... Collection: Comment Request for Customer Satisfaction and Opinion Surveys and Focus Group Interviews AGENCY..., is soliciting comments on the United States Mint customer satisfaction and opinion surveys and focus... States Mint customer satisfaction and opinion surveys and focus group interviews. OMB Number: 1525-0012...
... Activities; Proposed Collection; Comment Request; Focus Groups as Used by EPA for Economics Projects (Renewal... used by EPA for Economics Projects (Renewal). ICR numbers: EPA ICR No. 2205.07, OMB Control No. 2090... interviews (hereafter jointly referred to as focus groups) related to economics projects. Over the next three...
... DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION [Docket No. ED-2013-ICCD-0045] Agency Information Collection Activities; Comment Request; Generic Clearance for Federal Student Aid Customer Satisfaction Surveys and Focus Groups... Customer Satisfaction Surveys and Focus Groups Master Plan. OMB Control Number: 1845-0045. Type of Review...
... Information: Tax Time Card Account Pilot, Screening, Focus Groups, and Study AGENCY: Financial Management... general public and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment on a continuing information... Account Pilot Screening, Focus Groups, and Study.'' DATES: Written comments should be received on or...
... Information Collection: Comment Request Focus Groups About the Housing Search Process for Lesbian, Gay... Search Process for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) People. Description of the Need for... people identify themselves as lesbian, gay, or transgender when searching for rental housing. The full...
...: Proposed Collection; Comment Request--Generic Clearance to Conduct Methodological Testing, Surveys, Focus... proposed information collection. This information collection will conduct research by methodological... Methodological Testing, Surveys, Focus Groups, and Related Tools to Improve the Management of Federal Nutrition...
... DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE Proposed Information Collection for Focus Groups and One-on-One Interviews... comments on Proposed Information Collection for Focus Groups and One-on-one Interviews for the Elwha River... Collection (IC) to conduct focus groups and one-on-one interviews, described below. We invite the general...
... Activities; Submission to OMB for Review and Approval; Comment Request; Consumer Research through Focus... . Title: Consumer Research through Focus Groups to Develop Improved Labeling for Pesticide Products. ICR.... Abstract: EPA intends to renew a voluntary information collection for consumer research involving the use...
... project is designed to solicit actionable recommendations on what activities can best help Medicaid... who have agreed to participate in the focus groups, in order to collect descriptive and demographic...: List of potential focus group participants, descriptive and demographic information about focus group...
..., through focus groups with youth and in-depth interviews with health care providers, to improve tobacco use... youth and vulnerable populations. The focus groups and interviews are an integral [[Page 45255
Purpose To identify through focus groups of visually impaired children and their parents, relevant content for a vision-targeted health-related quality of life questionnaire designed for children ages 6-12. Methods Six focus groups of children with vision impairment ages 6 -12 and six focus groups of their parents were conducted by trained facilitators using a guided script. Sessions were recorded, transcribed and coded per a standardized protocol for content analysis. Comments were placed in thematic categories and each coded as positive, negative or neutral. Results Twenty-four children (mean age 9.4 years) with vision impairment from a variety of causes and 23 parents participated. The child focus groups generated 1,163 comments, of which 52% (n=599) were negative, 12% (n=138) were neutral and 37% (n=426) were positive. The three most common topical areas among children were: glasses and adaptive equipment (18%), psychosocial (14%) and school (14%). The parent focus groups generated 1,952 comments of which 46% (n=895) were negative, 16% (n=323) were neutral and 38% (n=734) were positive. The three most common topical areas among parents were: school (21%), expectations or frustrations (14%) and psychosocial (13%). Conclusions Pediatric vision impairment has significant effects on health related quality of life, as reported by children with vision impairment and their parents in their own words. These findings will provide the content to guide construction of a survey instrument to assess vision-specific, health-related quality of life in children with vision impairment. PMID:22863790
... study methodology in selected AI/AN communities that currently use the Eagle Books as well as the DETS... discussion (focus) groups with children: One group with younger children (grades K-1) and one group with older children (grades 2-4); (v) Two discussion (focus) groups with parents: One group with parents of...
... primarily related to survey development for economics projects. Focus groups are groups of individuals... referred to collectively as ``focus groups'') used as a qualitative research tool have three major purposes... later quantitative studies; and To further explore findings obtained from quantitative studies. Through...
This article presents an adaptation of established qualitative research methods for online focus groups by using the "Disqus" website-based commenting platform as a medium for discussion among doctoral and early-career academic learners. Facilities allowing Internet users to comment on the content of web pages are increasingly popular on…
... materials describing the project and specific survey pre-test. Respondents: The respondents will be... Information Collection Activity; Comment Request Title: Pre-testing of Evaluation Surveys. OMB No.: 0970-0355... field tests, respondent debriefing questionnaires, cognitive interviews and focus groups in order to...
... Evaluation of the Medicare Health Care Quality (MHCQ) Demonstration Evaluation: Focus Group and Interview... Collection: Evaluation of the Medicare Health Care Quality (MHCQ) Demonstration Evaluation: Focus Group and Interview Protocols; Use: The Medicare Health Care Quality (MHCQ) Demonstration was developed to address...
... with special health care needs. The project is designed to solicit actionable recommendations on what... collect descriptive and demographic information prior to the focus group session, and as part of the..., descriptive and demographic information about focus group participants, and the information gathered at each...
... Disease Educational Messages and Materials for the Division of Blood Disorders (0920-0915, Expiration 01... sickle cell disease. To develop valuable messages and materials, CDC will conduct formative focus groups... remote, rural areas. Based on the findings from the formative focus groups, CDC will develop and test...
... Products. OMB Number: 1535-0142. Abstract: The information from the survey will be used to improve customer... ``Conducting Focus Groups for Retail Securities Products.'' DATES: Written comments should be received on or... collection of information; (c) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be...
.... Focus Group Testing on Advanced Technologies b. Comprehensive Consumer Research on the Monroney Label c... shaping their comments on each of the areas. Information provided by commenters will assist the agency in...-001), www.reginfo.gov . c. Vehicle-CRS Fit Program As indicated in Section III of this notice, the...
...; Comment Request; NCES Cognitive, Pilot, and Field Test Studies System AGENCY: Institute of Education... in response to this notice will be considered public records. Title of Collection: NCES Cognitive... with levels of incentives for various types of survey operations, focus groups, cognitive laboratory...
... Activities; Proposed Collection; Comment Request: Generic Clearance for Cognitive, Pilot and Field Studies...) Title of the Form/Collection: BJS Generic Clearance for Cognitive, Pilot, and Field Test Studies. (3... respondents will be involved in exploratory, field test, pilot, cognitive, and focus group work conducted...
Objectives Failure to recruit sufficient applicants to general practice (GP) training has been a problem both nationally and internationally for many years and undermining of GP is one possible contributing factor. The aim of our study was to ascertain what comments, both negative and positive, are being made in UK clinical settings to GP trainees about GP and to further explore these comments and their influence on career choice. Methodology We conducted a mixed methods study. We surveyed all foundation doctors and GP trainees within one region of Health Education England regarding any comments they experienced relating to a career in GP. We also conducted six focus groups with early GP trainees to discuss any comments that they experienced and whether these comments had any influence on their or others career choice. Results Positive comments reported by trainees centred around the concept that choosing GP is a positive, family-focused choice which facilities a good work–life balance. Workload was the most common negative comment, alongside the notion of being ‘just a GP’; the belief that GP is boring, a waste of training and a second-class career choice. The reasons for and origin of the comments are multifactorial in nature. Thematic analysis of the focus groups identified key factors such as previous exposure to and experience of GP, family members who were GPs, GP role models, demographics of the clinician and referral behaviour. Trainees perceived that negative comments may be discouraging others from choosing GP as a career. Conclusion Our study demonstrates that negative comments towards GP as a career do exist within clinical settings and are having a potential impact on poor recruitment rates to GP training. We have identified areas in which further negative comments could be prevented by changing perceptions of GP as a career. Additional time spent in GP as undergraduates and postgraduates, and positive GP role models, could particularly benefit recruitment. We recommend that undermining of GP as a career choice be approached with a zero-tolerance policy. PMID:29102997
... District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, and the... efficiency and effectiveness. Focus groups with 8-12 consumers that will be conducted on location at each of the 10 PATH locations selected for site visitation. The focus groups will assess clients' knowledge of...
... District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, and the... needs and improving PATH efficiency and effectiveness. Focus groups with 8-12 consumers that will be conducted on location at each of the 10 PATH locations selected for site visitation. The focus groups will...
... the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 710(b)) with a focus on those groups that are most likely to bear..., counseling, and adult supervision to promote abstinence from sexual activity, with a focus on those groups... Territories, to include, District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, Northern...
..., motivations, and feelings than do quantitative studies. Focus groups serve the narrowly defined need for direct and informal opinion on a specific topic and as a qualitative research tool have three major... quantitative studies, To better understand consumers' attitudes and emotions in response to topics and concepts...
...' attitudes, beliefs, motivations, and feelings than do quantitative studies. Focus groups serve the narrowly defined need for direct and informal opinion on a specific topic and as a qualitative research tool have... quantitative studies, To better understand people's attitudes and emotions in response to topics and concepts...
..., through focus groups with youth and in-depth interviews with health care providers, to improve tobacco use... youth and vulnerable populations. The focus groups and interviews are an integral part of the process to... interview health care professionals who treat youth with these conditions. The screen will be administered...
Muthivhi, T. N.; Olmsted, M. G.; Park, H.; Sha, M.; Raju, V.; Mokoena, T.; Bloch, E. M.; Murphy, E. L.; Reddy, R.
2015-01-01
SUMMARY Background and Objectives South Africa has a markedly skewed representation where the majority of blood (62%) is presently collected from an ethnically White minority. This study seeks to identify culturally specific factors affecting motivation of donors in South Africa. Materials and Methods We performed a qualitative study to evaluate motivators and deterrents to blood donation among Black South Africans. A total of 13 focus groups, comprising a total of 97 Black South Africans, stratified by age and geographic location were conducted. Transcripts of the interviews were analysed using a coding framework by Bednall & Bove. Results Participants made 463 unique comments about motivators focusing primarily on promotional communications (28%), incentives (20%) and prosocial motivation (16%). Participants made 376 comments about deterrents which focused primarily on fear (41%), negative attitudes (14%) and lack of knowledge (10%). Conclusion Although prosocial motivation (altruism) was the most frequently mentioned individual motivator, promotional communication elicited more overall comments by participants. As reported by many authors, fear and lack of awareness were strong deterrents, but scepticism engendered by perceived racial discrimination in blood collection were unique to the South African environment. PMID:26104809
The authors take a critical language pedagogy approach to examining a 2011 controversy over disparaging comments towards Mexicans made by commentators of the British Broadcasting Corporation's automotive show Top Gear. In particular, they focus on the characterization of groups and individuals according to their nationality and examine the…
... Security Act (42 U.S.C. 710(b)) with a focus on those groups that are most likely to bear children out-of..., and adult supervision to promote abstinence from sexual activity, with a focus on those groups which... Abstinence Program and PPR:50 States and 9 Territories, to include, District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Virgin...
... defined by Section 510(b) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 710(b)) with a focus on those groups that... abstinence from sexual activity, with a focus on those groups which are most likely to bear children out-of... of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, Northern Mariana Islands, the...
In order to understand the test-taking behavior, needs, and strategies of postsecondary students with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), focus group comments from 17 university students with ADHD were analyzed. These comments formed the basis for a series of research studies that are in progress regarding test-taking and individuals…
This study investigated the unexpected effects of inclusion on the families of students with learning disabilities. A focus group interview was conducted with 13 parents who have children with learning disabilities. The children's ages ranged from 5 to 24 years. Findings are reported regarding participants' comments in response to two guiding…
... an experimental research design. Program applicants who are eligible for CSPED services will be randomly assigned to either a program group that is offered program services or a control group that is not...) conducting focus groups with program participants to elicit participation experiences; (3) administering a...
This document is a group leader activity guide to accompany a sexual assault prevention program focusing on information for male teenagers. Background information, large group activities, comments for small group leaders, extension activities, activity sheets, and transparency masters are included for 15 group activities. These topics are covered…
... answer the first question, a pretest-posttest control group experimental design is used to assess the... from the students who participate in the first part of the study. The focus group will last one hour... integrity or research ethics course for the treatment group. The control group will use the existing...
... better allocate resources. Methodological tests will continue to be designed to examine the feasibility... reporting. Research will involve focus groups, cognitive laboratory testing, customer satisfaction surveys...
Whitson, Heather E; Hastings, S Nicole; McConnell, Eleanor S; Lekan-Rutledge, Deborah A
2006-09-01
To identify opportunities for quality improvement in long-term care telephone medicine using a model of interdisciplinary focus groups. Descriptive pilot project. Extended Care and Rehabilitation Center (ECRC), Durham VA Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina. Eight of 20 registered or licensed practical nurses and 4 of 6 geriatric medicine fellows voluntarily participated in this quality improvement project. In two 45-minute focus groups, participants were asked to discuss 3 open-ended questions related to telephone medicine. Comments were recorded during the discussions; topical themes were identified by the authors. Participant comments could be categorized into 4 domains describing the characteristics of nurses and physicians who practice the best telephone medicine: (1) provides the appropriate medical component of patient care; (2) appreciates contextual issues; (3) respects the other party's time and resources; and (4) possesses a collaborative attitude. The focus groups identified 5 quality improvement goals: (1) better nursing assessment and provision of patient information; (2) minimization of non-urgent calls after hours; (3) more decisive physician action (or explanation of inaction); (4) better physician familiarity with facility policies/logistics; and (5) better communication/paging system. The discussion format allowed nurses and physicians to identify and respond to potential barriers to improving quality in each area. Nurses and physicians appreciate unique aspects of long-term care telephone medicine and identify distinct barriers to improving practice. Interdisciplinary focus groups were a productive step toward understanding the telephone medicine experience in our facility and developing quality improvement interventions for both nurses and physicians.
...(j)(1)). An emergency focus group clearance is being requested in regards to the Veterans' Suicide... are experiencing mental health crises and provide confident and trustworthy counseling. To be... groups with Veterans and their families, community organizations, and other important and influential...
... on perceptions and opinions, but are not statistical surveys that yield quantitative results that can... surveys, focus group sessions, think-aloud interviews, and usability studies regarding cognitive research...
... or toolkit development, or ``think aloud'' testing of prototype Web sites. Exhibit 2--Estimated Cost... each, and two focus groups, automated data collections or lab experiments at an average cost of $20,000...
... are invited on: (a) The proposed collection of information for the proper performance of the functions... needed to improve services and processes. Focus groups may also be used to gain partner input into the...
The Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015 (MACRA) repeals the Medicare sustainable growth rate (SGR) methodology for updates to the physician fee schedule (PFS) and replaces it with a new approach to payment called the Quality Payment Program that rewards the delivery of high-quality patient care through two avenues: Advanced Alternative Payment Models (Advanced APMs) and the Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) for eligible clinicians or groups under the PFS. This final rule with comment period establishes incentives for participation in certain alternative payment models (APMs) and includes the criteria for use by the Physician-Focused Payment Model Technical Advisory Committee (PTAC) in making comments and recommendations on physician-focused payment models (PFPMs). Alternative Payment Models are payment approaches, developed in partnership with the clinician community, that provide added incentives to deliver high-quality and cost-efficient care. APMs can apply to a specific clinical condition, a care episode, or a population. This final rule with comment period also establishes the MIPS, a new program for certain Medicare-enrolled practitioners. MIPS will consolidate components of three existing programs, the Physician Quality Reporting System (PQRS), the Physician Value-based Payment Modifier (VM), and the Medicare Electronic Health Record (EHR) Incentive Program for Eligible Professionals (EPs), and will continue the focus on quality, cost, and use of certified EHR technology (CEHRT) in a cohesive program that avoids redundancies. In this final rule with comment period we have rebranded key terminology based on feedback from stakeholders, with the goal of selecting terms that will be more easily identified and understood by our stakeholders.
... methods and frequencies, including annual pre and post tests and surveys, and focus groups to MSI students... Interview. partners. Pre- and Post-Surveys......... Students........ 1,000 2 1 2,000 Pre- and Post-Tests...
... ask the client to evaluate the U.S. Commercial Service on its customer service provision. Results from... will enrich the quantitative survey data by providing insights and a descriptive context to explain the...
Presentations from the meeting on April 30th of 2013 include a focus on the next version of MOtor Vehicle Emission Simulator (MOVES), evaluating proposed data sources and analysis methods, and commenting on or suggesting features or enhancements.
A four-week experiential group for women at the British Columbia Cancer Agency offers the creative tools of art, meditation, and journal writing to help focus the inner work of healing in the presence of others. Using comments from the participants, a brief history, framework, and overview are outlined. (Contains 24 references.) (GCP)
... reporting requirements. Changes: None. Focus TA on Assessment and Discipline Data Comment: Three commenters agreed with the importance of focusing on assessment and discipline data, and two commenters agreed with... decisions and actions associated with data collection and reporting. One commenter stated that assessment...
Many informatics studies use content analysis to generate functional requirements for system development. Explication of this translational process from qualitative data to functional requirements can strengthen the understanding and scientific rigor when applying content analysis in informatics studies. To describe a user-centered approach transforming emergent themes derived from focus group data into functional requirements for informatics solutions and to illustrate these methods to the development of an antibiotic clinical decision support system (CDS). THE APPROACH CONSISTED OF FIVE STEPS: 1) identify unmet therapeutic planning information needs via Focus Group Study-I, 2) develop a coding framework of therapeutic planning themes to refine the domain scope to antibiotic therapeutic planning, 3) identify functional requirements of an antibiotic CDS system via Focus Group Study-II, 4) discover informatics solutions and functional requirements from coded data, and 5) determine the types of information needed to support the antibiotic CDS system and link with the identified informatics solutions and functional requirements. The coding framework for Focus Group Study-I revealed unmet therapeutic planning needs. Twelve subthemes emerged and were clustered into four themes; analysis indicated a need for an antibiotic CDS intervention. Focus Group Study-II included five types of information needs. Comments from the Barrier/Challenge to information access and Function/Feature themes produced three informatics solutions and 13 functional requirements of an antibiotic CDS system. Comments from the Patient, Institution, and Domain themes generated required data elements for each informatics solution. This study presents one example explicating content analysis of focus group data and the analysis process to functional requirements from narrative data. Illustration of this 5-step method was used to develop an antibiotic CDS system, resolving unmet antibiotic prescribing needs. As a reusable approach, these techniques can be refined and applied to resolve unmet information needs with informatics interventions in additional domains.
Summary Background Many informatics studies use content analysis to generate functional requirements for system development. Explication of this translational process from qualitative data to functional requirements can strengthen the understanding and scientific rigor when applying content analysis in informatics studies. Objective To describe a user-centered approach transforming emergent themes derived from focus group data into functional requirements for informatics solutions and to illustrate these methods to the development of an antibiotic clinical decision support system (CDS). Methods The approach consisted of five steps: 1) identify unmet therapeutic planning information needs via Focus Group Study-I, 2) develop a coding framework of therapeutic planning themes to refine the domain scope to antibiotic therapeutic planning, 3) identify functional requirements of an antibiotic CDS system via Focus Group Study-II, 4) discover informatics solutions and functional requirements from coded data, and 5) determine the types of information needed to support the antibiotic CDS system and link with the identified informatics solutions and functional requirements. Results The coding framework for Focus Group Study-I revealed unmet therapeutic planning needs. Twelve subthemes emerged and were clustered into four themes; analysis indicated a need for an antibiotic CDS intervention. Focus Group Study-II included five types of information needs. Comments from the Barrier/Challenge to information access and Function/Feature themes produced three informatics solutions and 13 functional requirements of an antibiotic CDS system. Comments from the Patient, Institution, and Domain themes generated required data elements for each informatics solution. Conclusion This study presents one example explicating content analysis of focus group data and the analysis process to functional requirements from narrative data. Illustration of this 5-step method was used to develop an antibiotic CDS system, resolving unmet antibiotic prescribing needs. As a reusable approach, these techniques can be refined and applied to resolve unmet information needs with informatics interventions in additional domains. PMID:24454586
This report contains staff comments, tables and charts on the financial condition of the U.S. major airlines. The data are presented on both a carrier group and an individual carrier basis, but the primary focus is on the individual major carrier and...
....S. Department of Commerce's National Advisory Council on Minority Business Enterprise has been... submit to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for clearance the following proposal for collection...: Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA). Title: Focus Groups on Minority-Owned Business Growth...
Williamson, Dhelia M.; Wagner, Laurie; Henry, Judy P.
2015-01-01
Formative research (i.e. focus groups and key informant interviews) was conducted to understand risk perceptions and identify barriers to participation in a case-control study of environmental exposures and genetic susceptibility as risk factors for multiple sclerosis (MS). Individuals with MS were recruited to participate in a focus group discussion and individual interviews. Participants were asked to review and comment on study materials and process including participation, interview, genetic testing, confidentiality, and questionnaire. A structured discussion guide was used with all participants to ensure uniformity and coverage of all predetermined topics. Participants reported an increased likelihood of participation if they were informed about the study by their neurologist and not a government agency. All participants expressed willingness to provide a blood sample for genotyping but disagreed about the setting for the blood draw (at home or in a lab). Participants were concerned that they would not receive their individual genotyping results. The study protocol and materials were revised based on comments from the focus group participants. Formative research is an under-utilized resource for researchers conducting epidemiologic studies. Even with limited resources, piloting study materials with individuals similar to the proposed study population can provide opportunities to make modifications to effectively meet the needs of participants and promote participation and retention. PMID:25741529
... studies have been quasi-experimental designs focused on short term workload assessments as outcomes. The... experimental research to define further the effectiveness and cost-benefit of MSD control interventions. A... prospective experimental design (multiple baselines across groups with randomization). These interventions...
... veterans' community reintegration, beyond measuring employment or education. Our findings will help inform... intake information sheet that asks for age, gender, race, education level, marital status, number of..., for example, our focus groups were to consist largely of females, we would find it important to caveat...
... employment and unemployment for 70 years. The labor force information gathered through the survey is of... monthly data on total employment and unemployment. The Employment Situation report contains data from this... possible. Through such breakdowns, one can focus on the employment situation of specific population groups...
... care while also increasing efficiency across the health care system. This would be achieved through...); Title of Information Collection: Evaluation of the Medicare Health Care Quality (MHCQ) Demonstration Evaluation: Focus Group and Interview Protocols; Use: The Medicare Health Care Quality (MHCQ) Demonstration...
... protocols to collect further qualitative information through interviews and/or focus groups with program... Readiness Goals and Head Start Program Functioning'' research project. The purpose of this study is to... functioning. ACF is proposing to use a semi-structured telephone interview protocol to collect information...
... cognitive interviews, focus groups, usability tests, field tests/pilot interviews, and experimental research... as more basic research on response errors in surveys. HRSA staff use various techniques to evaluate... interview structure consists of respondents first answering a draft survey question and then providing...
...-depth understanding of individuals' attitudes, beliefs, motivations, and feelings than do quantitative... and as a qualitative research tool have three major purposes: To obtain information that is useful for developing variables and measures for quantitative studies, To better understand people's attitudes and...
... its expert judgment about consumer behavior, perceptions, and similar information related to consumer... CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY COMMISSION [Docket No. CPSC-2010-0046] Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission for Office of Management and Budget Review; Comment Request; Consumer Focus Groups...
... using qualitative and possibly quantitative consumer research techniques, which may include focus groups... used during consumer research while testing nutrition education messages and products developed for the general public. The purpose for performing consumer research is to identify consumers' understanding of...
... FVAP Ethnographies, Focus Groups, and Surveys; OMB Control Number 0704-TBD. Needs and Uses: The primary..., and Surveys, conducted on behalf of the Federal Voting Assistance Program (FVAP), an agency of the... covered under the Uniformed and Overseas Civilian Absentee Voting Act (UOCAVA). This research will explore...
Restricted—most of the time—because it’s shameful and sometimes the peer group might think the person is just making it up and it can affect...comments to [female members e.g.]’you’re a fat [expletive]’ [or] just anything of a sexual nature. Eventually [a female member] got fed up, went to
The purpose of this study was to evaluate community member feedback from community consultation and public disclosure activities performed for a clinical investigation involving a device designed to treat traumatic brain injury in prehospital contexts. The clinical investigation of that device was to be performed under the federal regulations providing an exception from prospective informed consent requirements in emergency settings. Secondarily, we sought to assess the community consultation process by measuring the levels of outreach provided by the different communication methods used in these activities, with special attention to the effectiveness of social media for community outreach. The medical device investigation consists of a single-site pilot study based at a 345-bed community hospital in east central Illinois, which also serves as the area's only level I trauma center. Investigators, in collaboration with the local institutional review board, fulfilled community consultation and public disclosure requirements through four public town hall meetings, seven targeted focus groups, targeted mailings to 884 community leaders and researchers, a press conference and press release, internal and external websites, and multiple postings to the hospital's Facebook and Twitter accounts. Community members provided feedback by completing paper or electronic comment cards. A total of 428 community members attended the four town hall meetings and seven focus group sessions. Attendance at each meeting ranged from 4 to 20 attendees for the town hall meetings and 8 to 140 attendees for the focus groups. The investigation's external website received 626 unique visitors and the intranet website received 528 unique visits. Social media postings on Facebook and Twitter received six comments and eight "likes" to indicate that an individual read the posting. In total, attendees completed 175 comment cards to provide their feedback. Community member attitudes regarding the research were very positive, with 173 (98.8%) comment card respondents viewing the research as beneficial and 162 (92.6%) indicating that they would allow themselves or their family members to participate in the research. The internal and external websites provided the most effective means for sharing research-related information to community members. While cost-effective, social media outreach was very limited and did not foster communication with community members.
Examines sources of stress and coping mechanisms for teachers in the 30-45 year age group in the state of Victoria, Australia. Strategies for relieving stress should focus on the relationship between teachers and the organizations within which they operate. (MD)
...: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Title: Economic Value of Puerto Rico's Coral Reef... market and non-market economic values of Puerto Rico's coral reef ecosystems. Estimates will be made for...'s coral reef ecosystems. The required information is to conduct focus groups to help in designing...
We examined parental perspectives about parent-child sexual communication through four focus groups conducted with 25 parents of young children. Participant comments fell into six areas: 1) personal experience with sexuality education, 2) current sexuality education efforts, 3) comfort and confidence, 4) content and timing, 5) importance of a…
... (Pulse Survey). Abstract: FEMA's ICPD will engage in qualitative and quantitative research to investigate... and a series of focus groups. This collection of information is necessary to ensure effectiveness and.... Collection of Information Title: Post Hurricane Sandy Survivor Research. Type of Information Collection: New...
..., focus groups, surveys, experimental clinical studies, post-marketing surveillance, toxicological and... Products On June 22, 2009, the President signed the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act (Tobacco Control Act) (Pub. L. 111- 31) into law. The Tobacco Control Act amended the Federal Food, Drug...
... workforce. The quantitative survey and the qualitative interviews and analysis will be used to provide a... survey and data collection is to gather information to guide the formation of effective national... Clinical Director Survey (also available in paper format) On-line Focus Groups Key Informant Telephone...
... disorders treatment workforce. The quantitative survey and the qualitative interviews and analysis will be... purpose of this survey and data collection is to gather information to guide the formation of effective... Clinical Director Survey (also available in paper format). On-line Focus Groups. [[Page 33772
... and procedures, reduce respondent burden, and ultimately increase the quality of data collected in the... procedure: Cognitive interviews, focus groups, respondent debriefing, behavior coding of respondent... used: Mail, telephone, face-to- face, paper-and-pencil, CATI, CAPI, Internet, or IVR. III. Data OMB...
... DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Agency Information... Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will be submitting the... Homeland Security (DHS), and to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) USCIS Desk Officer. Comments may...
... cognitive interviews, focus groups, Pilot household interviews, and experimental research in laboratory and field settings, both for applied questionnaire evaluation and more basic research on response errors in surveys. The most common evaluation method is the cognitive interview, in which a questionnaire design...
... providers through qualitative research methods such as focus groups, in-depth interviews, and/or qualitative... qualitative research methods will also contribute to the FDIC's understanding of how consumers, including... of an array of financial services and products. Qualitative type research does not seek to measure or...
... providers through qualitative research methods such as focus groups, in-depth interviews, and/or qualitative... qualitative research methods will also contribute to the FDIC's understanding of how consumers, including... collection method based on the objectives of each qualitative research effort. It is likely that each...
... audiences for this research: First responders, including police, fire fighters and emergency medical service... obtain data using two qualitative data collection methods. The first method includes focus groups to... Director for Science, Office of the Director, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. [FR Doc. 2013...
... Project ``Youth Knowledge, Attitudes, and Feedback to Inform Choose Respect Implementation'' (OMB no. 0920... attitude questions at some of the focus groups. Over a three-year period, NCIPC seeks to understand youths' (ages 11 to 18) knowledge and attitudes regarding healthy and unhealthy relationships, and obtain their...
Prunuske, Amy; Wilson, Janelle; Walls, Melissa; Marrin, Hannah; Clarke, Benjamin
2016-01-01
With the primary objective of attracting and retaining students from underrepresented backgrounds in the sciences, evaluation of one institution’s program has been ongoing over the past three years. Interviews with mentors in the program followed by focus groups conducted with mentees reveal key factors that shape undergraduate students’ research experiences. In the present study, attention is given to data gathered from 15 mentees in the program, the majority of whom have enrolled in community colleges, represent low socioeconomic backgrounds, and are nontraditional students. The results from focus groups with the mentees provide information on the benefits of participating in the program, characteristics of good mentors, challenges to the mentoring relationship, and the effects of underrepresented status on pursuit of advanced degrees. Comparisons of mentees’ comments about the mentoring relationship with mentors’ comments reveal similar themes and patterns while also demonstrating interesting differences. The qualitative findings are also juxtaposed with participants’ responses on the Survey of Undergraduate Research Experiences. Taken together, the data enhance our understanding of the experiences of underrepresented students in faculty-mentored research programs and highlight challenges and perspectives of students who are transferring to the university from a community college. PMID:27521233
The research group around Koelsch presents a neurobiological emotion theory that is supposed to have the following plus factors: (1) Interdisciplinary approach towards understanding human emotions and their neural correlates, (2) concentration on human emotions, (3) interaction between language and emotion, (4) allows research on short-term emotional phenomena and takes long-term emotional phenomena into account, as well as the differences of the neural correlates underlying short-term and long-term emotions [5]. This is a very ambitious program. My comment will focus on (3) and (4).
... collected through various methods and frequencies, including annual pre and post tests and surveys, and... MSI community 14 1 2 28 Informant Interview. partners. Pre- and Post- Tests Students........ 420 2 15/60 210 Pre- and Post surveys......... Students........ 1,000 2 1 2,000 Focus Groups Students...
... that occurs before a program is designed and implemented, or while a program is being conducted and is... behavioral but most often they are cycles of interviews and focus groups designed to inform the development... instruments, (3) methodological research, (4) usability testing of technology-based instruments and materials...
... conduct survey and instrument design and administration, focus groups, cognitive interviews, and health..., recruitment, consent and questionnaire design, and retention activities. Under separate notice, the NCS also... study of this size and complexity, the NCS was designed to include a preliminary pilot study known as...
... generic clearance to conduct survey and instrument design and administration, focus groups, cognitive... study of this size and complexity, the NCS was designed to include a preliminary pilot study known as... the Main Study. At every phase of the NCS, the multiple methodological studies conducted during the...
... formative research relating to instrument design and modality with a view to reduce item and unit non... clearance to conduct survey and instrument design and administration, focus groups, cognitive interviews... conduct the detailed preparation needed for a study of this size and complexity, the NCS was designed to...
... Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC), HHS. In compliance with the requirement of section 3506(c... members, and competency exam takers; and a Web-based survey of community college faculty. Estimated... Workforce program. Focus groups with Exam takers Competency exam 32 1 1.5 48 takers not enrolled in...
In Finnish secondary schools, girls and boys are taught physical education (PE) in separate groups. A male teacher normally teaches the boys and a female teacher teaches the girls. Focusing on PE teachers' comments in two different ethnographic studies of seventh graders (13-14-year-olds), we examine the processes that reproduce or challenge the…
This study focuses on the research literature available in the United States on the evolution of language policy and planning issues involved in bilingual education programs in Mayan communities in Guatemala. I begin with general comments regarding language policy and planning for bilingual programs for ethnic groups within the borders of…
Higher Education Funding Council for England, Bristol.
This report is a good practice guide for higher education institutions on intellectual property rights in e-learning programs. The report includes model clauses that may be included in contracts at higher education institutions and incorporates comments from a previous limited "expert" consultation. It focuses on how to manage…
... Management Systems Assessment Tool. Phase II Miners Focus Groups.... 30 1 1 30 Phase III Miners Experimental... DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [60Day-12-12SG... on proposed data collection projects, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) will...
...\\ NHTSA is proposing a multi-phased consumer research project and is currently requesting comment on the first phase of that research, which will consist of qualitative focus group market research and tire... already been sought on and a public meeting has already been held on a draft research plan for the...
...). ONC intends to revise the project to use the same focus group and cognitive usability interview... per Total burden respondent respondents respondent response hours Cognitive Testing Screening General Public 84 1 15/60 21 Cognitive Testing General Public 42 1 90/60 63 Total 126 84 Keith A. Tucker...
...; Submission to the Office of Management and Budget for Review and Approval; Comment Request; NCES Cognitive... notice will be considered public records. Title of Collection: NCES Cognitive, Pilot, and Field Test... with levels of incentives for various types of survey operations, focus groups, cognitive laboratory...
Crudden, Adele; Williams, Wendy; McBroom, Lynn W.; Moore, J. Elton
This report on strategies for overcoming employment barriers for persons with visual impairments summarizes comments and suggestions of 7 focus groups comprised of either consumers (n=49) or employers (n=19). The report first reviews the literature concerning employment barriers and how consumers in previous studies suggested these barriers be…
... conduct interviews of SNAP staff at all levels, visit multiple local offices, hold focus groups with... vendors that contract with State SNAP agencies. Tailored protocols will be used for the interviews... States will receive remuneration of $75,000 to offset the costs of participating in the study. Interview...
This article reports on the planning, implementation and evaluation of an intervention to improve school students' experience of using the school toilet in a primary school in Melbourne, Australia. 20 students from grades 2-6 participated in focus groups, to discuss what they valued about the school and raise awareness of issues they were not happy about. A common theme from all of the focus groups was that students reported avoiding use of the school toilets. Using the ideas generated from the focus groups, the student council (with input from staff), developed a self-administered pre- and post-test questionnaire. This was given to 220 students in grades 1-4, aged 6-10 years. Improvements suggested by the students were made to the toilet block, and then a post-test was administered. Independent t tests were conducted. The pre-test indicated that 71% of girls and 65% of boys feared the behaviour of other students in the toilet. Overwhelmingly, the qualitative comments focused on poor student behaviour in the toilets, with lack of privacy due to student misbehaviour mentioned in 90% of the comments. After the toilets were revamped, the greatest gains were made in students' attitudes toward the toilets, with a 37% increase in students who indicated they now liked the toilet facility. Incidents of vandalism also decreased; however, student misconduct in the toilets was still regarded as a problem. Involving students in refurbishing their toilets improved how students viewed the toilets and reduced vandalism; however, a different intervention is required to change inappropriate behaviours in the toilet.
Sun, Virginia; Grant, Marcia; McMullen, Carmit K.; Altschuler, Andrea; Mohler, M. Jane; Hornbrook, Mark C.; Herrinton, Lisa J.; Baldwin, Carol M.; Krouse, Robert S.
2012-01-01
Purpose The purpose of this paper is to describe persistent ostomy-specific concerns and adaptations in long-term (> 5 years) colorectal cancer survivors with ostomies. Subjects and Settings Thirty three colorectal cancer survivors who participated in eight gender- and health related Quality of life (HRQOL) stratified focus groups and 130 colorectal cancer survivors who provided written comments to two open-ended questions on ostomy location and pouch problems participated in the study. Data were collected on health maintenance organization members in Oregon, southwestern Washington and northern California. Methods Qualitative data were analyzed for the 8 focus groups and written comments from 2 open-ended survey questions. Discussions from the focus groups were recorded, transcribed and analyzed using content analysis. Written content from the open-ended questions was derived from a mailed questionnaire on health related quality of life in survivors with ostomies and analyzed using content analysis. Results Discussions related to persistent ostomy-related issues more than 5 years after formation were common. Persistent ostomy-related issues were focused on clothing restrictions and adaptations, dietary concerns, issues related to ostomy equipment and self-care, and the constant need to find solutions to adjust and re-adjust to living with an ostomy. Conclusions Ostomy-specific concerns persist 5 years and more for long-term colorectal cancer survivors after initial ostomy formation. Adaptations tend to be individualized and based on trial and error. Findings underscore the need to develop long-term support mechanisms that survivors can access to promote better coping and adjustment to living with an ostomy. PMID:23222968
Habibi and Ghamari have presented a Comment on our paper [Phys. Plasmas 20, 072703 (2013)] by examining quantum dielectric response in thermal quantum plasma. They have modeled the relativistic self-focusing of Gaussian laser beam in cold and warm quantum plasmas and reported that self-focusing length does not change in both situations. In this response, we have reached the following important conclusions about the comment itself.
Patil, S. D., E-mail: sdpatil-phy@rediffmail.com; Takale, M. V.
2014-06-15
Habibi and Ghamari have presented a Comment on our paper [Phys. Plasmas 20, 072703 (2013)] by examining quantum dielectric response in thermal quantum plasma. They have modeled the relativistic self-focusing of Gaussian laser beam in cold and warm quantum plasmas and reported that self-focusing length does not change in both situations. In this response, we have reached the following important conclusions about the comment itself.
Sun, Virginia; Grant, Marcia; McMullen, Carmit K; Altschuler, Andrea; Mohler, M Jane; Hornbrook, Mark C; Herrinton, Lisa J; Baldwin, Carol M; Krouse, Robert S
2013-01-01
The purpose of this article was to describe persistent ostomy-specific concerns and adaptations in long-term (>5 years) colorectal cancer survivors with ostomies. Thirty-three colorectal cancer survivors who participated in 8 gender- and health-related quality of life stratified focus groups and 130 colorectal cancer survivors who provided written comments to 2 open-ended questions on ostomy location and pouch problems participated in the study. Data were collected on health maintenance organization members in Oregon, southwestern Washington, and northern California. Qualitative data were analyzed for the 8 focus groups and written comments from 2 open-ended survey questions. Discussions from the focu s groups were recorded, transcribed, and analyzed using content analysis. Written content from the open-ended questions was derived from a mailed questionnaire on health-related quality of life in survivors with ostomies and analyzed using content analysis. Discussions related to persistent ostomy-related issues more than 5 years after formation were common. Persistent ostomy-related issues were focused on clothing restrictions and adaptations, dietary concerns, issues related to ostomy equipment and self-care, and the constant need to find solutions to adjust and readjust to living with an ostomy. Ostomy-specific concerns persist 5 years and more for long-term colorectal cancer survivors after initial ostomy formation. Adaptations tend to be individualized and based on trial and error. Findings underscore the need to develop long-term support mechanisms that survivors can access to promote better coping and adjustment to living with an ostomy.
Over the years the Supreme Court has given academic freedom a special First Amendment status. This study reviewed a selected group of recent cases at public universities, focusing particularly on several where rulings were based either on a professor's public comments or in-class verbiage, in an attempt to assess the current status of academic…
A study of Channel One, the 10 minutes of television news programs and 2 minutes of commercials in classrooms, described the opinions and evaluative comments of participant teachers, librarians, administrators, and students. Individual interviews and focus group discussions were conducted at eight secondary schools (four in Florida and four in…
Aims To develop clinical descriptions (vignettes) of life with Alzheimer’s disease (AD), we conducted focus groups of persons with AD (n = 14), family caregivers of persons with AD (n = 20), and clinicians who see persons with AD in their practices (n = 5). Methods Group participants read existing descriptions of AD and commented on the realism and comprehensibility of the descriptions. We used thematic framework analysis to code the comments into themes and develop three new vignettes to describe mild, moderate, and severe AD. Results Themes included the types of symptoms to mention in the new vignettes, plus the manner in which the vignettes should be written. Since the vignette descriptions were based on focus group participants’ first-hand knowledge of AD, the descriptions can be said to demonstrate content validity. Conclusion Members of the general public can read the vignettes and estimate their health-related quality-of-life (HRQoL) as if they had AD based on the vignette descriptions. This is especially important for economic evaluations of new AD medications, which require HRQoL to be assessed in a manner that persons with AD often find difficult to undertake. The vignettes will allow the general public to serve as a proxy and provide HRQoL estimates in place of persons with AD. PMID:27589604
Four activities for the French language classroom are described, including a comprehension game based on the cow's digestive system, a group journal exercise using current events, an economics vocabulary development activity, and a grammar exercise focusing on the use of determiners in news articles. (MSE)
This paper summarizes and analyzes the views presented in the preceding group of five papers, focusing on important issues in educational administration in four countries. The author notes that the developed countries discussed (England, Canada, and Australia) all face the problems of declining student numbers, decreasing birth rates, public…
Relational aggression acted out through social media or cyber bullying is an ever-growing limitedly researched issue that is impacting students and parents alike. A mixed-method study was conducted using existing older and aspiring younger social workers and counselors to investigate attitudes (focus groups and text box comments) and relationships…
Online social media offer great potential for research participant recruitment and data collection. We conducted synchronous (real-time) online focus groups (OFGs) through Facebook with the target population of young adult substance users to inform development of Facebook health behavior change interventions. In this paper we report methods and lessons learned for future studies. In the context of two research studies participants were recruited through Facebook and assigned to one of five 90-minute private Facebook OFGs. Study 1 recruited for two OFGs with young adult sexual and/or gender minority (SGM) smokers (range: 9 to 18 participants per group); Study 2 recruited for three groups of young adult smokers who also engage in risky drinking (range: 5 to 11 participants per group). Over a period of 11 (Study 1) and 22 days (Study 2), respectively, we recruited, assessed eligibility, collected baseline data, and assigned a diverse sample of participants from all over the US to Facebook groups. For Study 1, 27 of 35 (77%) participants invited attended the OFGs, and 25 of 32 (78%) for Study 2. Participants in Study 1 contributed an average of 30.9 (SD=8.9) comments with an average word count of 20.1 (SD=21.7) words, and 36.0 (SD=12.3) comments with 11.9 (SD=13.5) words on average in Study 2. Participants generally provided positive feedback on the study procedures. Facebook can be a feasible and efficient medium to conduct synchronous OFGs with young adults. This data collection strategy has the potential to inform health behavior change intervention development.
Baldwin, Carol M; Grant, Marcia; Wendel, Christopher; Rawl, Susan; Schmidt, C Max; Ko, Clifford; Krouse, Robert S
2008-09-01
To examine spiritual quality of life (QOL) of veterans with intestinal ostomies. Mixed-method cross-sectional. Male veterans with total scores in the upper (n = 59) and lower (n = 61) quartiles of the City of Hope Quality-of-Life-Ostomy survey provided spiritual QOL data. Analyses included chi-square and analysis of variance with significance set at p < .05. Content analysis was used to explicate narratives and focus groups. The high spiritual QOL group was more likely to be married, older, and report more years since surgery (each p < .0001). Upper quartile participants had more favorable scores for several spiritual QOL domains (all p < .0001). Qualitative comments reflected high or low total QOL scores. Spiritual QOL is influenced by an intestinal stoma. Qualitative comments lend insight into the meaning of spirituality items. Findings can assist in the provision of holistic care in this population.
We examined third graders' understandings of condensation using an expanded notion of the Emergent Perspective, a reflexive consideration of individual and group meaning-making situated in the culture of the classroom. Data were collected from two small groups of students in an inquiry-based, urban classroom during a unit on the water cycle. Measures included conceptual pre-/posttests, interviews, written work, and discourse analyses of a science lesson. Although we identified the supportive role of the teacher's explicit assessments of children's ideas, within the small groups, the force that most potently shaped meaning-making was students' persuasive power, which was in part influenced by the rhetorical moves employed. Specifically, students' evaluative comments (a type of rhetorical move) about contributions of other group members seemed to be particularly persuasive in these groups. Evaluative comments, apart from students' academic status, were shown to be an important influence in not only social knowledge production but also in individual internalization. Our explanation focuses on the particular discursive practices as intellectual resources of urban students, but we are also mindful of the cognitive complexity of the material and the developmental abilities of the students.
Fetters, Michael D.; Guetterman, Timothy C.; Power, Debra; Nease, Donald E.
2016-01-01
PURPOSE When recruiting health care professionals to focus group interviews, investigators encounter challenges such as busy clinic schedules, recruitment, and a desire to get candid responses from diverse participants. We sought to overcome these challenges using an innovative, office-based, split-session focus group procedure in a project that elicited feedback from family medicine practices regarding a new preventive services model. This procedure entails allocating a portion of time to the entire group and the remaining time to individual subgroups. We discuss the methodologic procedure and the implications of using this approach for data collection. METHODS We conducted split-session focus groups with physicians and staff in 4 primary care practices. The procedure entailed 3 sessions, each lasting 30 minutes: the moderator interviewed physicians and staff together, physicians alone, and staff alone. As part of the focus group interview, we elicited and analyzed participant comments about the split-session format and collected observational field notes. RESULTS The split-session focus group interviews leveraged the naturalistic setting of the office for context-relevant discussion. We tested alternate formats that began in the morning and at lunchtime, to parallel each practice’s workflow. The split-session approach facilitated discussion of topics primarily relevant to staff among staff, topics primarily relevant to physicians among physicians, and topics common to all among all. Qualitative feedback on this approach was uniformly positive. CONCLUSION A split-session focus group interview provides an efficient, effective way to elicit candid qualitative information from all members of a primary care practice in the naturalistic setting where they work. PMID:26755786
Philpott, Sydney E; Gehlert, Sarah; Waters, Erika A
2018-04-13
Research designed to elicit smokers' cognitive and affective reactions to information about chemicals that tobacco companies add to cigarettes ("additives") found that knowledge is limited. However, little is known about smokers' unprompted thoughts and feelings about additives. Such information could be used to shape future communication efforts. We explored the content and possible functions of spontaneous statements about cigarette additives made by smokers during a study examining reactions to learning about the genetic link to nicotine addiction. Adult smokers (N = 84) were recruited from a medium-sized Midwestern city. Focus groups (N = 13) were conducted between April-September 2012. Data were analyzed by 2 coders using thematic analysis. Comments about cigarette additives arose without prompting by the focus group moderator. Three main themes were identified: (1) discussing additives helped participants navigate the conceptual link between smoking and genetics, (2) additives were discussed as an alternative mechanism for addiction to cigarettes, and (3) additives provided an alternative mechanism by which cigarette smoking exacerbates physical harm. Notably, discussion of additives contained a pervasive tone of mistrust illustrated by words like "they" and "them," by statements of uncertainty such as "you don't know what they're putting into cigarettes," and by negative affective verbalizations such as "nasty" and "disgusting". Participants had distinct beliefs about cigarette additives, each of which seemed to serve a purpose. Although mistrust may complicate communication about the health risks of tobacco use, health communication experts could use smokers' existing beliefs and feelings to better design more effective anti-smoking messages.
Medical students often struggle to appreciate the clinical relevance of material taught in the preclinical years. The authors believe videos could be effectively used to interweave a patient's illness script with foundational basic science concepts. In collaboration with four other U.S. medical schools, educators at the Stanford University School of Medicine created 36 short, animated, patient-centered springboard videos (third-person, narrated accounts of authentic patient cases conveying foundational pathophysiology) in 2014. The videos were used to introduce students to 36 content modules, created as part of a microbiology, immunology, and infectious diseases curriculum. The videos were created with input from faculty content experts and in some cases medical students, and were piloted using a flipped classroom pedagogical approach in January 2015-June 2016. Student feedback from course evaluations and focus groups was analyzed using a mixed-methods approach. On the course evaluations, the majority of students rated the patient-centered videos positively, and the majority of comments on the videos were positive, highlighting both enhanced engagement and enhanced learning and retention. Comments from focus groups mirrored the course evaluation comments and highlighted different usage patterns for the videos. The authors will continue to gather and analyze data from schools using the videos as part of their core preclinical curriculum, and will produce similar videos for use in other areas of undergraduate medical education. These videos could support students' review of content taught previously and be repurposed for use in continuing and graduate medical education, as well as patient education.
We present a review of current Transverse Momentum Dependent (TMD) phenomenology focusing our attention on the unpolarized TMD parton distribution function and the Sivers function. The paper introduces and comments about the new Collins-Soper-Sterman (CSS) TMD evolution formalism [1]. We make use of a selection of results obtained by several groups to illustrate the achievements and the failures of the simple Gaussian approach and the TMD CSS evolution formalism.
Ferguson, Duncan C; McNeil, Leslie Klis; Schaeffe, David J; Mills, Eric M
First-year didactic course instructors at the University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine leverage earlier clinical rotation experiences with weekly "Clinical Correlations" exercises to provide early exposure to critical clinical thinking (CCT). This study evaluated the efficacy of individual and paired group exercises on CCT development. Before and after instruction, the Cornell Critical Thinking Test (Level Z) (CCTTZ) was administered. Based on the hypothesis that students with higher scores would coach lower-scoring colleagues during group exercises, heterogeneous groups with similar mean scores were established for the year. Students completed 14 individual and paired group exercises over 6 months. Exercises were designed to increase in complexity and decline in scaffolding. Seven of the exercises were cases using the Applied Learning Platform (ALP) at http://www.whenknowingmatters.com . Student analyses were scored according to a six-category critical-thinking rubric using a 5-point scale. Consistent with our hypothesis, individual and group rubric scores increased significantly, plateauing near the end of the year. Contrary to our hypothesis, mean overall CCTTZ scores did not change, but there was a small statistically significant increase in the ability to assess the validity of an argument. Student attitudes were mixed. Positive comments focused on reinforcement of prior didactic instruction, while negative comments focused on preparation time needed to conduct research on clinical concepts, and on a lack of explicit evaluation by summative examinations. Nonetheless, end-of-year GPAs correlated linearly with cumulative individual rubric scores. In summary, the value of early curriculum CCT training was confirmed when discipline-specific criteria were applied.
School-based programs have been the central strategy to educate children about the serious nature of child sexual abuse in the hope of prevention or early intervention. Virtually all evaluations have been quantitative, seldom allowing children to directly comment on their experiences. This article presents the results of qualitative research with 116 students (51 boys and 65 girls) ranging from age 6 to 12 who had participated in the Who Do You Tell child sexual abuse education program. Ten focus groups were conducted with students in separate grades, from kindergarten through sixth grade, two to three months after program participation. The core themes that emerged from the focus group interviews are presented, as are implications for child sexual abuse prevention programs.
Comments on an article by J. J. Arnett regarding the assertion that American psychology focuses too narrowly on Americans while neglecting the other 95% of the world's population. The authors' comments focus on why American psychologists have become overreliant on American samples, and they provide alternative suggestions for broadening the scope…
... comments concerning Revenue Procedure 2010-13, Section 469 Grouping activities. DATES: Written comments... [email protected] . SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Title: Section 469 Grouping activities. OMB Number... taxpayers to report to the Internal Revenue Service their groupings and regroupings of activities and the...
...This document is a request for information regarding the use of stop loss insurance by group health plans and their plan sponsors, with a focus on the prevalence and consequences of stop loss insurance at low attachment points. Given the limited nature of data available, the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services (HHS), and the Treasury (collectively, the Departments) invite public comments via this request for information.
Portfolios are increasingly used in undergraduate and postgraduate medical education. Four medical schools have collaborated with an established NHS electronic portfolio provider to develop and implement an authentic professional electronic portfolio for undergraduate students. We hypothesized that using an authentic portfolio would have significant advantages for students, particularly in familiarizing them with the tool many will continue to use for years after graduation. This paper describes the early evaluation of this undergraduate portfolio at two participating medical schools. To gather data, a questionnaire survey with extensive free text comments was used at School 1, and three focus groups were held at School 2. This paper reports thematic analysis of students' opinions expressed in the free text comments and focus groups. Five main themes, common across both schools were identified. These concerned the purpose, use and acceptability of the portfolio, advantages of and barriers to the use of the portfolio, and the impacts on both learning and professional identity. An authentic portfolio mitigated some of the negative aspects of using a portfolio, and had a positive effect on students' perception of themselves as becoming past of the profession. However, significant barriers to portfolio use remained, including a lack of understanding of the purpose of a portfolio and a perceived damaging effect on feedback.
... patients' perspectives for the two main types of lung cancer (small-cell and non-small cell lung cancer) on..., because of lung cancer? (Examples may include sleeping through the night, climbing stairs, household...] Lung Cancer Patient-Focused Drug Development; Extension of Comment Period AGENCY: Food and Drug...
... group's trustees on April 2, 2010, followed by a telephone call to their counsel. These communications... petitioner's comments included a 9-page cover letter signed by the group's attorney with 71 pages of exhibits... (``Comment'') by the group's consulting anthropologist, commenting on issues under Sec. 83.7, consisted of 46...
thicker. COFFEE CAKE - Most felt it was just like real coffee cake . One suggestion was to make it thicker. Respondents commented positively on the...identified with such data. 4. MANDATORY OR VOLUNTARY DISCLOSURE AND EFFECT ON INDIVIDUAL NOT PROVIDING INFORMATION: Participating in these studies is voluntary...For you to participate in these studies , the questionnaire must be returned with all questions completed. PLEASE CHECK ONE BOX BELOW: 1. J YES, I am
The present quasi-experimental study aimed at investigating the impact of trained and untrained peer feedback on students' written comment types and writing quality. Significant differences were found in terms of comment types provided: trained students provided a significantly higher number of comments focused on organization and content (global…
Feinberg, Yael; Pereira, Jennifer A.; Quach, Susan; Kwong, Jeffrey C.; Crowcroft, Natasha S.; Wilson, Sarah E.; Guay, Maryse; Lei, Yang; Deeks, Shelley L.
2015-01-01
Background Given the variation in human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine coverage across Canada, and debate regarding delivery of HPV vaccines in Catholic schools, we studied online comments on Canadian news websites to understand public perceptions of HPV and HPV vaccine. Methods We searched English- and French-language Canadian news websites for 2012 articles that contained the terms “HPV” or “human papillomavirus.” Articles about HPV vaccinations that contained at least one comment were included. Two researchers independently coded comments, analyzing them for emerging themes. Results We identified 3073 comments from 1198 individuals in response to 71 news articles; 630 (52.6%) individuals expressed positive sentiments about HPV vaccination (2.5 comments/individual), 404 (33.7%) were negative (3.0 comments/individual), 34 (2.8%) were mixed (1.5 comments/individual) and 130 (10.8%) were neutral (1.6 comments/individual). Vaccine-supportive commenters believed the vaccine is safe and effective. Common themes in negative comments included concerns regarding HPV vaccine safety and efficacy, distrust of pharmaceutical companies and government, and belief that school-age children are too young for HPV vaccine. Many comments focused on whether the Catholic Church has the right to inform health policy for students, and discussion often evolved into debates regarding HPV and sexual behaviour. We noted that many individuals doubted the credibility of vaccine safety information. Conclusion The majority of commenters do not appear to be against HPV vaccination, but public health messaging that focuses on both the vaccine’s safety profile, and its use as a means to prevent cancer rather than sexually transmitted HPV infection may facilitate its acceptance. PMID:26053866
This decision document presents the selected No Further Action alternative for Group 1 Sites, Longhorn Army Ammunition Plant (LHAAP), In Karnack, Texas. The public comment period for the Group 1 Sites No Further Action Proposed Plan ended August 20, 1997. During the public comment period, the Army received four comments. These comments were in regards to future excising of the facility property, PCB`s (no PCB`s found), off-site sampling, and the area`s regional water supply.
Commentators have tended to focus on the conceptual framework of our article, the contrast between genetic and associative accounts of mirror neurons, and to challenge it with additional possibilities rather than empirical data. This makes the empirically focused comments especially valuable. The mirror neuron debate is replete with ideas; what it needs now are system-level theories and careful experiments – tests and testability.
Few studies have been conducted to see how blog-based peer response helps students to improve their writing revisions. The present study investigates peer comments made through blogs, the nature of the comments and their areas of focus, and the ratios of students incorporating suggestions made through blog-based comments into revisions of their…
... Families Grant Program; Notice of Proposed Information Collection for Public Comment AGENCY: Office of the... soliciting public comments on the subject proposal. The purpose of this program is to enhance the demonstration project conducted by the Office of Policy Development focusing on Homeless [[Page 76748
Liptak, Amy; Tate, Judith; Flatt, Jason; Oakley, Mary Ann; Lingler, Jennifer
2014-03-01
The purpose of this study was to describe humor and laughter in persons with cognitive impairment (PWCI) and caregivers who were recalling a shared experience in a focus group. Twenty participants attended an Art Engagement Activity at the Andy Warhol Art Museum, which included a guided tour and an art project. All PWCI had medically diagnosed cognitive disorders and all caregiver participants did not. Four focus groups were conducted and transcripts of audio-recorded sessions were transferred to a qualitative software program. Words, phrases, and episodes of humor and laughter were used to construct codes, which were refined during group analysis using constant comparison. Humor and laughter were present in all four focus groups. Emerging themes of humor included silliness, sarcasm, and commenting about hardships of dementia. Laughter was identified in segments with and without humor. Some PWCI were unable to follow social cues. Humor and laughter played a role in creating a safe social environment. PWCI were able to engage in humor during social interactions, yet some had difficulty recognizing social cues. Further study may reveal roles of humor and laughter in adaptation to cognitive decline and holistic interventions for improved quality of life.
Liptak, Amy; Tate, Judith; Flatt, Jason; Oakley, Mary Ann; Lingler, Jennifer
2014-01-01
Purpose The purpose of this study was to describe humor and laughter in persons with cognitive impairment (PWCI) and caregivers who were recalling a shared experience in a focus group. Design Twenty participants attended an Art Engagement Activity at the Andy Warhol Art Museum, which included a guided tour and an art project. All PWCI had medically diagnosed cognitive disorders and all caregiver participants did not. Four focus groups were conducted and transcripts of audio-recorded sessions were transferred to a qualitative software program. Methods Words, phrases and episodes of humor and laughter were used to construct codes, which were refined during group analysis using constant comparison. Findings Humor and laughter were present in all four focus groups. Emerging themes of humor included silliness, sarcasm and commenting about hardships of dementia. Laughter was identified in segments with and without humor. Some PWCI were unable to follow social cues. Conclusions Humor and laughter played a role in creating a safe social environment. PWCI were able to engage in humor during social interactions, yet some had difficulty recognizing social cues. Further study may reveal roles of humor and laughter in adaptation to cognitive decline and holistic interventions for improved quality of life. PMID:23926217
Background Recent findings suggest that interactive game-like graphics might be useful in communicating probabilities. We developed a prototype for a risk communication module, focusing on eliciting users’ preferences for different interactive graphics and assessing usability and user interpretations. Methods Focus groups and iterative design methods. Results Feedback from five focus groups was used to design the graphics. The final version displayed a matrix of square buttons; clicking on any button allowed the user to see whether the stick figure underneath was affected by the health outcome. When participants used this interaction to learn about a risk, they expressed more emotional responses, both positive and negative, than when viewing any static graphic or numerical description of a risk. Their responses included relief about small risks and concern about large risks. The groups also commented on static graphics: arranging the figures affected by disease randomly throughout a group of figures made it more difficult to judge the proportion affected but was described as more realistic. Conclusions Interactive graphics appear to have potential for expressing risk magnitude as well as the affective feeling of risk. Quantitative studies are planned to assess the effect on perceived risks and estimated risk magnitudes. PMID:19657926
... (Conversion from Servicemembers' Group Life Insurance to Veterans' Group Life Insurance); Comment Request... members with disabilities are informed about their life insurance option, including converting from Servicemembers' Group Life Insurance to Veterans' Group Life Insurance. DATES: Written comments and...
Albert, David A; Bruzelius, Emilie; Ward, Angela; Gordon, Judith S
2016-04-01
The aims of this mixed-methods study were to assess tobacco treatment behaviors among residents and faculty in dental specialty postdoctoral programs and to explore factors in training and practice related to tobacco treatment education. Surveys and focus groups were conducted with a convenience sample of participants at three postdoctoral residency programs in New York City. Surveys assessed tobacco cessation training and behaviors. Focus groups explored barriers to implementing tobacco cessation treatment in educational settings. Data were collected between May and December 2013. Among the 160 faculty and residents identified as potentially eligible for the study, 60 were invited by program directors to participate, and 50 subsequently completed the survey and participated in a focus group (response rate of 31.3%). Survey results indicated high levels of asking patients about tobacco use and advising patients to quit. In contrast, specific tobacco cessation assistance and follow-up care occurred less frequently. There were statistically significant differences in tobacco cessation intervention across the specialties surveyed, but not between residents and faculty. Focus group comments were grouped into three broad areas: clinician factors, organizational support, and structural and contextual factors. Focus group results indicated that participants experienced significant organizational and structural barriers to learning about and providing tobacco treatment. Participants from each specialty indicated that multi-level barriers impeded their provision of evidence-based tobacco cessation interventions in postdoctoral educational settings. They suggested that didactic education should be reinforced by organizational- and systems-level changes to facilitate comprehensive tobacco education and effective cessation treatment in future dental practice.
Goodyear, Helen M; Lakshminarayana, Indumathy; Wall, David; Bindal, Taruna
2015-05-01
A five-domain multisource feedback (MSF) tool was previously developed in 2009-2010 by the authors to assess senior paediatric trainees' ward round leadership skills. To determine whether this MSF tool is practicable and reliable, whether individuals' feedback varies over time and trainees' views of the tool. The MSF tool was piloted (April-July 2011) and field tested (September 2011-February 2013) with senior paediatric trainees. A focus group held at the end of field testing obtained trainees' views of the tool. In field testing, 96/115 (84%) trainees returned 633 individual assessments from three different ward rounds over 18 months. The MSF tool had high reliability (Cronbach's α 0.84, G coefficient 0.8 for three raters). In all five domains, data were shifted to the right with scores of 3 (good) and 4 (excellent). Consultants gave significantly lower scores (p<0.001), as did trainees for self-assessment (p<0.001). There was no significant change in MSF scores over 18 months but comments showed that trainees' performance improved. Trainees valued these comments and the MSF tool but had concerns about time taken for feedback and confusion about tool use and the paediatric assessment strategy. A five-domain MSF tool was found to be reliable on pilot and field testing, practicable to use and liked by trainees. Comments on performance were more helpful than scores in giving trainees feedback. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.
... to http://www.regulations.gov at any time and follow the online instructions for accessing the docket... them included any comment about compliance time. Most comments focused on technical considerations or the cost of compliance rather than the time proposed. Of the few comments regarding compliance time...
During the 2009 H1N1 pandemic, a vaccine was made available to all Canadians. Despite efforts to promote vaccination, the public's intent to vaccinate remained low. In order to better understand the public's resistance to getting vaccinated, this study addressed factors that influenced the public's decision making about uptake. To do this, we used a relatively novel source of qualitative data--comments posted on-line in response to news articles on a particular topic. This study analysed 1,796 comments posted in response to 12 articles dealing with H1N1 vaccine on websites of three major Canadian news sources. Articles were selected based on topic and number of comments. A second objective was to assess the extent to which on-line comments can be used as a reliable data source to capture public attitudes during a health crisis. The following seven themes were mentioned in at least 5% of the comments (% indicates the percentage of comments that included the theme): fear of H1N1 (18.8%); responsibility of media (17.8%); government competency (17.7%); government trustworthiness (10.7%); fear of H1N1 vaccine (8.1%); pharmaceutical companies (7.6%); and personal protective measures (5.8%). It is assumed that the more frequently a theme was mentioned, the more that theme influenced decision making about vaccination. These key themes for the public were often not aligned with the issues and information officials perceived, and conveyed, as relevant in the decision making process. The main themes from the comments were consistent with results from surveys and focus groups addressing similar issues, which suggest that on-line comments do provide a reliable source of qualitative data on attitudes and perceptions of issues that emerge in a health crisis. The insights derived from the comments can contribute to improved communication and policy decisions about vaccination in health crises that incorporate the public's views.
During the 2009 H1N1 pandemic, a vaccine was made available to all Canadians. Despite efforts to promote vaccination, the public's intent to vaccinate remained low. In order to better understand the public's resistance to getting vaccinated, this study addressed factors that influenced the public's decision making about uptake. To do this, we used a relatively novel source of qualitative data – comments posted on-line in response to news articles on a particular topic. This study analysed 1,796 comments posted in response to 12 articles dealing with H1N1 vaccine on websites of three major Canadian news sources. Articles were selected based on topic and number of comments. A second objective was to assess the extent to which on-line comments can be used as a reliable data source to capture public attitudes during a health crisis. The following seven themes were mentioned in at least 5% of the comments (% indicates the percentage of comments that included the theme): fear of H1N1 (18.8%); responsibility of media (17.8%); government competency (17.7%); government trustworthiness (10.7%); fear of H1N1 vaccine (8.1%); pharmaceutical companies (7.6%); and personal protective measures (5.8%). It is assumed that the more frequently a theme was mentioned, the more that theme influenced decision making about vaccination. These key themes for the public were often not aligned with the issues and information officials perceived, and conveyed, as relevant in the decision making process. The main themes from the comments were consistent with results from surveys and focus groups addressing similar issues, which suggest that on-line comments do provide a reliable source of qualitative data on attitudes and perceptions of issues that emerge in a health crisis. The insights derived from the comments can contribute to improved communication and policy decisions about vaccination in health crises that incorporate the public's views. PMID:21533161
... discrete categories, as follows: (1) The survey is partially or entirely unnecessary: 33 comments or 11... of the survey, CNCS reformat the survey into individual instruments that each focus on one discrete...
Objective. To assist curriculum committees and leadership instructors by gathering expert opinion to define student leadership development competencies for pharmacy curricula. Methods. Twenty-six leadership instructors participated in a 3-round, online, modified Delphi process to define competencies for student leadership development in pharmacy curricula. Round 1 asked open-ended questions about leadership knowledge, skills, and attitudes. Round 2 grouped responses for agreement rating and comment. Round 3 allowed rating and comment on competencies not yet meeting consensus, which was prospectively set at 80%. Results. Eleven competencies attained 80% consensus or higher and were grouped into 3 areas: leadership knowledge, personal leadership commitment, and leadership skill development. Connections to contemporary leadership development literature were outlined for each competency as a means of verifying the panel’s work. Conclusions. The leadership competencies will aid students in addressing: What is leadership? Who am I as a leader? What skills and abilities do I need to be effective? The competencies will help curriculum committees and leadership instructors to focus leadership development opportunities, identify learning assessments, and define program evaluation. PMID:24371346
Janke, Kristin K; Traynor, Andrew P; Boyle, Cynthia J
2013-12-16
To assist curriculum committees and leadership instructors by gathering expert opinion to define student leadership development competencies for pharmacy curricula. Twenty-six leadership instructors participated in a 3-round, online, modified Delphi process to define competencies for student leadership development in pharmacy curricula. Round 1 asked open-ended questions about leadership knowledge, skills, and attitudes. Round 2 grouped responses for agreement rating and comment. Round 3 allowed rating and comment on competencies not yet meeting consensus, which was prospectively set at 80%. Eleven competencies attained 80% consensus or higher and were grouped into 3 areas: leadership knowledge, personal leadership commitment, and leadership skill development. Connections to contemporary leadership development literature were outlined for each competency as a means of verifying the panel's work. The leadership competencies will aid students in addressing: What is leadership? Who am I as a leader? What skills and abilities do I need to be effective? The competencies will help curriculum committees and leadership instructors to focus leadership development opportunities, identify learning assessments, and define program evaluation.
A group of German breast cancer experts (medical oncologists and gynaecologists) reviewed and commented on the results of the first international 'Advanced Breast Cancer First Consensus Conference' (ABC1) for the diagnosis and treatment of advanced breast cancer. The ABC1 Conference is an initiative of the European School of Oncology (ESO) Metastatic Breast Cancer Task Force in cooperation with the EBCC (European Breast Cancer Conference), ESMO (European Society of Medical Oncology) and the American JNCI (Journal of the National Cancer Institute). The main focus of the ABC1 Conference was metastatic breast cancer (stage IV). The ABC1 consensus is based on the vote of 33 breast cancer experts from different countries and has been specified as a guideline for therapeutic practice by the German expert group. It is the objective of the ABC1 consensus as well as of the German comments to provide an internationally standardized and evidence-based foundation for qualified decision-making in the treatment of metastatic breast cancer.
... hold five public hearings to accept written and oral comment on our proposed BART determination for NGS. On July 26, 2013, a group of stakeholders, known as the Technical Work Group (TWG), submitted its... included as part of the public comment. If EPA cannot read your comment due to technical difficulties and...
To examine the beliefs and attitudes of FPs and health care professionals (HCPs) regarding FPs' roles and responsibilities on interdisciplinary geriatric health care teams. Qualitative study using focus groups. Calgary Health Region. Seventeen FPs and 22 HCPs working on geriatric health care teams. Four 90-minute focus groups were conducted with FPs, followed by 2 additional 90-minute focus groups with HCPs. The FP focus groups discussed 4 vignettes of typical teamwork scenarios. Discussions were transcribed and the 4 researchers analyzed and coded themes and subthemes and developed the HCP focus group questions. These questions asked about HCPs' expectations of FPs on teams, experiences with FPs on teams, and perspectives on optimal roles on teams. Several meetings were held to determine themes and subthemes. Family physicians identified patient centredness, role delineation for team members, team dynamics, and team structure as critical to team success. Both FPs and HCPs had a continuum of beliefs about the role FPs should play on teams, including whether FPs should be autonomous or collaborative decision makers, the extent to which FPs should work within or outside teams, whether FPs should be leaders or simply members of teams, and the level of responsibility implied or explicit in their roles. Comments from FPs and HCPs identified intraprofessional and interprofessional tensions that could affect team practice and impede the development of high-functioning teams. It will be important, as primary care reform continues, to help FPs and HCPs learn how to work together effectively on teams so that patients receive the best possible care.
The purpose of this study was to explore the effectiveness of the creative inquiry-based science teaching on students' creative science thinking and science inquiry performance. A quasi-experimental design consisting one experimental group (N = 20) and one comparison group (N = 24) with pretest and post-test was conducted. The framework of the intervention focused on potential strategies such as promoting divergent and convergent thinking and providing an open, inquiry-based learning environment that are recommended by the literature. Results revealed that the experimental group students outperformed their counterparts in the comparison group on the performances of science inquiry and convergent thinking. Additional qualitative data analyses from classroom observations and case teacher interviews identified supportive teaching strategies (e.g. facilitating associative thinking, sharing impressive ideas, encouraging evidence-based conclusions, and reviewing and commenting on group presentations) for developing students' creative science thinking.
This study examines the uptake of multiple interactive features on news sites. It looks at the thematic composition of the most clicked, most e-mailed, and most commented stories during periods of heightened and routine political activity. Results show that (a) during the former period, the most commented stories were more likely to be focused on…
Although Healthy Start case managers recognized the benefits of case management for facilitating optimal service delivery to women and their families, structural factors impact effective implementation. This study investigated case managers' views of 1) the structural challenges faced in implementing case management for program participants, and 2) possible strategies to enhance case management in medical home settings. Two focus groups were conducted separately with case managers from the four program service sites to gain insight into these issues noted above. Each group was co-facilitated by two evaluators using a previously developed semi-structured interview guide. The group discussions were audio recorded and the case managers' comments were transcribed verbatim. Transcripts were analyzed using thematic analysis, a deductive approach. Data were collected in 2013 and analyzed in 2015. Case managers are challenged by externalities (demographic shifts in target populations, poverty); contractual requirements (predefined catchment neighborhoods, caseload); limited support (client incentives, tailored training, and a high staff turnover rate); and logistic difficulties (organizational issues). Their approach to case management tends to be focused on linking Although Healthy Start case managers recognized the benefits of case management for facilitating optimal service delivery to women and their families, structural factors impact effective implementation. This study investigated case managers' views of 1) the structural challenges faced in implementing case management for program participants, and 2) possible strategies to enhance case management in medical home settings. Two focus groups were conducted separately with case managers from the four program service sites to gain insight into these issues noted above. Each group was co-facilitated by two evaluators using a previously developed semi-structured interview guide. The group discussions were audio recorded and the case managers' comments were transcribed verbatim. Transcripts were analyzed using thematic analysis, a deductive approach. Data were collected in 2013 and analyzed in 2015. Case managers are challenged by externalities (demographic shifts in target populations, poverty); contractual requirements (predefined catchment neighborhoods, caseload); limited support (client incentives, tailored training, and a high staff turnover rate); and logistic difficulties (organizational issues). Their approach to case management tends to be focused on linking clients to adequate services rather than reporting performance. Case managers favored measurable deliverables rather than operational work products. A proposed solution to current challenges emphasizes and encourages the iterative learning process and shared decision making between program targets, funders and providers. Case managers are aware of the challenging environment in which they operate for their clients and for themselves. However, future interventions will require clearly identified performance measures and increased systems support. PMID:27149061
Social media can act as an important platform for debating, discussing, and disseminating information about vaccines. Our objectives were to map and describe the roles played by web-based mainstream media and social media as platforms for vaccination-related public debates and discussions during the Polio crisis in Israel in 2013: where and how did the public debate and discuss the issue, and how can these debates and discussions be characterized? Polio-related coverage was collected from May 28 to October 31, 2013, from seven online Hebrew media platforms and the Facebook groups discussing the Polio vaccination were mapped and described. In addition, 2,289 items from the Facebook group "Parents talk about Polio vaccination" were analyzed for socio-demographic and thematic characteristics. The traditional media mainly echoed formal voices from the Ministry of Health. The comments on the Facebook vaccination opposition groups could be divided into four groups: comments with individualistic perceptions, comments that expressed concerns about the safety of the OPV, comments that expressed distrust in the Ministry of Health, and comments denying Polio as a disease. In the Facebook group "Parents talk about the Polio vaccination", an active group with various participants, 321 commentators submitted 2289 comments, with 64 % of the comments written by women. Most (92 %) people involved were parents. The comments were both personal (referring to specific situations) and general in nature (referring to symptoms or wide implications). A few (13 %) of the commentators were physicians ( n = 44), who were responsible for 909 (40 %) of the items in the sample. Half the doctors and 6 % of the non-doctors wrote over 10 items each. This Facebook group formed a unique platform where unmediated debates and discussions between the public and medical experts took place. The comments on the social media, as well as the socio-demographic profiles of the commentators, suggest that social media is an active and versatile debate and discussion-facilitating platform in the context of vaccinations. This paper presents public voices, which should be seen as authentic (i.e. unmediated by the media or other political actors) and useful for policy making purposes. The policy implications include identifying social media as a main channel of communication during health crises, and acknowledging the voices heard on social media as authentic and useful for policy making. Human and financial resources need to be devolved specifically to social media. Health officials and experts need to be accessible on social media, and be equipped to readily provide the information, support and advice the public is looking for.
... staff-led workshop explored the mechanics of filing reactive power rate schedules for which there is no compensation.\\1\\ Interested persons are invited to file written comments focused on the mechanics of filing...
The tradition of storytelling is an integral part of Alaska Native cultures that continues to be a way of passing on knowledge. Using a story-based approach to share cancer education is grounded in Alaska Native traditions and people’s experiences and has the potential to positively impact cancer knowledge, understandings, and wellness choices. Community health workers (CHWs) in Alaska created a personal digital story as part of a 5-day, in-person cancer education course. To identify engaging elements of digital stories among Alaska Native people, one focus group was held in each of three different Alaska communities with a total of 29 adult participants. After viewing CHWs’ digital stories created during CHW cancer education courses, focus group participants commented verbally and in writing about cultural relevance, engaging elements, information learned, and intent to change health behavior. Digital stories were described by Alaska focus group participants as being culturally respectful, informational, inspiring, and motivational. Viewers shared that they liked digital stories because they were short (only 2–3 min); nondirective and not preachy; emotional, told as a personal story and not just facts and figures; and relevant, using photos that showed Alaskan places and people. PMID:25865400
The tradition of storytelling is an integral part of Alaska Native cultures that continues to be a way of passing on knowledge. Using a story-based approach to share cancer education is grounded in Alaska Native traditions and people's experiences and has the potential to positively impact cancer knowledge, understandings, and wellness choices. Community health workers (CHWs) in Alaska created a personal digital story as part of a 5-day, in-person cancer education course. To identify engaging elements of digital stories among Alaska Native people, one focus group was held in each of three different Alaska communities with a total of 29 adult participants. After viewing CHWs' digital stories created during CHW cancer education courses, focus group participants commented verbally and in writing about cultural relevance, engaging elements, information learned, and intent to change health behavior. Digital stories were described by Alaska focus group participants as being culturally respectful, informational, inspiring, and motivational. Viewers shared that they liked digital stories because they were short (only 2-3 min); nondirective and not preachy; emotional, told as a personal story and not just facts and figures; and relevant, using photos that showed Alaskan places and people.
Adding or incorporating clinical interpretative comments on biochemistry results is widespread in UK laboratories; although this consumes considerable human resource, there is still little evidence to suggest that it is either effective or appreciated by our clinical colleagues. I therefore decided to survey our local general practitioners (GPs) and nurse practitioners to analyse whether they found biochemistry comments on reports helpful. A simple questionnaire was designed and sent to 159 GPs and 81 nurse practitioners asking them whether they found this activity useful for the limited range of test groups that we routinely comment on and also whether they would like to see commenting on more groups of tests. Overall, 49.6% of questionnaires were returned. Of these, there was overwhelming support for commenting on reports and 77% would like to see comments on a greater range of tests. Although adding clinical interpretative comments is very time-consuming for senior laboratory staff, there is overwhelming support of this activity among our GPs and nurse practitioner users; therefore, our local policy of routinely adding clinical comments will remain for the foreseeable future.
The neonatal nurses are the key component of the essential workforce necessary to address the healthcare needs of the infants globally. The paucity of the data regarding the availability and training of the neonatal workforce challenges the stakeholders at the regional, national, and global levels. The lack of these data makes strategic planning for initiatives especially in low-resourced countries difficult. Up-to-date data are critically needed to describe the role neonatal nurses play in global newborn health outcomes. The purpose of the COINN Global Neonatal Provider Database Initiative (CGNPD) was to develop a workforce database by developing survey questions, conducting a focus group to determine the key reasons such a database was needed and how best to implement it, and incorporating these comments into the workforce survey and launch. Pilot testing of the draft survey instrument was done. This article reports on the findings from the focus group and the development of the survey. A qualitative design using the focus group method was used. The focus group discussions were guided by semi-structured interview questions that had been developed prior to the focus group by neonatal experts. A convenience sample of 14 members from the international delegates and project advisory members who attended the COINN 2013 in Belfast, Northern Ireland, participated. These participants represented 10 countries. Thematic analysis was conducted using verbatim transcripts of the focus group data. Four main themes emerged: (1) the invisibility of neonatal nurses, (2) benchmarking needs for quality and standards, (3) need for partnership to implement the database, and (4) setting priorities for variables needed for the most salient database. The questionnaire examined participants' perceptions of the significance of and the future utilization of the workforce database and elements that should be included in the survey. The global neonatal workforce database is needed to describe who the neonatal nurses are in each country, what they do, how they are trained, and where they work. The data from the focus group aided in the development of the workforce survey that has been pilot tested and provides critical information to guide COINN's global implementation of the database project.
Small group discussions are useful tools in medical ethics education. We aimed to assess student satisfaction with specific components of a small group discussion and to evaluate student self-assessment of the objectives of education. A structured questionnaire was developed after a literature review and a focus group interview. Components of the small group discussion were categorized by discussion case (self, other), individual activities (self-study, making materials, presentation experience), and group activities (preclass/in-class/postclass/plenary discussion, instructor's comments). The items for student self-assessment were: "To specify ethical issue in actual practice", "To get new knowledge", "To consider doctor's entity", "Empathy to others", "To get multidimensional viewpoint", "Viewpoint change", "To deliver my thought clearly", and "Ability to confront the medical ethics dilemma in the future". After the survey, an in-depth interview was performed to determine the reason behind the students' answers. A total of 121 students responded, for whom overall satisfaction and self-assessment were high. Students reported greater satisfaction with self-case, presentation experience, in-class discussion, and instructor's comments but less satisfaction with self-study before class and postclass discussion. Student self-assessment was highest in the ability to specify an ethical issue and lowest for viewpoint change and self-confidence. After multivariate analysis, higher student self-assessment was associated with greater satisfaction with the small group discussion. To improve the quality of medical ethics education, close investigation and monitoring of each component of the small group discussion and student achievement are essential, as is continuous feedback.
... heightened security screening. As a result, we encourage you to submit your comments online. To make sure...'' or ``Eminent, File No. 122 3065'' on your comment and file your comment online at https://ftcpublic... prefer to file your comment on paper, mail or deliver your comment to the following address: Federal...
In comments submitted April 7, 2014, the Alliance for Excellent Education called on the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to modernize the federal E-rate program in order to lay the foundation for expanding the program through increased funding. These comments are in response to an E-rate Public Notice issued by the FCC on March 6, 2014…
Students in nine classes were randomly assigned to treatment groups receiving (1) written comments on their homework papers or (2) no comments. In two of the classes, the students receiving comments showed achievement superior to that of the others. In the remainder of the classes there was no difference. (SD)
... soliciting comments concerning Revenue Procedure 2010-13, Section 469 Grouping activities. DATES: Written... . SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Title: Section 469 Grouping activities. OMB Number: 1545-2156. Notice Number: Revenue... Service their groupings and regroupings of activities and the addition of specific activities within their...
Catalano, Sarah R.; Whittington, Ian D.; Donnellan, Stephen C.; Gillanders, Bronwyn M.
2013-01-01
We review the use of parasites as biological tags of marine fishes and cephalopods in host population structure studies. The majority of the work published has focused on marine fish and either single parasite species or more recently, whole parasite assemblages, as biological tags. There is representation of host organisms and parasites from a diverse range of taxonomic groups, although focus has primarily been on host species of commercial importance. In contrast, few studies have used parasites as tags to assess cephalopod population structure, even though records of parasites infecting cephalopods are well-documented. Squid species are the only cephalopod hosts for which parasites as biological tags have been applied, with anisakid nematode larvae and metacestodes being the parasite taxa most frequently used. Following a brief insight into the importance of accurate parasite identification, the population studies that have used parasites as biological tags for marine fishes and cephalopods are reviewed, including comments on the dicyemid mesozoans. The advancement of molecular genetic techniques is discussed in regards to the new ways parasite genetic data can be incorporated into population structure studies, alongside host population genetic analyses, followed by an update on the guidelines for selecting a parasite species as a reliable tag candidate. As multiple techniques and methods can be used to assess the population structure of marine organisms (e.g. artificial tags, phenotypic characters, biometrics, life history, genetics, otolith microchemistry and parasitological data), we conclude by commenting on a holistic approach to allow for a deeper insight into population structuring. PMID:25197624
Abstract Although many experts have attempted communication about radiation risk, fears about radiation exposure stemming from the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant accident remain deeply rooted. The characteristics of the anxiety vary with social background, which makes it difficult to alleviate with one approach. Our ultimate goal is therefore to create risk-communication materials tailored to various groups with differing social backgrounds. Towards that end, the purpose of the present study was to clarify potential factors associated with radiation-related anxieties within these groups. After obtaining informed consent, we conducted focus group interviews (FGIs) with Fukushima residents from various social groups, including evacuees, emergency responders, government personnel, medical staff, and decontamination workers. We obtained narrative comments specifically related to the following two themes: (i) lessons learned (at work or home) in light of one’s position in society, and (ii) health issues. After transcribing the comments, we examined potential factors associated with radiation-related anxieties using both quantitative and qualitative study methods simultaneously, using the KH Coder software and the Steps for Coding and Theorization (SCAT) method respectively. FGIs were undertaken with 141 persons. Categories, words and storylines extracted in this study might indicate potential anxieties that are unique to each group, but our analysis also suggested that some anxieties were common to all groups. We expect to continue the analyses and, ultimately, to establish group-tailored risk-communication materials for achieving our final goal of adapting and better managing risk-communication efforts to help people deal more effectively with the scientific, technological and societal changes that came about after the disaster. PMID:29648605
...(``FIA''); Grain and Feed Association of Illinois; Kansas City Board of Trade (``KCBT''); CME Group... Dakota Grain & Feed Association; and Working Group of Commercial Energy Firms (``Commercial Energy Working Group''). Comments are available in the comment file on www.cftc.gov . In the Final Adaptation...
Working group goals for this year are: Goal 1. Due to many review comments the green books will be updated and available for re-review by CCSDS. Submission of green books to CCSDS for approval. Goal 2.Initial set of 4 new drafts of the red books as following: SM&C protocol: update with received comments. SM&C common services: update with received comments and expand the service specification. SM&C core services: update with received comments and expand the service the information model. SM&C time services: (target objective): produce initial draft following template of core services.
Capturing public opinion toward public health topics is important to ensure that services, policy, and research are aligned with the beliefs and priorities of the general public. A number of approaches can be used to capture public opinion. We are conducting a program of work on the effectiveness and acceptability of health promoting financial incentive interventions. We have captured public opinion on financial incentive interventions using three methods: a systematic review, focus group study, and analysis of online user-generated comments to news media reports. In this short editorial-style piece, we compare and contrast our experiences with these three methods. Each of these methods had their advantages and disadvantages. Advantages include tailoring of the research question for systematic reviews, probing of answers during focus groups, and the ability to aggregate a large data set using online user-generated content. However, disadvantages include needing to update systematic reviews, participants conforming to a dominant perspective in focus groups, and being unable to collect respondent characteristics during analysis of user-generated online content. That said, analysis of user-generated online content offers additional time and resource advantages, and we found it elicited similar findings to those obtained via more traditional methods, such as systematic reviews and focus groups. A number of methods for capturing public opinions on public health topics are available. Public health researchers, policy makers, and practitioners should choose methods appropriate to their aims. Analysis of user-generated online content, especially in the context of news media reports, may be a quicker and cheaper alternative to more traditional methods, without compromising on the breadth of opinions captured.
Nicholson, Sandra; Hastings, Adrian Michael; McKinley, Robert Kee
2016-01-01
Background Despite concerns about recruitment to UK general practice, there has been no concerted educational intervention to address them. Aim To better understand how medical students’ perceptions of their experiences of their undergraduate curriculum may affect choosing general practice as a career. Design and setting Qualitative study comprising focus groups of a total of 58 students from a range of medical schools across the UK. Method A range of UK medical schools students were invited by email to participate in focus groups and return a questionnaire detailing their current career choice to facilitate sampling students with varied career preferences. Students late in their studies were sampled as they were likely to be considering future careers. Focus group discussions were audiotaped, transcribed, and anonymised for both school and participant, then thematically analysed. Perceived differences in medical school culture, curriculum philosophy, design, and intent were explored. Results Six focus groups (58 students) were convened. Some student participants’ career aspirations were strongly shaped by family and home, but clinical placements remained important in confirming or refuting these choices. High-quality general practice attachments are a powerful attractor to general practice and, when they reflect authentic clinical practice, promote general practice careers. GP tutors can be powerful, positive role models. Students’ comments revealed conflicting understandings about general practice. Conclusion Attracting rather than coercing students to general practice is likely to be more effective at changing their career choices. Early, high-quality, ongoing and, authentic clinical exposure promotes general practice and combats negative stereotyping. It is recommended that increasing opportunities to help students understand what it means to be a ‘good GP’ and how this can be achieved are created. PMID:27578812
Public comments on the draft guidelines for the synthesis and assessment products being prepared by the U.S. Climate Change Science Program are being accepted through 7 May; The long-anticipated preliminary report of the U.S. Commission on Ocean Policy is being released on 20 April. The comment period extends through 21 May; Determining the most hazardous chemical components and other characteristics of aerosol particulate matter should be a focus of research by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, according to a 24 March report by the National Academies' National Research Council.
To obtain a comprehensive understanding of the job opinions of hospital professionals by conducting qualitative analyses of the open comments included in a job satisfaction survey and combining these results with the quantitative results. A cross-sectional survey targeting all Lausanne University Hospital professionals was performed in the fall of 2013. The survey considered ten job satisfaction dimensions (e.g. self-fulfilment, workload, management, work-related burnout, organisational commitment, intent to stay) and included an open comment section. Computer-assisted qualitative analyses were conducted on these comments. Satisfaction rates on the included dimensions and professional groups were entered as predictive variables in the qualitative analyses. Of 10 838 hospital professionals, 4978 participated in the survey and 1067 provided open comments. Data from 1045 respondents with usable comments constituted the analytic sample (133 physicians, 393 nurses, 135 laboratory technicians, 247 administrative staff, including researchers, 67 logistic staff, 44 psycho-social workers, and 26 unspecified). Almost a third of the comments addressed scheduling issues, mostly related to problems and exhaustion linked to shifts, work-life balance, and difficulties with colleagues' absences and the consequences for quality of care and patient safety. The other two-thirds related to classic themes included in job satisfaction surveys. Although some comments were provided equally by all professional groups, others were group specific: work and hierarchy pressures for physicians, healthcare quality and patient safety for nurses, skill recognition for administrative staff. Overall, respondents' comments were consistent with their job satisfaction ratings. Open comment analysis provides a comprehensive understanding of hospital professionals' job experiences, allowing better consideration of quality initiatives that match the needs of professionals with reality.
Objective To obtain a comprehensive understanding of the job opinions of hospital professionals by conducting qualitative analyses of the open comments included in a job satisfaction survey and combining these results with the quantitative results. Design A cross-sectional survey targeting all Lausanne University Hospital professionals was performed in the fall of 2013. Material and methods The survey considered ten job satisfaction dimensions (e.g. self-fulfilment, workload, management, work-related burnout, organisational commitment, intent to stay) and included an open comment section. Computer-assisted qualitative analyses were conducted on these comments. Satisfaction rates on the included dimensions and professional groups were entered as predictive variables in the qualitative analyses. Participants Of 10 838 hospital professionals, 4978 participated in the survey and 1067 provided open comments. Data from 1045 respondents with usable comments constituted the analytic sample (133 physicians, 393 nurses, 135 laboratory technicians, 247 administrative staff, including researchers, 67 logistic staff, 44 psycho-social workers, and 26 unspecified). Results Almost a third of the comments addressed scheduling issues, mostly related to problems and exhaustion linked to shifts, work-life balance, and difficulties with colleagues’ absences and the consequences for quality of care and patient safety. The other two-thirds related to classic themes included in job satisfaction surveys. Although some comments were provided equally by all professional groups, others were group specific: work and hierarchy pressures for physicians, healthcare quality and patient safety for nurses, skill recognition for administrative staff. Overall, respondents’ comments were consistent with their job satisfaction ratings. Conclusion Open comment analysis provides a comprehensive understanding of hospital professionals’ job experiences, allowing better consideration of quality initiatives that match the needs of professionals with reality. PMID:28296974
A Working Group Meeting on Heavy Vehicle Aerodynamic Drag was held at University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California on July 30, 1999. The purpose of the meeting was to present technical details on the experimental and computational plans and approaches and provide an update on progress in obtaining experimental results, model developments, and simulations. The focus of the meeting was a review of University of Southern California's (USC) experimental plans and results and the computational results from Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) and Sandia National Laboratories (SNL) for the integrated tractor-trailer benchmark geometry called the Sandia Model. Much ofmore » the meeting discussion involved the NASA Ames 7 ft x 10 ft wind tunnel tests and the need for documentation of the results. The present and projected budget and funding situation was also discussed. Presentations were given by representatives from the Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Transportation Technology Office of Heavy Vehicle Technology (OHVT), LLNL, SNL, USC, and California Institute of Technology (Caltech). This report contains the technical presentations (viewgraphs) delivered at the Meeting, briefly summarizes the comments and conclusions, and outlines the future action items.« less
... programs established by the 1998 Workforce Investment Act (WIA) and the Perkins Vocational Education Act of.... These data assist in the development of State vocational education plans. OES wage data provide a... survey form. III. Desired Focus of Comments The Bureau of Labor Statistics is particularly interested in...
...: Proposed Collection; Comment Request--Generic Clearance To Conduct Formative Research AGENCY: Food and.... This information collection will conduct research in support of FNS' goal of delivering science-based... target audience, FNS plans to conduct data collections that involve formative research including focus...
... comment (or signing the comment if submitted on behalf of an association, a business, a labor union, etc... address critical workforce needs and educate the next generation of transportation leaders. II... applicant for a National UTC must focus its research on one of the Department's five strategic goals: 1...
This paper presents and comments on Mario Bunge's scientific realism. After a brief introduction in Sects. 1 and 2 outlines Bunge's conception of realism. Focusing on the case of quantum mechanics, Sect. 3 explores how his approach plays out for problematic theories. Section 4 comments on Bunge's project against the background of the current…
Commenting on Kingsley Davis' paper, "Population Policy: Will Current Programs Succeed?", the author discusses the problem of rapid population growth in the low-income countries. Research strategy should focus on the family or small community to trace environmental constraints and opportunities influencing desired and achieved fertility, and…
... 8104(a) of the FECA provides vocational rehabilitation services to eligible injured workers to facilitate their return to work. The costs of providing these vocational rehabilitation services are paid..., 2013. II. Review Focus: The Department of Labor is particularly interested in comments which...
... also sought comment on four specific issues related to the proposal: 1. Does the repeal of Regulation Q..., consumer lending and small business lending. Commenters argued that smaller institutions, as they lose... received from smaller banks because the business model of smaller banks focuses on relationships and...
... assigned to the control group can re-apply to the YouthBuild program. The Department is soliciting comments... ``utilize appropriate methodology and research designs, including the use of control groups chosen by.... Accordingly, ETA is conducting a multisite control group evaluation to provide rigorous estimates [[Page 51058...
Skelton, Joseph A; Irby, Megan Bennett; Guzman, M Angelica; Beech, Bettina M
2012-10-01
Hispanic boys are one of the most at-risk groups for the development of obesity, yet few effective interventions have been reported. The objective of this study was to assess Hispanic boys' perceptions of health and obesity to inform future, targeted interventions. This is a qualitative and quantitative study of Hispanic boys aged 8 to 12 years in Forsyth County, North Carolina (n = 25). Three focus groups were conducted combined with anthropometrics and measures of body image. Interview guides were developed to elicit children's perceptions of obesity, nutrition, physical activity, and family influences over health behaviors. Focus group comments were recorded and transcribed. Transcripts were coded using a multistage inductive approach, and grounded theory was used to analyze responses. The following 6 themes emerged: boys had a limited and superficial understanding of health, nutrition, and activity; perceptions of health were based on muscular appearance, frequency of exercise, and media messages; boys had negative perceptions of overweight children and physical performance; family meals were infrequent and unstructured; boys prefer restaurants with fast food, buffets, and entertainment; and neighborhood safety influences activity participation. Boys did not mention parents as influencers of health and habits. From their findings, the authors have outlined several key areas that will inform clinicians and researchers in the prevention and treatment of obesity in this highly vulnerable population.
Shtein, Roni M; Newman-Casey, Paula A; Herndon, Leon; Coleman, Anne L; Lee, Paul P
2016-07-01
To investigate the role of the family/friends support system for patients with glaucoma and their perspective on barriers to effective glaucoma management. Six focus groups were conducted in 3 geographically and ethnically diverse areas of the United States (Los Angeles, CA; Rochester, MN; Durham, NC) that included 31 participants; 68% (21/31) were family members and friends of glaucoma patients with poor vision and 32% (10/31) were support system individuals of patients with good vision. Content analysis was used to identify important themes. Semiquantitative analysis was used to measure the frequency of each theme. A total of 134 relevant comments were made in the 6 focus groups and 72% of relevant comments were made by individuals providing support for patients with poor vision. Family members and friends mentioned the following areas of concern regarding patients' glaucoma care: patient education (19.4%), doctor-patient relationship (17.9%), their own lack of involvement in the patient's medical care (17.2%), frustration with glaucoma and with the patient (14.9%), patient dependency on caregivers (14.9%), patient frustration with the disease (10.4%), and sex differences in coping mechanisms (5.2%). Support system individuals tend to be minimally involved in the patient's glaucoma status and care. This is especially true for support system members of patients with glaucoma who maintain good vision and those who do not have any other personal experiences with difficulties from glaucoma. Many of these family members express an interest in acquiring more education about glaucoma and becoming more involved in the patient's glaucoma care.
... PHM Pulte Group Inc. Banking ETF. 300 XL XL Group Plc 350 HOT Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide Inc... . Please include File Number SR-NYSEAmex-2010-73 on the subject line. Paper Comments Send paper comments in...
... opportunity to provide oral comments after the presentation of the report from the Regional Resilience Working... Resilience Working Group documenting their work to date on the Regional Resilience Study, which will be..., 2012, Minutes V. NIAC Presentation on Regional Resilience Working Group VI. Public Comment: Discussion...
... DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request The Department of Commerce will..., chambers of commerce, regional groups and other export-oriented groups. The Certified Trade Mission... participate in the Department of Commerce's (DOC) trade promotion events program, identify the products or...
Background Social networking sites, in particular Facebook, are not only predominant in students’ social life but are to varying degrees interwoven with the medical curriculum. Particularly, Facebook groups have been identified for their potential in higher education. However, there is a paucity of data on user types, content, and dynamics of study-related Facebook groups. Objective The aim of this study was to identify the role of study-related Facebook group use, characterize medical students that use or avoid using Facebook groups (demographics, participation pattern, and motivation), and analyze student posting behavior, covered topics, dynamics, and limitations in Facebook groups with regards to educational usage. Methods Using a multi-method approach (interviews, focus groups, and qualitative and quantitative analysis of Facebook posts), we analyzed two representative Facebook groups of medical preclinical semesters at Ludwig-Maximilians-University (LMU) Munich. Facebook primary posts and replies over one semester were extracted and evaluated by using thematic content analysis. We developed and applied a coding scheme for studying the frequency and distribution of these posts. Additionally, we interviewed students with various degrees of involvement in the groups, as well as “new minorities,” students not registered on Facebook. Results Facebook groups seem to have evolved as the main tool for medical students at LMU to complement the curriculum and to discuss study-related content. These Facebook groups are self-organizing and quickly adapt to organizational or subject-related challenges posed by the curriculum. A wide range of topics is covered, with a dominance of organization-related posts (58.35% [6916/11,853] of overall posts). By measuring reply rates and comments per category, we were able to identify learning tips and strategies, material sharing, and course content discussions as the most relevant categories. Rates of adequate replies in these categories ranged between 78% (11/14) and 100% (13/13), and the number of comments per post ranged from 8.4 to 13.7 compared with the average overall reply rate of 68.69% (1167/1699) and 3.9 comments per post. User typology revealed social media drivers (>30 posts per semester) as engines of group function, frequent users (11-30 posts), and a majority of average users acting rather as consumers or lurkers (1-10 posts). Conclusions For the moment, the medical faculty has no active involvement in these groups and therefore no influence on accuracy of information, professionalism, and ethical issues. Nevertheless, faculty could in the future benefit by extracting relevant information, identifying common problems, and understanding semester-related dynamics. PMID:29273572
Morgan, R. G.; Paull, A.; Stalker, R. J.; Jacobs, P.; Morris, N.; Stringer, I.; Brescianini, C.
1988-01-01
Commissioning of the new T4 shock tunnel at the University of Queensland implied that it was no longer necessary to focus the work of the research group about an annual test series conducted in the T3 shock tunnel in Canberra. Therefore, it has been possible to organize a group for work to proceed along lines such that particular personnel are associated with particular project areas. The format of this report consists of a series of reports on specific project areas, with a brief general introduction commenting on each report. The introduction is structured by project areas, with the title of the relevant report stated under the project area heading. The reports themselves follow in the order of the project area headings.
This paper constitutes a case-study of the `science show' model of public engagement employed by a company of science communicators focused on the popularization of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) subject disciplines with learner constituencies. It examines the potential of the science show to foster the interest and imagination of young learners in STEM; challenge popular pre/misconceptions of science and scientists; reveal the broadness, plurality and everyday relevance of science; and induce a more fluent and equitable science nexus between expert and non-expert or learner groups. Discussion focuses on conversations with members of a UK and university based science communication outfit who comment on the potential of the science show as a model of non-formal science education and science engagement and the necessary conditions for its success.
This paper comments on three presentations (Janet Fisher, Malcolm Getz, and Bill Regier) at the Scholarly Communication and Technology Conference; it focuses on publisher costs, and also discusses the electronic publishing efforts undertaken at the University of Chicago Press. Janet Fisher, from MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) Press,…
The purpose of this qualitative, multi-case study was to explore the oral language of Spanish-speaking preschool students and their responses to questions, comments and requests made by an English-speaking teacher. Research questions focused on students' responses to questions; comments and requests by the teacher; and whether the response was…
In this comment article on Coulter and Smith (2009), the authors raise concerns that focusing exclusively on issues of representation may lead readers to misunderstandings about narrative research. The authors argue that narrative ways of thinking about the phenomena under study are interwoven with narrative research methodologies. Drawing on…
Drawing on Terry Cook's famous challenge to the relationship of historians to the archive, this comment responds to the four preceding Focus essays, offering an examination of the roles, in particular, of acquisition and appraisal, canon formation, and place or location in the relationship that historians of science have with the archive.
Presents comments spoken at a human rights conference by Han Dongfang, a Chinese activist who was jailed after an attempt to organize China's first independent union from a tent in Tiananmen Square during the democracy movement. Today, he is barred from the mainland but works from Hong Kong through Radio Free Asia. Comments focus on foreign…
Four working papers in linguistics are presented. "Basic Configurations of Pragmatic Structuring" (Robert A. Dooley) presents evidence for basic or unmarked pragmatic configurations in three Brazilian languages: Topic-Comment in Mbya Guarani, Comment-Topic in Hixkaryana, and Focus-Presupposition in Xavante. "The Syllable Structure…
... questions with inquiries into the communication channels through which understanding is being obtained, and... DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES National Institutes of Health Proposed Collection; Comment... content of the survey will focus on understanding the degree to which members of the general population...
Replies to two authors who commented on an article about Christian schools in a pluralistic society. The paper focuses on four questions and comments from both of the commentaries related to spirituality and religious education. It also discusses the issue of educating for critical thinking and defends the original article's central ideas and…
The paper by Rupp and Templin (2008) is an excellent work on the characteristics and features of cognitive diagnostic models (CDM). In this article, the authors comment on some substantial and methodological aspects of this focus paper. They organize their comments by going through issues associated with the terms "cognitive,"…
Bussières, André E; Patey, Andrea M; Francis, Jill J; Sales, Anne E; Grimshaw, Jeremy M; Brouwers, Melissa; Godin, Gaston; Hux, Jan; Johnston, Marie; Lemyre, Louise; Pomey, Marie-Pascale; Sales, Anne; Zwarenstein, Merrick
2012-08-31
The Theoretical Domains Framework (TDF) was developed to investigate determinants of specific clinical behaviors and inform the design of interventions to change professional behavior. This framework was used to explore the beliefs of chiropractors in an American Provider Network and two Canadian provinces about their adherence to evidence-based recommendations for spine radiography for uncomplicated back pain. The primary objective of the study was to identify chiropractors' beliefs about managing uncomplicated back pain without x-rays and to explore barriers and facilitators to implementing evidence-based recommendations on lumbar spine x-rays. A secondary objective was to compare chiropractors in the United States and Canada on their beliefs regarding the use of spine x-rays. Six focus groups exploring beliefs about managing back pain without x-rays were conducted with a purposive sample. The interview guide was based upon the TDF. Focus groups were digitally recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed by two independent assessors using thematic content analysis based on the TDF. Five domains were identified as likely relevant. Key beliefs within these domains included the following: conflicting comments about the potential consequences of not ordering x-rays (risk of missing a pathology, avoiding adverse treatment effects, risks of litigation, determining the treatment plan, and using x-ray-driven techniques contrasted with perceived benefits of minimizing patient radiation exposure and reducing costs; beliefs about consequences); beliefs regarding professional autonomy, professional credibility, lack of standardization, and agreement with guidelines widely varied ( social/professional role & identity); the influence of formal training, colleagues, and patients also appeared to be important factors ( social influences); conflicting comments regarding levels of confidence and comfort in managing patients without x-rays ( belief about capabilities); and guideline awareness and agreements ( knowledge). Chiropractors' use of diagnostic imaging appears to be influenced by a number of factors. Five key domains may be important considering the presence of conflicting beliefs, evidence of strong beliefs likely to impact the behavior of interest, and high frequency of beliefs. The results will inform the development of a theory-based survey to help identify potential targets for behavioral-change strategies.
Cancer clinical trials are important for resolving cancer health disparities for several reasons; however, clinical trial participation among African Americans is significantly lower than Caucasians. This study engaged focus groups of 82 female African American cancer survivors or cancer caregivers, including those in better resourced, more urban areas and less resourced, more rural areas. Informed by an integrated conceptual model, the focus groups examined perceptions of cancer clinical trials and identified leverage points that future interventions may use to improve enrollment rates. Study findings highlight variation in community knowledge regarding cancer clinical trials, and the importance of community education regarding clinical trials and overcoming historical stigma associated with clinical research specifically and the health care system more generally. Study participants commented on the centrality of churches in their communities, and thus the promise of the church as loci of such education. Findings also suggested the value of informed community leaders as community information sources, including community members who have a previous diagnosis of cancer and clinical trial experience. The sample size and location of the focus groups may limit the generalizability of the results. Since the women in the focus groups were either cancer survivors or caregivers, they may have different experiences than nonparticipants who lack the close connection with cancer. Trust in the health system and in one's physician was seen as important factors associated with patient willingness to enroll in clinical trials, and participants suggested that physicians who were compassionate and who engaged and educated their patients would build important trust requisite for patient participation in clinical trials. PMID:24905181
Commentators suggest that there is an erosion of trust in the relations between different actors in the health system in India. This paper presents the results of an exploratory study of the situation of providers in an urban setting in western India, the nature of their relations in terms of trust and what influences these relations. The data on relationships of trust were collected through interviews and focus group discussions with key informants, including public and private providers, regulators, managers and societal actors, such as patients/citizens, politicians and the media.
Henshall, Catherine; Marzano, Lisa; Smith, Katharine; Attenburrow, Mary-Jane; Puntis, Stephen; Zlodre, Jakov; Kelly, Kathleen; Broome, Matthew R; Shaw, Susan; Barrera, Alvaro; Molodynski, Andrew; Reid, Alastair; Geddes, John R; Cipriani, Andrea
2017-07-21
Treatment decision tools have been developed in many fields of medicine, including psychiatry, however benefits for patients have not been sustained once the support is withdrawn. We have developed a web-based computerised clinical decision support tool (CDST), which can provide patients and clinicians with continuous, up-to-date, personalised information about the efficacy and tolerability of competing interventions. To test the feasibility and acceptability of the CDST we conducted a focus group study, aimed to explore the views of clinicians, patients and carers. The CDST was developed in Oxford. To tailor treatments at an individual level, the CDST combines the best available evidence from the scientific literature with patient preferences and values, and with patient medical profile to generate personalised clinical recommendations. We conducted three focus groups comprising of three different participant types: consultant psychiatrists, participants with a mental health diagnosis and/or experience of caring for someone with a mental health diagnosis, and primary care practitioners and nurses. Each 1-h focus group started with a short visual demonstration of the CDST. To standardise the discussion during the focus groups, we used the same topic guide that covered themes relating to the acceptability and usability of the CDST. Focus groups were recorded and any identifying participant details were anonymised. Data were analysed thematically and managed using the Framework method and the constant comparative method. The focus groups took place in Oxford between October 2016 and January 2017. Overall 31 participants attended (12 consultants, 11 primary care practitioners and 8 patients or carers). The main themes that emerged related to CDST applications in clinical practice, communication, conflicting priorities, record keeping and data management. CDST was considered a useful clinical decision support, with recognised value in promoting clinician-patient collaboration and contributing to the development of personalised medicine. One major benefit of the CDST was perceived to be the open discussion about the possible side-effects of medications. Participants from all the three groups, however, universally commented that the terminology and language presented on the CDST were too medicalised, potentially leading to ethical issues around consent to treatment. The CDST can improve communication pathways between patients, carers and clinicians, identifying care priorities and providing an up-to-date platform for implementing evidence-based practice, with regard to prescribing practices.
Betancur, J. Alejandro; Osorio-Gómez, Gilberto; Agudelo, J. David
2014-06-01
In automotive industry, the dashboard has been ergonomically developed in order to keep the driver focused on the horizon while driving, but the possibility to access external electronic devices constraints the driver to turn away his face, generating dangerous situations in spite of the short periods of time. Therefore, this work explores the integration of Head-Up Displays and Head-Down Displays in automobiles, proposing configurations that give to drivers the facility to driving focused. In this way, some of the main ergonomic comments about those configurations are proposed; and also, some technical comments regarding the implemented arrangements are given.
This article presents the author's comments on Hisham B. Ghassib's "Where Does Creativity Fit into a Productivist Industrial Model of Knowledge Production?" Ghassib's article focuses on the transformation of science from pre-modern times to the present. Ghassib (2010) notes that, unlike in an earlier era when the economy depended on static…
Clauss, A. D.; Ayoub, M.; Moore, J. W.; Landis, C. R.; Weinhold, F.
2015-01-01
This article is a response to a commentary entitled "Comment on 'Rabbit-Ears Hybrids, VSEPR Sterics, and Other Orbital Anachronisms': A Reply to a Criticism," which focuses on the fundamental question of whether there exists a unique set of supposedly "real," or "best," orbitals for a given molecule. The authors of…
Lance, Philip T; Greenaway, Ruth V; Edwards, Brian
2018-01-01
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) put out a call for comments on new draft guidance for industry "Comparative Analyses and Related Comparative Use Human Factors Studies for a Drug-Device Combination Product Submitted in an ANDA." This call for comments elicited 7 submissions from various organizations in the field of health care products. This article reports on a review conducted on these 7 submissions. The purpose of this review was to identify any commonalities across the different submissions and determine if there was consensus on any point or aspect of the draft guidance. To identify any commonalities, a heat map plotting the lines of the draft guidance that had raised a comment/suggestion was produced. Also, a thematic analysis was conducted on the comments/suggestions. In total the 7 submissions produced 137 suggestions. The heat map revealed that these suggestions did not focus on any single part of the guidance but were spread throughout the guidance. The thematic analysis conducted on the suggestions found a number of distinct trends. These trends were grouped into 10 primary themes, each with a number of subthemes. It was concluded that guidance from the FDA on this matter is warranted and would be appreciated. However, it was also concluded that based on the distinct trends identified in the suggestions, there are issues that the FDA may wish to consider before publishing their final guidance.
... DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Call for Comments on the Draft Report of the Adult Immunization Working Group to the National Vaccine Advisory Committee on Adult Immunization: Complex Challenges..., national adult immunization program that will lead to vaccine-preventable disease reduction by improving...
... minutes...... 278 Group (ACG)/ Experimental Group (EG). In-person interview EG 435 1 1.25 hours...... 544... information collection assigned OMB control number 0990-0308, scheduled to expire on June 30, 2013. Comments... submitting comments or requesting information, please include the OMB control number 0990-0308 and document...
Sexual orientation and gender identity are social determinants of health for people identifying as lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT), and health disparities among sexual and gender minority populations are increasingly well understood. Although the South African constitution guarantees sexual and gender minority people the right to non-discrimination and the right to access to healthcare, homo- and transphobia in society abound. Little is known about LGBT people's healthcare experiences in South Africa, but anecdotal evidence suggests significant barriers to accessing care. Using the framework of the UN International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights General Comment 14, this study analyses the experiences of LGBT health service users using South African public sector healthcare, including access to HIV counselling, testing and treatment. A qualitative study comprised of 16 semi-structured interviews and two focus group discussions with LGBT health service users, and 14 individual interviews with representatives of LGBT organisations. Data were thematically analysed within the framework of the UN International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights General Comment 14, focusing on availability, accessibility, acceptability and quality of care. All interviewees reported experiences of discrimination by healthcare providers based on their sexual orientation and/or gender identity. Participants recounted violations of all four elements of the UN General Comment 14: 1) Availability: Lack of public health facilities and services, both for general and LGBT-specific concerns; 2) Accessibility: Healthcare providers' refusal to provide care to LGBT patients; 3) Acceptability: Articulation of moral judgment and disapproval of LGBT patients' identity, and forced subjection of patients to religious practices; 4) Quality: Lack of knowledge about LGBT identities and health needs, leading to poor-quality care. Participants had delayed or avoided seeking healthcare in the past, and none had sought out accountability or complaint mechanisms within the health system. Sexual orientation and gender identity are important categories of analysis for health equity, and lead to disparities in all four dimensions of healthcare access as defined by General Comment 14. Discriminatory and prejudicial attitudes by healthcare providers, combined with a lack of competency and knowledge are key reasons for these disparities in South Africa.
English for specific purposes (ESP) coursebooks compiled by writers in the People's Republic of China are described. Eight textbooks are examined focusing on their common features in terms of reading passages, reliance upon Chinese language, focus upon the Chinese environment, emphasis upon structural grammar, focus upon vocabulary, rhetorical…
Paterniti, Debora A.; Wenger, Neil S.; Williams, Bradley R.; Chewning, Betty A.
2012-01-01
Objectives To investigate older patient, physician and pharmacist perspectives about the pharmacists’ role in pharmacist-patient interactions. Methods Design Eight focus group discussions. Settings Senior centers, community pharmacies, primary care physician offices. Participants Forty-two patients aged 63 and older, 17 primary care physicians, and 13 community pharmacists. Measurements Qualitative analysis of focus group discussions. Results Participants in all focus groups indicated that pharmacists are a good resource for basic information about medications. Physicians appreciated pharmacists’ ability to identify drug interactions, yet did not comment on other specific aspects related to patient education and care. Physicians noted that pharmacists often were hindered by time constraints that impede patient counseling. Both patient and pharmacist participants indicated that patients often asked pharmacists to expand upon, reinforce, and explain physician-patient conversations about medications, as well as to evaluate medication appropriateness and physician treatment plans. These groups also noted that patients confided in pharmacists about medication-related problems before contacting physicians. Pharmacists identified several barriers to patient counseling, including lack of knowledge about medication indications and physician treatment plans. Conclusions Community-based pharmacists may often be presented with opportunities to address questions that can affect patient medication use. Older patients, physicians and pharmacists all value greater pharmacist participation in patient care. Suboptimal information flow between physicians and pharmacists may hinder pharmacist interactions with patients and detract from patient medication management. Interventions to integrate pharmacists into the patient healthcare team could improve patient medication management. PMID:22953767
Addison, Clifton; Jenkins, Brenda W. Campbell; White, Monique; Henderson, Frances; McGill, Dorothy J.; Antoine-LaVigne, Donna; Payton, Marinelle
2017-01-01
The present study aimed to examine the perceptions of African American communities regarding the involvement of political leaders in facilitating policy and environmental change promoting healthy eating and physical activity. We selected the Metro Jackson Area comprised of Hinds, Madison and Rankin Counties because it is a combination of urban and rural communities. The sample consisted of 70 participants from seven sites. A total of seven focus groups were asked to respond to one question to assess political leaders’ involvement in healthy living: “When you think about your political leaders that you have in the Jackson, Mississippi area, do any of them promote healthy eating and physical activity?” Focus groups consisted of six to 12 participants and were asked to comment on their participation in physical activity. The focus group interviews were digitally recorded. The recorded interviews were transcribed by a professional transcriptionist. Community members could not recollect much participation from political leaders in the health prevention/intervention efforts. In each of the counties, there was evidence that there was some involvement by local politicians in health promotion issues, but not on a large scale. In conclusion, making healthy foods and products available in neighborhood stores has long been associated with healthy behaviors and positive health outcomes. This can make a difference in the Mississippi communities where supermarkets are not accessible and health disparities abound. PMID:28272378
Addison, Clifton; Jenkins, Brenda W Campbell; White, Monique; Henderson, Frances; McGill, Dorothy J; Antoine-LaVigne, Donna; Payton, Marinelle
2017-03-07
The present study aimed to examine the perceptions of African American communities regarding the involvement of political leaders in facilitating policy and environmental change promoting healthy eating and physical activity. We selected the Metro Jackson Area comprised of Hinds, Madison and Rankin Counties because it is a combination of urban and rural communities. The sample consisted of 70 participants from seven sites. A total of seven focus groups were asked to respond to one question to assess political leaders' involvement in healthy living: "When you think about your political leaders that you have in the Jackson, Mississippi area, do any of them promote healthy eating and physical activity?" Focus groups consisted of six to 12 participants and were asked to comment on their participation in physical activity. The focus group interviews were digitally recorded. The recorded interviews were transcribed by a professional transcriptionist. Community members could not recollect much participation from political leaders in the health prevention/intervention efforts. In each of the counties, there was evidence that there was some involvement by local politicians in health promotion issues, but not on a large scale. In conclusion, making healthy foods and products available in neighborhood stores has long been associated with healthy behaviors and positive health outcomes. This can make a difference in the Mississippi communities where supermarkets are not accessible and health disparities abound.
The objectives of this paper are: (i) to illustrate the use of e-books by health studies students at a college of higher education; (ii) to provide a demonstration of how e-books may be facilitated by library and information services staff working across the health and academic sectors; (iii) to comment upon the experiences of health studies students, in using e-books. A focus group of 10 student midwives was used to gain insight into how e-books may be used in an academic context for health professionals. The findings of the student midwives' focus group are reported and discussed. In this instance, the student midwives were encouraged to use e-books as part of a structured information skills programme. The paper concentrates on how the e-books were used within this context and addresses the potential benefits and disadvantages from a student perspective. The results provide evidence of a largely positive experience of using e-books as an electronic information resource. The focus group reveals many benefits and advantages in the facilitation and use of e-books, as well as addressing areas for development. It is concluded that e-books have a place in health library and information resources, but further development of e-books and e-book collections is required and subsequent investigation into their most effective use.
Students' perceptions of learner-centered methods for teaching medical interviewing skills have not been fully explored. To explore Japanese students' perceptions of learner-centered methods for teaching medical interviewing skills such as role play with student-created scenarios, peer-assisted video reviews, and student-led small group debriefing. We conducted three focus groups with a total of 15 students who participated in the learner-centered seminars on medical interviewing skills at the Nagoya University School of Medicine. The transcripts were analyzed by two authors independently. Keywords and concepts were identified and a thematic framework was developed. Overall, students valued the experience of writing their own scenarios for role play, but some questioned their realism. Many students commented that peer-assisted video reviews provided them with more objective perspectives on their performance. However, some students expressed concerns about competitiveness during the video reviews. While students appreciated teachers' minimum involvement in the group debriefing, some criticized that teachers did not explain the objectives of the seminar clearly. Many students had difficulties in exchanging constructive feedback. We were able to gain new insights into positive and negative perceptions of students about learner-centered methods for teaching medical interviewing skills at one medical school in Japan.
Background In Southeast Asia, hundreds of thousands of young rural women migrate from their villages to the larger cities in search of work. Many find employment with beer companies or in the clubs where beer is sold, promoting the sale of beer. Previous research suggests these young migrants are in a highly vulnerable position. This paper will describe the findings of an October 2009 meeting to develop a research agenda on the sexual and reproductive health of beer promoters and a subsequent pilot study of focus groups with beer promoters to review this agenda. Methods Participants of the research meeting representing beer promoters, academics, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), government and the beer industry from Cambodia, Thailand, Laos, and Vietnam collaborated in the development of three key research themes. The themes were verified in focus group discussions with beer promoters organized by local research partners in all four countries. The focus group participants were asked what they felt were the key sexual and reproductive health issues facing them in a non-directive and unstructured manner, and then asked to comment more specifically on the research priorities developed at the meeting. The focus groups were recorded digitally, transcribed, and translated into English. The data were analyzed by coding for common themes and then developing matrices to compare themes between groups. Results The participants of the meeting identified three key research themes: occupational health (including harassment and violence, working conditions, and fair pay), gender and social norms (focusing on the impact of power relations between the genders on women's health), and reproductive health (knowledge and access to reproductive health care services). The participants in the focus groups in all four countries agreed that these were key priorities for them, though the emphasis on the most important issues varied between groups of women. Sexual harassment in the workplace and challenges in accessing reproductive health care services because of the barriers of cost, shyness, and stigmatizing attitudes of health care providers were common problems for many of the women. Conclusions There is a need for regional research and programming for beer promotion women in Southeast Asia focusing on the three research themes of occupational health, gender norms and reproductive health. Such research and programs could provide important benefits for many beer promotion women who currently face significant risks to their sexual and reproductive health. PMID:20594342
In Southeast Asia, hundreds of thousands of young rural women migrate from their villages to the larger cities in search of work. Many find employment with beer companies or in the clubs where beer is sold, promoting the sale of beer. Previous research suggests these young migrants are in a highly vulnerable position. This paper will describe the findings of an October 2009 meeting to develop a research agenda on the sexual and reproductive health of beer promoters and a subsequent pilot study of focus groups with beer promoters to review this agenda. Participants of the research meeting representing beer promoters, academics, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), government and the beer industry from Cambodia, Thailand, Laos, and Vietnam collaborated in the development of three key research themes. The themes were verified in focus group discussions with beer promoters organized by local research partners in all four countries. The focus group participants were asked what they felt were the key sexual and reproductive health issues facing them in a non-directive and unstructured manner, and then asked to comment more specifically on the research priorities developed at the meeting. The focus groups were recorded digitally, transcribed, and translated into English. The data were analyzed by coding for common themes and then developing matrices to compare themes between groups. The participants of the meeting identified three key research themes: occupational health (including harassment and violence, working conditions, and fair pay), gender and social norms (focusing on the impact of power relations between the genders on women's health), and reproductive health (knowledge and access to reproductive health care services). The participants in the focus groups in all four countries agreed that these were key priorities for them, though the emphasis on the most important issues varied between groups of women. Sexual harassment in the workplace and challenges in accessing reproductive health care services because of the barriers of cost, shyness, and stigmatizing attitudes of health care providers were common problems for many of the women. There is a need for regional research and programming for beer promotion women in Southeast Asia focusing on the three research themes of occupational health, gender norms and reproductive health. Such research and programs could provide important benefits for many beer promotion women who currently face significant risks to their sexual and reproductive health.
... focus on the most significant SPS barriers to trade, USTR will be guided by the existence of active... protect the life or health of humans, animals, and plants from risks arising from additives, contaminants....regulations.gov Web site provides the option of making submissions by filling in a comments field, or by...
Suggests that debate on cultural issues in mathematics provided by the critique of ethnomathematics must be based on contemporary writing in the field and should not focus on extreme views within the political justification for ethnomathematics. Addresses philosophical questions raised by Rowlands and Carson and comments on preliminary results…
... herbaceous wetland on the closed U.S. Naval Security Group Activity Sabana Seca (USNSGASS) property and the... comments we received were grouped into four general issues specifically relating to the proposed listing... responses from four of those individuals. We reviewed all comments we received from the peer reviewers for...
This article questions how two very similar sets of experiments can yield such very different findings, and comments on the differences between the studies. Here Annamarie Kerkhoff presents a commentary on some perceived differences between the studies in areas such as age groups and group sizes evaluated. Kerkhoff also comments on some…
The National ITS Architecture Team reviewed the ITS Focus Task Force on System Architecture Report, dated May 1997. The comments collected during this review are documented in this summary. Overall, the ITS Focus report reflects a clear underst...
Focus on form, i.e. brief attention to language items within a larger meaning-focused context (Long 1991; Ellis 2001), occurs in a variety of L2 instructional contexts. Meta-analyses of the effectiveness of focus on form have found overall positive effects; however, these meta-analyses have commented on the small number of studies available for…
This comment addresses the omission of a series of critical reflections in recent discussions of undergraduate education in psychology. The lack of a stronger focus on human meaning and experience, on social context, on methodological diversity, and on social critique limits the critical horizons of undergraduate psychology education. Many perspectives are routinely excluded from undergraduate psychology curricula and associated guidelines, particularly psychoanalytic theories, human science approaches, and related critical standpoints. These perspectives can offer an educational focus vital for development of students capable of critical reflection and social action. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).
Martinez, Diane J; Turner, Monique M; Pratt-Chapman, Mandi; Kashima, Kanako; Hargreaves, Margaret K; Dignan, Mark B; Hébert, James R
2016-06-01
Church interventions can reduce obesity disparities by empowering participants with knowledge and skills within an established community. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the Biomedical/Obesity Reduction Trial (BMORe) and investigate changes in health beliefs among obese adult participants. Ten pre-/post-intervention focus groups applying the Health Belief Model conducted in two African-American churches in Tennessee (n = 20) and South Carolina (n = 20), and one rural Appalachian church in Kentucky (n = 21). Two independent coders using NVivo analyzed transcribed audio data and notes. Participants' health status of being overweight/obese and having comorbidities of diabetes and high blood pressure motivated enrollment in BMORe. Initially participants voiced low self-efficacy in cooking healthy and reading food labels. BMORe made participants feel "empowered" after 12 weeks compared to initially feeling "out of control" with their weight. Participants reported improvements in emotional health, quality of life, and fewer medications. During post-intervention focus groups, participants reported increased self-efficacy through family support, sharing healthy eating strategies, and having accountability partners. Solidarity and common understanding among BMORe participants led focus group attendees to comment how their peers motivated them to stay in the program for 12 weeks. Long-term barriers include keeping the weight off by maintaining habits of exercise and healthy eating. Implementation of pre-/post-intervention focus groups is an innovative approach to evaluate an obesity intervention and track how changes in health beliefs facilitated behavior change. This novel approach shows promise for behavioral interventions that rely on participant engagement for sustained effectiveness.
Choi, Kelvin; Fabian, Lindsey; Mottey, Neli; Corbett, Amanda; Forster, Jean
2012-11-01
We explored young adults' perceptions of snus (spitless moist snuff packed in porous bags), dissolvable tobacco products, and electronic cigarettes and intention to try these products. We conducted 11 focus group discussions involving a total of 66 young adults (18-26 years old) on these new tobacco products (e.g., harmfulness, potential as quit aids, intention to try) held between July and December 2010. We analyzed discussions using a thematic approach. Participants generally reported positive perceptions of the new products, particularly because they came in flavors. Few negative perceptions were reported. Although some participants believed these products were less harmful than cigarettes and helpful in quitting smoking, others thought the opposite, particularly regarding electronic cigarettes. Participants also commented that these products could be gateways to cigarette smoking. Half of the participants, including a mix of smokers and nonsmokers, admitted they would try these products if offered by a friend. Young adults perceive the new tobacco products positively and are willing to experiment with them. Eliminating flavors in these products may reduce young adults' intentions to try these products.
Savic, Michael; Best, David; Rodda, Simone; Lubman, Dan I
2013-01-01
Addiction recovery Smartphone applications (apps) (n = 87) identified on the Google Play store in 2012 were coded, along with app user reviews, to explore functions, foci, and user experiences. Content analysis revealed that apps typically provided information on recovery, as well as content to enhance motivation, promote social support and tools to monitor progress. App users commented that the apps helped to inform them, keep them focussed, inspire them, and connect them with other people and groups. Because few addiction recovery apps appear to have been formally evaluated, further research is needed to ascertain their effectiveness as stand-alone or adjunctive interventions.
... and invited them to comment on the proposed listings. We received four comments on the proposed rule... in pairs or small family groups and consumes various insects, spiders, and small frogs (Collar et al... birds, in closely associated pairs, or in small family groups. The bird often relies on army ant (Eciton...
...The Department of Labor is extending until August 7, 2013, the comment period for an advance notice of proposed rulemaking focusing on lifetime income illustrations given to participants in defined contribution pension plans, such as 401(k) and 403(b) plans. The ANPRM serves as a request for comments on specific language and concepts in advance of a proposed regulation.
This report contains questions and comments regarding a risk evaluation and possible remedial action of Operable Unit 4 at the Feed Materials Production Center at Fernald, Ohio. Attention is focused on the US EPA Region V feasibility study and on the CRARE. The CRARE is a post-remediation time frame document.
In March 2012, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) launched the first-ever paid national tobacco education campaign. At a cost of US $54 million, "Tips from Former Smokers" (Tips) ran for 3 months across multiple media, depicting the suffering experienced by smokers and their families in graphic detail. The potential impact and reach of the Tips campaign was not limited to that achieved through paid media placements. It was also potentially extended through "earned media", including news and blog coverage of the campaign. Such coverage can shape public understanding of and facilitate public engagement with key health issues. To better understand the contribution of earned media to the public's engagement with health issues in the current news media environment, we examined the online "earned media" and public engagement generated by one national public health campaign. We constructed a purposive sample of online media coverage of the CDC's 2012 Tips from Former Smokers television campaign, focusing on 14 influential and politically diverse US news outlets and policy-focused blogs. We identified relevant content by combining campaign and website-specific keywords for 4 months around the campaign release. Each story was coded for content, inclusion of multimedia, and measures of audience engagement. The search yielded 36 stories mentioning Tips, of which 27 were focused on the campaign. Story content between pieces was strikingly similar, with most stories highlighting the same points about the campaign's content, cost, and potential impact. We saw notable evidence of audience engagement; stories focused on Tips generated 9547 comments, 8891 Facebook "likes", 1027 tweets, and 505 story URL shares on Facebook. Audience engagement varied by story and site, as did the valence and relevance of associated audience comments. Comments were most oppositional on CNN and most supportive on Yahoo. Comment coding revealed approximately equal levels of opposition and support overall. We identified four common arguments among oppositional comments: government intrusion on personal behaviors, problematic allocation of governmental spending, questionable science, and challenges regarding campaign efficacy. Supportive comments tended to convey personal stories and emotions. The Tips campaign received limited coverage on either online news or blog sources, but the limited number of stories generated engagement among online audiences. In addition to the content and volume of blog and news coverage, audience comments and websites' mechanisms for sharing stories via social media are likely to determine the influence of online earned media. In order to facilitate meaningful evaluation of public health campaigns within the rapidly advancing media environment, there is a need for the public health community to build consensus regarding collection and assessment of engagement data.
Background In March 2012, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) launched the first-ever paid national tobacco education campaign. At a cost of US $54 million, “Tips from Former Smokers” (Tips) ran for 3 months across multiple media, depicting the suffering experienced by smokers and their families in graphic detail. The potential impact and reach of the Tips campaign was not limited to that achieved through paid media placements. It was also potentially extended through “earned media”, including news and blog coverage of the campaign. Such coverage can shape public understanding of and facilitate public engagement with key health issues. Objective To better understand the contribution of earned media to the public’s engagement with health issues in the current news media environment, we examined the online “earned media” and public engagement generated by one national public health campaign. Methods We constructed a purposive sample of online media coverage of the CDC’s 2012 Tips from Former Smokers television campaign, focusing on 14 influential and politically diverse US news outlets and policy-focused blogs. We identified relevant content by combining campaign and website-specific keywords for 4 months around the campaign release. Each story was coded for content, inclusion of multimedia, and measures of audience engagement. Results The search yielded 36 stories mentioning Tips, of which 27 were focused on the campaign. Story content between pieces was strikingly similar, with most stories highlighting the same points about the campaign’s content, cost, and potential impact. We saw notable evidence of audience engagement; stories focused on Tips generated 9547 comments, 8891 Facebook “likes”, 1027 tweets, and 505 story URL shares on Facebook. Audience engagement varied by story and site, as did the valence and relevance of associated audience comments. Comments were most oppositional on CNN and most supportive on Yahoo. Comment coding revealed approximately equal levels of opposition and support overall. We identified four common arguments among oppositional comments: government intrusion on personal behaviors, problematic allocation of governmental spending, questionable science, and challenges regarding campaign efficacy. Supportive comments tended to convey personal stories and emotions. Conclusions The Tips campaign received limited coverage on either online news or blog sources, but the limited number of stories generated engagement among online audiences. In addition to the content and volume of blog and news coverage, audience comments and websites’ mechanisms for sharing stories via social media are likely to determine the influence of online earned media. In order to facilitate meaningful evaluation of public health campaigns within the rapidly advancing media environment, there is a need for the public health community to build consensus regarding collection and assessment of engagement data. PMID:25604520
In the preceding discussion paper, I proposed a theory of prefrontal cortical organization that was fundamentally intended to address the question: How does prefrontal cortex (PFC) support the various functions for which it seems to be selectively recruited? In so doing, I chose to focus on a particular function, analogy, that seems to have been largely ignored in the theoretical treatments of PFC, but that does underlie many other cognitive functions (Hofstadter, 2001 ; Holyoak & Thagard, 1997 ). At its core, this paper was intended to use analogy as a foundation for exploring one possibility for prefrontal function in general, although it is easy to see how the analogy-specific interpretation arises (as in the comment by Ibáñez). In an attempt to address this more foundational question, this response will step away from analogy as a focus, and will address first the various comments from the perspective of the initial motivation for developing this theory, and then specific issues raised by the commentators.
Heetderks-Cox, M J; Alford, B B; Bednar, C M; Heiss, C J; Tauai, L A; Edgren, K K
2001-09-01
This study observed the effect of using a computerized vs manual method of self-monitoring among Air Force personnel receiving nutrition counseling for weight loss. Subjects who enrolled during the first 2 weeks of the 4-week recruitment period completed food records for 6 weeks using a CD-ROM nutrient database (intervention group) whereas those who enrolled during the last 2 weeks used a food record booklet (comparison group). Of the 42 subjects (n = 23 intervention group and n = 19 comparison group), only 113 intervention and 11 comparison group subjects (57% of study enrollees) submitted at least 1 food record during the study and were included in the analysis, which included review of pre- and poststudy questionnaires, food records, and focus group data. There were no significant differences between the number of days per week documented or average number of items recorded daily. All 9 intervention as compared to 2 comparison group subjects who completed a poststudy questionnaire searched for lower-energy and lower-fat items and reported changing their dietary intake as a result. All intervention group subjects who participated in a focus group (n=6) had favorable comments about using the CD-ROM for monitoring and changing eating habits, indicating that it is a beneficial self-monitoring tool. Participants enjoyed the immediate dietary feedback, and computerized food records may be easier to interpret by nutrition counselors. A number of computerized nutrient databases are available to assist patients and consumers in managing nutritional concerns.
The focus group social science research method is an efficient and flexible data collection tool with broad applicability across disciplines and contexts. Through group dynamics, this interviewing approach offers strengths in gathering candid, spontaneous comments and detailed firsthand descriptions from stakeholders' perspectives. The method, which can stand alone or be integrated with other research frameworks, has much potential for helping to manage complex issues of global change. For optimal outcomes, however, careful planning and procedures are paramount. This presentation offers guidance in this regard via examples, tips, and lessons learned from a multidisciplinary NOAA-funded project: Ecological Effects of Sea Level Rise in the Northern Gulf of Mexico (EESLR-NGOM). Focus groups are a key component of the EESLR-NGOM project as they are being used to better understand coastal resource managers' operational and information behaviors and needs regarding sea level rise (SLR), erosion, and hurricane storm surge impact; to learn how to best develop and translate the project's expected scientific results into straightforward, useful, and readily-disseminated products; and to gather outreach recommendations. As part of an EESLR-NGOM project kickoff workshop, 12 coastal resource managers participated voluntarily in a focus group. A summary of findings and illustrative participant quotations will be included in the presentation. The initial focus group was productive in gaining insights into challenges and opportunities associated with a climate change project such as the EESLR-NGOM. It highlighted the importance of considering the interrelationships of natural and built environments and new avenues for resilience and sustainability. The coastal resource managers are not only end-users but also opinion leaders in their local communities who will diffuse this information widely through their networks of other potential end-users. Engaging coastal resource managers in this manner will result in successful communication and tailoring of the scientific products so that they are most appropriate and beneficial in helping to determine the viability of future management actions relative to predicted conditions and will put resource managers in a more knowledgeable position to inform policy makers as to the likely results of their decisions. Further, by addressing the gap in the interdisciplinary literature on regionally-based climate change issues as studied using qualitative social science research approaches such as focus groups, our work makes theoretical and methodological scholarly contributions.
Presents a characterization of students' comments during observation of meal worms or brine shrimp. Finds that many student comments had to do with sex, reproduction, death, violence, and the life history of the organisms. Significant differences in conversations occurred across age and gender groups. Contains 32 references. (Author/WRM)
Background The Theoretical Domains Framework (TDF) was developed to investigate determinants of specific clinical behaviors and inform the design of interventions to change professional behavior. This framework was used to explore the beliefs of chiropractors in an American Provider Network and two Canadian provinces about their adherence to evidence-based recommendations for spine radiography for uncomplicated back pain. The primary objective of the study was to identify chiropractors’ beliefs about managing uncomplicated back pain without x-rays and to explore barriers and facilitators to implementing evidence-based recommendations on lumbar spine x-rays. A secondary objective was to compare chiropractors in the United States and Canada on their beliefs regarding the use of spine x-rays. Methods Six focus groups exploring beliefs about managing back pain without x-rays were conducted with a purposive sample. The interview guide was based upon the TDF. Focus groups were digitally recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed by two independent assessors using thematic content analysis based on the TDF. Results Five domains were identified as likely relevant. Key beliefs within these domains included the following: conflicting comments about the potential consequences of not ordering x-rays (risk of missing a pathology, avoiding adverse treatment effects, risks of litigation, determining the treatment plan, and using x-ray-driven techniques contrasted with perceived benefits of minimizing patient radiation exposure and reducing costs; beliefs about consequences); beliefs regarding professional autonomy, professional credibility, lack of standardization, and agreement with guidelines widely varied ( social/professional role & identity); the influence of formal training, colleagues, and patients also appeared to be important factors ( social influences); conflicting comments regarding levels of confidence and comfort in managing patients without x-rays ( belief about capabilities); and guideline awareness and agreements ( knowledge). Conclusions Chiropractors’ use of diagnostic imaging appears to be influenced by a number of factors. Five key domains may be important considering the presence of conflicting beliefs, evidence of strong beliefs likely to impact the behavior of interest, and high frequency of beliefs. The results will inform the development of a theory-based survey to help identify potential targets for behavioral-change strategies. PMID:22938135
The focus of this response to Virginie Albe and Marie-Jose Gombert's (2011) article on a research study of students' school science conference on global warming is to develop some thoughts on covert assumptions which underpin any such conference. My comments refer to the politics behind the production of scientific knowledge of climate change and…
... ways, including long-term health problems, emotional impacts, and links to negative health behaviors... Domestic Violence Prevention Enhancements and Leadership Through Alliances (DELTA) Program, with a focus on... (Domestic Violence Prevention Enhancement and Leadership through Alliances, Focusing on Outcomes for...
Crowther, S.; Vridhachalam, M.; Tomala-Reyes, A.; Guerra, A.; Chu, H.; Eckman, B.
2008-12-01
The health of the world's freshwater ecosystems is fundamental to the health of people, plants and animals around the world. The sustainable use of the world's freshwater resources is recognized as one of the most urgent challenges facing society today. An estimated 1.3 billion people currently lack access to safe drinking water, an issue the United Nations specifically includes in its recently published Millennium Development Goals. IBM is collaborating with The Nature Conservancy and the Center for Sustainability and the Global Environment (SAGE) at the University of Wisconsin, Madison to build a Modeling Collaboration Framework and Decision Support System (DSS) designed to help policy makers and a variety of stakeholders (farmers, fish and wildlife managers, hydropower operators, et al.) to assess, come to consensus, and act on land use decisions representing effective compromises between human use and ecosystem preservation/restoration efforts. Initially focused on Brazil's Paraguay-Parana, China's Yangtze, and the Mississippi Basin in the US, the DSS integrates data and models from a wide variety of environmental sectors, including water balance, water quality, carbon balance, crop production, hydropower, and biodiversity. In this presentation we focus on the collaboration aspects of the DSS. The DSS is an open environment tool that allows scientists, policy makers, politicians, land owners, and anyone who desires to take ownership of their actions in support of the environment to work together to that end. The DSS supports a range of features that empower such a community to collaboratively work together. Supported collaboration mediums include peer reviews, live chat, static comments, and Web 2.0 functionality such as tagging. In addition, we are building a 3-D virtual world component which will allow users to experience and share system results, first-hand. Models and simulation results may be annotated with free-text comments and tags, whether unique or chosen from a predefined tag taxonomy. These comments and tag clouds may be used by the community to filter results and identify models or simulations of interest, e.g, by region, modeling approach, spatiotemporal resolution, etc. Users may discuss methods or results in real-time with a built-in chat feature. Separate user groups may be defined for logical groups of collaboration partners, e.g., expert modelers, land managers, policy makers, school children, or the general public, to optimize the collaboration signal-to-noise ratio for all.
Family-centered rounds (FCR) has become a leading model for pediatric inpatient rounding. During FCR, faculty must balance trainees' educational needs with patient care priorities. Investigators have examined trainees' views on effective teaching during FCR, but none have evaluated what family members and nurses consider to be effective teaching behaviors of attending physicians. The authors sought to explore family members' and nurses' perspectives on effective teaching behaviors during FCR. The authors conducted (2012-2013) a qualitative study of families and nurses at an academic children's hospital where FCR is the standard model for inpatient rounds. Nurses and families familiar with FCR participated in separate focus groups. The authors reviewed focus group transcripts using techniques of qualitative content analysis; they generated codes and developed categories, supported by illustrative quotations. Fifteen nurses and 13 family members participated in the focus groups. The unifying theme was that situational awareness on behalf of the attending physician is essential for FCR to be educational for all participants. The authors identified four categories of awareness-(1) cognitive factors, (2) logistics and time management, (3) physical environment, (4) emotional state-and developed a set of effective teaching strategies based on participants' comments. The findings of this study support previous work identifying effective FCR teaching strategies, but this study is the first to include the perspectives of families and nurses. The inclusion of these participants provides a framework for faculty development and training to improve the educational value of FCR.
The purpose of this study is to describe nurse managers' perceptions of the use of electronic information systems in their daily work. Several kinds of software are used for administrative and information management purposes in health care organizations, but the issue has been studied less from nurse managers' perspective. The material for this qualitative study was acquired according to the principles of focus group interview. Altogether eight focus groups were held with 48 nurse managers from both primary and specialized health care organizations. The nurse managers were asked in focus groups to describe the use of information systems in their daily work in addition to some other themes. The material was analyzed by inductive content analysis using ATLAS.ti computer program. The main category "pros and cons of using information systems in nursing management" summarized the nurse managers' perceptions of using electronic information systems. The main category consisted of three sub-categories: (1) nurse managers' perceptions of the use of information technology; (2) usability of management information systems; (3) development of personnel competencies and work processes. The nurse managers made several comments on the implementation of immature electronic information systems which caused inefficiencies in working processes. However, they considered electronic information systems to be essential elements of their daily work. Furthermore, the nurse managers' descriptions of the pros and cons of using information systems reflected partly the shortcomings of strategic management and lack of coordination in health care organizations. Copyright 2010 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.
Carlozzi, Noelle E.; Brickell, Tracey A.; Psych, D.; French, Louis M.; Sander, Angelle; Kratz, Anna L.; Tulsky, David S.; Chiaravalloti, Nancy D.; Hahn, Elizabeth A.; Kallen, Michael; Austin, Amy M.; Miner, Jennifer A.; Lange, Rael T.
2016-01-01
Objective To develop a conceptual framework that captures aspects of health-related quality of life (HRQOL) for caregivers of individuals with military-related traumatic brain injury (TBI). Design Qualitative data from nine focus groups composed of caregivers of wounded warriors with a medically documented TBI were analyzed. Setting Focus group participants were recruited through Walter Reed National Military Medical Center (WRNMMC), community outreach and support groups. Participants 45 caregivers of wounded warriors who had sustained a mild, moderate, severe, or penetrating TBI. Results Qualitative frequency analysis indicated that caregivers most frequently discussed social health (44% of comments), followed by emotional (40%) and physical health (12%). Areas of discussion that were specific to this population included: anger regarding barriers to health services (for caregivers and service members), emotional suppression (putting on a brave face for others, even when things are not going well), and hypervigilance (controlling one’s behavior/environment to prevent upsetting the service member). Conclusion Caring for wounded warriors with TBI is a complex experience that positively and negatively affects HRQOL. While some aspects of HRQOL can be evaluated with existing measures, evaluation of other important components does not exist. The development of military-specific measures would help facilitate better care for these individuals. PMID:27997672
Recent findings suggest that interactive game-like graphics might be useful in communicating probabilities. We developed a prototype for a risk communication module, focusing on eliciting users' preferences for different interactive graphics and assessing usability and user interpretations. Feedback from five focus groups was used to design the graphics. The final version displayed a matrix of square buttons; clicking on any button allowed the user to see whether the stick figure underneath was affected by the health outcome. When participants used this interaction to learn about a risk, they expressed more emotional responses, both positive and negative, than when viewing any static graphic or numerical description of a risk. Their responses included relief about small risks and concern about large risks. The groups also commented on static graphics: arranging the figures affected by disease randomly throughout a group of figures made it more difficult to judge the proportion affected but often was described as more realistic. Interactive graphics appear to have potential for expressing risk magnitude as well as the feeling of risk. This affective impact could be useful in increasing perceived threat of high risks, calming fears about low risks, or comparing risks. Quantitative studies are planned to assess the effect on perceived risks and estimated risk magnitudes.
... 1939, to preserve an important piece of shallow-water and prairie habitats for waterfowl and other... days to comment. Six individuals and groups provided comments, and appropriate changes were made to the...
... more time to review the redlined of the original rule and the proposed revisions, as well as review the test data for Group I furnaces. DATES: Comments. The public comment period for the proposed rule...
... time for the annual audit report is 100 hours per OTC derivatives dealer, for a total of 180 hours per... Financial and Operational Combined Uniform Single (``FOCUS'') Report, is the basic document for reporting...). Rule 17a-12 requires registered OTC derivatives dealers to file Part IIB of the FOCUS Report quarterly...
... DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Food and Drug Administration [Docket No. FDA-N-2013-1041] Fibromyalgia Public Meeting on Patient-Focused Drug Development; Correction AGENCY: Food and Drug Administration, HHS. ACTION: Notice of public meeting; request for comments; correction. SUMMARY: The Food and...
This paper examines the underlying genres of philosophy focusing especially on their pedagogical forms to emphasize the materiality and historicity of genres, texts and writing. It focuses briefly on the history of the essay and its relation to the journal within the wider history of scientific communication, and comments on the standardized forms…
Feedback is certainly about saying or writing helpful, learning-focused comments. But that is only part of it. What happens beforehand? What happens afterward? Feedback that is helpful and learning-focused fits into a context. Before a teacher gives feedback, students need to know the learning target so they have a purpose for using the feedback…
... DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Food and Drug Administration [Docket No. FDA-2013-N-0815] Narcolepsy Public Meeting on Patient-Focused Drug Development AGENCY: Food and Drug Administration, HHS. ACTION: Notice of public meeting; request for comments. SUMMARY: The Food and Drug Administration (FDA...
... DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Food and Drug Administration [Docket No. FDA-2013-N-1041] Fibromyalgia Public Meeting on Patient-Focused Drug Development AGENCY: Food and Drug Administration, HHS. ACTION: Notice of public meeting; request for comments. SUMMARY: The Food and Drug Administration (FDA...
This article describes a program that HealthPartners uses to assess and compare the performance of specialists that serve its members. HealthPartners' Balanced Scorecards program focuses on cardiologist and orthopedist practices in the Minneapolis/St. Paul metro area and St. Cloud, Minnesota. The scorecards assess the clinical and business processes of specialist practices, their use of resources, the degree to which patients and referring physicians are satisfied with their performance, and their patient outcomes. Unblinded comparative data is made available to referring physicians, employers, and consumers only after each individual specialist group has had the opportunity to review its own data against blinded results, discuss the methodology, and comment on the results.
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the views of specialists in occupational medicine about business ethics in occupational medicine. METHOD: A qualitative study with face to face focus groups and successive reviews of the draft consensus was undertaken of all accredited specialists in occupational medicine who were members of the south Wales and west of England group of the Society of Occupational Medicine, and of all regional specialty advisers and deputies from the Faculty of Occupational Medicine. RESULTS: There was widespread agreement for the need of a code of business ethics. In all, during the four draft stages of preparing a consensus, 72% (28/39) of members of the south Wales and west of England group of the Society of Occupational Medicine, and 31% (20/64) of regional specialty advisers and deputies provided detailed comment for inclusion in it. CONCLUSIONS: Consensus of their views was reached among study participants for issues of business ethics involving advertising, competence, qualifications, fees, commitment, changes in provider contracts, regulation, and supervision of trainees. It provides a basis for further debate. PMID:9196458
To identify factors associated with online patient ratings and comments for a nationwide sample of otolaryngologists. Ratings, demographic information, and written comments were obtained for a random sample of otolaryngologists from HealthGrades.com and Vitals.com . Online Presence Score (OPS) was based on 10 criteria, including professional website and social media profiles. Regression analyses identified factors associated with increased rating. We evaluated for correlations between OPS and other attributes with star rating and used chi-square tests to evaluate content differences between positive and negative comments. On linear regression, increased OPS was associated with higher ratings on HealthGrades and Vitals; higher ratings were also associated with younger age on Vitals and less experience on HealthGrades. However, detailed correlation studies showed weak correlation between OPS and rating; age and graduation year also showed low correlation with ratings. Negative comments more likely focused on surgeon-independent factors or poor bedside manner. Though younger otolaryngologists with greater online presence tend to have higher ratings, weak correlations suggest that age and online presence have only a small impact on the content found on ratings websites. While most written comments are positive, deficiencies in bedside manner or other physician-independent factors tend to elicit negative comments.
... Administration DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE (CONTINUED) IMPLEMENTATION OF THE PROVISIONS OF THE VOTING RIGHTS ACT REGARDING LANGUAGE MINORITY GROUPS Comment on This Part § 55.24 Procedure. These guidelines may be modified... parties. The Attorney General therefore invites public comments and suggestions on these guidelines. Any...
... Administration DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE (CONTINUED) IMPLEMENTATION OF THE PROVISIONS OF THE VOTING RIGHTS ACT REGARDING LANGUAGE MINORITY GROUPS Comment on This Part § 55.24 Procedure. These guidelines may be modified... parties. The Attorney General therefore invites public comments and suggestions on these guidelines. Any...
... Administration DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE (CONTINUED) IMPLEMENTATION OF THE PROVISIONS OF THE VOTING RIGHTS ACT REGARDING LANGUAGE MINORITY GROUPS Comment on This Part § 55.24 Procedure. These guidelines may be modified... parties. The Attorney General therefore invites public comments and suggestions on these guidelines. Any...
Many comments have been received as a result of the Federal Railroad Administrations (FRA) : issuance of a Proposed Rule for the Use of Locomotive Horns at Highway-Rail Grade Crossings. : A large group of comments were received on a particular pro...
The commentator suggests that it is necessary to extend the classical connotation of global city which focuses much on the functions of controlling global capital and production. Global city should also include the dimensions of the leading role and capacity on health improvements and well-being promotion. The commentator agrees with authors' assessments about Shanghai's substantial progress on health services and health system reform, however, we should pay much attention to the significant inequality of health services between central city and outskirt, and between local residents and non-hukou migrants. The commentator also suggests that future researches could study the successful experiences of Avoidable Mortality (AM) decline and also disease specific AM decline in main global cities, in order to make more effective policy implications and social schemes recommendations for health improvements in Shanghai and in other cities.
The search for relevant educational videos is a time consuming process for the users. Furthermore, the increasing demand for educational videos intensifies the problem and calls for the users to utilize whichever information is offered by the hosting web pages, and choose the most appropriate one. This research focuses on the classification of user views, based on the comments on educational videos, into positive or negative ones. The aim is to give users a picture of the positive and negative comments that have been recorded, so as to provide a qualitative view of the final selection at their disposal. The present paper's innovation is the automatic identification of the most important words of the verbal content of the video lectures and the filtering of the comments based on them, thus limiting the comments to the ones that have a substantial semantic connection with the video content.
This article examines the use of six Danish "Rest in Peace" or (RIP) memorial pages. The article focuses on the relation between news media and RIP page use, in relation to general communicative practices on these pages. Based on an analysis of press coverage of the deaths of six young people and a close analysis of 1,015 comments extracted from the RIP pages created to memorialize them, it is shown that their deaths attracted considerable media attention, as did the RIP pages themselves. Comment activity seem to reflect the news stories in the way the commenters refer to the context of death and the emotional distress they experience, but mainly comments on the RIP pages are conventional expressions of sympathy and "RIP" wishes. The article concludes that public RIP pages might be understood as virtual spontaneous shrines, affording an emerging practice of "RIP-ing."
de la Beaujardiere, J.; McInerney, M.; Frame, M. T.; Summers, C.
2017-12-01
The US Group on Earth Observations (USGEO) Data Management Working Group (DMWG) has been developing Cloud Computing Recommendations for Earth Observations. This inter-agency report is currently in draft form; DMWG hopes to have released the report as a public Request for Information (RFI) by the time of AGU. The recommendations are geared toward organizations that have already decided to use the Cloud for some of their activities (i.e., the focus is not on "why you should use the Cloud," but rather "If you plan to use the Cloud, consider these suggestions.") The report comprises Introductory Material, including Definitions, Potential Cloud Benefits, and Potential Cloud Disadvantages, followed by Recommendations in several areas: Assessing When to Use the Cloud, Transferring Data to the Cloud, Data and Metadata Contents, Developing Applications in the Cloud, Cost Minimization, Security Considerations, Monitoring and Metrics, Agency Support, and Earth Observations-specific recommendations. This talk will summarize the recommendations and invite comment on the RFI.
This study sought to explore the effects of exposure to Facebook body ideal profile pictures and norm conforming comments on users' body image. In addition, the social identity and self-categorization theoretical frameworks were used to explore users' endorsement of a body ideal norm. A mock Facebook page was used to conduct a pretest posttest 2 × 2 between-group web-based experiment that featured body ideal profile pictures (body ideal vs. no body) and body ideal comments (conforming vs. nonconforming). Five hundred and one participants completed the experiment and passed all manipulation checks. Participants viewed pictures and comments on the status page and were able to leave their own comment before exiting. Results demonstrated no significant main effects. However, predispositional body satisfaction significantly moderated the relationship between body ideal pictures and body satisfaction. Most comments supported the body ideal norm. However, in support of self-categorization theory, participants exposed to nonconforming comments made nonconforming comments themselves significantly more than those exposed to conforming comments. The findings demonstrated the importance of continued body image research in social network sites, as well as the potential for self-categorization theory to guide such research.
Daykin, N; Irwin, R; Kimberlee, R; Orme, J; Plant, M; McCarron, L; Rahbari, M
2009-03-01
This research investigated the representation of alcohol in radio output. The study was prompted by concerns that media output might be part of a developing culture of excessive drinking among young people. Alcohol comments were examined across six radio stations in England. 1200 h of weekend output was screened and the sampling frame included periods when references to alcohol would be expected, such as the Christmas period. Statistical analysis identified the volume and proportion of comments, whereas qualitative analysis explored these in more depth, focusing on the themes and discourses surrounding alcohol talk. Of 703 alcohol comments identified, 244 involved presenters. The volume of comments about alcohol varied between stations, being lower on BBC than on commercial stations and being influenced by music genre. Seventy-three percent of comments initiated by presenters, compared with 45% of comments from all sources, encouraged drinking. The majority of comments by presenters support drinking in relation to partying and socializing. Alcohol comments seem to create identity for programmes and forge connections between presenters and audiences, although some presenters achieve this without mentioning drinking. The assumption that alcohol is necessary to have a good time is seldom directly challenged. While it may be unsurprising that much of this content reflected themes of weekend drinking and partying, the study suggests that alcohol comments play a particular role in marketing and branding of radio output. Comments about alcohol are shaped by broadcasting conventions that make it difficult to challenge discourses surrounding excessive drinking. Further research is needed on the influence that radio output may have on drinking behaviour among young people.
Fabian, Lindsey; Mottey, Neli; Corbett, Amanda; Forster, Jean
2012-01-01
Objectives. We explored young adults’ perceptions of snus (spitless moist snuff packed in porous bags), dissolvable tobacco products, and electronic cigarettes and intention to try these products. Methods. We conducted 11 focus group discussions involving a total of 66 young adults (18–26 years old) on these new tobacco products (e.g., harmfulness, potential as quit aids, intention to try) held between July and December 2010. We analyzed discussions using a thematic approach. Results. Participants generally reported positive perceptions of the new products, particularly because they came in flavors. Few negative perceptions were reported. Although some participants believed these products were less harmful than cigarettes and helpful in quitting smoking, others thought the opposite, particularly regarding electronic cigarettes. Participants also commented that these products could be gateways to cigarette smoking. Half of the participants, including a mix of smokers and nonsmokers, admitted they would try these products if offered by a friend. Conclusions. Young adults perceive the new tobacco products positively and are willing to experiment with them. Eliminating flavors in these products may reduce young adults’ intentions to try these products. PMID:22813086
... for OMB Review; Comment Request; Establishing Creditable Coverage Under Group Health Plans ACTION... Administration (EBSA) sponsored information collection request (ICR) titled, ``Establishing Creditable Coverage... method of crediting coverage established by the regulations. The regulations permit a plan to adopt, as...
... 13, 2013. ADDRESSES: Direct all written comments to Jennifer Jessup, Departmental Paperwork Clearance... allocations to eligible entities representing the catcher/processor sector, the mothership sector, inshore cooperatives, and Community Development Quota (CDQ) groups. Transferable allocations provide the pollock fleet...
After a quarter century of discoveries that rattled the foundations of classical mechanics and electrodynamics, the year 1926 saw the publication of two works intended to provide a theoretical structure to support new quantum explanations of the subatomic world. Heisenberg's matrix mechanics and Schrödinger's wave mechanics provided compatible but mathematically disparate ways of unifying the discoveries of Planck, Einstein, Bohr and many others. Efforts began immediately to prove the equivalence of these two structures, culminated successfully by John von Neumann's 1932 volume Mathematical Foundations of Quantum Mechanics. This forms the springboard for the current effort. We begin with a presentation of a minimal set of von Neumann postulates while introducing language and notation to facilitate subsequent discussion of quantum calculations based in finite dimensional Hilbert spaces. Chapters that follow address two-state quantum systems (with spin one-half as the primary example), entanglement of multiple two-state systems, quantum angular momentum theory and quantum approaches to statistical mechanics. A concluding chapter gives an overview of issues associated with quantum mechanics in continuous infinite-dimensional Hilbert spaces. [Planck1900] PlanckM1900Zur Teorie des Gesetzes der Energieverteilung in NormalspektrumVerhandlung der Deutscher Physikalischen Gesellschaft 2 237[Heisenberg1925] HeisenbergW1925Über quantentheoretische Umdeutung kinematischer und mechanischer BeziehungenZ. Phys. 33 87993879-9310.1007/BF01328377[Schrödinger1926] SchrödingerE1926Quantisierung als Eigenwert ProblemAnn. Phys. 79 361367361-710.1002/andp.19263840404[vonNeumann1932] von NeumannJ1932Mathematische Grundlagen der QuantenmechanikBerlinSpringer(English translation 1955 Mathematical Foundation of Quantum Mechanics (Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press))[Einstein1935] EinsteinA1935Can quantum-mechanical description of physical reality be considered complete?Phys. Rev. 47 77780777-8010.1103/PhysRev.47.777[DiVencenzo1995] DiVencenzoD P1995Two-bit gates are universal for quantum computationPhys. Rev. A 51 1015221015-2210.1103/PhysRevA.51.1015[Bell1964] BellJ S1964On the Einstein Podolsky Rosen paradoxPhysics 1 195200195-200[Clauser1969] ClauserJHorneMShimonyAHoltR1969Proposed experiment to test local hidden-variable theoriesPhys. Rev. Lett. 23 88010.1103/PhysRevLett.23.880[Shor1994] ShorP W1994Algorithms for quantum computation: discrete logarithm and factoring Proc. 35th Annu. Symp. on Foundations of Computer Science Santa Fe, NM [Shor1997] ShorP W1997Polynomial-time algorithms for prime factorization and discrete logarithms on a quantum computer'SIAM J. Comput. 26 148415091484-50910.1137/S0097539795293172[Grover1996] GroverL K1996A fast quantum mechanical algorithm for database search Proc. 28th Annu. ACM Symp. on the Theory of Computing p212[Simon1994] SimonD R1994On the power of quantum computationProc. 35th Annu. Symp. on the Foundations of Computer ScienceLos Alamitos, CAIEEEpp116193116-93[Mathworld] MathWorld-A Wolfram Web Resource http://mathworld.wolfram.com/RSAEncryption.html[Coutinho1999] CoutinhoS C1999The Mathematics of Ciphers: Number Theory and RSA CryptographyWellesley, MAA K Peters[Mermin2007] MerminD N2007Quantum Computer ScienceNew YorkCambridge University Press[Noether1918] Nöther E 1918 Invariante Variationsproblema, Nachrichten von der Gesellschaft der Wissenschaften zu Göttingen 235-57 Nöther's original paper on this topic and an English translation by M A Tavel can be found at `Noether, Amalie Emmy' CWP http://cwp.library.ucla.edu/[Rose1957] RoseM E1957Elementary Theory of Angular MomentumNew YorkWiley(Reprinted by Dover in 1995)[Edmunds1957] EdmondsA R1957Angular Momentum in Quantum MechanicsPrinceton, NJPrinceton University Press[Biedenharn1981] BiedenharnL CLouckJ D1981Angular Momentum in Quantum PhysicsReading, MAAddison-Wesley[Weisstein2002a] WeissteinE W2002CRC Concise Encyclopedia of Mathematics2nd edn(Weisstein E W Associated Legendre Polynomial MathWorld-A Wolfram Web Resource http://mathworld.wolfram.com/AssociatedLegendrePolynomial.html)Boca Raton, FLCRC[Weisstein2002b] WeissteinE W2002CRC Concise Encyclopedia of Mathematics2nd edn(Weisstein E W Spherical harmonic MathWorld-A Wolfram Web Resource http://mathworld.wolfram.com/SphericalHarmonic.html)Boca Raton, FLCRC[Fano1959] FanoURacahG1959Irreducible Tensorial SetsNew YorkAcademic[Danos1990] DanosMGilletV1990Angular Momentum Calculus in Quantum MechanicsSingaporeWorld Scientific[Wigner1931] WignerE1931The application of group theory to the quantum dynamics of monatomic systemsGruppenteorieBraunschweigFriedrich Vieweg und Sohn[Eckart1930] EckartCThe application of group theory to the quantum dynamics of monatomic systems1930Rev. Mod. Phys. 2 30510.1103/RevModPhys.2.305[Sunderland2004] SunderlandB2004Beautiful Models: 70 Years of Exactly Solved Quantum Many-Body ProblemsHackensack, NJWorld Scientific[Bohr1972] BohrN1911PhD Thesis Copenhagen University (in Rosenfeld L and Nielsen J R 1972 Niels Bohr Collected Works 1. Early Works (1905-1911)AmsterdamElsevierpp163, 165-393[vanLeeuwen1921] van LeeuwenH J1921Problémes de la théorie électronique du magnétismeJ. Phys. Radium 2 36177361-7710.1051/jphysrad:01921002012036100[Lenz1920] LenzW1920Beiträge zum Verständnis der magnetischen Eigenschaften in fester KörpernPhys. Z. 21 613[Ising1925] IsingE1925Beitrag zur Theorie des FerromagnetismusZ. Phys. 31 253-810.1007/BF02980577[Baxter2007] BaxterR J1982Exactly Solved Models in Statistical MechanicsLondonAcademic[Bethe1931] BetheH A1931Zur Theorie der Metalle 1Z. Phys. 71 205226205-2610.1007/BF01341708[Karbach1997] KarbachMMüllerJ1997Introduction to the Bethe Ansatz IComput. Phys. 11 364336-4310.1063/1.4822511[vonNeumann1932] von NeumannJ1932Mathematische Grundlagen der QuantenmechanikBerlinSpringerEnglish translation 1955 Mathematical Foundation of Quantum Mechanics (Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press)[Schroedinger1926-2] SchrödingerE1926Ann. Phys. 79 73456734-5610.1002/andp.19263840804[WeissteinHP] WeissteinE WHermite polynomialMathWorld-A Wolfram Web Resourcehttp://mathworld.wolfram.com/HermitePolynomial.html[Messiah1961] MessiahA(transl. G M Temmer)1961Quantum MechanicsNorth HollandAmsterdam[WeissteinLP] WeissteinE WAssociated Laguerre polynomialMathWorld-A Wolfram Web Resourcehttp://mathworld.wolfram.com/AssociatedLaguerrePolynomial.html[Dirac1930] DiracP A M1930The Principles of Quantum MechanicsOxfordOxford University Press(Subsequent editions in 1935, 1947 and 1958)[Gelfand1964] Gel'fandI MShilovG E1964Generalized Functions vol. 1New YorkAcademic[Axler1997] AxlerS1997Linear Algebra Done RightNew YorkSpringer
Objective To examine the key themes of positive and negative feedback in patients’ online feedback on NHS (National Health Service) services in England and to understand the specific issues within these themes and how they drive positive and negative evaluation. Design Computer-assisted quantitative and qualitative studies of 228 113 comments (28 971 142 words) of online feedback posted to the NHS Choices website. Comments containing the most frequent positive and negative evaluative words are qualitatively examined to determine the key drivers of positive and negative feedback. Participants Contributors posting comments about the NHS between March 2013 and September 2015. Results Overall, NHS services were evaluated positively approximately three times more often than negatively. The four key areas of focus were: treatment, communication, interpersonal skills and system/organisation. Treatment exhibited the highest proportion of positive evaluative comments (87%), followed by communication (77%), interpersonal skills (44%) and, finally, system/organisation (41%). Qualitative analysis revealed that reference to staff interpersonal skills featured prominently, even in comments relating to treatment and system/organisational issues. Positive feedback was elicited in cases of staff being caring, compassionate and knowing patients’’ names, while rudeness, apathy and not listening were frequent drivers of negative feedback. Conclusions Although technical competence constitutes an undoubtedly fundamental aspect of healthcare provision, staff members were much more likely to be evaluated both positively and negatively according to their interpersonal skills. Therefore, the findings reported in this study highlight the salience of such ‘soft’ skills to patients and emphasise the need for these to be focused upon and developed in staff training programmes, as well as ensuring that decisions around NHS funding do not result in demotivated and rushed staff. The findings also reveal a significant overlap between the four key themes in the ways that care is evaluated by patients. PMID:28450463
Lloyd Bond comments here on the Focus article in this issue of "Measurement: Interdisciplinary Research and Perspectives". The Focus article is entitled: "How Task Features Impact Evidence from Assessments Embedded in Simulations and Games" (Russell G. Almond, Yoon Jeon Kim, Gertrudes Velasquez, and Valerie J. Shute). Bond…
... DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Food and Drug Administration [Docket No. FDA-2011-N-0366] Food and Drug Administration Food Safety Modernization Act: Focus on Inspections and Compliance AGENCY: Food and Drug Administration, HHS. ACTION: Notice of public meeting; request for comments. SUMMARY: The...
Sheldon, Kennon M.; Sheldon, Melanie S.; Nichols, Charles P.
2007-01-01
Comments on the article by D. Nettle, who has clearly shown that evolutionary psychologists need to focus more attention on individual differences, not just species-typical universals. Such differences are not mere "noise," and evolutionary theory will gain by understanding how they are produced and maintained. However, by focusing on personality…
The focus of this meeting is the SAP's review and comment on the Agency's proposed high-throughput computational model of androgen receptor pathway activity as an alternative to the current Tier 1 androgen receptor assay (OCSPP 890.1150: Androgen Receptor Binding Rat Prostate Cyt...
.... FDA-2011-N-0251] FDA Food Safety Modernization Act: Focus on Preventive Controls for Facilities... comment. SUMMARY: The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is announcing a public meeting entitled ``FDA... controls for facilities provisions of the recently enacted FDA Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA). FDA is...
This issue of "Focus" includes nine essays addressing various concerns related to curriculum, theory, research, teaching strategies, student and faculty issues, and other matters pertinent to the Utah community colleges. The issue contains: (1) "Comment: Making Quality 'Job One' in the Community College," by Don A. Carpenter;…
My study (Lindseth, "The Effects of Form-Focused Instruction on the Acquisition of Subject-Verb Inversion in German") that was published in the Volume 49, No. 1 issue of "Foreign Language Annals" suggested that form-focused instruction that targets a specific structure may help learners progress faster toward accurate use of…
Harrison, Christopher J; Molyneux, Adrian J; Blackwell, Sara; Wass, Valerie J
2015-04-01
Students often receive little feedback after summative objective structured clinical examinations (OSCEs) to enable them to improve their performance. Electronic audio feedback has shown promise in other educational areas. We investigated the feasibility of electronic audio feedback in OSCEs. An electronic OSCE system was designed, comprising (1) an application for iPads allowing examiners to mark in the key consultation skill domains, provide "tick-box" feedback identifying strengths and difficulties, and record voice feedback; (2) a feedback website giving students the opportunity to view/listen in multiple ways to the feedback. Acceptability of the audio feedback was investigated, using focus groups with students and questionnaires with both examiners and students. 87 (95%) students accessed the examiners' audio comments; 83 (90%) found the comments useful and 63 (68%) reported changing the way they perform a skill as a result of the audio feedback. They valued its highly personalised, relevant nature and found it much more useful than written feedback. Eighty-nine per cent of examiners gave audio feedback to all students on their stations. Although many found the method easy, lack of time was a factor. Electronic audio feedback provides timely, personalised feedback to students after a summative OSCE provided enough time is allocated to the process.
... PENSION BENEFIT GUARANTY CORPORATION Proposed Submission of Information Collection for OMB Review; Comment Request; Survey of Nonparticipating Single Premium Group Annuity Rates AGENCY: Pension Benefit... Collection. SUMMARY: The Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (``PBGC'') intends to request that the Office...
Roex, Ann; Clarebout, Geraldine; Dory, Valerie; Degryse, Jan
2009-01-01
Background Epistemological beliefs (EB) are an individual's cognitions about knowledge and knowing. In several non-medical domains, EB have been found to contribute to the way individuals reason when faced with ill-structured problems (i.e. problems with no clear-cut, right or wrong solutions). Such problems are very common in medical practice. Determining whether EB are also influential in reasoning processes with regard to medical issues to which there is no straightforward answer, could have implications for medical education. This study focused on 2 research questions: 1. Can ill-structured problems be used to elicit general practice trainees' and trainers' EB? and 2. What are the views of general practice trainees and trainers about knowledge and how do they justify knowing? Methods 2 focus groups of trainees (n = 18) were convened on 3 occasions during their 1st year of postgraduate GP training. 2 groups of GP trainers (n = 11) met on one occasion. Based on the methodology of the Reflective Judgement Interview (RJI), participants were asked to comment on 11 ill-structured problems. The sessions were audio taped and transcribed and an adapted version of the RJI scoring rules was used to assess the trainees' reasoning about ill-structured problems. Results Participants made a number of statements illustrating their EB and their importance in clinical reasoning. The level of EB varied widely form one meeting to another and depending on the problem addressed. Overall, the EB expressed by trainees did not differ from those of trainers except on a particular ill-structured problem regarding shoulder pain. Conclusion The use of focus groups has entailed some difficulties in the interpretation of the results, but a number of preliminary conclusions can be drawn. Ill-structured medical problems can be used to elicit EB. Most trainees and trainers displayed pre-reflective and quasi-reflective EB. The way trainees and doctors view and justify knowledge are likely to be involved in medical reasoning processes. PMID:19775425
Objective To describe patients’ perceived value and use of quality measures in evaluating and choosing community pharmacies. Design Focus group methodology was combined with a survey tool. During the focus groups, participants assessed the value of the Pharmacy Quality Alliance's quality measures in evaluating and choosing a pharmacy. Also, participants completed questionnaires rating their perceived value of quality measures in evaluating a pharmacy (1 being low value and 5 being high) or choosing a pharmacy (yes/no). Thematic analysis and descriptive statistics were used to analyse the focus groups and surveys, respectively. Setting Semistructured focus groups were conducted in a private meeting space of an urban and a rural area of a Mid-western State in the USA. Participants Thirty-four adults who filled prescription medications in community pharmacies for a chronic illness were recruited in community pharmacies, senior centres and public libraries. Results While comments indicated that all measures were important, medication safety measures (eg, drug-drug interactions) were valued more highly than others. Rating of quality measure utility in evaluating a pharmacy ranged from a mean of 4.88 (‘drug-drug interactions’) to a mean of 4.0 (‘absence of controller therapy for patients with asthma’). Patients were hesitant to use quality information in choosing a pharmacy (depending on the participant's location) but might consider if moving to a new area or having had a negative pharmacy experience. Use of select quality measures to choose a pharmacy ranged from 97.1% of participants using ‘drug-drug interactions’ (medication safety measure) to 55.9% using ‘absence of controller therapy for patients with asthma’. Conclusions The study participants valued quality measures in evaluating and selecting a community pharmacy, with medication safety measures valued highest. The participants reported that the quality measures would not typically cause a switch in pharmacy but might influence their selection in certain situations. PMID:25600253
In a Comment [1] on our previously published article [2], Apertet stated, "The definition of the thermopower given in that article seems erroneous due to a confusion between the different physical quantities needed to derive this parameter." We believe some definitions need to be clarified in order to avoid confusion. We here intend to answer the questions of Apertet by detailing the method and by focusing on the definition of the quantities that we optically measured.
Arts, Derk L; Medlock, Stephanie K; van Weert, Henk C P M; Wyatt, Jeremy C; Abu-Hanna, Ameen
2018-01-01
Many studies have investigated the use of clinical decision support systems as a means to improve care, but have thus far failed to show significant effects on patient-related outcomes. We developed a clinical decision support system that attempted to address issues that were identified in these studies. The system was implemented in Dutch general practice and was designed to be both unobtrusive and to respond in real time. Despite our efforts, usage of the system was low. In the current study we perform a mixed methods evaluation to identify remediable barriers which led to disappointing usage rates for our system. A mixed methods evaluation employing an online questionnaire and focus group. The focus group was organized to clarify free text comments and receive more detailed feedback from general practitioners. Topics consisted of items based on results from the survey and additional open questions. The response rate for the questionnaire was 94%. Results from the questionnaire and focus group can be summarized as follows: The system was perceived as interruptive, despite its design. Participants felt that there were too many recommendations and that the relevance of the recommendations varied. Demographic based recommendations (e.g. age) were often irrelevant, while specific risk-based recommendations (e.g. diagnosis) were more relevant. The other main barrier to use was lack of time during the patient visit. These results are likely to be useful to other researchers who are attempting to address the problems of interruption and alert fatigue in decision support.
... 8471), HIPAA Mental Health Parity Act (Sec. 54.9812). DATES: Written comments should be received on or... INFORMATION: Title: HIPPAA Mental Health Parity Act. OMB Number: 1545-1577. Regulation Project Number: Reg-109704-97. Abstract: The regulations provide guidance for group health plans with mental health benefits...
... origin. Issued in Seattle, Washington, on June 25, 2012. John Warner, Manager, Operations Support Group... action to enhance the safety and management of Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) operations at Circle Town County Airport. DATES: Comments must be received on or before August 20, 2012. ADDRESSES: Send comments...
... that the ADC Petition is not currently supported by sufficient evidence to establish social or economic... sufficient evidence to prove the necessary elements of social or economic disadvantage within the specific... days and requested general comments and comments on specific social and economic issues related to Arab...
...; Comment Request; Annual Financial and Actuarial Information Reporting AGENCY: Pension Benefit Guaranty... financial and actuarial information reporting under 29 CFR Part 4010 (OMB control number 1212- 0049; expires... controlled group to submit financial and actuarial information to PBGC under certain circumstances. PBGC's...
... various population groups. A prime statistic of interest is the classification of people in poverty and... Information Collection; Comment Request; Current Population Survey (CPS), Annual Social and Economic... conducted this supplement annually for over 50 years. The Census Bureau and the Bureau of Labor Statistics...
... Collection; Comments Requested: Enhancing Community Policing Through Community Mediation Surveys ACTION: 30... Mediation Surveys. (3) Agency form number, if any, and the applicable component of the Department sponsoring... groups' satisfaction with a police-mediation referral program. The purpose of this project is to assess...
... Loving Support peer counseling services; a treatment group of 900 will be offered Loving Support peer...: Proposed Collection; Comment Request--WIC Breastfeeding Peer Counseling Study AGENCY: Food and Nutrition... for the second phase of the WIC Breastfeeding Peer Counseling Study. The first phase of this study...
... types of counseling (the remaining 1,700 study participants constitute the control group). Staff of the... Information Collection for Public Comment: Pre-Purchase Homeownership Counseling Demonstration and Impact... Counseling Demonstration and Impact Evaluation. Description of the need for the information and proposed use...
... for OMB Review; Comment Request; Notice Requirements of the Health Care Continuation Coverage... of the Health Care Continuation Coverage Provisions,'' to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB..., under certain circumstances, a group health plan participant or beneficiary who meets the COBRA...
A Comment on the Letter by M. A. Cazalilla and J. B. Marston, Phys. Rev. Lett.PRLTAO0031-9007 88, 256403 (2002). The authors of the Letter offer a Reply.
This study asked 2000 women randomly selected from the community to comment on their health services. Three-quarters did so; one-quarter were satisfied with currently available services but 45% specified changes they would like to see. The criticisms fell into three broad groups: (a) hospital services where delays, centralisation and referral paths were criticised; (b) general practice where doctor-patient communication was mentioned; and (c) cost of certain health services. Women who criticised currently available services tended to be younger, better educated with higher socioeconomic status, to be in paid employment and to have more often poor health or a close relative with poor health than the women who made no comment. These findings are seen as constructive comments from a thoughtful and informed group of health consumers.
... for control group members to access the same or similar services as the treatment group members. Respondents: Individuals enrolled in ISIS demonstration interventions, control group members, ISIS program...
Background Recent epidemiological evidence indicates that, on average, people are sedentary for approximately 7.7 hours per day. There are deleterious effects of prolonged sedentary behavior that are separate from participation in physical activity and include increased risk of weight gain, cancer, metabolic syndrome, diabetes, and heart disease. Previous trials have used wearable devices to increase physical activity in studies; however, additional research is needed to fully understand how this technology can be used to reduce sitting time. Objective The purpose of this study was to explore the potential of wearable devices as an intervention tool in a larger sedentary behavior study through a general inductive and deductive analysis of focus group discussions. Methods We conducted four focus groups with 15 participants to discuss 7 different wearable devices with sedentary behavior capabilities. Participants recruited for the focus groups had previously participated in a pilot intervention targeting sedentary behavior over a 3-week period and were knowledgeable about the challenges of reducing sitting time. During the focus groups, participants commented on the wearability, functionality, and feedback mechanism of each device and then identified their two favorite and two least favorite devices. Finally, participants designed and described their ideal or dream wearable device. Two researchers, who have expertise analyzing qualitative data, coded and analyzed the data from the focus groups. A thematic analysis approach using Dedoose software (SocioCultural Research Consultants, LLC version 7.5.9) guided the organization of themes that reflected participants’ perspectives. Results Analysis resulted in 14 codes that we grouped into themes. Three themes emerged from our data: (1) features of the device, (2) data the device collected, and (3) how data are displayed. Conclusions Current wearable devices for increasing physical activity are insufficient to intervene on sitting time. This was especially evident when participants voted, as several participants reported using a “process of elimination” as opposed to choosing favorites because none of the devices were ideal for reducing sitting time. To overcome the limitations in current devices, future wearable devices designed to reduce sitting time should include the following features: waterproof, long battery life, accuracy in measuring sitting time, real time feedback on progress toward sitting reduction goals, and flexible options for prompts to take breaks from sitting. PMID:29599105
..., extension, and higher education system. Focused on national issues, its purpose is to represent the... for agricultural research, extension, and higher education. Before awards can be made, certain...
Mayeaux, Edward J; Novetsky, Akiva P; Chelmow, David; Garcia, Francisco; Choma, Kim; Liu, Angela H; Papasozomenos, Theognosia; Einstein, Mark H; Massad, L Stewart; Wentzensen, Nicolas; Waxman, Alan G; Conageski, Christine; Khan, Michelle J; Huh, Warner K
2017-10-01
The American Society for Colposcopy and Cervical Pathology (ASCCP) Colposcopy Standards recommendations address the role of and approach to colposcopy and biopsy for cervical cancer prevention in the United States. The recommendations were developed by an expert working group appointed by ASCCP's Board of Directors. The ASCCP Quality Improvement Working Group developed evidence-based guidelines to promote best practices and reduce errors in colposcopy and recommended indicators to measure colposcopy quality. The working group performed a systematic review of existing major society and national guidelines and quality indicators. An initial list of potential quality indicators was developed and refined through successive iterative discussions, and draft quality indicators were proposed. The draft recommendations were then reviewed and commented on by the entire Colposcopy Standards Committee, posted online for public comment, and presented at the International Federation for Cervical Pathology and Colposcopy 2017 World Congress for further comment. All comments were considered, additional adjustments made, and the final recommendations approved by the entire Task Force. Eleven quality indicators were selected spanning documentation, biopsy protocols, and time intervals between index screening tests and completion of diagnostic evaluation. The proposed quality indicators are intended to serve as a starting point for quality improvement in colposcopy at a time when colposcopy volume is decreasing and individual procedures are becoming technically more difficult to perform.
Romera, Eva M; Herrera-López, Mauricio; Casas, José A; Ortega Ruiz, Rosario; Del Rey, Rosario
2018-01-01
Cybergossip is the act of two or more people making evaluative comments via digital devices about somebody who is not present. This cyberbehavior affects the social group in which it occurs and can either promote or hinder peer relationships. Scientific studies that assess the nature of this emerging and interactive behavior in the virtual world are limited. Some research on traditional gossip has identified it as an inherent and defining element of indirect relational aggression. This paper adopts and argues for a wider definition of gossip that includes positive comments and motivations. This work also suggests that cybergossip has to be measured independently from traditional gossip due to key differences when it occurs through ICT. This paper presents the Colombian and Spanish validation of the Cybergossip Questionnaire for Adolescents (CGQ-A), involving 3,747 high school students ( M = 13.98 years old, SD = 1.69; 48.5% male), of which 1,931 were Colombian and 1,816 were Spanish. Test models derived from item response theory, confirmatory factor analysis, content validation, and multi-group analysis were run on the full sample and subsamples for each country and both genders. The obtained optimal fit and psychometric properties confirm the robustness and suitability of a one-dimensional structure for the cybergossip instrument. The multi-group analysis shows that the cybergossip construct is understood similarly in both countries and between girls and boys. The composite reliability ratifies convergent and divergent validity of the scale. Descriptive results show that Colombian adolescents gossip less than their Spanish counterparts and that boys and girls use cybergossip to the same extent. As a conclusion, this study confirmes the relationship between cybergossip and cyberbullying, but it also supports a focus on positive cybergossip in psychoeducational interventions to build positive virtual relationships and prevent risky cyberbehaviors.
The author, whose biography of Steve Jobs was an instant best seller after the Apple CEO's death in October 2011, sets out here to correct what he perceives as an undue fixation by many commentators on the rough edges of Jobs's personality. That personality was integral to his way of doing business, Isaacson writes, but the real lessons from Steve Jobs come from what he actually accomplished. He built the world's most valuable company, and along the way he helped to transform a number of industries: personal computing, animated movies, music, phones, tablet computing, retail stores, and digital publishing. In this essay Isaacson describes the 14 imperatives behind Jobs's approach: focus; simplify; take responsibility end to end; when behind, leapfrog; put products before profits; don't be a slave to focus groups; bend reality; impute; push for perfection; know both the big picture and the details; tolerate only "A" players; engage face-to-face; combine the humanities with the sciences; and "stay hungry, stay foolish."
Clinical nurse consultants have been a part of the nursing workforce for some time however a lack of clarity regarding this role has led to significant variations in health service expectations, workloads and scope for the Clinical nurse consultants working within this metropolitan health service. The aim of this study was to explore the role of the CNC as it is perceived by them, in the context of this health service. A qualitative approach was used for this study. Following ethics approval a single audio-taped focus group was undertaken to gather data. Guiding questions were used to elicit responses from the group, moderated by the co-investigators. The focus group was transcribed verbatim. Each researcher independently analysed the narrative data, using coding and clustering the data to develop primary and sub-themes. Whilst each participant experiences their role individually, there were four themes derived from comments expressed by the participants: 'Diversity and conflict', 'Leaders but powerless', 'Support systems' and 'The portfolio holder role'. The role of the Clinical nurse consultant is complex and diverse. The variability in the role suggests that organisational consensus of the role, scope and purpose of the CNC position has not been actualised, resulting in a lack of support systems, and an underutilisation of the Clinical nurse consultants as leaders, where they can challenge existing practice and guide future directions in care delivery.
Carlozzi, Noelle E; Brickell, Tracey A; French, Louis M; Sander, Angelle; Kratz, Anna L; Tulsky, David S; Chiaravalloti, Nancy D; Hahn, Elizabeth A; Kallen, Michael; Austin, Amy M; Miner, Jennifer A; Lange, Rael T
2016-01-01
The purpose of this study was to develop a conceptual framework that captures aspects of health-related quality of life (HRQOL) for caregivers of individuals with military-related traumatic brain injury (TBI). We analyzed qualitative data from nine focus groups composed of caregivers of wounded warriors with a medically documented TBI. Focus group participants were recruited through hospital-based and/or community outreach efforts at the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, the University of Michigan, and Hearts of Valor support groups (Tennessee and Washington). Participants were the caregivers (n = 45) of wounded warriors who had sustained a mild, moderate, severe, or penetrating TBI. Qualitative frequency analysis indicated that caregivers most frequently discussed social health (44% of comments), followed by emotional (40%) and physical health (12%). Areas of discussion that were specific to this population included anger regarding barriers to health services (for caregivers and servicemembers), emotional suppression (putting on a brave face for others even when things are not going well), and hypervigilance (controlling one's behavior/environment to prevent upsetting the servicemember). Caring for wounded warriors with TBI is a complex experience that positively and negatively affects HRQOL. While some aspects of HRQOL can be evaluated with existing measures, evaluation tools for other important components do not exist. The development of military-specific measures would help facilitate better care for these individuals.
The first (exploratory) phase of the Learning in Science Project focused on science teaching/learning in the Form 1 to 4 level (ages 10 to 14) and sought to identify problems and difficulties in several areas. Provided in this paper are comments obtained during structured/unstructured interviews (from students, ex-students, teachers, headmasters,…
The first (exploratory) phase of the Learning in Science Project focused on science teaching/learning in the Form 1 to 4 level (ages 10 to 14) and sought to identify problems and difficulties in several areas. Provided in this paper are comments obtained during structured/unstructured interviews (from students, ex-students, teachers, headmasters,…
The authors comment on the article by Morris and Hiebert in three ways. First, they add thoughts about why improvement efforts often focus on teachers, rather than teaching. Second, they offer evidence from U.S. lesson study research that focus on teaching can improve both students' learning and teachers' learning. Finally, they suggest that the…
Education about, and exposure to, the utilization of a multisensory environment (MSE) was provided to clinical staff as a response to findings from the problem identification stage of an action research study. Feedback was obtained about their experience and perceptions of its use. Through the auspices of focus groups and one-to-one interviews, respondents commented on the impact that using the MSE had on their perception of their clients and on subsequent care. The case is made that MSEs afford an opportunity to impact on care through their mediating influence on formal carers' perceptions of their clients and, as such represent a significant but as yet unrealized potential for improving the quality of care of older people with dementia.
Santoro, Marco; Tatara, Alexander M.; Mikos, Antonios G.
2014-01-01
The ability of gelatin to form complexes with different drugs has been investigated for controlled release applications. Gelatin parameters, such as crosslinking density and isoelectric point, have been tuned in order to optimize gelatin degradation and drug delivery kinetics. In recent years, focus has shifted away from the use of gelatin in isolation towards the modification of gelatin with functional groups and the fabrication of material composites with embedded gelatin carriers. In this review, we highlight some of the latest work being performed in these areas and comment on trends in the field. Specifically, we discuss gelatin modifications for immune system evasion, drug stabilization, and targeted delivery, as well as gelatin composite systems based on ceramics, naturally-occurring polymers, and synthetic polymers. PMID:24746627
.... Also, Afghanistan, Iraq, and Vietnam veterans are identified by location of service. Data are provided... discharged veterans, and veterans who have served in Afghanistan, Iraq, or Vietnam. III. Desired Focus of...
Explains how schools that focus on roofing maintenance are more likely to avoid leaks and costly repairs. Brief comments on the U.S. Department of Education's report on roof ratings and adequacy are highlighted. (GR)
... Service Title: Public Attitudes, Beliefs, and Values about National Forest System Land Management. OMB.... Need and Use of the Information: Information collected will focus on public attitudes, beliefs, and...
Although social media provides a way for people to congregate with like-minded others, it can also play a role in spreading misinformation about public health interventions. Previous research demonstrates that parents who use the Internet to gather information on vaccination are more likely to hold anti-vaccination beliefs. There has been little examination of vaccination decision-making discussions on parenting blogs. This study seeks to fill that gap. Posts and comments on the top 25 top parenting blogs were analyzed using a mixed-method approach. Comments were analyzed using deductive coding scheme that examined whether content areas of interest were present or absent in vaccination discussions. Posts were coded inductively using a thematic analysis. Posts and comments were further coded as strongly vaccine-discouraging, vaccine-ambivalent, or strongly vaccine-encouraging. Finally, posts were grouped by year of publication and comments were analyzed within each group to examine the evolution of vaccination decision-making discussions in the parenting blogosphere over the past decade. Fifty-two percent of posts were categorized as strongly vaccine-discouraging and were most commonly associated with expressions of individual liberty. Comments were nearly 3 times as likely to strongly discourage vaccination than to strongly encourage it. Comments on the oldest posts (2006-2009), were more likely to strongly discourage vaccination (p = 0.008), whereas comments on newer posts (2013-2015), were more likely to strongly encourage vaccination (p = 0.003). These findings suggest there is a need for public health professionals to understand the concerns being expressed in these forums, and develop innovative ways to dispel anti-vaccination myths, as these views may create obstacles in the meeting the goals of the public health agenda.
ABSTRACT Although social media provides a way for people to congregate with like-minded others, it can also play a role in spreading misinformation about public health interventions. Previous research demonstrates that parents who use the Internet to gather information on vaccination are more likely to hold anti-vaccination beliefs. There has been little examination of vaccination decision-making discussions on parenting blogs. This study seeks to fill that gap. Posts and comments on the top 25 top parenting blogs were analyzed using a mixed-method approach. Comments were analyzed using deductive coding scheme that examined whether content areas of interest were present or absent in vaccination discussions. Posts were coded inductively using a thematic analysis. Posts and comments were further coded as strongly vaccine-discouraging, vaccine-ambivalent, or strongly vaccine-encouraging. Finally, posts were grouped by year of publication and comments were analyzed within each group to examine the evolution of vaccination decision-making discussions in the parenting blogosphere over the past decade. Fifty-two percent of posts were categorized as strongly vaccine-discouraging and were most commonly associated with expressions of individual liberty. Comments were nearly 3 times as likely to strongly discourage vaccination than to strongly encourage it. Comments on the oldest posts (2006–2009), were more likely to strongly discourage vaccination (p = 0.008), whereas comments on newer posts (2013–2015), were more likely to strongly encourage vaccination (p = 0.003). These findings suggest there is a need for public health professionals to understand the concerns being expressed in these forums, and develop innovative ways to dispel anti-vaccination myths, as these views may create obstacles in the meeting the goals of the public health agenda. PMID:28481675
...The Federal Geographic Data Committee (FGDC) is conducting a public review of the draft National Shoreline Data Content Standard. The FGDC has developed a draft National Shoreline Data Content Standard that provides a framework for shoreline data development, sharing of data, and shoreline data transformation and fusion. The FGDC Coastal and Marine Spatial Data Subcommittee, chaired by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), sponsored development of the draft standard. The FGDC Coordination Group, comprised of representatives of Federal agencies, has approved releasing this draft standard for public review and comment. The draft National Shoreline Data Content Standard defines attributes or elements that are common for shoreline data development and provides suggested domains for the elements. The functional scope includes definition of data models, schemas, entities, relationships, definitions, and crosswalks to related standards. The draft National Shoreline Data Content Standard is intended to enhance the shoreline framework by providing technical guidance on shoreline semantics, data structures and their relationships to builders and users of shoreline data. The geographical scope of the draft standard comprises all shorelines of navigable waters within the United States and its territories. The primary intended users of the National Shoreline Data Content Standard are the mapping, shoreline engineering, coastal zone management, flood insurance, and natural resource management communities. The FGDC invites all stakeholders to comment on this draft standard to ensure that it meets their needs. The draft National Shoreline Data Content Standard may be downloaded from https://www.fgdc.gov/standards/projects/FGDC-standards- projects/shoreline-data-content/ revisedDraftNationalShorelineDataContentStandard. Comments shall be submitted using the content template at http://www.fgdc.gov/standards/ process/standards-directives/template.doc. Instructions for completing the comment template are found in FGDC Standards Directive 2d, Standards Working Group Review Guidelines: Review Comment Template, http://www.fgdc.gov/standards/process/standards-directives/directive- 2d-standards-working-group-review-guidelines-review-comment-template. Comments that concern specific issues/changes/additions may result in revisions to the National Shoreline Data Content Standard. Reviewers may obtain information about how comments were addressed upon request. After formal endorsement of the standard by the FGDC, the National Shoreline Data Content Standard and a summary analysis of the changes will be made available to the public on the FGDC Web site, www.fgdc.gov.
This interim final rule with comment period revises the regulations implementing medical loss ratio (MLR) requirements for health insurance issuers under the Public Health Service Act in order to establish rules governing the distribution of rebates by issuers in group markets for non-Federal governmental plans.
...In response to a request from a viticulture industry group, we are extending the comment period for Notice No. 105, Proposed Establishment of the Pine Mountain-Mayacmas Viticultural Area, a notice of proposed rulemaking published in the Federal Register on May 27, 2010, for an additional 45 days.
.... Space limitations may not allow us to accommodate everyone who is interested in attending. Priority... submitting written comments before the July 6, 2012, deadline. Non-English speaking attendees wishing to... regarding these primary areas: (1) EPA's Plan EJ 2014; (2) NEJAC's Science And Research Work Group; (3...
... Research and Analysis, Food and Nutrition Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, 3101 Park Center Drive, Room 1014, Alexandria, VA 22302. Comments may also be submitted via fax to the attention of Steven... free or reduced-price school meals will be divided into treatment and control groups. Affected Public...
... telephoned at (202) 395-4638. (A copy of your comments should also be provided to EIA's Statistics and... Statistics and Methods Group (EI-70), Forrestal Building, U.S. Department of Energy, 1000 Independence Ave... type of Alternative Fueled Vehicles (AFVs) and other advanced technology vehicles that vehicle...
This page contains the Final Approval Document, Response to Public Comments and Draft Approval Issued for Public Comment for the Approval to Dispose of Less than 50 Parts Per Million Polychlorinated Biphenyl Remediation Waste Issued to USWAG
... Grid Cyber Security AGENCY: National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), Department of... and Technology (NIST) seeks comments on draft NISTIR 7628 Rev. 1, Guidelines for Smart Grid Cyber... (formerly the Cyber Security Working Group) of the Smart Grid Interoperability Panel. The document has been...
... provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. Chapter 35). A shortened comment period of one week is... response rates require a 2 month field period, and analysis and summary of data requires a month time... Comprehensive Review Working Group, Crystal Mall 2, 1801 S. Bell St., Suite 409, Arlington, VA; or call (703...
Tucker, Phebe; Crow, Sheila; Cuccio, Anne; Schleifer, Ronald; Vannatta, Jerry B.
2004-01-01
Objective: We assessed the use of literature to illustrate a postpartum depression lecture. Methods: Medical students and faculty facilitators were surveyed after small group discussions. Results: Students' ratings and comments were positive, and faculty comments were neutral to positive. Conclusion: Students valued this teaching method, while…
I would like to begin by thanking the editors of the journal, and in particular Carmen Silva-Corvalan, for inviting such a wonderful group of commentators, united in their commitment to spirited yet courteous academic debate and diverse in their academic allegiances, theories, and methodologies. I also thank the commentators for the kindness and…
Political humor has long been used by candidates to mobilize supporters by enhancing status or denigrating the opposition. Research concerning laughter provides insight into the building of social bonds; however, little research has focused on the nonverbal cues displayed by the individual making humorous comments. This study first investigates whether there is a relationship between facial display behavior and the presence and strength of laughter. Next, the analysis explores whether specific candidate displays during a humorous comment depend on the target of the comment. This paper analyzes the use of humor by Republican and Democratic candidates during ten 2008 presidential primary debates. Data analyzed here employs laughter as an indicator of a successful humorous comment and documents candidate display behavior in the seconds immediately preceding and during each laughter event. Findings suggest specific facial displays play an important communication role. Different types of smiles, whether felt, false, or fear-based, are related to who laughs as well as how intensely the audience is judged to laugh.
Copies of 69 letters are presented commenting on the Draft Generic Environmental Statement (GESMO) WASH-1327 and the NRC's responses to the comments received from Federal, State and local agencies; environmental and public interest groups, members of the academic and industrial communities, and individual citizens. An index to these letters indicating the number assigned to each letter, the author, and organization represented, is provided in the Table of Contents.
... jointly by states and the state National Guard units, targets at-risk male and female youth ages 16-18... cadets attain a GED (General Education Development) credential. The program also focuses on noncognitive...
... the existing home health prospective payment system. The study team's analytic plan focuses on... populations that cannot be learned through analyses of administrative data. Form Number: CMS-10429 (OCN: 0938...
Napolitano, Lena M; Savarise, Mark; Paramo, Juan C; Soot, Laurel C; Todd, S Rob; Gregory, Jay; Timmerman, Gary L; Cioffi, William G; Davis, Elisabeth; Sachdeva, Ajit K
Like previous commentators, I see Arbib's reconstruction of the mirror neuron system's contribution to language evolution [1] as valuable but in need of revision [2,3]. My concerns focus on his proposed behavioral pathway to language - complex imitation to pantomime to protosign - as it concerns great apes. Arbib portrays these abilities as unique to the human lineage, despite evidence that great apes are capable of all three. I suggest great ape findings worth reconsidering.
This reply is a supplementary addition to our previous article entitled "Comparison of a Powdered, Acidified Liquid, and Non-Acidified Liquid Human Milk Fortifier on Clinical Outcomes in Premature Infants" as published in Nutrients in July 2016. It provides a response to a comment made by Dr. Fernando Moya to this original article, so the purpose of this is to compare and contrast various perspectives between researchers conducting nutrition research in the preterm infant population. It specifically focuses on human milk fortification and subsequent outcomes.
This study examined the relationship between communication and nursing students' team performance by determining whether variations in team performance are related to differences in communication regarding five task-relevant functions: assessment, diagnosis, planning, implementation, and evaluation. The study results indicate a positive relationship between nursing students' team performance and comments focused on the implementation of treatment(s) and the evaluation of treatment options. A negative relationship between nursing students' team performance and miscellaneous comments made by team members was also observed. Copyright 2012, SLACK Incorporated.
This is a exchange in the form of a comment and a reply in regards to an earlier article. The authors of the original article, consider it likely that virtually all of the projectile will condense with the silicate fraction, resulting in very little platinum group element fractionation in the final ejecta deposit. Further, we find no evidence in the commentator's, (i.e., Glikson), comment to support vapor fractionation. We note that the Pd/Ir ratios of published data on 2.56 Ga Hamersley Basin spherules are all greater than in chondrites, contrary to the assertion by Glikson. This is consistent with relatively high Pd concentrations (and Pd/Ir ratios) in crustal rocks.
Braun, Barbara L; Kind, Elizabeth A; Fowles, Jinnet B; Suarez, Walter G
2002-06-01
Report cards to date have focused on quality of care in health plans rather than within healthcare delivery systems. The purpose of this study was to evaluate consumer response to the first healthcare system-level report card. Qualitative assessment of consumer response. We conducted 5 focus groups of community members to evaluate consumer response to the report card; 2 included community club members, 3 included community-dwelling retired persons. Discussions were audiotaped and transcribed; comments were categorized by topic area from the script, and common themes identified. Focus group participants, in general, were unaware of the current emphasis on medical quality improvement initiatives. However, they believed that the opinion that the descriptive clinic information and patient survey data contained in the report card would be most useful mainly for choosing a healthcare system if they were dissatisfied with current medical care, if their healthcare options changed, or if they were in poor health. Personal experience was considered a more trustworthy measure of healthcare quality than were patient survey results. Trustworthiness was perceived to be higher if the report card sponsor was not affiliated with the healthcare systems being evaluated. Participants also believed care system administrators should use the data to enact positive clinic-level and physician-level changes. Healthcare consumers appreciated the attention to patient experiences and supported healthcare quality improvement initiatives. Report cards were considered important for choosing a healthcare system in certain circumstances and for guiding quality improvement efforts at all levels.
In response to comments about our article, "Meal-specific dietary changes from Squires Quest! II: a serious video game intervention," we concur that studies on video game interventions are important. A future study with a control group receiving no video game intervention and the collection of poten...
... critical habitat consisted of land in four units in Ventura, Orange, and San Diego Counties, California. We... and public comment. We sought comments from four independent specialists to ensure that our... East Miramar (Pool 10) (AA1 East)'' to its recommended name ``East Miramar (AA1 South + Group) (Pool...
... prohibiting unfair or deceptive acts or practices or unfair methods of competition. The attached Analysis to...; Analysis of Proposed Consent Order To Aid Public Comment AGENCY: Federal Trade Commission. ACTION: Proposed... period of thirty (30) days. The following Analysis to Aid Public Comment describes the terms of the...
We praised the comments of Jensen and regard most of the contentions of Hunt and Sternberg as absurd. It is ridiculous to question the validity of the skin color map and its application since meaningful group differences and meaningful correlations between temperature and skin color were found. It was inappropriate for Hunt and Sternberg to…
... Collection; Comment Request; Harvest of Pacific Halibut by Guided Sport Charter Vessel Anglers off Alaska... halibut fishing effort and harvest by all user groups, including the guided sport charter sector of the... requirements. The State of Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G) Division of Sport Fish initiated a...
We developed the Med-e-Conference, an online tool to teach clinical skills to medical students, which integrated problem-based learning with collaborative group tasks. The final task asked students to consider what they had done (reflection). These comments were analysed using content analysis, and 10 themes were elicited. The number of agreements…
... institutions, museums, and other cultural institutions? 5. Currently one group of pre-1972 recordings does have... regarding Federal coverage of pre-1972 sound recordings. Specifically, the Office seeks comments on the... interests of rights holders. The Office also seeks comments on how the incorporation of pre-1972 sound...
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is currently addressing several issues related to dioxins and dioxin-like chemicals in the environment. These include the comprehensive human health and exposure assessment for dioxin, commonly called the dioxin reassessment and a review of dioxin soil clean-up levels currently in use across the United States. To move forward with both of these efforts, as well as other dioxin related activities, a plan with interim milestones has been developed and it is outlined below. EPA’sExposure and Human Health Reassessment of 2,3,7,8-Tetrachlorodibenzo-p-Dioxin(TCDD) and Related Compounds; Response to NAS and Completion of Dioxin Reassessment 1. EPA will release a draft report that responds to the recommendations and comments included in the National Academy of Sciences’ (NAS) 2006 review of EPA’s 2003 draft dioxin reassessment. UPDATED May 21, 2010: The draft response to comments report titled EPA’s Reanalysis of Key Issues Related to Dioxin Toxicity and Response to NAS Comments (External Review Draft) (“Draft Dioxin Reanalysis”) was completed and released for public review and comment on May 21, 2010. EPA’s National Center for Environment Assessment (NCEA) in the Office of Research and Development, will prepare a limited response to key comments and recommendations in the NAS report (draft response to comments report). The draft response will focus on dose-response
Background With current genetic technology, it is possible to detect mutations associated with long QT syndrome (LQTS), a hereditary cardiac arrhythmia syndrome. As a result, prospective parents diagnosed with LQTS will have to decide whether or not to prevent its transmission to future generations, either by not procreating or through the use of assisted reproductive technologies or prenatal testing. This paper explores how a hereditary predisposition to sudden cardiac death can influence reproductive decision making. Methods This study draws from interviews and focus groups with individuals who have personal or family histories of cardiac arrhythmia or sudden death. A keyword search was conducted on interview transcripts to identify quotes for analysis. Results Participants expressed complex, often ambivalent attitudes about the prospect of having a child with a predisposition to sudden cardiac death. Their comments reveal conflicting understandings of genetic responsibility and reflect the variable effects of personal experience on reproductive decision making. This paper compares attitudes towards LQTS and other genetic conditions in analyzing the themes that emerged in interviews and focus groups. Conclusions The “disability critique” of prenatal testing should be applied carefully to a context of genetic predisposition to sudden cardiac death in order to understand reproductive decision making. Firsthand experience with the condition, among other factors, can weigh heavily in those decisions. PMID:22822470
Gubbins, Paul O.; Ragland, Denise; Norman, Sarah E.; Flowers, Schwanda K.; Stowe, Cindy D.; DeHart, Renee M.; Pace, Anne; Hastings, Jan K.
2013-01-01
Objectives. To identify factors associated with academic help-seeking behavior among student pharmacists at a public university. Methods. Semi-structured focus group interviews were conducted to explore in depth perceptions of facilitators of and barriers to the help-seeking behavior and academic achievement of student pharmacists who had received a D or F grade in any year. A 4-part survey instrument was developed and administered to all student pharmacists and included sections for (1) attitudes and academic help-seeking behavior, (2) health status, (3) demographics, and (4) open comments. A structural equation modeling approach was used to assess relationships among domains of interest. Results. Three student focus groups noted that helpfulness of faculty members and school administrators were 2 prominent facilitators of help-seeking behavior and academic achievement. Diminished quality of life caused by stress and depression was the primary barrier to help-seeking and achievement. Three hundred four (68.6%) student pharmacists completed the survey instrument. Academic help-seeking behavior was influenced mostly by perceived academic competence and perceived faculty helpfulness. In contrast, ambivalence and perception of help-seeking as threatening were 2 factors that were negatively associated with academic help-seeking behavior. Conclusions. Academic help-seeking behavior was positively related to greater perceived academic competence and positive relationships among student pharmacists and faculty members. PMID:23459559
.... Participants have been randomly assigned to either a Head Start group or a control group. Data collection for... of 4,667 treatment and control group members in the Head Start Impact Study, minus 432 families that...
... support these goals. The HCCN model focuses on the integration of certain functions and the sharing of... efficiencies and economies of scale. Through this grant, HCCNs will provide support for the adoption...
..., criminal justice and services outcomes, as well as lessons learned to inform future efforts. [[Page 79012... outcomes of interest and subpopulations of focus: homelessness, housing, treatment history, readiness to...
... accordance with the rules of the exchange. Further, the Form 25 helps to focus the attention of delisting... the number of responses is evenly divided among the exchanges. Since approximately 630 responses under...
... of the general recipients by focus areas and a need to include information on organizational support...). Copies of this ICR, with applicable supporting documentation, may be obtained by calling the Corporation...
... assessment of 15-year-olds which focuses on assessing students science, mathematics, and reading literacy... domain. The field test will also include computer- based assessments in reading, mathematics, and...
Lewis, Zakkoyya H; Ottenbacher, Kenneth J; Fisher, Steve R; Jennings, Kristofer; Brown, Arleen F; Swartz, Maria C; Martinez, Eloisa; Lyons, Elizabeth J
2017-08-14
Conducting 5 A's counseling in clinic and utilizing technology-based resources are recommended to promote physical activity but little is known about how to implement such an intervention. This investigation aimed to determine the feasibility and acceptability, using the RE-AIM (Reach, Effectiveness, Adoption, Implementation, Maintenance) framework, of a pragmatic, primary care-based intervention that incorporated 5 A's counseling and self-control through an activity monitor. Primary care patients (n = 40) 55-74 years of age were recruited and randomized to receive a pedometer or an electronic activity monitor (EAM), Jawbone UP24, to monitor activity for 12 weeks. Participants were also invited to a focus group after completing the intervention. Stakeholders (n = 36) were recruited to provide feedback. The intervention recruitment rate was 24.7%. The attrition rate was 20% with a significantly higher rate for the pedometer group (p = 0.02). The EAM group increased their minutes of physical activity by 11.1 min/day while the pedometer maintained their activity (0.2 min/day), with no significant group difference. EAM participants liked using their monitor and would continue wearing it while the pedometer group was neutral to these statements (p < 0.05). Over the 12 weeks there were 490 comments and 1094 "likes" given to study peers in the corresponding application for the UP24 monitor. Some EAM participants enjoyed the social interaction feature while others were uncomfortable talking to strangers. Participants stated they would want counseling from a counselor and not their physician or a nurse. Other notable comments included incorporating multiple health behaviors, more in-person counseling with a counselor, and having a funding source for sustainability. Overall, the study was well-received but the results raise a number of considerations. Practitioners, counselors, and researchers should consider the following before implementing a similar intervention: 1) utilize PA counselors, 2) target multiple health behaviors, 3) form a social support group, 4) identify a funding source for sustainability, and 5) be mindful of concerns with technology. clinicaltrials.gov- NCT02554435 . Registered 24 August 2015.
Rimondini, Michela; Mazzi, Maria Angela; Deveugele, Myriam; Bensing, Jozien M
2015-12-14
The evidence that inspires and fosters communication skills, teaching programmes and clinical recommendations are often based on national studies which assume, implicitly, that patients' preferences towards doctors' communication style are not significantly affected by their cultural background. The cross-cultural validity of national results has been recognized as a potential limitation on how generally applicable they are in a wider context. Using 35 country-specific focus group discussions from four European countries, the aim of the present study is to test whether or not national cultures influence lay people's preferences towards doctors' style of communication. Lay people preferences on doctor's communication style have been collected in Belgium, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom and Italy. Each centre organized between eight and nine focus groups, where participants (n = 259) were asked to comment on a video of a simulated medical interview. The discussions were audiotaped, transcribed and coded using a common framework (Guliver Coding System) that allowed for the identification of different themes. The frequency distribution of the topics discussed highlights lay people's generally positive views towards most part of doctors interventions. The regression model applied to the Guliver categories highlighted slight national differences and the existence of a cross-cultural appreciation, in particular, of five types of intervention: Doctors attitudes (both Task-Oriented and Affective/Emotional), Summarizing, Structuring and Providing solution. Lay panels valued doctors' communication style in a similar manner in the countries selected. This highlights the existence of a common background, which in the process of internationalization of heath care, might foster the implementation of cross-national teaching programmes and clinical guidelines.
Smith, David; Pols, Rene; Lavis, Tiffany; Battersby, Malcolm; Harvey, Peter
2016-12-01
In South Australia (SA) problem gambling is mainly a result of the widespread availability of electronic gaming machines. A key treatment provider in SA offers free cognitive and behavioural therapy (CBT) to help-seeking problem gamblers. The CBT program focuses on the treatment of clients' urge to gamble using exposure therapy (ET) and cognitive therapy (CT) to restructure erroneous gambling beliefs. The aim of this study was to explore treatment specific and non-specific effects for CT alone and ET alone using qualitative interviews. Interviewees were a sub-sample of participants from a randomised trial that investigated the relative efficacy of CT versus ET. Findings revealed that all interviewees gained benefit from their respective therapies and their comments did not appear to favour one therapy over another. Both treatment specific and treatment non-specific effects were well supported as playing a therapeutic role to recovery. Participants' comments in both therapy groups suggested that symptom reduction was experienced on a gambling related urge-cognition continuum. In addition to symptom improvement from therapy-specific mechanisms, ET participants described a general acquisition of "rational thought" from their program of therapy and CT participants had "taken-over" their gambling urges. The findings also highlighted areas for further improvement including therapy drop-out.
The objective of this study was to find out more about the information needs of doctors-in-training and to identify their preferred sources of information. The methodology included interviews with consultants and administrators, a focus group discussion with library staff and a postal questionnaire sent to 347 doctors-in-training (there was a 43% return). The shortcomings of a questionnaire primarily composed of closed questions were addressed by the inclusion of one-to-one interviews which offered the opportunity for more in-depth commentary on specific issues highlighted in the questionnaire. Results indicated the frequency with which various types of information sources were consulted and how this related to the 'ease of access' of each information source. There was also the opportunity to comment on future information needs. It was clear from the interviews as well as comments made on the questionnaire that the two most important requirements for doctors-in-training were 'more time to find and obtain information' and 'better access to information sources when and where they are needed'. The results, although not surprising, included specific suggestions that have been used for the strategic planning of the library service to deliver the best possible support to users within the current framework of evidence-based medicine.
Basch, Corey H; Hillyer, Grace Clarke; MacDonald, Zerlina L; Reeves, Rachel; Basch, Charles E
2015-12-01
With a monthly total of more than one billion unique visitors, YouTube TM is one of the Internet's most visited websites and contributes to the growing amount of health-related information on the Internet. The purpose of this study was to analyze coverage of mammography screening in popular YouTube TM videos. A total of 173 videos were included in the analysis. Compared with professionally created videos, consumer-created videos had a significantly greater number of comments (>9 comments 38.0% for consumer vs. 11.8% for professional videos, p=<0.001). Videos created by professionals more often portrayed general mammography information (97.1 vs. 88.7%) compared to those created by consumers. The vast majority of videos presented general information (93.6%) related to mammography, and almost two thirds addressed preparing for the test. Less than 20% dealt with other types of examinations. Approximately 30% discussed pain associated with the examination (35.3%) and addressed issues of anxiety (32.4%) and fear (29.5%). Nearly half of the videos presented information about the test results (46.2%). Over 25% covered medical or family history. The majority did not pertain to a specific age group. Future research should focus on analyzing the accuracy of the information in the videos.
... health insurance portability for group health plans and group health insurance issuers under HIPAA Titles... Health Coverage Portability for Group Health Plans and Group Health Insurance Issuers Under HIPAA Titles... insurance coverage offered in connection with a group health plan. The rules contained in this document...
Drew, Christina H; Grace, Deirdre A; Silbernagel, Susan M; Hemmings, Erin S; Smith, Alan; Griffith, William C; Takaro, Timothy K; Faustman, Elaine M
2003-01-01
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is responsible for the cleanup of our nation's nuclear legacy, involving complex decisions about how and where to dispose of nuclear waste and how to transport it to its ultimate disposal site. It is widely recognized that a broad range of stakeholders and tribes should be involved in this kind of decision. All too frequently, however, stakeholders and tribes are only invited to participate by commenting on processes and activities that are near completion; they are not included in the problem formulation stages. Moreover, it is often assumed that high levels of complexity and uncertainty prevent meaningful participation by these groups. Considering the types of information that stakeholders and tribes need to be able to participate in the full life cycle of decision making is critical for improving participation and transparency of decision making. Toward this objective, the Consortium for Risk Evaluation with Stakeholder Participation (CRESP) participated in three public processes relating to nuclear waste transportation and disposal in 1997-1998. First, CRESP organized focus groups to identify concerns about nuclear waste transportation. Second, CRESP conducted exit surveys at regional public workshops held by DOE to get input from stakeholders on intersite waste transfer issues. Third, CRESP developed visual tools to synthesize technical information and allow stakeholders and tribes with varying levels of knowledge about nuclear waste to participate in meaningful discussion. In this article we share the results of the CRESP findings, discuss common themes arising from these interactions, and comment on special considerations needed to facilitate stakeholder and tribal participation in similar decision-making processes. PMID:12611653
Using the immediate release of the Working Group 1 Summary for Policymakers of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Fifth Assessment Report as a case study, this article seeks to describe what type of actors were most active during the summary release, the substance of the most propagated tweets during the summary release, and the media sources that attracted the most attention during the summary release. The results from the study suggest that non-elite actors, such as individual bloggers and concerned citizens, accounted for the majority of the most propagated tweets in the sample. This study also finds that the majority of the most propagated tweets in the sample focused on public understanding of the report. Finally, while mainstream media sources were the most frequently discussed media sources, a number of new media and science news and information sources compete for audience attention.
The statements produced by the Consensus Conference on Diverticular Disease promoted by GRIMAD (Gruppo Italiano Malattia Diverticolare, Italian Group on Diverticular Diseases) are reported. Topics such as epidemiology, risk factors, diagnosis, medical and surgical treatment of diverticular disease (DD) in patients with uncomplicated and complicated DD were reviewed by a scientific board of experts who proposed 55 statements graded according to level of evidence and strength of recommendation, and approved by an independent jury. Each topic was explored focusing on the more relevant clinical questions. Comparison and discussion of expert opinions, pertinent statements and replies to specific questions, were presented and approved based on a systematic literature search of the available evidence. Comments were added explaining the basis for grading the evidence, particularly for controversial areas. PMID:25360320
Objective. To develop and implement a virtual tablet machine simulation to aid distance students' understanding of the processes involved in tablet production. Design. A tablet simulation was created enabling students to study the effects different parameters have on the properties of the tablet. Once results were generated, students interpreted and explained them on the basis of current theory. Assessment. The simulation was evaluated using written questionnaires and focus group interviews. Students appreciated the exercise and considered it to be motivational. Students commented that they found the simulation, together with the online seminar and the writing of the report, was beneficial for their learning process. Conclusion. According to students' perceptions, the use of the tablet simulation contributed to their understanding of the compaction process.
Objective. To develop and implement a virtual tablet machine simulation to aid distance students’ understanding of the processes involved in tablet production. Design. A tablet simulation was created enabling students to study the effects different parameters have on the properties of the tablet. Once results were generated, students interpreted and explained them on the basis of current theory. Assessment. The simulation was evaluated using written questionnaires and focus group interviews. Students appreciated the exercise and considered it to be motivational. Students commented that they found the simulation, together with the online seminar and the writing of the report, was beneficial for their learning process. Conclusion. According to students’ perceptions, the use of the tablet simulation contributed to their understanding of the compaction process. PMID:27402990
Collado, Sergio; Oulego, Paula; Suárez-Iglesias, Octavio; Díaz, Mario
2018-04-01
Humic and fulvic acids constitute humic substances, a complex mixture of many different acids containing carboxyl and phenolate groups, which are not only the principal soil fertility factors but also the main pollutants present in landfill leachates or natural organic matter in water. Due to their low bacterial biodegradability, fungal biodegradation processes are key for their removal. The present study compiles and comments all the available literature on decomposition of aqueous humic substances by fungi or by their extracellular enzymes alone, focusing on the influence of the reaction conditions. The biodegradation extent mainly depends on the characteristics and concentration of the humic compounds, the type of microorganisms selected, the inoculation mode, the C and N sources, the presence of certain chemicals in the medium, the availability of oxygen, the temperature, and the pH.
Preventative health strategies incorporating the views of target participants have improved the likelihood of success. This qualitative study aimed to elicit child and parent views regarding social and environmental barriers to healthy eating, physical activity and child obesity prevention programmes, acceptable foci, and appropriate modes of delivery. To obtain views across a range of social circumstances three demographically diverse primary schools in Victoria, Australia were selected. Children in Grades 2 (aged 7-8 years) and 5 (aged 10-11 years) participated in focus groups of three to six children. Groups were semi-structured using photo-based activities to initiate discussion. Focus groups with established parent groups were also conducted. Comments were recorded, collated, and themes extracted using grounded theory. 119 children and 17 parents participated. Nine themes emerged: information and awareness, contradiction between knowledge and behaviour, lifestyle balance, local environment, barriers to a healthy lifestyle, contradictory messages, myths, roles of the school and family, and timing and content of prevention strategies for childhood obesity. In conclusion, awareness of food 'healthiness' was high however perceptions of the 'healthiness' of some sedentary activities that are otherwise of benefit (e.g. reading) were uncertain. The contradictions in messages children receive were reported to be a barrier to a healthy lifestyle. Parent recommendations regarding the timing and content of childhood obesity prevention strategies were consistent with quantitative research. Contradictions in the explicit and implicit messages children receive around diet and physical activity need to be prevented. Consistent promotion of healthy food and activity choices across settings is core to population prevention programmes for childhood obesity.
... by Nimer and Lundahl (2007) in finding multiple studies with poor research designs and other methodological problems that made it hard for those authors to draw firm conclusions. Even where studies focused...
Describes an approach to teaching William Shakespeare's "Romeo and Juliet" utilizing a dramatic sequence of events and focusing on grudges and hatred. Outlines eight steps to be undertaken in presenting this dramatic work. Ends with workshop participant comments, all favorable. (HB)
... by Disqus. blog comments powered by Disqus Featured Posts Advancing Patient Care Through Focused Innovation April 16, 2018, by Norman E. Sharpless, M.D. Study Tests Way to Lower Dose of Prostate Cancer Drug ...
Whittle, Amy E; Buckelew, Sara M; Satterfield, Jason M; Lum, Paula J; O'Sullivan, Patricia
2015-01-01
The American Academy of Pediatrics Committee on Substance Use recommends screening, brief intervention, and referral to treatment (SBIRT) at every adolescent preventive and all appropriate urgent visits. We designed an SBIRT curriculum as part of the adolescent block of a pediatric residency that combined online modules with an in-person workshop, faculty feedback on resident interactions with patients, and resident self-reflection on their motivational interviewing (MI) skills. To evaluate the curriculum, we measured resident satisfaction and self-reported confidence in using SBIRT and MI with teens using a retrospective pre/post questionnaire. We used qualitative analysis to evaluate the written comments from faculty observations of patient-trainee interactions and comments from resident self-reflection(s) on patient interactions. Thirty-two residents completed the curriculum. Residents reported high satisfaction with the training. Comparing retrospective pre/post scores on the survey of resident self-reported confidence, measures increased significantly in all domains, including for both alcohol and other drug use. Regarding self-reported MI, skillfulness also increased significantly. Analysis of specific faculty feedback to residents revealed subthemes such as normalizing confidentiality and focusing more on the patient's perspectives on substance use. Resident reflections on their own abilities with SBIRT/MI focused on using the ruler tool and on adapting the MI style of shared decision-making. A curriculum that combines online training, small-group practice, clinical observations, and self-reflection is valued by residents and can increase resident self-reported confidence in using SBIRT and MI in adolescent encounters. Future studies should examine to what extent confidence predicts performance using standardized measures of MI skillfulness in patient encounters.
... control of the helicopter. DATES: We must receive comments on this proposed AD by August 6, 2010..., Aviation Safety Engineer, Rotorcraft Directorate, Regulations and Guidance Group, 2601 Meacham Blvd, Fort.... We will post all comments we receive, without change, to http://www.regulations.gov , including any...
...) Staff Office announces a public meeting of the Chartered SAB to consider a draft report commenting on... will hold a public meeting to consider a draft report on the President's requested FY 2012 budget for... discuss the work group's draft report and reach agreement on comments to provide the EPA Administrator and...
... NMFS, Attn: Ellen Sebastian. Mail comments to P.O. Box 21668, Juneau, AK 99802-1668. Fax: Address... 420A, Juneau, AK. Instructions: Comments must be submitted by one of the above methods to ensure that... more than 47% of ABC, and Atka mackerel harvests for Amendment 80 cooperatives and CDQ groups within...
Gilliland, William R; Dong, Ting; Artino, Anthony R; Waechter, Donna M; Cruess, David F; DeZee, Kent J; McManigle, John E; Durning, Steven J
2012-09-01
To investigate the association between tertiary reviewer (admissions committee member) comments and medical students' performance during medical school and into internship. We collected data from seven year-groups (1993-1999) and coded tertiary reviewer comments into 14 themes. We then conducted an exploratory factor analysis to reduce the dimensions of the themes (excluding the Overall impression theme). Subsequently, we performed Pearson correlation analyses and multiple linear regression analysis to examine the relationship between the factors and seven outcome measures: medical school preclinical grade point average (GPA), medical school clinical GPA, cumulative medical school GPA, U.S. Medical Licensing Examination Step 1 and 2 scores, and scores on a program director's evaluation measuring intern professionalism and expertise. We extracted seven factors from the 13 themes and found small-to-moderate, significant correlations between the factors, the Overall impression theme, and the outcome measures. In particular, positive comments on Test and Maturity were associated with higher U.S. Medical Licensing Examination Step 1 and 2 scores. Negative comments on Interview and Recommendations were associated with lower ratings of professionalism during internship. Comments on Overall impression were significantly associated with all the outcome measures. Tertiary reviewer comments were weakly associated with performance in medical school and internship. Compared with positive comments, negative comments had stronger associations with medical school and internship performance measures.
Background There is increasing interest in using social media sites such as Facebook to deliver health interventions so as to expose people to content while they are engaging in their usual social media habit. This formative intervention development study is novel in describing a preliminary test of using the secret group feature of Facebook to deliver a behavioral intervention targeting users of indoor tanning beds to reduce their risk of skin cancer. Intervention content was designed to challenge body image-related constructs associated with indoor tanning through the use of dissonance-inducing content. Objective To evaluate engagement with and acceptability of using a secret Facebook group to deliver a healthy body image intervention to young women engaged in indoor tanning. Methods Seventeen young women completed a baseline survey and joined a secret Facebook group with intervention content delivered via daily posts for 4 weeks. Engagement data was extracted and acceptability was measured via a follow-up survey. Results The study had a high retention rate (94%, [16/17]). On average, posts were viewed by 91% of participants, liked by 35%, and commented on by 26%. The average comment rate was highest (65%) for posts that elicited comments by directly posing questions or discussion topics to the group. Average intervention acceptability ratings were highly positive and participants reported feeling connected to the group and its topic. Average rates of past 1-month indoor tanning reported following the intervention were lower than the baseline rate (P=.08, Cohen d=0.47). Conclusions This study is novel in demonstrating participant engagement with and acceptability of using Facebook secret groups to deliver a dissonance-inducing intervention approach that utilizes group-based discussions related to body image. The study is also unique within the field of skin cancer prevention by demonstrating the potential value of delivering an indoor tanning intervention within an interactive social media format. The findings suggest that Facebook metrics of intervention post engagement (ie, likes and comments) may vary based on post types and that designing specifically labeled discussion posts may be helpful for soliciting engagement as well as challenging beliefs. PMID:29463495
If the instructor carefully plans for formation of small groups and the writing sessions, group writing in a business communications course offers such advantages as rapid feedback, peer response, and a variety of evaluative comments. Small group sessions in composing, evaluating, and synthesizing are described. (MF)
There are currently no national competency standards upon which to develop educational objectives for prosthetist/orthotists in Sweden. While standards have been developed in other countries, they cannot be applied without confirming their relevance in a Swedish context. To describe and obtain consensus on core competencies required for newly graduated prosthetist/orthotists in Sweden. Modified Delphi process. A modified Delphi technique was carried out. Focus groups were initially used to identify core competency domains. Two consecutive questionnaires, containing a list of potential competency items, were sent to a group of stakeholders with ties to the prosthetic and orthotic profession. Stakeholders were requested to rate their level of agreement with each competency item and provide written comments. Finally, two focus groups were conducted to obtain feedback on the draft competency standards. Forty-four competency items, listed under five key domains of practice, were identified as essential for newly graduated prosthetist/orthotists in Sweden. Many similarities exist in core competency descriptions for prosthetist/orthotists in Sweden when compared to other countries. Regional differences do however exist, and it is important to confirm the relevance of core competency items at a national level before they are applied. Clinical relevance Competency standards developed in this study can be used to guide development of learning objectives within an undergraduate prosthetic and orthotic program, provide a framework for workforce development, assist professional organizations in understanding the needs of their members, and prepare for international accreditation.
Yoon, Hyun Bae; Park, Wan Beom; Myung, Sun-Jung; Moon, Sang Hui; Park, Jun-Bean
2018-03-01
Team-based learning (TBL) is increasingly employed in medical education because of its potential to promote active group learning. In TBL, learners are usually asked to assess the contributions of peers within their group to ensure accountability. The purpose of this study is to assess the validity and reliability of a peer evaluation instrument that was used in TBL classes in a single medical school. A total of 141 students were divided into 18 groups in 11 TBL classes. The students were asked to evaluate their peers in the group based on evaluation criteria that were provided to them. We analyzed the comments that were written for the highest and lowest achievers to assess the validity of the peer evaluation instrument. The reliability of the instrument was assessed by examining the agreement among peer ratings within each group of students via intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) analysis. Most of the students provided reasonable and understandable comments for the high and low achievers within their group, and most of those comments were compatible with the evaluation criteria. The average ICC of each group ranged from 0.390 to 0.863, and the overall average was 0.659. There was no significant difference in inter-rater reliability according to the number of members in the group or the timing of the evaluation within the course. The peer evaluation instrument that was used in the TBL classes was valid and reliable. Providing evaluation criteria and rules seemed to improve the validity and reliability of the instrument.
Zaidman-Zait, Anat; Curle, Deirdre; Jamieson, Janet R; Chia, Ruth; Kozak, Frederick K
The present study examined differences in health-related quality of life (HRQoL) between deaf children with cochlear implants (CI) with and without developmental disabilities (DD) and differences across HRQoL domains within both groups of children. Ninety-two parents of children with CI aged 3-7 years participated in this cross-sectional study. Of these children, 43 had DD (i.e., CI-DD group) and 49 had no DD or chronic illness, demonstrating overall typical development (i.e., CI-TD group). Parents of children in both groups completed the KINDL, a generic HRQoL questionnaire. Parents also provided anecdotal comments to open-ended questions, and parent comments were evaluated on a CI benefits scale to assess parent-perceived benefits of CI for the deaf children with and without disabilities. Children in the CI-DD group had significantly lower HRQoL compared to children in the CI-TD group, including lower scores on the self-esteem, friend, school, and family HRQoL subscales. No significant differences among groups were found on the physical well-being and emotional well-being subscales. For the CI-TD group, age at implantation correlated negatively with self-esteem and school HRQoL subscales. In the CI-DD group, children's current age correlated negatively with family and with the total HRQoL scores. Parent anecdotal comments and scores on the CI-benefits scale indicated strong parent perceptions of benefits of implantation for children in both groups. Based on parents' proxy report, findings suggest that having DD affects multiple domains of HRQoL among young children with CIs above and beyond that of the CI itself. Parents of deaf children with DD may need greater support through the CI process and follow-up than parents of deaf children without DD.
Ganzini, Linda; Rakoski, Alexa; Cohn, Sharilyn; Mularski, Richard A
2015-02-01
Music-thanatology is a palliative modality that uses harp and voice to provide bedside vigils, particularly for terminally ill or actively dying. We sought to determine the benefits of music vigils for terminally ill patients. Survey of 55 family members, whose terminally ill loved one experienced a music vigil during hospitalization, regarding effects on the patient's breathing, relaxation, comfort, pain and ability to sleep. Written comments on negative and positive results of the vigils were coded using content analysis. Family members perceived that the vigils resulted in modest improvement in the patients' breathing, relaxation, comfort, and ability to sleep, with fewer positive effects on pain, and almost no negative effects. Open ended comments focused on the positive benefit in increasing calm, relaxation, comfort. Comments on the positive effects for the family were almost as common as comments on the positive results for the patient. The use of music-vigils in palliative care should be investigated more extensively as our study supports that this intervention has benefits, almost no risk, minimal cost, and may improve patient-family experience of the dying process.
Jackson, Jeffrey L; Kay, Cynthia; Jackson, Wilkins C; Frank, Michael
2015-07-01
Attending evaluations are commonly used to evaluate residents. Evaluate the quality of written feedback of internal medicine residents. Retrospective. Internal medicine residents and faculty at the Medical College of Wisconsin from 2004 to 2012. From monthly evaluations of residents by attendings, a randomly selected sample of 500 written comments by attendings were qualitatively coded and rated as high-, moderate-, or low-quality feedback by two independent coders with good inter-rater reliability (kappa: 0.94). Small group exercises with residents and attendings also coded the utterances as high, moderate, or low quality and developed criteria for this categorization. In-service examination scores were correlated with written feedback. There were 228 internal medicine residents who had 6,603 evaluations by 334 attendings. Among 500 randomly selected written comments, there were 2,056 unique utterances: 29% were coded as nonspecific statements, 20% were comments about resident personality, 16% about patient care, 14% interpersonal communication, 7% medical knowledge, 6% professionalism, and 4% each on practice-based learning and systems-based practice. Based on criteria developed by group exercises, the majority of written comments were rated as moderate quality (65%); 22% were rated as high quality and 13% as low quality. Attendings who provided high-quality feedback rated residents significantly lower in all six of the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) competencies (p <0.0005 for all), and had a greater range of scores. Negative comments on medical knowledge were associated with lower in-service examination scores. Most attending written evaluation was of moderate or low quality. Attendings who provided high-quality feedback appeared to be more discriminating, providing significantly lower ratings of residents in all six ACGME core competencies, and across a greater range. Attendings' negative written comments on medical knowledge correlated with lower in-service training scores.
A final response to S. M. Donaldson's comments (1998) on the authors' article, "Spiritual Experiences of Gay Men and Lesbians." The original article focused on the experiences and spiritual issues of self-identified gay men and lesbians. (Author/MKA)
Over the past decade, a great deal has been learned about the perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAAs), a new class of environmental contaminants that includes the now well-known perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), and many other related compounds. These mater...
... singer Randy Owen, formerly lead singer of the band Alabama, (with his wife Kelly). Photo courtesy of NIH NIH Director Elias Zerhouni, M.D., comments at the awards dinner focused on the vital role medical research plays in improving health care for all ...
Presented is an outline of a college course, "Education in American Society," that focused on teaching students rational decision-making skills while examining current issues in American Education. The outline is followed by student comments, reactions, and evaluations of the course. (JMD)
Michel, Yvonne Anne; Engel, Lidia; Rand-Hendriksen, Kim; Augestad, Liv Ariane; Whitehurst, David Gt
2016-11-28
In health economic analyses, health states are typically valued using instruments with few items per dimension. Due to the generic (and often reductionist) nature of such instruments, certain groups of respondents may experience challenges in describing their health state. This study is concerned with generic, preference-based health state instruments that provide information for decisions about the allocation of resources in health care. Unlike physical measurement instruments, preference-based health state instruments provide health state values that are dependent on how respondents interpret the items. This study investigates how individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI) interpret mobility-related items contained within six preference-based health state instruments. Secondary analysis of focus group transcripts originally collected in Vancouver, Canada, explored individuals' perceptions and interpretations of mobility-related items contained within the 15D, Assessment of Quality of Life 8-dimension (AQoL-8D), EQ-5D-5L, Health Utilities Index (HUI), Quality of Well-Being Scale Self-Administered (QWB-SA), and the 36-item Short Form health survey version 2 (SF-36v2). Ritchie and Spencer's 'Framework Approach' was used to perform thematic analysis that focused on participants' comments concerning the mobility-related items only. Fifteen individuals participated in three focus groups (five per focus group). Four themes emerged: wording of mobility (e.g., 'getting around' vs 'walking'), reference to aids and appliances, lack of suitable response options, and reframing of items (e.g., replacing 'walking' with 'wheeling'). These themes reflected item features that respondents perceived as relevant in enabling them to describe their mobility, and response strategies that respondents could use when faced with inaccessible items. Investigating perceptions to mobility-related items within the context of SCI highlights substantial variation in item interpretation across six preference-based health state instruments. Studying respondents' interpretations of items can help to understand discrepancies in the health state descriptions and values obtained from different instruments. This line of research warrants closer attention in the health economics and quality of life literature.
... physicians in group practices, and in 2006, to permit certain physicians to treat up to 100 patients. To..., telephone and fax numbers; email address; name and address of group practice; group practice employer identification number; names and DEA registration numbers of group practitioners; purpose of notification new...
... assigned to a treatment group offered participation in HPOG and a control group not offered the opportunity... and control group sample members. It also is necessary to collect data about implementation from... second follow-up survey of both treatment and control group members. This survey will be administered...
Kristoffersson, Emelie; Andersson, Jenny; Bengs, Carita; Hamberg, Katarina
2016-10-26
Research shows that medical education is characterized by unequal conditions for women and men, but there is a lack of qualitative studies investigating the social processes that enable and maintain gender inequalities that include both male and female students. In this focus group study, we therefore explored male as well as female medical students' experiences of the gender climate - i.e., how beliefs, values, and norms about gender were communicated - during clinical training and how the students dealt with these experiences. Focus group interviews were conducted with 24 medical students (nine men) at Umeå University, Sweden. The interviews were structured around personal experiences in clinical training where the participants perceived that gender had mattered. Data were analysed using qualitative content analysis. The students described gender-stereotyped expectations, discriminatory treatment, compliments, comments, and demeaning jargon. Female students gave more personal and varied examples than the men. The students' ways of handling their experiences were marked by efforts to fit in, for example, by adapting their appearance and partaking in the prevailing jargon. They felt dependent on supervisors and staff, and due to fear of repercussions they kept silent and avoided unpleasant situations and people rather than challenging humiliating jargon or supervisors who were behaving badly. Everyday communication of gender beliefs combined with students' adaptation to stereotyped expectations and discrimination came across as fundamental features through which unequal conditions for male and female students are reproduced and maintained in the clinic. Because they are in a dependent position, it is often difficult for students to challenge problematic gender attitudes. The main responsibility for improvements, therefore, lies with medical school leadership who need to provide students and supervisors with knowledge about gendered processes, discrimination, and sexism and to organize reflection groups about the gender climate in order to improve students' opportunities to discuss their experiences, and hopefully find ways to protest and actively demand change.
... applicants to Project GATE were randomly assigned to either a program group or a control group. The project... telephone survey of participants and control group members was conducted to collect three waves of data at... program group or a control group. Members of the program group are eligible to receive GATE II services...
Although studies have emphasized the multiple components of anger, little is known about the physiological and psychological mechanisms of the approach motivational component and the negative emotional component of anger. In the present study, participants wrote brief opinions about social problems (e.g., tuition hikes) and received a handwritten, insulting comment about their composition from the experimenter. Half of the participants (apology group) received a simple apologetic sentence at the end of the insulting comment. Half of the participants (no apology group) did not receive one. The physiological responses of the participants were recorded prior to, and after they read the comments. Increases in heart rate and asymmetric frontal brain activity were suppressed only in the apology group. Both groups showed an increase in skin conductance response. Our psychological scales showed that the apology suppressed self reported state anger from an approach-motivational standpoint but not from a negative emotional standpoint. The results suggest that anger is not a unitary process but has multiple components. The apology did provide a different physiological profile but did not dampen down the subjective experience of anger. Thus, providing an apology may not always be effective for alleviating the experience of anger to an insult.
Although studies have emphasized the multiple components of anger, little is known about the physiological and psychological mechanisms of the approach motivational component and the negative emotional component of anger. In the present study, participants wrote brief opinions about social problems (e.g., tuition hikes) and received a handwritten, insulting comment about their composition from the experimenter. Half of the participants (apology group) received a simple apologetic sentence at the end of the insulting comment. Half of the participants (no apology group) did not receive one. The physiological responses of the participants were recorded prior to, and after they read the comments. Increases in heart rate and asymmetric frontal brain activity were suppressed only in the apology group. Both groups showed an increase in skin conductance response. Our psychological scales showed that the apology suppressed self reported state anger from an approach-motivational standpoint but not from a negative emotional standpoint. The results suggest that anger is not a unitary process but has multiple components. The apology did provide a different physiological profile but did not dampen down the subjective experience of anger. Thus, providing an apology may not always be effective for alleviating the experience of anger to an insult. PMID:22457729
... between the screening and control groups and make appropriate adjustments in analysis. Further... instruments, contact Dr. Christine D. Berg, Chief, Early Detection Research Group, National Cancer Institute...
..., tribal entities, environmental groups, academic institutions, industrial groups) use the ambient air... System (AQS) database. Quality assurance/quality control records and monitoring network documentation are...
... Review: Revision. Title: Application for Fulbright-Hays Group Projects Abroad Program. Frequency... Group Projects Abroad program, which provides grants for overseas projects in training, research and curriculum development in modern foreign languages and area studies for groups of teachers, students and...
This article will outline the use of continuous subcutaneous infusion pumps, known as syringe drivers, including their benefits and drawbacks in a palliative care context. There have been over 5000 articles published globally describing syringe drivers in the medical and nursing literature within the last decade. Many provide guidance on their use, although much of the data are repetitious, disease or age-group specific, and focused on pragmatic issues to do with clinical application. Several trusts and hospices across the UK are carrying out trials of the recently launched McKinley T34 syringe driver. Therefore, it seems timely to consider their wider use internationally. Globally, practitioners in palliative care are very familiar with their use, although the literature lacks specific guidance and, at times, the information is ambiguous. Having briefly reviewed their benefits, the article considers the limitations of using syringe drivers and comments on some of the lesser known/reported practical and patient-focused drawbacks associated with their use. We conclude by considering why, when so much education and training exists to help practitioners use these devices effectively, so many human errors occur.
A Delay-Tolerant Network (DTN) Architecture (Request for Comment, RFC-4838) and Bundle Protocol Specification, RFC-5050, have been proposed for space and terrestrial networks. Additional security specifications have been provided via the Bundle Security Specification (currently a work in progress as an Internet Research Task Force internet-draft) and, for link-layer protocols applicable to Space networks, the Licklider Transport Protocol Security Extensions. This document provides a security analysis of the current DTN RFCs and proposed security related internet drafts with a focus on space-based communication networks, which is a rather restricted subset of DTN networks. Note, the original focus and motivation of DTN work was for the Interplanetary Internet . This document does not address general store-and-forward network overlays, just the current work being done by the Internet Research Task Force (IRTF) and the Consultative Committee for Space Data Systems (CCSDS) Space Internetworking Services Area (SIS) - DTN working group under the DTN and Bundle umbrellas. However, much of the analysis is relevant to general store-and-forward overlays.
This article comments on international consequences of performativity cultures and curriculum standardization, focusing particularly on the situation in England. It highlights the divide between youth culture and school learning, and the particular damage for poorer students. It argues the impact of the English performativity regime on teacher…
Comments on Lewis's ideas about reconciling stage and specificity in neo-Piagetian theory in this issue. Focuses on whether general stages, domain specificity, and individual diversity are compatible from a nonlinear, dynamic perspective. Suggests that, by using catastrophe theory, intra- and interindividual diversity and domain specificity can be…
....regulations.gov Web site is an ``anonymous access'' system, which means the EPA will not know your identity or... and the states will be shifting their focus to development of interim progress reports required by the...
Comments to a previous article focusing on power and method in linguistic research. It is suggested that the method advocated is worthwhile, modifiable for other disciplines, and should be read and discussed by scholars from many fields. (VWL)
... serves the need for direct and quantitative measurement of our target population, and which, as a quantitative research tool has some major benefits: To focus on our target population of adults who use the...
... revised to reflect NIST's ``Next Generation Strategy.'' This new strategy focuses on growth and innovation for manufacturers. The information will inform management and stakeholders of the strategy's effectiveness. Affected Public: Business or other for-profit organizations. Frequency: Annually. Respondent's...
... service environment in which the evaluation is implemented and the opportunities for control group members to access the same or similar services as the treatment group members. Respondents: Individuals enrolled in ISIS demonstration interventions, control group members, ISIS program operators (BIF and SAQ...
A final report is presented from the industry panel group. The contents include: 1) General comments; 2) Positive progress since Minnowbrook IV; 3) Industry panel outcome; 4) Prioritized turbine projects; 5) Prioritized compressor projects; and 6) Miscellaneous.
Replies to comments by R. J. Griffore and D. A. Newman et al. on the author's original article on test validity and cultural bias in racial-group assessment. Helms notes that, given that within-group variance exceeds between-groups variance, racial groups are probably simulating a psychological construct that is more strongly related to…
Traulsen, Janine M; Bjornsdóttir, Ingunn; Almarsdóttir, Anna Birna
2008-01-01
To explore lay perceptions about medicine and drug therapy (including gene-based therapy) in the present and in the future. Following almost a year of national debate, the Icelandic parliament passed the Health Sector Database (HSD) Act in 1998. No single issue has been as much debated in Iceland as this database. Despite the explosion of popular and scientific literature in the field of bioethics, there is still a paucity of research concerning 'lay' contributions to the debates. The study was designed as a qualitative study. Focus groups (FGs) were conducted followed by one-on-one interviews with the FG moderator. PARTICIPANTS were asked to comment on a future scenario consisting of predictions concerning the consequence of the Human Genome Project over the next 40 years. Forty-two persons participated in eight FGs in Iceland. The Icelandic moderator was interviewed in English after each group. The lay public was relatively optimistic with regard to the future of drugs and gene-based therapy. Reasons for this optimism can be found in a basic trust and belief in the welfare state and the health system. These results are not consistent with studies carried out in other countries where the public appears to be focused on the negative effects of genetic research and the threats to privacy. Most participants expressed concern about potential problems with regard to social and equity issues, whereas the HSD controversy, a discourse based on the rhetoric of bioethics, was at variance with the issues focused on by the lay public. (c) 2008 S. Karger AG, Basel
Galloway, Charlotte T.; Duffy, Jennifer L.; Dixon, Rena P.; Fuller, Taleria R.
2017-01-01
Purpose Reducing disparities in teen pregnancy and birth rates among African American and Latina teens is a central focus of a community-wide teen pregnancy prevention initiative implemented by the South Carolina Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy. Disparities in teen pregnancy and birth rates are driven, in part, by differential access to contraception and reproductive health care services. The purpose of this qualitative study was to understand African American and Latino teens’ 1) preferences for finding health information, 2) perceptions of accessing reproductive health services, and 3) beliefs about contraception. Methods As a part of this community-wide initiative, eight focus groups were conducted in the Fall of 2012 with African American and Latino male and female youth from two communities in South Carolina. Among eight focus groups of youth, teens most often reported parents, other trusted relatives, and the Internet as sources of health information. Results Participants discussed the value of social media and television advertisements for reaching young people and emphasized the importance of privacy, a desire for a teen-only clinic, and the need for friendly clinical staff. Participants’ comments often reflected inaccurate beliefs about the reliability and correct usage of contraceptive methods. Female participants also reported side effects of birth control as a potential barrier to use. Conclusions Ensuring that teens’ beliefs and perceptions are taken into account when developing, marketing, and implementing culturally competent reproductive health care services is important to improve access to care for all teens in Horry and Spartanburg Counties. PMID:28235437
Pinilla, Severin; Nicolai, Leo; Gradel, Maximilian; Pander, Tanja; Fischer, Martin R; von der Borch, Philip; Dimitriadis, Konstantinos
2015-10-27
Peer mentoring is a powerful pedagogical approach for supporting undergraduate medical students in their learning environment. However, it remains unclear what exactly peer mentoring is and whether and how undergraduate medical students use social media for peer-mentoring activities. We aimed at describing and exploring the Facebook use of undergraduate medical students during their first 2 years at a German medical school. The data should help medical educators to effectively integrate social media in formal mentoring programs for medical students. We developed a coding scheme for peer mentoring and conducted a mixed-methods study in order to explore Facebook groups of undergraduate medical students from a peer-mentoring perspective. All major peer-mentoring categories were identified in Facebook groups of medical students. The relevance of these Facebook groups was confirmed through triangulation with focus groups and descriptive statistics. Medical students made extensive use of Facebook and wrote a total of 11,853 posts and comments in the respective Facebook groups (n=2362 total group members). Posting peaks were identified at the beginning of semesters and before exam periods, reflecting the formal curriculum milestones. Peer mentoring is present in Facebook groups formed by undergraduate medical students who extensively use these groups to seek advice from peers on study-related issues and, in particular, exam preparation. These groups also seem to be effective in supporting responsive and large-scale peer-mentoring structures; formal mentoring programs might benefit from integrating social media into their activity portfolio.
... offered participation in HPOG and a control group not offered the opportunity to enroll in HPOG. To achieve these goals, it is necessary to collect data about both treatment group and control group sample... participants and control group members) described under 1 below. As part of this submission, we are also...
Ainsworth, Sarah E; Baumeister, Roy F; Vohs, Kathleen D
2016-01-01
Gowdy & Krall's target article complements our recent theorizing on group behavior. In our comment, we elucidate complementary aspects of the two theories and highlight the importance of differentiation of selves for human groups to reap the benefits of ultrasociality. We propose that achieving optimal group outcomes depends on the differentiation of individual selves.
... Research on January 22, 2013. The report is posted on the NIH Web site at http://dpcpsi.nih.gov/council..., March 23, 2013, via the comment database at http://grants.nih.gov/grants/rfi/rfi.cfm?ID=31 . In the interim, NIH will continue to apply its policy on Research Involving Chimpanzees (see NOT-OD-12-025; http...
These are simple charts for the introductory comments to be made at the start of a panel session at the Ground System Architecture Workshop (GSAW2016). It is not meant as a formal paper, but rather contains information to prompt further discussion of the panel members and audience. The panel topic is: Embracing Change via the Use of Service-Based Frameworks and Products in an Enterprise.
Fifty experts, representing 22 countries provide their comments and views on the use of terms such as "disarmament education" and "peace education" in international debates. Part 1 of the report presents a summarization of the major characteristics of the answers. Some of the interviewees emphasize that the terms are not…
To investigate dual-process persuasion theories in the context of group decision making, we studied low and high need-for-cognition (NFC) participants within a mock trial study. Participants considered plaintiff and defense expert scientific testimony that varied in argument strength. All participants heard a cross-examination of the experts focusing on peripheral information (e.g., credentials) about the expert, but half were randomly assigned to also hear central information highlighting flaws in the expert’s message (e.g., quality of the research presented by the expert). Participants rendered pre- and post-group-deliberation verdicts, which were considered “scientifically accurate” if the verdicts reflected the strong (versus weak) expert message, and “scientifically inaccurate” if they reflected the weak (versus strong) expert message. For individual participants, we replicated studies testing classic persuasion theories: Factors promoting reliance on central information (i.e., central cross-examination, high NFC) improved verdict accuracy because they sensitized individual participants to the quality discrepancy between the experts’ messages. Interestingly, however, at the group level, the more that scientifically accurate mock jurors discussed peripheral (versus central) information about the experts, the more likely their group was to reach the scientifically accurate verdict. When participants were arguing for the scientifically accurate verdict consistent with the strong expert message, peripheral comments increased their persuasiveness, which made the group more likely to reach the more scientifically accurate verdict. PMID:28931011
Salerno, Jessica M; Bottoms, Bette L; Peter-Hagene, Liana C
2017-01-01
To investigate dual-process persuasion theories in the context of group decision making, we studied low and high need-for-cognition (NFC) participants within a mock trial study. Participants considered plaintiff and defense expert scientific testimony that varied in argument strength. All participants heard a cross-examination of the experts focusing on peripheral information (e.g., credentials) about the expert, but half were randomly assigned to also hear central information highlighting flaws in the expert's message (e.g., quality of the research presented by the expert). Participants rendered pre- and post-group-deliberation verdicts, which were considered "scientifically accurate" if the verdicts reflected the strong (versus weak) expert message, and "scientifically inaccurate" if they reflected the weak (versus strong) expert message. For individual participants, we replicated studies testing classic persuasion theories: Factors promoting reliance on central information (i.e., central cross-examination, high NFC) improved verdict accuracy because they sensitized individual participants to the quality discrepancy between the experts' messages. Interestingly, however, at the group level, the more that scientifically accurate mock jurors discussed peripheral (versus central) information about the experts, the more likely their group was to reach the scientifically accurate verdict. When participants were arguing for the scientifically accurate verdict consistent with the strong expert message, peripheral comments increased their persuasiveness, which made the group more likely to reach the more scientifically accurate verdict.
... identified in the Joint Action Plan, the Transportation--Dangerous Goods Working Group led by senior...)-- Transportation--Dangerous Goods Working Group AGENCY: Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration...--Dangerous Goods Working Group, of the United States-Canada Regulatory Cooperation Council (RCC). Comments...
The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the meaning of the phrase "image of the nurse" in the context of the desired brand experience of assurance. A brand is a promise that lives in the minds of consumers. Nurses play a key role in delivering on the brand promise of a hospital. Using focus groups, the authors applied a deductive approach to generate data. Discussion transcripts were analyzed by establishing codes and identifying themes. The most frequent comment from participants was that for nurses to communicate assurance, they must 1st be clean, well groomed, and understated in overall appearance. Nurse behaviors that reassure patients include being present with patients, helping patients know what to expect, and demonstrating a consistent team approach. Overall appearance and behaviors define the image of nurses and contribute significantly to the brand of assurance.
Freeman, John G.; Marx, Ronald W.; Cimellaro, Luigia
2004-04-01
This paper describes two professional development institutes in project-based science. We collected data from these institutes in the form of structured questionnaires, individual written reflections by the teachers, and focus-group interviews. An analysis of the data revealed three factors that had been underrepresented in previous research: comfort, technology, and balance. In terms of comfort, the teachers expressed a need for both physical and psychological comfort for them to learn. The technological emphasis in our institutes caused teachers to stress in their comments our developing software. We found that, depending on teachers'' previous knowledge, technology could be a barrier or a support to the success of institutes. Finally, we found a necessity to balance elements within the institute and a need to balance cognitively demanding time on task with less demanding opportunities for informal interaction.
One of the most important phenomena in the intellectual history of the 20th century was the exodus of the European mind, the emigration of persons, ideas, techniques, and institutions in the vast areas of social, human, and natural sciences, as well as in literature and the visual arts. Among these exiled intellectuals, psychoanalysts formed a special group. This paper examines the major lines of the emigration of psychoanalysts from the countries of issue to the countries of reception. It focuses, in particular on Hungarian analysts and analytic candidates who left their country of birth in two waves, first after the failure of revolutions in 1918/19 for Berlin, and then after 1938, to escape the Nazis. The paper comments on the existential situation of émigré psychoanalysts in light of Hannah Arendt's writings on refugees.
Tursi, Antonio; Picchio, Marcello; Elisei, Walter; Di Mario, Francesco; Scarpignato, Carmelo; Brandimarte, Giovanni
2016-10-01
The statements produced by the Chairmen of the 2nd International Symposium on Diverticular Disease, held in Rome on April 8th to 9th, 2016, are reported. Topics such as epidemiology, risk factors, diagnosis, medical and surgical treatment of diverticular disease in patients with uncomplicated and complicated diverticular disease were reviewed by the Chairmen who proposed 41 statements graded according to level of evidence and strength of recommendation. Each topic was explored focusing on the more relevant clinical questions. The vote was conducted on a 6-point scale and consensus was defined a priori as 67% agreement of the participants. The voting group consisted of 80 physicians from 6 countries, and agreement with all statements was provided. Comments were added explaining some controversial areas.
Imaginary worlds have been devised by artists and commentators for centuries to focus satirical attention on society's problems. The increasing sophistication of three-dimensional graphics software is generating comparable "virtual worlds" for educational usage. Can such worlds play a satirical role suggesting developments in distance…
Southard, Ashton C.; Zeigler-Hill, Virgil; Shackelford, Todd K.
2014-12-01
Yair Neuman [6] presents many provocative ideas in his interdisciplinary approach to human personality. In this commentary, we focus on his ideas regarding (1) the evolutionary basis of personality and (2) human sperm competition.
United Kingdom norms for libraries are reviewed and the effect they would have on Australian university libraries is examined. Focus is on book storage, future growth provision, reader places, administration, reserve storage, and special collections. (LBH)
... components of a broad-based, national agricultural research, extension, and higher education system. Focused... National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) formerly Cooperative State Research, Education, and... higher education. Before awards can be made, certain information is required from applicant to assure...
Suggests ways student reviewers of rock music groups can write better reviews. Among the suggestions made are that reviewers occasionally discuss the audience or what makes a particular group unique, support general comment with detail, and avoid ecstatic adjectives. (TJ)
... Numbers: ER11-4657-001. Applicants: Apple Group. Description: Apple Group Baseline Tariff to be effective...: 20120611-5146. Comments Due: 5 p.m. ET 7/2/12. Docket Numbers: ER12-1140-000. Applicants: PacifiCorp...
InformCare is a European Web platform that supports informal caregivers of older people by providing access to online information and professional and peer support. The aim of this study was to assess the usage and usability of a psychosocial Web-based program carried out in three European countries (Italy, Sweden, and Germany). A mixed-methods sequential explanatory design was adopted, comprising baseline and postintervention assessments, as well as combined thematic content analysis of results and focus group findings. A convenience sample of 118 caregivers was enrolled, of whom 94 used the services offered by the program at least once. The subsamples in the three countries used the platform in different ways, with a predominance of passive strategies (eg, seeking information and reading other people's comments) for Italian caregivers, and more active usage by Swedish and German caregivers. The usability assessment showed that the platform was perceived well by Italian and German caregivers, whereas technical problems affected the Swedish sample's experiences. Focus group data highlighted user satisfaction with the online support and reliability of the environment. Recommendations for practitioners are to ensure digital training for caregivers who have lower confidence in use of the Internet, to involve different healthcare professionals in the provision of professional support, and to adequately manage online community building.
Roseamelia, Carrie; Greenwald, James L; Bush, Tiffany; Pratte, Morgan; Wilcox, Jessica; Morley, Christopher P
2014-04-01
Rural tracks (RTs) exist within medical schools across the United States. These programs often target those students from rural areas and those with primary care career interests, given that these factors are robust predictors of eventual rural practice. However, only 26% to 64% of graduates from RTs enter eventual rural practice. We conducted a qualitative, exploratory study of medical students enrolled in one school's RT, examining their interests in rural training, specialization, and eventual rural practice, via open coding of transcripts from focus groups and in-depth individual interviews, leading to identification of emerging themes. A total of 16 out of 54 eligible first- and second-year preclinical medical students participated in focus group sessions, and a total of seven out of 17 eligible third- and fourth-year medical students participated in individual interviews. Analyses revealed the recognition of a "Rural Identity," typical characteristics, and the importance of "Program Fit" and "Intentions for Practice" that trended toward family medicine specialization and rural practice. However, nuances within the comments reveal incomplete commitment to rural practice. In many cases, student preference for rural practice was driven largely by a disinterest in urban practice. Students with rural and primary care practice interests are often not perfectly committed to rural practice. However, RTs may provide a haven for such students within medical school.
Walsh, Jason L; Harris, Benjamin H L; Denny, Paul; Smith, Phil
2018-01-01
Purpose of the study There are few studies on the value of authoring questions as a study method, the quality of the questions produced by students and student perceptions of student-authored question banks. Here we evaluate PeerWise, a widely used and free online resource that allows students to author, answer and discuss multiple-choice questions. Study design We introduced two undergraduate medical student cohorts to PeerWise (n=603). We looked at their patterns of PeerWise usage; identified associations between student engagement and summative exam performance; and used focus groups to assess student perceptions of the value of PeerWise for learning. We undertook item analysis to assess question difficulty and quality. Results Over two academic years, the two cohorts wrote 4671 questions, answered questions 606 658 times and posted 7735 comments. Question writing frequency correlated most strongly with summative performance (Spearman’s rank: 0.24, p=<0.001). Student focus groups found that: (1) students valued curriculum specificity; and (2) students were concerned about student-authored question quality. Only two questions of the 300 ’most-answered' questions analysed had an unacceptable discriminatory value (point-biserial correlation <0.2). Conclusions Item analysis suggested acceptable question quality despite student concerns. Quantitative and qualitative methods indicated that PeerWise is a valuable study tool. PMID:28866607
The research was conducted to determine clinician knowledge needs for competent involvement with the facility design process as well as to gather lessons learned on building stronger design teams. As clinical stakeholders are invited to the healthcare facility design table, the question arises as to the ability of professionally diverse team members to translate each other's comments and ideas accurately. In the past, hospitals were designed by a handful of hospital leaders and architects. More recently, multiple players have become involved throughout the design and construction of new healthcare facilities. Clinical consultants from two international healthcare companies observed that many clinicians were unprepared to effectively translate their needs to the architectural community or to competently utilize architectural tools and documents. A qualitative, post-occupancy cross-case study was conducted to understand how clinicians could increase their competencies for successful involvement in facility design. Focus group interviews were held with teams from healthcare facilities occupying their new facility for more than 6 months and less than 2 years. Curriculum topics were validated and additional areas recommended based on the interviews. Open-ended questioins on lessons learned provided several new dimensions to the research. Although validating the curriculum was the initial intent, the feedback from the focus groups on lessons learned provided rich concepts for practice implications and further research on post-occupancy. Decision-making, design process, interdisciplinary, planning, post-occupancy.
Purpose To learn what medical students derive from training in humanities, social sciences, and the arts in a narrative medicine curriculum and to explore narrative medicine’s framework as it relates to students’ professional development. Method On completion of required intensive, half-semester narrative medicine seminars in 2010, 130 second-year medical students at Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons participated in focus group discussions of their experiences. Focus group transcriptions were submitted to close iterative reading by a team who performed a grounded-theory-guided content analysis, generating a list of codes into which statements were sorted to develop overarching themes. Provisional interpretations emerged from the close and repeated readings, suggesting a fresh conceptual understanding of how and through what avenues such education achieves its goals in clinical training. Results Students’ comments articulated the known features of narrative medicine—attention, representation, and affiliation—and endorsed all three as being valuable to professional identity development. They spoke of the salience of their work in narrative medicine to medicine and medical education and its dividends of critical thinking, reflection, and pleasure. Critiques constituted a small percentage of the statements in each category. Conclusions Students report that narrative medicine seminars support complex interior, interpersonal, perceptual, and expressive capacities. Students’ lived experiences confirm some expectations of narrative medicine curricular planners while exposing fresh effects of such work to view. PMID:24362390
Romera, Eva M.; Herrera-López, Mauricio; Casas, José A.; Ortega Ruiz, Rosario; Del Rey, Rosario
2018-01-01
Cybergossip is the act of two or more people making evaluative comments via digital devices about somebody who is not present. This cyberbehavior affects the social group in which it occurs and can either promote or hinder peer relationships. Scientific studies that assess the nature of this emerging and interactive behavior in the virtual world are limited. Some research on traditional gossip has identified it as an inherent and defining element of indirect relational aggression. This paper adopts and argues for a wider definition of gossip that includes positive comments and motivations. This work also suggests that cybergossip has to be measured independently from traditional gossip due to key differences when it occurs through ICT. This paper presents the Colombian and Spanish validation of the Cybergossip Questionnaire for Adolescents (CGQ-A), involving 3,747 high school students (M = 13.98 years old, SD = 1.69; 48.5% male), of which 1,931 were Colombian and 1,816 were Spanish. Test models derived from item response theory, confirmatory factor analysis, content validation, and multi-group analysis were run on the full sample and subsamples for each country and both genders. The obtained optimal fit and psychometric properties confirm the robustness and suitability of a one-dimensional structure for the cybergossip instrument. The multi-group analysis shows that the cybergossip construct is understood similarly in both countries and between girls and boys. The composite reliability ratifies convergent and divergent validity of the scale. Descriptive results show that Colombian adolescents gossip less than their Spanish counterparts and that boys and girls use cybergossip to the same extent. As a conclusion, this study confirmes the relationship between cybergossip and cyberbullying, but it also supports a focus on positive cybergossip in psychoeducational interventions to build positive virtual relationships and prevent risky cyberbehaviors. PMID:29483887
Because of its emphasis on diminishing race and avoiding racial discourse, color-blind racial ideology has been suggested to have negative consequences for modern day race relations. The current research examined the influence of color blindness and the ambiguity of a prejudiced remark on perceptions of a racial minority group member who confronts the remark. One hundred thirteen White participants responded to a vignette depicting a White character making a prejudiced comment of variable ambiguity, after which a Black target character confronted the comment. Results demonstrated that the target confronter was perceived more negatively and as responding less appropriately by participants high in color blindness, and that this effect was particularly pronounced when participants responded to the ambiguous comment. Implications for the ways in which color blindness, as an accepted norm that is endorsed across legal and educational settings, can facilitate Whites' complicity in racial inequality are discussed.
This article explores whether professionals working with young people hold a negative view on adolescents in Hong Kong. Data were collected from 1112 participants from 23 workshops in a 3-day training program of the Project P.A.T.H.S. in Hong Kong. In the workshop, there was a group activity inviting the participants to describe the characteristics of contemporary young people in Hong Kong. The findings showed that positive comments about adolescents were only half of the negative comments. The common themes that emerged from the negative comments included: "problematic self-conceptions", "do not have long-term life goals", "irresponsible", "materialistic", and "calculative". The common themes that emerged from the positive comments included: "good at learning new things", "energetic", and "creative". The themes apparently reflected sociocultural characteristics of the contemporary Hong Kong Society.
Cross-disciplinary (CD) learning experiences benefit student understanding of concepts and curriculum by offering opportunities to explore topics from the perspectives of alternate fields of study. This report involves a qualitative evaluation of CD health sciences undergraduate laboratory experiences in which concepts and students from two distinct disciplines [chemistry (CHEM) and exercise physiology (EPHE)] combined to study exercise thermoregulation and sweat analysis. Twenty-eight senior BSc Kinesiology (EPHE) students and 42 senior BSc CHEM students participated as part of their mutually exclusive, respective courses. The effectiveness of this laboratory environment was evaluated qualitatively using written comments collected from all students as well as from formal focus groups conducted after the CD laboratory with a representative cohort from each class (n = 16 CHEM students and 9 EPHE students). An open coding strategy was used to analyze the data from written feedback and focus group transcripts. Coding topics were generated and used to develop five themes found to be consistent for both groups of students. These themes reflected the common student perceptions that the CD experience was valuable and that students enjoyed being able to apply academic concepts to practical situations as well as the opportunity to interact with students from another discipline of study. However, students also reported some challenges throughout this experience that stemmed from the combination of laboratory groups from different disciplines with limited modification to the design of the original, pre-CD, learning environments. The results indicate that this laboratory created an effective learning opportunity that fostered student interest and enthusiasm for learning. The findings also provide information that could inform subsequent design and implementation of similar CD experiences to enhance engagement of all students and improve instructor efficacy.
Heckel, Maria; Stiel, Stephanie; Herbst, Franziska A; Tiedtke, Johanna M; Sturm, Alexander; Adelhardt, Thomas; Bogdan, Christian; Sieber, Cornel; Schöffski, Oliver; Lang, Frieder R; Ostgathe, Christoph
2018-03-16
Palliative care professionals are frequently confronted with patients colonized or infected with MDRO. One major challenge is how to balance necessary isolation measures and social inclusion as one of the main principles of palliative and end-of-life care. To date, MDRO-specific policies and protocols vary widely between institutions. provide empirical recommendations on how to deal with hospitalized MDRO patients in end-of-life care. Recommendations were developed based on (i) initial results of face-to-face interviews and focus groups, (ii) impartial experts' comments and consensus on the draft via online survey and (iii) a face-to-face meeting with consortium members to finalize recommendations. Findings of 158 interviews and six focus groups (39 participants) with patients, family caregivers, staff members and institutional stakeholders contributed to the recommendations. The assessments of 17 experts were considered. In total, 21 recommendations were approved. The recommended strategy in dealing with MDRO at the end of life allows case-based application of protection and isolation measures. MDRO diagnostics and therapy involve screening at admission. The recommendations suggest consideration of required accommodation facilities, provided material as well as staff and time resources. The recommendations further highlight the importance of providing for strategies enabling the patient's social inclusion and provision of verbal and written information about MDRO for patients and family caregivers, transparent medical documentation, and staff member training. The recommendations summarize the perspectives of individuals and groups affected by MDRO at the end of life and provide practical guidance for clinical routine. Further dissemination and implementation requirements are discussed and should contain the evaluation of the knowledge, views, worries, and anxieties of the target groups.
See-Think-Do is a framework originally used as an approach focused on a service and product marketing on the Internet. Customers can be classified into three groups according to their involvement from potential users to real customers. The article presents an idea of public involvement in community mapping in three levels: "See"—almost any user; "Think"—potential contributors; and "Do"—interested users. The case study implements the See-Think-Do framework as an awareness-based approach used for The Crisis Map of the Czech Republic. It is an Ushahidi-based crowdsourcing platform for sharing spatial and multimedia information during crisis situations, e.g. disaster floods in 2013. While the current crisis projects use public mapping just at the onset of the disaster, according to See-Think-Do any user can be considered as a potential contributor even during the dormant period. The focus is put on the "See" and "Think" groups of contributors, which are currently ignored. The objective of this paper is to summarize approaches (social networks, mass-media, emailing, gamification, …) and tools (GIT/GIS, ICT, multimedia) for increasing the awareness about the project within the resting phase. That recruits a higher number of both active and passive users during the disaster. It allows the training in ICT, cartographical, spatial and GIS skills in a non-stressful way and the targeting on specific operators. Volunteers from the "Think" group may be used for data processing or rectification, GIS professionals from the "Do" group for data verification. The results refer that contributors with already established skills and required literacy (interface, data uploading) provide data faster and more accurate, the usability of the project increases based on users' comments.
We show that the authors of the commented paper (Bowen et al 2012 Phys. Scr. 85 065005) draw their conclusions from the eigenvalues of truncated Hamiltonian matrices that do not converge as the matrix dimension increases. In some of the studied examples, the authors missed the real positive eigenvalues that already converge towards the exact eigenvalues of the non-Hermitian operators and focused their attention on the complex ones that do not. We also show that the authors misread Bender's argument about the eigenvalues of the harmonic oscillator with boundary conditions in the complex-x plane (Bender 2007 Rep. Prog. Phys. 70 947).
...). C. Group 1 Storage Vessel Affected Facility Control Requirements The final amendments retain the... Control Requirements and Applicability We received comments requesting clarification regarding Group 1... there was confusion regarding the applicability of Group 1 storage vessel affected facility control...
... research integrity? To answer the first question, a pretest-posttest control group experimental design is... existing syllabus for a research integrity or research ethics course for the treatment group. The control group will use the existing syllabus with no video simulation in class. Participants will be graduate...
[ Louisiana ] February 2018 (6) 02/22: Florida Trustee Implementation Group Releases Phase V.2 Final [ Trustee Council ] 11/07: Florida Trustee Implementation Group Seeks Public Comment on Second Phase of the Group to Hold Annual Public Meeting [ Mississippi ] 10/23: Norriego Point Project Kicks Off [ Florida
...: 1. Block Group Level Geography--The Census Bureau proposed releasing block group data only as...) The option of alternative dissemination methods for data at the block group geography level, (2) the... Geography The Census Bureau received six comments in response to the question of using downloadable Summary...
... Rulemaking Advisory Committee (ARAC) Airman Testing Standards and Training Working Group (ATSTWG) AGENCY... FAA will post all comments it receives, without change, to http://www.regulations.gov , including any... several draft documents developed by the Airman Testing Standards and Training Working Group. The...
... sites were randomly assigned either to the program group (allowed to enroll in EHS), or to the control group (precluded from enrolling in EHS, although they could receive other services in the community... information on the parents' perception of the children's status. Respondents: Treatment and control group...
... applicants will be randomly assigned to a treatment group that is offered participation in HPOG and a control... HPOG-Impact follow-up survey of both treatment and control group members will be administered... survey of both treatment and control group members; (12) the HPOG-NIE second supplemental participant...
... children and families in 17 sites were randomly assigned either to the program group (allowed to enroll in EHS), or to the control group (precluded from enrolling in EHS, although they could receive other... or guardians in the spring of 2011. Respondents: Treatment and control group members in the Early...
.... SUMMARY: The Department of Labor (DOL) hereby announces the submission of the Employee Benefits Security... coverage for group health plans and health insurance issuers offering group or individual health insurance... health insurance issuer offering group or individual health insurance coverage generally must not rescind...
To examine whether peppy comments from attending physicians increased the workload of residents working in the emergency department (ED). We conducted two parallel-group, assessor-blinded, randomized trials at the ED in a tertiary care hospital in western Japan. Twenty-five residents who examined either ambulatory (J(^o^)PAN-1 Trial) or transferred patients (J(^o^)PAN-2 Trial) in the ED on weekdays. Participants were randomly assigned to groups that either received a peppy message such as "Hope you have a quiet day!" (intervention group) or did not (control group) from the attending physicians. Both trials were conducted from June 2014 through March 2015. For each trial, residents rated the number of patients examined during and the busyness and difficulty of their shifts on a 5-point Likert scale. A total of 169 randomizations (intervention group, 81; control group, 88) were performed for the J(^o^)PAN-1 Trial, and 178 (intervention group, 85; control group, 93) for the J(^o^)PAN-2 Trial. In the J(^o^)PAN-1 trial, no differences were observed in the number of ambulatory patients examined during their shifts (5.5 and 5.7, respectively, p = 0.48), the busyness of their shifts (2.8 vs 2.8; p = 0.58), or the difficulty of their shifts (3.1 vs 3.1, p = 0.94). However, in the J(^o^)PAN-2 trial, although busyness (2.8 vs 2.7; p = 0.40) and difficulty (3.1 vs 3.2; p = 0.75) were similar between groups, the intervention group examined more transferred patients than the control group (4.4 vs 3.9; p = 0.01). Peppy comments from attending physicians had a minimal jinxing effect on the workload of residents working in the ED. University Hospital Medical Information Network Clinical Trials Registry (UMIN-CTR), UMIN000017193 and UMIN000017194.
... comments. SUMMARY: Trust Funds Group of the Office of Chief Financial Officer, Office of Personnel... Agency: Trust Funds Group of the Office of Chief Financial Officer, Office of Personnel Management. Title...
... October 11, 2013. ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, identified by docket identification (ID) number and the... Type: Insecticide. Proposed Uses: Tree Nut Group 14-12, and Stone Fruit Group 12-12 (except cherry...
The performance of 60 elderly volunteers (mean age = 74.5 years) on two cancellation tasks was examined under one of three experimental conditions: social praise, social reproof, or no comment. When compared with the no-comment group, subjects in the reproof condition showed response increments over baseline performance (p less than .05). Praise, when compared with no comment, failed to reach statistical significance. Results are interpreted in terms of the possible negative reinforcement, challenge, or informational properties of reproof. The clear implications from these data are that social incentives may well facilitate behavioral change in the aged and that there is a need for further examination of the effects of this variable.
Topics include: the landscape of extrasolar planets, why focus on transiting planets, some history and Spitzer results, problems in atmospheric structure or hot Jupiters and hot super Earths, what observations are needed to make progress, and what SOFIA can currently do and comments on optimized instruments.
... designed broadly to focus on the effective and efficient delivery of professional development using... development. For example, some commenters recommended including references to universal design for learning... culturally competent, provided the project is designed to improve professional development in this area...
This article comments on recommended changes to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) included in "Perspectives on the Future of the IDEA" (Hardman and others), and makes alternative recommendations that focus upon building the capacities of schools to support all children as active participants and valued members of…
..., but focuses on physical activity, healthy eating, and tobacco-use prevention activities. It includes... approaches to Physical Activity, Nutrition and Tobacco (PANT). The asthma management questionnaire includes..., Coordinated School Health Program, and Asthma Management Activities for Adolescent and School Health Programs...
...(a)(1)(D). SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA) section... other technological collection techniques or other forms of information technology, e.g., permitting... DEPARTMENT OF LABOR Office of the Secretary Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission...
Introduces the Acclaim Project which aims to familiarize school children and the public with today's scientists. Focuses on scientists' activities in daily life and laboratories as well as participant scientists' comments. Explains how this project can be implemented at the elementary education level. (YDS)
This classroom activity allows students to observe how a troubled friend reacts to seven listening responses that are unhelpful in therapeutic contexts (interrupting, unrelated comments, focusing on self, discounting, blaming, evaluating, and giving advice). Students also have the opportunity to experience how probing, feeling responses, and…
... trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy. These data will also allow for an examination of contextual... Project--RECOVERY: Increasing Adoption of Patient Centered Behavioral Health Research by Primary and Behavioral Health Providers and Systems--NEW SAMHSA's Center for Behavioral Health Statistics and Quality...
