moral imperative.

PubMed

Wayne, Katherine; Glass, Kathleen Cranley

2010-01-01

Medical research is frequently regarded as not only laudable, but even obligatory. However, the moral foundation for such an obligation is far from clear. Lively debate concerning the viability of an obligation to conduct and support medical research is transpiring among a small number of scholars speaking from a variety of backgrounds, yet the current discussion is predominantly situated within several discrete academic and professional circles, allowing only sporadic engagement within and between scholarly disciplines and the medical realm. We aim to lay the groundwork for a focused critique of the "research imperative" by examining (1) its commitments within ideologies of science, medicine, and progress: and (2) its normative theoretical underpinnings. Our analysis finds no solid grounding for the research imperative and exposes problems in the attitudes and arguments supporting it. We believe these concerns present compelling reasons for devoting greater critical attention to the research imperative and to the morality of the medical research enterprise as a whole.

Postmaterialism and young people's political participation in a time of austerity.

PubMed

Henn, Matt; Oldfield, Ben; Hart, James

2017-08-30

Recent trends suggest that young people in Britain are refraining from engaging in formal political processes. At the same time, they are increasingly expressing support for, and turning toward, a new and diverse range of non-institutionalized forms of political action in order to actualize their interests. Using Inglehart's ideas on postmaterialism, we consider whether this apparent rejection of mainstream politics in favour of less conventional - and sometimes radical - forms of political action is changing over time in Britain, reflecting fluctuating economic conditions witnessed over the last two decades. We do this by comparing results from surveys of British 18 year olds conducted in 2002 during an era of relative global prosperity, and then in 2011 at the height of the current global crisis. The findings suggest that British young postmaterialists are considerably more likely than materialists to participate in and support both institutionalized and non-institutionalized forms of political action. © London School of Economics and Political Science 2017.

The real-time prediction and inhibition of linguistic outcomes: Effects of language and literacy skill.

PubMed

Kukona, Anuenue; Braze, David; Johns, Clinton L; Mencl, W Einar; Van Dyke, Julie A; Magnuson, James S; Pugh, Kenneth R; Shankweiler, Donald P; Tabor, Whitney

2016-11-01

Recent studies have found considerable individual variation in language comprehenders' predictive behaviors, as revealed by their anticipatory eye movements during language comprehension. The current study investigated the relationship between these predictive behaviors and the language and literacy skills of a diverse, community-based sample of young adults. We found that rapid automatized naming (RAN) was a key determinant of comprehenders' prediction ability (e.g., as reflected in predictive eye movements to a white cake on hearing "The boy will eat the white…"). Simultaneously, comprehension-based measures predicted participants' ability to inhibit eye movements to objects that shared features with predictable referents but were implausible completions (e.g., as reflected in eye movements to a white but inedible white car). These findings suggest that the excitatory and inhibitory mechanisms that support prediction during language processing are closely linked with specific cognitive abilities that support literacy. We show that a self-organizing cognitive architecture captures this pattern of results. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

What did you have in mind? Examining the content of intentional and unintentional types of mind wandering

PubMed Central

Seli, Paul; Ralph, Brandon C. W.; Konishi, Mahiko; Smilek, Daniel; Schacter, Daniel L.

2017-01-01

It has recently been argued that researchers should distinguish between mind wandering (MW) that is engaged with and without intention. Supporting this argument, studies have found that intentional and unintentional MW have behavioral/neural differences, and that they are differentially associated with certain variables of theoretical interest. Although there have been considerable inroads made into the distinction between intentional/unintentional MW, possible differences in their content remain unexplored. To determine whether these two types of MW differ in content, we had participants complete a task during which they categorized their MW as intentional or unintentional, and then provided responses to questions about the content of their MW. Results indicated that intentional MW was more frequently rated as being future-oriented and less vague than unintentional MW. These findings shed light on the nature of intentional and unintentional MW and provide support for the argument that researchers should distinguish between intentional and unintentional types. PMID:28371688

A cocktail of humanized anti-pertussis toxin antibodies limits disease in murine and baboon models of whooping cough

PubMed Central

Nguyen, Annalee W.; Wagner, Ellen K.; Laber, Joshua R.; Goodfield, Laura L.; Smallridge, William E.; Harvill, Eric T.; Papin, James F.; Wolf, Roman F.; Padlan, Eduardo A.; Bristol, Andy; Kaleko, Michael; Maynard, Jennifer A.

2016-01-01

In spite of wide-spread vaccination, pertussis rates are rising in industrialized countries and remain high world-wide. With no specific therapeutics to treat disease, pertussis continues to cause considerable infant morbidity and mortality. The pertussis toxin is a major contributor to disease, responsible for local and systemic effects including leukocytosis and immunosuppression. Here, we humanized two murine monoclonal antibodies that neutralize pertussis toxin and expressed them as human IgG1 molecules with no loss of affinity or in vitro neutralization activity. When administered prophylactically to mice as a binary cocktail, antibody treatment completely mitigated the B. pertussis-induced rise in white blood cell count and decreased bacterial colonization. When administered therapeutically to baboons, antibody-treated but not control animals experienced a blunted rise in white blood cell count and accelerated bacterial clearance rates. These preliminary findings support further investigation into the use of these antibodies to treat human neonatal pertussis in conjunction with antibiotics and supportive care. PMID:26631634

Is suicide assessment harmful to participants? Findings from a randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Harris, Keith M; Goh, Melissa Ting-Ting

2017-04-01

There is considerable debate on whether suicide assessment carries an iatrogenic risk for participants/patients. A double-blind randomized controlled trial (registration: R000022314) tested the emotional impact of suicide assessment on participants (n = 259) randomly assigned to experimental (n = 122) or control conditions (n = 137). The experimental condition included the Suicidal Affect-Behavior-Cognition Scale and intensive death-related questions, the control condition a quality of life scale. Both included measures of depression, social support and loneliness. Affective states were assessed immediately before and after testing, and research biases minimized. Post-test debriefing interviews collected qualitative reactions. Experimental participants ranged from nonsuicidal to highly suicidal. Between-groups ANCOVAs and repeated measures ANOVAs showed no differences by study condition, and no pre-post-test affect changes for either condition or suicidal participants (P > 0.10), supporting the null hypothesis of no iatrogenic effects. However, depressive participants in both conditions showed significant decreases in positive affect (P < 0.05). Smallest real difference (SRD) scores approximated clinically meaningful differences and showed 20% of participants had a significant positive survey reaction, 24% a negative reaction, with the rest neutral. Linear regressions revealed depressive symptoms and perceived family support, but not suicidality or other factors, predicted negative affect changes, which was supported by qualitative findings. Social desirability bias was also found in qualitative survey responses. No evidence of iatrogenic effects of suicide assessment were found. Recommendations are made to counter possible negative assessment effects on depressive participants/patients, and nurses and other caregivers are encouraged to talk to patients about suicidal symptoms. © 2016 Australian College of Mental Health Nurses Inc.

Unemployment among women with multiple sclerosis: the role of coping and perceived stress and support in the workplace.

PubMed

Strober, L B; Arnett, P A

2016-06-01

Unemployment is high among individuals with multiple sclerosis (MS). Certain disease variables and demographics have been found to distinguish employed and unemployed individuals. However, these variables only account for 14-20% of the variance. Other factors, such as coping, perceived stress and social support, in the workforce have been proposed, but not yet fully examined. The purpose of the present investigation was to examine the role of known factors associated with unemployment in MS, as well as coping and perceived work stress and social support. Sixty-eight women with MS were asked about their employment status and reasons for leaving. They completed a comprehensive assessment including measures of cognition, disease symptoms, psychological functioning, coping and stress. Consistent with previous findings, certain disease and demographic variables were associated with being unemployed. In particular, women who left work due to their MS were found to be older, had a longer disease duration and progressive course, reported greater disability and fatigue, and performed worse on a cognitive measure. However, we also found that coping style distinguished those who were employed from those who left work due to their MS. In particular, those who left work reported utilizing maladaptive coping mechanisms such as behavioral disengagement and substance use. With regard to perceived work stress and support, individuals who were employed reported that job security and fellow co-workers were more of an uplift than a hassle in their lives, suggesting some benefit in employment. These findings suggest that further consideration be given to role of coping and perception of the benefit of employment among individuals with MS when making recommendations regarding work decisions.

Why does Existential Threat Promote Intergroup Violence? Examining the Role of Retributive Justice and Cost-Benefit Utility Motivations.

PubMed

Hirschberger, Gilad; Pyszczynski, Tom; Ein-Dor, Tsachi

2015-01-01

The current research examined the role of retributive justice and cost-benefit utility motivations in the process through which mortality salience increases support for violent responses to intergroup conflict. Specifically, previous research has shown that mortality salience often encourages political violence, especially when perceptions of retributive justice are activated. The current research examined whether mortality salience directly activates a justice mindset over a cost-benefit utility mindset, and whether this justice mindset is associated with support for political violence. In Study 1 (N = 209), mortality salience was manipulated among Israeli participants who then read about a Hamas attack on Israel with either no casualties or many casualties, after which justice and utility motivations for retribution were assessed. Study 2 (N = 112), examined whether the link between death primes and support for an Israeli preemptive strike on Iran's nuclear facilities is mediated by justice or cost-benefit utility considerations. Results of both studies revealed that primes of death increased justice-related motivations, and these motives, rather than utility motives, were associated with support for violence. Findings suggest that existential concerns often fuel violent intergroup conflict because they increase desire for retributive justice, rather than increase belief that violence is an effective strategy. These findings expand our knowledge on the motivations for intergroup violence, and shed experimental light on real-life eruptions of violent conflict indicating that when existential concerns are salient, as they often are during violent conflict, the decision to engage in violence often disregards the utility of violence, and leads to the preference for violent solutions to political problems - even when these solutions make little practical sense.

Why does Existential Threat Promote Intergroup Violence? Examining the Role of Retributive Justice and Cost-Benefit Utility Motivations

PubMed Central

Hirschberger, Gilad; Pyszczynski, Tom; Ein-Dor, Tsachi

2015-01-01

The current research examined the role of retributive justice and cost-benefit utility motivations in the process through which mortality salience increases support for violent responses to intergroup conflict. Specifically, previous research has shown that mortality salience often encourages political violence, especially when perceptions of retributive justice are activated. The current research examined whether mortality salience directly activates a justice mindset over a cost-benefit utility mindset, and whether this justice mindset is associated with support for political violence. In Study 1 (N = 209), mortality salience was manipulated among Israeli participants who then read about a Hamas attack on Israel with either no casualties or many casualties, after which justice and utility motivations for retribution were assessed. Study 2 (N = 112), examined whether the link between death primes and support for an Israeli preemptive strike on Iran’s nuclear facilities is mediated by justice or cost-benefit utility considerations. Results of both studies revealed that primes of death increased justice-related motivations, and these motives, rather than utility motives, were associated with support for violence. Findings suggest that existential concerns often fuel violent intergroup conflict because they increase desire for retributive justice, rather than increase belief that violence is an effective strategy. These findings expand our knowledge on the motivations for intergroup violence, and shed experimental light on real-life eruptions of violent conflict indicating that when existential concerns are salient, as they often are during violent conflict, the decision to engage in violence often disregards the utility of violence, and leads to the preference for violent solutions to political problems – even when these solutions make little practical sense. PMID:26635671

Adaptation by Stealth: Understanding climate information use across scales and decision spaces in water management in the United States

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kirchhoff, C.; Vang Rasmussen, L.; Lemos, M. C.

2016-12-01

While there has been considerable focus on understanding how factors related to the creation of climate knowledge affect its uptake and use, less attention has been paid to the actors, decisions, and processes through which climate information supports, or fails to support, action. This is particularly the case concerning how different scales of decision-making influence information uptake. In this study, we seek to understand how water and resource managers' decision space influences climate information use in two Great Lakes watersheds. We find that despite the availability of tailored climate information, actual use of information in decision making remains low. Reasons include: a) lack of willingness to place climate on agendas because local managers perceive climate change as politically risky and a difficult and intangible problem; b) lack of formal mandate or authority at the city and county scale to translate climate information into on-the-ground action, c) problems with the information itself, and d) perceived lack of demand for climate information by those managers who have the mandate and authority (e.g. at the state level) to use (or help others use) climate information. Our findings suggest that 1) climate scientists and information brokers should produce information that meets a range of decision needs and reserve intensive tailoring efforts for decision makers who have authority and willingness to employ climate information, 2) without support from higher levels of decision-making (e.g. state) it is unlikely that climate information use for adaptation decisions will accelerate significantly in the next few years, and 3) the trend towards adopting more sustainability and resilience practices over climate-specific actions should be supported as an important component of the climate adaptation repertoire.

Not just bricks and mortar: planning hospital cancer services for Aboriginal people

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background Aboriginal people in Australia experience higher mortality from cancer compared with non-Aboriginal Australians, despite an overall lower incidence. A notable contributor to this disparity is that many Aboriginal people do not take up or continue with cancer treatment which almost always occurs within major hospitals. Thirty in-depth interviews with urban, rural and remote Aboriginal people affected by cancer were conducted between March 2006 and September 2007. Interviews explored participants' beliefs about cancer and experiences of cancer care and were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim and coded independently by two researchers. NVivo7 software was used to assist data management and analysis. Information from interviews relevant to hospital services including and building design was extracted. Findings Relationships and respect emerged as crucial considerations of participants although many aspects of the hospital environment were seen as influencing the delivery of care. Five themes describing concerns about the hospital environment emerged: (i) being alone and lost in a big, alien and inflexible system; (ii) failure of open communication, delays and inefficiency in the system; (iii) practicalities: costs, transportation, community and family responsibilities; (iv) the need for Aboriginal support persons; and (v) connection to the community. Conclusions Design considerations and were identified but more important than the building itself was the critical need to build trust in health services. Promotion of cultural safety, support for Aboriginal family structures and respecting the importance of place and community to Aboriginal patients are crucial in improving cancer outcomes. PMID:21401923

Experiences of adults with high-care needs and their family members with housing and support pathways in Australia.

PubMed

McIntyre, Deborah; Fleming, Jennifer; Foster, Michele; Tweedy, Sean

2017-09-01

Many adults aged less than 65 years with high-care needs resulting from acquired disabilities are unable to access age-appropriate housing and support, and reside in residential aged care or live with family members who may struggle to navigate the disability support system. This qualitative study aimed to investigate the experiences of adults with high-care needs and their family members regarding pathways related to housing and support. Two in-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted six months apart with 21 people aged 18 to 65 with high-care needs of varying etiology and living in different housing settings. Nineteen family members involved in decision-making about housing and supports were also interviewed. Thematic data analysis yielded five themes: (1) Traveling in different directions; (2) "the fight, the battle and the war"; (3) willing but wanting; (4) uncertainty and vulnerability; and (5) redefining social roles and relationships. Current disability policy is not satisfying the housing and support requirements of adults with high-care needs and their families. The findings provide rigorous, empirical evidence which indicate the urgent need to improve access to affordable, individualized housing and support packages, including financial, practical and informational support for family members involved in caring roles. Implications for Rehabilitation Individual preferences are an important consideration in housing and support arrangements for younger people with high-care needs alongside needs-based solutions. Individualized funding approaches may provide flexibility of care and choice in housing and support for people with disability. Family members willingly provide substantial informal care, support and advocacy for younger people with high needs but perceive their role as a constant "battle". Payment of family members in recognition of caring work was perceived as a solution to relieve family hardship and ensure optimal care.

EVA Physiology and Medical Considerations Working in the Suit

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Parazynski, Scott

2012-01-01

This "EVA Physiology and Medical Considerations Working in the Suit" presentation covers several topics related to the medical implications and physiological effects of suited operations in space from the perspective of a physician with considerable first-hand Extravehicular Activity (EVA) experience. Key themes include EVA physiology working in a pressure suit in the vacuum of space, basic EVA life support and work support, Thermal Protection System (TPS) inspections and repairs, and discussions of the physical challenges of an EVA. Parazynski covers the common injuries and significant risks during EVAs, as well as physical training required to prepare for EVAs. He also shares overall suit physiological and medical knowledge with the next generation of Extravehicular Mobility Unit (EMU) system designers.

Assessment matters-mentors need support in their role.

PubMed

Bennett, Maggie; McGowan, Brian

In the UK the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) standards to support learning and assessment in practice state that mentors are responsible and accountable for the assessment of pre-registration nursing students in practice. This study was undertaken to explore mentors' experience of assessing nursing students in practice post implementation of the NMC standards. Five focus groups were conducted with mentors (N=35) who had assessed adult pre-registration nursing students in the previous 12 months. The focus groups were recorded, transcribed and analysed to generate categories. Five categories were identified from the data: Changing roles and responsibilities; Exploring the past to understand the present; Just knowing; The odds; Time to mentor. The findings highlighted that mentors were aware of their role and responsibility for the assessment of students in practice. However, many felt this was a new responsibility and role in which they lacked experience. Some existing mentors felt that they may not have had the necessary preparation to effectively assess students in practice and identified their need for support. Given that mentors are expected to be competent assessors of students in practice and protect the public through gate-keeping professional registration, this study suggests that serious consideration should be given to how mentors are prepared and the ongoing support and education they receive in assessment.

Is there a role for a primary health nurse in a learning support team in a disadvantaged high school? Evaluation of a pilot study.

PubMed

Dennis, Sarah; Noon, Ted; Liaw, Siaw Teng

2016-02-01

Disadvantaged children experience more health problems and have poorer educational outcomes compared with students from advantaged backgrounds. This paper presents the quantitative and qualitative findings from a pilot study to determine the impact of the Healthy Learner model, where an experienced primary care nurse was embedded in a learning support team in a disadvantaged high school. Students entering high school with National Assessment Program, Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) scores in the lowest quartile for the school were assessed by the nurse and identified health issues addressed. Thirty-nine students were assessed in 2012-13 and there were up to seven health problems identified per student, ranging from serious neglect to problems such as uncorrected vision or hearing. Many of these problems were having an impact on the student and their ability to engage in learning. Families struggled to navigate the health system, they had difficulty explaining the student's problems to health professionals and costs were a barrier. Adding a nurse to the learning support team in this disadvantaged high school was feasible and identified considerable unmet health needs that affect a student's ability to learn. The families needed extensive support to access any subsequent health care they required.

Brief report: The Brief Alcohol Social Density Assessment (BASDA): convergent, criterion-related, and incremental validity.

PubMed

MacKillop, James; Acker, John D; Bollinger, Jared; Clifton, Allan; Miller, Joshua D; Campbell, W Keith; Goodie, Adam S

2013-09-01

Alcohol misuse is substantially influenced by social factors, but systematic assessments of social network drinking are typically lengthy. The goal of the present study was to provide further validation of a brief measure of social network alcohol use, the Brief Alcohol Social Density Assessment (BASDA), in a sample of emerging adults. Specifically, the study sought to examine the BASDA's convergent, criterion, and incremental validity in relation to well-established measures of drinking motives and problematic drinking. Participants were 354 undergraduates who were assessed using the BASDA, the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT), and the Drinking Motives Questionnaire. Significant associations were observed between the BASDA index of alcohol-related social density and alcohol misuse, social motives, and conformity motives, supporting convergent validity. Criterion-related validity was supported by evidence that significantly greater alcohol involvement was present in the social networks of individuals scoring at or above an AUDIT score of 8, a validated criterion for hazardous drinking. Finally, the BASDA index was significantly associated with alcohol misuse above and beyond drinking motives in relation to AUDIT scores, supporting incremental validity. Taken together, these findings provide further support for the BASDA as an efficient measure of drinking in an individual's social network. Methodological considerations as well as recommendations for future investigations in this area are discussed.

Damage to the prefrontal cortex increases utilitarian moral judgements.

PubMed

Koenigs, Michael; Young, Liane; Adolphs, Ralph; Tranel, Daniel; Cushman, Fiery; Hauser, Marc; Damasio, Antonio

2007-04-19

The psychological and neurobiological processes underlying moral judgement have been the focus of many recent empirical studies. Of central interest is whether emotions play a causal role in moral judgement, and, in parallel, how emotion-related areas of the brain contribute to moral judgement. Here we show that six patients with focal bilateral damage to the ventromedial prefrontal cortex (VMPC), a brain region necessary for the normal generation of emotions and, in particular, social emotions, produce an abnormally 'utilitarian' pattern of judgements on moral dilemmas that pit compelling considerations of aggregate welfare against highly emotionally aversive behaviours (for example, having to sacrifice one person's life to save a number of other lives). In contrast, the VMPC patients' judgements were normal in other classes of moral dilemmas. These findings indicate that, for a selective set of moral dilemmas, the VMPC is critical for normal judgements of right and wrong. The findings support a necessary role for emotion in the generation of those judgements.

Social learning strategies modify the effect of network structure on group performance.

PubMed

Barkoczi, Daniel; Galesic, Mirta

2016-10-07

The structure of communication networks is an important determinant of the capacity of teams, organizations and societies to solve policy, business and science problems. Yet, previous studies reached contradictory results about the relationship between network structure and performance, finding support for the superiority of both well-connected efficient and poorly connected inefficient network structures. Here we argue that understanding how communication networks affect group performance requires taking into consideration the social learning strategies of individual team members. We show that efficient networks outperform inefficient networks when individuals rely on conformity by copying the most frequent solution among their contacts. However, inefficient networks are superior when individuals follow the best member by copying the group member with the highest payoff. In addition, groups relying on conformity based on a small sample of others excel at complex tasks, while groups following the best member achieve greatest performance for simple tasks. Our findings reconcile contradictory results in the literature and have broad implications for the study of social learning across disciplines.

Social learning strategies modify the effect of network structure on group performance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barkoczi, Daniel; Galesic, Mirta

2016-10-01

The structure of communication networks is an important determinant of the capacity of teams, organizations and societies to solve policy, business and science problems. Yet, previous studies reached contradictory results about the relationship between network structure and performance, finding support for the superiority of both well-connected efficient and poorly connected inefficient network structures. Here we argue that understanding how communication networks affect group performance requires taking into consideration the social learning strategies of individual team members. We show that efficient networks outperform inefficient networks when individuals rely on conformity by copying the most frequent solution among their contacts. However, inefficient networks are superior when individuals follow the best member by copying the group member with the highest payoff. In addition, groups relying on conformity based on a small sample of others excel at complex tasks, while groups following the best member achieve greatest performance for simple tasks. Our findings reconcile contradictory results in the literature and have broad implications for the study of social learning across disciplines.

Development of a pioneering clinical support system utilizing information technology.

PubMed

Hayashi, Doubun; Imai, Yasushi; Morita, Hiroyuki; Fujita, Hideo; Monzen, Koshiro; Harada, Tomohiro; Nojiri, Takefumi; Yamazaki, Tadashi; Yamazaki, Tsutomu; Nagai, Ryozo

2004-03-01

Nowadays, evidence-based medicine has entered the mainstream of clinical judgement and the human genome has been completely decoded. Even the concept of individually designed medicine, that is, tailor-made medicine, is now being discussed. Due to their complexity, however, management methods for clinical information have yet to be established. We have conducted a study on a universal technique which enables one to select or produce by employing information processing technology clinical findings from various clinical information generated in vast quantity in day-to-day clinical practice, and to share such information and/or the results of analysis between two or more institutions. In this study, clinically useful findings have been successfully obtained by systematizing actual clinical information and genomic information obtained by an appropriate collecting and management method of information with due consideration to ethical issues. We report here these medical achievements as well as technological ones which will play a role in propagating such medical achievements.

Optimizing structure in nanodiamonds using in-situ strain-sensitive Bragg coherent diffraction imaging.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hruszkewycz, Stephan; Cha, Wonsuk; Ulvestad, Andrew; Fuoss, Paul; Heremans, F. Joseph; Harder, Ross; Andrich, Paolo; Anderson, Christopher; Awschalom, David

The nitrogen-vacancy center in diamond has attracted considerable attention for nanoscale sensing due to unique optical and spin properties. Many of these applications require diamond nanoparticles which contain large amounts of residual strain due to the detonation or milling process used in their fabrication. Here, we present experimental, in-situ observations of changes in morphology and internal strain state of commercial nanodiamonds during high-temperature annealing using Bragg coherent diffraction imaging to reconstruct a strain-sensitive 3D image of individual sub-micron-sized crystals. We find minimal structural changes to the nanodiamonds at temperatures less than 650 C, and that at higher temperatures up to 750 C, the diamond-structured volume fraction of nanocrystals tend to shrink. The degree of internal lattice distortions within nanodiamond particles also decreases during the anneal. Our findings potentially enable the design of efficient processing of commercial nanodiamonds into viable materials suitable for device design. We acknowledge support from U.S. DOE, Office of Science, BES, MSE.

Access to a Car and the Self-Reported Health and Mental Health of People Aged 65 and Older in Northern Ireland.

PubMed

Doebler, Stefanie

2016-05-01

This article examines relationships between access to a car and the self-reported health and mental health of older people. The analysis is based on a sample of N = 65,601 individuals aged 65 years and older from the Northern Ireland Longitudinal Study linked to 2001 and 2011 census returns. The findings from hierarchical linear and binary logistic multilevel path models indicate that having no access to a car is related to a considerable health and mental health disadvantage particularly for older people who live alone. Rural-urban health and mental health differences are mediated by access to a car. The findings support approaches that emphasize the importance of autonomy and independence for the well-being of older people and indicate that not having access to a car can be a problem for older people not only in rural but also in intermediate and urban areas, if no sufficient alternative forms of mobility are provided. © The Author(s) 2015.

An exploration of the assessment experiences of new academics as they engage with a community of practice in higher education.

PubMed

Garrow, Amanda; Tawse, Stephen

2009-08-01

This paper considers a phenomenological research study that attempted to explore how new academics were introduced to the assessment process within a Higher Education context. Two key educational perspectives have shaped the interpretation of the studies findings. These are Nonaka and Takeuchi's [Nonaka, I., Takeuchi, H., 1995. The Knowledge Creating Company: How Japanese Companies Create the Dynamics of Innovation. Oxford University Press, New York] model of knowledge conversion and Lave and Wenger's work on communities of practice (1991, 2002). Three key findings emerged from this work. Firstly, the study highlights a number of issues relating to the types of support and guidance that new academics receive. These were divided into formal and informal types that either promoted conformity or facilitated challenge. Secondly, the study suggests that the ways in which experienced academic staff communicate their assessment knowledge and interact with new academics may require further consideration. Finally, the study raises questions about the type of academic that the organisation would wish to develop.

The compositional and institutional sources of union dissolution for married and unmarried parents in the United States.

PubMed

Tach, Laura; Edin, Kathryn

2013-10-01

Unmarried parents have less stable unions than married parents, but there is considerable debate over the sources of this instability. Unmarried parents may be more likely than married parents to end their unions because of compositional differences, such as more disadvantaged personal and relationship characteristics, or because they lack the normative and institutional supports of marriage, thus rendering their relationships more sensitive to disadvantage. In this article, we evaluate these two sources of union instability among married, cohabiting, and dating parents following the birth of a shared child, using five waves of longitudinal data from the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study. Using discrete-time event history models, we find that demographic, economic, and relationship differences explain more than two-thirds of the increased risk of dissolution for unmarried parents relative to married parents. We also find that differential responses to economic or relationship disadvantage do not explain why unmarried parents are more likely to end their unions than married parents.

Detecting Changes in Suicide Content Manifested in Social Media Following Celebrity Suicides.

PubMed

Kumar, Mrinal; Dredze, Mark; Coppersmith, Glen; De Choudhury, Munmun

2015-09-01

The Werther effect describes the increased rate of completed or attempted suicides following the depiction of an individual's suicide in the media, typically a celebrity. We present findings on the prevalence of this effect in an online platform: r/SuicideWatch on Reddit. We examine both the posting activity and post content after the death of ten high-profile suicides. Posting activity increases following reports of celebrity suicides, and post content exhibits considerable changes that indicate increased suicidal ideation. Specifically, we observe that post-celebrity suicide content is more likely to be inward focused, manifest decreased social concerns, and laden with greater anxiety, anger, and negative emotion. Topic model analysis further reveals content in this period to switch to a more derogatory tone that bears evidence of self-harm and suicidal tendencies. We discuss the implications of our findings in enabling better community support to psychologically vulnerable populations, and the potential of building suicide prevention interventions following high-profile suicides.

Estimating risk factors for HIV infection among women in Mozambique using population-based survey data.

PubMed

Dias, Sara S; Mbofana, Francisco; Cassy, Sheyla R; Dias, Sónia; Augusto, Gonçalo F; Agadjanian, Victor; Martins, Maria R O

2018-03-01

The use of population-based survey data together with sound statistical methods can enhance better estimation of HIV risk factors and explain variations across subgroups of the population. The distribution and determinants of HIV infection in populations must be taken into consideration. We analysed data from the HIV Prevalence and Behaviour Survey in Mozambique aiming to find risk factors associated with HIV infection among Mozambican women. The paper provides a complex survey logistic regression model to explain the variation in HIV seropositivity using demographic, socio-economic and behavioural factors. Results show that women aged 25-29 years, living in female-headed households, living in richer households and those widowed, divorced or not living with a partner have higher odds of being HIV-positive. Findings from our study provide a unique and integrated perspective on risk factors for being HIV-positive among Mozambican women and could support the implementation of programmes aiming to reduce HIV infection in Mozambique.

On the Visual Input Driving Human Smooth-Pursuit Eye Movements

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stone, Leland S.; Beutter, Brent R.; Lorenceau, Jean

1996-01-01

Current computational models of smooth-pursuit eye movements assume that the primary visual input is local retinal-image motion (often referred to as retinal slip). However, we show that humans can pursue object motion with considerable accuracy, even in the presence of conflicting local image motion. This finding indicates that the visual cortical area(s) controlling pursuit must be able to perform a spatio-temporal integration of local image motion into a signal related to object motion. We also provide evidence that the object-motion signal that drives pursuit is related to the signal that supports perception. We conclude that current models of pursuit should be modified to include a visual input that encodes perceived object motion and not merely retinal image motion. Finally, our findings suggest that the measurement of eye movements can be used to monitor visual perception, with particular value in applied settings as this non-intrusive approach would not require interrupting ongoing work or training.

[Work-related fatigue in highly-educated women older than 50].

PubMed

Knoers, Nine V A M

2010-01-01

Recent findings by Verdonk et al. show that the prevalence of work-related fatigue among 47,000 Dutch employees is greatest in highly-educated women, aged 50-64 years. Although the study has several limitations, the findings are alarming, demand urgent measures and should be on the shortlist of policy makers, employers, and company doctors. Reduced time pressure and emotional demand at work, adequate support for women's ambitions, and proper consideration for the work-private life balance are needed. Coaching may help women to become more assertive and generate more job control. In addition, the problem of workplace violence must be adequately addressed. I am of the strong opinion that work-related fatigue in women would significantly decrease if women were to occupy more leadership positions and top jobs. In such positions they would have greater autonomy and more opportunities to organise their work according to their own time schedules and insights. The time is ripe for women to be given a quota of top positions in the Netherlands.

Detecting Changes in Suicide Content Manifested in Social Media Following Celebrity Suicides

PubMed Central

Kumar, Mrinal; Dredze, Mark; Coppersmith, Glen; De Choudhury, Munmun

2015-01-01

The Werther effect describes the increased rate of completed or attempted suicides following the depiction of an individual’s suicide in the media, typically a celebrity. We present findings on the prevalence of this effect in an online platform: r/SuicideWatch on Reddit. We examine both the posting activity and post content after the death of ten high-profile suicides. Posting activity increases following reports of celebrity suicides, and post content exhibits considerable changes that indicate increased suicidal ideation. Specifically, we observe that post-celebrity suicide content is more likely to be inward focused, manifest decreased social concerns, and laden with greater anxiety, anger, and negative emotion. Topic model analysis further reveals content in this period to switch to a more derogatory tone that bears evidence of self-harm and suicidal tendencies. We discuss the implications of our findings in enabling better community support to psychologically vulnerable populations, and the potential of building suicide prevention interventions following high-profile suicides. PMID:28713876

Grandparents caring for grandchildren in China and Korea: findings from CHARLS and KLoSA.

PubMed

Ko, Pei-Chun; Hank, Karsten

2014-07-01

To provide an overview of the prevalence and profiles of grandparents providing childcare to grandchildren in 2 East Asian countries, China and South Korea, characterized by similar demographic developments and a shared cultural background but having very different contemporary institutional and socioeconomic circumstances. We apply logistic models to analyze pilot data from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS) and data from the Korean Longitudinal Study of Aging (KLoSA; Wave 2). Our analytic sample comprises 772 Chinese respondents and 4,958 Korean respondents aged 45-79. The proportions of grandparents providing childcare to grandchildren differ considerably between China (58%) and South Korea (6%). Still, the determinants of grandparents' involvement in childcare (e.g., age, geographic proximity) are fairly similar in both countries. However, financial support from adult children to grandparents is found to be significant in China only, whereas Korean grandparents exhibit a greater propensity to care for their (employed) daughters' children than for their sons' children. Our analysis suggests that in South Korea, patrilineal considerations may begin to lose some of their importance in shaping downward functional solidarity between generations and that instead (grand-)children's actual needs, particularly those related to maternal employment, receive more attention. We find no such evidence in our Chinese sample. © The Author 2013. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Gerontological Society of America. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

The Impact of Visibility on Teamwork, Collaborative Communication, and Security in Emergency Departments: An Exploratory Study.

PubMed

Gharaveis, Arsalan; Hamilton, D Kirk; Pati, Debajyoti; Shepley, Mardelle

2017-01-01

The aim of this study was to examine the influence of visibility on teamwork, collaborative communication, and security issues in emergency departments (EDs). This research explored whether with high visibility in EDs, teamwork and collaborative communication can be improved while the security issues will be reduced. Visibility has been regarded as a critical design consideration and can be directly and considerably impacted by ED's physical design. Teamwork is one of the major related operational outcomes of visibility and involves nurses, support staff, and physicians. The collaborative communication in an ED is another important factor in the process of care delivery and affects efficiency and safety. Furthermore, security is a behavioral factor in ED designs, which includes all types of safety including staff safety, patient safety, and the safety of visitors and family members. This qualitative study investigated the impact of visibility on teamwork, collaborative communication, and security issues in the ED. One-on-one interviews and on-site observation sessions were conducted in a community hospital. Corresponding data analysis was implemented by using computer plan analysis, observation and interview content, and theme analyses. The findings of this exploratory study provided a framework to identify visibility as an influential factor in ED design. High levels of visibility impact productivity and efficiency of teamwork and communication and improve the chance of lowering security issues. The findings of this study also contribute to the general body of knowledge about the effect of physical design on teamwork, collaborative communication, and security.

Social support and responsiveness in online patient communities: impact on service quality perceptions.

PubMed

Nambisan, Priya; Gustafson, David H; Hawkins, Robert; Pingree, Suzanne

2016-02-01

Hospitals frequently evaluate their service quality based on the care and services provided to patients by their clinical and non-clinical staff.(1,2) However, such evaluations do not take into consideration the many interactions that patients have in online patient communities with the health-care organization (HCO) as well as with peer patients. Patients' interactions in these online communities could impact their perceptions regarding the HCO's service quality. The objective of this pilot study was to evaluate the impact of social support and responsiveness that patients experience in an HCO's online community on patients' perceptions regarding the HCO's service quality. The study data are collected from CHESS, a health-care programme (Comprehensive Health Enhancement Support System) run by the Centre for Health Enhancement System Studies at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Findings show that the social support and the responsiveness received from peer patients in the online patient communities will impact patients' perceptions regarding the service quality of the HCO even when the organizational members themselves do not participate in the online discussions. The results indicate that interactions in such HCO-provided online patient communities should not be ignored as they could translate into patients' perceptions regarding HCOs' service quality. Ways to improve responsiveness and social support in an HCO's online patient community are discussed. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

ISRU Production of Life Support Consumables for a Lunar Base

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cooper, Bonnie L.; Simon, Tom

2007-01-01

Similar to finding a home on Earth, location is important when selecting where to set up an exploration outpost. Essential considerations for comparing potential lunar outpost locations include: (1) areas nearby that would be useful for In-Situ Resource Utilization (ISRU) oxygen extraction from regolith for crew breathing oxygen as well as other potential uses; (2) proximity to a suitable landing site; (3) availability of sunlight; (4) capability for line-of-sight communications with Earth; (5) proximity to permanently-shadowed areas for potential in-situ water ice; and (6) scientific interest. The Mons Malapert1 (Malapert Mountain) area (85.5degS, 0degE) has been compared to these criteria, and appears to be a suitable location for a lunar outpost.

Role of quasiresonant planetary wave dynamics in recent boreal spring-to-autumn extreme events

PubMed Central

Petoukhov, Vladimir; Petri, Stefan; Rahmstorf, Stefan; Coumou, Dim; Kornhuber, Kai; Schellnhuber, Hans Joachim

2016-01-01

In boreal spring-to-autumn (May-to-September) 2012 and 2013, the Northern Hemisphere (NH) has experienced a large number of severe midlatitude regional weather extremes. Here we show that a considerable part of these extremes were accompanied by highly magnified quasistationary midlatitude planetary waves with zonal wave numbers m = 6, 7, and 8. We further show that resonance conditions for these planetary waves were, in many cases, present before the onset of high-amplitude wave events, with a lead time up to 2 wk, suggesting that quasiresonant amplification (QRA) of these waves had occurred. Our results support earlier findings of an important role of the QRA mechanism in amplifying planetary waves, favoring recent NH weather extremes. PMID:27274064

Feasibility Study of Commercial Markets for New Sample Acquisition Devices

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Brady, Collin; Coyne, Jim; Bilen, Sven G.; Kisenwether, Liz; Miller, Garry; Mueller, Robert P.; Zacny, Kris

2010-01-01

The NASA Exploration Systems Mission Directorate (ESMD) and Penn State technology commercialization project was designed to assist in the maturation of a NASA SBIR Phase III technology. The project was funded by NASA's ESMD Education group with oversight from the Surface Systems Office at NASA Kennedy Space Center in the Engineering Directorate. Two Penn State engineering student interns managed the project with support from Honeybee Robotics and NASA Kennedy Space Center. The objective was to find an opportunity to integrate SBIR-developed Regolith Extractor and Sampling Technology as the payload for the future Lunar Lander or Rover missions. The team was able to identify two potential Google Lunar X Prize organizations with considerable interest in utilizing regolith acquisition and transfer technology.

Studying Supernovae under the Current Paradigm

DOE PAGES

Fryer, Chris L.

2016-10-27

Abstract The convection-enhanced paradigm behind core-collapse supernovae (SNe) invokes a multi-physics model where convection above the proto-neutron star is able to convert the energy released in the collapse to produce the violent explosions observed as SNe. Over the past decade, the evidence in support of this engine has grown, including constraints placed by SN neutrinos, energies, progenitors and remnants. Although considerable theoretical work remains to utilize this data, our understanding of normal SNe is advancing. To achieve a deeper level of understanding, we must find ways to compare detailed simulations with the increasing set of observational data. Here we reviewmore » the current constraints and how we can apply our current understanding to broaden our understanding of these powerful engines.« less

Age, circadian rhythms, and sleep loss in flight crews

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gander, Philippa H.; Nguyen, DE; Rosekind, Mark R.; Connell, Linda J.

1993-01-01

Age-related changes in trip-induced sleep loss, personality, and the preduty temperature rhythm were analyzed in crews from various flight operations. Eveningness decreased with age. The minimum of the baseline temperature rhythm occurred earlier with age. The amplitude of the baseline temperature rhythm declined with age. Average daily percentage sleep loss during trips increased with age. Among crewmembers flying longhaul flight operations, subjects aged 50-60 averaged 3.5 times more sleep loss per day than subjects aged 20-30. These studies support previous findings that evening types and subjects with later peaking temperature rhythms adapt better to shift work and time zone changes. Age and circadian type may be important considerations for duty schedules and fatigue countermeasures.

Studying Supernovae under the Current Paradigm

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

Fryer, Chris L.

Abstract The convection-enhanced paradigm behind core-collapse supernovae (SNe) invokes a multi-physics model where convection above the proto-neutron star is able to convert the energy released in the collapse to produce the violent explosions observed as SNe. Over the past decade, the evidence in support of this engine has grown, including constraints placed by SN neutrinos, energies, progenitors and remnants. Although considerable theoretical work remains to utilize this data, our understanding of normal SNe is advancing. To achieve a deeper level of understanding, we must find ways to compare detailed simulations with the increasing set of observational data. Here we reviewmore » the current constraints and how we can apply our current understanding to broaden our understanding of these powerful engines.« less

Science versus policy in establishing equitable Agent Orange disability compensation policy.

PubMed

Brown, Mark A

2011-07-01

This article makes the case that current Agent Orange compensation policy for Vietnam War veterans is based neither wholly upon scientific findings about Agent Orange health effects nor on pure public health policy considerations. Rather, it is the logical culmination of decades of experience among policy makers and public health scientists trying to establish clear-cut, equitable, and scientifically defensible compensation policy in the face of limited relevant science and poor or nonexistent exposure data-all within the broader context of Veterans Affairs disability compensation policies, and a deep-seated commitment to support the men and women who served their country during the Vietnam War. Finally, attempts to update current policy will benefit from an understanding of this background.

Numerical Ergonomics Analysis in Operation Environment of CNC Machine

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wong, S. F.; Yang, Z. X.

2010-05-01

The performance of operator will be affected by different operation environments [1]. Moreover, poor operation environment may cause health problems of the operator [2]. Physical and psychological considerations are two main factors that will affect the performance of operator under different conditions of operation environment. In this paper, applying scientific and systematic methods find out the pivot elements in the field of physical and psychological factors. There are five main factors including light, temperature, noise, air flow and space that are analyzed. A numerical ergonomics model has been built up regarding the analysis results which can support to advance the design of operation environment. Moreover, the output of numerical ergonomic model can provide the safe, comfortable, more productive conditions for the operator.

Redescription and sexual dimorphism of Andaman leg-skate Cruriraja andamanica (Chondrichthyes: Rajiformes) with comments on the zoogeography of the genus Cruriraja.

PubMed

Vinu, J; Rajeeshkumar, M P; Parmeswaran, U V; Sumod, K S; Akhilesh, K V; Manjebrayakath, H; Sanjeevan, V N

2017-08-01

This paper redescribes sexually dimorphic Cruriraja andamanica based on five juvenile (four males, one female) and four adult specimens (three males, one female) collected from Andaman waters. Morphometric comparison of the present specimens with a female specimen collected off the coast of Tanzania reveals considerable dissimilarities between them. These findings, along with the wide geographical distance between collection locations, support a need for revision of the Tanzanian specimen, which, in all probability, represents a new species in the genus. The paper also addresses zoogeography of genus Cruriraja across the world's oceans and provides a revised key to the species. © 2017 The Fisheries Society of the British Isles.

A Questionnaire Survey of the Type of Support Required by Yogo Teachers to Effectively Manage Students Suspected of Having an Eating Disorder.

PubMed

Seike, Kaoru; Hanazawa, Hisashi; Ohtani, Toshiyuki; Takamiya, Shizuo; Sakuta, Ryoichi; Nakazato, Michiko

2016-01-01

Many studies have focused on the decreasing age of onset of eating disorders (EDs). Because school-age children with EDs are likely to suffer worse physical effects than adults, early detection and appropriate support are important. The cooperation of Yogo teachers is essential in helping these students to find appropriate care. To assist Yogo teachers, it is helpful to clarify the encounter rates (the proportion of Yogo teachers who have encountered ED students) and kinds of requested support (which Yogo teachers felt necessary to support ED students). There are no studies that have surveyed the prevalence rates of ED children by ED type as defined by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th edition (DSM-5), nor were we able to find any quantitative study surveying the kinds of support Yogo teachers feel helpful to support ED students. A questionnaire survey was administered to 655 Yogo teachers working at elementary/junior high/senior high/special needs schools in Chiba Prefecture. The questionnaire asked if the respondents had encountered students with each of the ED types described in DSM-5 (anorexia nervosa (AN), bulimia nervosa (BN), binge eating disorder (BED), avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID), and other types of EDs (Others)), and the kinds of support they felt necessary to support these students. The encounter rates and the kinds of requested were obtained and compared, taking their confidence intervals into consideration. The encounter rates for AN, BN, BED, ARFID, and Others were 48.4, 14.0, 8.4, 10.7, and 4.6 %, respectively. When classified by school type, AN, BN, BED, and ARFID had their highest encounter rates in senior high schools. Special needs schools had the highest rate for Others. The support most required for all ED types was "a list of medical/consultation institutions." Our results have clarified how to support Yogo teachers in the early detection and support of ED students. We found that the encounter rate of AN was the highest, and that it is effective to offer "a list of medical/consultation institutions" to junior and senior high schools where the encounter rates for AN are high.

Risk factors and mediating pathways of loneliness and social support in community-dwelling older adults.

PubMed

Schnittger, Rebecca I B; Wherton, Joseph; Prendergast, David; Lawlor, Brian A

2012-01-01

To develop biopsychosocial models of loneliness and social support thereby identifying their key risk factors in an Irish sample of community-dwelling older adults. Additionally, to investigate indirect effects of social support on loneliness through mediating risk factors. A total of 579 participants (400 females; 179 males) were given a battery of biopsychosocial assessments with the primary measures being the De Jong Gierveld Loneliness Scale and the Lubben Social Network Scale along with a broad range of secondary measures. Bivariate correlation analyses identified items to be included in separate psychosocial, cognitive, biological and demographic multiple regression analyses. The resulting model items were then entered into further multiple regression analyses to obtain overall models. Following this, bootstrapping mediation analyses was conducted to examine indirect effects of social support on the subtypes (emotional and social) of loneliness. The overall model for (1) emotional loneliness included depression, neuroticism, perceived stress, living alone and accommodation type, (2) social loneliness included neuroticism, perceived stress, animal naming and number of grandchildren and (3) social support included extraversion, executive functioning (Trail Making Test B-time), history of falls, age and whether the participant drives or not. Social support influenced emotional loneliness predominantly through indirect means, while its effect on social loneliness was more direct. These results characterise the biopsychosocial risk factors of emotional loneliness, social loneliness and social support and identify key pathways by which social support influences emotional and social loneliness. These findings highlight issues with the potential for consideration in the development of targeted interventions.

78 FR 78939 - 36(b)(1) Arms Sales Notification

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-12-27

... Quantity or Quantities of Articles or Services under Consideration for Purchase: C-130J technical, engineering and software support; software updates and patches; familiarization training for Portable Flight... and contractor technical support services; and other related elements of logistics and program support...

77 FR 32599 - 36(b)(1) Arms Sales Notification

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-06-01

... Consideration for Purchase: provides the regeneration, overhaul, modifications, and logistics support of 4... requested a possible sale to provide the regeneration, overhaul, modifications, and logistics support of 4...

Corporate Proprietary Data vs. Thesis Publication, an Exercise in Diplomacy.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stein, Alan

1987-01-01

The tripling of corporate money in research support at Colorado School of Mines has had a considerable impact on contractual considerations. Governmental agencies normally encourage publication of research while private corporations discourage same. Negotiation processes with companies are discussed. (MLW)

Federal Facilities Programs.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chase, William W.

Brief descriptions are presented of a number of Office of Education federal funding programs directly supporting educational facilities planning and construction. Programs now in operation and several currently under consideration are pointed out. Consideration is also given to several programs in federal agencies other than the Office of…

Practical Considerations in Creating School-Wide Positive Behavior Support in Public Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Handler, Marcie W.; Rey, Jannette; Connell, James; Thier, Kimberly; Feinberg, Adam; Putnam, Robert

2007-01-01

School-wide positive behavior support (SWPBS) has been identified as an effective and efficient method to teach students prosocial skills. It requires both effective behavior support practices and systems that will support these changes, including data-based decision making among the school leadership team. There are many practical and systemic…

"Theory Becoming Alive": The Learning Transition Process of Newly Graduated Nurses in Canada.

PubMed

Nour, Violet; Williams, Anne M

2018-01-01

Background Newly graduated nurses often encounter a gap between theory and practice in clinical settings. Although this has been the focus of considerable research, little is known about the learning transition process. Purpose The purpose of this study was to explore the experiences of newly graduated nurses in acute healthcare settings within Canada. This study was conducted to gain a greater understanding of the experiences and challenges faced by graduates. Methods Grounded theory method was utilized with a sample of 14 registered nurses who were employed in acute-care settings. Data were collected using in-depth interviews. Constant comparative analysis was used to analyze data. Results Findings revealed a core category, "Theory Becoming Alive," and four supporting categories: Entry into Practice, Immersion, Committing, and Evolving. Theory Becoming Alive described the process of new graduate nurses' clinical learning experiences as well as the challenges that they encountered in clinical settings after graduating. Conclusions This research provides a greater understanding of learning process of new graduate nurses in Canada. It highlights the importance of providing supportive environments to assist new graduate nurses to develop confidence as independent registered nurses in clinical areas. Future research directions as well as supportive educational strategies are described.

The Medial Temporal Lobe and Recognition Memory

PubMed Central

Eichenbaum, H.; Yonelinas, A.R.; Ranganath, C.

2007-01-01

The ability to recognize a previously experienced stimulus is supported by two processes: recollection of the stimulus in the context of other information associated with the experience, and a sense of familiarity with the features of the stimulus. Although familiarity and recollection are functionally distinct, there is considerable debate about how these kinds of memory are supported by regions in the medial temporal lobes (MTL). Here, we review evidence for the distinction between recollection and familiarity and then consider the evidence regarding the neural mechanisms of these processes. Evidence from neuropsychological, neuroimaging, and neurophysiological studies of humans, monkeys, and rats indicates that different subregions of the MTL make distinct contributions to recollection and familiarity. The data suggest that the hippocampus is critical for recollection but not familiarity. The parahippocampal cortex also contributes to recollection, possibly via the representation and retrieval of contextual (especially spatial) information, whereas perirhinal cortex contributes to and is necessary for familiarity-based recognition. The findings are consistent with an anatomically guided hypothesis about the functional organization of the MTL and suggest mechanisms by which the anatomical components of the MTL interact to support of the phenomenology of recollection and familiarity. PMID:17417939

Organizational Strategies to Implement Hospital Pressure Ulcer Prevention Programs: Findings from a National Survey

PubMed Central

SOBAN, LYNN M.; KIM, LINDA; YUAN, ANITA H.; MILTNER, REBECCA S.

2017-01-01

Aim To describe the presence and operationalization of organizational strategies to support implementation of pressure ulcer prevention programs across acute care hospitals in a large, integrated healthcare system. Background Comprehensive pressure ulcer programs include nursing interventions such as use of a risk assessment tool and organizational strategies such as policies and performance monitoring to embed these interventions into routine care. The current literature provides little detail about strategies used to implement pressure ulcer prevention programs. Methods Data were collected by an email survey to all Chief Nursing Officers in Veterans Health Administration acute care hospitals. Descriptive and bivariate statistics were used to summarize survey responses and evaluate relationships between some variables. Results Organizational strategies that support pressure ulcer prevention program implementation (policy, committee, staff education, wound care specialists, and use of performance data) were reported at high levels. Considerable variations were noted in how these strategies were operationalized within individual hospitals. Conclusion Organizational strategies to support implementation of pressure ulcer preventive programs are often not optimally operationalized to achieve consistent, sustainable performance. Implications for Nursing Management The results of this study highlight the role and influence of nurse leaders on pressure ulcer prevention program implementation. PMID:27487972

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.

A Temperature Compensation Method for Piezo-Resistive Pressure Sensor Utilizing Chaotic Ions Motion Algorithm Optimized Hybrid Kernel LSSVM.

PubMed

Li, Ji; Hu, Guoqing; Zhou, Yonghong; Zou, Chong; Peng, Wei; Alam Sm, Jahangir

2016-10-14

A piezo-resistive pressure sensor is made of silicon, the nature of which is considerably influenced by ambient temperature. The effect of temperature should be eliminated during the working period in expectation of linear output. To deal with this issue, an approach consists of a hybrid kernel Least Squares Support Vector Machine (LSSVM) optimized by a chaotic ions motion algorithm presented. To achieve the learning and generalization for excellent performance, a hybrid kernel function, constructed by a local kernel as Radial Basis Function (RBF) kernel, and a global kernel as polynomial kernel is incorporated into the Least Squares Support Vector Machine. The chaotic ions motion algorithm is introduced to find the best hyper-parameters of the Least Squares Support Vector Machine. The temperature data from a calibration experiment is conducted to validate the proposed method. With attention on algorithm robustness and engineering applications, the compensation result shows the proposed scheme outperforms other compared methods on several performance measures as maximum absolute relative error, minimum absolute relative error mean and variance of the averaged value on fifty runs. Furthermore, the proposed temperature compensation approach lays a foundation for more extensive research.

Research in the chemical sciences. Summaries of FY 1995

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

NONE

1995-09-01

This summary book is published annually to provide information on research supported by the Department of Energy`s Division of Chemical Sciences, which is one of four Divisions of the Office of Basic Energy Sciences in the Office of Energy Research. These summaries provide the scientific and technical public, as well as the legislative and executive branches of the Government, information, either generally or in some depth, about the Chemical Sciences program. Scientists interested in proposing research for support will find the publication useful for gauging the scope of the present basic research program and it`s relationship to their interests. Proposalsmore » that expand this scope may also be considered or directed to more appropriate offices. The primary goal of the research summarized here is to add significantly to the knowledge base in which existing and future efficient and safe energy technologies can evolve. As a result, scientific excellence is a major criterion applied in the selection of research supported by the Division of Chemical Sciences, but another important consideration is emphasis on science that is advancing in ways that will produce new information related to energy.« less

First-time fathers' postnatal experiences and support needs: A descriptive qualitative study.

PubMed

Shorey, Shefaly; Dennis, Cindy-Lee; Bridge, Shiho; Chong, Yap Seng; Holroyd, Eleanor; He, Hong-Gu

2017-12-01

To explore first-time fathers' postnatal experiences and support needs in the early postpartum period. The postnatal period is a stressful transition period for new fathers. It is imperative to understand their needs and experiences to provide appropriate support for them. The majority of previous studies were based in Western countries and explored fathers' needs during pregnancy and childbirth, with few studies conducted in the postnatal period. In Singapore, a multiracial society with differing paternal cultural values from its Western counterparts, there is considerable need to examine the experiences and needs of first-time fathers. A descriptive qualitative design was used. Data were collected from November 2015-January 2016. Fifteen first-time fathers were recruited from two postnatal wards of a public hospital, using a purposive sampling method. A semi-structured interview guide was used to conduct face-to-face interviews. A thematic analysis was conducted and ethics approval was sought for this study. Four overarching themes and seventeen subthemes were generated. The four overarching themes were: (1) No sense of reality to sense of responsibility; (2) Unprepared and challenged; (3) Support: needs, sources, experience and attitude; and (4) Future help for fathers. Fathers undergo a transition phase where they have unmet support needs during the early postnatal period. Understanding and addressing these needs may facilitate smooth transition to fatherhood. This study's findings can be used to involve fathers and design future supportive educational programs to promote positive parenting experiences and family dynamics. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Diagnostic imaging of child abuse

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

Kleinman, P.K.

1987-01-01

This book provides a description for all the known radiological alterations occurring in child abuse. This allows for precise interpretation of findings by radiologists. It also helps eliminate the confusion among both clinicians and non-medical personnel involved in the diagnosis, management, and legal issues related to child abuse. CONTENTS: Introduction; Skeletal trauma: general considerations; Extremity trauma; Bony thoracic trauma; Spinal trauma; Dating fractures; Visceral trauma; Head trauma; Miscellaneous forms of abuse and neglect; The postmortem examination; Differential diagnosis of child abuse; Legal considerations; Psychosocial considerations; Technical considerations and dosimetry.

Modern Theories of Pelvic Floor Support : A Topical Review of Modern Studies on Structural and Functional Pelvic Floor Support from Medical Imaging, Computational Modeling, and Electromyographic Perspectives.

PubMed

Peng, Yun; Miller, Brandi D; Boone, Timothy B; Zhang, Yingchun

2018-02-12

Weakened pelvic floor support is believed to be the main cause of various pelvic floor disorders. Modern theories of pelvic floor support stress on the structural and functional integrity of multiple structures and their interplay to maintain normal pelvic floor functions. Connective tissues provide passive pelvic floor support while pelvic floor muscles provide active support through voluntary contraction. Advanced modern medical technologies allow us to comprehensively and thoroughly evaluate the interaction of supporting structures and assess both active and passive support functions. The pathophysiology of various pelvic floor disorders associated with pelvic floor weakness is now under scrutiny from the combination of (1) morphological, (2) dynamic (through computational modeling), and (3) neurophysiological perspectives. This topical review aims to update newly emerged studies assessing pelvic floor support function among these three categories. A literature search was performed with emphasis on (1) medical imaging studies that assess pelvic floor muscle architecture, (2) subject-specific computational modeling studies that address new topics such as modeling muscle contractions, and (3) pelvic floor neurophysiology studies that report novel devices or findings such as high-density surface electromyography techniques. We found that recent computational modeling studies are featured with more realistic soft tissue constitutive models (e.g., active muscle contraction) as well as an increasing interest in simulating surgical interventions (e.g., artificial sphincter). Diffusion tensor imaging provides a useful non-invasive tool to characterize pelvic floor muscles at the microstructural level, which can be potentially used to improve the accuracy of the simulation of muscle contraction. Studies using high-density surface electromyography anal and vaginal probes on large patient cohorts have been recently reported. Influences of vaginal delivery on the distribution of innervation zones of pelvic floor muscles are clarified, providing useful guidance for a better protection of women during delivery. We are now in a period of transition to advanced diagnostic and predictive pelvic floor medicine. Our findings highlight the application of diffusion tensor imaging, computational models with consideration of active pelvic floor muscle contraction, high-density surface electromyography, and their potential integration, as tools to push the boundary of our knowledge in pelvic floor support and better shape current clinical practice.

Design Considerations for Creating a Chemical Information Workstation.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mess, John A.

1995-01-01

Discusses what a functional chemical information workstation should provide to support the users in an academic library and examines how it can be implemented. Highlights include basic design considerations; natural language interface, including grammar-based, context-based, and statistical methodologies; expert system interface; and programming…

Design Development Analyses in Support of a Heatpipe-Brayton Cycle Heat Exchanger

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Steeve, Brian E.; Kapernick, Richard J.

2004-01-01

One of the power systems under consideration for nuclear electric propulsion or as a planetary surface power source is a heatpipe-cooled reactor coupled to a Brayton cycle. In this system, power is transferred from the heatpipes to the Brayton gas via a heat exchanger attached to the heatpipes. This paper discusses the fluid, thermal and structural analyses that were performed in support of the design of the heat exchanger to be tested in the SAFE-100 experimental program at the Marshall Space Flight Center: An important consideration throughout the design development of the heat exchanger w its capability to be utilized for higher power and temperature applications. This paper also discusses this aspect of the design and presents designs for specific applications that are under consideration.

Complex Decision-Making in Heart Failure: A Systematic Review and Thematic Analysis.

PubMed

Hamel, Aimee V; Gaugler, Joseph E; Porta, Carolyn M; Hadidi, Niloufar Niakosari

Heart failure follows a highly variable and difficult course. Patients face complex decisions, including treatment with implantable cardiac defibrillators, mechanical circulatory support, and heart transplantation. The course of decision-making across multiple treatments is unclear yet integral to providing informed and shared decision-making. Recognizing commonalities across treatment decisions could help nurses and physicians to identify opportunities to introduce discussions and support shared decision-making. The specific aims of this review are to examine complex treatment decision-making, specifically implantable cardiac defibrillators, ventricular assist device, and cardiac transplantation, and to recognize commonalities and key points in the decisional process. MEDLINE, CINAHL, PsycINFO, and Web of Science were searched for English-language studies that included qualitative findings reflecting the complexity of heart failure decision-making. Using a 3-step process, findings were synthesized into themes and subthemes. Twelve articles met criteria for inclusion. Participants included patients, caregivers, and clinicians and included decisions to undergo and decline treatment. Emergent themes were "processing the decision," "timing and prognostication," and "considering the future." Subthemes described how participants received and understood information about the therapy, making and changing a treatment decision, timing their decision and gauging health status outcomes in the context of their decision, the influence of a life or death decision, and the future as a factor in their decisional process. Commonalities were present across therapies, which involved the timing of discussions, the delivery of information, and considerations of the future. Exploring this further could help support patient-centered care and optimize shared decision-making interventions.

The home environment and disability-related outcomes in aging individuals: what is the empirical evidence?

PubMed

Wahl, Hans-Werner; Fänge, Agneta; Oswald, Frank; Gitlin, Laura N; Iwarsson, Susanne

2009-06-01

Building on the disablement process model and the concept of person-environment fit (p-e fit), this review article examines 2 critical questions concerning the role of home environments: (a) What is the recent evidence supporting a relationship between home environments and disability-related outcomes? and (b) What is the recent evidence regarding the effects of home modifications on disability-related outcomes? Using computerized and manual search, we identified relevant peer-reviewed original publications and review articles published between January 1, 1997, and August 31, 2006. For Research Question 1, 25 original investigations and for Research Question 2, 29 original investigations and 10 review articles were identified. For Research Question 1, evidence for a relationship between home environments and disability-related outcomes for older adults exists but is limited by cross-sectional designs and poor research quality. For Research Question 2, evidence based on randomized controlled trials shows that improving home environments enhances functional ability outcomes but not so much falls-related outcomes. Some evidence also exists that studies using a p-e fit perspective result in more supportive findings than studies that do not use this framework. Considerable evidence exists that supports the role of home environments in the disablement process, but there are also inconsistencies in findings across studies. Future research should optimize psychometric properties of home environment assessment tools and explore the role of both objective characteristics and perceived attributions of home environments to understand person-environment dynamics and their impact on disability-related outcomes in old age.

A two-dimensional vibration analysis of piezoelectrically actuated microbeam with nonideal boundary conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rezaei, M. P.; Zamanian, M.

2017-01-01

In this paper, the influences of nonideal boundary conditions (due to flexibility) on the primary resonant behavior of a piezoelectrically actuated microbeam have been studied, for the first time. The structure has been assumed to treat as an Euler-Bernoulli beam, considering the effects of geometric nonlinearity. In this work, the general nonideal supports have been modeled as a the combination of horizontal, vertical and rotational springs, simultaneously. Allocating particular values to the stiffness of these springs provides the mathematical models for the majority of boundary conditions. This consideration leads to use a two-dimensional analysis of the multiple scales method instead of previous works' method (one-dimensional analysis). If one neglects the nonideal effects, then this paper would be an effort to solve the two-dimensional equations of motion without a need of a combination of these equations using the shortening or stretching effect. Letting the nonideal effects equal to zero and comparing their results with the results of previous approaches have been demonstrated the accuracy of the two-dimensional solutions. The results have been identified the unique effects of constraining and stiffening of boundaries in horizontal, vertical and rotational directions. This means that it is inaccurate to suppose the nonideality of supports only in one or two of these directions like as previous works. The findings are of vital importance as a better prediction of the frequency response for the nonideal supports. Furthermore, the main findings of this effort can help to choose appropriate boundary conditions for desired systems.

Computer-aided detection of early cancer in the esophagus using HD endoscopy images

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

van der Sommen, Fons; Zinger, Svitlana; Schoon, Erik J.; de With, Peter H. N.

2013-02-01

Esophageal cancer is the fastest rising type of cancer in the Western world. The recent development of High-Definition (HD) endoscopy has enabled the specialist physician to identify cancer at an early stage. Nevertheless, it still requires considerable effort and training to be able to recognize these irregularities associated with early cancer. As a first step towards a Computer-Aided Detection (CAD) system that supports the physician in finding these early stages of cancer, we propose an algorithm that is able to identify irregularities in the esophagus automatically, based on HD endoscopic images. The concept employs tile-based processing, so our system is not only able to identify that an endoscopic image contains early cancer, but it can also locate it. The identification is based on the following steps: (1) preprocessing, (2) feature extraction with dimensionality reduction, (3) classification. We evaluate the detection performance in RGB, HSI and YCbCr color space using the Color Histogram (CH) and Gabor features and we compare with other well-known features to describe texture. For classification, we employ a Support Vector Machine (SVM) and evaluate its performance using different parameters and kernel functions. In experiments, our system achieves a classification accuracy of 95.9% on 50×50 pixel tiles of tumorous and normal tissue and reaches an Area Under the Curve (AUC) of 0.990. In 22 clinical examples our algorithm was able to identify all (pre-)cancerous regions and annotate those regions reasonably well. The experimental and clinical validation are considered promising for a CAD system that supports the physician in finding early stage cancer.

The Home Environment and Disability-Related Outcomes in Aging Individuals: What Is the Empirical Evidence?

PubMed Central

Wahl, Hans-Werner; Fänge, Agneta; Oswald, Frank; Gitlin, Laura N.; Iwarsson, Susanne

2009-01-01

Purpose: Building on the disablement process model and the concept of person–environment fit (p-e fit), this review article examines 2 critical questions concerning the role of home environments: (a) What is the recent evidence supporting a relationship between home environments and disability-related outcomes? and (b) What is the recent evidence regarding the effects of home modifications on disability-related outcomes?Design and Methods: Using computerized and manual search, we identified relevant peer-reviewed original publications and review articles published between January 1, 1997, and August 31, 2006. For Research Question 1, 25 original investigations and for Research Question 2, 29 original investigations and 10 review articles were identified.Results: For Research Question 1, evidence for a relationship between home environments and disability-related outcomes for older adults exists but is limited by cross-sectional designs and poor research quality. For Research Question 2, evidence based on randomized controlled trials shows that improving home environments enhances functional ability outcomes but not so much falls-related outcomes. Some evidence also exists that studies using a p-e fit perspective result in more supportive findings than studies that do not use this framework.Implications: Considerable evidence exists that supports the role of home environments in the disablement process, but there are also inconsistencies in findings across studies. Future research should optimize psychometric properties of home environment assessment tools and explore the role of both objective characteristics and perceived attributions of home environments to understand person–environment dynamics and their impact on disability-related outcomes in old age. PMID:19420315

Concept Analysis of Spirituality: An Evolutionary Approach.

PubMed

Weathers, Elizabeth; McCarthy, Geraldine; Coffey, Alice

2016-04-01

The aim of this article is to clarify the concept of spirituality for future nursing research. Previous concept analyses of spirituality have mostly reviewed the conceptual literature with little consideration of the empirical literature. The literature reviewed in prior concept analyses extends from 1972 to 2005, with no analysis conducted in the past 9 years. Rodgers' evolutionary framework was used to review both the theoretical and empirical literature pertaining to spirituality. Evolutionary concept analysis is a formal method of philosophical inquiry, in which papers are analyzed to identify attributes, antecedents, and consequences of the concept. Empirical and conceptual literature. Three defining attributes of spirituality were identified: connectedness, transcendence, and meaning in life. A conceptual definition of spirituality was proposed based on the findings. Also, four antecedents and five primary consequences of spirituality were identified. Spirituality is a complex concept. This concept analysis adds some clarification by proposing a definition of spirituality that is underpinned by both conceptual and empirical research. Furthermore, exemplars of spirituality, based on prior qualitative research, are presented to support the findings. Hence, the findings of this analysis could guide future nursing research on spirituality. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Examining Current Conceptualizations of Psychopathology With the MMPI-2/MMPI-2-RF Restructured Clinical Scales: Preliminary Findings From a Cross-Cultural Study.

PubMed

Shkalim, Eleanor; Almagor, Moshe; Ben-Porath, Yossef S

2017-01-01

Watson ( 2005 ) proposed a hierarchical reorganization of the underlying structure of emotional disorders. This study cross-culturally evaluated Watson's (2005) structure of mood and anxiety disorders, using mainly dichotomous criteria, and explored the placement of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) in this model. It also tested Sellbom, Ben-Porath, and Bagby's (2008) proposed elaboration of the 2-factor model (positive and negative activation) that incorporates a higher order dimension of demoralization. One hundred men and 133 women from psychiatric settings in Israel completed the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2 (Butcher et al., 2001 ) and the Maudsley Obsessional-Compulsive Inventory (Hodgson & Rachman, 1977 ). They were interviewed using the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview (Sheehan et al., 1998 ). Confirmatory factor analyses replicated Watson's structure for women but not for men. Mixed results were obtained regarding OCD's location in the model. Findings among women support the applicability of Watson's (2005) model across a variety of assessment modalities, as well as in a different language and for diversified cultural backgrounds. This conclusion, however, should be tempered in consideration of the results among men. Findings also provide evidence of the importance of demoralization in mood and anxiety disorders.

Political Trust and Sophistication: Taking Measurement Seriously.

PubMed

Turper, Sedef; Aarts, Kees

2017-01-01

Political trust is an important indicator of political legitimacy. Hence, seemingly decreasing levels of political trust in Western democracies have stimulated a growing body of research on the causes and consequences of political trust. However, the neglect of potential measurement problems of political trust raises doubts about the findings of earlier studies. The current study revisits the measurement of political trust and re-examines the relationship between political trust and sophistication in the Netherlands by utilizing European Social Survey (ESS) data across five time points and four-wave panel data from the Panel Component of ESS. Our findings illustrate that high and low political sophistication groups display different levels of political trust even when measurement characteristics of political trust are taken into consideration. However, the relationship between political sophistication and political trust is weaker than it is often suggested by earlier research. Our findings also provide partial support for the argument that the gap between sophistication groups is widening over time. Furthermore, we demonstrate that, although the between-method differences between the latent means and the composite score means of political trust for high- and low sophistication groups are relatively minor, it is important to analyze the measurement characteristics of the political trust construct.

Evaluation of the AHRQ Patient Safety Initiative: Synthesis of Findings

PubMed Central

Farley, Donna O; Damberg, Cheryl L

2009-01-01

Objective To present overall findings from the 4-year evaluation of the national patient safety initiative operated by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ). Data Sources Interviews with AHRQ staff, grantees, and other patient safety stakeholders; published materials; and internal AHRQ documents. Study Design The evaluation was structured to address a system framework of five components involved in improving safety. The initiative's contributions to improving each system component were assessed qualitatively, comparing results from three separate analyses—AHRQ's achievement of its patient safety goals, our own assessment of the initiative's activities, and independent stakeholder ratings of AHRQ's contributions. Findings and Conclusions AHRQ has faced a daunting challenge for improving patient safety, given the complex problems of the U.S. health care system and the limited resources AHRQ has had to address them. The patient safety initiative achieved strongest progress for its contributions to knowledge of patient safety epidemiology and effective practices, where AHRQ has considerable experience, and to strengthening infrastructure to support adoption of safe practices. Progress was slower in establishing a national monitoring capability and dissemination of safe practices for adoption. AHRQ needs to expand efforts to apply new knowledge for stimulating use of safe practices in the field. PMID:21456115

Dynamic Considerations for Control of Closed Life Support Systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Babcock, P. S.; Auslander, D. M.; Spear, R. C.

1985-01-01

Reliability of closed life support systems depend on their ability to continue supplying the crew's needs during perturbations and equipment failures. The dynamic considerations interact with the basic static design through the sizing of storages, the specification of excess capacities in processors, and the choice of system initial state. A very simple system flow model was used to examine the possibilities for system failures even when there is sufficient storage to buffer the immediate effects of the perturbation. Two control schemes are shown which have different dynamic consequences in response to component failures.

Prosthetic Consideration in Implant-supported Prosthesis: A Review of Literature

PubMed Central

Gowd, Manga Snigdha; Shankar, Thatapudi; Ranjan, Rajeev; Singh, Arpita

2017-01-01

Modern dentistry has changed tremendously with implant therapy. For the successful implant therapy, making a proper treatment plan considering both surgical and prosthetic part in mind is the key of success. Often practitioners tend to create a treatment plan overlooking the basic principles of prosthetic part. This present review has discussed various prosthetic consideration of implant-supported prosthesis. A step-by-step detailed prosthetic option with their indications has been discussed to help all dental implant practitioners in making of an optimal treatment plan for each case. PMID:28713760

Donor Behavior and Voluntary Support for Higher Education Institutions.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Leslie, Larry L.; Ramey, Garey

Voluntary support of higher education in America is investigated through regression analysis of institutional characteristics at two points in time. The assumption of donor rationality together with explicit consideration of interorganizational relationships offers a coherent framework for the analysis of voluntary support by the major…

Co-occurring Substance Abuse and Mental Health Problems among Homeless Persons: Suggestions for Research and Practice.

PubMed

Polcin, Douglas L

Communities throughout the U.S. are struggling to find solutions for serious and persistent homelessness. Alcohol and drug problems can be causes and consequences of homelessness, as well as co-occurring problems that complicate efforts to succeed in finding stable housing. Two prominent service models exist, one known as "Housing First" takes a harm reduction approach and the other known as the "linear" model typically supports a goal of abstinence from alcohol and drugs. Despite their popularity, the research supporting these models suffers from methodological problems and inconsistent findings. One purpose of this paper is to describe systematic reviews of the homelessness services literature, which illustrate weaknesses in research designs and inconsistent conclusions about the effectiveness of current models. Problems among some of the seminal studies on homelessness include poorly defined inclusion and exclusion criteria, inadequate measures of alcohol and drug use, unspecified or poorly implemented comparison conditions, and lack of procedures documenting adherence to service models. Several recent papers have suggested broader based approaches for homeless services that integrate alternatives and respond better to consumer needs. Practical considerations for implementing a broader system of services are described and peer managed recovery homes are presented as examples of services that address some of the gaps in current approaches. Three issues are identified that need more attention from researchers: 1) improving upon the methodological limitations in current studies, 2) assessing the impact of broader based, integrated services on outcome, and 3) assessing approaches to the service needs of homeless persons involved in the criminal justice system.

Allocating external financing for health: a discrete choice experiment of stakeholder preferences.

PubMed

Grépin, Karen A; Pinkstaff, Crossley B; Hole, Arne Risa; Henderson, Klara; Norheim, Ole Frithjof; Røttingen, John-Arne; Ottersen, Trygve

2018-02-01

Most donors of external financing for health use allocation policies to determine which countries are eligible to receive financial support and how much support each should receive. Currently, most of these policies place a great deal of weight on income per capita as a determinant of aid allocation but there is increasing interest in putting more weight on other country characteristics in the design of such policies. It is unclear, however, how much weight should be placed on other country characteristics. Using an online discrete choice experiment designed to elicit preferences over country characteristics to guide decisions about the allocation of external financing for health, we find that stakeholders assign a great deal of importance to health inequalities and the burden of disease but put very little weight on income per capita. We also find considerable variation in preferences across stakeholders, with people from low- and middle-income countries putting more weight on the burden of disease and people from high-income countries putting more weight on health inequalities. These findings suggest that stakeholders put more weight on burden of disease and health inequalities than on income per capita in evaluating which countries should received external financing for health and that that people living in aid recipient may have different preferences than people living in donor countries. Donors may wish to take these differences in preferences in mind if they are reconsidering their aid allocation policies. © The Author(s) 2018. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Strategies to increase research-based practice: interplay with unit culture.

PubMed

Pepler, Carolyn J; Edgar, Linda; Frisch, Sara; Rennick, Janet; Swidzinski, Marika; White, Carole; Brown, Thomas; Gross, Julie

2006-01-01

A major focus of clinical nurse specialist nursing practice is the integration of research findings into practice. The purpose of this study was to describe strategies used to facilitate research utilization (RU) by nurses in a practice setting. This multiple-case study identified the strategies that clinical nurse specialists and master's degree-prepared nurse educators, working collaboratively, used to facilitate RU. The setting included 8 units in 4 sites of a university hospital with all willing nurses participating. Open-ended focus groups and individual interviews and observational sessions were conducted using investigator-designed interview guides. Comprehensive qualitative analysis led to identification of categories and themes related to RU and the unit culture that supported it. Findings demonstrated that strategies to facilitate RU by staff at the unit level included conducting original research, supporting nurses participating in research, assessing and meeting staff learning needs, promoting staff attendance at conferences, stimulating goal-setting for presentations and publications, encouraging and responding to new ideas, questioning practice and stimulating inquiry, capitalizing on expertise in research knowledge and skills, and generating information and material resources. Characteristics of unit culture were linked to varying degrees of success with these strategies. The interplay of strategies with unit culture and research-based practice is described. A wide repertoire of strategies is needed to facilitate RU, and the outcome of these strategies is influenced by the unit culture. Consideration of the findings and the scope of the strategies used by nurses in the study can help clinical nurse specialist and other nursing leaders facilitate the building of practice on research.

Human Health Effects of Biphenyl: Key Findings and Scientific Issues

PubMed Central

Li, Zheng; Hogan, Karen A.; Cai, Christine; Rieth, Susan

2015-01-01

Background: In support of the Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS), the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has evaluated the human health hazards of biphenyl exposure. Objectives: We review key findings and scientific issues regarding expected human health effects of biphenyl. Methods: Scientific literature from 1926 through September 2012 was critically evaluated to identify potential human health hazards associated with biphenyl exposure. Key issues related to the carcinogenicity and noncancer health hazards of biphenyl were examined based on evidence from experimental animal bioassays and mechanistic studies. Discussion: Systematic consideration of experimental animal studies of oral biphenyl exposure took into account the variety of study designs (e.g., study sizes, exposure levels, and exposure durations) to reconcile differing reported results. The available mechanistic and toxicokinetic evidence supports the hypothesis that male rat urinary bladder tumors arise through urinary bladder calculi formation but is insufficient to hypothesize a mode of action for liver tumors in female mice. Biphenyl and its metabolites may induce genetic damage, but a role for genotoxicity in biphenyl-induced carcinogenicity has not been established. Conclusions: The available health effects data for biphenyl provides suggestive evidence for carcinogenicity in humans, based on increased incidences of male rat urinary bladder tumors at high exposure levels and on female mouse liver tumors. Kidney toxicity is also a potential human health hazard of biphenyl exposure. Citation: Li Z, Hogan KA, Cai C, Rieth S. 2016. Human health effects of biphenyl: key findings and scientific issues. Environ Health Perspect 124:703–712; http://dx.doi.org/10.1289/ehp.1509730 PMID:26529796

Co-occurring substance abuse and mental health problems among homeless persons: Suggestions for research and practice

PubMed Central

Polcin, Douglas L.

2016-01-01

Abstract Communities throughout the U.S. are struggling to find solutions for serious and persistent homelessness. Alcohol and drug problems can be causes and consequences of homelessness, as well as co-occurring problems that complicate efforts to succeed in finding stable housing. Two prominent service models exist, one known as “Housing First” takes a harm reduction approach and the other known as the “linear” model typically supports a goal of abstinence from alcohol and drugs. Despite their popularity, the research supporting these models suffers from methodological problems and inconsistent findings. One purpose of this paper is to describe systematic reviews of the homelessness services literature, which illustrate weaknesses in research designs and inconsistent conclusions about the effectiveness of current models. Problems among some of the seminal studies on homelessness include poorly defined inclusion and exclusion criteria, inadequate measures of alcohol and drug use, unspecified or poorly implemented comparison conditions, and lack of procedures documenting adherence to service models. Several recent papers have suggested broader based approaches for homeless services that integrate alternatives and respond better to consumer needs. Practical considerations for implementing a broader system of services are described and peer-managed recovery homes are presented as examples of services that address some of the gaps in current approaches. Three issues are identified that need more attention from researchers: (1) improving upon the methodological limitations in current studies, (2) assessing the impact of broader based, integrated services on outcome, and (3) assessing approaches to the service needs of homeless persons involved in the criminal justice system. PMID:27092027

Time Evolution of the Wettability of Supported Graphene under Ambient Air Exposure

PubMed Central

2016-01-01

The wettability of graphene is both fundamental and crucial for interfacing in most applications, but a detailed understanding of its time evolution remains elusive. Here we systematically investigate the wettability of metal-supported, chemical vapor deposited graphene films as a function of ambient air exposure time using water and various other test liquids with widely different surface tensions. The wettability of graphene is not constant, but varies with substrate interactions and air exposure time. The substrate interactions affect the initial graphene wettability, where, for instance, water contact angles of ∼85 and ∼61° were measured for Ni and Cu supported graphene, respectively, after just minutes of air exposure. Analysis of the surface free energy components indicates that the substrate interactions strongly influence the Lewis acid–base component of supported graphene, which is considerably weaker for Ni supported graphene than for Cu supported graphene, suggesting that the classical van der Waals interaction theory alone is insufficient to describe the wettability of graphene. For prolonged air exposure, the effect of physisorption of airborne contaminants becomes increasingly dominant, resulting in an increase of water contact angle that follows a universal linear-logarithmic relationship with exposure time, until saturating at a maximum value of 92–98°. The adsorbed contaminants render all supported graphene samples increasingly nonpolar, although their total surface free energy decreases only by 10–16% to about 37–41 mJ/m2. Our finding shows that failure to account for the air exposure time may lead to widely different wettability values and contradicting arguments about the wetting transparency of graphene. PMID:26900413

Considerations for Explosively Driven Conical Shock Tube Design: Computations and Experiments

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-02-16

ARL-TR-7953 ● FEB 2017 US Army Research Laboratory Considerations for Explosively Driven Conical Shock Tube Design : Computations...The findings in this report are not to be construed as an official Department of the Army position unless so designated by other authorized...Considerations for Explosively Driven Conical Shock Tube Designs : Computations and Experiments by Joel B Stewart Weapons and Materials Research Directorate

Quantifying and Understanding Effects from Wildlife, Radar, and Public Engagement on Future Wind Deployment

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

Tegen, Suzanne

This presentation provides an overview of findings from a report published in 2016 by researchers at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, An Initial Evaluation of Siting Considerations on Current and Future Wind Deployment. The presentation covers the background for research, the Energy Department's Wind Vision, research methods, siting considerations, the wind project deployment process, and costs associated with siting considerations.

Applying GRADE-CERQual to qualitative evidence synthesis findings-paper 6: how to assess relevance of the data.

PubMed

Noyes, Jane; Booth, Andrew; Lewin, Simon; Carlsen, Benedicte; Glenton, Claire; Colvin, Christopher J; Garside, Ruth; Bohren, Meghan A; Rashidian, Arash; Wainwright, Megan; Tunςalp, Özge; Chandler, Jacqueline; Flottorp, Signe; Pantoja, Tomas; Tucker, Joseph D; Munthe-Kaas, Heather

2018-01-25

The GRADE-CERQual (Confidence in Evidence from Reviews of Qualitative research) approach has been developed by the GRADE (Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation) Working Group. The approach has been developed to support the use of findings from qualitative evidence syntheses in decision-making, including guideline development and policy formulation. CERQual includes four components for assessing how much confidence to place in findings from reviews of qualitative research (also referred to as qualitative evidence syntheses): (1) methodological limitations, (2) coherence, (3) adequacy of data and (4) relevance. This paper is part of a series providing guidance on how to apply CERQual and focuses on CERQual's relevance component. We developed the relevance component by searching the literature for definitions, gathering feedback from relevant research communities and developing consensus through project group meetings. We tested the CERQual relevance component within several qualitative evidence syntheses before agreeing on the current definition and principles for application. When applying CERQual, we define relevance as the extent to which the body of data from the primary studies supporting a review finding is applicable to the context (perspective or population, phenomenon of interest, setting) specified in the review question. In this paper, we describe the relevance component and its rationale and offer guidance on how to assess relevance in the context of a review finding. This guidance outlines the information required to assess relevance, the steps that need to be taken to assess relevance and examples of relevance assessments. This paper provides guidance for review authors and others on undertaking an assessment of relevance in the context of the CERQual approach. Assessing the relevance component requires consideration of potentially important contextual factors at an early stage in the review process. We expect the CERQual approach, and its individual components, to develop further as our experiences with the practical implementation of the approach increase.

Permafrost knowledge to serve as foundation for Inuit community planning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gibéryen, T.; Allard, M.

2011-12-01

With the recent announcement of Québec's provincial government's Plan Nord, Nunavik will see a 500 new houses sweep onto it's territory over the next 5 years. The local Inuit communities are confronted with the pressuring need to find suitable land to safely accommodate the new infrastructures in the long term. Additional to human and environmental constraints are those related to warming permafrost. Intensive studies on four Nunavik communities (Inukjuak, Puvirnituq, Akulivik, Kangirsuk) have allowed us to extensively consult local and regional authorities on their planning and management considerations. Recent and archived drilling data have been used to corroborate air photo interpretation, surficial geology and permafrost mapping. All collected information are integrated into aggregated maps that will eventually serve as community master plans. General recommendations on how to best manage and plan for community expansions on warming permafrost are made. Appropriate engineering techniques assuring long-term stable foundations are outlined and additionally mapped, taking into consideration the variable terrain conditions and simulated changes in permafrost temperature and active layer thickness according to climate change scenarios. The final purpose of our results is for them to support local and regional governments in their community planning process towards the best possible climate change adaptation strategies.

Metabolomic profiling in perinatal asphyxia: a promising new field.

PubMed

Denihan, Niamh M; Boylan, Geraldine B; Murray, Deirdre M

2015-01-01

Metabolomics, the latest "omic" technology, is defined as the comprehensive study of all low molecular weight biochemicals, "metabolites" present in an organism. As a systems biology approach, metabolomics has huge potential to progress our understanding of perinatal asphyxia and neonatal hypoxic-ischaemic encephalopathy, by uniquely detecting rapid biochemical pathway alterations in response to the hypoxic environment. The study of metabolomic biomarkers in the immediate neonatal period is not a trivial task and requires a number of specific considerations, unique to this disease and population. Recruiting a clearly defined cohort requires standardised multicentre recruitment with broad inclusion criteria and the participation of a range of multidisciplinary staff. Minimally invasive biospecimen collection is a priority for biomarker discovery. Umbilical cord blood presents an ideal medium as large volumes can be easily extracted and stored and the sample is not confounded by postnatal disease progression. Pristine biobanking and phenotyping are essential to ensure the validity of metabolomic findings. This paper provides an overview of the current state of the art in the field of metabolomics in perinatal asphyxia and neonatal hypoxic-ischaemic encephalopathy. We detail the considerations required to ensure high quality sampling and analysis, to support scientific progression in this important field.

Metabolomic Profiling in Perinatal Asphyxia: A Promising New Field

PubMed Central

Denihan, Niamh M.; Boylan, Geraldine B.; Murray, Deirdre M.

2015-01-01

Metabolomics, the latest “omic” technology, is defined as the comprehensive study of all low molecular weight biochemicals, “metabolites” present in an organism. As a systems biology approach, metabolomics has huge potential to progress our understanding of perinatal asphyxia and neonatal hypoxic-ischaemic encephalopathy, by uniquely detecting rapid biochemical pathway alterations in response to the hypoxic environment. The study of metabolomic biomarkers in the immediate neonatal period is not a trivial task and requires a number of specific considerations, unique to this disease and population. Recruiting a clearly defined cohort requires standardised multicentre recruitment with broad inclusion criteria and the participation of a range of multidisciplinary staff. Minimally invasive biospecimen collection is a priority for biomarker discovery. Umbilical cord blood presents an ideal medium as large volumes can be easily extracted and stored and the sample is not confounded by postnatal disease progression. Pristine biobanking and phenotyping are essential to ensure the validity of metabolomic findings. This paper provides an overview of the current state of the art in the field of metabolomics in perinatal asphyxia and neonatal hypoxic-ischaemic encephalopathy. We detail the considerations required to ensure high quality sampling and analysis, to support scientific progression in this important field. PMID:25802843

Methodology, Methods, and Metrics for Testing and Evaluating Augmented Cognition Systems

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

Greitzer, Frank L.

The augmented cognition research community seeks cognitive neuroscience-based solutions to improve warfighter performance by applying and managing mitigation strategies to reduce workload and improve the throughput and quality of decisions. The focus of augmented cognition mitigation research is to define, demonstrate, and exploit neuroscience and behavioral measures that support inferences about the warfighter’s cognitive state that prescribe the nature and timing of mitigation. A research challenge is to develop valid evaluation methodologies, metrics and measures to assess the impact of augmented cognition mitigations. Two considerations are external validity, which is the extent to which the results apply to operational contexts;more » and internal validity, which reflects the reliability of performance measures and the conclusions based on analysis of results. The scientific rigor of the research methodology employed in conducting empirical investigations largely affects the validity of the findings. External validity requirements also compel us to demonstrate operational significance of mitigations. Thus it is important to demonstrate effectiveness of mitigations under specific conditions. This chapter reviews some cognitive science and methodological considerations in designing augmented cognition research studies and associated human performance metrics and analysis methods to assess the impact of augmented cognition mitigations.« less

Duration, Pitch, and Loudness in Kunqu Opera Stage Speech.

PubMed

Han, Qichao; Sundberg, Johan

2017-03-01

Kunqu is a special type of opera within the Chinese tradition with 600 years of history. In it, stage speech is used for the spoken dialogue. It is performed in Ming Dynasty's mandarin language and is a much more dominant part of the play than singing. Stage speech deviates considerably from normal conversational speech with respect to duration, loudness and pitch. This paper compares these properties in stage speech conversational speech. A famous, highly experienced female singer's performed stage speech and reading of the same lyrics in a conversational speech mode. Clear differences are found. As compared with conversational speech, stage speech had longer word and sentence duration and word duration was less variable. Average sound level was 16 dB higher. Also mean fundamental frequency was considerably higher and more varied. Within sentences, both loudness and fundamental frequency tended to vary according to a low-high-low pattern. Some of the findings fail to support current opinions regarding the characteristics of stage speech, and in this sense the study demonstrates the relevance of objective measurements in descriptions of vocal styles. Copyright © 2017 The Voice Foundation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A phenomenological study into the impact of the sign-off mentor in the acute hospital setting.

PubMed

Hutchison, Trudy; Cochrane, Jill

2014-06-01

Mentoring provides an essential quality assurance mechanism within undergraduate support and assessment of nurses. Recent changes to the standards for supporting pre-registration learners in clinical practice have provided additional structure to this process. Existing evidence suggests there are numerous challenges such as balancing clinical and mentoring priorities and making appropriate decisions; evidence about the sign-off mentor role in particular is currently lacking. This study explores the impact of the sign-off mentor role within the acute setting utilising a phenomenological approach. A purposive sample of 6 sign-off mentors contributed to data collection via the use of semi-structured interviews. Data were collected using a digital tape recorder and transcribed verbatim. Analysis of findings allowed for the development of 3 main themes which are accountability, time and commitment. A key finding of this study is the change in focus for sign-off mentors to one of assessment of clinical competence and professional regulation as opposed to mentors who have concentrated on the teaching and pastoral aspects of this role. However, sustainability requires further investment in this new role from a managerial and educational perspective. Recommendations include further attempts to embed protected time into organisational processes, the consideration of limiting students to sign-off mentors when mentoring a final placement student and negotiating maximum number of exposures to this role within a set time frame. © 2013.

Clinical features of avian vacuolar myelinopathy in American coots

USGS Publications Warehouse

Larsen, R.S.; Nutter, F.B.; Augspurger, T.; Rocke, T.E.; Tomlinson, L.; Thomas, N.J.; Stoskopf, M.K.

2002-01-01

Objectivea??To characterize clinical features of avian vacuolar myelinopathy (AVM) in American coots. Designa??Case-control study. Animalsa??26 AVM-affected American coots and 12 unaffected coots. Proceduresa??Complete physical, neurologic, hematologic, and plasma biochemical evaluations were performed. Affected coots received supportive care. All coots died or were euthanatized, and AVM status was confirmed via histopathologic findings. Resultsa??3 severely affected coots were euthanatized immediately after examination. Seventeen affected coots were found dead within 7 days of admission, but 5 affected coots survived > 21 days and had signs of clinical recovery. Abnormal physical examination findings appeared to be related to general debilitation. Ataxia (88%), decreased withdrawal reflexes (88%), proprioceptive deficits (81%), decreased vent responses (69%), beak or tongue weakness (42%), and head tremors (31%), as well as absent pupillary light responses (46%), anisocoria (15%), apparent blindness (4%), nystagmus (4%), and strabismus (4%) were detected. Few gross abnormalities were detected at necropsy, but histologically, all AVM-affected coots had severe vacuolation of white matter of the brain. None of the control coots had vacuolation. Conclusions and Clinical Relevancea??Although there was considerable variability in form and severity of clinical neurologic abnormalities, clinical signs common in AVM-affected birds were identified. Clinical recovery of some AVM-affected coots can occur when supportive care is administered. Until the etiology is identified, caution should be exercised when rehabilitating and releasing coots thought to be affected by AVM.

Cryptic genetic diversity, population structure, and gene flow in the Mojave rattlesnake (Crotalus scutulatus).

PubMed

Schield, Drew R; Adams, Richard H; Card, Daren C; Corbin, Andrew B; Jezkova, Tereza; Hales, Nicole R; Meik, Jesse M; Perry, Blair W; Spencer, Carol L; Smith, Lydia L; García, Gustavo Campillo; Bouzid, Nassima M; Strickland, Jason L; Parkinson, Christopher L; Borja, Miguel; Castañeda-Gaytán, Gamaliel; Bryson, Robert W; Flores-Villela, Oscar A; Mackessy, Stephen P; Castoe, Todd A

2018-06-15

The Mojave rattlesnake (Crotalus scutulatus) inhabits deserts and arid grasslands of the western United States and Mexico. Despite considerable interest in its highly toxic venom and the recognition of two subspecies, no molecular studies have characterized range-wide genetic diversity and population structure or tested species limits within C. scutulatus. We used mitochondrial DNA and thousands of nuclear loci from double-digest restriction site associated DNA sequencing to infer population genetic structure throughout the range of C. scutulatus, and to evaluate divergence times and gene flow between populations. We find strong support for several divergent mitochondrial and nuclear clades of C. scutulatus, including splits coincident with two major phylogeographic barriers: the Continental Divide and the elevational increase associated with the Central Mexican Plateau. We apply Bayesian clustering, phylogenetic inference, and coalescent-based species delimitation to our nuclear genetic data to test hypotheses of population structure. We also performed demographic analyses to test hypotheses relating to population divergence and gene flow. Collectively, our results support the existence of four distinct lineages within C. scutulatus, and genetically defined populations do not correspond with currently recognized subspecies ranges. Finally, we use approximate Bayesian computation to test hypotheses of divergence among multiple rattlesnake species groups distributed across the Continental Divide, and find evidence for co-divergence at this boundary during the mid-Pleistocene. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Study of space shuttle environmental control and life support problems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dibble, K. P.; Riley, F. E.

1971-01-01

Four problem areas were treated: (1) cargo module environmental control and life support systems; (2) space shuttle/space station interfaces; (3) thermal control considerations for payloads; and (4) feasibility of improving system reusability.

41 CFR 102-3.95 - What principles apply to the management of advisory committees?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... available to support anticipated activities. Considerations related to support include office space..., agencies may wish to explore the use of the Internet to post advisory committee information and seek...

41 CFR 102-3.95 - What principles apply to the management of advisory committees?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... available to support anticipated activities. Considerations related to support include office space..., agencies may wish to explore the use of the Internet to post advisory committee information and seek...

41 CFR 102-3.95 - What principles apply to the management of advisory committees?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... available to support anticipated activities. Considerations related to support include office space..., agencies may wish to explore the use of the Internet to post advisory committee information and seek...

41 CFR 102-3.95 - What principles apply to the management of advisory committees?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... available to support anticipated activities. Considerations related to support include office space..., agencies may wish to explore the use of the Internet to post advisory committee information and seek...

A Novel Location-Centric IoT-Cloud Based On-Street Car Parking Violation Management System in Smart Cities.

PubMed

Dinh, Thanh; Kim, Younghan

2016-06-02

Nowadays, in big cities, parking management is a critical issue from both the driver's side and the city government's side. From the driver's side, how to find an available parking lot in a city is a considerable concern. As a result, smart parking systems recently have received great interest, both in academia and industry. From the city government's side, how to manage and distribute such a limited public parking resource efficiently to give every visitor a fair chance of finding an on-street parking lot is also a considerable concern. However, existing studies of smart parking management focus only on assisting the driver's side to find available parking spaces. This study aims to raise a new perspective on such smart parking management and to propose a novel location-centric IoT-cloud-based parking violation management system. The system is designed to assist authoritative officers in finding parking violations easily and recommends the least cost path for officers so that officers can achieve their highest productivity in finding parking violations and issuing parking tickets. Experimental results show that the system not only improves the productivity of officers in finding parking violations and issuing tickets, but also helps reduce the traveling cost of officers and to reduce the average violation period of violating cars considerably.

A Novel Location-Centric IoT-Cloud Based On-Street Car Parking Violation Management System in Smart Cities

PubMed Central

Dinh, Thanh; Kim, Younghan

2016-01-01

Nowadays, in big cities, parking management is a critical issue from both the driver’s side and the city government’s side. From the driver’s side, how to find an available parking lot in a city is a considerable concern. As a result, smart parking systems recently have received great interest, both in academia and industry. From the city government’s side, how to manage and distribute such a limited public parking resource efficiently to give every visitor a fair chance of finding an on-street parking lot is also a considerable concern. However, existing studies of smart parking management focus only on assisting the driver’s side to find available parking spaces. This study aims to raise a new perspective on such smart parking management and to propose a novel location-centric IoT-cloud-based parking violation management system. The system is designed to assist authoritative officers in finding parking violations easily and recommends the least cost path for officers so that officers can achieve their highest productivity in finding parking violations and issuing parking tickets. Experimental results show that the system not only improves the productivity of officers in finding parking violations and issuing tickets, but also helps reduce the traveling cost of officers and to reduce the average violation period of violating cars considerably. PMID:27271620

Community-centered responses to Ebola in urban Liberia: the view from below.

PubMed

Abramowitz, Sharon Alane; McLean, Kristen E; McKune, Sarah Lindley; Bardosh, Kevin Louis; Fallah, Mosoka; Monger, Josephine; Tehoungue, Kodjo; Omidian, Patricia A

2015-04-01

The West African Ebola epidemic has demonstrated that the existing range of medical and epidemiological responses to emerging disease outbreaks is insufficient, especially in post-conflict contexts with exceedingly poor healthcare infrastructures. In this context, community-based responses have proven vital for containing Ebola virus disease (EVD) and shifting the epidemic curve. Despite a surge in interest in local innovations that effectively contained the epidemic, the mechanisms for community-based response remain unclear. This study provides baseline information on community-based epidemic control priorities and identifies innovative local strategies for containing EVD in Liberia. This study was conducted in September 2014 in 15 communities in Monrovia and Montserrado County, Liberia--one of the epicenters of the Ebola outbreak. Findings from 15 focus group discussions with 386 community leaders identified strategies being undertaken and recommendations for what a community-based response to Ebola should look like under then-existing conditions. Data were collected on the following topics: prevention, surveillance, care-giving, community-based treatment and support, networks and hotlines, response teams, Ebola treatment units (ETUs) and hospitals, the management of corpses, quarantine and isolation, orphans, memorialization, and the need for community-based training and education. Findings have been presented as community-based strategies and recommendations for (1) prevention, (2) treatment and response, and (3) community sequelae and recovery. Several models for community-based management of the current Ebola outbreak were proposed. Additional findings indicate positive attitudes towards early Ebola survivors, and the need for community-based psychosocial support. Local communities' strategies and recommendations give insight into how urban Liberian communities contained the EVD outbreak while navigating the systemic failures of the initial state and international response. Communities in urban Liberia adapted to the epidemic using multiple coping strategies. In the absence of health, infrastructural and material supports, local people engaged in self-reliance in order to contain the epidemic at the micro-social level. These innovations were regarded as necessary, but as less desirable than a well-supported health-systems based response; and were seen as involving considerable individual, social, and public health costs, including heightened vulnerability to infection.

Improving the production of applied health research findings: insights from a qualitative study of operational research.

PubMed

Crowe, Sonya; Turner, Simon; Utley, Martin; Fulop, Naomi J

2017-09-08

Knowledge produced through applied health research is often of a form not readily accessible to or actionable by policymakers and practitioners, which hinders its implementation. Our aim was to identify research activities that can support the production of knowledge tailored to inform policy and practice. To do this, we studied an operational research approach to improving the production of applied health research findings. A 2-year qualitative study was conducted of the operational research contribution to a multidisciplinary applied health research project that was successful in rapidly informing national policy. Semi-structured interviews (n = 20) were conducted with all members of the project's research team and advisory group (patient and health professional representatives and academics). These were augmented by participant (> 150 h) and non-participant (> 15 h) observations focusing on the process and experience of attempting to support knowledge production. Data were analysed thematically using QSR NVivo software. Operational research performed a knowledge mediation role shaped by a problem-focused approach and an intent to perform those tasks necessary to producing readily implementable knowledge but outwith the remit of other disciplinary strands of the project. Three characteristics of the role were found to support this: engaging and incorporating different perspectives to improve services by capturing a range of health professional and patient views alongside quantitative and qualitative research evidence; rendering data meaningful by creating and presenting evidence in forms that are accessible to and engage different audiences, enabling them to make sense of it for practical use; and maintaining perceived objectivity and rigour by establishing credibility, perceived neutrality and confidence in the robustness of the research in order to unite diverse professionals in thinking creatively about system-wide service improvement. Our study contributes useful empirical insights about knowledge mediation activities within multidisciplinary applied health research projects that support the generation of accessible, practice-relevant and actionable knowledge. Incorporating such activities, or a dedicated role, for mediating knowledge production within such projects could help to enhance the uptake of research findings into routine healthcare and warrants further consideration.

Challenges and opportunities in bioanalytical support for gene therapy medicinal product development.

PubMed

Ma, Mark; Balasubramanian, Nanda; Dodge, Robert; Zhang, Yan

2017-09-01

Gene and nucleic acid therapies have demonstrated patient benefits to address unmet medical needs. Beside considerations regarding the biological nature of the gene therapy, the quality of bioanalytical methods plays an important role in ensuring the success of these novel therapies. Inconsistent approaches among bioanalytical labs during preclinical and clinical phases have been observed. There are many underlying reasons for this inconsistency. Various platforms and reagents used in quantitative methods, lacking of detailed regulatory guidance on method validation and uncertainty of immunogenicity strategy in supporting gene therapy may all be influential. This review summarizes recent practices and considerations in bioanalytical support of pharmacokinetics/pharmacodynamics and immunogenicity evaluations in gene therapy development with insight into method design, development and validations.

Educational Fund Raising: Principles and Practice. American Council on Education Series on Higher Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Worth, Michael J., Ed.

This volume offers 36 papers on higher education fundraising. Major topics treated are the development function, foundations of fund raising, annual giving, major gifts, campaigns, corporate and foundation support, special constituencies, managing development programs, special considerations for institutions, and special considerations for the…

75 FR 63209 - Indiana Michigan Power Company; Notice of Consideration of Issuance of Amendment to Facility...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-10-14

... emergency operating procedures (EOP), and site survey monitoring that support modification of emergency plan... Power Company; Notice of Consideration of Issuance of Amendment to Facility Operating License, Proposed... Regulatory Commission (the Commission) is considering issuance of an amendment to Facility Operating License...

Federal Budget Considerations for Colleges, 1998.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Association of Colleges of Applied Arts and Technology of Ontario, North York.

This document highlights federal budget considerations for colleges of applied arts and technology in Ontario, Canada. A key focus of the budget is the Federal Government's Canadian Opportunities Strategy, which supports the acquisition of skills and knowledge required for the 21st century. The budget's emphasis on education over other social…

Human factors considerations for the integration of traffic information and alerts on an airport surface map

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2010-12-01

The purpose of this document is to provide human factors considerations in the integration of traffic information and indications and alerts for runway status on an airport surface moving map. The US DOT Volpe Center, in support of the Federal Aviati...

Increasing scientific confidence in adverse outcome pathways: Application of tailored Bradford-Hill considerations for evaluating weight of evidence

EPA Science Inventory

Systematic consideration of scientific support is a critical element in developing and, ultimately, using adverse outcome pathways (AOPs) for various regulatory applications. Though weight of evidence (WoE) analysis has been proposed as a basis for assessment of the maturity and...

Responding to and Supporting Students with Disabilities: Risk Management Considerations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lundquist, Anne; Shackelford, Allan

2011-01-01

Making the "right" risk management decisions involving students with significant psychological disabilities requires a clear and comprehensive understanding of the legal obligations and duties at issue. It also requires taking into consideration the best interests of these individual students. At the same time, decision makers must focus…

The potential of planets orbiting red dwarf stars to support oxygenic photosynthesis and complex life

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gale, Joseph; Wandel, Amri

2017-01-01

We review the latest findings on extra-solar planets and their potential of having environmental conditions that could support Earth-like life. Focusing on planets orbiting red dwarf (RD) stars, the most abundant stellar type in the Milky Way, we show that including RDs as potential life supporting host stars could increase the probability of finding biotic planets by a factor of up to a thousand, and reduce the estimate of the distance to our nearest biotic neighbour by up to 10. We argue that binary and multiple star systems need to be taken into account when discussing habitability and the abundance of biotic exoplanets, in particular RDs in such systems. Early considerations indicated that conditions on RD planets would be inimical to life, as their habitable zones would be so close to the host star as to make planets tidally locked. This was thought to cause an erratic climate and expose life forms to flares of ionizing radiation. Recent calculations show that these negative factors are less severe than originally thought. It has also been argued that the lesser photon energy of the radiation of the relatively cool RDs would not suffice for oxygenic photosynthesis (OP) and other related energy expending reactions. Numerous authors suggest that OP on RD planets may evolve to utilize photons in the infrared. We however argue, by analogy to the evolution of OP and the environmental physiology and distribution of land-based vegetation on Earth, that the evolutionary pressure to utilize infrared radiation would be small. This is because vegetation on RD planets could enjoy continuous illumination of moderate intensity, containing a significant component of photosynthetic 400-700 nm radiation. We conclude that conditions for OP could exist on RD planets and consequently the evolution of complex life might be possible. Furthermore, the huge number and the long lifetime of RDs make it more likely to find planets with photosynthesis and life around RDs than around Solar type stars.

Dyscalculia: neuroscience and education

PubMed Central

Kaufmann, Liane

2010-01-01

Background Developmental dyscalculia is a heterogeneous disorder with largely dissociable performance profiles. Though our current understanding of the neurofunctional foundations of (adult) numerical cognition has increased considerably during the past two decades, there are still many unanswered questions regarding the developmental pathways of numerical cognition. Most studies on developmental dyscalculia are based upon adult calculation models which may not provide an adequate theoretical framework for understanding and investigating developing calculation systems. Furthermore, the applicability of neuroscience research to pedagogy has, so far, been limited. Purpose After providing an overview of current conceptualisations of numerical cognition and developmental dyscalculia, the present paper (1) reviews recent research findings that are suggestive of a neurofunctional link between fingers (finger gnosis, finger-based counting and calculation) and number processing, and (2) takes the latter findings as an example to discuss how neuroscience findings may impact on educational understanding and classroom interventions. Sources of evidence Finger-based number representations and finger-based calculation have deep roots in human ontology and phylogeny. Recently, accumulating empirical evidence supporting the hypothesis of a neurofunctional link between fingers and numbers has emerged from both behavioural and brain imaging studies. Main argument Preliminary but converging research supports the notion that finger gnosis and finger use seem to be related to calculation proficiency in elementary school children. Finger-based counting and calculation may facilitate the establishment of mental number representations (possibly by fostering the mapping from concrete non-symbolic to abstract symbolic number magnitudes), which in turn seem to be the foundations for successful arithmetic achievement. Conclusions Based on the findings illustrated here, it is plausible to assume that finger use might be an important and complementary aid (to more traditional pedagogical methods) to establish mental number representations and/or to facilitate learning to count and calculate. Clearly, future prospective studies are needed to investigate whether the explicit use of fingers in early mathematics teaching might prove to be beneficial for typically developing children and/or might support the mapping from concrete to abstract number representations in children with and without developmental dyscalculia. PMID:21258625

Dyscalculia: neuroscience and education.

PubMed

Kaufmann, Liane

2008-06-01

BACKGROUND: Developmental dyscalculia is a heterogeneous disorder with largely dissociable performance profiles. Though our current understanding of the neurofunctional foundations of (adult) numerical cognition has increased considerably during the past two decades, there are still many unanswered questions regarding the developmental pathways of numerical cognition. Most studies on developmental dyscalculia are based upon adult calculation models which may not provide an adequate theoretical framework for understanding and investigating developing calculation systems. Furthermore, the applicability of neuroscience research to pedagogy has, so far, been limited. PURPOSE: After providing an overview of current conceptualisations of numerical cognition and developmental dyscalculia, the present paper (1) reviews recent research findings that are suggestive of a neurofunctional link between fingers (finger gnosis, finger-based counting and calculation) and number processing, and (2) takes the latter findings as an example to discuss how neuroscience findings may impact on educational understanding and classroom interventions. SOURCES OF EVIDENCE: Finger-based number representations and finger-based calculation have deep roots in human ontology and phylogeny. Recently, accumulating empirical evidence supporting the hypothesis of a neurofunctional link between fingers and numbers has emerged from both behavioural and brain imaging studies. MAIN ARGUMENT: Preliminary but converging research supports the notion that finger gnosis and finger use seem to be related to calculation proficiency in elementary school children. Finger-based counting and calculation may facilitate the establishment of mental number representations (possibly by fostering the mapping from concrete non-symbolic to abstract symbolic number magnitudes), which in turn seem to be the foundations for successful arithmetic achievement. CONCLUSIONS: Based on the findings illustrated here, it is plausible to assume that finger use might be an important and complementary aid (to more traditional pedagogical methods) to establish mental number representations and/or to facilitate learning to count and calculate. Clearly, future prospective studies are needed to investigate whether the explicit use of fingers in early mathematics teaching might prove to be beneficial for typically developing children and/or might support the mapping from concrete to abstract number representations in children with and without developmental dyscalculia.

Comprehensive genetic analyses reveal evolutionary distinction of a mouse (Zapus hudsonius preblei) proposed for delisting from the US Endangered Species Act.

PubMed

King, Tim L; Switzer, John F; Morrison, Cheryl L; Eackles, Michael S; Young, Colleen C; Lubinski, Barbara A; Cryan, Paul

2006-12-01

Zapus hudsonius preblei, listed as threatened under the US Endangered Species Act (ESA), is one of 12 recognized subspecies of meadow jumping mice found in North America. Recent morphometric and phylogenetic comparisons among Z. h. preblei and neighbouring conspecifics questioned the taxonomic status of selected subspecies, resulting in a proposal to delist the Z. h. preblei from the ESA. We present additional analyses of the phylogeographic structure within Z. hudsonius that calls into question previously published data (and conclusions) and confirms the original taxonomic designations. A survey of 21 microsatellite DNA loci and 1380 base pairs from two mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) regions (control region and cytochrome b) revealed that each Z. hudsonius subspecies is genetically distinct. These data do not support the null hypothesis of a homogeneous gene pool among the five subspecies found within the southwestern portion of the species' range. The magnitude of the observed differentiation was considerable and supported by significant findings for nearly every statistical comparison made, regardless of the genome or the taxa under consideration. Structuring of nuclear multilocus genotypes and subspecies-specific mtDNA haplotypes corresponded directly with the disjunct distributions of the subspecies investigated. Given the level of correspondence between the observed genetic population structure and previously proposed taxonomic classification of subspecies (based on the geographic separation and surveys of morphological variation), we conclude that the nominal subspecies surveyed in this study do not warrant synonymy, as has been proposed for Z. h. preblei, Z. h. campestris, and Z. h. intermedius.

Comprehensive genetic analyses reveal evolutionary distinction of a mouse (Zapus hudsonius preblei) proposed for delisting from the US Endangered Species Act

USGS Publications Warehouse

King, Timothy L.; Switzer, John F.; Morrison, Cheryl L.; Eackles, Michael S.; Young, Colleen C.; Lubinski, Barbara A.; Cryan, Paul M.

2006-01-01

Zapus hudsonius preblei, listed as threatened under the US Endangered Species Act (ESA), is one of 12 recognized subspecies of meadow jumping mice found in North America. Recent morphometric and phylogenetic comparisons among Z. h. preblei and neighbouring conspecifics questioned the taxonomic status of selected subspecies, resulting in a proposal to delist the Z. h. preblei from the ESA. We present additional analyses of the phylogeographic structure within Z. hudsonius that calls into question previously published data (and conclusions) and confirms the original taxonomic designations. A survey of 21 microsatellite DNA loci and 1380 base pairs from two mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) regions (control region and cytochrome b) revealed that each Z. hudsonius subspecies is genetically distinct. These data do not support the null hypothesis of a homogeneous gene pool among the five subspecies found within the southwestern portion of the species' range. The magnitude of the observed differentiation was considerable and supported by significant findings for nearly every statistical comparison made, regardless of the genome or the taxa under consideration. Structuring of nuclear multilocus genotypes and subspecies-specific mtDNA haplotypes corresponded directly with the disjunct distributions of the subspecies investigated. Given the level of correspondence between the observed genetic population structure and previously proposed taxonomic classification of subspecies (based on the geographic separation and surveys of morphological variation), we conclude that the nominal subspecies surveyed in this study do not warrant synonymy, as has been proposed for Z. h. preblei, Z. h. campestris, and Z. h. intermedius. ?? 2006 The Authors.

Life Science on the International Space Station Using the Next Generation of Cargo Vehicles

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Robinson, J. A.; Phillion, J. P.; Hart, A. T.; Comella, J.; Edeen, M.; Ruttley, T. M.

2011-01-01

With the retirement of the Space Shuttle and the transition of the International Space Station (ISS) from assembly to full laboratory capabilities, the opportunity to perform life science research in space has increased dramatically, while the operational considerations associated with transportation of the experiments has changed dramatically. US researchers have allocations on the European Automated Transfer Vehicle (ATV) and Japanese H-II Transfer Vehicle (HTV). In addition, the International Space Station (ISS) Cargo Resupply Services (CRS) contract will provide consumables and payloads to and from the ISS via the unmanned SpaceX (offers launch and return capabilities) and Orbital (offers only launch capabilities) resupply vehicles. Early requirements drove the capabilities of the vehicle providers; however, many other engineering considerations affect the actual design and operations plans. To better enable the use of the International Space Station as a National Laboratory, ground and on-orbit facility development can augment the vehicle capabilities to better support needs for cell biology, animal research, and conditioned sample return. NASA Life scientists with experience launching research on the space shuttle can find the trades between the capabilities of the many different vehicles to be confusing. In this presentation we will summarize vehicle and associated ground processing capabilities as well as key concepts of operations for different types of life sciences research being launched in the cargo vehicles. We will provide the latest status of vehicle capabilities and support hardware and facilities development being made to enable the broadest implementation of life sciences research on the ISS.

Intervention decision-making processes and information preferences of parents of children with autism spectrum disorders.

PubMed

Grant, N; Rodger, S; Hoffmann, T

2016-01-01

When a child is diagnosed with autism, parents are faced with the task of choosing from many different intervention options. To find information about the options available, parents turn to a number of different sources. This study explores parents' (n = 23) intervention decision-making processes and information preferences following the diagnosis of ASD for their child. Qualitative thematic analysis of verbatim transcripts from interviews and focus groups involving parents of children with an autism diagnosis was undertaken. Analysis of the results revealed that there are concurrent emotional and pragmatic intervention 'journeys' undertaken by parents post diagnosis, which encompass the primary themes of: (1) information sources used, (2) parents' information preferences and (3) factors influencing intervention decision making. Parents described a journey from the point of diagnosis that involved seeking information on ASD interventions from multiple sources, with the Internet being the primary source. They were overwhelmed by the sheer volume of information available, and their preferences for information varied according to their stage in the journey post diagnosis. Parents had a 'trial and error' approach to choosing ASD interventions, with confidence increasing as they became more familiar with their child's condition, and had opportunities to explore numerous information sources about their child's diagnosis. While confidence increased over time, consideration of the effectiveness or evidence supporting interventions remained largely absent throughout the journey. This study highlights the need for parents of children with ASD to be supported to make informed intervention decisions, particularly with consideration for research evidence. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Is A Person Thinking About Suicide Likely to Find Help on the Internet? An Evaluation of Google Search Results.

PubMed

Thornton, Louise; Handley, Tonelle; Kay-Lambkin, Frances; Baker, Amanda

2017-02-01

It is unclear whether individuals searching the Internet for assistance with thoughts of suicide are likely to encounter predominantly helpful or harmful resources. This study investigated websites retrieved by searching Google for information and support for suicidal thoughts. Google searches retrieved a high percentage of irrelevant websites (26%, n = 136). Of the 329 relevant websites retrieved, the majority were suicide preventive (68%); however, a considerable proportion of sites expressed mixed (22%) or neutral (8%) suicide attitudes, and 1% were explicitly pro-suicide. The results highlight a need for suicide prevention organization websites to be made more easily accessible. In the meantime, clinicians should be aware of appropriate websites to recommend to clients. © 2016 The American Association of Suicidology.

Characteristics of Northern Plains American Indians seeking substance abuse treatment in an urban, non-tribal clinic: a descriptive study.

PubMed

Kropp, Frankie; Somoza, Eugene; Lilleskov, Maurine; Moccasin, Mabel Granados-Bad; Moore, Michelle; Lewis, Daniel; Boetel, Brenda; Smith, Corey; Winhusen, Theresa

2013-12-01

Because few data exist on substance abuse rates in American Indian (AI) communities, the Methamphetamine and Other Drug project was developed and implemented by five nodes within the National Institute on Drug Abuse Clinical Trials Network (NIDA CTN). This article presents findings from AI clients in a Northern Plains urban non-Native substance abuse treatment setting. Alcohol and marijuana were used earlier, longer, and by more clients, followed by stimulants and prescription opioids. Most regularly smoked tobacco. Differences in substance use patterns were associated with age of onset and victimization. Age of onset was correlated with victimization, gender, cognitive impairment, and suicidal behavior. Despite considerable health and economic disparities, most clients found support for recovery in relationships and elements of Native culture.

An Algorithm Using Twelve Properties of Antibiotics to Find the Recommended Antibiotics, as in CPGs.

PubMed

Tsopra, R; Venot, A; Duclos, C

2014-01-01

Clinical Decision Support Systems (CDSS) incorporating justifications, updating and adjustable recommendations can considerably improve the quality of healthcare. We propose a new approach to the design of CDSS for empiric antibiotic prescription, based on implementation of the deeper medical reasoning used by experts in the development of clinical practice guidelines (CPGs), to deduce the recommended antibiotics. We investigated two methods ("exclusion" versus "scoring") for reproducing this reasoning based on antibiotic properties. The "exclusion" method reproduced expert reasoning the more accurately, retrieving the full list of recommended antibiotics for almost all clinical situations. This approach has several advantages: (i) it provides convincing explanations for physicians; (ii) updating could easily be incorporated into the CDSS; (iii) it can provide recommendations for clinical situations missing from CPGs.

Depression symptoms in boys with autism spectrum disorder and comparison samples.

PubMed

Gadow, Kenneth D; Guttmann-Steinmetz, Sarit; Rieffe, Carolien; Devincent, Carla J

2012-07-01

This study compares severity of specific depression symptoms in boys with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), or chronic multiple tic disorder (CMTD) and typically developing boys (Controls). Children were evaluated with parent and teacher versions of the Child Symptom Inventory-4 (CSI-4) and a demographic questionnaire. Mothers' and teachers' ratings generally indicated the most severe symptoms in boys with ASD ± ADHD. Associations of depression with ASD severity and IQ varied considerably for specific symptoms of depression, ASD functional domain, and informant. Findings provide additional support for the differential influence of neurobehavioral syndromes on co-occurring symptom severity and illustrate how more fine-grained analyses of clinical phenotypes may contribute to a better understanding of etiology and current nosology.

Medical treatment of acquired nystagmus.

PubMed

Ehrhardt, David; Eggenberger, Eric

2012-11-01

This article synthesises recent findings and addresses relevant anatomy, pathophysiologic considerations, and current treatment options for common forms of acquired nystagmus including vestibular and gaze holding dysfunction. Some forms of nystagmus have relatively specific treatments, such as baclofen for periodic alternating nystagmus, and repositioning for benign paroxysmal positional vertigo. Recent studies have brought changes to many of the treatments of nystagmus variants. Additionally, other recent advances in nystagmus treatment, like the usage of 4-aminopyridine, have added potent medications to the physician's armamentarium. Nystagmus is a commonly encountered entity in clinical practice. However, evidence supported treatments are scarce. Medical treatment of nystagmus is difficult, with often limited and variable response to pharmacologic therapies. This mandates a continued re-evaluation of patients and creation of an individualized approach to this common clinical problem.

Fractures of modern high nitrogen stainless steel cemented stems: cause, mechanism, and avoidance in 14 cases.

PubMed

Yates, Piers J; Quraishi, Nasir A; Kop, Allan; Howie, Donald W; Marx, Clare; Swarts, Eric

2008-02-01

We present 14 cases of fracture of modern, high-nitrogen, stainless steel stems. Our clinical and radiological data suggest that heavy patients with small stems and poor proximal support are at risk for fracturing their implants. "Champagne-glass" canals can lead to the use of smaller stems often placed in varus, which can lead to cantilever bending and fatigue failure in the distal half of the stem. Metallurgical assessment of the retrieved high-nitrogen, stainless steel stems reveals microstructural inconsistencies that may contribute to their failure. Based on our findings, careful consideration and attention to technique is required when using stainless steel stems in patients with high body mass index or high weight. Technique is particularly important in femurs with champagne-glass canals.

Role of a new Rho family member in cell migration and axon guidance in C. elegans.

PubMed

Zipkin, I D; Kindt, R M; Kenyon, C J

1997-09-05

Rho family GTPases are thought to regulate actin-dependent processes, but their functions in vivo are still poorly understood. We have investigated the function of a new, widely expressed Rho family member in C. elegans by analyzing mutations in the endogenous gene. Activated and null alleles all inhibit cell migration, demonstrating that this protein is required for cell migration in vivo. Only a small subset of the migrations inhibited by activating mutations are inhibited by null mutations, suggesting that considerable functional redundancy exists within this system. Our findings support this conclusion and show that mig-2 functions redundantly with another pathway to regulate nuclear migration. Surprisingly, activated alleles also cause misguided axon growth, suggesting that Rho family GTPases may couple guidance cues to process outgrowth.

Biology of Paenibacillus larvae, a deadly pathogen of honey bee larvae.

PubMed

Ebeling, Julia; Knispel, Henriette; Hertlein, Gillian; Fünfhaus, Anne; Genersch, Elke

2016-09-01

The gram-positive bacterium Paenibacillus larvae is the etiological agent of American Foulbrood of honey bees, a notifiable disease in many countries. Hence, P. larvae can be considered as an entomopathogen of considerable relevance in veterinary medicine. P. larvae is a highly specialized pathogen with only one established host, the honey bee larva. No other natural environment supporting germination and proliferation of P. larvae is known. Over the last decade, tremendous progress in the understanding of P. larvae and its interactions with honey bee larvae at a molecular level has been made. In this review, we will present the recent highlights and developments in P. larvae research and discuss the impact of some of the findings in a broader context to demonstrate what we can learn from studying "exotic" pathogens.

Differences in Social Motivation in Children with Smith-Magenis Syndrome and Down Syndrome.

PubMed

Wilde, Lucy; Mitchell, Anna; Oliver, Chris

2016-06-01

Social excesses, characterised by heightened social motivation, are important for describing social functioning. Smith-Magenis syndrome (SMS) is a potential exemplar of a disorder where heightened social motivation is associated with negative behavioural outcomes. In Down syndrome (DS) strong social motivation is described, but less commonly associated with behavioural problems. Children with SMS (n = 21) and DS (n = 19) were observed during social situations, in which familiarity of adults present and level of attention available were manipulated. Motivation in SMS was characterised by comparatively frequent social initiations when adult attention was low, and stronger preference for familiar adults, compared to DS. Findings provide insight into the nature of social motivation in SMS and support an argument for nuanced consideration of motivation.

Do Children with Specific Language Impairment have a Cognitive Profile Reminiscent of Autism? A Review of the Literature.

PubMed

Taylor, Lauren J; Maybery, Murray T; Whitehouse, Andrew J O

2012-10-01

There is debate regarding the relationship between autism and specific language impairment (SLI), with some researchers proposing aetiological overlap between the conditions and others maintaining their aetiological distinction. Although considerable research has investigated the language phenotypes of these disorders, the relationship between the cognitive phenotypes has been left relatively unexplored. This paper reviews relevant literature on whether individuals with SLI exhibit cognitive characteristics reminiscent of autism. Overall, findings are inconsistent and there is a lack of substantive evidence supporting overlapping cognitive phenotypes in autism and SLI. Better powered and more rigorous experimental designs, as well as studies directly comparing the cognitive phenotype of children with SLI and those with autism will further elucidate the aetiological relationship between these two conditions.

An Elaborated Model of Student Support to Allow for Gender Considerations in Asian Distance Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jung, Insung; Seongyoun, Hong

2014-01-01

Research indicates that distance education (DE) students regard learner support systems as the key element in quality provision. This study sought to identify the key concerns of Asian DE students regarding support provision in different types of DE and dual-mode providers and formulate a student support model which took account of gender issues.…

Recent Trends in Oral Cavity Cancer Research Support in the United States.

PubMed

Fribley, A M; Svider, P F; Warner, B M; Garshott, D M; Raza, S N; Kirkwood, K L

2017-01-01

The objectives were to characterize oral cavity cancer (OCC) funding from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) with a secondary aim of comparing NIH support provided to OCC and other malignancies. NIH awards supporting OCC inquiry from 2000 to 2014 were accessed from the NIH RePORTER database. These data were used to evaluate temporal trends and the role of human papilloma virus and to determine the academic training and professional profiles of the principal investigators. Comparison of 2014 funding levels with other malignancies was also performed, controlling for incidence. Overall funding totals decreased considerably after 2009. Funding administered through the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR) was 6.5 times greater than dollars awarded by the National Cancer Institute in 2000. During the period evaluated, NIDCR support decreased in most years, while National Cancer Institute support increased and approached NIDCR funding levels. Funding for human papilloma virus-related projects gradually rose, from 3.4% of dollars in 2000 to 2004 to 6.2% from 2010 to 2014 ( P < 0.05). A majority of principal investigators had a PhD omnia solus (57%), and 13% possessed dual PhD/clinical degrees. Among clinicians with specialty training, otolaryngologists and oral/maxillofacial pathologists garnered the most funding. OCC had a 2014 funding:incidence ratio of $785, much lower than for other malignancies. There has been increased volatility in funding support in recent years possibly due to budget cuts and sequestration. The National Cancer Institute has played an increasingly important role in supporting OCC research, concomitant with decreasing NIDCR support. Our findings suggest that OCC is underfunded relative to other non-oral cavity malignancies, indicating a need to increase the focus on rectifying the disparity.

Improvement to the Convergence-Confinement Method: Inclusion of Support Installation Proximity and Stiffness

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Oke, Jeffrey; Vlachopoulos, Nicholas; Diederichs, Mark

2018-05-01

The convergence-confinement method (CCM) is a method that has been introduced in tunnel construction that considers the ground response to the advancing tunnel face and the interaction with installed support. One limitation of the CCM is due to the numerically or empirically driven nature of the longitudinal displacement profile and the incomplete consideration of the longitudinal arching effect that occurs during tunnelling operations as part of the face effect. In this paper, the authors address the issue associated with when the CCM is used within squeezing ground conditions at depth. Based on numerical analysis, the authors have proposed a methodology and solution to improving the CCM in order to allow for more accurate results for squeezing ground conditions for three different excavation cases involving various excavation-support increments and distances from the face to the supported front. The tunnelling methods of consideration include: tunnel boring machine, mechanical (conventional), and drill and blast.

Incorporating Social Support in the Treatment of Anorexia Nervosa: Special Considerations for Older Adolescents and Young Adults

PubMed Central

Pisetsky, Emily M.; Utzinger, Linsey M.; Peterson, Carol B.

2016-01-01

Currently, research support is strongest for family-based treatment (FBT) for the treatment of anorexia nervosa (AN) in adolescents. However, a strong evidence base for treatments for older adolescents and young adults with AN is lacking. Emphasizing social support in the treatment of AN may be beneficial for older adolescents and young adults with AN. This paper provides a brief review of the literature on FBT for adolescent AN and provides a case example of adolescent AN treated with FBT. We then discuss novel treatments that have incorporated social support for older adolescents and young adults with AN, such as modified FBT and couples-based interventions. We provide case studies of each of these novel treatment approaches as well. Additionally, this paper highlights and discusses developmental considerations and challenges in working with older adolescents and young adults with AN. PMID:27429544

Return to work and cancer: the Australian experience.

PubMed

McKay, Georgina; Knott, Vikki; Delfabbro, Paul

2013-03-01

Research suggests that for many cancer survivors, returning to work has a range of benefits. However, considerable barriers have been identified as influencing the quality of return to work outcomes. This study explored the perspectives of Australian cancer survivors, managers and employee assistance program (EAP) professionals to gain an understanding of the return to work process and factors that affect the experience. Focus groups and interviews were conducted with cancer survivors (n = 15), managers (n = 12), and EAP professionals / psychologists (n = 4) from public and private sectors. Thematic analysis was used to analyse the data to identify common and unique themes from the three participant groups. A range of drivers were identified including maintaining normality and regaining identity, which could act positively or negatively depending on survivors' coping ability and self awareness. Analysis revealed communication difficulties in the workplace that impact on emotional and practical support. Negotiating an employee's return is complex, influenced by the level of consultation with the employee and use of an ad hoc or structured process. Direct and indirect ways of supporting employees with cancer were identified, as was the need for colleague and manager support. This study supports previous research findings of the impact of cancer on work, and reveals managers' lack of knowledge on how to respond appropriately. The process of returning to work is complex, influenced by employees' and managers' attitudes, communication skills and coping abilities. Areas for workplace interventions to optimise support for the cancer survivor are described.

Qualification of Electrical Ground Support Equipment for New Space Programs

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

SotoToro, Felix A.; Vu, Bruce T.; Hamilton, Mark S.

2011-01-01

With the Space Shuttle program coming to an end, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is moving to a new space flight program that will allow expeditions beyond low earth orbit. The space vehicles required to comply with these missions will be carrying heavy payloads. This implies that the Earth departure stage capabilities must be of higher magnitudes, given the current propulsion technology. The engineering design of the new flight hardware comes with some structural, thermal, propulsion and other subsystems' challenges. Meanwhile, the necessary ground support equipment (GSE) used to test, validate, verify and process the flight hardware must withstand the new program specifications. This paper intends to provide the qualification considerations during implementation of new electrical GSE for space programs. A team of engineers was formed to embark on this task, and facilitate the logistics process and ensure that the electrical, mechanical and fluids subsystems conduct the proper level of testing. Ultimately, each subsystem must certify that each piece of ground support equipment used in the field is capable of withstanding the strenuous vibration, acoustics, environmental, thermal and Electromagnetic Interference (EMf) levels experienced during pre-launch, launch and post-launch activities. The benefits of capturing and sharing these findings will provide technical, cost savings and schedule impacts infon11ation to both the technical and management community. Keywords: Qualification; Testing; Ground Support Equipment; Electromagnetic Interference Testing; Vibration Testing; Acoustic Testing; Power Spectral Density.

Chinese Culture, Homosexuality Stigma, Social Support and Condom Use: A Path Analytic Model.

PubMed

Liu, Hongjie; Feng, Tiejian; Ha, Toan; Liu, Hui; Cai, Yumao; Liu, Xiaoli; Li, Jian

2011-01-01

PURPOSE: The objective of this study was to examine the interrelationships among individualism, collectivism, homosexuality-related stigma, social support, and condom use among Chinese homosexual men. METHODS: A cross-sectional study using the respondent-driven sampling approach was conducted among 351 participants in Shenzhen, China. Path analytic modeling was used to analyze the interrelationships. RESULTS: The results of path analytic modeling document the following statistically significant associations with regard to homosexuality: (1) higher levels of vertical collectivism were associated with higher levels of public stigma [β (standardized coefficient) = 0.12] and self stigma (β = 0.12); (2) higher levels of vertical individualism were associated with higher levels self stigma (β = 0.18); (3) higher levels of horizontal individualism were associated with higher levels of public stigma (β = 0.12); (4) higher levels of self stigma were associated with higher levels of social support from sexual partners (β = 0.12); and (5) lower levels of public stigma were associated with consistent condom use (β = -0.19). CONCLUSIONS: The findings enhance our understanding of how individualist and collectivist cultures influence the development of homosexuality-related stigma, which in turn may affect individuals' decisions to engage in HIV-protective practices and seek social support. Accordingly, the development of HIV interventions for homosexual men in China should take the characteristics of Chinese culture into consideration.

Chinese Culture, Homosexuality Stigma, Social Support and Condom Use: A Path Analytic Model

PubMed Central

Liu, Hongjie; Feng, Tiejian; Ha, Toan; Liu, Hui; Cai, Yumao; Liu, Xiaoli; Li, Jian

2011-01-01

Purpose The objective of this study was to examine the interrelationships among individualism, collectivism, homosexuality-related stigma, social support, and condom use among Chinese homosexual men. Methods A cross-sectional study using the respondent-driven sampling approach was conducted among 351 participants in Shenzhen, China. Path analytic modeling was used to analyze the interrelationships. Results The results of path analytic modeling document the following statistically significant associations with regard to homosexuality: (1) higher levels of vertical collectivism were associated with higher levels of public stigma [β (standardized coefficient) = 0.12] and self stigma (β = 0.12); (2) higher levels of vertical individualism were associated with higher levels self stigma (β = 0.18); (3) higher levels of horizontal individualism were associated with higher levels of public stigma (β = 0.12); (4) higher levels of self stigma were associated with higher levels of social support from sexual partners (β = 0.12); and (5) lower levels of public stigma were associated with consistent condom use (β = −0.19). Conclusions The findings enhance our understanding of how individualist and collectivist cultures influence the development of homosexuality-related stigma, which in turn may affect individuals’ decisions to engage in HIV-protective practices and seek social support. Accordingly, the development of HIV interventions for homosexual men in China should take the characteristics of Chinese culture into consideration. PMID:21731850

Clinical managers in the primary care sector: do the benefits stack up?

PubMed

O'Riordan, Chris; McDermott, Aoife

2012-01-01

The purpose of this paper is to explore the nature and value of the clinical management role undertaken by primary care doctors in Ireland. To date, a majority of research has focused on clinical management roles in the acute sector. The paper presents a sub-set of data from a mixed methods study. In total, 14 semi-structured interviews are drawn upon to identify the nature and value of the clinical management role in primary care. Comparison with acute sector research identifies considerable differences in the nature of the clinical management role across sectors--and in the associated value proposition. Structural and role-related contingencies affecting the potential value of clinical management roles in Irish primary care are discussed. Structural influences include the private ownership structure, low complexity and limited requirement for cross-professional coordination. Role-related influences include the primacy of the clinical identity, time constraints and lack of managerial training. The findings provide a limited basis for generalisation, premised on 14 interviews in one national context. However, given the international shift towards the provision of health services in primary care, they provide a research agenda for an important healthcare context. The findings draw attention to the need for policy consideration of the value of the clinical manager role in primary care; how policy can support effective primary care management; and the need for specialised management training, which takes account of the small-firm context. The paper identifies that primary-care clinical-management roles focus on operational management and oversight and discusses the structural and role-related factors which affect their efficacy.

Small round blue cell tumors of the sinonasal tract: a differential diagnosis approach.

PubMed

Thompson, Lester Dr

2017-01-01

One of the most challenging diagnostic categories within tumors of the sinonasal tract is the small round blue cell tumors. Biopsies are usually small and limited, resulting in considerable diagnostic difficulty for practicing surgical pathologists. These tumors share several overlapping histologic and immunophenotypic findings while also showing considerable variation within and between cases. Specific tumor site of origin, imaging findings, and clinical findings must be combined with the histology and pertinent ancillary studies if the correct diagnosis is to be reached. Discrimination between neoplasms is critical as there are significant differences in therapy and overall outcome. It is important to have a well developed differential diagnosis for this category of tumors, where each of the diagnoses is considered, evaluated, and either confirmed or excluded from further consideration. In an undifferentiated tumor, showing a small round blue cell morphology, using the mnemonic 'MR SLEEP' helps to highlight tumors to consider: melanoma, mesenchymal chondrosarcoma, rhabdomyosarcoma, sinonasal undifferentiated carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma (including NUT carcinoma), small cell osteosarcoma, lymphoma, esthesioneuroblastoma (olfactory neuroblastoma), Ewing sarcoma/primitive neuroectodermal tumor, pituitary adenoma, and plasmacytoma. A panel of pertinent immunohistochemistry studies, histochemistries and/or molecular tests should aid in reaching a diagnosis, especially when taking the pattern and intensity of reactions into consideration.

Behavioral health support and online peer communities: international experiences

PubMed Central

Harding, Claire

2016-01-01

Online peer support communities play an important part in many people’s experience of healthcare. They can be particularly significant in behavioral health/mental health due to the difficulties that people may experience in accessing face to face care for these conditions. There is considerable diversity of practice in service management, target group, and moderation practices of online peer support communities. People using the communities also appear to have diverse aims and experiences. This heterogeneity contributes to a relative lack of data about the value and effectiveness of online peer support in behavioral health, although there is significant research into some aspects of these communities. The digital behavioral health service Big White Wall was launched in the UK in 2007, and in the US in 2015, and is focused on delivering moderated peer support. There are considerable differences in health systems between the two countries, and this has been reflected in different experiences of implementation. The value of online peer support could be maximized if systemic challenges to implementation and adoption were addressed more effectively. PMID:28293613

40 CFR 209.29 - Proposed findings, conclusions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 24 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Proposed findings, conclusions. 209.29... Governing Hearings for Orders Issued Under Section 11(d) of the Noise Control Act § 209.29 Proposed findings... consideration of the administrative law judge proposed findings of fact, conclusions of law, and a proposed rule...

Predictors of public support for family presence during cardiopulmonary resuscitation: A population based study.

PubMed

Dwyer, Trudy A

2015-06-01

The debate on whether individuals want their family to be present during cardiopulmonary resuscitation continues to be a contentious issue, but there is little analysis of the predictors of the general public's opinion. The aim of this population based study was to identify factors that predict public support for having family present during cardiopulmonary resuscitation. Data for this cross-sectional population based study were collected via computer-assisted-telephone-interviews of people (n=1208) residing in Central Queensland, Australia. Participants supported family members being present should their child (75%), an adult relative (52%) or they themselves (51%) require cardiopulmonary resuscitation. Reasons cited for not wanting to be present were; distraction for the medical team (30.4%), too distressing (30%) or not known/not considered the option (19%). Sex and prior exposure to being present during the resuscitation of adults and children were both predictors of support (p<0.05). Reasons for not wanting to be present differed significantly for males and females (p=0.001). Individual support for being present during cardiopulmonary resuscitation varies according to; sex, prior exposure and if the family member who is being resuscitated is a family member, their child or the person themselves. A considerable proportion of the public have not considered nor planned for the option of being present during a cardiac arrest of an adult relative. Clinicians may find it useful to explain the experiences of other people who have been present when supporting families to make informed decisions about their involvement in emergency interventions. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Organisational and individual support for nurses' ethical competence: A cross-sectional survey.

PubMed

Poikkeus, Tarja; Suhonen, Riitta; Katajisto, Jouko; Leino-Kilpi, Helena

2018-05-01

Nurses' ethical competence has been identified as a significant factor governing high quality of care. However, nurses lack support in dealing with ethical problems, and therefore managerial support for nurses' ethical competence is needed. This study aimed to analyse, from the perspective of nurse and nurse leaders, the level of nurses' and nurse leaders' ethical competence, perceptions of support for nurses' ethical competence at the organisational and individual levels and background factors associated with this support. A descriptive, cross-sectional study design was employed. The Ethical Competence and Ethical Competence Support questionnaires were used to measure the main components. Descriptive statistics and multifactor analysis of variance were used for data analysis. The participants were 298 nurses and 193 nurse leaders working in specialised (48%/52%), primary (43%/36%) or private healthcare (5%/7%) in Finland. Ethical considerations: Ethical approval was obtained from the university ethics committee. Nurses estimated their own ethical competence to be at an average level, whereas nurse leaders estimated their own competence at a high level. Nurses' and nurse leaders' perceptions of provided support for nurses' ethical competence was not at a high level. The positive agreement percentage related to organisational support was 44% among nurses and 51% among nurse leaders. The positive agreement percentage related to individual support was lower, that is, 38% among nurses and 61% among nurse leaders. University education had a positive association with some items of individual support. Despite the findings that ethical competence was estimated at a high level among nurse leaders, perceptions of support for nurses' ethical competence were not at a satisfactory level. At the organisational level, nurse leaders need to inform of ethical procedures and practices in orientation; encourage multidisciplinary ethics discussions and collaboration; and support nurses at an individual level to participate in ethics education, multidisciplinary ethics discussions and in solving ethical problems.

32 CFR 47.4 - Policy.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... is made on the extent to which the group was under the control of the U.S. Armed Forces in support of... FOR CIVILIAN OR CONTRACTUAL GROUPS § 47.4 Policy. (a) Eligibility for consideration. To be eligible to apply for consideration under Public Law 95-202 and this part, a group must: (1) Have been similarly...

32 CFR 47.4 - Policy.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... is made on the extent to which the group was under the control of the U.S. Armed Forces in support of... FOR CIVILIAN OR CONTRACTUAL GROUPS § 47.4 Policy. (a) Eligibility for consideration. To be eligible to apply for consideration under Public Law 95-202 and this part, a group must: (1) Have been similarly...

32 CFR 47.4 - Policy.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... is made on the extent to which the group was under the control of the U.S. Armed Forces in support of... FOR CIVILIAN OR CONTRACTUAL GROUPS § 47.4 Policy. (a) Eligibility for consideration. To be eligible to apply for consideration under Public Law 95-202 and this part, a group must: (1) Have been similarly...

32 CFR 47.4 - Policy.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... is made on the extent to which the group was under the control of the U.S. Armed Forces in support of... FOR CIVILIAN OR CONTRACTUAL GROUPS § 47.4 Policy. (a) Eligibility for consideration. To be eligible to apply for consideration under Public Law 95-202 and this part, a group must: (1) Have been similarly...

Tertiary Student Transitions: Sectors, Fields, Impacts of and Reasons for Study--Support Document

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fredman, Nick

2012-01-01

This paper examines the relationships between post-school educational fields and sectors and labour market considerations that appear to shape students' study decisions. It was found that pathways taken vary considerably by age, suggesting changes over time to patterns in tertiary education towards greater participation overall, a greater extent…

The Semistructured Interview for Consideration of Ethnic Culture in Therapy Scale: Initial Psychometric and Outcome Support

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Donohue, Brad; Strada, Marilyn J.; Rosales, Rocio; Taylor-Caldwell, Aundrea; Hise, Dortha; Ahman, Sarah; Lefforge, Noelle L.; Kopof, Monique; Devore, Greg; Soares, Bruno; Radkovich, Ben; Laino, Rowena

2006-01-01

There has been recent pressure for practitioners to consider cultural variables when implementing evidence-based interventions. Therefore, the Semistructured Interview for Consideration of Ethnic Culture in Therapy Scale (SSICECTS) was empirically developed to address this issue. First, psychometric properties of a 6-item scale were evaluated in…

Report of the Joint Industry - DoD Task Force on Computer Aided Logistic Support (CALS). Volume 3. Report of Architecture Subgroup.

DTIC Science & Technology

1985-06-01

competitive commercial items such as automobiles and aircraft. 1.3 Implementation Considerations. 1.3.1 Technical Considerations. The major technical...and easily reprogrammable discs; and integrated portable videocomputer devices will become available. 13 139 1 1.2 Projected Performance of the Target

Characterizing site specific considerations for protecting aircraft during LGS operations at W. M. Keck Observatory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stomski, Paul J., Jr.; Campbell, Randy; McCann, Kevin; Shimko, Steve

2010-07-01

W. M. Keck Observatory (WMKO) routinely operates laser guide star (LGS) Adaptive Optics (AO) systems at the telescope facility on the Big Island of Hawaii. One of the operational requirements for the LGS system is that a safety system to prevent nearby aircraft from being adversely affected by the laser must be provided. We will support operations in the near term with human aircraft spotters until we can successfully develop and get the appropriate approvals needed for an Automated, Integrated and Reliable System for an Aircraft Friendly Environment (AIRSAFE). This report describes some of the preliminary requirements development work at WMKO in support of the future development of AIRSAFE. We discuss the results of recent work to characterize site specific considerations that impact requirements development. The site specific considerations include the proximity of WMKO laser operations to nearby commercial airports, the implications of military operations in the area and the character of the air traffic volume and flight patterns over the telescope facility. Finally, we discuss how the design and implementation of AIRSAFE will be impacted by these site specific considerations.

Indoor Athletic Facilities.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fleming, E. Scott

2000-01-01

Examines the concept of shared-use facilities to help financially support and meet the demand for athletic facilities. Shared-use considerations are explored including cost sharing of ongoing operations, aesthetics, locker rooms, support facilities, parking and site access, and building access and security. (GR)

Sectoral Economies, Economic Contexts, and Attitudes toward Immigration

PubMed Central

Donnelly, Michael J.

2013-01-01

Do economic considerations shape attitudes toward immigration? In this article, we consider the relationship between economic interests and immigration preferences by examining how developments in individuals' sectors of employment affect these views. Using survey data across European countries from 2002 to 2009 and employing new measures of industry-level exposure to immigration, we find that sectoral economies shape opinions about immigration. Individuals employed in growing sectors are more likely to support immigration than are those employed in shrinking sectors. Moreover, the economic context matters: Making use of the exogenous shock to national economies represented by the 2008 financial crisis, we show that sector-level inflows of immigrant workers have little effect on preferences when economies are expanding, but that they dampen support for immigration when economic conditions deteriorate and confidence in the economy declines. These sectoral effects remain even when controlling for natives' views about the impact of immigration on the national economy and culture. When evaluating immigration policy, individuals thus appear to take into account whether their sector of employment benefits economically from immigration. PMID:24363457

Corporate personhood: Lay perceptions and ethical consequences.

PubMed

Jago, Arthur S; Laurin, Kristin

2017-03-01

Modern conceptions of corporate personhood have spurred considerable debate about the rights that society should afford business organizations. Across eight experiments, we compare lay perceptions of how corporations and people use rights, and also explore the consequences of these judgments. We find that people believe corporations, compared to humans, are similarly likely to use rights in protective ways that prevent harm but more likely to use rights in nonprotective ways that appear independent from-or even create-harm (Experiments 1a through 1c and Experiment 2). Because of these beliefs, people support corporate rights to a lesser extent than human rights (Experiment 3). However, people are more supportive of specific corporate rights when we framed them as serving protective functions (Experiment 4). Also as a result of these beliefs, people attribute greater ethical responsibility to corporations, but not to humans, that gain access to rights (Experiments 5a and 5b). Despite their equitability in many domains, people believe corporations and humans use rights in different ways, ultimately producing different reactions to their behaviors as well as asymmetric moral evaluations. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

Intelligent Scheduling for Underground Mobile Mining Equipment

PubMed Central

Song, Zhen; Schunnesson, Håkan; Rinne, Mikael; Sturgul, John

2015-01-01

Many studies have been carried out and many commercial software applications have been developed to improve the performances of surface mining operations, especially for the loader-trucks cycle of surface mining. However, there have been quite few studies aiming to improve the mining process of underground mines. In underground mines, mobile mining equipment is mostly scheduled instinctively, without theoretical support for these decisions. Furthermore, in case of unexpected events, it is hard for miners to rapidly find solutions to reschedule and to adapt the changes. This investigation first introduces the motivation, the technical background, and then the objective of the study. A decision support instrument (i.e. schedule optimizer for mobile mining equipment) is proposed and described to address this issue. The method and related algorithms which are used in this instrument are presented and discussed. The proposed method was tested by using a real case of Kittilä mine located in Finland. The result suggests that the proposed method can considerably improve the working efficiency and reduce the working time of the underground mine. PMID:26098934

Current Perspectives on the Cerebellum and Reading Development.

PubMed

Alvarez, Travis A; Fiez, Julie A

2018-05-03

The dominant neural models of typical and atypical reading focus on the cerebral cortex. However, Nicolson et al. (2001) proposed a model, the cerebellar deficit hypothesis, in which the cerebellum plays an important role in reading. To evaluate the evidence in support of this model, we qualitatively review the current literature and employ meta-analytic tools examining patterns of functional connectivity between the cerebellum and the cerebral reading network. We find evidence for a phonological circuit with connectivity between the cerebellum and a dorsal fronto-parietal pathway, and a semantic circuit with cerebellar connectivity to a ventral fronto-temporal pathway. Furthermore, both cerebral pathways have functional connections with the mid-fusiform gyrus, a region implicated in orthographic processing. Consideration of these circuits within the context of the current literature suggests the cerebellum is positioned to influence both phonological and word-based decoding procedures for recognizing unfamiliar printed words. Overall, multiple lines of research provide support for the cerebellar deficit hypothesis, while also highlighting the need for further research to test mechanistic hypotheses. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Benefits and risks of shared services in healthcare.

PubMed

Kennewell, Suzanne; Baker, Laura

2016-05-16

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to explore the experiences of staff in a large, public health service involved in transitioning support services to a shared services model. It aims to understand their perceptions of the benefits and risks arising from this change. Design/methodology/approach - Thematic analysis of qualitative data from semi-structured interviews with both service provider and customer agency staff was used to identify, analyze and report patterns of benefits and risks within data. Findings - Staff expressed the need for relevant subject-matter-experts to work within customer agencies to facilitate effective communication between the customer agency and shared services provider, reflecting observations found in out-sourcing literature. Research limitations/implications - Results point to significant challenges continuing to occur for shared services in healthcare. Risks identified suggest a more intimate relationship between clinical and support services than previously discussed. Originality/value - Previous discussion of the shared services model has not considered the skills, knowledge and ability required by staff in the customer agency. This research indicates that in the absence of such consideration, the concepts of the shared services model are weakened.

Cultural adaptation of a supportive care needs measure for Hispanic men cancer survivors.

PubMed

Martinez Tyson, Dinorah; Medina-Ramirez, Patricia; Vázquez-Otero, Coralia; Gwede, Clement K; Bobonis, Margarita; McMillan, Susan C

2018-01-01

Research with ethnic minority populations requires instrumentation that is cultural and linguistically relevant. The aim of this study was to translate and culturally adapt the Cancer Survivor Unmet Needs measure into Spanish. We describe the iterative, community-engaged consensus-building approaches used to adapt the instrument for Hispanic male cancer survivors. We used an exploratory sequential mixed method study design. Methods included translation and back-translation, focus groups with cancer survivors (n = 18) and providers (n = 5), use of cognitive interview techniques to evaluate the comprehension and acceptability of the adapted instrument with survivors (n = 12), ongoing input from the project's community advisory board, and preliminary psychometric analysis (n = 84). The process emphasized conceptual, content, semantic, and technical equivalence. Combining qualitative and quantitative approaches offered a rigorous, systematic, and contextual approach to translation alone and supports the cultural adaptation of this measure in a purposeful and relevant manner. Our findings highlight the importance of going beyond translation when adapting measures for cross-cultural populations and illustrate the importance of taking culture, literacy, and language into consideration.

Future perspectives toward the early definition of a multivariate decision-support scheme employed in clinical decision making for senior citizens.

PubMed

Frantzidis, Christos A; Gilou, Sotiria; Billis, Antonis; Karagianni, Maria; Bratsas, Charalampos D; Bamidis, Panagiotis

2016-03-01

Recent neuroscientific studies focused on the identification of pathological neurophysiological patterns (emotions, geriatric depression, memory impairment and sleep disturbances) through computerised clinical decision-support systems. Almost all these research attempts employed either resting-state condition (e.g. eyes-closed) or event-related potentials extracted during a cognitive task known to be affected by the disease under consideration. This Letter reviews existing data mining techniques and aims to enhance their robustness by proposing a holistic decision framework dealing with comorbidities and early symptoms' identification, while it could be applied in realistic occasions. Multivariate features are elicited and fused in order to be compared with average activities characteristic of each neuropathology group. A proposed model of the specific cognitive function which may be based on previous findings (a priori information) and/or validated by current experimental data should be then formed. So, the proposed scheme facilitates the early identification and prevention of neurodegenerative phenomena. Neurophysiological semantic annotation is hypothesised to enhance the importance of the proposed framework in facilitating the personalised healthcare of the information society and medical informatics research community.

Calling a Spade a Spoon: Are Non-American Donors Likely to Need the Same "Reshaping" of Terms for International Family Planning?

PubMed

Norman, Wendy V; Mazza, Danielle

Dyer et al., in their article "International Family Planning: How Political and Religious Conservatives Respond and How to Shape Messaging for Successful Advocacy" (2016), have found that American religious and political conservatives respond favorably to the concepts underlying Family Planning, yet unfavorably to the term itself. We cite Canadian and Australian perspectives to argue that the Dyer finding that the term "Family Planning" is synonymous with abortion (or so nearly so to make it "unfundable" without a term change) is not a consideration in at least two countries, and may not be relevant outside the American context. Irrespective of the language that may be necessary for fundraising among American donors to elicit support for international Family Planning initiatives, there exists a clear need to establish common understanding on reproductive health issues. Now more than ever, we must identify effective terminology and disseminate facts that support women and their families to achieve their reproductive goals, and thus contribute to improved health, education and economic prosperity throughout our global village.

Cultural factors constraining the introduction of family planning among the Kassena-Nankana of northern Ghana.

PubMed

Adongo, P B; Phillips, J F; Kajihara, B; Fayorsey, C; Debpuur, C; Binka, F N

1997-12-01

This study presents a focus group investigation of reasons why women in a rural, Sahelian community are reluctant to adopt family planning even when convenient services are made freely available. First, women opting to practice contraception must do so at considerable risk of social ostracism or familial conflict. Implementing individual preference is something that must be done without the support of others. Second, few women view personal decisions about contraceptives as theirs to make. Women and children are the property of the corporate family-kin and community militate against reproductive control. Third, although children are highly valued for a variety of economic, social, and cultural reasons, mortality risks remain extremely high. Low fertility imposes the unacceptable risk that a woman will have no surviving children at the end of her reproductive life. Taken together, these findings attest to the inadequacy of service strategies focused on the contribution of distribution, individual agency, or personal choice. Outreach should also build a sense of community legitimacy for the program, collective health action, and traditional leadership support for family planning behavior.

Conventional versus laser-assisted therapy of periimplantitis: a five-year comparative study.

PubMed

Bach, G; Neckel, C; Mall, C; Krekeler, G

2000-01-01

Between 1994 and 1999, 50 patients were treated with either profound parodontopathy (30) or periimplantitis (20). Half of each of the two groups of patients was treated conventionally, and the other half was treated with laser support. Before the operation, microbiological examinations were carried out, in addition to registering the clinical findings and taking x-rays. These procedures were repeated after the operation, and again after 6, 12, 24, 36, 48, and 60 months. The surgical part of therapy for each half of the patient groups included surface decontamination with diode laser light (1-watt output, maximum of 20 seconds) in addition to conventional procedures. The values of the laser-supported therapy were lower than those specified in the relevant literature. The relapse rate of the two diseases (13% for the periimplantitis and 23% for the parodontopathy group) after 5 years was lower than the comparative values of researched literature where decontamination was not included in the therapy. We think that integrating diode laser light decontamination in the approved treatment schemes for periimplantitis and parodontitis contributes considerably to the success of this therapy.

Demographic and Psychosocial Factors Associated With Psychological Distress and Resilience Among Transgender Individuals

PubMed Central

Lyons, Anthony; Leonard, William; Pitts, Marian; Badcock, Paul; Couch, Murray

2015-01-01

Objectives. We examined the independent demographic and psychosocial factors associated with psychological distress and resilience among transgender men and women. Methods. Our data came from an online survey involving a national Australian sample of 169 transgender men and women in 2011. Survey questions assessed demographics; sources of support; contact with lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender peers; and experiences of victimization. We assessed the outcomes with the Kessler Psychological Distress Scale and the Brief Resilience Scale. Results. In all, 46.0% of the sample reported high or very high levels of psychological distress. Multivariable regression analyses identified considerably different independent factors for psychological distress and resilience. Younger age, feeling unable to turn to family for support, and victimization experiences were associated with greater psychological distress, whereas higher income, identifying as heterosexual, and having frequent contact with lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender peers were associated with greater resilience. Conclusions. With different factors identified for psychological distress and resilience, these findings may help inform the development of tailored mental health interventions and resilience-building programs for this vulnerable population. PMID:26270284

The Views of the Public on Youth Offenders and the New Zealand Criminal Justice System.

PubMed

Barretto, Craig; Miers, Sarah; Lambie, Ian

2018-01-01

Public perceptions of crime and punishment have taken on increasing importance as countries grapple with how to address youth violence. The current study aimed to compare the views of those who have had personal experience of victimisation from youth offenders and those who have not, on what could be improved in managing youth offending in New Zealand. A qualitative methodology was used with data from open-ended survey responses from a nationally representative sample. Public sentiments favoured addressing systemic issues and providing rehabilitation as main emphases followed by more punitive measures, prevention, and restorative justice. Victims were over-represented on sentiments of prevention whereas non-victims were over-represented in support for more punitive measures and restorative justice. There was also considerable support for a multi-facetted approach that utilised a number of the approaches above, suggesting that the solution is as complex as the offender's circumstances. These findings are very much in line with the current goals of the youth justice system with its emphasis on diversion and rehabilitation.

Bipolar disorder and complementary medicine: current evidence, safety issues, and clinical considerations.

PubMed

Sarris, Jerome; Lake, James; Hoenders, Rogier

2011-10-01

Bipolar disorder (BD) is a debilitating syndrome that is often undiagnosed and undertreated. Population surveys show that persons with BD often self-medicate with complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) or integrative therapies in spite of limited research evidence supporting their use. To date, no review has focused specifically on nonconventional treatments of BD. The study objectives were to present a review of nonconventional (complementary and integrative) interventions examined in clinical trials on BD, and to offer provisional guidelines for the judicious integrative use of CAM in the management of BD. PubMed, CINAHL,(®) Web of Science, and Cochrane Library databases were searched for human clinical trials in English during mid-2010 using Bipolar Disorder and CAM therapy and CAM medicine search terms. Effect sizes (Cohen's d) were also calculated where data were available. Several positive high-quality studies on nutrients in combination with conventional mood stabilizers and antipsychotic medications in BD depression were identified, while branched-chain amino acids and magnesium were effective (small studies) in attenuating mania in BD. In the treatment of bipolar depression, evidence was mixed regarding omega-3, while isolated studies provide provisional support for a multinutrient formula, n-acetylcysteine, and l-tryptophan. In one study, acupuncture was found to have favorable but nonsignificant effects on mania and depression outcomes. Current evidence supports the integrative treatment of BD using combinations of mood stabilizers and select nutrients. Other CAM or integrative modalities used to treat BD have not been adequately explored to date; however, some early findings are promising. Select CAM and integrative interventions add to established conventional treatment of BD and may be considered when formulating a treatment plan. It is hoped that the safety issues and clinical considerations addressed in this article may encourage the practice of safety-conscious and evidence-based integrative management of BD.

U.S. DOE Southeast Clean Energy Application Center

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

Panzarella, Isaac; Mago, Pedro; Kalland, Stephen

2013-12-31

Between 2010 and 2013, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) funded the Southeast Clean Energy Application Center (SE-CEAC), co-located at the North Carolina Solar Center at NC State University (NCSU) and at Mississippi State University. The SE-CEAC was one of eight regional CEACs established to promote and assist in transforming the market for combined heat and power (CHP), district energy (DE) and waste heat to power (WHP) throughout the U.S. CHP locates power generation at the point of demand and makes productive use of the residual thermal energy for process and space heating in factories and businesses, thus lowering themore » cost of meeting electricity and heat requirements and increasing energy efficiency. The overall goal of the SE-CEAC was to support end-user implementation and overall market transformation for CHP and related clean energy technologies. Five objectives were targeted to achieve the goal: 1. Market Analysis and Information Dissemination 2. Outreach and Education for Potential CHP End-users 3. Policy Support for State and Regional Stakeholders 4. Technical Assistance to Support CHP Deployment 5. Collaboration with DOE and other CEACs Throughout the project, the CEACs provided key services of education and outreach, technical assistance and market analysis in support of project objectives. These services were very effective at achieving key objectives of assisting prospective CHP end-users and informing policy makers, utilities and others about the benefits of CHP. There is a marked increase in the awareness of CHP technologies and applications as an energy resource among end-users, policymakers, utility regulators, electric utilities and natural gas utilities in the Southeast region as a result. At the end of 2013, a number of best-practice policies for CHP were applied or under consideration in various Southeast states. The SE-CEAC met its targets for providing technical assistance with over 50 analyses delivered for 412 MW of potential end-users CHP applications. Of these 50 MW of projects were under consideration at the end of 2013 based on SE-CEAC technical assistance findings.« less

Hospital recruitment for a pragmatic cluster-randomized clinical trial: Lessons learned from the COMPASS study.

PubMed

Johnson, Anna M; Jones, Sara B; Duncan, Pamela W; Bushnell, Cheryl D; Coleman, Sylvia W; Mettam, Laurie H; Kucharska-Newton, Anna M; Sissine, Mysha E; Rosamond, Wayne D

2018-01-26

Pragmatic randomized clinical trials are essential to determine the effectiveness of interventions in "real-world" clinical practice. These trials frequently use a cluster-randomized methodology, with randomization at the site level. Despite policymakers' increased interest in supporting pragmatic randomized clinical trials, no studies to date have reported on the unique recruitment challenges faced by cluster-randomized pragmatic trials. We investigated key challenges and successful strategies for hospital recruitment in the Comprehensive Post-Acute Stroke Services (COMPASS) study. The COMPASS study is designed to compare the effectiveness of the COMPASS model versus usual care in improving functional outcomes, reducing the numbers of hospital readmissions, and reducing caregiver strain for patients discharged home after stroke or transient ischemic attack. This model integrates early supported discharge planning with transitional care management, including nurse-led follow-up phone calls after 2, 30, and 60 days and an in-person clinic visit at 7-14 days involving a functional assessment and neurological examination. We present descriptive statistics of the characteristics of successfully recruited hospitals compared with all eligible hospitals, reasons for non-participation, and effective recruitment strategies. We successfully recruited 41 (43%) of 95 eligible North Carolina hospitals. Leading, non-exclusive reasons for non-participation included: insufficient staff or financial resources (n = 33, 61%), lack of health system support (n = 16, 30%), and lack of support of individual decision-makers (n = 11, 20%). Successful recruitment strategies included: building and nurturing relationships, engaging team members and community partners with a diverse skill mix, identifying gatekeepers, finding mutually beneficial solutions, having a central institutional review board, sharing published pilot data, and integrating contracts and review board administrators. Although we incorporated strategies based on the best available evidence at the outset of the study, hospital recruitment required three times as much time and considerably more staff than anticipated. To reach our goal, we tailored strategies to individuals, hospitals, and health systems. Successful recruitment of a sufficient number and representative mix of hospitals requires considerable preparation, planning, and flexibility. Strategies presented here may assist future trial organizers in implementing cluster-randomized pragmatic trials. Clinicaltrials.gov, NCT02588664 . Registered on 23 October 2015.

Combining the role of convenience and consideration set size in explaining fish consumption in Norway.

PubMed

Rortveit, Asbjorn Warvik; Olsen, Svein Ottar

2009-04-01

The purpose of this study is to explore how convenience orientation, perceived product inconvenience and consideration set size are related to attitudes towards fish and fish consumption. The authors present a structural equation model (SEM) based on the integration of two previous studies. The results of a SEM analysis using Lisrel 8.72 on data from a Norwegian consumer survey (n=1630) suggest that convenience orientation and perceived product inconvenience have a negative effect on both consideration set size and consumption frequency. Attitude towards fish has the greatest impact on consumption frequency. The results also indicate that perceived product inconvenience is a key variable since it has a significant impact on attitude, and on consideration set size and consumption frequency. Further, the analyses confirm earlier findings suggesting that the effect of convenience orientation on consumption is partially mediated through perceived product inconvenience. The study also confirms earlier findings suggesting that the consideration set size affects consumption frequency. Practical implications drawn from this research are that the seafood industry would benefit from developing and positioning products that change beliefs about fish as an inconvenient product. Future research for other food categories should be done to enhance the external validity.

Assessing Conformity to Standards for Treatment Foster Care.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Farmer, Elizabeth M. Z.; Burns, Barbara J.; Dubs, Melanie S.; Thompson, Shealy

2002-01-01

This study examined conformity to the Program Standards for Treatment Foster Care among 42 statewide programs. Findings suggest fair to good overall conformity, with considerable variation among programs. A discussion of methodological and substantive considerations for future research and evaluation using this approach is included. (Contains…

Crystalline titanate catalyst supports

DOEpatents

Anthony, R.G.; Dosch, R.G.

1993-01-05

A series of new crystalline titanates (CT) are shown to have considerable potential as catalyst supports. For Pd supported catalyst, the catalytic activity for pyrene hydrogenation was substantially different depending on the type of CT, and one was substantially more active than Pd on hydrous titanium oxide (HTO). For 1-hexene hydrogenation the activities of the new CTs were approximately the same as for the hydrous metal oxide supports.

Crystalline titanate catalyst supports

DOEpatents

Anthony, Rayford G.; Dosch, Robert G.

1993-01-01

A series of new crystalline titanates (CT) are shown to have considerable potential as catalyst supports. For Pd supported catalyst, the catalytic activity for pyrene hydrogenation was substantially different depending on the type of CT, and one was substantially more active than Pd on hydrous titanium oxide (HTO). For 1-hexene hydrogenation the activities of the new CTs were approximately the same as for the hydrous metal oxide supports.

Switching to switchgrass: Pathways and consequences of bioenergy switchgrass entering the Midwestern landscape

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Krohn, Brian

The US has the ambitious goal of producing 60 billion liters of cellulosic biofuel by 2022. Researchers and US Federal Agencies have identified switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.) as a potential feedstock for next generation biofuels to help meet this goal because of its excellent agronomic and environmental characteristics. With national policy supporting the development of a switchgrass to bioenergy industry two key questions arise: 1) Under what economic and political conditions will switchgrass enter the landscape? 2) Where on the landscape will switchgrass be cultivated given varying economic and political conditions? The goal of this dissertation is to answer these questions by analyzing the adoption of switchgrass across the upper Midwestern US at a high spatial resolution (30m) under varying economic conditions. In the first chapter, I model switchgrass yields at a high resolution and find considerable variability in switchgrass yields across space, scale, time, and nitrogen management. Then in the second chapter, I use the spatial results from chapter one to challenge the assumption that low-input (unmanaged) switchgrass systems cannot compete economically with high-input (managed) switchgrass systems. Finally, in the third chapter, I evaluate the economic and land quality conditions required for switchgrass to be competitive with a corn/soy rotation. I find that switchgrass can displace low-yielding corn/soy on environmentally sensitive land but, to be competitive, it requires economic support through payments for ecosystem services equal to 360 ha-1. With a total expenditure of 4.3 billion annually for ecosystem services, switchgrass could displace corn/soy on 12.2 million hectares of environmentally sensitive land and increase ethanol production above that from the existing corn by 20 billion liters. Thus, ecosystem services can be an effective means of meeting both bioenergy and environmental goals. Taking the three chapters in aggregate it is apparent that switchgrass faces many challenges before it will be adopted on the landscape and it is unlikely it will be adopted under traditional market pricing. However, switchgrass does have considerable potential to help meet the US's bioenergy and environmental goals through new mechanisms, such as payments for ecosystem services potentially coupled with low-input management systems.

Dental caries and dental fluorosis among schoolchildren who were lifelong residents of communities having either low or optimal levels of fluoride in drinking water.

PubMed

Selwitz, R H; Nowjack-Raymer, R E; Kingman, A; Driscoll, W S

1998-01-01

This paper reports findings for dental caries and dental fluorosis in 8-10- and 13-16-year-old schoolchildren who were lifelong residents of communities having either naturally occurring low (Broken Bow and Holdrege, NE; < 0.3 ppm) or optimal (Kewanee, IL; 1 ppm) levels of fluoride in drinking water. Findings are reported for participants who received both dental caries and dental fluorosis examinations (n = 495). The DMFS and TSIF indices, respectively, were used to assess dental caries and dental fluorosis. The mean DMFS score adjusted for age, sealant presence, and fluoride use was significantly lower in Kewanee (1.8) than was the adjusted mean caries score in either Holdrege (2.9) or Broken Bow (3.6). Adjusted mean DMFS scores in Broken Bow and Holdrege were not statistically different. The mean percent of fluorosed tooth surfaces per person, adjusted for age and use of dietary fluoride supplements, was similar in the three communities (approximately 15%); more than 80 percent of tooth surfaces in all participants were fluorosis-free. Findings from the present study suggest that water fluoridation still is beneficial and that dental sealants can play a significant role in preventing dental caries. In addition, findings from this survey appear to support the premise that the difference in dental fluorosis prevalence between fluoridated and nonfluoridated communities has narrowed considerably in recent years.

Gender differences in justice evaluations: Evidence from fMRI.

PubMed

Dulebohn, James H; Davison, Robert B; Lee, Seungcheol Austin; Conlon, Donald E; McNamara, Gerry; Sarinopoulos, Issidoros C

2016-02-01

Justice research examining gender differences has yielded contrasting findings. This study enlists advanced techniques in cognitive neuroscience (fMRI) to examine gender differences in brain activation patterns in response to procedural and distributive justice manipulations. We integrate social role, information processing, justice, and neuroscience literature to posit and test for gender differences in 2 neural subsystems known to be involved in the appraisal of self-relevant events. Results indicate that the relationship between justice information processing and neural activity in areas representing these subsystems is significantly influenced by gender, with greater activation for females than males during consideration of both procedural and distributive justice information. In addition, we find evidence that gender and distributive injustice interact to influence bargaining behavior, with females rejecting ultimatum game offers more frequently than males. Results also demonstrate activation in the ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC) and ventral striatum brain regions during procedural justice evaluation is associated with offer rejection in females, but not in males. Managerial implications based on the study's support for gender differences in justice perceptions are discussed. (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

The origin, current diversity and future conservation of the modern lion (Panthera leo)

PubMed Central

Barnett, Ross; Yamaguchi, Nobuyuki; Barnes, Ian; Cooper, Alan

2006-01-01

Understanding the phylogeographic processes affecting endangered species is crucial both to interpreting their evolutionary history and to the establishment of conservation strategies. Lions provide a key opportunity to explore such processes; however, a lack of genetic diversity and shortage of suitable samples has until now hindered such investigation. We used mitochondrial control region DNA (mtDNA) sequences to investigate the phylogeographic history of modern lions, using samples from across their entire range. We find the sub-Saharan African lions are basal among modern lions, supporting a single African origin model of modern lion evolution, equivalent to the ‘recent African origin’ model of modern human evolution. We also find the greatest variety of mtDNA haplotypes in the centre of Africa, which may be due to the distribution of physical barriers and continental-scale habitat changes caused by Pleistocene glacial oscillations. Our results suggest that the modern lion may currently consist of three geographic populations on the basis of their recent evolutionary history: North African–Asian, southern African and middle African. Future conservation strategies should take these evolutionary subdivisions into consideration. PMID:16901830

Sparseness of vowel category structure: Evidence from English dialect comparison

PubMed Central

Scharinger, Mathias; Idsardi, William J.

2014-01-01

Current models of speech perception tend to emphasize either fine-grained acoustic properties or coarse-grained abstract characteristics of speech sounds. We argue for a particular kind of 'sparse' vowel representations and provide new evidence that these representations account for the successful access of the corresponding categories. In an auditory semantic priming experiment, American English listeners made lexical decisions on targets (e.g. load) preceded by semantically related primes (e.g. pack). Changes of the prime vowel that crossed a vowel-category boundary (e.g. peck) were not treated as a tolerable variation, as assessed by a lack of priming, although the phonetic categories of the two different vowels considerably overlap in American English. Compared to the outcome of the same experiment with New Zealand English listeners, where such prime variations were tolerated, our experiment supports the view that phonological representations are important in guiding the mapping process from the acoustic signal to an abstract mental representation. Our findings are discussed with regard to current models of speech perception and recent findings from brain imaging research. PMID:24653528

Dynamical glucometry: Use of multiscale entropy analysis in diabetes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Costa, Madalena D.; Henriques, Teresa; Munshi, Medha N.; Segal, Alissa R.; Goldberger, Ary L.

2014-09-01

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is one of the world's most prevalent medical conditions. Contemporary management focuses on lowering mean blood glucose values toward a normal range, but largely ignores the dynamics of glucose fluctuations. We probed analyte time series obtained from continuous glucose monitor (CGM) sensors. We show that the fluctuations in CGM values sampled every 5 min are not uncorrelated noise. Next, using multiscale entropy analysis, we quantified the complexity of the temporal structure of the CGM time series from a group of elderly subjects with type 2 DM and age-matched controls. We further probed the structure of these CGM time series using detrended fluctuation analysis. Our findings indicate that the dynamics of glucose fluctuations from control subjects are more complex than those of subjects with type 2 DM over time scales ranging from about 5 min to 5 h. These findings support consideration of a new framework, dynamical glucometry, to guide mechanistic research and to help assess and compare therapeutic interventions, which should enhance complexity of glucose fluctuations and not just lower mean and variance of blood glucose levels.

Infusing and sustaining aging content in social work education: findings from GeroRich projects.

PubMed

Hash, Kristina M; Gottlieb, Jody; Harper-Dorton, Karen V; Crawley-Woods, Geraldine; Shelek-Furbee, Katherine; Smith, John David; Brown, Rita

2007-01-01

This article presents findings from experiences of 67 projects involved in GeroRich, an initiative funded by the John A. Hartford Foundation designed to infuse, enrich and sustain aging content in BSW and MSW curricula. Thematic qualitative analysis was used to uncover themes in answers to open-ended questions contained in End-of-Year 2 project reports. Content areas addressed by open-ended answers were: (1) successes and innovations, and (2) challenges requiring responses. Primary successes and innovations identified were as follows: curriculum enrichment, faculty and student involvement, student-learning activities and community. Challenges to be responded to were identified as lack of faculty involvement, competing demands on faculty and programs, and sustainability of project efforts. Examples of strategies implemented to overcome these obstacles include providing teaching resources, instituting financial and other supports, and developing strategic plans for sustaining content infusion post-funding. Experiences of the GeroRich projects offer practical considerations for other social work programs that accept the challenge of attracting and preparing students to work with the increasing population of older adults.

Identifying Health Consumers' eHealth Literacy to Decrease Disparities in Accessing eHealth Information.

PubMed

Park, Hyejin; Cormier, Eileen; Gordon, Glenna; Baeg, Jung Hoon

2016-02-01

The increasing amount of health information available on the Internet highlights the importance of eHealth literacy skills for health consumers. Low eHealth literacy results in disparities in health consumers' ability to access and use eHealth information. The purpose of this study was to assess the perceived eHealth literacy of a general health consumer population so that healthcare professionals can effectively address skills gaps in health consumers' ability to access and use high-quality online health information. Participants were recruited from three public library branches in a Northeast Florida community. The eHealth Literacy Scale was used. The majority of participants (n = 108) reported they knew how and where to find health information and how to use it to make health decisions; knowledge of what health resources were available and confidence in the ability to distinguish high- from low-quality information were considerably less. The findings suggest the need for eHealth education and support to health consumers from healthcare professionals, in particular, how to access and evaluate the quality of health information.

Making the Case for Laws That Improve Health: A Framework for Public Health Law Research

PubMed Central

Burris, Scott; Wagenaar, Alexander C; Swanson, Jeffrey; Ibrahim, Jennifer K; Wood, Jennifer; Mello, Michelle M

2010-01-01

Context: Public health law has received considerable attention in recent years and has become an essential field in public health. Public health law research, however, has received less attention. Methods: Expert commentary. Findings: This article explores public health law research, defined as the scientific study of the relation of law and legal practices to population health. The article offers a logic model of public health law research and a typology of approaches to studying the effects of law on public health. Research on the content and prevalence of public health laws, processes of adopting and implementing laws, and the extent to which and mechanisms through which law affects health outcomes can use methods drawn from epidemiology, economics, sociology, and other disciplines. The maturation of public health law research as a field depends on methodological rigor, adequate research funding, access to appropriate data sources, and policymakers’ use of research findings. Conclusions: Public health law research is a young field but holds great promise for supporting evidence-based policymaking that will improve population health. PMID:20579282

Teaching This Class Drives Me Nuts! - Examining the Person and Context Specificity of Teacher Emotions

PubMed Central

Pekrun, Reinhard; Goetz, Thomas

2015-01-01

Teachers’ emotions are critically important for the quality of classroom instruction, and they are key components of teachers’ psychological well-being. Past research has focused on individual differences between teachers, whereas within-teacher variation across contexts has rarely been considered. As such, the present research addresses the long-standing yet unresolved person-situation debate pertaining to the emotional experiences of teachers. In two diary studies (N = 135, 70% female, and N = 85, 28% female), we examined the role of person, academic subject, and group of students for teacher emotions; focusing on three of the most salient emotions found in teachers: enjoyment, anger, and anxiety. Findings from multi-level analysis confirmed the person specificity of enjoyment, anger, and, in particular, anxiety. In addition, underscoring the existence of within-teacher variability, findings supported that teachers’ emotions considerably varied depending on the subject and group of students taught, particularly so for enjoyment and anger. Implications of the person and context specificity of teacher emotions are discussed in relation to assessments and intervention programs aiming to improve teachers’ emotional lives in the classroom. PMID:26053623

Methodological variation in economic evaluations conducted in low- and middle-income countries: information for reference case development.

PubMed

Santatiwongchai, Benjarin; Chantarastapornchit, Varit; Wilkinson, Thomas; Thiboonboon, Kittiphong; Rattanavipapong, Waranya; Walker, Damian G; Chalkidou, Kalipso; Teerawattananon, Yot

2015-01-01

Information generated from economic evaluation is increasingly being used to inform health resource allocation decisions globally, including in low- and middle- income countries. However, a crucial consideration for users of the information at a policy level, e.g. funding agencies, is whether the studies are comparable, provide sufficient detail to inform policy decision making, and incorporate inputs from data sources that are reliable and relevant to the context. This review was conducted to inform a methodological standardisation workstream at the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF) and assesses BMGF-funded cost-per-DALY economic evaluations in four programme areas (malaria, tuberculosis, HIV/AIDS and vaccines) in terms of variation in methodology, use of evidence, and quality of reporting. The findings suggest that there is room for improvement in the three areas of assessment, and support the case for the introduction of a standardised methodology or reference case by the BMGF. The findings are also instructive for all institutions that fund economic evaluations in LMICs and who have a desire to improve the ability of economic evaluations to inform resource allocation decisions.

Auditory rhythmic cueing in movement rehabilitation: findings and possible mechanisms

PubMed Central

Schaefer, Rebecca S.

2014-01-01

Moving to music is intuitive and spontaneous, and music is widely used to support movement, most commonly during exercise. Auditory cues are increasingly also used in the rehabilitation of disordered movement, by aligning actions to sounds such as a metronome or music. Here, the effect of rhythmic auditory cueing on movement is discussed and representative findings of cued movement rehabilitation are considered for several movement disorders, specifically post-stroke motor impairment, Parkinson's disease and Huntington's disease. There are multiple explanations for the efficacy of cued movement practice. Potentially relevant, non-mutually exclusive mechanisms include the acceleration of learning; qualitatively different motor learning owing to an auditory context; effects of increased temporal skills through rhythmic practices and motivational aspects of musical rhythm. Further considerations of rehabilitation paradigm efficacy focus on specific movement disorders, intervention methods and complexity of the auditory cues. Although clinical interventions using rhythmic auditory cueing do not show consistently positive results, it is argued that internal mechanisms of temporal prediction and tracking are crucial, and further research may inform rehabilitation practice to increase intervention efficacy. PMID:25385780

Craniosynostosis and Noonan syndrome with KRAS mutations: Expanding the phenotype with a case report and review of the literature.

PubMed

Addissie, Yonit A; Kotecha, Udhaya; Hart, Rachel A; Martinez, Ariel F; Kruszka, Paul; Muenke, Maximilian

2015-11-01

Noonan syndrome (NS) is a multiple congenital anomaly syndrome caused by germline mutations in genes coding for components of the Ras-mitogen-activated protein kinase (RAS-MAPK) pathway. Features include short stature, characteristic facies, congenital heart anomalies, and developmental delay. While there is considerable clinical heterogeneity in NS, craniosynostosis is not a common feature of the condition. Here, we report on a 2 month-old girl with Noonan syndrome associated with a de novo mutation in KRAS (p.P34Q) and premature closure of the sagittal suture. We provide a review of the literature of germline KRAS mutations and find that approximately 10% of published cases have craniosynostosis. Our findings expand on the NS phenotype and suggest that germline mutations in the KRAS gene are causally involved in craniosynostosis, supporting the role of the RAS-MAPK pathway as a mediator of aberrant bone growth in cranial sutures. The inclusion of craniosynostosis as a possible phenotype in KRAS-associated Noonan Syndrome has implications in the differential diagnosis and surgical management of individuals with craniosynostosis. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Understanding the (inter)disciplinary and institutional diversity of citizen science: A survey of current practice in Germany and Austria.

PubMed

Pettibone, Lisa; Vohland, Katrin; Ziegler, David

2017-01-01

Citizen science has become more popular in recent years, quickly taking on a variety of potentially conflicting characteristics: a way to collect massive data sets at relatively low cost, a way to break science out of the ivory tower and better engage the public, an approach to educate lay people in scientific methods. But the extent of current citizen science practice-the types of actors and scientific disciplines who take part-is still poorly understood. This article builds on recent surveys of citizen science in PLOS One by analyzing citizen science practice in Germany and Austria through the projects on two online platforms. We find evidence supporting previous findings that citizen science is a phenomenon strongest in biodiversity and environmental monitoring research, but at home in a number of scientific fields, such as history and geography. In addition, our survey method yields new insights into citizen science projects initiated by non-scientific actors. We close by discussing additional methodological considerations in attempting to present a cross-disciplinary overview of citizen science.

Understanding the (inter)disciplinary and institutional diversity of citizen science: A survey of current practice in Germany and Austria

PubMed Central

Vohland, Katrin; Ziegler, David

2017-01-01

Citizen science has become more popular in recent years, quickly taking on a variety of potentially conflicting characteristics: a way to collect massive data sets at relatively low cost, a way to break science out of the ivory tower and better engage the public, an approach to educate lay people in scientific methods. But the extent of current citizen science practice—the types of actors and scientific disciplines who take part—is still poorly understood. This article builds on recent surveys of citizen science in PLOS One by analyzing citizen science practice in Germany and Austria through the projects on two online platforms. We find evidence supporting previous findings that citizen science is a phenomenon strongest in biodiversity and environmental monitoring research, but at home in a number of scientific fields, such as history and geography. In addition, our survey method yields new insights into citizen science projects initiated by non-scientific actors. We close by discussing additional methodological considerations in attempting to present a cross-disciplinary overview of citizen science. PMID:28654930

Self-tracking for Mental Wellness: Understanding Expert Perspectives and Student Experiences

PubMed Central

Kelley, Christina; Lee, Bongshin; Wilcox, Lauren

2017-01-01

Previous research suggests an important role for self-tracking in promoting mental wellness. Recent studies with college student populations have examined the feasibility of collecting everyday mood, activity, and social data. However, these studies do not account for students’ experiences and challenges adopting self-tracking technologies to support mental wellness goals. We present two studies conducted to better understand self-tracking for stress management and mental wellness in student populations. First, focus groups and card sorting activities with 14 student health professionals reveal expert perspectives on the usefulness of tracking for three scenarios. Second, an online survey of 297 students examines personal experiences with self-tracking and attitudes toward sharing self-tracked data with others. We draw on findings from these studies to characterize students’ motivations, challenges, and preferences in collecting and viewing self-tracked data related to mental wellness, and we compare findings between students with diagnosed mental illnesses and those without. We conclude with a discussion of challenges and opportunities in leveraging self-tracking for mental wellness, highlighting several design considerations. PMID:28920106

Regulating approaches to learning: Testing learning strategy convergences across a year at university.

PubMed

Fryer, Luke K; Vermunt, Jan D

2018-03-01

Contemporary models of student learning within higher education are often inclusive of processing and regulation strategies. Considerable research has examined their use over time and their (person-centred) convergence. The longitudinal stability/variability of learning strategy use, however, is poorly understood, but essential to supporting student learning across university experiences. Develop and test a person-centred longitudinal model of learning strategies across the first-year university experience. Japanese university students (n = 933) completed surveys (deep and surface approaches to learning; self, external, and lack of regulation) at the beginning and end of their first year. Following invariance and cross-sectional tests, latent profile transition analysis (LPTA) was undertaken. Initial difference testing supported small but significant differences for self-/external regulation. Fit indices supported a four-group model, consistent across both measurement points. These subgroups were labelled Low Quality (low deep approaches and self-regulation), Low Quantity (low strategy use generally), Average (moderate strategy use), and High Quantity (intense use of all strategies) strategies. The stability of these groups ranged from stable to variable: Average (93% stayers), Low Quality (90% stayers), High Quantity (72% stayers), and Low Quantity (40% stayers). The three largest transitions presented joint shifts in processing/regulation strategy preference across the year, from adaptive to maladaptive and vice versa. Person-centred longitudinal findings presented patterns of learning transitions that different students experience during their first year at university. Stability/variability of students' strategy use was linked to the nature of initial subgroup membership. Findings also indicated strong connections between processing and regulation strategy changes across first-year university experiences. Implications for theory and practice are discussed. © 2017 The British Psychological Society.

A guideline for interpersonal capabilities enhancement to support sustainable facility management practice

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sarpin, Norliana; Kasim, Narimah; Zainal, Rozlin; Noh, Hamidun Mohd

2018-04-01

Facility management is the key phase in the development cycle of an assets and spans over a considerable length of time. Therefore, facility managers are in a commanding position to maximise the potential of sustainability through the development phases from construction, operation, maintenance and upgrade leading to decommission and deconstruction. Sustainability endeavours in facility management practices will contribute to reducing energy consumption, waste and running costs. Furthermore, it can also help in improving organisational productivity, financial return and community standing of the organisation. Facility manager should be empowered with the necessary knowledge and capabilities at the forefront facing sustainability challenge. However, literature studies show a gap between the level of awareness, specific knowledge and the necessary skills required to pursue sustainability in the facility management professional. People capability is considered as the key enabler in managing the sustainability agenda as well as being central to the improvement of competency and innovation in an organisation. This paper aims to develop a guidelines for interpersonal capabilities to support sustainability in facility management practice. Starting with a total of 7 critical interpersonal capabilities factors identified from previous questionnaire survey, the authors conducted an interview with 3 experts in facility management to assess the perceived importance of these factors. The findings reveal a set of guidelines for the enhancement of interpersonal capabilities among facility managers by providing what can be done to acquire these factors and how it can support the application of sustainability in their practice. The findings of this paper are expected to form the basis of a mechanism framework developed to equip facility managers with the right knowledge, to continue education and training and to develop new mind-sets to enhance the implementation of sustainability measures in FM practices.

"Living in a Communal Garden" Associated with Well-Being While Reducing Urban Sprawl by 40%: A Mixed-Methods Cross-Sectional Study.

PubMed

Anderson, Jamie

2015-01-01

The extent to which novel land-efficient neighborhood design can promote key health behaviors is examined, concentrating on communal outdoor space provision (COSP). To test whether a neighborhood (Accordia) with a higher ratio of communal to private outdoor space is associated with higher levels of resident's (a) self-reported local health behaviors and (b) observed engagement in local health behaviors, compared to a matched neighborhood with lower proportion of COSP. Health behaviors were examined via direct observation and postal survey. Bespoke observation codes and survey items represented key well-being behaviors including "connecting," "keeping active," "taking notice," "keep learning," and "giving." The questionnaire was validated using psychometric analyses and observed behaviors were mapped in real-time. General pursuit of health behaviors was very similar in both areas but Accordia residents reported substantially greater levels of local activity. Validated testing of survey dataset (n = 256) showed support for a stronger Attitude to Neighborhood Life (connecting and giving locally) in Accordia and partial support of greater physical activity. Analyses of the behavior observation dataset (n = 7,298) support the self-reported findings. Mapped observations revealed a proliferation of activity within Accordia's innovative outdoor hard spaces. Representation is limited to upper-middle class UK groups. However, Accordia was found to promote health behaviors compared a traditional neighborhood that demands considerably more land area. The positive role of home zone streets, hard-standing and semi-civic space highlights the principle of quality as well as quantity. The findings should be considered as part of three forthcoming locally led UK garden cities, to be built before 2020.

A Randomized Study of a Mobile Behavioral Parent Training Application.

PubMed

Feil, Edward G; Sprengelmeyer, Peter G; Leve, Craig

2018-06-01

Background/Introduction: Never before have parents had such immediate access to parenting support. The extension of the Internet to smartphones, offers the opportunity to provide families with the highest-quality information at the time and place that it can be the most useful. However, there remain considerable barriers to getting the right information to the right people at the right time. This study includes the initial feasibility testing of a smartphone application "ParentNet" that attempts to deliver on the potential of empirically supported therapy by connecting family members with specific behavioral goals and outcomes in real time. Participation was solicited from community parenting support groups and through online social media. Data were collected from 73 parents and 88 children on child behavior (adult only) and satisfaction. Data analyses showed positive satisfaction and utilization results: (1) users rated the ParentNet app very positively (i.e., 85% of caregivers and 88% of youth would recommend the app to others), and (2) parenting behavior was improved with a small/moderate effect-size. Findings from this initial testing are reviewed along with future development possibilities to be considered. Limitations of small pilot sample and brief administration period could have reduced effects. Further study would include a more robust sample.

Dating and Sexual Violence Research in the Schools: Balancing Protection of Confidentiality with Supporting the Welfare of Survivors.

PubMed

Sharkey, Jill D; Reed, Lauren A; Felix, Erika D

2017-12-01

Rigorous research and program evaluation are needed to understand the experience of dating and sexual violence among youth and the impact of prevention and intervention efforts. Our dilemma in doing this work occurred when youth disclosed dating and sexual violence on a research survey. What responsibility do researchers have to protect survivors' confidentiality as a research participant versus taking steps to ensure the student has the opportunity to access help? In our evaluation of a pilot dating violence prevention program, our protocols employed widely used procedures for providing resources to participants upon their completion of the survey and de-identifying survey data. Upon reviewing preliminary survey results, we became concerned that these established procedures were not sufficient to support research participants who were adolescent survivors of dating and sexual violence. We followed a structured ethical decision-making process to examine legal and ethical considerations, consult with colleagues, consider impacts and alternative solutions, and ultimately find a solution. Through this process, we developed procedures that balance participant confidentiality and the desire to support the welfare of survivors, which other researchers may want to employ when conducting youth sexual and dating violence research in school and community settings. © Society for Community Research and Action 2017.

Pervasive assistive technology for people with dementia: a UCD case

PubMed Central

Rønn-Andersen, Kristoffer V.H.; Bień, Paulina; Özkil, Ali Gürcan; Forchhammer, Birgitte Hysse; Maier, Anja M.

2016-01-01

Smart mobile and wearable technology offers exciting opportunities to support people with dementia (PwD). Its ubiquity and popularity could even benefit user adoption – a great challenge for assistive technology (AT) for PwD that calls for user-centred design (UCD) methods. This study describes a user-centred approach to developing and testing AT based on off-the-shelf pervasive technologies. A prototype is created by combining a smartphone, smartwatch and various applications to offer six support features. This is tested among five end-users (PwD) and their caregivers. Controlled usability testing was followed by field testing in a real-world context. Data is gathered from video recordings, interaction logs, system usability scale questionnaires, logbooks, application usage logs and interviews structured on the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology model. The data is analysed to evaluate usability, usefulness and user acceptance. Results show some promise for user adoption, but highlight challenges to be overcome, emphasising personalisation and familiarity as key considerations. The complete findings regarding usability issues, usefulness of support features and four identified adoption profiles are used to provide a set of recommendations for practitioners and further research. These contribute toward UCD practices for improved smart, pervasive AT for dementia. PMID:28008366

Introducing seasonal hydro-meteorological forecasts in local water management. First reflections from the Messara site, Crete, Greece.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Koutroulis, Aristeidis; Grillakis, Manolis; Tsanis, Ioannis

2017-04-01

Seasonal prediction is recently at the center of the forecasting research efforts, especially for regions that are projected to be severely affected by global warming. The value of skillful seasonal forecasts can be considerable for many sectors and especially for the agricultural in which water users and managers can benefit to better anticipate against drought conditions. Here we present the first reflections from the user/stakeholder interactions and the design of a tailored drought decision support system in an attempt to bring seasonal predictions into local practice for the Messara valley located in the central-south area of Crete, Greece. Findings from interactions with the users and stakeholders reveal that although long range and seasonal predictions are not used, there is a strong interest for this type of information. The increase in the skill of short range weather predictions is also of great interest. The drought monitoring and prediction tool under development that support local water and agricultural management will include (a) sources of skillful short to medium term forecast information, (b) tailored drought monitoring and forecasting indices for the local groundwater aquifer and rain-fed agriculture, and (c) seasonal inflow forecasts for the local dam through hydrologic simulation to support management of freshwater resources and drought impacts on irrigated agriculture.

Organisational strategies to implement hospital pressure ulcer prevention programmes: findings from a national survey.

PubMed

Soban, Lynn M; Kim, Linda; Yuan, Anita H; Miltner, Rebecca S

2017-09-01

To describe the presence and operationalisation of organisational strategies to support implementation of pressure ulcer prevention programmes across acute care hospitals in a large, integrated health-care system. Comprehensive pressure ulcer programmes include nursing interventions such as use of a risk assessment tool and organisational strategies such as policies and performance monitoring to embed these interventions into routine care. The current literature provides little detail about strategies used to implement pressure ulcer prevention programmes. Data were collected by an e-mail survey to all chief nursing officers in Veterans Health Administration acute care hospitals. Descriptive and bivariate statistics were used to summarise survey responses and evaluate relationships between some variables. Organisational strategies that support implementation of a pressure ulcer prevention programme (policy, committee, staff education, wound care specialists, and use of performance data) were reported at high levels. Considerable variations were noted in how these strategies were operationalised within individual hospitals. Organisational strategies to support implementation of pressure ulcer preventive programmes are often not optimally operationalised to achieve consistent, sustainable performance. The results of the present study highlight the role and influence of nurse leaders on pressure ulcer prevention program implementation. Published 2016. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.

Dental School Administrators' Attitudes Towards Providing Support Services for LGBT-Identified Students.

PubMed

Behar-Horenstein, Linda S; Morris, Dustin R

2015-08-01

A lack of curriculum time devoted to teaching dental students about the needs of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgendered (LGBT) health care patient needs and biases against LGBT students and faculty have been reported. Understanding dental school administrators' attitudes about LGBT students' needs might provide further insight into these long-standing issues. The aims of this study were to develop a survey to assess dental administrators' attitudes regarding the support services they believe LGBT-identified students need, to identify dental schools' current diversity inclusion policies, and to determine what types of support dental schools currently provide to LGBT students. A survey developed with the aid of a focus group, cognitive interviewing, and pilot testing was sent to 136 assistant and associate deans and deans of the 65 U.S. and Canadian dental schools. A total of 54 responses from 43 (66%) schools were received from 13 deans, 29 associate deans, and 11 assistant deans (one participant did not report a position), for a 40% response rate. The findings suggest there is a considerable lack of knowledge or acknowledgment of LGBT dental students' needs. Future studies are needed to show the importance of creating awareness about meeting the needs of all dental student groups, perhaps through awareness campaigns initiated by LGBT students.

Clinical Management of the Breast-Feeding Mother-Infant Dyad in Recovery From Opioid Dependence.

PubMed

Busch, Deborah W

2016-01-01

Human milk is one of the most health-promoting and cost-effective nutritional substances known to humankind. Breastmilk provides substantial and remarkable physiological and psychological health benefits. Within the last decade, there has been a resurgence of breast-feeding in the United States and worldwide and an increased awareness of the immense health benefits for mothers, infants, and societies that support it. Each mother-baby dyad is a unique pair, with distinct relationships, biases, barriers, and obstacles. This article aims to address clinical management for the opioid-recovering breast-feeding dyad and to translate current evidenced-based practice findings, recommendations, and resources to best support this unique population. The recovering breast-feeding mother and newborn with opioid dependence deserve special consideration and expert care to foster their recovery and breast-feeding efforts. It is our moral and ethical responsibility as healthcare professionals to enable, foster, and promote breast-feeding among all families, especially those who stand to benefit the greatest. Substance recovery cannot be treated in isolation, nor can breast-feeding efforts; an interdisciplinary professional team effort promises the greatest chances for recovery success. With appropriate evidence-based practice support, training, and intervention by knowledgeable professionals, many women can overcome the biases and obstacles associated with opioid recovery to successfully breast-feed their babies.

Below-ground biotic interactions moderated the postglacial range dynamics of trees.

PubMed

Pither, Jason; Pickles, Brian J; Simard, Suzanne W; Ordonez, Alejandro; Williams, John W

2018-05-17

Tree range shifts during geohistorical global change events provide a useful real-world model for how future changes in forest biomes may proceed. In North America, during the last deglaciation, the distributions of tree taxa varied significantly as regards the rate and direction of their responses for reasons that remain unclear. Local-scale processes such as establishment, growth, and resilience to environmental stress ultimately influence range dynamics. Despite the fact that interactions between trees and soil biota are known to influence local-scale processes profoundly, evidence linking below-ground interactions to distribution dynamics remains scarce. We evaluated climate velocity and plant traits related to dispersal, environmental tolerance and below-ground symbioses, as potential predictors of the geohistorical rates of expansion and contraction of the core distributions of tree genera between 16 and 7 ka bp. The receptivity of host genera towards ectomycorrhizal fungi was strongly supported as a positive predictor of poleward rates of distribution expansion, and seed mass was supported as a negative predictor. Climate velocity gained support as a positive predictor of rates of distribution contraction, but not expansion. Our findings indicate that understanding how tree distributions, and thus forest ecosystems, respond to climate change requires the simultaneous consideration of traits, biotic interactions and abiotic forcing. © 2018 The Authors. New Phytologist © 2018 New Phytologist Trust.

A simulation-optimization-based decision support tool for mitigating traffic congestion.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2009-12-01

"Traffic congestion has grown considerably in the United States over the past twenty years. In this paper, we develop : a robust decision support tool based on simulation optimization to evaluate and recommend congestion-mitigation : strategies to tr...

Considerations for Integrating Women into Closed Occupations in the U.S. Special Operations Forces: Appendices

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-05-01

106 ii . Attachment/Support/Other Specialized Roles for Women ............................................. 107 iii. Separate Men and... ii . Attachment/Support/Other Specialized Roles for Women Responses included in this category include those that described different deployment

Potential barriers to veterinary student access to counselling and other support systems: perceptions of staff and students at a UK veterinary school.

PubMed

Pickles, K J; Rhind, S M; Miller, R; Jackson, S; Allister, R; Philp, J; Waterhouse, L; Mellanby, R J

2012-02-04

Considerable evidence suggests that veterinary surgeons' mental health is often poorer than comparable populations and that the incidence of suicide is higher among veterinary surgeons than the general public. Veterinary students also appear to suffer from high levels of anxiety and stress, and may possess inadequate coping strategies when faced with adversity. Veterinary students may find it difficult to access central university support systems due to their heavy workload and geographical isolation on some veterinary campuses. A previous study of University of Edinburgh fourth-year veterinary students found that support services located several miles from the main veterinary campus was a barrier to students accessing counselling services. Consequently, a pilot project was initiated, which provided a counselling service at the University of Edinburgh's rural Easter Bush veterinary campus one afternoon a week during 2010. As part of the evaluation of this service, web-based questionnaires were delivered via e-mail to all veterinary staff and students towards the end of the 12-month pilot period to evaluate perceptions of barriers to student counselling and to investigate student-valued support services. Questionnaire responses were received from 35 per cent of veterinary students and 52 per cent of staff. Stigmatisation of being unable to cope was a potent inhibitor of seeking support within the veterinary environment, but counselling was perceived as valuable by the majority of staff and students. Provision of an on-site counselling service was considered important for increasing ease of access; however, students viewed friends and family as their most important support mechanism. Workload was cited as the main cause of veterinary student stress. The majority of staff and student respondents perceived veterinary students as having an increased need for counselling support compared with other students.

Distortions and Disconnections: Disrupted Brain Connectivity in Autism

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wass, Sam

2011-01-01

The past few years have seen considerable interest in findings of abnormal brain connectivity in the autism spectrum disorders (ASD). We review recent work from neuroimaging and other sources, and argue that there is considerable convergent evidence suggesting that connectivity is disrupted in ASD. We point to evidence both of local…

75 FR 60407 - Sunshine Act Notice

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-09-30

... COMMISSION ON CIVIL RIGHTS Sunshine Act Notice AGENCY: United States Commission on Civil Rights. ACTION: Notice of meeting. DATE AND TIME: Friday, October 8, 2010; 9:30 a.m. EDT. PLACE: 624 9th St., NW... Consideration of Findings and Recommendations for Briefing Report on Health Care Disparities Consideration of FY...

The Social Meaning of Leisure in Uganda and America.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Crandall, Rich; Thompson, Richard W.

1978-01-01

This paper analyzes cross-culturally the importance of social contact for leisure. The general findings of considerable similarity in evaluating preferences and the importance of social considerations provide a basis for preliminary comparisons and suggest that similar factors can affect leisure preferences in different cultural settings.…

[The SWOT analysis and strategic considerations for the present medical devices' procurement].

PubMed

Li, Bin; He, Meng-qiao; Cao, Jian-wen

2006-05-01

In this paper, the SWOT analysis method is used to find out the internal strength, weakness, exterior opportunities and threats of the present medical devices' procurements in hospitals and some strategic considerations are suggested as "one direction, two expansions, three changes and four countermeasures".

Mesoamerica Writing at the Crossroads: The Late Formative.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stross, Brian

1990-01-01

Offers an overview of Later Formative period writing in Mesoamerica, and discusses recent findings. Asserts that analysis of the iconographic context of the script reveals considerable interdependence between text and context and provides a glimpse of the importance of cosmological considerations in the display of power. Discusses the importance…

Alternative Fuels Data Center: Electricity

Science.gov Websites

efficiency. Using electricity to power vehicles can have significant energy security and emissions benefits . Icon of an information sign. Basics Find information about using electricity as a vehicle fuel Considerations Explore the benefits and considerations of using electricity as a vehicle fuel. Icon of a fueling

Is Self-Esteem a Cause or Consequence of Social Support? A 4-Year Longitudinal Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Marshall, Sarah L.; Parker, Phillip D.; Ciarrochi, Joseph; Heaven, Patrick C. L.

2014-01-01

Considerable research has been devoted to examining the relations between self-esteem and social support. However, the exact nature and direction of these relations are not well understood. Measures of self-esteem, and social support quantity and quality were administered to 961 adolescents across five yearly time points (M[subscript…

Pharmacological treatments for alleviating agitation in dementia: a systematic review and network meta-analysis.

PubMed

Kongpakwattana, Khachen; Sawangjit, Ratree; Tawankanjanachot, Itthipol; Bell, J Simon; Hilmer, Sarah N; Chaiyakunapruk, Nathorn

2018-04-10

To determine the most efficacious and acceptable treatments of agitation in dementia. MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsycINFO, CENTRAL and clinicaltrials.gov were searched up to 7 February 2017. Two independent reviewers selected randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of treatments to alleviate agitation in people with all-types dementia. Data were extracted using standardized forms and study quality was assessed using the revised Cochrane Risk of Bias Tool for RCTs. Data were pooled using meta-analysis. The primary outcome, efficacy, was 8-week response rates defined as a 50% reduction in baseline agitation score. The secondary outcome was treatment acceptability defined as treatment continuation for 8 weeks. Thirty-six RCTs comprising 5585 participants (30.9% male; mean ± standard deviation age, 81.8 ± 4.9 years) were included. Dextromethorphan/quinidine [odds ratio (OR) 3.04; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.63-5.66], risperidone (OR 1.96; 95% CI, 1.49-2.59) and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors as a class (OR 1.61; 95% CI, 1.02-2.53) were found to be significantly more efficacious than placebo. Haloperidol appeared less efficacious than nearly all comparators. Most treatments had noninferior treatment continuation compared to placebo, except oxcarbazepine, which was inferior. Findings were supported by subgroup and sensitivity analyses. Risperidone, serotonin reuptake inhibitors as a class and dextromethorphan/quinidine demonstrated evidence of efficacy for agitation in dementia, although findings for dextromethorphan/quinidine were based on a single RCT. Our findings do not support prescribing haloperidol due to lack of efficacy, or oxcarbazepine due to lack of acceptability. The decision to prescribe should be based on comprehensive consideration of the benefits and risks, including those not evaluated in this meta-analysis. © 2018 The British Pharmacological Society.

Callosotomy affects performance IQ: A meta-analysis of individual participant data.

PubMed

Westerhausen, René; Karud, Celine M R

2018-02-05

Morphometric neuroimaging studies on healthy adult individuals regularly report a positive association between intelligence test performance (IQ) and structural properties of the corpus callosum (CC). At the same time, studies examining the effect of callosotomy on epilepsy patients report only negligible changes in IQ as result of the surgery, partially contradicting the findings of the morphometry studies. Objective of the present meta-analysis of individual participant data (IPD) of 87 cases from 16 reports was to re-investigate the effect of callosotomy on full scale IQ as well as on the verbal and performance subscale under special consideration of two possible moderating factors: pre-surgical IQ levels and the extent of the surgery (complete vs. anterior transsection). The main finding was that callosotomy selectively affects performance IQ, whereby the effect is modulated by the pre-surgical level of performance. Patients with an above-median pre-surgery performance IQ level show a significant average decrease of -5.44 (CI 95% : - 8.33 to - 2.56) IQ points following the surgery, while the below-median group does not reveal a significant change in IQ (mean change: 1.01 IQ points; CI 95% : -1.83 to 3.86). Thus, the present analyses support the notion that callosotomy has a negative effect on the patients' performance IQ, but only in those patients, who at least have an average performance levels before the surgery. This observation also lends support to the findings of previous morphometry studies, indicating that the frequently observed CC-IQ correlation might indeed reflect a functional contribution of callosal interhemispheric connectivity to intelligence-test performance. Copyright © 2017 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The challenges of caring in a technological environment: critical care nurses' experiences.

PubMed

McGrath, Mary

2008-04-01

This paper presents and discusses the findings from a phenomenological study which illuminated the lived experiences of experienced critical care nurses caring within a technological environment. While nursing practice is interwoven with technology, much of the literature in this area is speculative. Moreover, there is a debate as to whether and how 'high tech' and 'high touch' are reconcilable; this orientation is referred to as the optimism vs. pessimism debate. On a personal level, the motivation for this study came from the author's 13 years' experience in the critical care area. Following ethical approval, 10 experienced nurses from two cardiothoracic critical care units in Ireland participated in the study. A Heideggerian phenomenological methodology was used. Data collection consisted of unstructured interviews. A method of data analysis described by Walters was used. The findings provide research-based evidence to illuminate further the optimistic/pessimistic debate on technology in nursing. While the study demonstrates that the debate is far from resolved, it reveals a new finding: life-saving technology that supports the lives of critically ill patients can bring experienced nurses very close to their patients/families. The three main themes that emerged: 'alien environment', 'pulling together' and 'sharing the journey' were linked by a common thread of caring. Experienced critical care nurses are able to transcend the obtrusive nature of technology to deliver expert caring to their patients. However, the journey to proficiency in technology is very demanding and novice nurses have difficulty in caring with technology. Relevance to clinical practice. It is recommended that more emphasis be placed on supporting, assisting and educating inexperienced nurses in the critical care area and that the use of technology in nursing be given serious consideration.

A Bridge Over Turbulent Waters: Illustrating the Interaction Between Managerial Leaders and Facilitators When Implementing Research Evidence.

PubMed

van der Zijpp, Teatske Johanna; Niessen, Theo; Eldh, Ann Catrine; Hawkes, Claire; McMullan, Christel; Mockford, Carole; Wallin, Lars; McCormack, Brendan; Rycroft-Malone, Jo; Seers, Kate

2016-02-01

Emerging evidence focuses on the importance of the role of leadership in successfully transferring research evidence into practice. However, little is known about the interaction between managerial leaders and clinical leaders acting as facilitators (internal facilitators [IFs]) in this implementation process. To describe the interaction between managerial leaders and IFs and how this enabled or hindered the facilitation process of implementing urinary incontinence guideline recommendations in a local context in settings that provide long-term care to older people. Semistructured interviews with 105 managers and 22 IFs, collected for a realist process evaluation across four European countries informed this study. An interpretive data analysis unpacks interactions between managerial leaders and IFs. This study identified three themes that were important in the interactions between managerial leaders and IFs that could hinder or support the implementation process: "realising commitment"; "negotiating conditions"; and "encouragement to keep momentum going." The findings revealed that the continuous reciprocal relationships between IFs and managerial leaders influenced the progress of implementation, and could slow the process down or disrupt it. A metaphor of crossing a turbulent river by the "building of a bridge" emerged as one way of understanding the findings. Our findings illuminate a neglected area, the effects of relationships between key staff on implementing evidence into practice. Relational aspects of managerial and clinical leadership roles need greater consideration when planning guideline implementation and practice change. In order to support implementation, staff assigned as IFs as well as stakeholders like managers at all levels of an organisation should be engaged in realising commitment, negotiating conditions, and keeping momentum going. Thus, communication is crucial between all involved. © 2016 Sigma Theta Tau International.

Considerations for preparing collaborative international research: a Ugandan experience.

PubMed

Musil, Carol M; Mutabaazi, Jemimah; Walusimbi, Mariam; Okonsky, Jennifer G; Biribonwa, Yedidah; Eagan, Sabrina; Dimarco, Marguerite A; Mbaballi, Speciosa; Fitzpatrick, Joyce J

2004-08-01

This article describes issues to consider when planning and conducting international research projects. Key considerations include building collaboration, developing a comprehensive and feasible research plan, funding and budgets, addressing human subjects concerns, and analyzing and disseminating project findings. These considerations and related methodological issues are discussed in the context of a replication pilot project conducted outside Kampala, Uganda. Ongoing dialog, flexibility, and collaboration, in addition to good science, are critical to developing successful international research projects.

A Qualitative Assessment of the Evidence Utilization for Health Policy-Making on the Basis of SUPPORT Tools in a Developing Country.

PubMed

Hasan Imani-Nasab, Mohammad; Seyedin, Hesam; Yazdizadeh, Bahareh; Majdzadeh, Reza

2017-01-08

SUPPORT tools consist of 18 articles addressing the health policy-makers so that they can learn how to make evidence-informed health policies. These tools have been particularly recommended for developing countries. The present study tries to explain the process of evidence utilization for developing policy documents in the Iranian Ministry of Health and Medical Education (MoHME) and to compare the findings with those of SUPPORT tools. A qualitative research was conducted, using the framework analysis approach. Participants consisted of senior managers and technicians in MoHME. Purposeful sampling was done, with a maximum variety, for the selection of research participants: individuals having at least 5 years of experience in preparing evidence-based policy documents. Face-to-face interviews were conducted for data collection. As a guideline for the interviews, 'the Utilization of Evidence in Policy-Making Organizations' procedure was used. The data were analyzed through the analysis of the framework method using MAXQDA 10 software. The participants acquired the research evidence in a topic-based form, and they were less likely to search on the basis of the evidence pyramid. To assess the quality of evidence, they did not use standard critical tools; to adapt the evidence and interventions with the local setting, they did not use the ideas and experiences of all stakeholders, and in preparing the evidence-based policy documents, they did not take into consideration the window of opportunity, did not refrain from using highly technical terms, did not write user-friendly summaries, and did not present alternative policy options. In order to develop health policies, however, they used the following innovations: attention to the financial burden of policy issues on the agenda, sensitivity analysis of the preferred policy option on the basis of technical, sociopolitical, and economic feasibility, advocacy from other scholars, using the multi-criteria decision-making models for the prioritization of policy options, implementation of policy based on the degree of readiness of policy-implementing units, and the classification of policy documents on the basis of different conditions of policy-making (urgent, short-term, and long-term). Findings showed that the process of evidence utilization in IR-MoH enjoys some innovations for the support of health policy development. The present study provides IR-MoH with considerable opportunities for the improvement of evidence-informed health policy-making. Moreover, the SUPPORT process and tools are recommended to be used in developing countries. © 2017 The Author(s); Published by Kerman University of Medical Sciences. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Tokamak experimental power reactor conceptual design. Volume II

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

Not Available

1976-08-01

Volume II contains the following appendices: (1) summary of EPR design parameters, (2) impurity control, (3) plasma computational models, (4) structural support system, (5) materials considerations for the primary energy conversion system, (6) magnetics, (7) neutronics penetration analysis, (8) first wall stress analysis, (9) enrichment of isotopes of hydrogen by cryogenic distillation, and (10) noncircular plasma considerations. (MOW)

76 FR 72047 - Enhanced-Use Lease (EUL) of Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Real Property for the Development...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-11-21

.... Wainwright Memorial VA Medical Center in Walla Walla, Washington. As consideration, the selected lessee will... Veterans and their families, and a supportive services program. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Edward... consideration under such a lease for the provision of medical care and services would result in a demonstrable...

76 FR 72046 - Enhanced-Use Lease (EUL) of Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Real Property for the Development...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-11-21

... Point VA Medical Center--VA Maryland Health Care System in Perryville. As consideration for the lease... their families, and a supportive services program. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Edward Bradley... consideration under such a lease for the provision of medical care and services would result in a demonstrable...

[Fixed partial denture on implants. Prosthodontic and biomechanical considerations].

PubMed

del Rio Highsmith, J; Garcia-Lomas, S; Mandinazagoitia, C

1990-01-01

In this issue are analyzed the factors that support the selection of the partial edentulous patients, for the construction of partial fixed prosthesis implantosupported, and the biomechanical considerations that we have to consider in relation to: relation implant-bone, the use of natural teeth, part of the jaw, length of the space, opponent jaw and materials.

Applying a Conceptual Mini Game for Supporting Simple Mathematical Calculation Skills: Students' Perceptions and Considerations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Panagiotakopoulos, Chris T.

2011-01-01

Mathematics is an area of study that particularly lacks student enthusiasm. Nevertheless, with the help of educational games, any phobias concerning mathematics can be considerably decreased and mathematics can become more appealing. In this study, an educational game addressing mathematics was designed, developed and evaluated by a sample of 33…

Online Finding Aids: Are They Practical?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hostetter, Christina J.

2004-01-01

This article explores the uses, practicality, and problems involved in creating online finding aids by state-funded university archivists across the nation. It examines various aspects of online finding aids such as financial considerations, its importance as a research tool, timelines, demographics, and use. The more technical side is also…