Education in the responsible conduct of research in psychology: methods and scope.

PubMed

DiLorenzo, Terry A; Becker-Fiegeles, Jill; Gibelman, Margaret

2014-01-01

In this mixed-method study of education in the responsible conduct of research (RCR) in psychology, phase one survey respondents (n = 141) reported that faculty and students were familiar with RCR standards and procedures to educate them were believed to be adequate. However, educational methods varied widely. In phase two, seven survey respondents completed in-depth interviews assessing RCR training and education and research review procedures. Educational methods through which RCR content was presented included the following ones: traditional (lectures), technical (web-based), and experiential (internships), but RCR was often minimally considered in the formal curriculum. Our results suggest that psychology training programs might benefit from more formal consideration of RCR education and training in the curriculum.

The Influence of Rural Location on Utilization of Formal Home Care: The Role of Medicaid

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McAuley, William J.; Spector, William D.; Van Nostrand, Joan; Shaffer, Tom

2004-01-01

Purpose: This research examines the impact of rural-urban residence on formal home-care utilization among older people and determines whether and how Medicaid coverage influences the association between, rural-urban location and risk of formal home-care use. Design and Methods: We combined data from the 1998 consolidated file of the Medical…

IEEE/NASA Workshop on Leveraging Applications of Formal Methods, Verification, and Validation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Margaria, Tiziana (Editor); Steffen, Bernhard (Editor); Hichey, Michael G.

2005-01-01

This volume contains the Preliminary Proceedings of the 2005 IEEE ISoLA Workshop on Leveraging Applications of Formal Methods, Verification, and Validation, with a special track on the theme of Formal Methods in Human and Robotic Space Exploration. The workshop was held on 23-24 September 2005 at the Loyola College Graduate Center, Columbia, MD, USA. The idea behind the Workshop arose from the experience and feedback of ISoLA 2004, the 1st International Symposium on Leveraging Applications of Formal Methods held in Paphos (Cyprus) last October-November. ISoLA 2004 served the need of providing a forum for developers, users, and researchers to discuss issues related to the adoption and use of rigorous tools and methods for the specification, analysis, verification, certification, construction, test, and maintenance of systems from the point of view of their different application domains.

NASA software specification and evaluation system design, part 1

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1976-01-01

The research to develop methods for reducing the effort expended in software and verification is reported. The development of a formal software requirements methodology, a formal specifications language, a programming language, a language preprocessor, and code analysis tools are discussed.

Proceedings of the First NASA Formal Methods Symposium

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Denney, Ewen (Editor); Giannakopoulou, Dimitra (Editor); Pasareanu, Corina S. (Editor)

2009-01-01

Topics covered include: Model Checking - My 27-Year Quest to Overcome the State Explosion Problem; Applying Formal Methods to NASA Projects: Transition from Research to Practice; TLA+: Whence, Wherefore, and Whither; Formal Methods Applications in Air Transportation; Theorem Proving in Intel Hardware Design; Building a Formal Model of a Human-Interactive System: Insights into the Integration of Formal Methods and Human Factors Engineering; Model Checking for Autonomic Systems Specified with ASSL; A Game-Theoretic Approach to Branching Time Abstract-Check-Refine Process; Software Model Checking Without Source Code; Generalized Abstract Symbolic Summaries; A Comparative Study of Randomized Constraint Solvers for Random-Symbolic Testing; Component-Oriented Behavior Extraction for Autonomic System Design; Automated Verification of Design Patterns with LePUS3; A Module Language for Typing by Contracts; From Goal-Oriented Requirements to Event-B Specifications; Introduction of Virtualization Technology to Multi-Process Model Checking; Comparing Techniques for Certified Static Analysis; Towards a Framework for Generating Tests to Satisfy Complex Code Coverage in Java Pathfinder; jFuzz: A Concolic Whitebox Fuzzer for Java; Machine-Checkable Timed CSP; Stochastic Formal Correctness of Numerical Algorithms; Deductive Verification of Cryptographic Software; Coloured Petri Net Refinement Specification and Correctness Proof with Coq; Modeling Guidelines for Code Generation in the Railway Signaling Context; Tactical Synthesis Of Efficient Global Search Algorithms; Towards Co-Engineering Communicating Autonomous Cyber-Physical Systems; and Formal Methods for Automated Diagnosis of Autosub 6000.

Formal Assurance for Cognitive Architecture Based Autonomous Agent

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bhattacharyya, Siddhartha; Eskridge, Thomas; Neogi, Natasha; Carvalho, Marco

2017-01-01

Autonomous systems are designed and deployed in different modeling paradigms. These environments focus on specific concepts in designing the system. We focus our effort in the use of cognitive architectures to design autonomous agents to collaborate with humans to accomplish tasks in a mission. Our research focuses on introducing formal assurance methods to verify the behavior of agents designed in Soar, by translating the agent to the formal verification environment Uppaal.

The State of the Art of Teaching Research Methods in the Social Sciences: Towards a Pedagogical Culture

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wagner, Claire; Garner, Mark; Kawulich, Barbara

2011-01-01

No formal pedagogical culture for research methods in the social sciences seems to exist and, as part of the authors' endeavour to establish such a culture, this article reviews current literature about teaching research methods and identifies the gaps in the research. Articles in academic journals spanning a 10-year period were collected by…

Access and acceptability of community-based services for older Greek migrants in Australia: user and provider perspectives.

PubMed

Hurley, Catherine; Panagiotopoulos, Georgia; Tsianikas, Michael; Newman, Lareen; Walker, Ruth

2013-03-01

In most developed nations, ageing migrants represent a growing proportion of the older population. Policies that emphasise care in the community depend on older migrants having access to formal services along with informal support, yet little is known about how older migrants experience community-based formal services. By examining the views of both Greek elders in Australia and those of formal service providers, this research fills an important gap in the literature around access to and acceptability of formal community-based services for older migrants. A research team including two Greek background researchers used existing social groups and a snowball sampling method to conduct face-to-face interviews and focus groups with seventy older Greeks in Adelaide, Australia. In addition, 22 community-based service providers were interviewed over the telephone. Results from users and providers showed that while many older Greeks experience service access issues, they also relied heavily on family for support and assistance at home. Reliance on family was both in preference to formal services or where formal services were used, to locate, negotiate and monitor such services. Common barriers identified by both groups included cost, transport and availability, but additional challenges were posed by language, literacy and cultural attitudes. Demographic changes including greater employment mobility and female workforce participation among adult children will have implications for both formal and informal care providers. Formal service providers need to ensure that services are promoted and delivered to take account of the important role of family in informal support while also addressing the access challenges posed by language and literacy. Research conducted by researchers from the same cultural background in the respondent's native language can further advance knowledge in this area. © 2012 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Fourth NASA Langley Formal Methods Workshop

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Holloway, C. Michael (Compiler); Hayhurst, Kelly J. (Compiler)

1997-01-01

This publication consists of papers presented at NASA Langley Research Center's fourth workshop on the application of formal methods to the design and verification of life-critical systems. Topic considered include: Proving properties of accident; modeling and validating SAFER in VDM-SL; requirement analysis of real-time control systems using PVS; a tabular language for system design; automated deductive verification of parallel systems. Also included is a fundamental hardware design in PVS.

Qualitative Analysis on Stage: Making the Research Process More Public.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Anfara, Vincent A., Jr.; Brown, Kathleen M.

The increased use of qualitative research methods has spurred interest in developing formal standards for assessing its validity. These standards, however, fall short if they do not include public disclosure of methods as a criterion. The researcher must be accountable in documenting the actions associated with establishing internal validity…

WriteSim TCExam - An open source text simulation environment for training novice researchers in scientific writing

PubMed Central

2010-01-01

Background The ability to write clearly and effectively is of central importance to the scientific enterprise. Encouraged by the success of simulation environments in other biomedical sciences, we developed WriteSim TCExam, an open-source, Web-based, textual simulation environment for teaching effective writing techniques to novice researchers. We shortlisted and modified an existing open source application - TCExam to serve as a textual simulation environment. After testing usability internally in our team, we conducted formal field usability studies with novice researchers. These were followed by formal surveys with researchers fitting the role of administrators and users (novice researchers) Results The development process was guided by feedback from usability tests within our research team. Online surveys and formal studies, involving members of the Research on Research group and selected novice researchers, show that the application is user-friendly. Additionally it has been used to train 25 novice researchers in scientific writing to date and has generated encouraging results. Conclusion WriteSim TCExam is the first Web-based, open-source textual simulation environment designed to complement traditional scientific writing instruction. While initial reviews by students and educators have been positive, a formal study is needed to measure its benefits in comparison to standard instructional methods. PMID:20509946

A Formal Methods Approach to the Analysis of Mode Confusion

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Butler, Ricky W.; Miller, Steven P.; Potts, James N.; Carreno, Victor A.

2004-01-01

The goal of the new NASA Aviation Safety Program (AvSP) is to reduce the civil aviation fatal accident rate by 80% in ten years and 90% in twenty years. This program is being driven by the accident data with a focus on the most recent history. Pilot error is the most commonly cited cause for fatal accidents (up to 70%) and obviously must be given major consideration in this program. While the greatest source of pilot error is the loss of situation awareness , mode confusion is increasingly becoming a major contributor as well. The January 30, 1995 issue of Aviation Week lists 184 incidents and accidents involving mode awareness including the Bangalore A320 crash 2/14/90, the Strasbourg A320 crash 1/20/92, the Mulhouse-Habsheim A320 crash 6/26/88, and the Toulouse A330 crash 6/30/94. These incidents and accidents reveal that pilots sometimes become confused about what the cockpit automation is doing. Consequently, human factors research is an obvious investment area. However, even a cursory look at the accident data reveals that the mode confusion problem is much deeper than just training deficiencies and a lack of human-oriented design. This is readily acknowledged by human factors experts. It seems that further progress in human factors must come through a deeper scrutiny of the internals of the automation. It is in this arena that formal methods can contribute. Formal methods refers to the use of techniques from logic and discrete mathematics in the specification, design, and verification of computer systems, both hardware and software. The fundamental goal of formal methods is to capture requirements, designs and implementations in a mathematically based model that can be analyzed in a rigorous manner. Research in formal methods is aimed at automating this analysis as much as possible. By capturing the internal behavior of a flight deck in a rigorous and detailed formal model, the dark corners of a design can be analyzed. This paper will explore how formal models and analyses can be used to help eliminate mode confusion from flight deck designs and at the same time increase our confidence in the safety of the implementation. The paper is based upon interim results from a new project involving NASA Langley and Rockwell Collins in applying formal methods to a realistic business jet Flight Guidance System (FGS).

77 FR 39700 - Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to OMB for Review and Approval; Comment...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-07-05

..., and teaching hospitals and non-profit research institutes that are either owned by or formally... to determine the most appropriate and effective method of compliance with these requirements by... teaching hospital that is not owned by a college or university must keep a copy of its formal written...

Untraining Educational Researchers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

St. Pierre, Elizabeth Adams

2016-01-01

The author argues that educational research curriculum that repeats formalized, scientized, pre-existing, methods-driven social science research methodologies stifle the present and future of educational research. Because such methodologies are too often disconnected from their onto-epistemological commitments, she argues for a reconnection with…

Unmanned Aircraft Systems in the National Airspace System: A Formal Methods Perspective

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Munoz, Cesar A.; Dutle, Aaron; Narkawicz, Anthony; Upchurch, Jason

2016-01-01

As the technological and operational capabilities of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) have grown, so too have international efforts to integrate UAS into civil airspace. However, one of the major concerns that must be addressed in realizing this integration is that of safety. For example, UAS lack an on-board pilot to comply with the legal requirement that pilots see and avoid other aircraft. This requirement has motivated the development of a detect and avoid (DAA) capability for UAS that provides situational awareness and maneuver guidance to UAS operators to aid them in avoiding and remaining well clear of other aircraft in the airspace. The NASA Langley Research Center Formal Methods group has played a fundamental role in the development of this capability. This article gives a selected survey of the formal methods work conducted in support of the development of a DAA concept for UAS. This work includes specification of low-level and high-level functional requirements, formal verification of algorithms, and rigorous validation of software implementations.

But Are They Learning? Getting Started in Classroom Evaluation

PubMed Central

Dancy, Melissa H; Beichner, Robert J

2002-01-01

There are increasing numbers of traditional biologists, untrained in educational research methods, who want to develop and assess new classroom innovations. In this article we argue the necessity of formal research over normal classroom feedback. We also argue that traditionally trained biologists can make significant contributions to biology pedagogy. We then offer some guidance to the biologist with no formal educational research training who wants to get started. Specifically, we suggest ways to find out what others have done, we discuss the difference between qualitative and quantitative research, and we elaborate on the process of gaining insights from student interviews. We end with an example of a project that has used many different research techniques. PMID:12459792

Formalization of the engineering science discipline - knowledge engineering

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Peng, Xiao

Knowledge is the most precious ingredient facilitating aerospace engineering research and product development activities. Currently, the most common knowledge retention methods are paper-based documents, such as reports, books and journals. However, those media have innate weaknesses. For example, four generations of flying wing aircraft (Horten, Northrop XB-35/YB-49, Boeing BWB and many others) were mostly developed in isolation. The subsequent engineers were not aware of the previous developments, because these projects were documented such which prevented the next generation of engineers to benefit from the previous lessons learned. In this manner, inefficient knowledge retention methods have become a primary obstacle for knowledge transfer from the experienced to the next generation of engineers. In addition, the quality of knowledge itself is a vital criterion; thus, an accurate measure of the quality of 'knowledge' is required. Although qualitative knowledge evaluation criteria have been researched in other disciplines, such as the AAA criterion by Ernest Sosa stemming from the field of philosophy, a quantitative knowledge evaluation criterion needs to be developed which is capable to numerically determine the qualities of knowledge for aerospace engineering research and product development activities. To provide engineers with a high-quality knowledge management tool, the engineering science discipline Knowledge Engineering has been formalized to systematically address knowledge retention issues. This research undertaking formalizes Knowledge Engineering as follows: 1. Categorize knowledge according to its formats and representations for the first time, which serves as the foundation for the subsequent knowledge management function development. 2. Develop an efficiency evaluation criterion for knowledge management by analyzing the characteristics of both knowledge and the parties involved in the knowledge management processes. 3. Propose and develop an innovative Knowledge-Based System (KBS), AVD KBS, forming a systematic approach facilitating knowledge management. 4. Demonstrate the efficiency advantages of AVDKBS over traditional knowledge management methods via selected design case studies. This research formalizes, for the first time, Knowledge Engineering as a distinct discipline by delivering a robust and high-quality knowledge management and process tool, AVDKBS. Formalizing knowledge proves to significantly impact the effectiveness of aerospace knowledge retention and utilization.

The Effects of Formalism on Teacher Trainees' Algebraic and Geometric Interpretation of the Notions of Linear Dependency/Independency

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ertekin, E.; Solak, S.; Yazici, E.

2010-01-01

The aim of this study is to identify the effects of formalism in teaching on primary and secondary school mathematics teacher trainees' algebraic and geometric interpretations of the notions of linear dependency/independency. Quantitative research methods are drawn in order to determine differences in success levels between algebraic and geometric…

Incorporating current research into formal higher education settings using Astrobites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sanders, Nathan E.; Kohler, Susanna; Faesi, Chris; Villar, Ashley; Zevin, Michael

2017-10-01

A primary goal of many undergraduate- and graduate-level courses in the physical sciences is to prepare students to engage in scientific research or to prepare students for careers that leverage skillsets similar to those used by research scientists. Even for students who may not intend to pursue a career with these characteristics, exposure to the context of applications in modern research can be a valuable tool for teaching and learning. However, a persistent barrier to student participation in research is familiarity with the technical language, format, and context that academic researchers use to communicate research methods and findings with each other: the literature of the field. Astrobites, an online web resource authored by graduate students, has published brief and accessible summaries of more than 1300 articles from the astrophysical literature since its founding in 2010. This article presents three methods for introducing students at all levels within the formal higher education setting to approaches and results from modern research. For each method, we provide a sample lesson plan that integrates content and principles from Astrobites, including step-by-step instructions for instructors, suggestions for adapting the lesson to different class levels across the undergraduate and graduate spectrum, sample student handouts, and a grading rubric.

A Framework for Modeling Human-Machine Interactions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shafto, Michael G.; Rosekind, Mark R. (Technical Monitor)

1996-01-01

Modern automated flight-control systems employ a variety of different behaviors, or modes, for managing the flight. While developments in cockpit automation have resulted in workload reduction and economical advantages, they have also given rise to an ill-defined class of human-machine problems, sometimes referred to as 'automation surprises'. Our interest in applying formal methods for describing human-computer interaction stems from our ongoing research on cockpit automation. In this area of aeronautical human factors, there is much concern about how flight crews interact with automated flight-control systems, so that the likelihood of making errors, in particular mode-errors, is minimized and the consequences of such errors are contained. The goal of the ongoing research on formal methods in this context is: (1) to develop a framework for describing human interaction with control systems; (2) to formally categorize such automation surprises; and (3) to develop tests for identification of these categories early in the specification phase of a new human-machine system.

Observational Research: Formalized Curiosity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Skaggs, Paul

2004-01-01

Design research is a valuable tool to help the designer understand the problem that he/she needs to solve. The purpose of design research is to help state or understand the problems better, which will lead to better solutions. Observational research is a design research method for helping the designer understand and define the problem.…

Integrating Formal Methods and Testing 2002

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cukic, Bojan

2002-01-01

Traditionally, qualitative program verification methodologies and program testing are studied in separate research communities. None of them alone is powerful and practical enough to provide sufficient confidence in ultra-high reliability assessment when used exclusively. Significant advances can be made by accounting not only tho formal verification and program testing. but also the impact of many other standard V&V techniques, in a unified software reliability assessment framework. The first year of this research resulted in the statistical framework that, given the assumptions on the success of the qualitative V&V and QA procedures, significantly reduces the amount of testing needed to confidently assess reliability at so-called high and ultra-high levels (10-4 or higher). The coming years shall address the methodologies to realistically estimate the impacts of various V&V techniques to system reliability and include the impact of operational risk to reliability assessment. Combine formal correctness verification, process and product metrics, and other standard qualitative software assurance methods with statistical testing with the aim of gaining higher confidence in software reliability assessment for high-assurance applications. B) Quantify the impact of these methods on software reliability. C) Demonstrate that accounting for the effectiveness of these methods reduces the number of tests needed to attain certain confidence level. D) Quantify and justify the reliability estimate for systems developed using various methods.

Software Design for Real-Time Systems on Parallel Computers: Formal Specifications.

DTIC Science & Technology

1996-04-01

This research investigated the important issues related to the analysis and design of real - time systems targeted to parallel architectures. In...particular, the software specification models for real - time systems on parallel architectures were evaluated. A survey of current formal methods for...uniprocessor real - time systems specifications was conducted to determine their extensibility in specifying real - time systems on parallel architectures. In

Mending the Gap, An Effort to Aid the Transfer of Formal Methods Technology

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hayhurst, Kelly

2009-01-01

Formal methods can be applied to many of the development and verification activities required for civil avionics software. RTCA/DO-178B, Software Considerations in Airborne Systems and Equipment Certification, gives a brief description of using formal methods as an alternate method of compliance with the objectives of that standard. Despite this, the avionics industry at large has been hesitant to adopt formal methods, with few developers have actually used formal methods for certification credit. Why is this so, given the volume of evidence of the benefits of formal methods? This presentation will explore some of the challenges to using formal methods in a certification context and describe the effort by the Formal Methods Subgroup of RTCA SC-205/EUROCAE WG-71 to develop guidance to make the use of formal methods a recognized approach.

Results of a Formal Methods Demonstration Project

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kelly, J.; Covington, R.; Hamilton, D.

1994-01-01

This paper describes the results of a cooperative study conducted by a team of researchers in formal methods at three NASA Centers to demonstrate FM techniques and to tailor them to critical NASA software systems. This pilot project applied FM to an existing critical software subsystem, the Shuttle's Jet Select subsystem (Phase I of an ongoing study). The present study shows that FM can be used successfully to uncover hidden issues in a highly critical and mature Functional Subsystem Software Requirements (FSSR) specification which are very difficult to discover by traditional means.

Formal methods technology transfer: Some lessons learned

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hamilton, David

1992-01-01

IBM has a long history in the application of formal methods to software development and verification. There have been many successes in the development of methods, tools and training to support formal methods. And formal methods have been very successful on several projects. However, the use of formal methods has not been as widespread as hoped. This presentation summarizes several approaches that have been taken to encourage more widespread use of formal methods, and discusses the results so far. The basic problem is one of technology transfer, which is a very difficult problem. It is even more difficult for formal methods. General problems of technology transfer, especially the transfer of formal methods technology, are also discussed. Finally, some prospects for the future are mentioned.

[How to write an article: formal aspects].

PubMed

Corral de la Calle, M A; Encinas de la Iglesia, J

2013-06-01

Scientific research and the publication of the results of the studies go hand in hand. Exquisite research methods can only be adequately reflected in formal publication with the optimum structure. To ensure the success of this process, it is necessary to follow orderly steps, including selecting the journal in which to publish and following the instructions to authors strictly as well as the guidelines elaborated by diverse societies of editors and other institutions. It is also necessary to structure the contents of the article in a logical and attractive way and to use an accurate, clear, and concise style of language. Although not all the authors are directly involved in the actual writing, elaborating a scientific article is a collective undertaking that does not finish until the article is published. This article provides practical advice about formal and not-so-formal details to take into account when writing a scientific article as well as references that will help readers find more information in greater detail. Copyright © 2012 SERAM. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.

Crisis leadership in an acute clinical setting: christchurch hospital, new zealand ICU experience following the february 2011 earthquake.

PubMed

Zhuravsky, Lev

2015-04-01

On Tuesday, February 22, 2011, a 6.3 magnitude earthquake struck Christchurch, New Zealand. This qualitative study explored the intensive care units (ICUs) staff experiences and adopted leadership approaches to manage a large-scale crisis resulting from the city-wide disaster. To date, there have been a very small number of research publications to provide a comprehensive overview of crisis leadership from the perspective of multi-level interactions among staff members in the acute clinical environment during the process of the crisis management. The research was qualitative in nature. Participants were recruited into the study through purposive sampling. A semi-structured, audio-taped, personal interview method was chosen as a single data collection method for this study. This study employed thematic analysis. Formal team leadership refers to the actions undertaken by a team leader to ensure the needs and goals of the team are met. Three core, formal, crisis-leadership themes were identified: decision making, ability to remain calm, and effective communication. Informal leaders are those individuals who exert significant influence over other members in the group to which they belong, although no formal authority has been assigned to them. Four core, informal, crisis-leadership themes were identified: motivation to lead, autonomy, emotional leadership, and crisis as opportunity. Shared leadership is a dynamic process among individuals in groups for which the objective is to lead one another to the achievement of group or organizational goals. Two core, shared-leadership themes were identified: shared leadership within formal medical and nursing leadership groups, and shared leadership between formal and informal leaders in the ICU. The capabilities of formal leaders all contributed to the overall management of a crisis. Informal leaders are a very cohesive group of motivated people who can make a substantial contribution and improve overall team performance in a crisis. While in many ways the research on shared leadership in a crisis is still in its early stages of development, there are some clear benefits from adopting this leadership approach in the management of complex crises. This study may be useful to the development of competency-based training programs for formal leaders, process improvements in fostering and supporting informal leaders, and it makes important contributions to a growing body of research of shared and collective leadership in crisis.

Using mixed methods research designs in health psychology: an illustrated discussion from a pragmatist perspective.

PubMed

Bishop, Felicity L

2015-02-01

To outline some of the challenges of mixed methods research and illustrate how they can be addressed in health psychology research. This study critically reflects on the author's previously published mixed methods research and discusses the philosophical and technical challenges of mixed methods, grounding the discussion in a brief review of methodological literature. Mixed methods research is characterized as having philosophical and technical challenges; the former can be addressed by drawing on pragmatism, the latter by considering formal mixed methods research designs proposed in a number of design typologies. There are important differences among the design typologies which provide diverse examples of designs that health psychologists can adapt for their own mixed methods research. There are also similarities; in particular, many typologies explicitly orient to the technical challenges of deciding on the respective timing of qualitative and quantitative methods and the relative emphasis placed on each method. Characteristics, strengths, and limitations of different sequential and concurrent designs are identified by reviewing five mixed methods projects each conducted for a different purpose. Adapting formal mixed methods designs can help health psychologists address the technical challenges of mixed methods research and identify the approach that best fits the research questions and purpose. This does not obfuscate the need to address philosophical challenges of mixing qualitative and quantitative methods. Statement of contribution What is already known on this subject? Mixed methods research poses philosophical and technical challenges. Pragmatism in a popular approach to the philosophical challenges while diverse typologies of mixed methods designs can help address the technical challenges. Examples of mixed methods research can be hard to locate when component studies from mixed methods projects are published separately. What does this study add? Critical reflections on the author's previously published mixed methods research illustrate how a range of different mixed methods designs can be adapted and applied to address health psychology research questions. The philosophical and technical challenges of mixed methods research should be considered together and in relation to the broader purpose of the research. © 2014 The British Psychological Society.

Can the caged bird sing? Reflections on the application of qualitative research methods to case study design in homeopathic medicine

PubMed Central

Thompson, Trevor DB

2004-01-01

Background Two main pathways exist for the development of knowledge in clinical homeopathy. These comprise clinical trials conducted primarily by university-based researchers and cases reports and homeopathic "provings" compiled by engaged homeopathic practitioners. In this paper the relative merits of these methods are examined and a middle way proposed. This consists of the "Formal Case Study" (FCS) in which qualitative methods are used to increase the rigour and sophistication with which homeopathic cases are studied. Before going into design issues this paper places the FCS in an historical and academic context and describes the relative merits of the method. Discussion Like any research, the FCS should have a clear focus. This focus can be both "internal", grounded in the discourse of homeopathy and also encompass issues of wider appeal. A selection of possible "internal" and "external" research questions is introduced. Data generation should be from multiple sources to ensure adequate triangulation. This could include the recording and transcription of actual consultations. Analysis is built around existing theory, involves cross-case comparison and the search for deviant cases. The trustworthiness of conclusions is ensured by the application of concepts from qualitative research including triangulation, groundedness, respondent validation and reflexivity. Though homeopathic case studies have been reported in mainstream literature, none has used formal qualitative methods – though some such studies are in progress. Summary This paper introduces the reader to a new strategy for homeopathic research. This strategy, termed the "formal case study", allows for a naturalistic enquiry into the players, processes and outcomes of homeopathic practice. Using ideas from qualitative research, it allows a rigorous approach to types of research question that cannot typically be addressed through clinical trials and numeric outcome studies. The FCS provides an opportunity for the practitioner-researcher to contribute to the evidence-base in homeopathy in a systematic fashion. The FCS can also be used to inform the design of clinical trials through holistic study of the "active ingredients" of the therapeutic process and its clinical outcomes. PMID:15018637

Formal Analysis of the Remote Agent Before and After Flight

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Havelund, Klaus; Lowry, Mike; Park, SeungJoon; Pecheur, Charles; Penix, John; Visser, Willem; White, Jon L.

2000-01-01

This paper describes two separate efforts that used the SPIN model checker to verify deep space autonomy flight software. The first effort occurred at the beginning of a spiral development process and found five concurrency errors early in the design cycle that the developers acknowledge would not have been found through testing. This effort required a substantial manual modeling effort involving both abstraction and translation from the prototype LISP code to the PROMELA language used by SPIN. This experience and others led to research to address the gap between formal method tools and the development cycle used by software developers. The Java PathFinder tool which directly translates from Java to PROMELA was developed as part of this research, as well as automatic abstraction tools. In 1999 the flight software flew on a space mission, and a deadlock occurred in a sibling subsystem to the one which was the focus of the first verification effort. A second quick-response "cleanroom" verification effort found the concurrency error in a short amount of time. The error was isomorphic to one of the concurrency errors found during the first verification effort. The paper demonstrates that formal methods tools can find concurrency errors that indeed lead to loss of spacecraft functions, even for the complex software required for autonomy. Second, it describes progress in automatic translation and abstraction that eventually will enable formal methods tools to be inserted directly into the aerospace software development cycle.

Bibliometrics for Social Validation.

PubMed

Hicks, Daniel J

2016-01-01

This paper introduces a bibliometric, citation network-based method for assessing the social validation of novel research, and applies this method to the development of high-throughput toxicology research at the US Environmental Protection Agency. Social validation refers to the acceptance of novel research methods by a relevant scientific community; it is formally independent of the technical validation of methods, and is frequently studied in history, philosophy, and social studies of science using qualitative methods. The quantitative methods introduced here find that high-throughput toxicology methods are spread throughout a large and well-connected research community, which suggests high social validation. Further assessment of social validation involving mixed qualitative and quantitative methods are discussed in the conclusion.

Bibliometrics for Social Validation

PubMed Central

2016-01-01

This paper introduces a bibliometric, citation network-based method for assessing the social validation of novel research, and applies this method to the development of high-throughput toxicology research at the US Environmental Protection Agency. Social validation refers to the acceptance of novel research methods by a relevant scientific community; it is formally independent of the technical validation of methods, and is frequently studied in history, philosophy, and social studies of science using qualitative methods. The quantitative methods introduced here find that high-throughput toxicology methods are spread throughout a large and well-connected research community, which suggests high social validation. Further assessment of social validation involving mixed qualitative and quantitative methods are discussed in the conclusion. PMID:28005974

Medical research and audit skills training for undergraduates: an international analysis and student-focused needs assessment.

PubMed

2018-01-01

Interpreting, performing and applying research is a key part of evidence-based medical practice, however, incorporating these within curricula is challenging. This study aimed to explore current provision of research skills training within medical school curricula, provide a student-focused needs assessment and prioritise research competencies. A international, cross-sectional survey of final year UK and Irish medical students was disseminated at each participating university. The questionnaire investigated research experience, and confidence in the Medical Education in Europe (MEDINE) 2 consensus survey research competencies. Fully completed responses were received from 521 final year medical students from 32 medical schools (43.4% male, mean age 24.3 years). Of these, 55.3% had an additional academic qualification (49.5% Bachelor's degree), and 38.8% had been a named author on an academic publication. Considering audit and research opportunities and teaching experience, 47.2% reported no formal audit training compared with 27.1% who reported no formal research training. As part of their medical school course, 53.4% had not performed an audit, compared with 29.9% who had not participated in any clinical or basic science research. Nearly a quarter of those who had participated in research reported doing so outside of their medical degree course. Low confidence areas included selecting and performing the appropriate statistical test, selecting the appropriate research method, and critical appraisal. Following adjustment, several factors were associated with increased confidence including previous clinical research experience (OR 4.21, 2.66 to 6.81, P<0.001), additional degrees (OR 2.34, 1.47 to 3.75, P<0.001), and male gender (OR 1.90, 1.25 to 2.09, P=0.003). Factors associated with an increase in perceived opportunities included formal research training in the curriculum (OR 1.66, 1.12 to 2.46, P=0.012), audit skills training in the curriculum (OR 1.52, 1.03 to 2.26, P= 0.036) and research methods taught in a student selected component (OR 1.75, 1.21 to 2.54, P=0.003). Nearly one-third of students lacked formal training on undertaking research, and half of students lacked formal audit training and opportunities to undertake audit as part of their medical school course. The presence of research training in the cirriculum was associated with an increase in perceived opportunities to participate in MEDINE2 research competencies. Female gender and a lack of previous research experience were significant factors influencing confidence and participation in research. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2018. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

Extension of specification language for soundness and completeness of service workflow

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Viriyasitavat, Wattana; Xu, Li Da; Bi, Zhuming; Sapsomboon, Assadaporn

2018-05-01

A Service Workflow is an aggregation of distributed services to fulfill specific functionalities. With ever increasing available services, the methodologies for the selections of the services against the given requirements become main research subjects in multiple disciplines. A few of researchers have contributed to the formal specification languages and the methods for model checking; however, existing methods have the difficulties to tackle with the complexity of workflow compositions. In this paper, we propose to formalize the specification language to reduce the complexity of the workflow composition. To this end, we extend a specification language with the consideration of formal logic, so that some effective theorems can be derived for the verification of syntax, semantics, and inference rules in the workflow composition. The logic-based approach automates compliance checking effectively. The Service Workflow Specification (SWSpec) has been extended and formulated, and the soundness, completeness, and consistency of SWSpec applications have been verified; note that a logic-based SWSpec is mandatory for the development of model checking. The application of the proposed SWSpec has been demonstrated by the examples with the addressed soundness, completeness, and consistency.

Visualizing Matrix Multiplication

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Daugulis, Peteris; Sondore, Anita

2018-01-01

Efficient visualizations of computational algorithms are important tools for students, educators, and researchers. In this article, we point out an innovative visualization technique for matrix multiplication. This method differs from the standard, formal approach by using block matrices to make computations more visual. We find this method a…

Beyond the Google Search Bar: Evaluating Source Credibility in Contemporary Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sorenson, Mary E.

2016-01-01

Courses: Research Methods, Public Speaking, Communication Theory, any other course that requires college students to engage in a formal research process. Can be conducted in traditional, online, or hybrid courses. Objectives: In this original single-class activity, students will be able to evaluate source credibility for resources that extend…

Contemporary Test Validity in Theory and Practice: A Primer for Discipline-Based Education Researchers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Reeves, Todd D.; Marbach-Ad, Gili

2016-01-01

Most discipline-based education researchers (DBERs) were formally trained in the methods of scientific disciplines such as biology, chemistry, and physics, rather than social science disciplines such as psychology and education. As a result, DBERs may have never taken specific courses in the social science research methodology--either quantitative…

Comparative Costs of Home Care and Residential Care

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chappell, Neena L.; Havens, Betty; Honorary, Dlitt; Hollander, Marcus J.; Miller, Jo Ann; McWilliam, Carol

2004-01-01

Purpose: This paper reports on Canadian research that examined the cost effectiveness of home care for seniors as a substitute for long-term institutional services. Design and Methods: Two Canadian cities were included in the research: Victoria, British Columbia, and Winnipeg, Manitoba. The research computes the costs of formal care and informal…

Formal Methods Tool Qualification

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wagner, Lucas G.; Cofer, Darren; Slind, Konrad; Tinelli, Cesare; Mebsout, Alain

2017-01-01

Formal methods tools have been shown to be effective at finding defects in safety-critical digital systems including avionics systems. The publication of DO-178C and the accompanying formal methods supplement DO-333 allows applicants to obtain certification credit for the use of formal methods without providing justification for them as an alternative method. This project conducted an extensive study of existing formal methods tools, identifying obstacles to their qualification and proposing mitigations for those obstacles. Further, it interprets the qualification guidance for existing formal methods tools and provides case study examples for open source tools. This project also investigates the feasibility of verifying formal methods tools by generating proof certificates which capture proof of the formal methods tool's claim, which can be checked by an independent, proof certificate checking tool. Finally, the project investigates the feasibility of qualifying this proof certificate checker, in the DO-330 framework, in lieu of qualifying the model checker itself.

From Regulation to Virtue: A Critique of Ethical Formalism in Research Organizations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Atkinson, Timothy N.; Butler, Jesse W.

2012-01-01

The following article argues that the research compliance system has some flaws that should be addressed, particularly with regard to excessive emphasis of and reliance upon formal regulations in research administration. Ethical formalism, understood here as the use of formal rules for the determination of behavior, is not an optimal perspective…

Formalization of the Access Control on ARM-Android Platform with the B Method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ren, Lu; Wang, Wei; Zhu, Xiaodong; Man, Yujia; Yin, Qing

2018-01-01

ARM-Android is a widespread mobile platform with multi-layer access control mechanisms, security-critical in the system. Many access control vulnerabilities still exist due to the course-grained policy and numerous engineering defects, which have been widely studied. However, few researches focus on the mechanism formalization, including the Android permission framework, kernel process management and hardware isolation. This paper first develops a comprehensive formal access control model on the ARM-Android platform using the B method, from the Android middleware to hardware layer. All the model specifications are type checked and proved to be well-defined, with 75%of proof obligations demonstrated automatically. The results show that the proposed B model is feasible to specify and verify access control schemes in the ARM-Android system, and capable of implementing a practical control module.

Guidance for Using Formal Methods in a Certification Context

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Brown, Duncan; Delseny, Herve; Hayhurst, Kelly; Wiels, Virginie

2010-01-01

This paper discusses some of the challenges to using formal methods in a certification context and describes the effort by the Formal Methods Subgroup of RTCA SC-205/EUROCAE WG-71 to propose guidance to make the use of formal methods a recognized approach. This guidance, expected to take the form of a Formal Methods Technical Supplement to DO-178C/ED-12C, is described, including the activities that are needed when using formal methods, new or modified objectives with respect to the core DO-178C/ED-12C document, and evidence needed for meeting those objectives.

Improving Learner Outcomes in Lifelong Education: Formal Pedagogies in Non-Formal Learning Contexts?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zepke, Nick; Leach, Linda

2006-01-01

This article explores how far research findings about successful pedagogies in formal post-school education might be used in non-formal learning contexts--settings where learning may not lead to formal qualifications. It does this by examining a learner outcomes model adapted from a synthesis of research into retention. The article first…

Transformative Autoethnography: An Examination of Cultural Identity and its Implications for Learners

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sykes, Brent E.

2014-01-01

The cultural experiences of minority learners are often omitted from the formal curriculum leading to exclusion and a sense of cultural loss. In this study, the researcher's lived experience serves as the basis to develop a novel research strategy: transformative autoethnography. The researcher uses the method of autoethnography to more…

Can Formal Methods Provide (Necessary and) Sufficient Conditions for Measurement?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mari, Luca

2017-01-01

In his focus article, "Rethinking Traditional Methods of Survey Validation," published in this issue of "Measurement: Interdisciplinary Research and Perspectives," Andrew Maul introduces and discusses several foundational issues and concludes that self-report measures may be particularly difficult to validate and may fall short…

DRS: Derivational Reasoning System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bose, Bhaskar

1995-01-01

The high reliability requirements for airborne systems requires fault-tolerant architectures to address failures in the presence of physical faults, and the elimination of design flaws during the specification and validation phase of the design cycle. Although much progress has been made in developing methods to address physical faults, design flaws remain a serious problem. Formal methods provides a mathematical basis for removing design flaws from digital systems. DRS (Derivational Reasoning System) is a formal design tool based on advanced research in mathematical modeling and formal synthesis. The system implements a basic design algebra for synthesizing digital circuit descriptions from high level functional specifications. DRS incorporates an executable specification language, a set of correctness preserving transformations, verification interface, and a logic synthesis interface, making it a powerful tool for realizing hardware from abstract specifications. DRS integrates recent advances in transformational reasoning, automated theorem proving and high-level CAD synthesis systems in order to provide enhanced reliability in designs with reduced time and cost.

An Architecture for a Problem-Solving Assessment Authoring and Delivery System

DTIC Science & Technology

2006-06-01

know it works? In J. Willis (Series Ed.) & W. F. Heinecke & L. Blasi (Vol. Eds.), Research methods for educational technology: Vol. 1. Methods of...use of formal assessment in the classroom. In W. Hawley (Ed.) (with D. L. Rollie), The keys to effective schools: Educational reform as continuous

Production of Reliable Flight Crucial Software: Validation Methods Research for Fault Tolerant Avionics and Control Systems Sub-Working Group Meeting

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dunham, J. R. (Editor); Knight, J. C. (Editor)

1982-01-01

The state of the art in the production of crucial software for flight control applications was addressed. The association between reliability metrics and software is considered. Thirteen software development projects are discussed. A short term need for research in the areas of tool development and software fault tolerance was indicated. For the long term, research in format verification or proof methods was recommended. Formal specification and software reliability modeling, were recommended as topics for both short and long term research.

Developing Literacy in Second-Language Learners: Report of the National Literacy Panel on Language-Minority Children and Youth

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

August, Diane, Ed.; Shanahan, Timothy, Ed.

2006-01-01

This volume reports the findings of the National Literacy Panel on Language-Minority Children and Youth. The formal charge to the panel--a distinguished group of expert researchers in reading, language, bilingualism, research methods, and education--was to identify, assess, and synthesize research on the education of language-minority children and…

The Researchers Have Left the Building: What Contributes to Sustaining School-Based Interventions Following the Conclusion of Formal Research Support?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Friend, Sarah; Flattum, Colleen F.; Simpson, Danielle; Nederhoff, Dawn M.; Neumark-Sztainer, Dianne

2014-01-01

Background: This study examined the sustainability of New Moves, a school-based program aimed at decreasing weight-related problems in adolescent girls. The National Cancer Institute recognizes New Moves as a research-tested intervention program that produced positive behavioral and psychosocial outcomes. Methods: Ten schools participated in the…

"...If I Had a Choice, I Would..." A Feminist Poststructuralist Perspective on Girls in Physical Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Azzarito, Laura; Solmon, Melinda A.; Harrison, Louis, Jr.

2006-01-01

A significant number of studies evidence girls' lack of participation in physical education. This study used feminist poststructuralism to examine the ways in which high school girls participated in or resisted physical education. Using qualitative research methods, researchers collected field notes, informal interviews, and formal interviews with…

A Framework for Analysis of Research Risks and Benefits to Participants in Standard of Care Pragmatic Clinical Trials

PubMed Central

Chen, Stephanie C; Kim, Scott Y H

2016-01-01

Background/Aims Standard of care pragmatic clinical trials (SCPCTs) that compare treatments already in use could improve care and reduce cost but there is considerable debate about the research risks of SCPCTs and how to apply informed consent regulations to such trials. We sought to develop a framework integrating the insights from opposing sides of the debate. Methods We developed a formal risk-benefit analysis framework for SCPCTs and then applied it to key provisions of the U.S. federal regulations. Results Our formal framework for SCPCT risk-benefit analysis takes into account three key considerations: the ex ante estimates of risks and benefits of the treatments to be compared in a SCPCT, the allocation ratios of treatments inside and outside a SCPCT, and the significance of some participants receiving a different treatment inside a SCPCT than outside the trial. The framework provides practical guidance on how the research ethics regulations on informed consent should be applied to SCPCTs. Conclusions Our proposed formal model makes explicit the relationship between the concepts used by opposing sides of the debate about the research risks of SCPCTs and can be used to clarify the implications for informed consent. PMID:27365010

Does formal research training lead to academic success in otolaryngology?

PubMed

Bobian, Michael R; Shah, Noor; Svider, Peter F; Hong, Robert S; Shkoukani, Mahdi A; Folbe, Adam J; Eloy, Jean Anderson

2017-01-01

To evaluate whether formalized research training is associated with higher researcher productivity, academic rank, and acquisition of National Institutes of Health (NIH) grants within academic otolaryngology departments. Each of the 100 civilian otolaryngology program's departmental websites were analyzed to obtain a comprehensive list of faculty members credentials and characteristics, including academic rank, completion of a clinical fellowship, completion of a formal research fellowship, and attainment of a doctorate in philosophy (PhD) degree. We also recorded measures of scholarly impact and successful acquisition of NIH funding. A total of 1,495 academic physicians were included in our study. Of these, 14.1% had formal research training. Bivariate associations showed that formal research training was associated with a greater h-index, increased probability of acquiring NIH funding, and higher academic rank. Using a linear regression model, we found that otolaryngologists possessing a PhD had an associated h-index of 1.8 points higher, and those who completed a formal research fellowship had an h-index of 1.6 points higher. A PhD degree or completion of a research fellowship was not associated with a higher academic rank; however, a higher h-index and previous acquisition of an NIH grant were associated with a higher academic rank. The attainment of NIH funding was three times more likely for those with a formal research fellowship and 8.6 times more likely for otolaryngologists with a PhD degree. Formalized research training is associated with academic success in otolaryngology. Such dedicated research training accompanies greater scholarly impact, acquisition of NIH funding, and a higher academic rank. NA Laryngoscope, 127:E15-E21, 2017. © 2016 The American Laryngological, Rhinological and Otological Society, Inc.

Research and applications: Artificial intelligence

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Raphael, B.; Fikes, R. E.; Chaitin, L. J.; Hart, P. E.; Duda, R. O.; Nilsson, N. J.

1971-01-01

A program of research in the field of artificial intelligence is presented. The research areas discussed include automatic theorem proving, representations of real-world environments, problem-solving methods, the design of a programming system for problem-solving research, techniques for general scene analysis based upon television data, and the problems of assembling an integrated robot system. Major accomplishments include the development of a new problem-solving system that uses both formal logical inference and informal heuristic methods, the development of a method of automatic learning by generalization, and the design of the overall structure of a new complete robot system. Eight appendices to the report contain extensive technical details of the work described.

Whatever Happened to Formal Methods for Security?

PubMed

Voas, J; Schaffer, K

2016-08-01

We asked 7 experts 7 questions to find out what has occurred recently in terms of applying formal methods (FM) to security-centric, cyber problems. We are continually reminded of the 1996 paper by Tony Hoare "How did Software Get So Reliable Without Proof?" [1] In that vein, how did we get so insecure with proof? Given daily press announcements concerning new malware, data breaches, and privacy loss, is FM still relevant or was it ever? Our experts answered with unique personal insights. We were curious as to whether this successful methodology in "safety-critical" has succeeded as well for today's "build it, hack it, patch it" mindset. Our experts were John McLean (Naval Research Labs), Paul Black (National Institute of Standards and Technology), Karl Levitt (University of California at Davis), Joseph Williams (CloudEconomist.Com), Connie Heitmeyer (Naval Research Labs), Eugene Spafford (Purdue University), and Joseph Kiniry (Galois, Inc.). The questions and responses follow.

Recent trends related to the use of formal methods in software engineering

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Prehn, Soren

1986-01-01

An account is given of some recent developments and trends related to the development and use of formal methods in software engineering. Ongoing activities in Europe are focussed on, since there seems to be a notable difference in attitude towards industrial usage of formal methods in Europe and in the U.S. A more detailed account is given of the currently most widespread formal method in Europe: the Vienna Development Method. Finally, the use of Ada is discussed in relation to the application of formal methods, and the potential for constructing Ada-specific tools based on that method is considered.

Formal Methods for Life-Critical Software

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Butler, Ricky W.; Johnson, Sally C.

1993-01-01

The use of computer software in life-critical applications, such as for civil air transports, demands the use of rigorous formal mathematical verification procedures. This paper demonstrates how to apply formal methods to the development and verification of software by leading the reader step-by-step through requirements analysis, design, implementation, and verification of an electronic phone book application. The current maturity and limitations of formal methods tools and techniques are then discussed, and a number of examples of the successful use of formal methods by industry are cited.

Mathematical Methods of Subjective Modeling in Scientific Research: I. The Mathematical and Empirical Basis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pyt'ev, Yu. P.

2018-01-01

mathematical formalism for subjective modeling, based on modelling of uncertainty, reflecting unreliability of subjective information and fuzziness that is common for its content. The model of subjective judgments on values of an unknown parameter x ∈ X of the model M( x) of a research object is defined by the researcher-modeler as a space1 ( X, p( X), P{I^{\\bar x}}, Be{l^{\\bar x}}) with plausibility P{I^{\\bar x}} and believability Be{l^{\\bar x}} measures, where x is an uncertain element taking values in X that models researcher—modeler's uncertain propositions about an unknown x ∈ X, measures P{I^{\\bar x}}, Be{l^{\\bar x}} model modalities of a researcher-modeler's subjective judgments on the validity of each x ∈ X: the value of P{I^{\\bar x}}(\\tilde x = x) determines how relatively plausible, in his opinion, the equality (\\tilde x = x) is, while the value of Be{l^{\\bar x}}(\\tilde x = x) determines how the inequality (\\tilde x = x) should be relatively believed in. Versions of plausibility Pl and believability Bel measures and pl- and bel-integrals that inherit some traits of probabilities, psychophysics and take into account interests of researcher-modeler groups are considered. It is shown that the mathematical formalism of subjective modeling, unlike "standard" mathematical modeling, •enables a researcher-modeler to model both precise formalized knowledge and non-formalized unreliable knowledge, from complete ignorance to precise knowledge of the model of a research object, to calculate relative plausibilities and believabilities of any features of a research object that are specified by its subjective model M(\\tilde x), and if the data on observations of a research object is available, then it: •enables him to estimate the adequacy of subjective model to the research objective, to correct it by combining subjective ideas and the observation data after testing their consistency, and, finally, to empirically recover the model of a research object.

Formal Methods Specification and Analysis Guidebook for the Verification of Software and Computer Systems. Volume 2; A Practitioner's Companion

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1995-01-01

This guidebook, the second of a two-volume series, is intended to facilitate the transfer of formal methods to the avionics and aerospace community. The 1st volume concentrates on administrative and planning issues [NASA-95a], and the second volume focuses on the technical issues involved in applying formal methods to avionics and aerospace software systems. Hereafter, the term "guidebook" refers exclusively to the second volume of the series. The title of this second volume, A Practitioner's Companion, conveys its intent. The guidebook is written primarily for the nonexpert and requires little or no prior experience with formal methods techniques and tools. However, it does attempt to distill some of the more subtle ingredients in the productive application of formal methods. To the extent that it succeeds, those conversant with formal methods will also nd the guidebook useful. The discussion is illustrated through the development of a realistic example, relevant fragments of which appear in each chapter. The guidebook focuses primarily on the use of formal methods for analysis of requirements and high-level design, the stages at which formal methods have been most productively applied. Although much of the discussion applies to low-level design and implementation, the guidebook does not discuss issues involved in the later life cycle application of formal methods.

A Research on Identifying the Need for Distance Education for National Athletes Who Study in School of Physical Education and Sport

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bozkus, Taner

2014-01-01

The purpose of this study was to identify the problems which national athletes, who study in School of Physical Education and Sport in universities, encounter in formal education and to determine their need for distance learning. Qualitative research, which is one the techniques of researching the method of the study, forms a structured…

Executable Architecture Research at Old Dominion University

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tolk, Andreas; Shuman, Edwin A.; Garcia, Johnny J.

2011-01-01

Executable Architectures allow the evaluation of system architectures not only regarding their static, but also their dynamic behavior. However, the systems engineering community do not agree on a common formal specification of executable architectures. To close this gap and identify necessary elements of an executable architecture, a modeling language, and a modeling formalism is topic of ongoing PhD research. In addition, systems are generally defined and applied in an operational context to provide capabilities and enable missions. To maximize the benefits of executable architectures, a second PhD effort introduces the idea of creating an executable context in addition to the executable architecture. The results move the validation of architectures from the current information domain into the knowledge domain and improve the reliability of such validation efforts. The paper presents research and results of both doctoral research efforts and puts them into a common context of state-of-the-art of systems engineering methods supporting more agility.

An Integrated Environment for Efficient Formal Design and Verification

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1998-01-01

The general goal of this project was to improve the practicality of formal methods by combining techniques from model checking and theorem proving. At the time the project was proposed, the model checking and theorem proving communities were applying different tools to similar problems, but there was not much cross-fertilization. This project involved a group from SRI that had substantial experience in the development and application of theorem-proving technology, and a group at Stanford that specialized in model checking techniques. Now, over five years after the proposal was submitted, there are many research groups working on combining theorem-proving and model checking techniques, and much more communication between the model checking and theorem proving research communities. This project contributed significantly to this research trend. The research work under this project covered a variety of topics: new theory and algorithms; prototype tools; verification methodology; and applications to problems in particular domains.

Formalizing Space Shuttle Software Requirements

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Crow, Judith; DiVito, Ben L.

1996-01-01

This paper describes two case studies in which requirements for new flight-software subsystems on NASA's Space Shuttle were analyzed, one using standard formal specification techniques, the other using state exploration. These applications serve to illustrate three main theses: (1) formal methods can complement conventional requirements analysis processes effectively, (2) formal methods confer benefits regardless of how extensively they are adopted and applied, and (3) formal methods are most effective when they are judiciously tailored to the application.

Harpooning the Hippo Cake: Drama as Ritual Architecture in Classroom Communities.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sidwell, David

2001-01-01

Makes use of action research, finding it to be the most useful research method in studying the phenomenon of ritual performance in the classroom. Concludes that the ritual process may appear to be complex and formal, yet much of this community building work is performed naturally by many teachers trusting their instincts in everyday situations all…

Science of Learning Is Learning of Science: Why We Need a Dialectical Approach to Science Education Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Roth, Wolff-Michael

2012-01-01

Research on learning science in informal settings and the formal (sometimes experimental) study of learning in classrooms or psychological laboratories tend to be separate domains, even drawing on different theories and methods. These differences make it difficult to compare knowing and learning observed in one paradigm/context with those observed…

Research on conceptual/innovative design for the life cycle

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cagan, Jonathan; Agogino, Alice M.

1990-01-01

The goal of this research is developing and integrating qualitative and quantitative methods for life cycle design. The definition of the problem includes formal computer-based methods limited to final detailing stages of design; CAD data bases do not capture design intent or design history; and life cycle issues were ignored during early stages of design. Viewgraphs outline research in conceptual design; the SYMON (SYmbolic MONotonicity analyzer) algorithm; multistart vector quantization optimization algorithm; intelligent manufacturing: IDES - Influence Diagram Architecture; and 1st PRINCE (FIRST PRINciple Computational Evaluator).

Special Plans and Operations: Assessment of Allegations Concerning Traumatic Brain Injury Research Integrity in Iraq

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-03-31

protocols conducted in Iraq. His office had been designated by the 1 A research protocol is a formal document detailing the study methodology and the...Human Research Protections Program plan requires scientific peer review to ensure that research is scientifically sound in its design and methods, and...ofthe approved research protocol and IRB minutes, revealed that there was no mention of "active rehabilitation and exercise" under the design

Don't abandon hope all ye who enter here: The protective role of formal mentoring and learning processes on burnout in correctional officers.

PubMed

Farnese, M L; Barbieri, B; Bellò, B; Bartone, P T

2017-01-01

Within a Job Demands-Resources Model framework, formal mentoring can be conceived as a job resource expressing the organization's support for new members, which may prevent their being at risk for burnout. This research aims at understanding the protective role of formal mentoring on burnout, through the effect of increasing learning personal resources. Specifically, we hypothesized that formal mentoring enhances newcomers' learning about job and social domains related to the new work context, thus leading to lower burnout. In order to test the hypotheses, a multiple regression analysis using the bootstrapping method was used. Based on a questionnaire administered to 117 correctional officer newcomers who had a formal mentor assigned, our results confirm that formal mentoring exerts a positive influence on newcomers' adjustment, and that this in turn exerts a protective influence against burnout onset by reducing cynicism and interpersonal stress and also enhancing the sense of personal accomplishment. Confirming previous literature's suggestions, supportive mentoring and effective socialization seem to represent job and personal resources that are protective against burnout. This study provides empirical support for this relation in the prison context.

A Guide for Scientists Interested in Researching Student Outcomes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Buxner, Sanlyn R.; Anbar, Ariel; Semken, Steve; Mead, Chris; Horodyskyj, Lev; Perera, Viranga; Bruce, Geoffrey; Schönstein, David

2015-11-01

Scientists spend years training in their scientific discipline and are well versed the literature, methods, and innovations in their own field. Many scientists also take on teaching responsibilities with little formal training in how to implement their courses or assess their students. There is a growing body of literature of what students know in space science courses and the types of innovations that can work to increase student learning but scientists rarely have exposure to this body of literature. For scientists who are interested in more effectively understanding what their students know or investigating the impact their courses have on students, there is little guidance. Undertaking a more formal study of students poses more complexities including finding robust instruments and employing appropriate data analysis. Additionally, formal research with students involves issues of privacy and human subjects concerns, both regulated by federal laws.This poster details the important decisions and issues to consider for both course evaluation and more formal research using a course developed, facilitated, evaluated and researched by a hybrid team of scientists and science education researchers. HabWorlds, designed and implemented by a team of scientists and faculty at Arizona State University, has been using student data to continually improve the course as well as conduct formal research on students’ knowledge and attitudes in science. This ongoing project has had external funding sources to allow robust assessment not available to most instructors. This is a case study for discussing issues that are applicable to designing and assessing all science courses. Over the course of several years, instructors have refined course outcomes and learning objectives that are shared with students as a roadmap of instruction. The team has searched for appropriate tools for assessing student learning and attitudes, tested them and decided which have worked, or not, for assessment in the course. Data from this assessment has led to many changes in the course to better meet the course goals. We will share challenges and lessons learned in our project to assist other instructors interested in doing research on student outcomes.

Formal methods and digital systems validation for airborne systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rushby, John

1993-01-01

This report has been prepared to supplement a forthcoming chapter on formal methods in the FAA Digital Systems Validation Handbook. Its purpose is as follows: to outline the technical basis for formal methods in computer science; to explain the use of formal methods in the specification and verification of software and hardware requirements, designs, and implementations; to identify the benefits, weaknesses, and difficulties in applying these methods to digital systems used on board aircraft; and to suggest factors for consideration when formal methods are offered in support of certification. These latter factors assume the context for software development and assurance described in RTCA document DO-178B, 'Software Considerations in Airborne Systems and Equipment Certification,' Dec. 1992.

The Uphill Battle of Performing Education Scholarship: Barriers Educators and Education Researchers Face.

PubMed

Jordan, Jaime; Coates, Wendy C; Clarke, Samuel; Runde, Daniel; Fowlkes, Emilie; Kurth, Jaqueline; Yarris, Lalena

2018-05-01

Educators and education researchers report that their scholarship is limited by lack of time, funding, mentorship, expertise, and reward. This study aims to evaluate these groups' perceptions regarding barriers to scholarship and potential strategies for success. Core emergency medicine (EM) educators and education researchers completed an online survey consisting of multiple-choice, 10-point Likert scale, and free-response items in 2015. Descriptive statistics were reported. We used qualitative analysis applying a thematic approach to free-response items. A total of 204 educators and 42 education researchers participated. Education researchers were highly productive: 19/42 reported more than 20 peer-reviewed education scholarship publications on their curricula vitae. In contrast, 68/197 educators reported no education publications within five years. Only a minority, 61/197 had formal research training compared to 25/42 education researchers. Barriers to performing research for both groups were lack of time, competing demands, lack of support, lack of funding, and challenges achieving scientifically rigorous methods and publication. The most common motivators identified were dissemination of knowledge, support of evidence-based practices, and promotion. Respondents advised those who seek greater education research involvement to pursue mentorship, formal research training, collaboration, and rigorous methodological standards. The most commonly cited barriers were lack of time and competing demands. Stakeholders were motivated by the desire to disseminate knowledge, support evidence-based practices, and achieve promotion. Suggested strategies for success included formal training, mentorship, and collaboration. This information may inform interventions to support educators in their scholarly pursuits and improve the overall quality of education research in EM.

Matching biomedical ontologies based on formal concept analysis.

PubMed

Zhao, Mengyi; Zhang, Songmao; Li, Weizhuo; Chen, Guowei

2018-03-19

The goal of ontology matching is to identify correspondences between entities from different yet overlapping ontologies so as to facilitate semantic integration, reuse and interoperability. As a well developed mathematical model for analyzing individuals and structuring concepts, Formal Concept Analysis (FCA) has been applied to ontology matching (OM) tasks since the beginning of OM research, whereas ontological knowledge exploited in FCA-based methods is limited. This motivates the study in this paper, i.e., to empower FCA with as much as ontological knowledge as possible for identifying mappings across ontologies. We propose a method based on Formal Concept Analysis to identify and validate mappings across ontologies, including one-to-one mappings, complex mappings and correspondences between object properties. Our method, called FCA-Map, incrementally generates a total of five types of formal contexts and extracts mappings from the lattices derived. First, the token-based formal context describes how class names, labels and synonyms share lexical tokens, leading to lexical mappings (anchors) across ontologies. Second, the relation-based formal context describes how classes are in taxonomic, partonomic and disjoint relationships with the anchors, leading to positive and negative structural evidence for validating the lexical matching. Third, the positive relation-based context can be used to discover structural mappings. Afterwards, the property-based formal context describes how object properties are used in axioms to connect anchor classes across ontologies, leading to property mappings. Last, the restriction-based formal context describes co-occurrence of classes across ontologies in anonymous ancestors of anchors, from which extended structural mappings and complex mappings can be identified. Evaluation on the Anatomy, the Large Biomedical Ontologies, and the Disease and Phenotype track of the 2016 Ontology Alignment Evaluation Initiative campaign demonstrates the effectiveness of FCA-Map and its competitiveness with the top-ranked systems. FCA-Map can achieve a better balance between precision and recall for large-scale domain ontologies through constructing multiple FCA structures, whereas it performs unsatisfactorily for smaller-sized ontologies with less lexical and semantic expressions. Compared with other FCA-based OM systems, the study in this paper is more comprehensive as an attempt to push the envelope of the Formal Concept Analysis formalism in ontology matching tasks. Five types of formal contexts are constructed incrementally, and their derived concept lattices are used to cluster the commonalities among classes at lexical and structural level, respectively. Experiments on large, real-world domain ontologies show promising results and reveal the power of FCA.

Ten Commandments of Formal Methods...Ten Years Later

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bowen, Jonathan P.; Hinchey, Michael G.

2006-01-01

More than a decade ago, in "Ten Commandments of Formal Methods," we offered practical guidelines for projects that sought to use formal methods. Over the years, the article, which was based on our knowledge of successful industrial projects, has been widely cited and has generated much positive feedback. However, despite this apparent enthusiasm, formal methods use has not greatly increased, and some of the same attitudes about the infeasibility of adopting them persist. Formal methodists believe that introducing greater rigor will improve the software development process and yield software with better structure, greater maintainability, and fewer errors.

Access to timely formal dementia care in Europe: protocol of the Actifcare (ACcess to Timely Formal Care) study.

PubMed

Kerpershoek, Liselot; de Vugt, Marjolein; Wolfs, Claire; Jelley, Hannah; Orrell, Martin; Woods, Bob; Stephan, Astrid; Bieber, Anja; Meyer, Gabriele; Engedal, Knut; Selbaek, Geir; Handels, Ron; Wimo, Anders; Hopper, Louise; Irving, Kate; Marques, Maria; Gonçalves-Pereira, Manuel; Portolani, Elisa; Zanetti, Orazio; Verhey, Frans

2016-08-23

Previous findings indicate that people with dementia and their informal carers experience difficulties accessing and using formal care services due to a mismatch between needs and service use. This mismatch causes overall dissatisfaction and is a waste of the scarce financial care resources. This article presents the background and methods of the Actifcare (ACcess to Timely Formal Care) project. This is a European study aiming at best-practice development in finding timely access to formal care for community-dwelling people with dementia and their informal carers. There are five main objectives: 1) Explore predisposing and enabling factors associated with the use of formal care, 2) Explore the association between the use of formal care, needs and quality of life and 3) Compare these across European countries, 4) Understand the costs and consequences of formal care services utilization in people with unmet needs, 5) Determine the major costs and quality of life drivers and their relationship with formal care services across European countries. In a longitudinal cohort study conducted in eight European countries approximately 450 people with dementia and informal carers will be assessed three times in 1 year (baseline, 6 and 12 months). In this year we will closely monitor the process of finding access to formal care. Data on service use, quality of life and needs will be collected. The results of Actifcare are expected to reveal best-practices in organizing formal care. Knowledge about enabling and predisposing factors regarding access to care services, as well as its costs and consequences, can advance the state of the art in health systems research into pathways to dementia care, in order to benefit people with dementia and their informal carers.

Conducting Configurational Comparative Research with Qualitative Comparative Analysis: A Hands-On Tutorial for Applied Evaluation Scholars and Practitioners

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thiem, Alrik

2017-01-01

The search for necessary and sufficient causes of some outcome of interest, referred to as "configurational comparative research," has long been one of the main preoccupations of evaluation scholars and practitioners. However, only the last three decades have witnessed the evolution of a set of formal methods that are sufficiently…

A Computational Study of Commonsense Science: An Exploration in the Automated Analysis of Clinical Interview Data

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sherin, Bruce

2013-01-01

A large body of research in the learning sciences has focused on students' commonsense science knowledge--the everyday knowledge of the natural world that is gained outside of formal instruction. Although researchers studying commonsense science have employed a variety of methods, 1-on-1 clinical interviews have played a unique role. The data…

Use of methods for specifying the target difference in randomised controlled trial sample size calculations: Two surveys of trialists' practice.

PubMed

Cook, Jonathan A; Hislop, Jennifer M; Altman, Doug G; Briggs, Andrew H; Fayers, Peter M; Norrie, John D; Ramsay, Craig R; Harvey, Ian M; Vale, Luke D

2014-06-01

Central to the design of a randomised controlled trial (RCT) is a calculation of the number of participants needed. This is typically achieved by specifying a target difference, which enables the trial to identify a difference of a particular magnitude should one exist. Seven methods have been proposed for formally determining what the target difference should be. However, in practice, it may be driven by convenience or some other informal basis. It is unclear how aware the trialist community is of these formal methods or whether they are used. To determine current practice regarding the specification of the target difference by surveying trialists. Two surveys were conducted: (1) Members of the Society for Clinical Trials (SCT): participants were invited to complete an online survey through the society's email distribution list. Respondents were asked about their awareness, use of, and willingness to recommend methods; (2) Leading UK- and Ireland-based trialists: the survey was sent to UK Clinical Research Collaboration registered Clinical Trials Units, Medical Research Council UK Hubs for Trial Methodology Research, and the Research Design Services of the National Institute for Health Research. This survey also included questions about the most recent trial developed by the respondent's group. Survey 1: Of the 1182 members on the SCT membership email distribution list, 180 responses were received (15%). Awareness of methods ranged from 69 (38%) for health economic methods to 162 (90%) for pilot study. Willingness to recommend among those who had used a particular method ranged from 56% for the opinion-seeking method to 89% for the review of evidence-base method. Survey 2: Of the 61 surveys sent out, 34 (56%) responses were received. Awareness of methods ranged from 33 (97%) for the review of evidence-base and pilot methods to 14 (41%) for the distribution method. The highest level of willingness to recommend among users was for the anchor method (87%). Based upon the most recent trial, the target difference was usually one viewed as important by a stakeholder group, mostly also viewed as a realistic difference given the interventions under evaluation, and sometimes one that led to an achievable sample size. The response rates achieved were relatively low despite the surveys being short, well presented, and having utilised reminders. Substantial variations in practice exist with awareness, use, and willingness to recommend methods varying substantially. The findings support the view that sample size calculation is a more complex process than would appear to be the case from trial reports and protocols. Guidance on approaches for sample size estimation may increase both awareness and use of appropriate formal methods. © The Author(s), 2014.

Annual Review of Sociology. Volume 9, 1983.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Turner, Ralph H., Ed.; Short, James F., Jr., Ed.

Twenty-six essays describing current research in sociology are included in this publication. The essays fall into 10 categories: differentiation and stratification; political sociology; social processes; institutions; individual and society; formal organizations; urban sociology; theory and methods; sociology of world regions; and historical…

Does Formal Research Training Lead to Academic Success in Plastic Surgery? A Comprehensive Analysis of U.S. Academic Plastic Surgeons.

PubMed

Lopez, Joseph; Ameri, Afshin; Susarla, Srinivas M; Reddy, Sashank; Soni, Ashwin; Tong, J W; Amini, Neda; Ahmed, Rizwan; May, James W; Lee, W P Andrew; Dorafshar, Amir

2016-01-01

It is currently unknown whether formal research training has an influence on academic advancement in plastic surgery. The purpose of this study was to determine whether formal research training was associated with higher research productivity, academic rank, and procurement of extramural National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding in plastic surgery, comparing academic surgeons who completed said research training with those without. This was a cross-sectional study of full-time academic plastic surgeons in the United States. The main predictor variable was formal research training, defined as completion of a postdoctoral research fellowship or attainment of a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD). The primary outcome was scientific productivity measured by the Hirsh-index (h-index, the number of publications, h that have at least h citations each). The secondary outcomes were academic rank and NIH funding. Descriptive, bivariate, and multiple regression statistics were computed. A total of 607 academic surgeons were identified from 94 Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education-accredited plastic surgery training programs. In all, 179 (29.5%) surgeons completed formal research training. The mean h-index was 11.7 ± 9.9. And, 58 (9.6%) surgeons successfully procured NIH funding. The distribution of academic rank was the following: endowed professor (5.4%), professor (23.9%), associate professor (23.4%), assistant professor (46.0%), and instructor (1.3%). In a multiple regression analysis, completion of formal research training was significantly predictive of a higher h-index and successful procurement of NIH funding. Current evidence demonstrates that formal research training is associated with higher scientific productivity and increased likelihood of future NIH funding. Copyright © 2016 Association of Program Directors in Surgery. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

FORMED: Bringing Formal Methods to the Engineering Desktop

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-02-01

integrates formal verification into software design and development by precisely defining semantics for a restricted subset of the Unified Modeling...input-output contract satisfaction and absence of null pointer dereferences. 15. SUBJECT TERMS Formal Methods, Software Verification , Model-Based...Domain specific languages (DSLs) drive both implementation and formal verification

Interoperability between biomedical ontologies through relation expansion, upper-level ontologies and automatic reasoning.

PubMed

Hoehndorf, Robert; Dumontier, Michel; Oellrich, Anika; Rebholz-Schuhmann, Dietrich; Schofield, Paul N; Gkoutos, Georgios V

2011-01-01

Researchers design ontologies as a means to accurately annotate and integrate experimental data across heterogeneous and disparate data- and knowledge bases. Formal ontologies make the semantics of terms and relations explicit such that automated reasoning can be used to verify the consistency of knowledge. However, many biomedical ontologies do not sufficiently formalize the semantics of their relations and are therefore limited with respect to automated reasoning for large scale data integration and knowledge discovery. We describe a method to improve automated reasoning over biomedical ontologies and identify several thousand contradictory class definitions. Our approach aligns terms in biomedical ontologies with foundational classes in a top-level ontology and formalizes composite relations as class expressions. We describe the semi-automated repair of contradictions and demonstrate expressive queries over interoperable ontologies. Our work forms an important cornerstone for data integration, automatic inference and knowledge discovery based on formal representations of knowledge. Our results and analysis software are available at http://bioonto.de/pmwiki.php/Main/ReasonableOntologies.

Survey of northern informal and formal mental health practitioners

PubMed Central

O'Neill, Linda; George, Serena; Sebok, Stefanie

2013-01-01

Background This survey is part of a multi-year research study on informal and formal mental health support in northern Canada involving the use of qualitative and quantitative data collection and analysis methods in an effort to better understand mental health in a northern context. Objective The main objective of the 3-year study was to document the situation of formal and informal helpers in providing mental health support in isolated northern communities in northern British Columbia, northern Alberta, Yukon, Northwest Territories and Nunavut. The intent of developing a survey was to include more participants in the research and access those working in small communities who would be concerned regarding confidentiality and anonymity due to their high profile within smaller populations. Design Based on the in-depth interviews from the qualitative phase of the project, the research team developed a survey that reflected the main themes found in the initial qualitative analysis. The on-line survey consisted of 26 questions, looking at basic demographic information and presenting lists of possible challenges, supports and client mental health issues for participants to prioritise. Results Thirty-two participants identified various challenges, supports and client issues relevant to their mental health support work. A vast majority of the respondents felt prepared for northern practice and had some level of formal education. Supports for longevity included team collaboration, knowledgeable supervisors, managers, leaders and more opportunities for formal education, specific training and continuity of care to support clients. Conclusion For northern-based research in small communities, the development of a survey allowed more participants to join the larger study in a way that protected their identity and confidentiality. The results from the survey emphasise the need for team collaboration, interdisciplinary practice and working with community strengths as a way to sustain mental health support workers in the North. PMID:23984276

Experiences Using Lightweight Formal Methods for Requirements Modeling

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Easterbrook, Steve; Lutz, Robyn; Covington, Rick; Kelly, John; Ampo, Yoko; Hamilton, David

1997-01-01

This paper describes three case studies in the lightweight application of formal methods to requirements modeling for spacecraft fault protection systems. The case studies differ from previously reported applications of formal methods in that formal methods were applied very early in the requirements engineering process, to validate the evolving requirements. The results were fed back into the projects, to improve the informal specifications. For each case study, we describe what methods were applied, how they were applied, how much effort was involved, and what the findings were. In all three cases, formal methods enhanced the existing verification and validation processes, by testing key properties of the evolving requirements, and helping to identify weaknesses. We conclude that the benefits gained from early modeling of unstable requirements more than outweigh the effort needed to maintain multiple representations.

Whatever Happened to Formal Methods for Security?

PubMed Central

Voas, J.; Schaffer, K.

2016-01-01

We asked 7 experts 7 questions to find out what has occurred recently in terms of applying formal methods (FM) to security-centric, cyber problems. We are continually reminded of the 1996 paper by Tony Hoare “How did Software Get So Reliable Without Proof?” [1] In that vein, how did we get so insecure with proof? Given daily press announcements concerning new malware, data breaches, and privacy loss, is FM still relevant or was it ever? Our experts answered with unique personal insights. We were curious as to whether this successful methodology in “safety-critical” has succeeded as well for today’s “build it, hack it, patch it” mindset. Our experts were John McLean (Naval Research Labs), Paul Black (National Institute of Standards and Technology), Karl Levitt (University of California at Davis), Joseph Williams (CloudEconomist.Com), Connie Heitmeyer (Naval Research Labs), Eugene Spafford (Purdue University), and Joseph Kiniry (Galois, Inc.). The questions and responses follow. PMID:27890940

Experiences Using Formal Methods for Requirements Modeling

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Easterbrook, Steve; Lutz, Robyn; Covington, Rick; Kelly, John; Ampo, Yoko; Hamilton, David

1996-01-01

This paper describes three cases studies in the lightweight application of formal methods to requirements modeling for spacecraft fault protection systems. The case studies differ from previously reported applications of formal methods in that formal methods were applied very early in the requirements engineering process, to validate the evolving requirements. The results were fed back into the projects, to improve the informal specifications. For each case study, we describe what methods were applied, how they were applied, how much effort was involved, and what the findings were. In all three cases, the formal modeling provided a cost effective enhancement of the existing verification and validation processes. We conclude that the benefits gained from early modeling of unstable requirements more than outweigh the effort needed to maintain multiple representations.

Formal Methods Case Studies for DO-333

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cofer, Darren; Miller, Steven P.

2014-01-01

RTCA DO-333, Formal Methods Supplement to DO-178C and DO-278A provides guidance for software developers wishing to use formal methods in the certification of airborne systems and air traffic management systems. The supplement identifies the modifications and additions to DO-178C and DO-278A objectives, activities, and software life cycle data that should be addressed when formal methods are used as part of the software development process. This report presents three case studies describing the use of different classes of formal methods to satisfy certification objectives for a common avionics example - a dual-channel Flight Guidance System. The three case studies illustrate the use of theorem proving, model checking, and abstract interpretation. The material presented is not intended to represent a complete certification effort. Rather, the purpose is to illustrate how formal methods can be used in a realistic avionics software development project, with a focus on the evidence produced that could be used to satisfy the verification objectives found in Section 6 of DO-178C.

Enabling our instruments: accommodation, universal design, and access to participation in research.

PubMed

Meyers, A R; Andresen, E M

2000-12-01

The objective of this article is to discuss problems related to full participation of people with disabilities in health services and health outcomes research. To show the problems and to suggest solutions, we offer examples from personal research experiences (ours and colleagues'), as well as from published literature, requirements of research agencies, web and news sources, and research participants' feedback. A combination of formal and informal processes can be used to enable future instruments and methods. There are ethical, legal, and methodologic imperatives for research participation enablement.

A Mode-Shape-Based Fault Detection Methodology for Cantilever Beams

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tejada, Arturo

2009-01-01

An important goal of NASA's Internal Vehicle Health Management program (IVHM) is to develop and verify methods and technologies for fault detection in critical airframe structures. A particularly promising new technology under development at NASA Langley Research Center is distributed Bragg fiber optic strain sensors. These sensors can be embedded in, for instance, aircraft wings to continuously monitor surface strain during flight. Strain information can then be used in conjunction with well-known vibrational techniques to detect faults due to changes in the wing's physical parameters or to the presence of incipient cracks. To verify the benefits of this technology, the Formal Methods Group at NASA LaRC has proposed the use of formal verification tools such as PVS. The verification process, however, requires knowledge of the physics and mathematics of the vibrational techniques and a clear understanding of the particular fault detection methodology. This report presents a succinct review of the physical principles behind the modeling of vibrating structures such as cantilever beams (the natural model of a wing). It also reviews two different classes of fault detection techniques and proposes a particular detection method for cracks in wings, which is amenable to formal verification. A prototype implementation of these methods using Matlab scripts is also described and is related to the fundamental theoretical concepts.

A discriminatory function for prediction of protein-DNA interactions based on alpha shape modeling.

PubMed

Zhou, Weiqiang; Yan, Hong

2010-10-15

Protein-DNA interaction has significant importance in many biological processes. However, the underlying principle of the molecular recognition process is still largely unknown. As more high-resolution 3D structures of protein-DNA complex are becoming available, the surface characteristics of the complex become an important research topic. In our work, we apply an alpha shape model to represent the surface structure of the protein-DNA complex and developed an interface-atom curvature-dependent conditional probability discriminatory function for the prediction of protein-DNA interaction. The interface-atom curvature-dependent formalism captures atomic interaction details better than the atomic distance-based method. The proposed method provides good performance in discriminating the native structures from the docking decoy sets, and outperforms the distance-dependent formalism in terms of the z-score. Computer experiment results show that the curvature-dependent formalism with the optimal parameters can achieve a native z-score of -8.17 in discriminating the native structure from the highest surface-complementarity scored decoy set and a native z-score of -7.38 in discriminating the native structure from the lowest RMSD decoy set. The interface-atom curvature-dependent formalism can also be used to predict apo version of DNA-binding proteins. These results suggest that the interface-atom curvature-dependent formalism has a good prediction capability for protein-DNA interactions. The code and data sets are available for download on http://www.hy8.com/bioinformatics.htm kenandzhou@hotmail.com.

Annual Review of Sociology. Volume 7, 1981.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Turner, Ralph H., Ed.; Short, James F., Jr., Ed.

Fifteen essays describing current research in sociology are included in this publication. Almost all the authors are with departments of sociology in U.S. colleges and universities. The essays fall into ten broad categories: theory and method, social processes, institutions, formal organizations, political and economic sociology, differentiation…

Confirmatory and Competitive Evaluation of Alternative Gene-Environment Interaction Hypotheses

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Belsky, Jay; Pluess, Michael; Widaman, Keith F.

2013-01-01

Background: Most gene-environment interaction (GXE) research, though based on clear, vulnerability-oriented hypotheses, is carried out using exploratory rather than hypothesis-informed statistical tests, limiting power and making formal evaluation of competing GXE propositions difficult. Method: We present and illustrate a new regression technique…

Representation of research hypotheses

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background Hypotheses are now being automatically produced on an industrial scale by computers in biology, e.g. the annotation of a genome is essentially a large set of hypotheses generated by sequence similarity programs; and robot scientists enable the full automation of a scientific investigation, including generation and testing of research hypotheses. Results This paper proposes a logically defined way for recording automatically generated hypotheses in machine amenable way. The proposed formalism allows the description of complete hypotheses sets as specified input and output for scientific investigations. The formalism supports the decomposition of research hypotheses into more specialised hypotheses if that is required by an application. Hypotheses are represented in an operational way – it is possible to design an experiment to test them. The explicit formal description of research hypotheses promotes the explicit formal description of the results and conclusions of an investigation. The paper also proposes a framework for automated hypotheses generation. We demonstrate how the key components of the proposed framework are implemented in the Robot Scientist “Adam”. Conclusions A formal representation of automatically generated research hypotheses can help to improve the way humans produce, record, and validate research hypotheses. Availability http://www.aber.ac.uk/en/cs/research/cb/projects/robotscientist/results/ PMID:21624164

Considering the ethics of big data research: A case of Twitter and ISIS/ISIL.

PubMed

Buchanan, Elizabeth

2017-01-01

This is a formal commentary, responding to Matthew Curran Benigni, Kenneth Joseph, and Kathleen Carley's contribution, "Online extremism and the communities that sustain it: Detecting the ISIS supporting community on Twitter". This brief review reflects on the ethics of big data research methodologies, and how novel methods complicate long-standing principles of research ethics. Specifically, the concept of the "data subject" as a corollary, or replacement, of "human subject" is considered.

Proceedings of the Second NASA Formal Methods Symposium

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Munoz, Cesar (Editor)

2010-01-01

This publication contains the proceedings of the Second NASA Formal Methods Symposium sponsored by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration and held in Washington D.C. April 13-15, 2010. Topics covered include: Decision Engines for Software Analysis using Satisfiability Modulo Theories Solvers; Verification and Validation of Flight-Critical Systems; Formal Methods at Intel -- An Overview; Automatic Review of Abstract State Machines by Meta Property Verification; Hardware-independent Proofs of Numerical Programs; Slice-based Formal Specification Measures -- Mapping Coupling and Cohesion Measures to Formal Z; How Formal Methods Impels Discovery: A Short History of an Air Traffic Management Project; A Machine-Checked Proof of A State-Space Construction Algorithm; Automated Assume-Guarantee Reasoning for Omega-Regular Systems and Specifications; Modeling Regular Replacement for String Constraint Solving; Using Integer Clocks to Verify the Timing-Sync Sensor Network Protocol; Can Regulatory Bodies Expect Efficient Help from Formal Methods?; Synthesis of Greedy Algorithms Using Dominance Relations; A New Method for Incremental Testing of Finite State Machines; Verification of Faulty Message Passing Systems with Continuous State Space in PVS; Phase Two Feasibility Study for Software Safety Requirements Analysis Using Model Checking; A Prototype Embedding of Bluespec System Verilog in the PVS Theorem Prover; SimCheck: An Expressive Type System for Simulink; Coverage Metrics for Requirements-Based Testing: Evaluation of Effectiveness; Software Model Checking of ARINC-653 Flight Code with MCP; Evaluation of a Guideline by Formal Modelling of Cruise Control System in Event-B; Formal Verification of Large Software Systems; Symbolic Computation of Strongly Connected Components Using Saturation; Towards the Formal Verification of a Distributed Real-Time Automotive System; Slicing AADL Specifications for Model Checking; Model Checking with Edge-valued Decision Diagrams; and Data-flow based Model Analysis.

The Effect of Computer Assisted and Computer Based Teaching Methods on Computer Course Success and Computer Using Attitudes of Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tosun, Nilgün; Suçsuz, Nursen; Yigit, Birol

2006-01-01

The purpose of this research was to investigate the effects of the computer-assisted and computer-based instructional methods on students achievement at computer classes and on their attitudes towards using computers. The study, which was completed in 6 weeks, were carried out with 94 sophomores studying in formal education program of Primary…

A New Measure of Text Formality: An Analysis of Discourse of Mao Zedong

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Li, Haiying; Graesser, Arthur C.; Conley, Mark; Cai, Zhiqiang; Pavlik, Philip I., Jr.; Pennebaker, James W.

2016-01-01

Formality has long been of interest in the study of discourse, with periodic discussions of the best measure of formality and the relationship between formality and text categories. In this research, we explored what features predict formality as humans perceive the construct. We categorized a corpus consisting of 1,158 discourse samples published…

Examining Informal Learning in Commercial Airline Pilots' Communities of Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Corns, Kevin M.

2014-01-01

A pragmatic sequential mixed methods research methodology was used to examine commercial airline pilots' (N =156) types and frequencies of informal learning activities, perceptions of workplace informal learning, and opinions on how organizations should support workplace informal learning outside of the formal learning environment. This study…

Annual Review of Sociology. Volume 6, 1980.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Inkeles, Alex, Ed.; And Others

Sixteen essays provide a perspective on the range and depth of current research in sociology. Almost all the authors are with departments of sociology in U.S. colleges and universities. The essays fall into ten broad categories: theory and methods, social processes, institutions, formal organization, political and economic sociology,…

Methods & Strategies: 5E for ELL

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gomez-Zwiep, Susan; Straits, William; Topps, Jo

2015-01-01

Science provides a rich context for English learners (ELs) to develop language skills in meaningful ways. This article outlines steps to create a lesson that blends both inquiry science and formal English language development (ELD) strategies. The process, developed through a four-year research project in a large urban school district (Gomez-Zwiep…

Gender and ergonomics: a case study on the 'non-formal' work of women nurses.

PubMed

Salerno, Silvana; Livigni, Lucilla; Magrini, Andrea; Talamanca, Irene Figà

2012-01-01

Women's work activities are often characterised by 'non-formal actions' (such as giving support). Gender differences in ergonomics may be due to this peculiarity. We applied the method of organisational congruencies (MOC) to ascertain the 'non-formal' work portion of nurses employed in three hospital units (haematology, emergency room and general medicine) during the three work shifts in a major University Hospital in Rome, Italy. We recorded a total of 802 technical actions performed by nine nurses in 72 h of work. Twenty-six percent of the actions in direct patient's care were communicative actions (mainly giving psychological support) while providing physical care. These 'double actions' are often not considered to be a formal part of the job by hospital management. In our case study, the 'non-formal' work of nurses (psychological support) is mainly represented by double actions while taking physical care of the patients. The dual task paradigm in gender oriented research is discussed in terms of its implications in prevention in occupational health. The main purpose of the study was to assess all the formal and non-formal activities of women in the nursing work setting. Offering psychological support to patients is often not considered to be a formal part of the job. Our case study found that nurses receive no explicit guidelines on this activity and no time is assigned to perform it. In measuring the burden of providing psychological support to patients, we found that this is often done while nurses are performing tasks of physical care for the patients (double actions). The article discusses the significance of non-formal psychological work load of women nurses through double actions from the ergonomic point view.

Weaving a Formal Methods Education with Problem-Based Learning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gibson, J. Paul

The idea of weaving formal methods through computing (or software engineering) degrees is not a new one. However, there has been little success in developing and implementing such a curriculum. Formal methods continue to be taught as stand-alone modules and students, in general, fail to see how fundamental these methods are to the engineering of software. A major problem is one of motivation — how can the students be expected to enthusiastically embrace a challenging subject when the learning benefits, beyond passing an exam and achieving curriculum credits, are not clear? Problem-based learning has gradually moved from being an innovative pedagogique technique, commonly used to better-motivate students, to being widely adopted in the teaching of many different disciplines, including computer science and software engineering. Our experience shows that a good problem can be re-used throughout a student's academic life. In fact, the best computing problems can be used with children (young and old), undergraduates and postgraduates. In this paper we present a process for weaving formal methods through a University curriculum that is founded on the application of problem-based learning and a library of good software engineering problems, where students learn about formal methods without sitting a traditional formal methods module. The process of constructing good problems and integrating them into the curriculum is shown to be analagous to the process of engineering software. This approach is not intended to replace more traditional formal methods modules: it will better prepare students for such specialised modules and ensure that all students have an understanding and appreciation for formal methods even if they do not go on to specialise in them.

A review of research on formal reasoning and science teaching

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lawson, Anton E.

A central purpose of education is to improve students' reasoning abilities. The present review examines research in developmental psychology and science education that has attempted to assess the validity of Piaget's theory of formal thought and its relation to educational practice. Should a central objective of schools be to help students become formal thinkers? To answer this question research has focused on the following subordinate questions: (1) What role does biological maturation play in the development of formal reasoning? (2) Are Piaget's formal tasks reliable and valid? (3) Does formal reasoning constitute a unified and general mode of intellectual functioning? (4) How does the presence or absence of formal reasoning affect school achievement? (5) Can formal reasoning be taught? (6) What is the structural or functional nature of advanced reasoning? The general conclusion drawn is that although Piaget's work and that which has sprung from it leaves a number of unresolved theoretical and methodological problems, it provides an important background from which to make substantial progress toward a most significant educational objective.All our dignity lies in thought. By thought we must elevate ourselves, not by space and time which we can not fill. Let us endeavor then to think well; therein lies the principle of morality. Blaise Pascal 1623-1662.

Systems, methods and apparatus for implementation of formal specifications derived from informal requirements

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hinchey, Michael G. (Inventor); Rouff, Christopher A. (Inventor); Rash, James L. (Inventor); Erickson, John D. (Inventor); Gracinin, Denis (Inventor)

2010-01-01

Systems, methods and apparatus are provided through which in some embodiments an informal specification is translated without human intervention into a formal specification. In some embodiments the formal specification is a process-based specification. In some embodiments, the formal specification is translated into a high-level computer programming language which is further compiled into a set of executable computer instructions.

Toward Mixed Method Evaluations of Scientific Visualizations and Design Process as an Evaluation Tool.

PubMed

Jackson, Bret; Coffey, Dane; Thorson, Lauren; Schroeder, David; Ellingson, Arin M; Nuckley, David J; Keefe, Daniel F

2012-10-01

In this position paper we discuss successes and limitations of current evaluation strategies for scientific visualizations and argue for embracing a mixed methods strategy of evaluation. The most novel contribution of the approach that we advocate is a new emphasis on employing design processes as practiced in related fields (e.g., graphic design, illustration, architecture) as a formalized mode of evaluation for data visualizations. To motivate this position we describe a series of recent evaluations of scientific visualization interfaces and computer graphics strategies conducted within our research group. Complementing these more traditional evaluations our visualization research group also regularly employs sketching, critique, and other design methods that have been formalized over years of practice in design fields. Our experience has convinced us that these activities are invaluable, often providing much more detailed evaluative feedback about our visualization systems than that obtained via more traditional user studies and the like. We believe that if design-based evaluation methodologies (e.g., ideation, sketching, critique) can be taught and embraced within the visualization community then these may become one of the most effective future strategies for both formative and summative evaluations.

Toward Mixed Method Evaluations of Scientific Visualizations and Design Process as an Evaluation Tool

PubMed Central

Jackson, Bret; Coffey, Dane; Thorson, Lauren; Schroeder, David; Ellingson, Arin M.; Nuckley, David J.

2017-01-01

In this position paper we discuss successes and limitations of current evaluation strategies for scientific visualizations and argue for embracing a mixed methods strategy of evaluation. The most novel contribution of the approach that we advocate is a new emphasis on employing design processes as practiced in related fields (e.g., graphic design, illustration, architecture) as a formalized mode of evaluation for data visualizations. To motivate this position we describe a series of recent evaluations of scientific visualization interfaces and computer graphics strategies conducted within our research group. Complementing these more traditional evaluations our visualization research group also regularly employs sketching, critique, and other design methods that have been formalized over years of practice in design fields. Our experience has convinced us that these activities are invaluable, often providing much more detailed evaluative feedback about our visualization systems than that obtained via more traditional user studies and the like. We believe that if design-based evaluation methodologies (e.g., ideation, sketching, critique) can be taught and embraced within the visualization community then these may become one of the most effective future strategies for both formative and summative evaluations. PMID:28944349

Considering the ethics of big data research: A case of Twitter and ISIS/ISIL

PubMed Central

2017-01-01

This is a formal commentary, responding to Matthew Curran Benigni, Kenneth Joseph, and Kathleen Carley’s contribution, “Online extremism and the communities that sustain it: Detecting the ISIS supporting community on Twitter”. This brief review reflects on the ethics of big data research methodologies, and how novel methods complicate long-standing principles of research ethics. Specifically, the concept of the “data subject” as a corollary, or replacement, of “human subject” is considered. PMID:29194443

Ten Commandments Revisited: A Ten-Year Perspective on the Industrial Application of Formal Methods

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bowen, Jonathan P.; Hinchey, Michael G.

2005-01-01

Ten years ago, our 1995 paper Ten Commandments of Formal Methods suggested some guidelines to help ensure the success of a formal methods project. It proposed ten important requirements (or "commandments") for formal developers to consider and follow, based on our knowledge of several industrial application success stories, most of which have been reported in more detail in two books. The paper was surprisingly popular, is still widely referenced, and used as required reading in a number of formal methods courses. However, not all have agreed with some of our commandments, feeling that they may not be valid in the long-term. We re-examine the original commandments ten years on, and consider their validity in the light of a further decade of industrial best practice and experiences.

Building a Formal Model of a Human-Interactive System: Insights into the Integration of Formal Methods and Human Factors Engineering

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bolton, Matthew L.; Bass, Ellen J.

2009-01-01

Both the human factors engineering (HFE) and formal methods communities are concerned with finding and eliminating problems with safety-critical systems. This work discusses a modeling effort that leveraged methods from both fields to use model checking with HFE practices to perform formal verification of a human-interactive system. Despite the use of a seemingly simple target system, a patient controlled analgesia pump, the initial model proved to be difficult for the model checker to verify in a reasonable amount of time. This resulted in a number of model revisions that affected the HFE architectural, representativeness, and understandability goals of the effort. If formal methods are to meet the needs of the HFE community, additional modeling tools and technological developments are necessary.

Standardized terminology for clinical trial protocols based on top-level ontological categories.

PubMed

Heller, B; Herre, H; Lippoldt, K; Loeffler, M

2004-01-01

This paper describes a new method for the ontologically based standardization of concepts with regard to the quality assurance of clinical trial protocols. We developed a data dictionary for medical and trial-specific terms in which concepts and relations are defined context-dependently. The data dictionary is provided to different medical research networks by means of the software tool Onto-Builder via the internet. The data dictionary is based on domain-specific ontologies and the top-level ontology of GOL. The concepts and relations described in the data dictionary are represented in natural language, semi-formally or formally according to their use.

Automatic Estimation of Verified Floating-Point Round-Off Errors via Static Analysis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Moscato, Mariano; Titolo, Laura; Dutle, Aaron; Munoz, Cesar A.

2017-01-01

This paper introduces a static analysis technique for computing formally verified round-off error bounds of floating-point functional expressions. The technique is based on a denotational semantics that computes a symbolic estimation of floating-point round-o errors along with a proof certificate that ensures its correctness. The symbolic estimation can be evaluated on concrete inputs using rigorous enclosure methods to produce formally verified numerical error bounds. The proposed technique is implemented in the prototype research tool PRECiSA (Program Round-o Error Certifier via Static Analysis) and used in the verification of floating-point programs of interest to NASA.

From the voices of women: facilitating survivor access to IPV services.

PubMed

Simmons, Catherine A; Farrar, Melissa; Frazer, Kitty; Thompson, Mary Jane

2011-10-01

This mixed-method study investigated perceptions women domestic violence survivors/victims have about why women do not seek help from formal support structures and actions domestic helping agencies can take to facilitate survivor access to services. Congruent with previous research, quantitative analysis identified 17 reasons women do not seek help from formal support structures. Expanding current knowledge, concept mapping revealed six ways family violence programs can better reach women in abusive relationships, including (1) remove barriers to services, (2) improve comfort with services, (3) "talk about it," (4) improve community awareness, (5) victim-targeted marketing, and (6) "I honestly don't know."

Mixed Methods Research: The "Thing-ness" Problem.

PubMed

Hesse-Biber, Sharlene

2015-06-01

Contemporary mixed methods research (MMR) veers away from a "loosely bounded" to a "bounded" concept that has important negative implications for how qualitatively driven mixed methods approaches are positioned in the field of mixed methods and overall innovation in the praxis of MMR. I deploy the concept of reification defined as taking an object/abstraction and treating it as if it were real such that it takes on the quality of "thing-ness," having a concrete independent existence. I argue that the contemporary reification of mixed methods as a "thing" is fueled by three interrelated factors: (a) the growing formalization of mixed methods as design, (b) the unexamined belief in the "synergy" of mixed methods and, (c) the deployment of a "practical pragmatism" as the "philosophical partner" for mixed methods inquiry. © The Author(s) 2015.

Applying formal methods and object-oriented analysis to existing flight software

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cheng, Betty H. C.; Auernheimer, Brent

1993-01-01

Correctness is paramount for safety-critical software control systems. Critical software failures in medical radiation treatment, communications, and defense are familiar to the public. The significant quantity of software malfunctions regularly reported to the software engineering community, the laws concerning liability, and a recent NRC Aeronautics and Space Engineering Board report additionally motivate the use of error-reducing and defect detection software development techniques. The benefits of formal methods in requirements driven software development ('forward engineering') is well documented. One advantage of rigorously engineering software is that formal notations are precise, verifiable, and facilitate automated processing. This paper describes the application of formal methods to reverse engineering, where formal specifications are developed for a portion of the shuttle on-orbit digital autopilot (DAP). Three objectives of the project were to: demonstrate the use of formal methods on a shuttle application, facilitate the incorporation and validation of new requirements for the system, and verify the safety-critical properties to be exhibited by the software.

Two-Step Formal Advertisement: An Examination.

DTIC Science & Technology

1976-10-01

The purpose of this report is to examine the potential application of the Two-Step Formal Advertisement method of procurement. Emphasis is placed on...Step formal advertising is a method of procurement designed to take advantage of negotiation flexibility and at the same time obtain the benefits of...formal advertising . It is used where the specifications are not sufficiently definite or may be too restrictive to permit full and free competition

Formal Methods for Verification and Validation of Partial Specifications: A Case Study

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Easterbrook, Steve; Callahan, John

1997-01-01

This paper describes our work exploring the suitability of formal specification methods for independent verification and validation (IV&V) of software specifications for large, safety critical systems. An IV&V contractor often has to perform rapid analysis on incomplete specifications, with no control over how those specifications are represented. Lightweight formal methods show significant promise in this context, as they offer a way of uncovering major errors, without the burden of full proofs of correctness. We describe a case study of the use of partial formal models for V&V of the requirements for Fault Detection Isolation and Recovery on the space station. We conclude that the insights gained from formalizing a specification are valuable, and it is the process of formalization, rather than the end product that is important. It was only necessary to build enough of the formal model to test the properties in which we were interested. Maintenance of fidelity between multiple representations of the same requirements (as they evolve) is still a problem, and deserves further study.

Caregivers as Money Managers for Adults with Severe Mental Illness: How Treatment Providers Can Help

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Elbogen, Eric B.; Wilder, Christine; Swartz, Marvin S.; Swanson, Jeffrey W.

2008-01-01

Objective: To review the prevalence, benefits, and problems associated with families who, either informally or formally as representative payees, manage money for adults with severe mental illness. Methods: Based on empirical research and clinical cases, suggestions are offered for minimizing downsides and capitalizing upon benefits of family…

Fundamental problems in provable security and cryptography.

PubMed

Dent, Alexander W

2006-12-15

This paper examines methods for formally proving the security of cryptographic schemes. We show that, despite many years of active research and dozens of significant results, there are fundamental problems which have yet to be solved. We also present a new approach to one of the more controversial aspects of provable security, the random oracle model.

Video Feedback in Key Word Signing Training for Preservice Direct Support Staff

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rombouts, Ellen; Meuris, Kristien; Maes, Bea; De Meyer, Anne-Marie; Zink, Inge

2016-01-01

Purpose: Research has demonstrated that formal training is essential for professionals to learn key word signing. Yet, the particular didactic strategies have not been studied. Therefore, this study compared the effectiveness of verbal and video feedback in a key word signing training for future direct support staff. Method: Forty-nine future…

Exploration of Mathematics Problem Solving Process Based on the Thinking Level of Students in Junior High School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rahman, Abdul; Ahmar, Ansari Saleh

2016-01-01

Several studies suggest that most students are not in the same level of development (Slavin, 2008). From concrete operation level to formal operation level, students experience lateness in the transition phase. Consequently, students feel difficulty in solving mathematics problems. Method research is a qualitatively descriptive-explorative…

The Delicate Balancing Act: Challenges and Successes Facing College Student Women in Formal Leadership Roles

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Haber-Curran, Paige

2013-01-01

This qualitative study focused on the successes and challenges experienced by four undergraduate college women while holding top leadership roles in student organizations. Interpretive and descriptive qualitative research methods were employed with aspects of case study and phenomenological approaches of inquiry. Data were collected through…

RICIS Software Engineering 90 Symposium: Aerospace Applications and Research Directions Proceedings Appendices

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1990-01-01

Papers presented at RICIS Software Engineering Symposium are compiled. The following subject areas are covered: flight critical software; management of real-time Ada; software reuse; megaprogramming software; Ada net; POSIX and Ada integration in the Space Station Freedom Program; and assessment of formal methods for trustworthy computer systems.

ORAL DRILLS AND WRITING IMPROVEMENT IN THE FOURTH GRADE.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

MILLER, BARBARA D.; NEY, JAMES W.

BELIEVING FORMAL WRITTEN ENGLISH TO BE A "FOREIGN LANGUAGE" TO MOST AMERICAN PUBLIC SCHOOL STUDENTS, RESEARCHERS USED THE AUDIO-LINGUAL METHOD OF FOREIGN LANGUAGE INSTRUCTION TO PROMOTE WRITING IMPROVEMENT IN FOURTH-GRADERS. TWO RANDOMLY-SELECTED CLASSES OF STUDENTS OF AVERAGE ABILITY COMPOSED THE STUDY POPULATION--ONE CLASS FOR THE EXPERIMENT,…

Attitudes toward ecosystem management in the United States, 1992-1998

Treesearch

David N. Bengston; George Xu; David P. Fan

2001-01-01

Ecosystem management has been formally adopted by a large number of state and federal agencies and by forest products firms and associations. But little research has examined people's attitudes toward this new approach to natural resources management. This study used computer methods to measure favorable and unfavorable attitudes toward ecosystems managemnet...

Formal hardware verification of digital circuits

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Joyce, J.; Seger, C.-J.

1991-01-01

The use of formal methods to verify the correctness of digital circuits is less constrained by the growing complexity of digital circuits than conventional methods based on exhaustive simulation. This paper briefly outlines three main approaches to formal hardware verification: symbolic simulation, state machine analysis, and theorem-proving.

Attitudes of patients with anorexia nervosa to compulsory treatment and coercion

PubMed Central

Tan, Jacinta O.A.; Stewart, Anne; Fitzpatrick, Raymond; Hope, Tony

2010-01-01

Background The compulsory treatment of anorexia nervosa is a contentious issue. Research suggests that patients are often subject to compulsion and coercion even without formal compulsory treatment orders. Research also suggests that patients suffering from anorexia nervosa can change their minds in retrospect about compulsion. Methods Qualitative interviewing methods were used to explore the views of 29 young women concerning compulsion and coercion in the treatment of anorexia nervosa. The participants were aged between 15 to 26 years old, and were suffering or had recently suffered from anorexia nervosa at the time of interview. Results Compulsion and formal compulsory treatment of anorexia nervosa were considered appropriate where the condition was life-threatening. The perception of coercion was moderated by relationships. What mattered most to participants was not whether they had experienced restriction of freedom or choice, but the nature of their relationships with parents and mental health professionals. Conclusions People with anorexia nervosa appear to agree with the necessity of compulsory treatment in order to save life. The perception of coercion is complex and not necessarily related to the degree of restriction of freedom. PMID:19926134

Open Source Patient-Controlled Analgesic Pump Requirements Documentation

PubMed Central

Larson, Brian R.; Hatcliff, John; Chalin, Patrice

2014-01-01

The dynamic nature of the medical domain is driving a need for continuous innovation and improvement in techniques for developing and assuring medical devices. Unfortunately, research in academia and communication between academics, industrial engineers, and regulatory authorities is hampered by the lack of realistic non-proprietary development artifacts for medical devices. In this paper, we give an overview of a detailed requirements document for a Patient-Controlled Analgesic (PCA) pump developed under the US NSF’s Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Scholar-in-Residence (SIR) program. This 60+ page document follows the methodology outlined in the US Federal Aviation Administrations (FAA) Requirements Engineering Management Handbook (REMH) and includes a domain overview, use cases, statements of safety & security requirements, and formal top-level system architectural description. Based on previous experience with release of a requirements document for a cardiac pacemaker that spawned a number of research and pedagogical activities, we believe that the described PCA requirements document can be an important research enabler within the formal methods and software engineering communities. PMID:24931440

Teaching medical students how to teach: a national survey of students-as-teachers programs in U.S. medical schools.

PubMed

Soriano, Rainier P; Blatt, Benjamin; Coplit, Lisa; CichoskiKelly, Eileen; Kosowicz, Lynn; Newman, Linnie; Pasquale, Susan J; Pretorius, Richard; Rosen, Jonathan M; Saks, Norma S; Greenberg, Larrie

2010-11-01

A number of U.S. medical schools started offering formal students-as-teachers (SAT) training programs to assist medical students in their roles as future teachers. The authors report results of a national survey of such programs in the United States. In 2008, a 23-item survey was sent to 130 MD-granting U.S. schools. Responses to selective choice questions were quantitatively analyzed. Open-ended questions about benefits and barriers to SAT programs were given qualitative analyses. Ninety-nine U.S. schools responded. All used their medical students as teachers, but only 44% offered a formal SAT program. Most (95%) offered formal programs in the senior year. Common teaching strategies included small-group work, lectures, role-playing, and direct observation. Common learning content areas were small-group facilitation, feedback, adult learning principles, and clinical skills teaching. Assessment methods included evaluations from student-learners (72%) and direct observation/videotaping (59%). From the qualitative analysis, benefit themes included development of future physician-educators, enhancement of learning, and teaching assistance for faculty. Obstacles were competition with other educational demands, difficulty in faculty recruitment/retention, and difficulty in convincing others of program value. Formal SAT programs exist for 43 of 99 U.S. medical school respondents. Such programs should be instituted in all schools that use their students as teachers. National teaching competencies, best curriculum methods, and best methods to conduct skills reinforcement need to be determined. Finally, the SAT programs' impacts on patient care, on selection decisions of residency directors, and on residents' teaching effectiveness are areas for future research.

Formal, Non-Formal and Informal Learning in the Sciences

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ainsworth, Heather L.; Eaton, Sarah Elaine

2010-01-01

This research report investigates the links between formal, non-formal and informal learning and the differences between them. In particular, the report aims to link these notions of learning to the field of sciences and engineering in Canada and the United States, including professional development of adults working in these fields. It offers…

Efficacy of changing physics misconceptions held by ninth grade students at varying developmental levels through teacher addition of a prediction phase to the learning cycle

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Oglesby, Michael L.

This study examines the efficacy in correcting student misconceptions about science concepts by using the pedagogical method of asking students to make a prediction in science laboratory lessons for students within pre-formal, transitional, or formal stages of cognitive development. The subjects were students (n = 235) enrolled in ninth grade physical science classes (n=15) in one high school of an urban profile school district. The four freshmen physical science teachers who were part of the study routinely taught the concepts in the study as a part of the normal curriculum during the time of the school year in which the research was conducted. Classrooms representing approximately half of the students were presented with a prediction phase at the start of each of ten learning cycle lesson. The other classrooms were not presented with a prediction phase. Students were pre and post tested using a 40 question instrument based on the Force Concept Inventory augmented with questions on the concepts taught during the period of the study. Students were also tested using the Test of Scientific Reasoning to determine their cognitive developmental level. Results showed 182 of the students to be cognitively pre-formal, 50 to be transitional, and only 3 to be cognitively formal. There were significantly higher gains (p < .05) for the formal group over the transitional group and for the transitional group over the Pre-formal group. However, there were not significantly higher gains (p > .05) for the total students having a prediction phase compared to those not having a prediction phase. Neither were there significant gains (p > .05) within the pre-formal group or within the transitional group. There were too few students within the formal group for meaningful results.

Formal functional test designs with a test representation language

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hops, J. M.

1993-01-01

The application of the category-partition method to the test design phase of hardware, software, or system test development is discussed. The method provides a formal framework for reducing the total number of possible test cases to a minimum logical subset for effective testing. An automatic tool and a formal language were developed to implement the method and produce the specification of test cases.

Methods and Practices of Investigators for Determining Participants’ Decisional Capacity and Comprehension of Protocols

PubMed Central

Kon, Alexander A.; Klug, Michael

2010-01-01

Ethicists recommend that investigators assess subjects’ comprehension prior to accepting their consent as valid. Because children represent an at-risk population, ensuring adequate comprehension in pediatric research is vital. We surveyed all corresponding authors of research articles published over a six-month period in five leading adult and pediatric journals. Our goal was to assess how often subject’s comprehension or decisional capacity was assessed in the consent process, whether there was any difference between adult and pediatric research projects, and the rate at which investigators use formal or validated tools to assess capacity. Responses from 102 authors were analyzed (response rate 56%). Approximately two-thirds of respondents stated that they assessed comprehension or decisional capacity prior to accepting consent, and we found no difference between adult and pediatric researchers. Nine investigators used a formal questionnaire, and three used a validated tool. These findings suggest that fewer than expected investigators assess comprehension and decisional capacity, and that the use of standardized and validated tools is the exception rather than the rule. PMID:19385838

Consistency of Practical and Formal Epistemologies of Science Held by Participants of a Research Apprenticeship

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Burgin, Stephen R.; Sadler, Troy D.

2013-01-01

The purpose of this research was to examine the consistency between students' practical and formal understandings of scientific epistemologies (also known as nature of science (NOS) understandings) in the context of a research apprenticeship program. Six high school student participants of a residential summer research apprenticeship program at a…

A Survey of Library Support for Formal Undergraduate Research Programs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hensley, Merinda Kaye; Shreeves, Sarah L.; Davis-Kahl, Stephanie

2014-01-01

Undergraduate research is defined by the Council on Undergraduate Research (CUR) as "an inquiry or investigation conducted by an undergraduate student that makes an original intellectual or creative contribution to the discipline." This study serves as a snapshot of current library practices in relation to formal undergraduate research…

Formalizing structured file services for the data storage and retrieval subsystem of the data management system for Spacestation Freedom

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jamsek, Damir A.

1993-01-01

A brief example of the use of formal methods techniques in the specification of a software system is presented. The report is part of a larger effort targeted at defining a formal methods pilot project for NASA. One possible application domain that may be used to demonstrate the effective use of formal methods techniques within the NASA environment is presented. It is not intended to provide a tutorial on either formal methods techniques or the application being addressed. It should, however, provide an indication that the application being considered is suitable for a formal methods by showing how such a task may be started. The particular system being addressed is the Structured File Services (SFS), which is a part of the Data Storage and Retrieval Subsystem (DSAR), which in turn is part of the Data Management System (DMS) onboard Spacestation Freedom. This is a software system that is currently under development for NASA. An informal mathematical development is presented. Section 3 contains the same development using Penelope (23), an Ada specification and verification system. The complete text of the English version Software Requirements Specification (SRS) is reproduced in Appendix A.

Using Formal Methods to Assist in the Requirements Analysis of the Space Shuttle GPS Change Request

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

DiVito, Ben L.; Roberts, Larry W.

1996-01-01

We describe a recent NASA-sponsored pilot project intended to gauge the effectiveness of using formal methods in Space Shuttle software requirements analysis. Several Change Requests (CR's) were selected as promising targets to demonstrate the utility of formal methods in this application domain. A CR to add new navigation capabilities to the Shuttle, based on Global Positioning System (GPS) technology, is the focus of this report. Carried out in parallel with the Shuttle program's conventional requirements analysis process was a limited form of analysis based on formalized requirements. Portions of the GPS CR were modeled using the language of SRI's Prototype Verification System (PVS). During the formal methods-based analysis, numerous requirements issues were discovered and submitted as official issues through the normal requirements inspection process. Shuttle analysts felt that many of these issues were uncovered earlier than would have occurred with conventional methods. We present a summary of these encouraging results and conclusions we have drawn from the pilot project.

Model Selection in Historical Research Using Approximate Bayesian Computation

PubMed Central

Rubio-Campillo, Xavier

2016-01-01

Formal Models and History Computational models are increasingly being used to study historical dynamics. This new trend, which could be named Model-Based History, makes use of recently published datasets and innovative quantitative methods to improve our understanding of past societies based on their written sources. The extensive use of formal models allows historians to re-evaluate hypotheses formulated decades ago and still subject to debate due to the lack of an adequate quantitative framework. The initiative has the potential to transform the discipline if it solves the challenges posed by the study of historical dynamics. These difficulties are based on the complexities of modelling social interaction, and the methodological issues raised by the evaluation of formal models against data with low sample size, high variance and strong fragmentation. Case Study This work examines an alternate approach to this evaluation based on a Bayesian-inspired model selection method. The validity of the classical Lanchester’s laws of combat is examined against a dataset comprising over a thousand battles spanning 300 years. Four variations of the basic equations are discussed, including the three most common formulations (linear, squared, and logarithmic) and a new variant introducing fatigue. Approximate Bayesian Computation is then used to infer both parameter values and model selection via Bayes Factors. Impact Results indicate decisive evidence favouring the new fatigue model. The interpretation of both parameter estimations and model selection provides new insights into the factors guiding the evolution of warfare. At a methodological level, the case study shows how model selection methods can be used to guide historical research through the comparison between existing hypotheses and empirical evidence. PMID:26730953

Properties of a Formal Method to Model Emergence in Swarm-Based Systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rouff, Christopher; Vanderbilt, Amy; Truszkowski, Walt; Rash, James; Hinchey, Mike

2004-01-01

Future space missions will require cooperation between multiple satellites and/or rovers. Developers are proposing intelligent autonomous swarms for these missions, but swarm-based systems are difficult or impossible to test with current techniques. This viewgraph presentation examines the use of formal methods in testing swarm-based systems. The potential usefulness of formal methods in modeling the ANTS asteroid encounter mission is also examined.

Formal Methods of V&V of Partial Specifications: An Experience Report

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Easterbrook, Steve; Callahan, John

1997-01-01

This paper describes our work exploring the suitability of formal specification methods for independent verification and validation (IV&V) of software specifications for large, safety critical systems. An IV&V contractor often has to perform rapid analysis on incomplete specifications, with no control over how those specifications are represented. Lightweight formal methods show significant promise in this context, as they offer a way of uncovering major errors, without the burden of full proofs of correctness. We describe an experiment in the application of the method SCR. to testing for consistency properties of a partial model of requirements for Fault Detection Isolation and Recovery on the space station. We conclude that the insights gained from formalizing a specification is valuable, and it is the process of formalization, rather than the end product that is important. It was only necessary to build enough of the formal model to test the properties in which we were interested. Maintenance of fidelity between multiple representations of the same requirements (as they evolve) is still a problem, and deserves further study.

General Formalism of Mass Scaling Approach for Replica-Exchange Molecular Dynamics and its Application

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nagai, Tetsuro

2017-01-01

Replica-exchange molecular dynamics (REMD) has demonstrated its efficiency by combining trajectories of a wide range of temperatures. As an extension of the method, the author formalizes the mass-manipulating replica-exchange molecular dynamics (MMREMD) method that allows for arbitrary mass scaling with respect to temperature and individual particles. The formalism enables the versatile application of mass-scaling approaches to the REMD method. The key change introduced in the novel formalism is the generalized rules for the velocity and momentum scaling after accepted replica-exchange attempts. As an application of this general formalism, the refinement of the viscosity-REMD (V-REMD) method [P. H. Nguyen, J. Chem. Phys. 132, 144109 (2010)] is presented. Numerical results are provided using a pilot system, demonstrating easier and more optimized applicability of the new version of V-REMD as well as the importance of adherence to the generalized velocity scaling rules. With the new formalism, more sound and efficient simulations will be performed.

Proceedings of the Sixth NASA Langley Formal Methods (LFM) Workshop

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rozier, Kristin Yvonne (Editor)

2008-01-01

Today's verification techniques are hard-pressed to scale with the ever-increasing complexity of safety critical systems. Within the field of aeronautics alone, we find the need for verification of algorithms for separation assurance, air traffic control, auto-pilot, Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), adaptive avionics, automated decision authority, and much more. Recent advances in formal methods have made verifying more of these problems realistic. Thus we need to continually re-assess what we can solve now and identify the next barriers to overcome. Only through an exchange of ideas between theoreticians and practitioners from academia to industry can we extend formal methods for the verification of ever more challenging problem domains. This volume contains the extended abstracts of the talks presented at LFM 2008: The Sixth NASA Langley Formal Methods Workshop held on April 30 - May 2, 2008 in Newport News, Virginia, USA. The topics of interest that were listed in the call for abstracts were: advances in formal verification techniques; formal models of distributed computing; planning and scheduling; automated air traffic management; fault tolerance; hybrid systems/hybrid automata; embedded systems; safety critical applications; safety cases; accident/safety analysis.

A Tool for Requirements-Based Programming

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rash, James L.; Hinchey, Michael G.; Rouff, Christopher A.; Gracanin, Denis; Erickson, John

2005-01-01

Absent a general method for mathematically sound, automated transformation of customer requirements into a formal model of the desired system, developers must resort to either manual application of formal methods or to system testing (either manual or automated). While formal methods have afforded numerous successes, they present serious issues, e.g., costs to gear up to apply them (time, expensive staff), and scalability and reproducibility when standards in the field are not settled. The testing path cannot be walked to the ultimate goal, because exhaustive testing is infeasible for all but trivial systems. So system verification remains problematic. System or requirements validation is similarly problematic. The alternatives available today depend on either having a formal model or pursuing enough testing to enable the customer to be certain that system behavior meets requirements. The testing alternative for non-trivial systems always have some system behaviors unconfirmed and therefore is not the answer. To ensure that a formal model is equivalent to the customer s requirements necessitates that the customer somehow fully understands the formal model, which is not realistic. The predominant view that provably correct system development depends on having a formal model of the system leads to a desire for a mathematically sound method to automate the transformation of customer requirements into a formal model. Such a method, an augmentation of requirements-based programming, will be briefly described in this paper, and a prototype tool to support it will be described. The method and tool enable both requirements validation and system verification for the class of systems whose behavior can be described as scenarios. An application of the tool to a prototype automated ground control system for NASA mission is presented.

Incompleteness of Bluetooth protocol conformance test cases

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, Peng; Gao, Qiang

2001-10-01

This paper describes a formal method to verify the completeness of conformance testing, in which not only Implementation Under Test (IUT) is formalized in SDL, but also conformance tester is described in SDL so that conformance testing can be performed in simulator provided with CASE tool. The protocol set considered is Bluetooth, an open wireless communication technology. Our research results show that Bluetooth conformance test specification is not complete in that it has only limited coverage and many important capabilities defined in Bluetooth core specification are not tested. We also give a detail report on the missing test cases against Bluetooth core specification, and provide a guide on further test case generation in the future.

‘An Interactive Web of Water, Space and Life’: A Paradox of Urban Dwelling in Setu Rawa Besar, Depok

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kurniawan, K. R.; Fadhil, M. N.; Abdilah, S.

2018-05-01

This paper discusses an interactive web of water, space and life amidst the paradox of formal and informal urban dwelling in Setu (Lake) Rawa Besar in Depok, Indonesia. Its high-density population lives in a such critical environmental condition with the amount of garbage that has polluted the Setu. The meshwork of human activity in terms of architecture and space strengthens the linkages between the natural and manmade environments. This interactive web highlights the paradox of urbanization and modernization of the city amidst environmental and socio-cultural issues. This research was initially based on findings of the International Joint Studio and Workshop at Universitas Indonesia, in collaboration with University of Florida and Cardiff University in 2016 and 2017. The methods of the study are through qualitative analysis with the advanced methods of in-depth interviews, observation and site analysis, and socio-cultural mapping of the informal and formal community. In addition, this research also reviews the existing urban master plan that has not been fully implemented yet. This research identifies the ways in which municipal authorities can collaborate with the informal community to help manage the waste within the setu, to propose further plans to create a ‘healthier’ settlement for the informal community.

Sex Education in Northern Ireland Schools: A Critical Evaluation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rolston, Bill; Schubotz, Dirk; Simpson, Audrey

2005-01-01

To date there has been little research on young people and sexuality in Northern Ireland. This paper draws on the first major study in this area to analyse the delivery of formal sex education in schools. Both quantitative and qualitative methods were used to access young people's opinions about the quality of the sex education they had received…

Family Care of People with Intellectual Disability in Rural China: A Magnified Responsibility

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pan, Lu; Ye, Jingzhong

2015-01-01

Background: Welfare for the disabled is becoming an important issue in China and care for people with intellectual disability is challenging because of the inadequacies in formal support and the social service system. Material and Method: Based on ethnographic research in two villages in North China, this paper analyses the dilemmas of family care…

Non-standard analysis and embedded software

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Platek, Richard

1995-01-01

One model for computing in the future is ubiquitous, embedded computational devices analogous to embedded electrical motors. Many of these computers will control physical objects and processes. Such hidden computerized environments introduce new safety and correctness concerns whose treatment go beyond present Formal Methods. In particular, one has to begin to speak about Real Space software in analogy with Real Time software. By this we mean, computerized systems which have to meet requirements expressed in the real geometry of space. How to translate such requirements into ordinary software specifications and how to carry out proofs is a major challenge. In this talk we propose a research program based on the use of no-standard analysis. Much detail remains to be carried out. The purpose of the talk is to inform the Formal Methods community that Non-Standard Analysis provides a possible avenue to attack which we believe will be fruitful.

New Technologies and Learning Environments: A Perspective from Formal and Non-Formal Education in Baja California, Mexico

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zamora, Julieta Lopez; Reynaga, Francisco Javier Arriaga

2010-01-01

This paper presents results of two research works, the first approaches non-formal education and the second addresses formal education. In both studies in-depth interview techniques were used. There were some points of convergence between them on aspects such as the implementation of learning environments and the integration of ICT. The interview…

Exploring the Intersection of Beliefs toward Outdoor Play and Cold Weather among Northeast Minnesota's Formal Education and Non-Formal EE Communities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hughes, Amy Christine; Zak, Kevin; Ernst, Julie; Meyer, Rebecca

2017-01-01

In a notoriously cold-seasoned region, this paper explored how our formal education and non-formal environmental education (EE) gatekeepers of Northeastern Minnesota regard the importance of outdoor play and cold weather for young students. This research study explored the relationship between participant gatekeepers' beliefs of the benefits…

The Relationship between Formal Education and Non-Formal Education: A Descriptive and Analytical Review of the Publications about Astronomy Education in Journals and Events Related to Science Teaching in the Brazilian Context

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Menezes, Isadora Moutinho Carvalho A.; Ovigli, Daniel Fernando Bovolent; Colombo, Pedro Donizete, Jr.

2018-01-01

The present research aims to analyze the publications related to astronomy education that discusses the interface between formal education (FE) and non-FE (NFE) at scientific events and a journal in the Brazilian context. These events were the National Symposium on Astronomy Education, the National Meeting on Research in Science Education (ENPEC),…

Software Formal Inspections Guidebook

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1993-01-01

The Software Formal Inspections Guidebook is designed to support the inspection process of software developed by and for NASA. This document provides information on how to implement a recommended and proven method for conducting formal inspections of NASA software. This Guidebook is a companion document to NASA Standard 2202-93, Software Formal Inspections Standard, approved April 1993, which provides the rules, procedures, and specific requirements for conducting software formal inspections. Application of the Formal Inspections Standard is optional to NASA program or project management. In cases where program or project management decide to use the formal inspections method, this Guidebook provides additional information on how to establish and implement the process. The goal of the formal inspections process as documented in the above-mentioned Standard and this Guidebook is to provide a framework and model for an inspection process that will enable the detection and elimination of defects as early as possible in the software life cycle. An ancillary aspect of the formal inspection process incorporates the collection and analysis of inspection data to effect continual improvement in the inspection process and the quality of the software subjected to the process.

A Formal Approach to Requirements-Based Programming

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hinchey, Michael G.; Rash, James L.; Rouff, Christopher A.

2005-01-01

No significant general-purpose method is currently available to mechanically transform system requirements into a provably equivalent model. The widespread use of such a method represents a necessary step toward high-dependability system engineering for numerous application domains. Current tools and methods that start with a formal model of a system and mechanically produce a provably equivalent implementation are valuable but not sufficient. The "gap" unfilled by such tools and methods is that the formal models cannot be proven to be equivalent to the requirements. We offer a method for mechanically transforming requirements into a provably equivalent formal model that can be used as the basis for code generation and other transformations. This method is unique in offering full mathematical tractability while using notations and techniques that are well known and well trusted. Finally, we describe further application areas we are investigating for use of the approach.

Applications of Formal Methods to Specification and Safety of Avionics Software

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hoover, D. N.; Guaspari, David; Humenn, Polar

1996-01-01

This report treats several topics in applications of formal methods to avionics software development. Most of these topics concern decision tables, an orderly, easy-to-understand format for formally specifying complex choices among alternative courses of action. The topics relating to decision tables include: generalizations fo decision tables that are more concise and support the use of decision tables in a refinement-based formal software development process; a formalism for systems of decision tables with behaviors; an exposition of Parnas tables for users of decision tables; and test coverage criteria and decision tables. We outline features of a revised version of ORA's decision table tool, Tablewise, which will support many of the new ideas described in this report. We also survey formal safety analysis of specifications and software.

Utility of DNA barcoding for rapid and accurate assessment of bat diversity in Malaysia in the absence of formally described species.

PubMed

Wilson, J-J; Sing, K-W; Halim, M R A; Ramli, R; Hashim, R; Sofian-Azirun, M

2014-02-19

Bats are important flagship species for biodiversity research; however, diversity in Southeast Asia is considerably underestimated in the current checklists and field guides. Incorporation of DNA barcoding into surveys has revealed numerous species-level taxa overlooked by conventional methods. Inclusion of these taxa in inventories provides a more informative record of diversity, but is problematic as these species lack formal description. We investigated how frequently documented, but undescribed, bat taxa are encountered in Peninsular Malaysia. We discuss whether a barcode library provides a means of recognizing and recording these taxa across biodiversity inventories. Tissue was sampled from bats trapped at Pasir Raja, Dungun Terengganu, Peninsular Malaysia. The DNA was extracted and the COI barcode region amplified and sequenced. We identified 9 species-level taxa within our samples, based on analysis of the DNA barcodes. Six specimens matched to four previously documented taxa considered candidate species but currently lacking formal taxonomic status. This study confirms the high diversity of bats within Peninsular Malaysia (9 species in 13 samples) and demonstrates how DNA barcoding allows for inventory and documentation of known taxa lacking formal taxonomic status.

Ensemble Kalman filtering in presence of inequality constraints

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

van Leeuwen, P. J.

2009-04-01

Kalman filtering is presence of constraints is an active area of research. Based on the Gaussian assumption for the probability-density functions, it looks hard to bring in extra constraints in the formalism. On the other hand, in geophysical systems we often encounter constraints related to e.g. the underlying physics or chemistry, which are violated by the Gaussian assumption. For instance, concentrations are always non-negative, model layers have non-negative thickness, and sea-ice concentration is between 0 and 1. Several methods to bring inequality constraints into the Kalman-filter formalism have been proposed. One of them is probability density function (pdf) truncation, in which the Gaussian mass from the non-allowed part of the variables is just equally distributed over the pdf where the variables are alolwed, as proposed by Shimada et al. 1998. However, a problem with this method is that the probability that e.g. the sea-ice concentration is zero, is zero! The new method proposed here does not have this drawback. It assumes that the probability-density function is a truncated Gaussian, but the truncated mass is not distributed equally over all allowed values of the variables, but put into a delta distribution at the truncation point. This delta distribution can easily be handled with in Bayes theorem, leading to posterior probability density functions that are also truncated Gaussians with delta distributions at the truncation location. In this way a much better representation of the system is obtained, while still keeping most of the benefits of the Kalman-filter formalism. In the full Kalman filter the formalism is prohibitively expensive in large-scale systems, but efficient implementation is possible in ensemble variants of the kalman filter. Applications to low-dimensional systems and large-scale systems will be discussed.

Formal methods and their role in digital systems validation for airborne systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rushby, John

1995-01-01

This report is based on one prepared as a chapter for the FAA Digital Systems Validation Handbook (a guide to assist FAA certification specialists with advanced technology issues). Its purpose is to explain the use of formal methods in the specification and verification of software and hardware requirements, designs, and implementations; to identify the benefits, weaknesses, and difficulties in applying these methods to digital systems used in critical applications; and to suggest factors for consideration when formal methods are offered in support of certification. The presentation concentrates on the rationale for formal methods and on their contribution to assurance for critical applications within a context such as that provided by DO-178B (the guidelines for software used on board civil aircraft); it is intended as an introduction for those to whom these topics are new.

New Schools of the People: New Orientations in Reform and Research in Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Canieso-Doronila, Maria Luisa

Emergent reforms in education in the formal and nonformal sectors in the Philippines are changing the answers to traditional research questions and ways in which educational research will be carried out. Informal education is the ongoing process of transmission of knowledge, skills, values, and attitudes by a society to its youth. Formal education…

Protecting genomic sequence anonymity with generalization lattices.

PubMed

Malin, B A

2005-01-01

Current genomic privacy technologies assume the identity of genomic sequence data is protected if personal information, such as demographics, are obscured, removed, or encrypted. While demographic features can directly compromise an individual's identity, recent research demonstrates such protections are insufficient because sequence data itself is susceptible to re-identification. To counteract this problem, we introduce an algorithm for anonymizing a collection of person-specific DNA sequences. The technique is termed DNA lattice anonymization (DNALA), and is based upon the formal privacy protection schema of k -anonymity. Under this model, it is impossible to observe or learn features that distinguish one genetic sequence from k-1 other entries in a collection. To maximize information retained in protected sequences, we incorporate a concept generalization lattice to learn the distance between two residues in a single nucleotide region. The lattice provides the most similar generalized concept for two residues (e.g. adenine and guanine are both purines). The method is tested and evaluated with several publicly available human population datasets ranging in size from 30 to 400 sequences. Our findings imply the anonymization schema is feasible for the protection of sequences privacy. The DNALA method is the first computational disclosure control technique for general DNA sequences. Given the computational nature of the method, guarantees of anonymity can be formally proven. There is room for improvement and validation, though this research provides the groundwork from which future researchers can construct genomics anonymization schemas tailored to specific datasharing scenarios.

Bridging the gap between formal and experience-based knowledge for context-aware laparoscopy.

PubMed

Katić, Darko; Schuck, Jürgen; Wekerle, Anna-Laura; Kenngott, Hannes; Müller-Stich, Beat Peter; Dillmann, Rüdiger; Speidel, Stefanie

2016-06-01

Computer assistance is increasingly common in surgery. However, the amount of information is bound to overload processing abilities of surgeons. We propose methods to recognize the current phase of a surgery for context-aware information filtering. The purpose is to select the most suitable subset of information for surgical situations which require special assistance. We combine formal knowledge, represented by an ontology, and experience-based knowledge, represented by training samples, to recognize phases. For this purpose, we have developed two different methods. Firstly, we use formal knowledge about possible phase transitions to create a composition of random forests. Secondly, we propose a method based on cultural optimization to infer formal rules from experience to recognize phases. The proposed methods are compared with a purely formal knowledge-based approach using rules and a purely experience-based one using regular random forests. The comparative evaluation on laparoscopic pancreas resections and adrenalectomies employs a consistent set of quality criteria on clean and noisy input. The rule-based approaches proved best with noisefree data. The random forest-based ones were more robust in the presence of noise. Formal and experience-based knowledge can be successfully combined for robust phase recognition.

A Natural Language Interface Concordant with a Knowledge Base.

PubMed

Han, Yong-Jin; Park, Seong-Bae; Park, Se-Young

2016-01-01

The discordance between expressions interpretable by a natural language interface (NLI) system and those answerable by a knowledge base is a critical problem in the field of NLIs. In order to solve this discordance problem, this paper proposes a method to translate natural language questions into formal queries that can be generated from a graph-based knowledge base. The proposed method considers a subgraph of a knowledge base as a formal query. Thus, all formal queries corresponding to a concept or a predicate in the knowledge base can be generated prior to query time and all possible natural language expressions corresponding to each formal query can also be collected in advance. A natural language expression has a one-to-one mapping with a formal query. Hence, a natural language question is translated into a formal query by matching the question with the most appropriate natural language expression. If the confidence of this matching is not sufficiently high the proposed method rejects the question and does not answer it. Multipredicate queries are processed by regarding them as a set of collected expressions. The experimental results show that the proposed method thoroughly handles answerable questions from the knowledge base and rejects unanswerable ones effectively.

Literacy and healthcare-seeking among women with low educational attainment: analysis of cross-sectional data from the 2011 Nepal demographic and health survey

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Introduction Research suggests that literacy plays a key role in mediating the relationship between formal education and care-seeking among women in developing countries. However, little research has examined literacy’s role independently from formal education. This differentiation is important, as literacy programs and formal schooling entail distinct intervention designs and resources, and may target different groups. To assess the relationship between literacy and healthcare-seeking among Nepali women of low educational attainment, we analyzed data from the 2011 Nepal Demographic and Health Survey (DHS). Methods From the 2011 Nepal DHS, our sample consisted of 7,020 women who had attained at most a primary school level of education, and a subsample of 4,875 women with no formal schooling whatsoever. We assessed associations between literacy and four healthcare-seeking outcomes: whether women identified “getting permission” as a barrier to accessing care; whether women identified “not wanting to go alone” as a barrier; whether among women who were married/partnered, the woman had some say in making decisions about her own health; and whether among women who experienced symptoms related to sexually-transmitted infections (STIs) in the past year, treatment was sought. We performed simple and multiple logistic regressions, which adjusted for several socio-demographic covariates. Results Literacy was associated with some aspects of healthcare-seeking, even after adjusting for socio-demographic covariates. Among women with no more than primary schooling, literate women’s odds of identifying “getting permission” as a barrier to healthcare were 23% less than illiterate women’s odds (p = 0.04). For married/partnered women, odds of having some say in making decisions related to their health were 37% higher (p = 0.002) in literate than illiterate women. Comparing literate to illiterate women in the subsample with no formal schooling, odds of reporting “getting permission” as a barrier were 35% lower (p = 0.01), odds of having a decision-making say were 57% higher (p < 0.001), and odds of having sought care for experiences of STI-related symptoms were 86% higher (p = 0.04). Conclusions Further research should be undertaken to determine whether targeted literacy programs for those past normal schooling age lead to improved healthcare-seeking among Nepali women with little or no formal education. PMID:24330671

1998 Gordon Research Conference on Gravitational Effects on Living Systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Evans, Michael L.

1998-01-01

The Gordon Research Conference (GRC) on GRAVITATIONAL EFFECTS ON LIVING SYSTEMS was held at COLBY SAYWER 2 from 7/12/98 thru 7/17/98. The Conference was well-attended with 94 participants. The attendees represented the spectrum of endeavor in this field coming from academia, industry, and government laboratories, both U.S. and foreign scientists, senior researchers, young investigators, and students. In designing the formal speakers program, emphasis was placed on current unpublished research and discussion of the future target areas in this field. There was a conscious effort to stimulate lively discussion about the key issues in the field today. Time for formal presentations was limited in the interest of group discussions. In order that more scientists could communicate their most recent results, poster presentation time was scheduled. A copy of the formal schedule and speaker program and the poster program is included. In addition to these formal interactions, "free time" was scheduled to allow informal discussions. Such discussions are fostering new collaborations and joint efforts in the field.

Verification of Emergent Behaviors in Swarm-based Systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rouff, Christopher; Vanderbilt, Amy; Hinchey, Mike; Truszkowski, Walt; Rash, James

2004-01-01

The emergent properties of swarms make swarm-based missions powerful, but at the same time more difficult to design and to assure that the proper behaviors will emerge. We are currently investigating formal methods and techniques for verification and validation of swarm-based missions. The Autonomous Nano-Technology Swarm (ANTS) mission is being used as an example and case study for swarm-based missions to experiment and test current formal methods with intelligent swarms. Using the ANTS mission, we have evaluated multiple formal methods to determine their effectiveness in modeling and assuring swarm behavior. This paper introduces how intelligent swarm technology is being proposed for NASA missions, and gives the results of a comparison of several formal methods and approaches for specifying intelligent swarm-based systems and their effectiveness for predicting emergent behavior.

A Systematic Review of Mixed Methods Research on Human Factors and Ergonomics in Health Care

PubMed Central

Carayon, Pascale; Kianfar, Sarah; Li, Yaqiong; Xie, Anping; Alyousef, Bashar; Wooldridge, Abigail

2016-01-01

This systematic literature review provides information on the use of mixed methods research in human factors and ergonomics (HFE) research in health care. Using the PRISMA methodology, we searched four databases (PubMed, PsycInfo, Web of Science, and Engineering Village) for studies that met the following inclusion criteria: (1) field study in health care, (2) mixing of qualitative and quantitative data, (3) HFE issues, and (4) empirical evidence. Using an iterative and collaborative process supported by a structured data collection form, the six authors identified a total of 58 studies that primarily address HFE issues in health information technology (e.g., usability) and in the work of healthcare workers. About two-thirds of the mixed methods studies used the convergent parallel study design where quantitative and qualitative data were collected simultaneously. A variety of methods were used for collecting data, including interview, survey and observation. The most frequent combination involved interview for qualitative data and survey for quantitative data. The use of mixed methods in healthcare HFE research has increased over time. However, increasing attention should be paid to the formal literature on mixed methods research to enhance the depth and breadth of this research. PMID:26154228

Research of the effectiveness of parallel multithreaded realizations of interpolation methods for scaling raster images

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vnukov, A. A.; Shershnev, M. B.

2018-01-01

The aim of this work is the software implementation of three image scaling algorithms using parallel computations, as well as the development of an application with a graphical user interface for the Windows operating system to demonstrate the operation of algorithms and to study the relationship between system performance, algorithm execution time and the degree of parallelization of computations. Three methods of interpolation were studied, formalized and adapted to scale images. The result of the work is a program for scaling images by different methods. Comparison of the quality of scaling by different methods is given.

Research accomplished at the Knowledge Based Systems Lab: IDEF3, version 1.0

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mayer, Richard J.; Menzel, Christopher P.; Mayer, Paula S. D.

1991-01-01

An overview is presented of the foundations and content of the evolving IDEF3 process flow and object state description capture method. This method is currently in beta test. Ongoing efforts in the formulation of formal semantics models for descriptions captured in the outlined form and in the actual application of this method can be expected to cause an evolution in the method language. A language is described for the representation of process and object state centered system description. IDEF3 is a scenario driven process flow modeling methodology created specifically for these types of descriptive activities.

Restorative Practices as Formal and Informal Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carter, Candice C.

2013-01-01

This article reviews restorative practices (RP) as education in formal and informal contexts of learning that are fertile sites for cultivating peace. Formal practices involve instruction about response to conflict, while informal learning occurs beyond academic lessons. The research incorporated content analysis and a critical examination of the…

Formal and informal trail monitoring protocols and baseline conditions: Great Falls Park and Potomac Gorge. Final research report

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wimpey, Jeremy; Marion, Jeffrey L.

2011-01-01

This report presents the results of research on the conditions of formal and informal (visitorcreated) trails conducted within the Great Falls Park (GFP) portion of George Washington Memorial Parkway (GWMP), Virginia, and the adjacent Maryland portions of the C&O Canal National Historical Park (CHOH). This research was prompted primarily by concerns about the impact of extensive informal trail networks within both parks on native vegetation and rare plant communities, rare flora and fauna, and historic and archaeological resources. Resource conditions on formal park trails were also assessed to provide information supporting the development of park planning and management decision-making.

Creativity in Hong Kong Classrooms: Transition from a Seriously Formal Pedagogy to Informally Playful Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hui, Anna N. N.; Chow, Bonnie W. Y.; Chan, Aubrey Y. T.; Chui, Barbie H. T.; Sam, C. T.

2015-01-01

This article provides research evidence that creativity can be nurtured as abilities and skills both in the general domain as well as in specific domains with methods appropriate to the holistic development of young learners. It reports upon two empirical studies on the enhancement of creativity in children and young people, and connects to…

State-vector formalism and the Legendre polynomial solution for modelling guided waves in anisotropic plates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zheng, Mingfang; He, Cunfu; Lu, Yan; Wu, Bin

2018-01-01

We presented a numerical method to solve phase dispersion curve in general anisotropic plates. This approach involves an exact solution to the problem in the form of the Legendre polynomial of multiple integrals, which we substituted into the state-vector formalism. In order to improve the efficiency of the proposed method, we made a special effort to demonstrate the analytical methodology. Furthermore, we analyzed the algebraic symmetries of the matrices in the state-vector formalism for anisotropic plates. The basic feature of the proposed method was the expansion of field quantities by Legendre polynomials. The Legendre polynomial method avoid to solve the transcendental dispersion equation, which can only be solved numerically. This state-vector formalism combined with Legendre polynomial expansion distinguished the adjacent dispersion mode clearly, even when the modes were very close. We then illustrated the theoretical solutions of the dispersion curves by this method for isotropic and anisotropic plates. Finally, we compared the proposed method with the global matrix method (GMM), which shows excellent agreement.

Evaluation of neutron flux parameters in irradiation sites of research reactor using the Westcott-formalism for the k0 neutron activation analysis method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kasban, H.; Hamid, Ashraf

2015-12-01

Instrumental Neutron Activation Analysis using k0 (k0-INAA) method has been used to determine a number of elements in sediment samples collected from El-Manzala Lake in Egypt. k0-INAA according to Westcott's formalism has been implemented using the complete irradiation kit of the fast pneumatic rabbit and some selected manually loaded irradiation sites for short and long irradiation at Egypt Second Research Reactor (ETRR-2). Zr-Au and Co sets as neutron flux monitors are used to determine the neutron flux parameters (f and α) in each irradiation sites. Two reference materials IAEA Soil-7 samples have been inserted and implemented for data validation and an internal monostandard multi monitor used (k0 based IM-NAA). It was given a good agreement between the experimental analyzed values and that obtained of the certified values. The major and trace elements in the sediment samples have been evaluated with the use of Co as an internal and Au as an external monostandard comparators. The concentrations of the elements (Cr, Mn and Zn) in the sediment samples of the present work are discussed regarding to those obtained from other sites.

Final Report - Regulatory Considerations for Adaptive Systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wilkinson, Chris; Lynch, Jonathan; Bharadwaj, Raj

2013-01-01

This report documents the findings of a preliminary research study into new approaches to the software design assurance of adaptive systems. We suggest a methodology to overcome the software validation and verification difficulties posed by the underlying assumption of non-adaptive software in the requirementsbased- testing verification methods in RTCA/DO-178B and C. An analysis of the relevant RTCA/DO-178B and C objectives is presented showing the reasons for the difficulties that arise in showing satisfaction of the objectives and suggested additional means by which they could be satisfied. We suggest that the software design assurance problem for adaptive systems is principally one of developing correct and complete high level requirements and system level constraints that define the necessary system functional and safety properties to assure the safe use of adaptive systems. We show how analytical techniques such as model based design, mathematical modeling and formal or formal-like methods can be used to both validate the high level functional and safety requirements, establish necessary constraints and provide the verification evidence for the satisfaction of requirements and constraints that supplements conventional testing. Finally the report identifies the follow-on research topics needed to implement this methodology.

On the formalization and reuse of scientific research.

PubMed

King, Ross D; Liakata, Maria; Lu, Chuan; Oliver, Stephen G; Soldatova, Larisa N

2011-10-07

The reuse of scientific knowledge obtained from one investigation in another investigation is basic to the advance of science. Scientific investigations should therefore be recorded in ways that promote the reuse of the knowledge they generate. The use of logical formalisms to describe scientific knowledge has potential advantages in facilitating such reuse. Here, we propose a formal framework for using logical formalisms to promote reuse. We demonstrate the utility of this framework by using it in a worked example from biology: demonstrating cycles of investigation formalization [F] and reuse [R] to generate new knowledge. We first used logic to formally describe a Robot scientist investigation into yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) functional genomics [f(1)]. With Robot scientists, unlike human scientists, the production of comprehensive metadata about their investigations is a natural by-product of the way they work. We then demonstrated how this formalism enabled the reuse of the research in investigating yeast phenotypes [r(1) = R(f(1))]. This investigation found that the removal of non-essential enzymes generally resulted in enhanced growth. The phenotype investigation was then formally described using the same logical formalism as the functional genomics investigation [f(2) = F(r(1))]. We then demonstrated how this formalism enabled the reuse of the phenotype investigation to investigate yeast systems-biology modelling [r(2) = R(f(2))]. This investigation found that yeast flux-balance analysis models fail to predict the observed changes in growth. Finally, the systems biology investigation was formalized for reuse in future investigations [f(3) = F(r(2))]. These cycles of reuse are a model for the general reuse of scientific knowledge.

Formal Safety Certification of Aerospace Software

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Denney, Ewen; Fischer, Bernd

2005-01-01

In principle, formal methods offer many advantages for aerospace software development: they can help to achieve ultra-high reliability, and they can be used to provide evidence of the reliability claims which can then be subjected to external scrutiny. However, despite years of research and many advances in the underlying formalisms of specification, semantics, and logic, formal methods are not much used in practice. In our opinion this is related to three major shortcomings. First, the application of formal methods is still expensive because they are labor- and knowledge-intensive. Second, they are difficult to scale up to complex systems because they are based on deep mathematical insights about the behavior of the systems (t.e., they rely on the "heroic proof"). Third, the proofs can be difficult to interpret, and typically stand in isolation from the original code. In this paper, we describe a tool for formally demonstrating safety-relevant aspects of aerospace software, which largely circumvents these problems. We focus on safely properties because it has been observed that safety violations such as out-of-bounds memory accesses or use of uninitialized variables constitute the majority of the errors found in the aerospace domain. In our approach, safety means that the program will not violate a set of rules that can range for the simple memory access rules to high-level flight rules. These different safety properties are formalized as different safety policies in Hoare logic, which are then used by a verification condition generator along with the code and logical annotations in order to derive formal safety conditions; these are then proven using an automated theorem prover. Our certification system is currently integrated into a model-based code generation toolset that generates the annotations together with the code. However, this automated formal certification technology is not exclusively constrained to our code generator and could, in principle, also be integrated with other code generators such as RealTime Workshop or even applied to legacy code. Our approach circumvents the historical problems with formal methods by increasing the degree of automation on all levels. The restriction to safety policies (as opposed to arbitrary functional behavior) results in simpler proof problems that can generally be solved by fully automatic theorem proves. An automated linking mechanism between the safety conditions and the code provides some of the traceability mandated by process standards such as DO-178B. An automated explanation mechanism uses semantic markup added by the verification condition generator to produce natural-language explanations of the safety conditions and thus supports their interpretation in relation to the code. It shows an automatically generated certification browser that lets users inspect the (generated) code along with the safety conditions (including textual explanations), and uses hyperlinks to automate tracing between the two levels. Here, the explanations reflect the logical structure of the safety obligation but the mechanism can in principle be customized using different sets of domain concepts. The interface also provides some limited control over the certification process itself. Our long-term goal is a seamless integration of certification, code generation, and manual coding that results in a "certified pipeline" in which specifications are automatically transformed into executable code, together with the supporting artifacts necessary for achieving and demonstrating the high level of assurance needed in the aerospace domain.

1998 Gordon Research Conference on Gravitational Effects on Living Systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Evans, Michael L.

1998-01-01

The Gordon Research Conference (GRC) on GRAVITATIONAL EFFECTS ON LIVING SYSTEMS was held at COLBY SAYWER 2 from 7/12/98 thru 7/17/98. The Conference was well-attended with 94 participants (attendees list attached). The attendees represented the spectrum of endeavor in this field coming from academia, industry, and government laboratories, both U.S. and foreign scientists, senior researchers, young investigators, and students. In designing the formal speakers program, emphasis was placed on current unpublished research and discussion of the future target areas in this field. There was a conscious effort to stimulate lively discussion about the key issues in the field today. Time for formal presentations was limited in the interest of group discussions. In order that more scientists could communicate their most recent results, poster presentation time was scheduled. Attached is a copy of the formal schedule and speaker program and the poster program. In addition to these formal interactions, "free time" was scheduled to allow informal discussions. Such discussions are fostering new collaborations and joint efforts in the field. As you know, in the interest of promoting the presentation of unpublished and frontier-breaking research, Gordon Research Conferences does not permit publication of meeting proceedings.

Requirements to Design to Code: Towards a Fully Formal Approach to Automatic Code Generation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hinchey, Michael G.; Rash, James L.; Rouff, Christopher A.

2004-01-01

A general-purpose method to mechanically transform system requirements into a provably equivalent model has yet to appear. Such a method represents a necessary step toward high-dependability system engineering for numerous possible application domains, including sensor networks and autonomous systems. Currently available tools and methods that start with a formal model of a system and mechanically produce a provably equivalent implementation are valuable but not sufficient. The gap that current tools and methods leave unfilled is that their formal models cannot be proven to be equivalent to the system requirements as originated by the customer. For the classes of systems whose behavior can be described as a finite (but significant) set of scenarios, we offer a method for mechanically transforming requirements (expressed in restricted natural language, or in other appropriate graphical notations) into a provably equivalent formal model that can be used as the basis for code generation and other transformations.

A Quantitative Approach to the Formal Verification of Real-Time Systems.

DTIC Science & Technology

1996-09-01

Computer Science A Quantitative Approach to the Formal Verification of Real - Time Systems Sergio Vale Aguiar Campos September 1996 CMU-CS-96-199...ptisiic raieaiSI v Diambimos Lboiamtad _^ A Quantitative Approach to the Formal Verification of Real - Time Systems Sergio Vale Aguiar Campos...implied, of NSF, the Semiconduc- tor Research Corporation, ARPA or the U.S. government. Keywords: real - time systems , formal verification, symbolic

Non-Formal Education--A Worthwhile Alternative to the Formal Education in India? Case Studies from Ganjam, Orissa. Reprints and Miniprints, No. 757.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Svensson, Anna

This report discusses the advantages and disadvantages of non-formal education (NFE) compared to the formal school system in Ganjam, a rural district on the east coast of Orissa, India. The aim of the research was to investigate whether or not NFE, would be a worthy target of aid from the Swedish aid organization SIDA (Swedish International…

Systems, methods and apparatus for verification of knowledge-based systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rash, James L. (Inventor); Gracinin, Denis (Inventor); Erickson, John D. (Inventor); Rouff, Christopher A. (Inventor); Hinchey, Michael G. (Inventor)

2010-01-01

Systems, methods and apparatus are provided through which in some embodiments, domain knowledge is translated into a knowledge-based system. In some embodiments, a formal specification is derived from rules of a knowledge-based system, the formal specification is analyzed, and flaws in the formal specification are used to identify and correct errors in the domain knowledge, from which a knowledge-based system is translated.

The Development of Introductory Statistics Students' Informal Inferential Reasoning and Its Relationship to Formal Inferential Reasoning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jacob, Bridgette L.

2013-01-01

The difficulties introductory statistics students have with formal statistical inference are well known in the field of statistics education. "Informal" statistical inference has been studied as a means to introduce inferential reasoning well before and without the formalities of formal statistical inference. This mixed methods study…

13 CFR 121.703 - Are formal size determinations binding on parties?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... for the Small Business Innovation Research (sbir) Program § 121.703 Are formal size determinations... 13 Business Credit and Assistance 1 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Are formal size determinations binding on parties? 121.703 Section 121.703 Business Credit and Assistance SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION...

Does (In)Formal Learning Enhance Employability?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

van der Heijden, Beatrice I.J.M.; Boon, Jo; van der Klink, Marcel R.; Meys, Ely

2008-01-01

Not much is known about the actual contribution of informal learning to employability over and above formal learning activities. This paper presents findings of a research project among university staff members and is aimed to determine the contribution of formal and informal learning activities in the light of future career potential. Findings…

Academic Achievement and Formal Thought in Engineering Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vazquez, Stella Maris; de Anglat, Hilda Difabio

2009-01-01

Introduction: Research on university-level academic performance has significantly linked failure and dropping out to formal reasoning deficiency. We have not found any papers on formal thought in Argentine university students, in spite of the obvious shortcomings observed in the classrooms. Thus, the main objective of this paper was exploring the…

An exploratory survey of methods used to develop measures of performance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hamner, Kenneth L.; Lafleur, Charles A.

1993-09-01

Nonmanufacturing organizations are being challenged to provide high-quality products and services to their customers, with an emphasis on continuous process improvement. Measures of performance, referred to as metrics, can be used to foster process improvement. The application of performance measurement to nonmanufacturing processes can be very difficult. This research explored methods used to develop metrics in nonmanufacturing organizations. Several methods were formally defined in the literature, and the researchers used a two-step screening process to determine the OMB Generic Method was most likely to produce high-quality metrics. The OMB Generic Method was then used to develop metrics. A few other metric development methods were found in use at nonmanufacturing organizations. The researchers interviewed participants in metric development efforts to determine their satisfaction and to have them identify the strengths and weaknesses of, and recommended improvements to, the metric development methods used. Analysis of participants' responses allowed the researchers to identify the key components of a sound metrics development method. Those components were incorporated into a proposed metric development method that was based on the OMB Generic Method, and should be more likely to produce high-quality metrics that will result in continuous process improvement.

Why Engineers Should Consider Formal Methods

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Holloway, C. Michael

1997-01-01

This paper presents a logical analysis of a typical argument favoring the use of formal methods for software development, and suggests an alternative argument that is simpler and stronger than the typical one.

Informal and formal mental health: preliminary qualitative findings

PubMed Central

O'Neill, Linda; George, Serena; Koehn, Corinne; Shepard, Blythe

2013-01-01

Background Northern-based research on mental health support, no matter the specific profession, helps to inform instruction of new practitioners and practitioners already working in rural or isolated conditions. Understanding the complexities of northern mental health support not only benefits clients and practitioners living in the North, but also helps prepare psychologists and counsellors preparing to work in other countries with large rural and isolated populations. The qualitative phase is part of a multi-year research study on informal and formal mental health support in northern Canada involving the use of qualitative and quantitative data collection and analysis methods. Objective The main objective of the qualitative phase interviews was to document in-depth the situation of formal and informal helpers in providing mental health support in isolated northern communities in northern British Columbia, northern Alberta, Yukon and Northwest Territories (NWT). The intent of in-depth interviews was to collect descriptive information on the unique working conditions of northern helping practitioners for the development of a survey and subsequent community action plans for helping practitioner support. Design Twenty participants in northern BC, Yukon and NWT participated in narrative interviews. Consensual qualitative research (CQR) was used in the analysis completed by 7 researchers. The principal researcher and research associate then worked through all 7 analyses, defining common categories and themes, and using selections from each researcher in order to ensure that everyone's analysis was represented in the final consensual summary. Results The preliminary results include 7 main categories consisting of various themes. Defining elements of northern practice included the need for generalist knowledge and cultural sensitivity. The task of working with and negotiating membership in community was identified as essential for northern mental health support. The need for revised codes of ethics relevant to the reality of northern work was a major category, as was insight on how to best sustain northern practice. Conclusion Many of the practitioners who participated in this study have found ways to overcome the biggest challenges of northern practice, yet the limitations of small populations and lack of resources in small communities to adequately address mental health support were identified as existing. Empowering communities by building community capacity to educate, supervise and support formal and informal mental health workers may be the best approach to overcoming the lack of external resources. PMID:23977648

Informal and formal mental health: preliminary qualitative findings.

PubMed

O'Neill, Linda; George, Serena; Koehn, Corinne; Shepard, Blythe

2013-01-01

Northern-based research on mental health support, no matter the specific profession, helps to inform instruction of new practitioners and practitioners already working in rural or isolated conditions. Understanding the complexities of northern mental health support not only benefits clients and practitioners living in the North, but also helps prepare psychologists and counsellors preparing to work in other countries with large rural and isolated populations. The qualitative phase is part of a multi-year research study on informal and formal mental health support in northern Canada involving the use of qualitative and quantitative data collection and analysis methods. The main objective of the qualitative phase interviews was to document in-depth the situation of formal and informal helpers in providing mental health support in isolated northern communities in northern British Columbia, northern Alberta, Yukon and Northwest Territories (NWT). The intent of in-depth interviews was to collect descriptive information on the unique working conditions of northern helping practitioners for the development of a survey and subsequent community action plans for helping practitioner support. Twenty participants in northern BC, Yukon and NWT participated in narrative interviews. Consensual qualitative research (CQR) was used in the analysis completed by 7 researchers. The principal researcher and research associate then worked through all 7 analyses, defining common categories and themes, and using selections from each researcher in order to ensure that everyone's analysis was represented in the final consensual summary. The preliminary results include 7 main categories consisting of various themes. Defining elements of northern practice included the need for generalist knowledge and cultural sensitivity. The task of working with and negotiating membership in community was identified as essential for northern mental health support. The need for revised codes of ethics relevant to the reality of northern work was a major category, as was insight on how to best sustain northern practice. Many of the practitioners who participated in this study have found ways to overcome the biggest challenges of northern practice, yet the limitations of small populations and lack of resources in small communities to adequately address mental health support were identified as existing. Empowering communities by building community capacity to educate, supervise and support formal and informal mental health workers may be the best approach to overcoming the lack of external resources.

How qualitative research can contribute to research in the intensive care unit.

PubMed

Sinuff, Tasnim; Cook, Deborah J; Giacomini, Mita

2007-06-01

A qualitative research design can provide unique contributions to research in the intensive care unit. Qualitative research includes the entire process of research: the methodology (conceptualization of the research question, choosing the appropriate qualitative strategy, designing the protocol), methods (conducting the research using qualitative methods within the chosen qualitative strategy, analysis of the data, verification of the findings), and writing the narrative. The researcher is the instrument and the data are the participants' words and experiences that are collected and coded to present experiences, discover themes, or build theories. A number of strategies are available to conduct qualitative research and include grounded theory, phenomenology, case study, and ethnography. Qualitative methods can be used to understand complex phenomena that do not lend themselves to quantitative methods of formal hypothesis testing. Qualitative research may be used to gain insights about organizational and cultural issues within the intensive care unit and to improve our understanding of social interaction and processes of health care delivery. In this article, we outline the rationale for, and approaches to, using qualitative research to inform critical care issues. We provide an overview of qualitative methods available and how they can be used alone or in concert with quantitative methods. To illustrate how our understanding of social phenomena such as patient safety and behavior change has been enhanced we use recent qualitative studies in acute care medicine.

Genetic Improvement of Eastern Cottonwood

Treesearch

Robert E. Farmer; Carl A. Mohn

1970-01-01

Eastern cottonwood (Populus deltoides Bartt.) genetics research has moved during the past decade from formal statements of its promise to long-term formal tests of commercially promising material. Much of this research has been conducted in the Lower Mississippi Valley. wh.ere cottonwood has major commercial importance. but there have been...

A modified F/A-18 in a distinctive red, white and blue paint scheme was showcased during formal roll

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2002-01-01

A modified F/A-18 in a distinctive red, white and blue paint scheme was showcased during formal rollout ceremonies for the Active Aeroelastic Wing flight research program at NASA's Dryden Flight Research Center on March 27, 2002.

Evidence Arguments for Using Formal Methods in Software Certification

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Denney, Ewen W.; Pai, Ganesh

2013-01-01

We describe a generic approach for automatically integrating the output generated from a formal method/tool into a software safety assurance case, as an evidence argument, by (a) encoding the underlying reasoning as a safety case pattern, and (b) instantiating it using the data produced from the method/tool. We believe this approach not only improves the trustworthiness of the evidence generated from a formal method/tool, by explicitly presenting the reasoning and mechanisms underlying its genesis, but also provides a way to gauge the suitability of the evidence in the context of the wider assurance case. We illustrate our work by application to a real example-an unmanned aircraft system- where we invoke a formal code analysis tool from its autopilot software safety case, automatically transform the verification output into an evidence argument, and then integrate it into the former.

Science of learning is learning of science: why we need a dialectical approach to science education research

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Roth, Wolff-Michael

2012-06-01

Research on learning science in informal settings and the formal (sometimes experimental) study of learning in classrooms or psychological laboratories tend to be separate domains, even drawing on different theories and methods. These differences make it difficult to compare knowing and learning observed in one paradigm/context with those observed in the other. Even more interestingly, the scientists studying science learning rarely consider their own learning in relation to the phenomena they study. A dialectical, reflexive approach to learning, however, would theorize the movement of an educational science (its learning and development) as a special and general case—subject matter and method—of the phenomenon of learning (in/of) science. In the dialectical approach to the study of science learning, therefore, subject matter, method, and theory fall together. This allows for a perspective in which not only disparate fields of study—school science learning and learning in everyday life—are integrated but also where the progress in the science of science learning coincides with its topic. Following the articulation of a contradictory situation on comparing learning in different settings, I describe the dialectical approach. As a way of providing a concrete example, I then trace the historical movement of my own research group as it simultaneously and alternately studied science learning in formal and informal settings. I conclude by recommending cultural-historical, dialectical approaches to learning and interaction analysis as a context for fruitful interdisciplinary research on science learning within and across different settings.

Formal methods for dependable real-time systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rushby, John

1993-01-01

The motivation for using formal methods to specify and reason about real time properties is outlined and approaches that were proposed and used are sketched. The formal verifications of clock synchronization algorithms are concluded as showing that mechanically supported reasoning about complex real time behavior is feasible. However, there was significant increase in the effectiveness of verification systems since those verifications were performed, at it is to be expected that verifications of comparable difficulty will become fairly routine. The current challenge lies in developing perspicuous and economical approaches to the formalization and specification of real time properties.

Participatory Research or Participation Put-on: Reflections on the Research Phase of an Indonesian Experiment in Non-Formal Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Colletta, Nat J.

In the fall of 1974, I was invited to serve as a consultant to the Indonesian effort to develop a National Strategy for Non-Formal Education. The brunt of my effort concerned action research for developing and testing an empirical "Community Learning System" designed to link local learning needs with the management-resource-learning…

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

Punnoose, Ratish J.; Armstrong, Robert C.; Wong, Matthew H.

Formal methods have come into wide use because of their effectiveness in verifying "safety and security" requirements of digital systems; a set of requirements for which testing is mostly ineffective. Formal methods are routinely used in the design and verification of high-consequence digital systems in industry. This report outlines our work in assessing the capabilities of commercial and open source formal tools and the ways in which they can be leveraged in digital design workflows.

Masters of adaptation: learning in late life adjustments.

PubMed

Roberson, Donald N

2005-01-01

The purpose of this research is to understand the relationship between human development in older adults and personal learning. Personal or self-directed learning (SDL) refers to a style of learning where the individual directs, controls, and evaluates what is learned. It may occur with formal classes, but most often takes place in non-formal situations. This study employed a descriptive qualitative design incorporating in-depth, semistructured interviews for data collection. The sample of 10 purposefully selected older adults from a rural area reflected diversity in gender, race, education, and employment. Data analysis was guided by the constant comparative method. The primary late life adjustments of these older adults were in response to having extra time, changes in family, and social and physical loss. This research also indicated that late life adjustments are a primary incentive for self-directed learning. The results of this study indicated that older adults become masters of adaptation through the use of self-directed learning activities.

The Influence of Music Learning Cultures on the Construction of Teaching-Learning Conceptions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Casas-Mas, Amalia; Pozo, Juan Ignacio; Montero, Ignacio

2014-01-01

Current research in music education tends to put the emphasis on learning processes outside formal academic contexts, both to rethink and to renew academic educational formats. Our aim is to observe and describe three music learning cultures simultaneously, including formal, non-formal and informal settings: Classical, Jazz and Flamenco,…

Comparing Two Tests of Formal Reasoning in a College Chemistry Context

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jiang, Bo; Xu, Xiaoying; Garcia, Alicia; Lewis, Jennifer E.

2010-01-01

The Test of Logical Thinking (TOLT) and the Group Assessment of Logical Thinking (GALT) are two of the instruments most widely used by science educators and researchers to measure students' formal reasoning abilities. Based on Piaget's cognitive development theory, formal thinking ability has been shown to be essential for student achievement in…

Going to Action? A Literature Review on Educational Proposals in Formal Environmental Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Varela-Losada, Mercedes; Vega-Marcote, Pedro; Pérez-Rodríguez, Uxío; Álvarez-Lires, María

2016-01-01

The current state of the planet's environmental deterioration calls for formal educational contexts to implement effective environmental proposals which nurture action competence. The aim of this paper is to examine the educational proposals in formal contexts that have been published in the two research journals of greatest impact on…

Students' Interpretations of Mechanistic Language in Organic Chemistry before Learning Reactions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Galloway, Kelli R.; Stoyanovich, Carlee; Flynn, Alison B.

2017-01-01

Research on mechanistic thinking in organic chemistry has shown that students attribute little meaning to the electron-pushing (i.e., curved arrow) formalism. At the University of Ottawa, a new curriculum has been developed in which students are taught the electron-pushing formalism prior to instruction on specific reactions--this formalism is…

The Effect of Picture Story Books on Students' Reading Comprehension

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Roslina

2017-01-01

As a non formal education students, PKBM (a Non-Formal Community Learning Center) Medaso Kolaka students tend to encounter some difficulties in reading such as low motivation, infrequent tutors (non-formal education teachers) coming, inappropriate teaching materials, etc. This research aimed to investigate the effects of picture story books on the…

Curiosity: A Prerequisite for the Attainment of Formal Operations?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hawkins, Vincent J.

1982-01-01

Research on Piaget's four stages of cognitive development has shown that although nearly everyone passes through sensorimotor, preoperational, and concrete operational stages, most do not reach the stage of formal operations. Those people who do attain formal operations seem to have a curiosity factor not operative in those who don't. (Author/BRR)

Simplification of the time-dependent generalized self-interaction correction method using two sets of orbitals: Application of the optimized effective potential formalism

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

Messud, J.; Dinh, P. M.; Suraud, Eric

2009-10-15

We propose a simplification of the time-dependent self-interaction correction (TD-SIC) method using two sets of orbitals, applying the optimized effective potential (OEP) method. The resulting scheme is called time-dependent 'generalized SIC-OEP'. A straightforward approximation, using the spatial localization of one set of orbitals, leads to the 'generalized SIC-Slater' formalism. We show that it represents a great improvement compared to the traditional SIC-Slater and Krieger-Li-Iafrate formalisms.

Simplification of the time-dependent generalized self-interaction correction method using two sets of orbitals: Application of the optimized effective potential formalism

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Messud, J.; Dinh, P. M.; Reinhard, P.-G.; Suraud, Eric

2009-10-01

We propose a simplification of the time-dependent self-interaction correction (TD-SIC) method using two sets of orbitals, applying the optimized effective potential (OEP) method. The resulting scheme is called time-dependent “generalized SIC-OEP.” A straightforward approximation, using the spatial localization of one set of orbitals, leads to the “generalized SIC-Slater” formalism. We show that it represents a great improvement compared to the traditional SIC-Slater and Krieger-Li-Iafrate formalisms.

Tips for charting the course of a successful health research career

PubMed Central

Mbuagbaw, Lawrence; Morfaw, Frederick; Kunda, John-Eudes L; Mukonzo, Jackson K; Kastner, Jasmine; Zhang, Shiyuan; Kokolo, Madzouka; Thabane, Lehana

2013-01-01

Young health researchers all over the world often encounter difficulties in the early stages of their careers. Formal acquisition of research skills in academic settings does not always offer sufficient guidance to overcome these challenges. Based on the collective experiences of some young researchers and research mentors, we describe some tips for a successful health career and offer some useful resources. These tips include: institutional affiliation, early manuscript writing, early manuscript reviewing, finding a mentor, collaboration and networking, identifying sources of funding, establishing research interests, investing in research methods training, developing interpersonal and personal skills, providing mentorship, and balancing work with everyday life. The rationale behind these tips and how to achieve them is provided. PMID:23650449

Fuzzy Logic Controller Stability Analysis Using a Satisfiability Modulo Theories Approach

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Arnett, Timothy; Cook, Brandon; Clark, Matthew A.; Rattan, Kuldip

2017-01-01

While many widely accepted methods and techniques exist for validation and verification of traditional controllers, at this time no solutions have been accepted for Fuzzy Logic Controllers (FLCs). Due to the highly nonlinear nature of such systems, and the fact that developing a valid FLC does not require a mathematical model of the system, it is quite difficult to use conventional techniques to prove controller stability. Since safety-critical systems must be tested and verified to work as expected for all possible circumstances, the fact that FLC controllers cannot be tested to achieve such requirements poses limitations on the applications for such technology. Therefore, alternative methods for verification and validation of FLCs needs to be explored. In this study, a novel approach using formal verification methods to ensure the stability of a FLC is proposed. Main research challenges include specification of requirements for a complex system, conversion of a traditional FLC to a piecewise polynomial representation, and using a formal verification tool in a nonlinear solution space. Using the proposed architecture, the Fuzzy Logic Controller was found to always generate negative feedback, but inconclusive for Lyapunov stability.

Development of dynamic Bayesian models for web application test management

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Azarnova, T. V.; Polukhin, P. V.; Bondarenko, Yu V.; Kashirina, I. L.

2018-03-01

The mathematical apparatus of dynamic Bayesian networks is an effective and technically proven tool that can be used to model complex stochastic dynamic processes. According to the results of the research, mathematical models and methods of dynamic Bayesian networks provide a high coverage of stochastic tasks associated with error testing in multiuser software products operated in a dynamically changing environment. Formalized representation of the discrete test process as a dynamic Bayesian model allows us to organize the logical connection between individual test assets for multiple time slices. This approach gives an opportunity to present testing as a discrete process with set structural components responsible for the generation of test assets. Dynamic Bayesian network-based models allow us to combine in one management area individual units and testing components with different functionalities and a direct influence on each other in the process of comprehensive testing of various groups of computer bugs. The application of the proposed models provides an opportunity to use a consistent approach to formalize test principles and procedures, methods used to treat situational error signs, and methods used to produce analytical conclusions based on test results.

The value of formal clinical research training in initiating a career as a clinical investigator.

PubMed

Kapoor, Karan; Wu, Bechien U; Banks, Peter A

2011-12-01

The aim of this study was to determine whether formal clinical research training is of value in the initiation of a successful career as a clinical investigator. We conducted a retrospective review of the career choices of all 25 fellows who entered the Academic Clinical Research Track at Brigham and Women's Hospital since its inception in 1995 and examined the impact of formal clinical research training during their fellowship on their career choice. The primary measure of a successful career as a clinical investigator was the obtainment of external funding for clinical research within 3 years of completion of fellowship. Thirteen of the 25 fellows (52%) received a Master of Public Health (MPH) degree at the Harvard School of Public Health during their fellowship. Ten of these 13 fellows (77%) obtained external funding for clinical research within 3 years of completion of their fellowship. None of the 5 fellows who had already obtained an MPH degree prior to their fellowship and none of the 7 fellows who completed a 7-week summer Program in Clinical Effectiveness but did not complete an MPH degree attempted to receive external funding for clinical research within 3 years of completion of their fellowship. We conclude that formal clinical research training culminating in an MPH degree was extremely valuable in the initiation of a successful career as a clinical investigator.

Employing a Critical Lens on Instructor Perceptions of Learning Games: Introduction to a Method

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Warren, Scott J.; Gratch, Jonathan S.

2013-01-01

Digital games like Where in the World is Carmen San Diego and Oregon Trail have been used to support learning since the 1980s. However, the last decade has seen games, simulations and virtual world use take firm hold of the academic imagination. There also has been a rapid expansion of sponsored, formal research, informal inquiry, and a growing…

What Does Dance History Have to Do with Dancing? Making College Dance History Usable for Dancers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kattner, Elizabeth

2016-01-01

This paper explores methods for bringing dance history directly into the studio. It shows how the movement components that have proven successful in introductory courses can be extended to in-depth studies of dance history with dancers who have formal training. Through the example of a research project on the early work of George Balanchine, it…

Research in Pressure Broadening.

DTIC Science & Technology

1986-08-01

is to provide some discussion of the structure and functioning of the molecular-electromag- netic correlation formalism ( MECF ) which is applicable to...the comprehensiveness of the MECF for- alism, Section IV outlines several past applications of the method and points out some potential areas for...or mist. It is hoped that this discussion will stimulate interest in the capabilities of the MECF approach. 1C. A. Coulter and D. W. Howgate

Methods for design and evaluation of integrated hardware-software systems for concurrent computation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pratt, T. W.

1985-01-01

Research activities and publications are briefly summarized. The major tasks reviewed are: (1) VAX implementation of the PISCES parallel programming environment; (2) Apollo workstation network implementation of the PISCES environment; (3) FLEX implementation of the PISCES environment; (4) sparse matrix iterative solver in PSICES Fortran; (5) image processing application of PISCES; and (6) a formal model of concurrent computation being developed.

Is the Process the Problem? Impact of Selection Methods on Reported Job Satisfaction among Academic Department Chairs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fairchild, Julie E.

2013-01-01

The problem of low job satisfaction (JS) among academic department chairs (ADC) may result from the selection process. ADC searches seldom comply with best practices for hiring or are predictive of a good fit. Formal searches are seldom used. Some incumbents did not want the job. Research into the history, nature, and problems of the position…

A Mixed Methods Study of Early Childhood Preservice Teachers: Beliefs about Poverty, Perceived Learning from Specific Instructional Strategies, and Preparedness to Serve Children and Families in Poverty

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

van Schagen Johnson, Amy

2016-01-01

A large number of young children experiencing poverty are receiving some type of formal early care and education. Effective early childhood teachers are an important component to providing high quality early childhood education. Yet, limited research has examined from the preservice teacher perspective how early childhood teacher preparation…

Transforming networking within the ESIP Federation using ResearchBit

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Robinson, E.

2015-12-01

Geoscientists increasingly need interdisciplinary teams to solve their research problems. Currently, geoscientists use Research Networking (RN) systems to connect with each other and find people of similar and dissimilar interests. As we shift to digitally mediated scholarship, we need innovative methods for scholarly communication. Formal methods for scholarly communication are undergoing vast transformation owing to the open-access movement and reproducible research. However, informal scholarly communication that takes place at professional society meetings and conferences, like AGU, has received limited research attention relying primarily on serendipitous interaction. The ResearchBit project aims to fundamentally improve informal methods of scholarly communication by leveraging the serendipitous interactions of researchers and making them more aware of co-located potential collaborators with mutual interests. This presentation will describe our preliminary hardware testing done at the Federation for Earth Science Information Partners (ESIP) Summer meeting this past July and the initial recommendation system design. The presentation will also cover the cultural shifts and hurdles to introducing new technology, the privacy concerns of tracking technology and how we are addressing those new issues.

Campus Involvement as a Predictor for Durable Leadership Development in Conjunction with Leadership Program Participation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rosch, David M.; Stephens, Clinton M.

2017-01-01

Postsecondary educators have long been faced with the challenge of developing the leadership capacity of their students. This research investigated the following research question: To what degree do formal opportunities for involvement predict durable growth in leadership capacity in students who participate in a formal leadership development…

Governing Knowledge: The Formalization Dilemma in the Governance of the Public Sciences

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Woelert, Peter

2015-01-01

This paper offers a conceptually novel contribution to the understanding of the distinctive governance challenges arising from the increasing reliance on formalized knowledge in the governance of research activities. It uses the current Australian research governance system as an example--a system which exhibits a comparatively strong degree of…

40 CFR 262.200 - Definitions for this subpart.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... research as its primary function and files as a non-profit organization under the tax code of 26 U.S.C. 501... college or university, or a non-profit research institute that is owned by or has a formal written... written affiliation agreement with a college or university. Formal written affiliation agreement for a non...

40 CFR 262.200 - Definitions for this subpart.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... research as its primary function and files as a non-profit organization under the tax code of 26 U.S.C. 501... college or university, or a non-profit research institute that is owned by or has a formal written... written affiliation agreement with a college or university. Formal written affiliation agreement for a non...

40 CFR 262.200 - Definitions for this subpart.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... research as its primary function and files as a non-profit organization under the tax code of 26 U.S.C. 501... college or university, or a non-profit research institute that is owned by or has a formal written... written affiliation agreement with a college or university. Formal written affiliation agreement for a non...

40 CFR 262.200 - Definitions for this subpart.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... research as its primary function and files as a non-profit organization under the tax code of 26 U.S.C. 501... college or university, or a non-profit research institute that is owned by or has a formal written... written affiliation agreement with a college or university. Formal written affiliation agreement for a non...

2006 Electrochemistry Gordon Research Conference - February 12-17-2006

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

Abruna, Hector D.

The Gordon Research Conference (GRC) on Electrochemistry was held at Santa Ynez Valley Marriott, Buellton California from February 12-17, 2006. The Conference was well-attended with 113 participants (attendees list attached). The attendees represented the spectrum of endeavor in this field coming from academia, industry, and government laboratories, both U.S. and foreign scientists, senior researchers, young investigators, and students. In designing the formal speakers program, emphasis was placed on current unpublished research and discussion of the future target areas in this field. There was a conscious effort to stimulate lively discussion about the key issues in the field today. Time formore » formal presentations was limited in the interest of group discussions. In order that more scientists could communicate their most recent results, poster presentation time was scheduled. Attached is a copy of the formal schedule and speaker program and the poster program. In addition to these formal interactions, "free time" was scheduled to allow informal discussions. Such discussions are fostering new collaborations and joint efforts in the field.« less

Relationships among selected physical science misconceptions held by preservice elementary teachers and four variables: Formal reasoning ability, working memory capacity, verbal intelligence, and field dependence/independence

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Griffin, Leslie Little

The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship of selected cognitive abilities and physical science misconceptions held by preservice elementary teachers. The cognitive abilities under investigation were: formal reasoning ability as measured by the Lawson Classroom Test of Formal Reasoning (Lawson, 1978); working memory capacity as measured by the Figural Intersection Test (Burtis & Pascual-Leone, 1974); verbal intelligence as measured by the Acorn National Academic Aptitude Test: Verbal Intelligence (Kobal, Wrightstone, & Kunze, 1944); and field dependence/independence as measured by the Group Embedded Figures Test (Witkin, Oltman, & Raskin, 1971). The number of physical science misconceptions held by preservice elementary teachers was measured by the Misconceptions in Science Questionnaire (Franklin, 1992). The data utilized in this investigation were obtained from 36 preservice elementary teachers enrolled in two sections of a science methods course at a small regional university in the southeastern United States. Multiple regression techniques were used to analyze the collected data. The following conclusions were reached following an analysis of the data. The variables of formal reasoning ability and verbal intelligence were identified as having significant relationships, both individually and in combination, to the dependent variable of selected physical science misconceptions. Though the correlations were not high enough to yield strong predictors of physical science misconceptions or strong relationships, they were of sufficient magnitude to warrant further investigation. It is recommended that further investigation be conducted replicating this study with a larger sample size. In addition, experimental research should be implemented to explore the relationships suggested in this study between the cognitive variables of formal reasoning ability and verbal intelligence and the dependent variable of selected physical science misconceptions. Further research should also focus on the detection of a broad range of science misconceptions among preservice elementary teachers.

Verification of NASA Emergent Systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rouff, Christopher; Vanderbilt, Amy K. C. S.; Truszkowski, Walt; Rash, James; Hinchey, Mike

2004-01-01

NASA is studying advanced technologies for a future robotic exploration mission to the asteroid belt. This mission, the prospective ANTS (Autonomous Nano Technology Swarm) mission, will comprise of 1,000 autonomous robotic agents designed to cooperate in asteroid exploration. The emergent properties of swarm type missions make them powerful, but at the same time are more difficult to design and assure that the proper behaviors will emerge. We are currently investigating formal methods and techniques for verification and validation of future swarm-based missions. The advantage of using formal methods is their ability to mathematically assure the behavior of a swarm, emergent or otherwise. The ANT mission is being used as an example and case study for swarm-based missions for which to experiment and test current formal methods with intelligent swam. Using the ANTS mission, we have evaluated multiple formal methods to determine their effectiveness in modeling and assuring swarm behavior.

Comparison of the iterated equation of motion approach and the density matrix formalism for the quantum Rabi model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kalthoff, Mona; Keim, Frederik; Krull, Holger; Uhrig, Götz S.

2017-05-01

The density matrix formalism and the equation of motion approach are two semi-analytical methods that can be used to compute the non-equilibrium dynamics of correlated systems. While for a bilinear Hamiltonian both formalisms yield the exact result, for any non-bilinear Hamiltonian a truncation is necessary. Due to the fact that the commonly used truncation schemes differ for these two methods, the accuracy of the obtained results depends significantly on the chosen approach. In this paper, both formalisms are applied to the quantum Rabi model. This allows us to compare the approximate results and the exact dynamics of the system and enables us to discuss the accuracy of the approximations as well as the advantages and the disadvantages of both methods. It is shown to which extent the results fulfill physical requirements for the observables and which properties of the methods lead to unphysical results.

REQUIREMENTS PATTERNS FOR FORMAL CONTRACTS IN ARCHITECTURAL ANALYSIS AND DESIGN LANGUAGE (AADL) MODELS

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-04-17

Cyberphysical Systems, Formal Methods , Requirements Patterns, AADL, Assume Guarantee Reasoning Environment 16. SECURITY CLASSIFICATION OF: 17. LIMITATION OF...5 3. Methods , Assumptions, and Procedures...Rockwell Collins has been addressing these challenges by developing compositional reasoning methods that permit the verification of systems that exceed

Dominant partition method. [based on a wave function formalism

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dixon, R. M.; Redish, E. F.

1979-01-01

By use of the L'Huillier, Redish, and Tandy (LRT) wave function formalism, a partially connected method, the dominant partition method (DPM) is developed for obtaining few body reductions of the many body problem in the LRT and Bencze, Redish, and Sloan (BRS) formalisms. The DPM maps the many body problem to a fewer body one by using the criterion that the truncated formalism must be such that consistency with the full Schroedinger equation is preserved. The DPM is based on a class of new forms for the irreducible cluster potential, which is introduced in the LRT formalism. Connectivity is maintained with respect to all partitions containing a given partition, which is referred to as the dominant partition. Degrees of freedom corresponding to the breakup of one or more of the clusters of the dominant partition are treated in a disconnected manner. This approach for simplifying the complicated BRS equations is appropriate for physical problems where a few body reaction mechanism prevails.

Highlights From the Third Annual Mayo Clinic Conference on Systems Engineering and Operations Research in Health Care

PubMed Central

Kamath, Janine R. A.; Osborn, John B.; Roger, Véronique L.; Rohleder, Thomas R.

2011-01-01

In August 2010, the Third Annual Mayo Clinic Conference on Systems Engineering and Operations Research in Health Care was held. The continuing mission of the conference is to gather a multidisciplinary group of systems engineers, clinicians, administrators, and academic professors to discuss the translation of systems engineering methods to more effective health care delivery. Education, research, and practice were enhanced via a mix of formal presentations, tutorials, and informal gatherings of participants with diverse backgrounds. Although the conference promotes a diversity of perspectives and methods, participants are united in their desire to find ways in which systems engineering can transform health care, especially in the context of health care reform and other significant changes affecting the delivery of health care. PMID:21803959

Requirements to Design to Code: Towards a Fully Formal Approach to Automatic Code Generation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hinchey, Michael G.; Rash, James L.; Rouff, Christopher A.

2005-01-01

A general-purpose method to mechanically transform system requirements into a provably equivalent model has yet to appear. Such a method represents a necessary step toward high-dependability system engineering for numerous possible application domains, including distributed software systems, sensor networks, robot operation, complex scripts for spacecraft integration and testing, and autonomous systems. Currently available tools and methods that start with a formal model of a system and mechanically produce a provably equivalent implementation are valuable but not sufficient. The gap that current tools and methods leave unfilled is that their formal models cannot be proven to be equivalent to the system requirements as originated by the customer. For the classes of systems whose behavior can be described as a finite (but significant) set of scenarios, we offer a method for mechanically transforming requirements (expressed in restricted natural language, or in other appropriate graphical notations) into a provably equivalent formal model that can be used as the basis for code generation and other transformations.

Requirements to Design to Code: Towards a Fully Formal Approach to Automatic Code Generation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hinchey, Michael G.; Rash, James L.; Rouff, Christopher A.

2005-01-01

A general-purpose method to mechanically transform system requirements into a provably equivalent model has yet to appear. Such a method represents a necessary step toward high-dependability system engineering for numerous possible application domains, including distributed software systems, sensor networks, robot operation, complex scripts for spacecraft integration and testing, and autonomous systems. Currently available tools and methods that start with a formal model of a: system and mechanically produce a provably equivalent implementation are valuable but not sufficient. The "gap" that current tools and methods leave unfilled is that their formal models cannot be proven to be equivalent to the system requirements as originated by the customer. For the ciasses of systems whose behavior can be described as a finite (but significant) set of scenarios, we offer a method for mechanically transforming requirements (expressed in restricted natural language, or in other appropriate graphical notations) into a provably equivalent formal model that can be used as the basis for code generation and other transformations.

NACA Conference on Turbojet-Engine Thrust Augmentation Research: A Compilation of the Papers Presented by NACA Staff Members

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1948-01-01

The conference on Turbojet-Engine Thrust-Augmentation Research was organized by the NACA to present in summarized form the results of the latest experimental and analytical investigations conducted at the Lewis Flight Propulsion Laboratory on methods of augmenting the thrust of turbojet engines. The technical discussions are reproduced herewith in the same form in which they were presented. The original presentation in this record are considered as complementary to, rather than substitutes for, the committee's system of complete and formal reports.

Applying Formal Methods to NASA Projects: Transition from Research to Practice

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Othon, Bill

2009-01-01

NASA project managers attempt to manage risk by relying on mature, well-understood process and technology when designing spacecraft. In the case of crewed systems, the margin for error is even tighter and leads to risk aversion. But as we look to future missions to the Moon and Mars, the complexity of the systems will increase as the spacecraft and crew work together with less reliance on Earth-based support. NASA will be forced to look for new ways to do business. Formal methods technologies can help NASA develop complex but cost effective spacecraft in many domains, including requirements and design, software development and inspection, and verification and validation of vehicle subsystems. To realize these gains, the technologies must be matured and field-tested so that they are proven when needed. During this discussion, current activities used to evaluate FM technologies for Orion spacecraft design will be reviewed. Also, suggestions will be made to demonstrate value to current designers, and mature the technology for eventual use in safety-critical NASA missions.

Efficacy of Environmental Health E-Training for Journalists

PubMed Central

Parin, Megan L.; Yancey, Elissa; Beidler, Caroline; Haynes, Erin N.

2015-01-01

Communities report a low level of trust in environmental health media coverage. In order to support risk communication objectives, the goals of the research study were to identify whether or not there is a gap in environmental reporting training for journalists, to outline journalists’ methods for gathering environmental health news, to observe journalists’ attitudes toward environmental health training and communication, and to determine if electronic training (online/e-training) can effectively train journalists in environmental health topics. The results indicated that environmental journalists have very little to no formal environmental journalism training. In addition, a significant percentage of journalists do not have any formal journalism education. Respondents most preferred to receive continuing environmental journalism training online. Online instruction was also perceived as effective in increasing knowledge and providing necessary reporting tools, even among participants adverse to online instructional methods. Our findings highlight the changing media climate’s need for an increase in electronic journalism education opportunities to support environmental health journalism competencies among working professional journalists. PMID:26998499

Systems, methods and apparatus for pattern matching in procedure development and verification

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hinchey, Michael G. (Inventor); Rouff, Christopher A. (Inventor); Rash, James L. (Inventor)

2011-01-01

Systems, methods and apparatus are provided through which, in some embodiments, a formal specification is pattern-matched from scenarios, the formal specification is analyzed, and flaws in the formal specification are corrected. The systems, methods and apparatus may include pattern-matching an equivalent formal model from an informal specification. Such a model can be analyzed for contradictions, conflicts, use of resources before the resources are available, competition for resources, and so forth. From such a formal model, an implementation can be automatically generated in a variety of notations. The approach can improve the resulting implementation, which, in some embodiments, is provably equivalent to the procedures described at the outset, which in turn can improve confidence that the system reflects the requirements, and in turn reduces system development time and reduces the amount of testing required of a new system. Moreover, in some embodiments, two or more implementations can be "reversed" to appropriate formal models, the models can be combined, and the resulting combination checked for conflicts. Then, the combined, error-free model can be used to generate a new (single) implementation that combines the functionality of the original separate implementations, and may be more likely to be correct.

Financing Adult and Non-Formal Education in Nigeria

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hassan, Moshood Ayinde

2009-01-01

The purpose of this study is to determine how adult and non formal education is financed in Nigeria; and to examine areas or forms of and the problems of financing adult and non-formal education in Nigeria. Survey research was used in order to carry out the study. Three hundred and twenty five (325) respondents from government agencies,…

Enhancing Formal E-Learning with Edutainment on Social Networks

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Labus, A.; Despotovic-Zrakic, M.; Radenkovic, B.; Bogdanovic, Z.; Radenkovic, M.

2015-01-01

This paper reports on the investigation of the possibilities of enhancing the formal e-learning process by harnessing the potential of informal game-based learning on social networks. The goal of the research is to improve the outcomes of the formal learning process through the design and implementation of an educational game on a social network…

Reconfigurable Hardware Adapts to Changing Mission Demands

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2003-01-01

A new class of computing architectures and processing systems, which use reconfigurable hardware, is creating a revolutionary approach to implementing future spacecraft systems. With the increasing complexity of electronic components, engineers must design next-generation spacecraft systems with new technologies in both hardware and software. Derivation Systems, Inc., of Carlsbad, California, has been working through NASA s Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program to develop key technologies in reconfigurable computing and Intellectual Property (IP) soft cores. Founded in 1993, Derivation Systems has received several SBIR contracts from NASA s Langley Research Center and the U.S. Department of Defense Air Force Research Laboratories in support of its mission to develop hardware and software for high-assurance systems. Through these contracts, Derivation Systems began developing leading-edge technology in formal verification, embedded Java, and reconfigurable computing for its PF3100, Derivational Reasoning System (DRS ), FormalCORE IP, FormalCORE PCI/32, FormalCORE DES, and LavaCORE Configurable Java Processor, which are designed for greater flexibility and security on all space missions.

Update on the Health Services Research Doctoral Core Competencies.

PubMed

Burgess, James F; Menachemi, Nir; Maciejewski, Matthew L

2018-03-13

To present revised core competencies for doctoral programs in health services research (HSR), modalities to deliver these competencies, and suggested methods for assessing mastery of these competencies. Core competencies were originally developed in 2005, updated (but unpublished) in 2008, modestly updated for a 2016 HSR workforce conference, and revised based on feedback from attendees. Additional feedback was obtained from doctoral program directors, employer/workforce experts and attendees of presentation on these competencies at the AcademyHealth's June 2017 Annual Research Meeting. The current version (V2.1) competencies include the ethical conduct of research, conceptual models, development of research questions, study designs, data measurement and collection methods, statistical methods for analyzing data, professional collaboration, and knowledge dissemination. These competencies represent a core that defines what HSR researchers should master in order to address the complexities of microsystem to macro-system research that HSR entails. There are opportunities to conduct formal evaluation of newer delivery modalities (e.g., flipped classrooms) and to integrate new Learning Health System Researcher Core Competencies, developed by AHRQ, into the HSR core competencies. Core competencies in HSR are a continually evolving work in progress because new research questions arise, new methods are developed, and the trans-disciplinary nature of the field leads to new multidisciplinary and team building needs. © Health Research and Educational Trust.

A systematic review of mixed methods research on human factors and ergonomics in health care.

PubMed

Carayon, Pascale; Kianfar, Sarah; Li, Yaqiong; Xie, Anping; Alyousef, Bashar; Wooldridge, Abigail

2015-11-01

This systematic literature review provides information on the use of mixed methods research in human factors and ergonomics (HFE) research in health care. Using the PRISMA methodology, we searched four databases (PubMed, PsycInfo, Web of Science, and Engineering Village) for studies that met the following inclusion criteria: (1) field study in health care, (2) mixing of qualitative and quantitative data, (3) HFE issues, and (4) empirical evidence. Using an iterative and collaborative process supported by a structured data collection form, the six authors identified a total of 58 studies that primarily address HFE issues in health information technology (e.g., usability) and in the work of healthcare workers. About two-thirds of the mixed methods studies used the convergent parallel study design where quantitative and qualitative data were collected simultaneously. A variety of methods were used for collecting data, including interview, survey and observation. The most frequent combination involved interview for qualitative data and survey for quantitative data. The use of mixed methods in healthcare HFE research has increased over time. However, increasing attention should be paid to the formal literature on mixed methods research to enhance the depth and breadth of this research. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

The Impact of Formal and Informal Learning on Students' Improvisational Processes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Augustyniak, Sylvana

2014-01-01

This article, based on my PhD empirical study, was conducted in a qualitative and holistic approach. It had examined how students had used formal and informal strategies, styles and situations while improvising and composing for the research task. Eighteen research groups made up of a total of 40 males and nine females had participated in…

Growing the Desert: Educational Pathways for Remote Indigenous People. Support Document

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Collier, Pam; King, Sharijn; Lawrence, Kate; Nangala, Irene; Nangala, Marilyn; Schaber, Evelyn; Young, Metta; Guenther, John; Oster, John

2007-01-01

As part of a project funded by the National Centre for Vocational Education and Research (NCVER) and the Desert Knowledge CRC (DKCRC), the "Growing the desert" research team have conducted a broad-ranging analysis of the role of formal and non-formal training opportunities that lead to employment and enterprise opportunities in the…

Student Teachers' Discourse about Digital Technologies and Transitions between Formal and Informal Learning Contexts

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pöntinen, Susanna; Dillon, Patrick; Väisänen, Pertti

2017-01-01

This research is a contribution to issues of digital technology use at the interface of formal and informal learning contexts. The research was conducted in the discourse tradition and investigates Finnish teacher training students' 'manners of speaking' as resources for, and obstacles to, making pedagogical changes in response to the potential of…

Conceptualizing School-Based Teacher Learning from Teachers' Points of View: Holistically Leveraging Formal, Informal, and Independent Learning Activities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jones, Monty; Dexter, Sara

2016-01-01

Improving in-service teacher education is paramount to improving student learning outcomes, and while research in this area typically examines formal teacher learning opportunities, emerging research indicates that teachers also engage in informal and independent modes of learning. Our inquiry into how teachers learned about integrating technology…

Crowdfunding: an innovative way to fund your project.

PubMed

Walker, Dawn-Marie

2017-06-22

Background Getting research funded is extremely difficult, with research councils rejecting more than 70% of grant applications ( Else 2014 ). It is even more difficult if you are a junior researcher who doesn't have a track record of being awarded grant money or leading a research project. Crowdfunding may offer a solution. It is a method of raising funds from members of the public online and can offer an alternative to the more formal methods of research funding. Aim To outline how this model works and provide tips on designing a campaign. Discussion The authors provide an overview of the literature regarding this model, as well as a set of resources for future reference when designing a campaign. Conclusion Crowdfunding can provide small amounts of money for your first project. Implications for practice It is expected that clinicians practice evidence based medicine, and research in health environments is commonplace. Crowdfunding can offer you support in becoming more engaged in research.

A comparison between state-specific and linear-response formalisms for the calculation of vertical electronic transition energy in solution with the CCSD-PCM method.

PubMed

Caricato, Marco

2013-07-28

The calculation of vertical electronic transition energies of molecular systems in solution with accurate quantum mechanical methods requires the use of approximate and yet reliable models to describe the effect of the solvent on the electronic structure of the solute. The polarizable continuum model (PCM) of solvation represents a computationally efficient way to describe this effect, especially when combined with coupled cluster (CC) methods. Two formalisms are available to compute transition energies within the PCM framework: State-Specific (SS) and Linear-Response (LR). The former provides a more complete account of the solute-solvent polarization in the excited states, while the latter is computationally very efficient (i.e., comparable to gas phase) and transition properties are well defined. In this work, I review the theory for the two formalisms within CC theory with a focus on their computational requirements, and present the first implementation of the LR-PCM formalism with the coupled cluster singles and doubles method (CCSD). Transition energies computed with LR- and SS-CCSD-PCM are presented, as well as a comparison between solvation models in the LR approach. The numerical results show that the two formalisms provide different absolute values of transition energy, but similar relative solvatochromic shifts (from nonpolar to polar solvents). The LR formalism may then be used to explore the solvent effect on multiple states and evaluate transition probabilities, while the SS formalism may be used to refine the description of specific states and for the exploration of excited state potential energy surfaces of solvated systems.

IDEF3 Formalization Report

DTIC Science & Technology

1991-10-01

SUBJECT TERMS 15. NUMBER OF PAGES engineering management information systems method formalization 60 information engineering process modeling 16 PRICE...CODE information systems requirements definition methods knowlede acquisition methods systems engineering 17. SECURITY CLASSIFICATION ji. SECURITY... Management , Inc., Santa Monica, California. CORYNEN, G. C., 1975, A Mathematical Theory of Modeling and Simula- tion. Ph.D. Dissertation, Department

Lfm2000: Fifth NASA Langley Formal Methods Workshop

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Holloway, C. Michael (Compiler)

2000-01-01

This is the proceedings of Lfm2000: Fifth NASA Langley Formal Methods Workshop. The workshop was held June 13-15, 2000, in Williamsburg, Virginia. See the web site for complete information about the event.

The Hierarchical Structure of Formal Operational Tasks.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bart, William M.; Mertens, Donna M.

1979-01-01

The hierarchical structure of the formal operational period of Piaget's theory of cognitive development was explored through the application of ordering theoretical methods to a set of data that systematically utilized the various formal operational schemes. Results suggested a common structure underlying task performance. (Author/BH)

A Formal Semantics for the WS-BPEL Recovery Framework

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dragoni, Nicola; Mazzara, Manuel

While current studies on Web services composition are mostly focused - from the technical viewpoint - on standards and protocols, this work investigates the adoption of formal methods for dependable composition. The Web Services Business Process Execution Language (WS-BPEL) - an OASIS standard widely adopted both in academic and industrial environments - is considered as a touchstone for concrete composition languages and an analysis of its ambiguous Recovery Framework specification is offered. In order to show the use of formal methods, a precise and unambiguous description of its (simplified) mechanisms is provided by means of a conservative extension of the π-calculus. This has to be intended as a well known case study providing methodological arguments for the adoption of formal methods in software specification. The aspect of verification is not the main topic of the paper but some hints are given.

On the suppression of vaccination dissent.

PubMed

Martin, Brian

2015-02-01

Dissenters from the dominant views about vaccination sometimes are subject to adverse actions, including abusive comment, threats, formal complaints,censorship, and de registration, a phenomenon that can be called suppression of dissent. Three types of cases are examined: scientists and physicians; a high-profile researcher; and a citizen campaigner. Comparing the methods used in these different types of cases provides a preliminary framework for understanding the dynamics of suppression in terms of vulnerabilities.

Formal Language Design in the Context of Domain Engineering

DTIC Science & Technology

2000-03-28

73 Related Work 75 5.1 Feature oriented domain analysis ( FODA ) 75 5.2 Organizational domain modeling (ODM) 76 5.3 Domain-Specific Software...However there are only a few that are well defined and used repeatedly in practice. These include: Feature oriented domain analysis ( FODA ), Organizational...Feature oriented domain analysis ( FODA ) Feature oriented domain analysis ( FODA ) is a domain analysis method being researched and applied by the SEI

Nostalgia, Transition and the School: An Innovative Approach of Using Photographic Images as a Visual Method in Educational Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shohel, M. Mahruf C.

2012-01-01

The context of the study reported in this paper is the difficulties of transition from nonformal primary schools to formal secondary schools in Bangladesh. The difficulties affecting a smooth school transition relate not only to the making of new relationships and adapting to new norms in a new environment, but also to a very different approach to…

KARL: A Knowledge-Assisted Retrieval Language. M.S. Thesis Final Report, 1 Jul. 1985 - 31 Dec. 1987

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dominick, Wayne D. (Editor); Triantafyllopoulos, Spiros

1985-01-01

Data classification and storage are tasks typically performed by application specialists. In contrast, information users are primarily non-computer specialists who use information in their decision-making and other activities. Interaction efficiency between such users and the computer is often reduced by machine requirements and resulting user reluctance to use the system. This thesis examines the problems associated with information retrieval for non-computer specialist users, and proposes a method for communicating in restricted English that uses knowledge of the entities involved, relationships between entities, and basic English language syntax and semantics to translate the user requests into formal queries. The proposed method includes an intelligent dictionary, syntax and semantic verifiers, and a formal query generator. In addition, the proposed system has a learning capability that can improve portability and performance. With the increasing demand for efficient human-machine communication, the significance of this thesis becomes apparent. As human resources become more valuable, software systems that will assist in improving the human-machine interface will be needed and research addressing new solutions will be of utmost importance. This thesis presents an initial design and implementation as a foundation for further research and development into the emerging field of natural language database query systems.

Improving the quality of preclinical research echocardiography: Observations, training and guidelines for measurement.

PubMed

Donner, Daniel G; Kiriazis, Helen; Du, Xiao-Jun; Marwick, Thomas H; McMullen, Julie R

2018-04-20

Informal training in preclinical research may be a contributor to the poor reproducibility of preclinical cardiology research and low rates of translation into clinical research and practice. Mouse echocardiography is a widely used technique to assess cardiac structure and function in drug intervention studies using disease models. The inter-observer variability (IOV) of clinical echocardiographic measurements has been shown to improve with formalized training, but preclinical echocardiography lacks similarly critical standardization of training. The aims of this investigation were to assess the IOV of echocardiographic measurements from studies in mice, and address any technical impediments to reproducibility by implementing standardized guidelines through formalized training. In this prospective, single-site, observational cohort study, 13 scientists performing preclinical echocardiographic image analysis were assessed for measurement of short-axis M-mode-derived dimensions and calculated left ventricular mass (LVMass). Ten M-mode images of mouse hearts acquired and analyzed by an expert researcher with a spectrum of LVMass were selected for assessment, and validated by autopsy weight. Following the initial observation, a structured formal training program was introduced, and accuracy and reproducibility were re-evaluated. Mean absolute percentage error (MAPE) for Expert-calculated LVMass was 6{plus minus}4% compared to autopsy LVMass, and 25{plus minus}21% for participants before training. Standardized formal training improved participant MAPE by approximately 30% relative to expert-calculated LVMass (p<0.001). Participants initially categorized with high-range error (25-45%) improved to low-moderate error ranges (<15-25%). This report reveals an example of technical skill training insufficiency likely endemic to preclinical research and provides validated guidelines for echocardiographic measurement for adaptation to formalized in-training programs.

The influence of formal and informal policies and practices on health care innovation implementation: A mixed-methods analysis.

PubMed

DiMartino, Lisa D; Birken, Sarah A; Hanson, Laura C; Trogdon, Justin G; Clary, Alecia S; Weinberger, Morris; Reeder-Hayes, Katherine; Weiner, Bryan J

The implementation science literature has contributed important insights regarding the influence of formal policies and practices on health care innovation implementation, whereas informal implementation policies and practices have garnered little attention. The broader literature suggests that informal implementation policies and practices could also influence innovation use. We used the Organizational Theory of Innovation Implementation to further understand the role of formal and informal implementation policies and practices as determinants of implementation effectiveness. We examined their role within the context of initiatives to increase palliative care consultation in inpatient oncology. We used a case study design in two organizational settings within one academic medical center: medical and gynecologic oncology. We completed semistructured interviews with medical (n = 12) and gynecologic (n = 10) oncology clinicians using questions based on organizational theory. Quantitative data assessed implementation effectiveness, defined as aggregated palliative care consult rates within oncology services from 2010 to 2016. Four palliative care clinicians were interviewed to gain additional implementation context insights. Medical oncology employed multiple formal policies and practices including training and clinician prompting to support palliative care consultation and a top-down approach, yet most clinicians were unaware of the policies and practices, contributing to a weak implementation climate. In contrast, gynecologic oncology employed one formal policy (written guideline of criteria for initiating a consult) but also relied on informal policies and practices, such as spontaneous feedback and communication; they adopted a bottom-up approach, contributing to broader clinician awareness and strong implementation climate. Both services exhibited variable, increasing consult rates over time. Informal policies and practices may compensate or substitute for formal policies and practices under certain conditions (e.g., smaller health care organizations). Further research is needed to investigate the role of formal and informal policies and practices in shaping a strong and sustainable implementation climate and subsequent effective innovation implementation.

Automatically Grading Customer Confidence in a Formal Specification.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shukur, Zarina; Burke, Edmund; Foxley, Eric

1999-01-01

Describes an automatic grading system for a formal methods computer science course that is able to evaluate a formal specification written in the Z language. Quality is measured by considering first, specification correctness (syntax, semantics, and satisfaction of customer requirements), and second, specification maintainability (comparison of…

NASA's Advanced Multimission Operations System: A Case Study in Formalizing Software Architecture Evolution

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Barnes, Jeffrey M.

2011-01-01

All software systems of significant size and longevity eventually undergo changes to their basic architectural structure. Such changes may be prompted by evolving requirements, changing technology, or other reasons. Whatever the cause, software architecture evolution is commonplace in real world software projects. Recently, software architecture researchers have begun to study this phenomenon in depth. However, this work has suffered from problems of validation; research in this area has tended to make heavy use of toy examples and hypothetical scenarios and has not been well supported by real world examples. To help address this problem, I describe an ongoing effort at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory to re-architect the Advanced Multimission Operations System (AMMOS), which is used to operate NASA's deep-space and astrophysics missions. Based on examination of project documents and interviews with project personnel, I describe the goals and approach of this evolution effort and then present models that capture some of the key architectural changes. Finally, I demonstrate how approaches and formal methods from my previous research in architecture evolution may be applied to this evolution, while using languages and tools already in place at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory.

Formal Solutions for Polarized Radiative Transfer. II. High-order Methods

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

Janett, Gioele; Steiner, Oskar; Belluzzi, Luca, E-mail: gioele.janett@irsol.ch

When integrating the radiative transfer equation for polarized light, the necessity of high-order numerical methods is well known. In fact, well-performing high-order formal solvers enable higher accuracy and the use of coarser spatial grids. Aiming to provide a clear comparison between formal solvers, this work presents different high-order numerical schemes and applies the systematic analysis proposed by Janett et al., emphasizing their advantages and drawbacks in terms of order of accuracy, stability, and computational cost.

Education issues in disaster medicine: summary and action plan.

PubMed

Armour, S J; Bastone, P; Birnbaum, M; Garrett, C; Greenough, P G; Manni, C; Ninomiya, N; Renderos, J; Rottman, S; Sahni, P; Shih, C L; Siegel, D; Younggren, B

2001-01-01

Change must begin with education. Theme 8 explored issues that need attention in Disaster Medicine education. Details of the methods used are provided in the introductory paper. The chairs moderated all presentations and produced a summary that was presented to an assembly of all of the delegates. The chairs then presided over a workshop that resulted in the generation of a set of action plans that then were reported to the collective group of all delegates. Main points developed during the presentations and discussion included: (1) formal education, (2) standardized definitions, (3) integration, (4) evaluation of programs and interventions, (5) international cooperation, (6) identifying the psychosocial consequences of disaster, (7) meaningful research, and (8) hazard, impact, risk and vulnerability analysis. Three main components of the action plans were identified as evaluation, research, and education. The action plans recommended that: (1) education on disasters should be formalized, (2) evaluation of education and interventions must be improved, and (3) meaningful research should be promulgated and published for use at multiple levels and that applied research techniques be the subject of future conferences. The one unanimous conclusion was that we need more and better education on the disaster phenomenon, both in its impacts and in our response to them. Such education must be increasingly evidence-based.

Formalizing New Navigation Requirements for NASA's Space Shuttle

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

DiVito, Ben L.

1996-01-01

We describe a recent NASA-sponsored pilot project intended to gauge the effectiveness of using formal methods in Space Shuttle software requirements analysis. Several Change Requests (CRs) were selected as promising targets to demonstrate the utility of formal methods in this demanding application domain. A CR to add new navigation capabilities to the Shuttle, based on Global Positioning System (GPS) technology, is the focus of this industrial usage report. Portions of the GPS CR were modeled using the language of SRI's Prototype Verification System (PVS). During a limited analysis conducted on the formal specifications, numerous requirements issues were discovered. We present a summary of these encouraging results and conclusions we have drawn from the pilot project.

Maelstrom Research guidelines for rigorous retrospective data harmonization

PubMed Central

Fortier, Isabel; Raina, Parminder; Van den Heuvel, Edwin R; Griffith, Lauren E; Craig, Camille; Saliba, Matilda; Doiron, Dany; Stolk, Ronald P; Knoppers, Bartha M; Ferretti, Vincent; Granda, Peter; Burton, Paul

2017-01-01

Abstract Background: It is widely accepted and acknowledged that data harmonization is crucial: in its absence, the co-analysis of major tranches of high quality extant data is liable to inefficiency or error. However, despite its widespread practice, no formalized/systematic guidelines exist to ensure high quality retrospective data harmonization. Methods: To better understand real-world harmonization practices and facilitate development of formal guidelines, three interrelated initiatives were undertaken between 2006 and 2015. They included a phone survey with 34 major international research initiatives, a series of workshops with experts, and case studies applying the proposed guidelines. Results: A wide range of projects use retrospective harmonization to support their research activities but even when appropriate approaches are used, the terminologies, procedures, technologies and methods adopted vary markedly. The generic guidelines outlined in this article delineate the essentials required and describe an interdependent step-by-step approach to harmonization: 0) define the research question, objectives and protocol; 1) assemble pre-existing knowledge and select studies; 2) define targeted variables and evaluate harmonization potential; 3) process data; 4) estimate quality of the harmonized dataset(s) generated; and 5) disseminate and preserve final harmonization products. Conclusions: This manuscript provides guidelines aiming to encourage rigorous and effective approaches to harmonization which are comprehensively and transparently documented and straightforward to interpret and implement. This can be seen as a key step towards implementing guiding principles analogous to those that are well recognised as being essential in securing the foundational underpinning of systematic reviews and the meta-analysis of clinical trials. PMID:27272186

Improving the Conceptual Understanding in Kinematics Subject Matter with Hypertext Media Learning and Formal Thinking

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Manurung, Sondang R.; Mihardi, Satria

2016-01-01

The purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of hypertext media based kinematic learning and formal thinking ability to improve the conceptual understanding of physic prospective students. The research design used is the one-group pretest-posttest experimental design is carried out in the research by taking 36 students on from…

Formal Lifelong E-Learning for Employability and Job Stability during Turbulent Times in Spain

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Martínez-Cerdá, Juan-Francisco; Torrent-Sellens, Joan

2017-01-01

In recent decades, international organizations have developed initiatives that incorporate lifelong learning as a tool to increase the employability of citizens. In this context, the goal of this research is to test the influence of formal e-learning on estimating employment status. The research made use of a sample of 595 citizens in 2007 and…

Perceptions of Civility for Mobile Phone Use in Formal and Informal Meetings

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Washington, Melvin C.; Okoro, Ephraim A.; Cardon, Peter W.

2014-01-01

We report our survey research about what American business professionals consider appropriate or civil mobile phone behavior during formal and informal meetings. The findings come from two of our recent research studies: an open-ended survey of 204 employees at a beverage distributor on the East Coast and a nationwide, random-sample survey of 350…

State of the Art of Language Learning Design Using Mobile Technology: Sample Apps and Some Critical Reflection

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bárcena, Elena; Read, Timothy; Underwood, Joshua; Obari, Hiroyuki; Cojocnean, Diana; Koyama, Toshiko; Pareja-Lora, Antonio; Calle, Cristina; Pomposo, Lourdes; Talaván, Noa; Ávila-Cabrera, José; Ibañez, Ana; Vermeulen, Anna; Jordano, María; Arús-Hita, Jorge; Rodríguez, Pilar; Castrillo, María Dolores; Kétyi, Andras; Selwood, Jaime; Gaved, Mark; Kukulska-Hulme, Agnes

2015-01-01

In this paper, experiences from different research groups illustrate the state-of-the-art of Mobile Assisted Language Learning (henceforth, MALL) in formal and non-formal education. These research samples represent recent and on-going progress made in the field of MALL at an international level and offer encouragement for practitioners who are…

An Investigation of the Mathematical Models of Piaget's Psychological Theory of Cognitive Learning. Final Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kalechofsky, Robert

This research paper proposes several mathematical models which help clarify Piaget's theory of cognition on the concrete and formal operational stages. Some modified lattice models were used for the concrete stage and a combined Boolean Algebra and group theory model was used for the formal stage. The researcher used experiments cited in the…

Job Search Methods: Consequences for Gender-based Earnings Inequality.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Huffman, Matt L.; Torres, Lisa

2001-01-01

Data from adults in Atlanta, Boston, and Los Angeles (n=1,942) who searched for work using formal (ads, agencies) or informal (networks) methods indicated that type of method used did not contribute to the gender gap in earnings. Results do not support formal job search as a way to reduce gender inequality. (Contains 55 references.) (SK)

Probabilistic Multi-Scale, Multi-Level, Multi-Disciplinary Analysis and Optimization of Engine Structures

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chamis, Christos C.; Abumeri, Galib H.

2000-01-01

Aircraft engines are assemblies of dynamically interacting components. Engine updates to keep present aircraft flying safely and engines for new aircraft are progressively required to operate in more demanding technological and environmental requirements. Designs to effectively meet those requirements are necessarily collections of multi-scale, multi-level, multi-disciplinary analysis and optimization methods and probabilistic methods are necessary to quantify respective uncertainties. These types of methods are the only ones that can formally evaluate advanced composite designs which satisfy those progressively demanding requirements while assuring minimum cost, maximum reliability and maximum durability. Recent research activities at NASA Glenn Research Center have focused on developing multi-scale, multi-level, multidisciplinary analysis and optimization methods. Multi-scale refers to formal methods which describe complex material behavior metal or composite; multi-level refers to integration of participating disciplines to describe a structural response at the scale of interest; multidisciplinary refers to open-ended for various existing and yet to be developed discipline constructs required to formally predict/describe a structural response in engine operating environments. For example, these include but are not limited to: multi-factor models for material behavior, multi-scale composite mechanics, general purpose structural analysis, progressive structural fracture for evaluating durability and integrity, noise and acoustic fatigue, emission requirements, hot fluid mechanics, heat-transfer and probabilistic simulations. Many of these, as well as others, are encompassed in an integrated computer code identified as Engine Structures Technology Benefits Estimator (EST/BEST) or Multi-faceted/Engine Structures Optimization (MP/ESTOP). The discipline modules integrated in MP/ESTOP include: engine cycle (thermodynamics), engine weights, internal fluid mechanics, cost, mission and coupled structural/thermal, various composite property simulators and probabilistic methods to evaluate uncertainty effects (scatter ranges) in all the design parameters. The objective of the proposed paper is to briefly describe a multi-faceted design analysis and optimization capability for coupled multi-discipline engine structures optimization. Results are presented for engine and aircraft type metrics to illustrate the versatility of that capability. Results are also presented for reliability, noise and fatigue to illustrate its inclusiveness. For example, replacing metal rotors with composites reduces the engine weight by 20 percent, 15 percent noise reduction, and an order of magnitude improvement in reliability. Composite designs exist to increase fatigue life by at least two orders of magnitude compared to state-of-the-art metals.

Deep first formal concept search.

PubMed

Zhang, Tao; Li, Hui; Hong, Wenxue; Yuan, Xiamei; Wei, Xinyu

2014-01-01

The calculation of formal concepts is a very important part in the theory of formal concept analysis (FCA); however, within the framework of FCA, computing all formal concepts is the main challenge because of its exponential complexity and difficulty in visualizing the calculating process. With the basic idea of Depth First Search, this paper presents a visualization algorithm by the attribute topology of formal context. Limited by the constraints and calculation rules, all concepts are achieved by the visualization global formal concepts searching, based on the topology degenerated with the fixed start and end points, without repetition and omission. This method makes the calculation of formal concepts precise and easy to operate and reflects the integrity of the algorithm, which enables it to be suitable for visualization analysis.

Software Tools for Formal Specification and Verification of Distributed Real-Time Systems.

DTIC Science & Technology

1997-09-30

set of software tools for specification and verification of distributed real time systems using formal methods. The task of this SBIR Phase II effort...to be used by designers of real - time systems for early detection of errors. The mathematical complexity of formal specification and verification has

A STUDY OF FORMALLY ADVERTISED PROCUREMENT

DTIC Science & Technology

As a method of procuring goods and services, formally advertised procurement offers a number of advantages. These include the prevention of fraud and...two-thirds of all contracts are let in these cases. This is done by examining over 2,300 contracts let under formal advertising procedures. A measure of

Geometry and Formal Linguistics.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Huff, George A.

This paper presents a method of encoding geometric line-drawings in a way which allows sets of such drawings to be interpreted as formal languages. A characterization of certain geometric predicates in terms of their properties as languages is obtained, and techniques usually associated with generative grammars and formal automata are then applied…

Academia, advocacy, and industry: a collaborative method for clinical research advancement.

PubMed

Vanzo, Rena J; Lortz, Amanda; Calhoun, Amy R U L; Carey, John C

2014-07-01

Professionals who work in academia, advocacy, and industry often carry out mutually exclusive activities related to research and clinical care. However, there are several examples of collaboration among such professionals that ultimately allows for improved scientific and clinical understanding. This commentary recounts our particular experience (a collaboration between geneticists at the Universities of Minnesota and Utah, the 4p- Support Group, and Lineagen, Inc) and reviews other similar projects. We formally propose this collaborative method as a conduit for future clinical research programs. Specifically, we encourage academicians, directors of family/advocacy/support groups, and members of industry to establish partnerships and document their experiences. The medical community as a whole will benefit from such partnerships and, specifically, families will teach us lessons that could never be learned in a laboratory or textbook. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Systems of Career Influences: A Conceptual Model for Evaluating the Professional Development of Women in Academic Medicine

PubMed Central

Helitzer, Deborah; Morahan, Page; Chang, Shine; Gleason, Katharine; Cardinali, Gina; Wu, Chih-Chieh

2012-01-01

Abstract Background Surprisingly little research is available to explain the well-documented organizational and societal influences on persistent inequities in advancement of women faculty. Methods The Systems of Career Influences Model is a framework for exploring factors influencing women's progression to advanced academic rank, executive positions, and informal leadership roles in academic medicine. The model situates faculty as agents within a complex adaptive system consisting of a trajectory of career advancement with opportunities for formal professional development programming; a dynamic system of influences of organizational policies, practices, and culture; and a dynamic system of individual choices and decisions. These systems of influence may promote or inhibit career advancement. Within this system, women weigh competing influences to make career advancement decisions, and leaders of academic health centers prioritize limited resources to support the school's mission. Results and Conclusions The Systems of Career Influences Model proved useful to identify key research questions. We used the model to probe how research in academic career development might be applied to content and methods of formal professional development programs. We generated a series of questions and hypotheses about how professional development programs might influence professional development of health science faculty members. Using the model as a guide, we developed a study using a quantitative and qualitative design. These analyses should provide insight into what works in recruiting and supporting productive men and women faculty in academic medical centers. PMID:23101486

Probabilistic structural analysis methods of hot engine structures

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chamis, C. C.; Hopkins, D. A.

1989-01-01

Development of probabilistic structural analysis methods for hot engine structures at Lewis Research Center is presented. Three elements of the research program are: (1) composite load spectra methodology; (2) probabilistic structural analysis methodology; and (3) probabilistic structural analysis application. Recent progress includes: (1) quantification of the effects of uncertainties for several variables on high pressure fuel turbopump (HPFT) turbine blade temperature, pressure, and torque of the space shuttle main engine (SSME); (2) the evaluation of the cumulative distribution function for various structural response variables based on assumed uncertainties in primitive structural variables; and (3) evaluation of the failure probability. Collectively, the results demonstrate that the structural durability of hot engine structural components can be effectively evaluated in a formal probabilistic/reliability framework.

Grooms receives 2011 Donald L. Turcotte Award

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

2012-02-01

Ian Grooms has been awarded the AGU Donald L. Turcotte Award, given annually to recent Ph.D. recipients for outstanding dissertation research that contributes directly to the field of nonlinear geophysics. Grooms's thesis is entitled “Asymptotic and numerical methods for rapidly rotating buoyant flow.” He presented an invited talk and was formally presented with the award at the 2011 AGU Fall Meeting, held 5-9 December in San Francisco, Calif. Grooms received his B.S. in mathematics from the College of William and Mary, Williamsburg, Va., in 2005. He received a Ph.D. in applied mathematics in 2011 under the supervision of Keith Julien at the University of Colorado at Boulder. His research interests include asymptotic and numerical methods for multiscale problems in geophysical fluid dynamics.

Who Are the Open Learners? A Comparative Study Profiling Non-Formal Users of Open Educational Resources

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Farrow, Robert; de los Arcos, Beatriz; Pitt, Rebecca; Weller, Martin

2015-01-01

Open educational resources (OER) have been identified as having the potential to extend opportunities for learning to non-formal learners. However, little research has been conducted into the impact of OER on non-formal learners. This paper presents the results of a systematic survey of more than 3,000 users of open educational resources (OER).…

Stopping power of dense plasmas: The collisional method and limitations of the dielectric formalism.

PubMed

Clauser, C F; Arista, N R

2018-02-01

We present a study of the stopping power of plasmas using two main approaches: the collisional (scattering theory) and the dielectric formalisms. In the former case, we use a semiclassical method based on quantum scattering theory. In the latter case, we use the full description given by the extension of the Lindhard dielectric function for plasmas of all degeneracies. We compare these two theories and show that the dielectric formalism has limitations when it is used for slow heavy ions or atoms in dense plasmas. We present a study of these limitations and show the regimes where the dielectric formalism can be used, with appropriate corrections to include the usual quantum and classical limits. On the other hand, the semiclassical method shows the correct behavior for all plasma conditions and projectile velocity and charge. We consider different models for the ion charge distributions, including bare and dressed ions as well as neutral atoms.

Effects of Mobile Learning in Medical Education: A Counterfactual Evaluation.

PubMed

Briz-Ponce, Laura; Juanes-Méndez, Juan Antonio; García-Peñalvo, Francisco José; Pereira, Anabela

2016-06-01

The aim of this research is to contribute to the general system education providing new insights and resources. This study performs a quasi-experimental study at University of Salamanca with 30 students to compare results between using an anatomic app for learning and the formal traditional method conducted by a teacher. The findings of the investigation suggest that the performance of learners using mobile apps is statistical better than the students using the traditional method. However, mobile devices should be considered as an additional tool to complement the teachers' explanation and it is necessary to overcome different barriers and challenges to adopt these pedagogical methods at University.

Rightsizing Projects for Non-Research-Intensive Schools of Nursing via Academic-Clinical Partnerships.

PubMed

Kooken, Wendy Carter; Eckhardt, Ann L; McNutt-Dungan, Marianne; Woods, Jonathan

Most academic-clinical partnerships are described as formal agreements between schools of nursing at research-intensive universities and large teaching hospitals. This article demonstrates less formal versions of academic-clinical partnerships established between a small, private liberal arts university school of nursing and 2 regional clinical agencies. In both exemplars, students, faculty, and staff contributed to evidence-based practice projects. Schools of nursing in non-research-intensive environments can develop right-size academic-clinical partnerships that are beneficial for all parties involved.

Getting Research to the Policy Table: A Qualitative Study With Public Health Researchers on Engaging With Policy Makers

PubMed Central

Dodson, Elizabeth A.; Fleischhacker, Sheila; Siddiqi, Sameer; Quinn, Emilee L.

2015-01-01

Introduction Little attention has been given to how researchers can best provide evidence to policy makers so that it informs policy making. The objectives of this study were to increase understanding about the current state of public health nutrition and obesity researcher practices, beliefs, barriers, and facilitators to communicating and engaging with policy makers, and to identify best practices and suggest improvements. Methods Eighteen semistructured interviews were conducted from 2011 to 2013 with public health nutrition and obesity researchers who were highly involved in communicating research to policy makers. Interviews were transcribed verbatim, coded, and analyzed to identify common themes. Results Study participants described wide variation in practices for communicating and engaging with policy makers and had mixed beliefs about whether and when researchers should engage. Besides a lack of formal policy communication training, barriers noted were promotion and tenure processes and a professional culture that does not value communicating and engaging with policy makers. Study participants cited facilitators to engaging with policy makers as ranging from the individual level (eg, desire to make a difference, relationships with collaborators) to the institutional level (eg, training/mentorship support, institutional recognition). Other facilitators identified were research- and funding-driven. Promising strategies suggested to improve policy engagement were more formal training, better use of intermediaries, and learning how to cultivate relationships with policy makers. Conclusion Study findings provide insights into the challenges that will need to be overcome and the strategies that might be tried to improve communication and engagement between public health researchers and policy makers. PMID:25927604

Two Paradoxes in Linear Regression Analysis.

PubMed

Feng, Ge; Peng, Jing; Tu, Dongke; Zheng, Julia Z; Feng, Changyong

2016-12-25

Regression is one of the favorite tools in applied statistics. However, misuse and misinterpretation of results from regression analysis are common in biomedical research. In this paper we use statistical theory and simulation studies to clarify some paradoxes around this popular statistical method. In particular, we show that a widely used model selection procedure employed in many publications in top medical journals is wrong. Formal procedures based on solid statistical theory should be used in model selection.

Where Are the Young Men in HIV Prevention Efforts? Comments on HIV Prevention Programs and Research from Young Men Who Sex with Men in Los Angeles County

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Holloway, Ian W.; Cederbaum, Julie A.; Ajayi, Antonette; Shoptaw, Steven

2012-01-01

Despite increasing rates of HIV infection among young men who have sex with men (YMSM), only a minority participate in formal HIV prevention efforts. Semi-structured mixed-methods interviews were conducted with a diverse sample of YMSM (N = 100, M[subscript age] = 25.0 years) in Los Angeles, California, to identify facilitators and barriers to…

Recruitment of rural healthcare professionals for live continuing education.

PubMed

Holuby, Ronnie Scott; Pellegrin, Karen L; Barbato, Anna; Ciarleglio, Anita

2015-01-01

Introduction The availability of rural healthcare is a growing concern in the United States as fewer healthcare providers choose to work in rural areas. Accessing quality continuing education (CE) for rural healthcare practitioners (HCPs) remains a challenge and may pose a barrier to quality care. Methods To maximize attendance at a live, in-person, free CE program focusing on geriatric medication and issues specifically targeted to HCPs in rural areas, two methods were implemented sequentially. The first method used formal advertising implemented by a professional marketing service to promote CE events. The second method enlisted local healthcare organizations and physician groups to promote the CE event to their employees. Cost per attendee was calculated for comparison. Results Professional marketing services recruited 31 HCPs (March 2011) and resulted in a per-participant recruitment cost of US$428.62. Local healthcare organizations and physician groups' marketing recruited 48 HCPs (July-August 2011) and resulted in a per-participant recruitment cost of US$55.19. Discussion Providing free CE coordinated through local healthcare organizations and physician groups was the most cost-effective method of recruiting rural HCPs for CE. Formal advertising added cost without increasing the number of participants per event. Although this is the first study of the cost-effectiveness of recruitment methods targeting HCPs in rural areas, results are consistent with research on cost-effectiveness of outreach to rural lay community members.

A New Look at NASA: Strategic Research In Information Technology

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Alfano, David; Tu, Eugene (Technical Monitor)

2002-01-01

This viewgraph presentation provides information on research undertaken by NASA to facilitate the development of information technologies. Specific ideas covered here include: 1) Bio/nano technologies: biomolecular and nanoscale systems and tools for assembly and computing; 2) Evolvable hardware: autonomous self-improving, self-repairing hardware and software for survivable space systems in extreme environments; 3) High Confidence Software Technologies: formal methods, high-assurance software design, and program synthesis; 4) Intelligent Controls and Diagnostics: Next generation machine learning, adaptive control, and health management technologies; 5) Revolutionary computing: New computational models to increase capability and robustness to enable future NASA space missions.

Microdosimetry: Principles and applications

PubMed Central

Santa Cruz, Gustavo A.

2016-01-01

Aim to present the most important aspects of Microdosimetry, a research field in radiation biophysics. Background microdosimetry is the branch of radiation biophysics that systematically studies the spatial, temporal and spectral aspects of the stochastic nature of the energy deposition processes in microscopic structures. Materials and Methods we briefly review its history, the people, the formalism and the theories and devices that allowed researchers to begin to understand the true nature of radiation action on living matter. Results and Conclusions we outline some of its applications, especially to Boron Neutron Capture Therapy, attempting to explain the biological effectiveness of the boron thermal neutron capture reaction. PMID:26933397

Working the College System: Six Strategies for Building a Personal Powerbase

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Simplicio, Joseph S. C.

2008-01-01

Within each college system there are prescribed formalized methods for accomplishing tasks and achieving established goals. To truly understand how a college, or any large organization functions, it is vital to understand the basis of the formal structure. Those individuals who understand formal systems within a college can use this knowledge to…

An Educational Development Tool Based on Principles of Formal Ontology

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Guzzi, Rodolfo; Scarpanti, Stefano; Ballista, Giovanni; Di Nicolantonio, Walter

2005-01-01

Computer science provides with virtual laboratories, places where one can merge real experiments with the formalism of algorithms and mathematics and where, with the advent of multimedia, sounds and movies can also be added. In this paper we present a method, based on principles of formal ontology, allowing one to develop interactive educational…

Construction of a Clinical Decision Support System for Undergoing Surgery Based on Domain Ontology and Rules Reasoning

PubMed Central

Bau, Cho-Tsan; Huang, Chung-Yi

2014-01-01

Abstract Objective: To construct a clinical decision support system (CDSS) for undergoing surgery based on domain ontology and rules reasoning in the setting of hospitalized diabetic patients. Materials and Methods: The ontology was created with a modified ontology development method, including specification and conceptualization, formalization, implementation, and evaluation and maintenance. The Protégé–Web Ontology Language editor was used to implement the ontology. Embedded clinical knowledge was elicited to complement the domain ontology with formal concept analysis. The decision rules were translated into JENA format, which JENA can use to infer recommendations based on patient clinical situations. Results: The ontology includes 31 classes and 13 properties, plus 38 JENA rules that were built to generate recommendations. The evaluation studies confirmed the correctness of the ontology, acceptance of recommendations, satisfaction with the system, and usefulness of the ontology for glycemic management of diabetic patients undergoing surgery, especially for domain experts. Conclusions: The contribution of this research is to set up an evidence-based hybrid ontology and an evaluation method for CDSS. The system can help clinicians to achieve inpatient glycemic control in diabetic patients undergoing surgery while avoiding hypoglycemia. PMID:24730353

Optimization of radiotherapy. Some notes on the principles and practice of optimization in cancer treatment and implications for clinical research.

PubMed

Andrews, J R

1981-01-01

Two methods dominate cancer treatment--one, the traditional best practice, individualized treatment method and two, the a priori determined decision method of the interinstitutional, cooperative, clinical trial. In the first, choices are infinite and can be made at the time of treatment; in the second, choices are finite and are made in advance of treatment on a random basis. Neither method systematically selects, identifies, or formalizes the optimum level of effect in the treatment chosen. Of the two, it can be argued that the first, other things being equal, is more likely to select the optimum treatment. The determination of level of effect for the optimization of cancer treatment requires the generation of dose-response relationships for both benefit and risk and the introduction of benefit and risk considerations and judgements. The clinical trial, as presently constituted, doses not yield this kind of information, it being, generally, of the binary yes or no, better or worse type. The best practice, individualized treatment method can yield, when adequately documented, both a range of dose-response relationships and a variety of benefit and risk considerations. The presentation will be limited to a consideration of a single modality of cancer treatment, radiation therapy, but an analogy with other modalities of cancer treatment will be inferred. Criteria for optimization will be developed and graphic means for its identification and formalization will be demonstrated with examples taken from the radiotherapy literature. The general problem of optimization theory and practice will be discussed; the necessity for its exploration in relation to the increasing complexity of cancer treatment will be developed; and recommendations for clinical research will be made including a proposal for the support of clinics as an alternative to the support of programs.

Teaching Basic Quantum Mechanics in Secondary School Using Concepts of Feynman Path Integrals Method

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fanaro, Maria de los Angeles; Otero, Maria Rita; Arlego, Marcelo

2012-01-01

This paper discusses the teaching of basic quantum mechanics in high school. Rather than following the usual formalism, our approach is based on Feynman's path integral method. Our presentation makes use of simulation software and avoids sophisticated mathematical formalism. (Contains 3 figures.)

A Vector Representation for Thermodynamic Relationships

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pogliani, Lionello

2006-01-01

The existing vector formalism method for thermodynamic relationship maintains tractability and uses accessible mathematics, which can be seen as a diverting and entertaining step into the mathematical formalism of thermodynamics and as an elementary application of matrix algebra. The method is based on ideas and operations apt to improve the…

Using formal specification in the Guidance and Control Software (GCS) experiment. Formal design and verification technology for life critical systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Weber, Doug; Jamsek, Damir

1994-01-01

The goal of this task was to investigate how formal methods could be incorporated into a software engineering process for flight-control systems under DO-178B and to demonstrate that process by developing a formal specification for NASA's Guidance and Controls Software (GCS) Experiment. GCS is software to control the descent of a spacecraft onto a planet's surface. The GCS example is simplified from a real example spacecraft, but exhibits the characteristics of realistic spacecraft control software. The formal specification is written in Larch.

ECONOMICS OF INDIVIDUALIZATION IN COMPARATIVE EFFECTIVENESS RESEARCH AND A BASIS FOR A PATIENT-CENTERED HEALTH CARE

PubMed Central

Basu, Anirban

2011-01-01

The United States aspires to use information from comparative effectiveness research (CER) to reduce waste and contain costs without instituting a formal rationing mechanism or compromising patient or physician autonomy with regard to treatment choices. With such ambitious goals, traditional combinations of research designs and analytical methods used in CER may lead to disappointing results. In this paper, I study how alternate regimes of comparative effectiveness information help shape the marginal benefits (demand) curve in the population and how such perceived demand curves impact decision-making at the individual patient level and welfare at the societal level. I highlight the need to individualize comparative effectiveness research in order to generate the true (normative) demand curve for treatments. I discuss methodological principles that guide research designs for such studies. Using an example of the comparative effect of substance abuse treatments on crime, I use novel econometric methods to salvage individualized information from an existing dataset. PMID:21601299

Economics of individualization in comparative effectiveness research and a basis for a patient-centered health care.

PubMed

Basu, Anirban

2011-05-01

The United States aspires to use information from comparative effectiveness research (CER) to reduce waste and contain costs without instituting a formal rationing mechanism or compromising patient or physician autonomy with regard to treatment choices. With such ambitious goals, traditional combinations of research designs and analytical methods used in CER may lead to disappointing results. In this paper, I study how alternate regimes of comparative effectiveness information help shape the marginal benefits (demand) curve in the population and how such perceived demand curves impact decision-making at the individual patient level and welfare at the societal level. I highlight the need to individualize comparative effectiveness research in order to generate the true (normative) demand curve for treatments. I discuss methodological principles that guide research designs for such studies. Using an example of the comparative effect of substance abuse treatments on crime, I use novel econometric methods to salvage individualized information from an existing dataset. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Mixed Methods in CAM Research: A Systematic Review of Studies Published in 2012

PubMed Central

Bishop, Felicity L.; Holmes, Michelle M.

2013-01-01

Background. Mixed methods research uses qualitative and quantitative methods together in a single study or a series of related studies. Objectives. To review the prevalence and quality of mixed methods studies in complementary medicine. Methods. All studies published in the top 10 integrative and complementary medicine journals in 2012 were screened. The quality of mixed methods studies was appraised using a published tool designed for mixed methods studies. Results. 4% of papers (95 out of 2349) reported mixed methods studies, 80 of which met criteria for applying the quality appraisal tool. The most popular formal mixed methods design was triangulation (used by 74% of studies), followed by embedded (14%), sequential explanatory (8%), and finally sequential exploratory (5%). Quantitative components were generally of higher quality than qualitative components; when quantitative components involved RCTs they were of particularly high quality. Common methodological limitations were identified. Most strikingly, none of the 80 mixed methods studies addressed the philosophical tensions inherent in mixing qualitative and quantitative methods. Conclusions and Implications. The quality of mixed methods research in CAM can be enhanced by addressing philosophical tensions and improving reporting of (a) analytic methods and reflexivity (in qualitative components) and (b) sampling and recruitment-related procedures (in all components). PMID:24454489

Trust and Trustworthiness in Human-Robot Interaction: A Formal Conceptualization

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-05-11

AFRL-AFOSR-VA-TR-2016-0198 Trust and Trustworthiness in Human- Robot Interaction: A formal conceptualization Alan Wagner GEORGIA TECH APPLIED RESEARCH...27/2013-03/31/2016 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE Trust and Trustworthiness in Human- Robot Interaction: A formal conceptualization 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER 5b...evaluated algorithms for characterizing trust during interactions between a robot and a human and employed strategies for repairing trust during emergency

Exploring the Impact of Prior Experiences in Non-Formal Education on My Pedagogy of Teacher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bullock, Shawn Michael

2014-01-01

The purpose of this article is to use self-study methodology to analyze critically the impact of 30 years of non-formal education on my development as a teacher educator. I begin within a particular conception of self-study research and make a case for situating martial arts as non-formal education. The data for this article are presented as a…

Motion Planning and Task Assignment for Unmanned Aerial Vehicles Cooperating with Unattended Ground Sensors

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-10-24

problem was formalized as the Dubins travelling salesman problem (TSP). In the second phase of the research we have...given constraints on its motion. This problem was formalized as the Dubins travelling salesman problem (TSP). The contributions of the study in the... problem was formalized as the Dubins travelling salesman problem (TSP). The Dubins Travelling Salesperson Problem (DTSP) and its variants [8, 12,

Robustness Analysis and Reliable Flight Regime Estimation of an Integrated Resilent Control System for a Transport Aircraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shin, Jong-Yeob; Belcastro, Christine

2008-01-01

Formal robustness analysis of aircraft control upset prevention and recovery systems could play an important role in their validation and ultimate certification. As a part of the validation process, this paper describes an analysis method for determining a reliable flight regime in the flight envelope within which an integrated resilent control system can achieve the desired performance of tracking command signals and detecting additive faults in the presence of parameter uncertainty and unmodeled dynamics. To calculate a reliable flight regime, a structured singular value analysis method is applied to analyze the closed-loop system over the entire flight envelope. To use the structured singular value analysis method, a linear fractional transform (LFT) model of a transport aircraft longitudinal dynamics is developed over the flight envelope by using a preliminary LFT modeling software tool developed at the NASA Langley Research Center, which utilizes a matrix-based computational approach. The developed LFT model can capture original nonlinear dynamics over the flight envelope with the ! block which contains key varying parameters: angle of attack and velocity, and real parameter uncertainty: aerodynamic coefficient uncertainty and moment of inertia uncertainty. Using the developed LFT model and a formal robustness analysis method, a reliable flight regime is calculated for a transport aircraft closed-loop system.

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

Richard F. Shand

The Gordon Research Conference (GRC) on 2003 Archaea: Ecology, Metabolism and Molecular Biology was held at Proctor Academy, Andover, NH from August 3-8, 2003. The Conference was well-attended with 150 participants (attendees list attached). The attendees represented the spectrum of endeavor in this field coming from academia, industry, and government laboratories, both U.S. and foreign scientists, senior researchers, young investigators, and students. In designing the formal speakers program, emphasis was placed on current unpublished research and discussion of the future target areas in this field. There was a conscious effort to stimulate lively discussion about the key issues in themore » field today. Time for formal presentations was limited in the interest of group discussions. In order that more scientists could communicate their most recent results, poster presentation time was scheduled. Attached is a copy of the formal schedule and speaker program and the poster program. In addition to these formal interactions, ''free time'' was scheduled to allow informal discussions. Such discussions are fostering new collaborations and joint efforts in the field. I want to personally thank you for your support of this Conference. As you know, in the interest of promoting the presentation of unpublished and frontier-breaking research, Gordon Research Conferences does not permit publication of meeting proceedings. If you wish any further details, please feel free to contact me. Thank you, Dr. Richard F. Shand, 2003 Conference Chair.« less

Formal Requirements-Based Programming for Complex Systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rash, James L.; Hinchey, Michael G.; Rouff, Christopher A.; Gracanin, Denis

2005-01-01

Computer science as a field has not yet produced a general method to mechanically transform complex computer system requirements into a provably equivalent implementation. Such a method would be one major step towards dealing with complexity in computing, yet it remains the elusive holy grail of system development. Currently available tools and methods that start with a formal model of a system and mechanically produce a provably equivalent implementation are valuable but not sufficient. The gap that such tools and methods leave unfilled is that the formal models cannot be proven to be equivalent to the system requirements as originated by the customer For the classes of complex systems whose behavior can be described as a finite (but significant) set of scenarios, we offer a method for mechanically transforming requirements (expressed in restricted natural language, or appropriate graphical notations) into a provably equivalent formal model that can be used as the basis for code generation and other transformations. While other techniques are available, this method is unique in offering full mathematical tractability while using notations and techniques that are well known and well trusted. We illustrate the application of the method to an example procedure from the Hubble Robotic Servicing Mission currently under study and preliminary formulation at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center.

Systematic Model-in-the-Loop Test of Embedded Control Systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Krupp, Alexander; Müller, Wolfgang

Current model-based development processes offer new opportunities for verification automation, e.g., in automotive development. The duty of functional verification is the detection of design flaws. Current functional verification approaches exhibit a major gap between requirement definition and formal property definition, especially when analog signals are involved. Besides lack of methodical support for natural language formalization, there does not exist a standardized and accepted means for formal property definition as a target for verification planning. This article addresses several shortcomings of embedded system verification. An Enhanced Classification Tree Method is developed based on the established Classification Tree Method for Embeded Systems CTM/ES which applies a hardware verification language to define a verification environment.

Engaging Scientists in Education; the benefits of teacher-researcher pairs.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mayo, L.

2015-12-01

There are many benefits to developing and nurturing teacher-scientist collaborations within schools and school systems. Scientists understand the content, are up to date on the latest, most current information and discoveries, and generally convey a real excitement about their work. Teachers understand effective teaching as well as behavioral methods, have access to school resources, understand school policies and procedures, and can follow through for sustained learning. However, teachers and scientists also come from very different cultures with generally different values, expectations, and approaches. In this talk, we will examine the existing research on teacher-researcher pairs, identify programs that have been successful using this formalism, and build a model for effective team building, planning, and execution.

Analysis of professional competencies for the clinical research data management profession: implications for training and professional certification.

PubMed

Zozus, Meredith N; Lazarov, Angel; Smith, Leigh R; Breen, Tim E; Krikorian, Susan L; Zbyszewski, Patrick S; Knoll, Shelly K; Jendrasek, Debra A; Perrin, Derek C; Zambas, Demetris N; Williams, Tremaine B; Pieper, Carl F

2017-07-01

To assess and refine competencies for the clinical research data management profession. Based on prior work developing and maintaining a practice standard and professional certification exam, a survey was administered to a captive group of clinical research data managers to assess professional competencies, types of data managed, types of studies supported, and necessary foundational knowledge. Respondents confirmed a set of 91 professional competencies. As expected, differences were seen in job tasks between early- to mid-career and mid- to late-career practitioners. Respondents indicated growing variability in types of studies for which they managed data and types of data managed. Respondents adapted favorably to the separate articulation of professional competencies vs foundational knowledge. The increases in the types of data managed and variety of research settings in which data are managed indicate a need for formal education in principles and methods that can be applied to different research contexts (ie, formal degree programs supporting the profession), and stronger links with the informatics scientific discipline, clinical research informatics in particular. The results document the scope of the profession and will serve as a foundation for the next revision of the Certified Clinical Data Manager TM exam. A clear articulation of professional competencies and necessary foundational knowledge could inform the content of graduate degree programs or tracks in areas such as clinical research informatics that will develop the current and future clinical research data management workforce. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the American Medical Informatics Association. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com

Clinical Research Informatics: Challenges, Opportunities and Definition for an Emerging Domain

PubMed Central

Embi, Peter J.; Payne, Philip R.O.

2009-01-01

Objectives Clinical Research Informatics, an emerging sub-domain of Biomedical Informatics, is currently not well defined. A formal description of CRI including major challenges and opportunities is needed to direct progress in the field. Design Given the early stage of CRI knowledge and activity, we engaged in a series of qualitative studies with key stakeholders and opinion leaders to determine the range of challenges and opportunities facing CRI. These phases employed complimentary methods to triangulate upon our findings. Measurements Study phases included: 1) a group interview with key stakeholders, 2) an email follow-up survey with a larger group of self-identified CRI professionals, and 3) validation of our results via electronic peer-debriefing and member-checking with a group of CRI-related opinion leaders. Data were collected, transcribed, and organized for formal, independent content analyses by experienced qualitative investigators, followed by an iterative process to identify emergent categorizations and thematic descriptions of the data. Results We identified a range of challenges and opportunities facing the CRI domain. These included 13 distinct themes spanning academic, practical, and organizational aspects of CRI. These findings also informed the development of a formal definition of CRI and supported further representations that illustrate areas of emphasis critical to advancing the domain. Conclusions CRI has emerged as a distinct discipline that faces multiple challenges and opportunities. The findings presented summarize those challenges and opportunities and provide a framework that should help inform next steps to advance this important new discipline. PMID:19261934

A guide and glossary on post-positivist theory building for population health.

PubMed

Carpiano, R M; Daley, Dorothy M

2006-07-01

This guide and glossary focuses on the role of theory and conceptual models within population health research. Upon discussing the critical need for theory in conducting interdisciplinary research, it provides strategies for crafting theories that can be empirically tested and a glossary of theory building terms that are useful for guiding research. In addition to general concepts, the glossary includes some terminology commonly found in the social sciences, whose well established traditions and practices of formal theory building may be particularly informative for epidemiologists and other population health researchers who have minimal formal social science training, but study social factors in their research.

A guide and glossary on postpositivist theory building for population health

PubMed Central

Carpiano, Richard M; Daley, Dorothy M

2006-01-01

This guide and glossary focuses on the role of theory and conceptual models within population health research. Upon discussing the critical need for theory in conducting interdisciplinary research, it provides strategies for crafting theories that can be empirically tested and a glossary of theory building terms that are useful for guiding research. In addition to general concepts, the glossary includes some terminology commonly found in the social sciences, whose well established traditions and practices of formal theory building may be particularly informative for epidemiologists and other population health researchers who have minimal formal social science training, but study social factors in their research. PMID:16790824

Location priority for non-formal early childhood education school based on promethee method and map visualization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ayu Nurul Handayani, Hemas; Waspada, Indra

2018-05-01

Non-formal Early Childhood Education (non-formal ECE) is an education that is held for children under 4 years old. The implementation in District of Banyumas, Non-formal ECE is monitored by The District Government of Banyumas and helped by Sanggar Kegiatan Belajar (SKB) Purwokerto as one of the organizer of Non-formal Education. The government itself has a program for distributing ECE to all villages in Indonesia. However, The location to construct the ECE school in several years ahead is not arranged yet. Therefore, for supporting that program, a decision support system is made to give some recommendation villages for constructing The ECE building. The data are projected based on Brown’s Double Exponential Smoothing Method and utilizing Preference Ranking Organization Method for Enrichment Evaluation (Promethee) to generate priority order. As the recommendations system, it generates map visualization which is colored according to the priority level of sub-district and village area. The system was tested with black box testing, Promethee testing, and usability testing. The results showed that the system functionality and Promethee algorithm were working properly, and the user was satisfied.

Generalizability of the Ordering among Five Formal Reasoning Tasks by an Ordering-Theoretic Method.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bart, William M.; And Others

1979-01-01

Five Inhelder-Piaget formal operations tasks were analyzed to determine the extent that the formal operational skills they assess were ordered into a stable hierarchy generalizable across samples of subjects. Subjects were 34 collegiate gymnasts (19 males, 15 females), and 22 students (1 male, 21 females) from a university nursing program.…

Using Data-Driven Model-Brain Mappings to Constrain Formal Models of Cognition

PubMed Central

Borst, Jelmer P.; Nijboer, Menno; Taatgen, Niels A.; van Rijn, Hedderik; Anderson, John R.

2015-01-01

In this paper we propose a method to create data-driven mappings from components of cognitive models to brain regions. Cognitive models are notoriously hard to evaluate, especially based on behavioral measures alone. Neuroimaging data can provide additional constraints, but this requires a mapping from model components to brain regions. Although such mappings can be based on the experience of the modeler or on a reading of the literature, a formal method is preferred to prevent researcher-based biases. In this paper we used model-based fMRI analysis to create a data-driven model-brain mapping for five modules of the ACT-R cognitive architecture. We then validated this mapping by applying it to two new datasets with associated models. The new mapping was at least as powerful as an existing mapping that was based on the literature, and indicated where the models were supported by the data and where they have to be improved. We conclude that data-driven model-brain mappings can provide strong constraints on cognitive models, and that model-based fMRI is a suitable way to create such mappings. PMID:25747601

Grammar-based Automatic 3D Model Reconstruction from Terrestrial Laser Scanning Data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yu, Q.; Helmholz, P.; Belton, D.; West, G.

2014-04-01

The automatic reconstruction of 3D buildings has been an important research topic during the last years. In this paper, a novel method is proposed to automatically reconstruct the 3D building models from segmented data based on pre-defined formal grammar and rules. Such segmented data can be extracted e.g. from terrestrial or mobile laser scanning devices. Two steps are considered in detail. The first step is to transform the segmented data into 3D shapes, for instance using the DXF (Drawing Exchange Format) format which is a CAD data file format used for data interchange between AutoCAD and other program. Second, we develop a formal grammar to describe the building model structure and integrate the pre-defined grammars into the reconstruction process. Depending on the different segmented data, the selected grammar and rules are applied to drive the reconstruction process in an automatic manner. Compared with other existing approaches, our proposed method allows the model reconstruction directly from 3D shapes and takes the whole building into account.

HDL to verification logic translator

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gambles, J. W.; Windley, P. J.

1992-01-01

The increasingly higher number of transistors possible in VLSI circuits compounds the difficulty in insuring correct designs. As the number of possible test cases required to exhaustively simulate a circuit design explodes, a better method is required to confirm the absence of design faults. Formal verification methods provide a way to prove, using logic, that a circuit structure correctly implements its specification. Before verification is accepted by VLSI design engineers, the stand alone verification tools that are in use in the research community must be integrated with the CAD tools used by the designers. One problem facing the acceptance of formal verification into circuit design methodology is that the structural circuit descriptions used by the designers are not appropriate for verification work and those required for verification lack some of the features needed for design. We offer a solution to this dilemma: an automatic translation from the designers' HDL models into definitions for the higher-ordered logic (HOL) verification system. The translated definitions become the low level basis of circuit verification which in turn increases the designer's confidence in the correctness of higher level behavioral models.

Formal Method of Description Supporting Portfolio Assessment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Morimoto, Yasuhiko; Ueno, Maomi; Kikukawa, Isao; Yokoyama, Setsuo; Miyadera, Youzou

2006-01-01

Teachers need to assess learner portfolios in the field of education. However, they need support in the process of designing and practicing what kind of portfolios are to be assessed. To solve the problem, a formal method of describing the relations between the lesson forms and portfolios that need to be collected and the relations between…

Learning in non-formal education: Is it "youthful" for youth in action?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Norqvist, Lars; Leffler, Eva

2017-04-01

This article offers insights into the practices of a non-formal education programme for youth provided by the European Union (EU). It takes a qualitative approach and is based on a case study of the European Voluntary Service (EVS). Data were collected during individual and focus group interviews with learners (the EVS volunteers), decision takers and trainers, with the aim of deriving an understanding of learning in non-formal education. The research questions concerned learning, the recognition of learning and perspectives of usefulness. The study also examined the Youthpass documentation tool as a key to understanding the recognition of learning and to determine whether the learning was useful for learners (the volunteers). The findings and analysis offer several interpretations of learning, and the recognition of learning, which take place in non-formal education. The findings also revealed that it is complicated to divide learning into formal and non- formal categories; instead, non-formal education is useful for individual learners when both formal and non-formal educational contexts are integrated. As a consequence, the division of formal and non-formal (and possibly even informal) learning creates a gap which works against the development of flexible and interconnected education with ubiquitous learning and mobility within and across formal and non-formal education. This development is not in the best interests of learners, especially when seeking useful learning and education for youth (what the authors term "youthful" for youth in action).

A review of improved ethical practices in environmental and public health research: case examples from native communities.

PubMed

Quigley, Dianne

2006-04-01

This article presents a review of 14 case studies and articles of research ethics issues in the conduct of environmental and public health research with Native American and other indigenous populations. The purpose of this review is to highlight new practices in the ethical conduct of research with native community populations. The findings from this review can promote more dialogue and policy development on the issue of community protections in research. Formal guidelines exist in ethical codes for individual rights as human subjects, but there is a lack of development on community rights in the ethics of research. This review illustrates how community-based participatory research practices can provide working guidelines that can overcome past research harms. More important, the compilations of guidelines offer tested field methods for improving the ethical conduct of research with native community populations.

Contour-time approach to the Bose-Hubbard model in the strong coupling regime: Studying two-point spatio-temporal correlations at the Hartree-Fock-Bogoliubov level

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fitzpatrick, Matthew R. C.; Kennett, Malcolm P.

2018-05-01

We develop a formalism that allows the study of correlations in space and time in both the superfluid and Mott insulating phases of the Bose-Hubbard Model. Specifically, we obtain a two particle irreducible effective action within the contour-time formalism that allows for both equilibrium and out of equilibrium phenomena. We derive equations of motion for both the superfluid order parameter and two-point correlation functions. To assess the accuracy of this formalism, we study the equilibrium solution of the equations of motion and compare our results to existing strong coupling methods as well as exact methods where possible. We discuss applications of this formalism to out of equilibrium situations.

An Examination of Cultural Values and Employees' Perceptions of Support on Affective Reaction and the Desire to Participate in a Formal Mentoring Program in an Oilfield Services Corporation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hayes, Hanna Bea

2012-01-01

Many researchers have examined the effect of formal mentoring on job satisfaction and organizational commitment. However, there has been little or no focus on an employee's intent to participate in a formal mentoring program based upon an employee's perceived organizational support, and/or affective reaction (job satisfaction and…

[Small Area Variation in Demographic Aging - Informal and Formal Nursing Care Ratios and Care Preferences of Senior Citizens Inform Health Care Planners].

PubMed

Alltag, Sophie; Nowossadeck, Sonja; Stein, Janine; Hajek, André; König, Hans-Helmut; Riedel-Heller, Steffi G; Nowossadeck, Enno

2017-10-01

Objective Demographic aging affects the number of older individuals potentially in need of care and age groups of younger individuals potentially providing formal and informal care. This study examines the current and future demographic aging and care preferences on a county level in Saxony. Methods To analyze demographic aging, formal (FISR) and informal intergenerational support ratios (IISR) based on population data from the Federal Institute for Research on Building, Urban Affairs and Spatial Development (BBSR) were used. Ratios were calculated for every county in Saxony from 2012 to 2035. Care preferences for care settings of senior German citizens in Saxony were determined by a representative telephone survey (n = 101; 65+). Results FISR and IISR tend to progress in similar ways and are reduced by 50 % by 2035. Regarding nursing care preferences, the majority preferred being cared for at home. Implications Upcoming care ratios may inform community health care planners and decision makers on critical constellations in advance. Strategies to ensure the future elderly care are to be developed and implemented. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

A qualitative investigation of the nature of "informal supervision" among therapists in training.

PubMed

Coren, Sidney; Farber, Barry A

2017-11-29

This study investigated how, when, why, and with whom therapists in training utilize "informal supervision"-that is, engage individuals who are not their formally assigned supervisors in significant conversations about their clinical work. Participants were 16 doctoral trainees in clinical and counseling psychology programs. Semi-structured interviews were conducted and analyzed using the Consensual Qualitative Research (CQR) method. Seven domains emerged from the analysis, indicating that, in general, participants believe that informal and formal supervision offer many of the same benefits, including validation, support, and reassurance; freedom and safety to discuss doubts, anxieties, strong personal reactions to patients, clinical mistakes and challenges; and alternative approaches to clinical interventions. However, several differences also emerged between these modes of learning-for example, formal supervision is seen as more focused on didactics per se ("what to do"), whereas informal supervision is seen as providing more of a "holding environment." Overall, the findings of this study suggest that informal supervision is an important and valuable adjunctive practice by which clinical trainees augment their professional competencies. Recommendations are proposed for clinical practice and training, including the need to further specify the ethical boundaries of this unique and essentially unregulated type of supervision.

Recruitment of rural healthcare professionals for live continuing education.

PubMed

Holuby, Ronnie Scott; Pellegrin, Karen L; Barbato, Anna; Ciarleglio, Anita

2015-01-01

The availability of rural healthcare is a growing concern in the United States as fewer healthcare providers choose to work in rural areas. Accessing quality continuing education (CE) for rural healthcare practitioners (HCPs) remains a challenge and may pose a barrier to quality care. To maximize attendance at a live, in-person, free CE program focusing on geriatric medication and issues specifically targeted to HCPs in rural areas, two methods were implemented sequentially. The first method used formal advertising implemented by a professional marketing service to promote CE events. The second method enlisted local healthcare organizations and physician groups to promote the CE event to their employees. Cost per attendee was calculated for comparison. Professional marketing services recruited 31 HCPs (March 2011) and resulted in a per-participant recruitment cost of US$428.62. Local healthcare organizations and physician groups' marketing recruited 48 HCPs (July-August 2011) and resulted in a per-participant recruitment cost of US$55.19. Providing free CE coordinated through local healthcare organizations and physician groups was the most cost-effective method of recruiting rural HCPs for CE. Formal advertising added cost without increasing the number of participants per event. Although this is the first study of the cost-effectiveness of recruitment methods targeting HCPs in rural areas, results are consistent with research on cost-effectiveness of outreach to rural lay community members.

Formal methods demonstration project for space applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Divito, Ben L.

1995-01-01

The Space Shuttle program is cooperating in a pilot project to apply formal methods to live requirements analysis activities. As one of the larger ongoing shuttle Change Requests (CR's), the Global Positioning System (GPS) CR involves a significant upgrade to the Shuttle's navigation capability. Shuttles are to be outfitted with GPS receivers and the primary avionics software will be enhanced to accept GPS-provided positions and integrate them into navigation calculations. Prior to implementing the CR, requirements analysts at Loral Space Information Systems, the Shuttle software contractor, must scrutinize the CR to identify and resolve any requirements issues. We describe an ongoing task of the Formal Methods Demonstration Project for Space Applications whose goal is to find an effective way to use formal methods in the GPS CR requirements analysis phase. This phase is currently under way and a small team from NASA Langley, ViGYAN Inc. and Loral is now engaged in this task. Background on the GPS CR is provided and an overview of the hardware/software architecture is presented. We outline the approach being taken to formalize the requirements, only a subset of which is being attempted. The approach features the use of the PVS specification language to model 'principal functions', which are major units of Shuttle software. Conventional state machine techniques form the basis of our approach. Given this background, we present interim results based on a snapshot of work in progress. Samples of requirements specifications rendered in PVS are offered to illustration. We walk through a specification sketch for the principal function known as GPS Receiver State processing. Results to date are summarized and feedback from Loral requirements analysts is highlighted. Preliminary data is shown comparing issues detected by the formal methods team versus those detected using existing requirements analysis methods. We conclude by discussing our plan to complete the remaining activities of this task.

Two Paradoxes in Linear Regression Analysis

PubMed Central

FENG, Ge; PENG, Jing; TU, Dongke; ZHENG, Julia Z.; FENG, Changyong

2016-01-01

Summary Regression is one of the favorite tools in applied statistics. However, misuse and misinterpretation of results from regression analysis are common in biomedical research. In this paper we use statistical theory and simulation studies to clarify some paradoxes around this popular statistical method. In particular, we show that a widely used model selection procedure employed in many publications in top medical journals is wrong. Formal procedures based on solid statistical theory should be used in model selection. PMID:28638214

How can you capture cultural dynamics?

PubMed Central

Kashima, Yoshihisa

2014-01-01

Cross-cultural comparison is a critical method by which we can examine the interaction between culture and psychological processes. However, comparative methods tend to overlook cultural dynamics – the formation, maintenance, and transformation of cultures over time. The present article gives a brief overview of four different types of research designs that have been used to examine cultural dynamics in the literature: (1) cross-temporal methods that trace medium- to long-term changes in a culture; (2) cross-generational methods that explore medium-term implications of cultural transmission; (3) experimental simulation methods that investigate micro-level mechanisms of cultural dynamics; and (4) formal models and computer simulation methods often used to investigate long-term and macro-level implications of micro-level mechanisms. These methods differ in terms of level of analysis for which they are designed (micro vs. macro-level), scale of time for which they are typically used (short-, medium-, or long-term), and direction of inference (deductive vs. empirical method) that they imply. The paper describes examples of these methods, discuss their strengths and weaknesses, and point to their complementarity in inquiries about cultural change. Because cultural dynamics research is about meaning over time, issues deriving from interpretation of meaning and temporal distance between researchers and objects of inquiry can pose threats to the validity of the research and its findings. The methodological question about hermeneutic circle is recalled and further inquiries are encouraged. PMID:25309476

Agile Methods for Open Source Safety-Critical Software

PubMed Central

Enquobahrie, Andinet; Ibanez, Luis; Cheng, Patrick; Yaniv, Ziv; Cleary, Kevin; Kokoori, Shylaja; Muffih, Benjamin; Heidenreich, John

2011-01-01

The introduction of software technology in a life-dependent environment requires the development team to execute a process that ensures a high level of software reliability and correctness. Despite their popularity, agile methods are generally assumed to be inappropriate as a process family in these environments due to their lack of emphasis on documentation, traceability, and other formal techniques. Agile methods, notably Scrum, favor empirical process control, or small constant adjustments in a tight feedback loop. This paper challenges the assumption that agile methods are inappropriate for safety-critical software development. Agile methods are flexible enough to encourage the right amount of ceremony; therefore if safety-critical systems require greater emphasis on activities like formal specification and requirements management, then an agile process will include these as necessary activities. Furthermore, agile methods focus more on continuous process management and code-level quality than classic software engineering process models. We present our experiences on the image-guided surgical toolkit (IGSTK) project as a backdrop. IGSTK is an open source software project employing agile practices since 2004. We started with the assumption that a lighter process is better, focused on evolving code, and only adding process elements as the need arose. IGSTK has been adopted by teaching hospitals and research labs, and used for clinical trials. Agile methods have matured since the academic community suggested they are not suitable for safety-critical systems almost a decade ago, we present our experiences as a case study for renewing the discussion. PMID:21799545

Agile Methods for Open Source Safety-Critical Software.

PubMed

Gary, Kevin; Enquobahrie, Andinet; Ibanez, Luis; Cheng, Patrick; Yaniv, Ziv; Cleary, Kevin; Kokoori, Shylaja; Muffih, Benjamin; Heidenreich, John

2011-08-01

The introduction of software technology in a life-dependent environment requires the development team to execute a process that ensures a high level of software reliability and correctness. Despite their popularity, agile methods are generally assumed to be inappropriate as a process family in these environments due to their lack of emphasis on documentation, traceability, and other formal techniques. Agile methods, notably Scrum, favor empirical process control, or small constant adjustments in a tight feedback loop. This paper challenges the assumption that agile methods are inappropriate for safety-critical software development. Agile methods are flexible enough to encourage the rightamount of ceremony; therefore if safety-critical systems require greater emphasis on activities like formal specification and requirements management, then an agile process will include these as necessary activities. Furthermore, agile methods focus more on continuous process management and code-level quality than classic software engineering process models. We present our experiences on the image-guided surgical toolkit (IGSTK) project as a backdrop. IGSTK is an open source software project employing agile practices since 2004. We started with the assumption that a lighter process is better, focused on evolving code, and only adding process elements as the need arose. IGSTK has been adopted by teaching hospitals and research labs, and used for clinical trials. Agile methods have matured since the academic community suggested they are not suitable for safety-critical systems almost a decade ago, we present our experiences as a case study for renewing the discussion.

Gaining a Competitive Edge through Action Design Research

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alexa, L.; Alexa, M.; Avasilcăi, S.

2016-08-01

The current business environment is characterized by increased competition and highly innovative approach, in order to create products and services to better respond to the costumers’ needs and expectations. In this specific context, the research approaches need to be more flexible and business oriented and so, throughout the paper we have used a research method that combines design research and action research, named Action Design Research which is a research method used for generating prescriptive design knowledge through building and evaluating IT artifacts in an organizational setting [1]. Following the Action Design Research stages and principles: problem identification, building, intervention and evaluation, reflection and learning and formalization of learning, the research team has developed an online instrument used to actively involve the consumer in the product development process, in order to generate a better consumers insight regarding their needs and desires and to design and/or adjust the product accordingly. The customer engagement IT tool created and tested by using Action Design Research, E-PICUS, has been developed within the framework of the research project „E-solutions for innovation through customer pro-active involvement in value creation to increase organisational competitiveness (E-PICUS)”, PN- II-PT-PCCA-2013-4-1811, currently undergoing.

Memory sparing, fast scattering formalism for rigorous diffraction modeling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Iff, W.; Kämpfe, T.; Jourlin, Y.; Tishchenko, A. V.

2017-07-01

The basics and algorithmic steps of a novel scattering formalism suited for memory sparing and fast electromagnetic calculations are presented. The formalism, called ‘S-vector algorithm’ (by analogy with the known scattering-matrix algorithm), allows the calculation of the collective scattering spectra of individual layered micro-structured scattering objects. A rigorous method of linear complexity is applied to model the scattering at individual layers; here the generalized source method (GSM) resorting to Fourier harmonics as basis functions is used as one possible method of linear complexity. The concatenation of the individual scattering events can be achieved sequentially or in parallel, both having pros and cons. The present development will largely concentrate on a consecutive approach based on the multiple reflection series. The latter will be reformulated into an implicit formalism which will be associated with an iterative solver, resulting in improved convergence. The examples will first refer to 1D grating diffraction for the sake of simplicity and intelligibility, with a final 2D application example.

Two-Component Noncollinear Time-Dependent Spin Density Functional Theory for Excited State Calculations.

PubMed

Egidi, Franco; Sun, Shichao; Goings, Joshua J; Scalmani, Giovanni; Frisch, Michael J; Li, Xiaosong

2017-06-13

We present a linear response formalism for the description of the electronic excitations of a noncollinear reference defined via Kohn-Sham spin density functional methods. A set of auxiliary variables, defined using the density and noncollinear magnetization density vector, allows the generalization of spin density functional kernels commonly used in collinear DFT to noncollinear cases, including local density, GGA, meta-GGA and hybrid functionals. Working equations and derivations of functional second derivatives with respect to the noncollinear density, required in the linear response noncollinear TDDFT formalism, are presented in this work. This formalism takes all components of the spin magnetization into account independent of the type of reference state (open or closed shell). As a result, the method introduced here is able to afford a nonzero local xc torque on the spin magnetization while still satisfying the zero-torque theorem globally. The formalism is applied to a few test cases using the variational exact-two-component reference including spin-orbit coupling to illustrate the capabilities of the method.

Urban upgrading and its impact on health: a "quasi-experimental" mixed-methods study protocol for the BH-Viva Project.

PubMed

Friche, Amélia Augusta de Lima; Dias, Maria Angélica de Salles; Reis, Priscila Brandão Dos; Dias, Cláudia Silva; Caiaffa, Waleska Teixeira

2015-11-01

There is little scientific evidence that urban upgrading helps improve health or reduce inequities. This article presents the design for the BH-Viva Project, a "quasi-experimental", multiphase, mixed-methods study with quantitative and qualitative components, proposing an analytical model for monitoring the effects that interventions in the urban environment can have on residents' health in slums in Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais State, Brazil. A preliminary analysis revealed intra-urban differences in age-specific mortality when comparing areas with and without interventions; the mortality rate from 2002 to 2012 was stable in the "formal city", increased in slums without interventions, and decreased in slums with interventions. BH-Viva represents an effort at advancing methodological issues, providing learning and theoretical backing for urban health research and research methods, allowing their application and extension to other urban contexts.

An extended Lagrangian method for subsonic flows

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Liou, Meng-Sing; Loh, Ching Y.

1992-01-01

It is well known that fluid motion can be specified by either the Eulerian of Lagrangian description. Most of Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) developments over the last three decades have been based on the Eulerian description and considerable progress has been made. In particular, the upwind methods, inspired and guided by the work of Gudonov, have met with many successes in dealing with complex flows, especially where discontinuities exist. However, this shock capturing property has proven to be accurate only when the discontinuity is aligned with one of the grid lines since most upwind methods are strictly formulated in 1-D framework and only formally extended to multi-dimensions. Consequently, the attractive property of crisp resolution of these discontinuities is lost and research on genuine multi-dimensional approach has just been undertaken by several leading researchers. Nevertheless they are still based on the Eulerian description.

A Linguistic Truth-Valued Temporal Reasoning Formalism and Its Implementation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lu, Zhirui; Liu, Jun; Augusto, Juan C.; Wang, Hui

Temporality and uncertainty are important features of many real world systems. Solving problems in such systems requires the use of formal mechanism such as logic systems, statistical methods or other reasoning and decision-making methods. In this paper, we propose a linguistic truth-valued temporal reasoning formalism to enable the management of both features concurrently using a linguistic truth valued logic and a temporal logic. We also provide a backward reasoning algorithm which allows the answering of user queries. A simple but realistic scenario in a smart home application is used to illustrate our work.

Perceptions of registered nurses in four state health insititutions on continuing formal education.

PubMed

Richards, L; Potgieter, E

2010-06-01

This study investigated registered nurses in four selected state health institutions' perceptions with regard to continuing formal education. The relevance of continuing formal education is being emphasised globally by the increasing quest for quality assurance and quality management systems within an ethos of continuous improvement. According to Tlholoe (2006:5), it is important to be committed to continual learning, as people's knowledge become less relevant because skills gained early in a career are insufficient to avoid costly mistakes made through ignorance. Continuing formal education in nursing is a key element to the maintenance of quality in health care delivery. The study described: registered nurses' views on continuing formal education. Registered nurses' perceived barriers to continuing formal education. A quantitative descriptive survey design was chosen using a questionnaire for data collection. The sample consisted of 40 registered nurses working at four state health institutions in the Western Cape Province, South Africa. Convenience sampling was selected to include registered nurses who were on duty on the days during which the researcher visited the health institutions to distribute the questionnaires. The questionnaire contained mainly closed-ended and a few open-ended questions. Content validity of the instrument was ensured by doing a thorough literature review before construction of items and a pretest. Reliability was established by the pretest and providing the same information to all respondents before completion of the questionnaires. The ethical considerations of informed consent, anonymity and confidentiality were adhered to and consent to conduct the study was obtained from relevant authorities. Descriptive statistics, based on calculations using the Microsoft (MS) Excel (for Windows 2000) programme, were used to summarise and describe the research results. The research results indicated that most registered nurses perceive continuing formal education as beneficial to their personal and professional growth and that it could lead towards improving the quality of patient/client care, but barriers exist which prevent or deter them from undertaking continuing formal education programmes. The main structural barriers included lack of funding and lack of coherent staff development planning and physical barriers including job and family responsibilities.

Best practices of formal new graduate nurse transition programs: an integrative review.

PubMed

Rush, Kathy L; Adamack, Monica; Gordon, Jason; Lilly, Meredith; Janke, Robert

2013-03-01

The aim of this review was to identify best practices of formal new graduate nurse transition programs. This information would be useful for organizations in their support and development of formal transition programs for newly hired nurses. An integrative review of the nursing research literature (2000-2011). The literature search included PubMed (MEDLINE), the Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), and the Excerpta Medica Database (Embase). Studies that dealt with programs geared toward pre-registration nursing students were removed. At least two researchers evaluated the literature to determine if the article met the inclusion and exclusion criteria. The final number of articles included in this review is 47. Cooper's (1989) five-stage approach to integrative review guided the process: problem formulation, data collection, evaluation of data points, data analysis and interpretation, presentation of results. Transition program literature was examined according to four major themes: Education (pre-registration and practice), Support/Satisfaction, Competency and Critical Thinking, and Workplace Environment. This included new graduates' retrospective accounts of their undergraduate education and examination of orientation and formal supports provided beyond the traditional unit orientation period. Transition programs included residencies, internships, mentorships, extended preceptorships, and generic programs. Common elements of programs were a specified resource person(s) for new graduates, mentor (mentorship), formal education, and peer support opportunities. The length, type of education, and supports provided varied considerably among programs, yet the presence of a transition program resulted in improved new graduate nurse retention and cost benefits. The variability in research designs limits the conclusions that can be drawn about best practices in transition programs for new graduate nurses. The presence of a formal new graduate transition program resulted in good retention and improved competency. The stronger evidence suggests that new graduate education should focus on practical skill development, preceptors should receive a level of formal training, formal support should be available at least through the difficult six to nine month post-hire period, opportunities for connection with their peers should be provided, and organizations should strive to ensure clinical units with healthy work environments. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Towards an Automated Development Methodology for Dependable Systems with Application to Sensor Networks

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hinchey, Michael G.; Rash, James L.; Rouff, Christopher A.

2005-01-01

A general-purpose method to mechanically transform system requirements into a probably equivalent model has yet to appeal: Such a method represents a necessary step toward high-dependability system engineering for numerous possible application domains, including sensor networks and autonomous systems. Currently available tools and methods that start with a formal model of a system and mechanically produce a probably equivalent implementation are valuable but not su8cient. The "gap" unfilled by such tools and methods is that their. formal models cannot be proven to be equivalent to the system requirements as originated by the customel: For the classes of systems whose behavior can be described as a finite (but significant) set of scenarios, we offer a method for mechanically transforming requirements (expressed in restricted natural language, or in other appropriate graphical notations) into a probably equivalent formal model that can be used as the basis for code generation and other transformations.

An ORCID based synchronization framework for a national CRIS ecosystem.

PubMed

Mendes Moreira, João; Cunha, Alcino; Macedo, Nuno

2015-01-01

PTCRIS (Portuguese Current Research Information System) is a program aiming at the creation and sustained development of a national integrated information ecosystem, to support research management according to the best international standards and practices. This paper reports on the experience of designing and prototyping a synchronization framework for PTCRIS based on ORCID (Open Researcher and Contributor ID). This framework embraces the "input once, re-use often" principle, and will enable a substantial reduction of the research output management burden by allowing automatic information exchange between the various national systems. The design of the framework followed best practices in rigorous software engineering, namely well-established principles in the research field of consistency management, and relied on formal analysis techniques and tools for its validation and verification. The notion of consistency between the services was formally specified and discussed with the stakeholders before the technical aspects on how to preserve said consistency were explored. Formal specification languages and automated verification tools were used to analyze the specifications and generate usage scenarios, useful for validation with the stakeholder and essential to certificate compliant services.

Research ethics and Institutional Review Boards. The influence of moral constraints on emotion research.

PubMed

Sontag, Michael

2012-01-01

Researchers in the twenty-first century face a set of challenges unknown to researchers a half century ago--the need to justify the moral acceptability of their research methods through formal review processes. However, the role that moral constraints play in the development and demise of scientific theories has largely gone unappreciated. The rise of Institutional Review Boards (IRB) in the 1960s compounded the impact of moral constraints on scientific research and on the theories that develop out of such highly monitored research. To demonstrate the effects of moral constraints on scientific theory and research, this paper offers a history and analysis of the interaction between evolving moral standards and twentieth century emotion theory. Recommendations regarding IRB reform are also reviewed. The paper concludes by arguing that, while appropriate IRB reform is important, it cannot eliminate the need for careful reflection on the broader forces that shape scientific practice and understanding.

A Generic Software Safety Document Generator

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Denney, Ewen; Venkatesan, Ram Prasad

2004-01-01

Formal certification is based on the idea that a mathematical proof of some property of a piece of software can be regarded as a certificate of correctness which, in principle, can be subjected to external scrutiny. In practice, however, proofs themselves are unlikely to be of much interest to engineers. Nevertheless, it is possible to use the information obtained from a mathematical analysis of software to produce a detailed textual justification of correctness. In this paper, we describe an approach to generating textual explanations from automatically generated proofs of program safety, where the proofs are of compliance with an explicit safety policy that can be varied. Key to this is tracing proof obligations back to the program, and we describe a tool which implements this to certify code auto-generated by AutoBayes and AutoFilter, program synthesis systems under development at the NASA Ames Research Center. Our approach is a step towards combining formal certification with traditional certification methods.

A medical ontology for intelligent web-based skin lesions image retrieval.

PubMed

Maragoudakis, Manolis; Maglogiannis, Ilias

2011-06-01

Researchers have applied increasing efforts towards providing formal computational frameworks to consolidate the plethora of concepts and relations used in the medical domain. In the domain of skin related diseases, the variability of semantic features contained within digital skin images is a major barrier to the medical understanding of the symptoms and development of early skin cancers. The desideratum of making these standards machine-readable has led to their formalization in ontologies. In this work, in an attempt to enhance an existing Core Ontology for skin lesion images, hand-coded from image features, high quality images were analyzed by an autonomous ontology creation engine. We show that by exploiting agglomerative clustering methods with distance criteria upon the existing ontological structure, the original domain model could be enhanced with new instances, attributes and even relations, thus allowing for better classification and retrieval of skin lesion categories from the web.

Formalizing Evidence Type Definitions for Drug-Drug Interaction Studies to Improve Evidence Base Curation.

PubMed

Utecht, Joseph; Brochhausen, Mathias; Judkins, John; Schneider, Jodi; Boyce, Richard D

2017-01-01

In this research we aim to demonstrate that an ontology-based system can categorize potential drug-drug interaction (PDDI) evidence items into complex types based on a small set of simple questions. Such a method could increase the transparency and reliability of PDDI evidence evaluation, while also reducing the variations in content and seriousness ratings present in PDDI knowledge bases. We extended the DIDEO ontology with 44 formal evidence type definitions. We then manually annotated the evidence types of 30 evidence items. We tested an RDF/OWL representation of answers to a small number of simple questions about each of these 30 evidence items and showed that automatic inference can determine the detailed evidence types based on this small number of simpler questions. These results show proof-of-concept for a decision support infrastructure that frees the evidence evaluator from mastering relatively complex written evidence type definitions.

"We are Two of the Lucky Ones": Experiences with Marriage and Wellbeing for Same-Sex Couples.

PubMed

Kennedy, Heather R; Dalla, Rochelle L; Dreesman, Steven

2018-01-01

Happy marriages provide protective health benefits, and social support is a key factor in this association. However, previous research indicates one of the greatest differences between same- and different-sex couples is less social support for same-sex couples. Our goal was to examine the extent to which formal markers of couple status (e.g., marriage) impact wellbeing among same-sex married partners. Using a mixed-methods approach, data were collected from 218 primarily White gay and lesbian individuals in the Midwest. Quantitative analysis revealed individuals in a prior formal union with a different-sex partner reported the lowest levels of sexuality specific social support and acceptance. Qualitative analysis revealed four primary impacts of marriage on support from family, friends, and co-workers: no change, increased support, decreased support, and a synthesis of mixed support. Three mechanisms prompting change in the family were identified and are presented.

A Conceptual Design for a Reliable Optical Bus (ROBUS)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Miner, Paul S.; Malekpour, Mahyar; Torres, Wilfredo

2002-01-01

The Scalable Processor-Independent Design for Electromagnetic Resilience (SPIDER) is a new family of fault-tolerant architectures under development at NASA Langley Research Center (LaRC). The SPIDER is a general-purpose computational platform suitable for use in ultra-reliable embedded control applications. The design scales from a small configuration supporting a single aircraft function to a large distributed configuration capable of supporting several functions simultaneously. SPIDER consists of a collection of simplex processing elements communicating via a Reliable Optical Bus (ROBUS). The ROBUS is an ultra-reliable, time-division multiple access broadcast bus with strictly enforced write access (no babbling idiots) providing basic fault-tolerant services using formally verified fault-tolerance protocols including Interactive Consistency (Byzantine Agreement), Internal Clock Synchronization, and Distributed Diagnosis. The conceptual design of the ROBUS is presented in this paper including requirements, topology, protocols, and the block-level design. Verification activities, including the use of formal methods, are also discussed.

Delinquency Among Members of Hong Kong Youth Street Gangs: The Role of the Organizational Structures of Gangs and Triad Affiliations.

PubMed

Chui, Wing Hong; Khiatani, Paul Vinod

2018-07-01

This study explores the importance of organizational structures and formal affiliations with the Hong Kong triads to delinquency among youth street gang members in Hong Kong. More specifically, this study examines the relative importance of the number of organizational structures and triad affiliation to patterns of delinquency in a sample of active members of youth street gangs ( N = 201). With the aid of outreach social workers, a convenience sampling method was used to recruit a gender-balanced sample of at-risk youths. Logistic regression analysis of the survey data that was gathered indicated that formal affiliation to Hong Kong triads and the presence of organizational structures significantly increased the odds of delinquency (independently of each other). Suggestions for future research on gang membership and delinquency, with particular reference to the Asian context, are provided.

Using Petri Net Tools to Study Properties and Dynamics of Biological Systems

PubMed Central

Peleg, Mor; Rubin, Daniel; Altman, Russ B.

2005-01-01

Petri Nets (PNs) and their extensions are promising methods for modeling and simulating biological systems. We surveyed PN formalisms and tools and compared them based on their mathematical capabilities as well as by their appropriateness to represent typical biological processes. We measured the ability of these tools to model specific features of biological systems and answer a set of biological questions that we defined. We found that different tools are required to provide all capabilities that we assessed. We created software to translate a generic PN model into most of the formalisms and tools discussed. We have also made available three models and suggest that a library of such models would catalyze progress in qualitative modeling via PNs. Development and wide adoption of common formats would enable researchers to share models and use different tools to analyze them without the need to convert to proprietary formats. PMID:15561791

Designing an architectural style for Pervasive Healthcare systems.

PubMed

Rafe, Vahid; Hajvali, Masoumeh

2013-04-01

Nowadays, the Pervasive Healthcare (PH) systems are considered as an important research area. These systems have a dynamic structure and configuration. Therefore, an appropriate method for designing such systems is necessary. The Publish/Subscribe Architecture (pub/sub) is one of the convenient architectures to support such systems. PH systems are safety critical; hence, errors can bring disastrous results. To prevent such problems, a powerful analytical tool is required. So using a proper formal language like graph transformation systems for developing of these systems seems necessary. But even if software engineers use such high level methodologies, errors may occur in the system under design. Hence, it should be investigated automatically and formally that whether this model of system satisfies all their requirements or not. In this paper, a dynamic architectural style for developing PH systems is presented. Then, the behavior of these systems is modeled and evaluated using GROOVE toolset. The results of the analysis show its high reliability.

NASA/DOD Aerospace Knowledge Diffusion Research Project. Report 8: Summary report to phase 3 faculty and student respondents

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pinelli, Thomas E.; Kennedy, John M.; White, Terry F.

1991-01-01

Phase 3 of a four part study was undertaken to investigate the use of scientific and technical information (STI) in the academic aerospace community. Three questionnaires that were sent to three groups (i.e., faculty, librarians, and students) in the academic aerospace community were used. Specific attention was paid to the types of STI used and the methods in which academic users acquired STI. The focus is on the responses of two of the three groups: faculty in aerospace departments and students enrolled in the USRA-funded capstone design courses. Respondents in both groups relied heavily upon informal sources of information, although students were less inclined to regard their personal collections of STI as important. Both groups relied upon most formal sources of STI about the same, but students reported more difficulty in using the formal resources.

Study of the comprehension of the scientific method by members of a university health research laboratory.

PubMed

Burlamaque-Neto, A C; Santos, G R; Lisbôa, L M; Goldim, J R; Machado, C L B; Matte, U; Giugliani, R

2012-02-01

In Brazil, scientific research is carried out mainly at universities, where professors coordinate research projects with the active participation of undergraduate and graduate students. However, there is no formal program for the teaching/learning of the scientific method. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the comprehension of the scientific method by students of health sciences who participate in scientific projects in an academic research laboratory. An observational descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted using Edgar Morin complexity as theoretical reference. In a semi-structured interview, students were asked to solve an abstract logical puzzle - TanGram. The collected data were analyzed using the hermeneutic-dialectic analysis method proposed by Minayo and discussed in terms of the theoretical reference of complexity. The students' concept of the scientific method is limited to participation in projects, stressing the execution of practical procedures as opposed to scientific thinking. The solving of the TanGram puzzle revealed that the students had difficulties in understanding questions and activities focused on subjects and their processes. Objective answers, even when dealing with personal issues, were also reflected on the students' opinions about the characteristics of a successful researcher. Students' difficulties concerning these issues may affect their scientific performance and result in poorly designed experiments. This is a preliminary study that should be extended to other centers of scientific research.

Study of the comprehension of the scientific method by members of a university health research laboratory

PubMed Central

Burlamaque-Neto, A.C.; Santos, G.R.; Lisbôa, L.M.; Goldim, J.R.; Machado, C.L.B.; Matte, U.; Giugliani, R.

2012-01-01

In Brazil, scientific research is carried out mainly at universities, where professors coordinate research projects with the active participation of undergraduate and graduate students. However, there is no formal program for the teaching/learning of the scientific method. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the comprehension of the scientific method by students of health sciences who participate in scientific projects in an academic research laboratory. An observational descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted using Edgar Morin complexity as theoretical reference. In a semi-structured interview, students were asked to solve an abstract logical puzzle - TanGram. The collected data were analyzed using the hermeneutic-dialectic analysis method proposed by Minayo and discussed in terms of the theoretical reference of complexity. The students' concept of the scientific method is limited to participation in projects, stressing the execution of practical procedures as opposed to scientific thinking. The solving of the TanGram puzzle revealed that the students had difficulties in understanding questions and activities focused on subjects and their processes. Objective answers, even when dealing with personal issues, were also reflected on the students' opinions about the characteristics of a successful researcher. Students' difficulties concerning these issues may affect their scientific performance and result in poorly designed experiments. This is a preliminary study that should be extended to other centers of scientific research. PMID:22249427

Evolution and Revolutions of Adult Learning: Capacity Building in Adult and Non-Formal Education in Nigeria

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ugwu, Chinwe U.

2015-01-01

The National Commission for Mass Literacy, Adult and Non-Formal Education (NMEC) is the Federal Statutory Agency set up to co-ordinate all aspects of Non-Formal Education in Nigeria whether offered by government agencies or non-governmental organisations. This study looked at the existing Capacity Building Programme, the delivery methods, impact…

Hydra Revisited: Substituting Formal for Self- and Informal In-Home Care among Older Adults with Disabilities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Penning, Margaret J.

2002-01-01

Purpose: In response to concerns among policymakers and others that increases in the availability of publicly funded formal services will lead to reductions in self- and informal care, this study examines the relationship between the extent of formal in-home care received and levels of self- and informal care. Design and Methods: Two-stage least…

Global microbial commons: institutional challenges for the global exchange and distribution of microorganisms in the life sciences.

PubMed

Dedeurwaerdere, Tom

2010-01-01

Exchanges of microorganisms between culture collections, laboratories and researchers worldwide have historically occurred in an informal way. These informal exchanges have facilitated research activities, and, as a consequence, our knowledge and exploitation of microbial resources have advanced rapidly. During the last decades of the twentieth century, the increasing economic importance of biotechnology and the introduction of new legislation concerning the use of and access to biological resources has subjected exchanges of genetic resources to greater controls. Their access and distribution are more strictly regulated and, therefore, exchanges are becoming more and more formalized. This paper analyzes one of the main drivers of the movement toward more formal worldwide exchange regimes, which is increasing global interdependency of access to genetic resources. Its main finding is that formalization of exchange practices as such is not necessarily leading to more restrictive licensing conditions. The goal of further formalization and harmonization of institutional frameworks should therefore be to provide the broadest possible access to essential research materials (within the constraints set by biosecurity and quality management requirements), while maximizing the reciprocity benefits of access and exchange (which motivate the exchange practices to start with). (c) 2010 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Literate Specification: Using Design Rationale To Support Formal Methods in the Development of Human-Machine Interfaces.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Johnson, Christopher W.

1996-01-01

The development of safety-critical systems (aircraft cockpits and reactor control rooms) is qualitatively different from that of other interactive systems. These differences impose burdens on design teams that must ensure the development of human-machine interfaces. Analyzes strengths and weaknesses of formal methods for the design of user…

Enabling Requirements-Based Programming for Highly-Dependable Complex Parallel and Distributed Systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hinchey, Michael G.; Rash, James L.; Rouff, Christopher A.

2005-01-01

The manual application of formal methods in system specification has produced successes, but in the end, despite any claims and assertions by practitioners, there is no provable relationship between a manually derived system specification or formal model and the customer's original requirements. Complex parallel and distributed system present the worst case implications for today s dearth of viable approaches for achieving system dependability. No avenue other than formal methods constitutes a serious contender for resolving the problem, and so recognition of requirements-based programming has come at a critical juncture. We describe a new, NASA-developed automated requirement-based programming method that can be applied to certain classes of systems, including complex parallel and distributed systems, to achieve a high degree of dependability.

Faculty Development for Medical School Community-Based Faculty: A Council of Academic Family Medicine Educational Research Alliance Study Exploring Institutional Requirements and Challenges.

PubMed

Drowos, Joanna; Baker, Suzanne; Harrison, Suzanne Leonard; Minor, Suzanne; Chessman, Alexander W; Baker, Dennis

2017-08-01

Community-based faculty play a large role in training medical students nationwide and require faculty development. The authors hypothesized that positive relationships exist between clerkships paying preceptors and requiring faculty development, and between protected clerkship directors' time and delivering face-to-face preceptor training, as well as with the number or length of community-based preceptor visits. Through under standing the quantity, delivery methods, barriers, and institutional support for faculty development provided to community-based preceptors teaching in family medicine clerkships, best practices can be developed. Data from the 2015 Council of Academic Family Medicine's Educational Research Alliance survey of Family Medicine Clerkship Directors were analyzed. The cross-sectional survey of clerkship directors is distributed annually to institutional representatives of U.S. and Canadian accredited medical schools. Survey questions focused on the requirements, delivery methods, barriers, and institutional support available for providing faculty development to community-based preceptors. Paying community-based preceptors was positively correlated with requiring faculty development in family medicine clerkships. The greatest barrier to providing faculty development was community-based preceptor time availability; however, face-to-face methods remain the most common delivery strategy. Many family medicine clerkship directors perform informal or no needs assessment in developing faculty development topics for community-based faculty. Providing payment to community preceptors may allow schools to enhance faculty development program activities and effectiveness. Medical schools could benefit from constructing a formal curriculum for faculty development, including formal preceptor needs assessment and program evaluation. Clerkship directors may consider recruiting and retaining community-based faculty by employing innovative faculty development delivery methods.

Research methods courses as a means of developing academic general practice. Fifteen years' experience from Sweden and Denmark.

PubMed

Håkansson, Anders; Beckman, Anders; Hansson, Eva Ekvall; Merlo, Juan; Månsson, Nils-Ove

2005-09-01

Since 1989, the authors have given courses in research methodology, and these courses are now given at six venues in southern Sweden, as well as in Denmark. The course corresponds to half a year's full-time study, with half the time devoted to lectures and studies of literature, while the rest is spent on an individual project under supervision. To enable part-time study, the course extends over 1(1/2) years. In 15 years roughly 1000 people, mainly physicians, have been given training in basic research methods. The course model has been appreciated by clinically active colleagues, who have been able to attend a course and simultaneously work with patients. Among the GPs in the region, one in five has taken this course, and one in five has then gone on to start formal PhD studies. The authors have thus succeeded in their goal of giving basic scientific schooling to many physicians and recruiting some for further research.

Help Seeking Among Victims of Crime: A Review of the Empirical Literature

PubMed Central

McCart, Michael R.; Smith, Daniel W.; Sawyer, Genelle K.

2013-01-01

This paper reviews the literature on help-seeking behavior among adult victims of crime. Specifically, the paper summarizes prevalence rates for formal and informal help seeking and reviews predictors of and barriers to service use following victimization. Research suggests that only a small fraction of crime victims seek help from formal support networks; however, many seek support from informal sources. Several variables are associated with increased likelihood of formal help seeking, although the manner in which these variables affect reporting behavior is not clear. From this review, it is concluded that much remains to be learned regarding patterns of help seeking among victims of crime. Gaps in the literature and directions for future research are discussed. PMID:20336674

Measuring the Psychological Distance between an Organization and Its Members—The Construction and Validation of a New Scale

PubMed Central

Chen, Hong; Li, Shanshan

2018-01-01

There exists a lack of specific research methods to estimate the relationship between an organization and its employees, which has long challenged research in the field of organizational management. Therefore, this article introduces psychological distance concept into the research of organizational behavior, which can define the concept of psychological distance between employees and an organization and describe a level of perceived correspondence or interaction between subjects and objects. We developed an employee-organization psychological distance (EOPD) scale through both qualitative and quantitative analysis methods. As indicated by the research results based on grounded theory (10 employee in-depth interview records and 277 opening questionnaires) and formal investigation (544 questionnaires), this scale consists of six dimensions: experiential distance, behavioral distance, emotional distance, cognitive distance, spatial-temporal distance, and objective social distance based on 44 items. Finally, we determined that the EOPD scale exhibited acceptable reliability and validity using confirmatory factor analysis. This research may establish a foundation for future research on the measurement of psychological relationships between employees and organizations. PMID:29375427

With God's Help I Can Do It: Crack Users' Formal and Informal Recovery Experiences in El Salvador

PubMed Central

Dickson-Gomez, Julia; Bodnar, Gloria; Guevara, Carmen Eugenia; Rodriguez, Karla; De Mendoza, Lorena Rivas; Corbett, A. Michelle

2013-01-01

Crack use has increased dramatically in El Salvador in the last few decades. As with other developing countries with sudden onsets of drug problems, El Salvador has few medical staff trained in addictions treatment. Little research has examined drug users' attempts to reduce or abstain from drug use in countries where government-regulated formal medical treatment for drug addiction is scarce. This paper uses qualitative and quantitative data gathered from active crack users to explore their formal and informal strategies to reduce or abstain from drugs, and compares these with components of informal and formal treatment in developed countries. PMID:20735191

ADHD: From Intervention to Implementation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chaban, Peter

2010-01-01

Attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), a chronic neurological disorder, is not formally recognized in the educational systems across Canada. As a result, there is little opportunity for collaboration or sharing of information between the medical/research community and the educational system. Because ADHD is not formally identified,…

Employer Family-Supportive Policies: Diverse Variations on the Theme.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Raabe, Phyllis H.; Gessner, John C.

1988-01-01

Examined the extent and nature of employer workplace initiatives based on interviews with New Orleans (Louisiana) employers. Bolstered other research findings of progress but continued limited workplace implementations of formal, family-supportive programs. Found modifications of formal and informal policies extended organizational family…

Professional Learning Experiences and Administrator Practice: Is There a Connection?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bickmore, Dana L.

2012-01-01

This study identified the formal and informal professional learning experiences in which school administrators engaged and the relationship between these professional learning experiences and administrator practice. The researcher developed an instrument that solicited school administrators' engagement and perceived value of formal and informal…

Talking Politics, Practicing Citizenship

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

MacKinnon, Mary Pat

2008-01-01

The message emerging from a recent research series on youth civic and political participation is clear: today's youth are not disengaged from associational and small "p" political life, but they are increasingly disenchanted with formal political institutions and practices. Generation Y (those born after 1979) has less formal political…

Development of a Software Safety Process and a Case Study of Its Use

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Knight, J. C.

1997-01-01

Research in the year covered by this reporting period has been primarily directed toward the following areas: (1) Formal specification of user interfaces; (2) Fault-tree analysis including software; (3) Evaluation of formal specification notations; (4) Evaluation of formal verification techniques; (5) Expanded analysis of the shell architecture concept; (6) Development of techniques to address the problem of information survivability; and (7) Development of a sophisticated tool for the manipulation of formal specifications written in Z. This report summarizes activities under the grant. The technical results relating to this grant and the remainder of the principal investigator's research program are contained in various reports and papers. The remainder of this report is organized as follows. In the next section, an overview of the project is given. This is followed by a summary of accomplishments during the reporting period and details of students funded. Seminars presented describing work under this grant are listed in the following section, and the final section lists publications resulting from this grant.

Education Research: The challenge of incorporating formal research methodology training in a neurology residency.

PubMed

Leira, E C; Granner, M A; Torner, J C; Callison, R C; Adams, H P

2008-05-13

Physicians often do not have good understanding of research methodology. Unfortunately, the mechanism to achieve this important competency in a busy neurology residency program remains unclear. We tested the value and degree of acceptance by neurology residents of a multimodal educational intervention that consisted of biweekly teaching sessions in place of an existing journal club, as a way to provide formal training in research and statistical techniques. We used a pre- and post-test design with an educational intervention in between using neurology residents at the University of Iowa as subjects. Each test had 40 questions of research methodology. The educational intervention consisted of a biweekly, structured, topic-centered, research methodology-oriented elective seminar following a year-long predefined curriculum. An exit survey was offered to gather resident's perceptions about the course. While a majority of residents agreed that the intervention enhanced their knowledge of research methodology, only 23% attended more than 40% of the sessions. There was no difference between pretest and post-test scores (p = 0.40). Our experience suggests that, in order to accomplish the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education goals regarding increasing competency of residents in knowledge about research methodology, a major restructuring in the neurology residency curriculum with more intense formal training would be necessary.

A validity study of two paper-pencil tests of concrete and formal operations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Farmer, Walter A.; Farrell, Margaret A.; Clark, Richard M.; McDonald, Janet

Two group paper-pencil batteries, the Longeot (consisting of three subtests) and three puzzles (KLR) from Science Teaching and the Development of Reasoning, were administered to 607 students from ninth and tenth grade mathematics and science classes. A subsample of 69 students was then administered three Inhelder tasks (chemicals, rods, and shadows). In general, the expected developmental trends were confirmed, with formal status being most difficult to attain on the Inhelder tasks and easiest to attain on the Longeot. The correlations between the KLR and Inhelder (0.61, p < 0.01) and the Longeot and Inhelder (0.55, p < 0.05) were moderately high. According to the method of Shayer (Note 2), it was found that each of five paper-pencil subtests discriminates at or between the 2B (late concrete) and 3A (early formal) levels while the sixth subtest, the mealworm puzzle, was found to discriminate at the 3A level. This study indicates that either group battery may be useful in identifying transitional subjects. However, if a more stringent criterion of formal is needed, a success rate of four or five out of the six subtests may be required. Both group batteries are relatively easy to administer and score with a minimum of guidance, although the KLR scoring might need to be simplified for use by the practitioner. Sex differences found on the KLR and the Longeot are suggestive of the potential differential use of these tests by researchers investigating sex differences in achievement or aptitude.

Langley's Space Shuttle Technology: A bibliography

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Champine, G. R.

1981-01-01

This bibliography documents most of the major publications, research reports, journal articles, presentations, and contractor reports, which have been published since the inception of the Space Shuttle Technology Task Group at the NASA Langley Reseach Center on July 11, 1969. This research work was performed in house by the Center staff or under contract, monitored by the Center staff. The report is arranged according to method of publication: (1) NASA Formal Reports; (2) Contractor Reports; and (3) Articles and Conferences. Disciplines covered are in the areas of aerothermodynamics, structures, dynamics and aeroelasticity, environmental, and materials. The publications are listed without abstracts for quick reference and planning.

The issue of the arrangement of new environments for science education through collaborative actions between schools, museums and science centres in the Brazilian context of teacher training

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Monteiro, Bruno Andrade Pinto; Martins, Isabel; de Souza Janerine, Aline; de Carvalho, Fabiana Cristina

2016-06-01

We present, in this article, an investigation about the potential of the relationship between formal and non-formal educational environments. Therefore it is not an empirical research, but an essay on the topic. This paper demonstrates the concept that science education and science outreach can be privileged by actions that are developed by closer relations between formal and non-formal places. Currently, non-formal environments such as museums and science and technology centres are considered potential educational resources within the reach of schools. Educators from museums have conducted studies which demonstrate a predominant model of the utilization of these institutions by teachers, which consists of illustrative visits during the exhibitions, but does not feature a collaborative relationship or partnership between schools and these institutions. In Brazil, the main examples of approaches to collaboration between these places and schools have been taking place through the initiatives of teachers or through projects developed by the educational sector, aiming to broaden the dialogue between their institutions and the school community. Another approach mechanism relates to research and extension projects developed by university researchers, sponsored by state and federal funding agencies. In this case, the universities and university museums appear as new social actors that stand in the way of the schools and the cultural environments, complicating the relationship and, at the same time, bringing new questions to the field of educational research. We believe that the discourse in this paper should bring about further discussions in the initial teacher training courses to contribute to the understanding of practices related to the extension of the field of activity of the school.

Changes in formal sex education: 1995-2002.

PubMed

Lindberg, Laura Duberstein; Santelli, John S; Singh, Susheela

2006-12-01

Although comprehensive sex education is broadly supported by health professionals, funding for abstinence-only education has increased. Using data from the 1995 National Survey of Adolescent Males, the 1995 National Survey of Family Growth (NSFG) and the 2002 NSFG, changes in male and female adolescents' reports of the sex education they have received from formal sources were examined. Life-table methods were used to measure the timing of instruction, and t tests were used for changes over time. From 1995 to 2002, reports of formal instruction about birth control methods declined among both genders (males, from 81% to 66%; females, from 87% to 70%). This, combined with increases in reports of abstinence education among males (from 74% to 83%), resulted in a lower proportion of teenagers' overall receiving formal instruction about both abstinence and birth control methods (males, 65% to 59%; females, 84% to 65%), and a higher proportion of teenagers' receiving instruction only about abstinence (males, 9% to 24%; females, 8% to 21%). Teenagers in 2002 had received abstinence education about two years earlier (median age, 11.4 for males, 11.8 for females) than they had received birth control instruction (median age, 13.5 for both males and females). Among sexually experienced adolescents, 62% of females and 54% of males had received instruction about birth control methods prior to first sex. A substantial retreat from formal instruction about birth control methods has left increasing proportions of adolescents receiving only abstinence education. Efforts are needed to expand teenagers' access to medically accurate and comprehensive reproductive health information.

Research governance: where did it come from, what does it mean?

PubMed

Shaw, Sara; Boynton, Petra M; Greenhalgh, Trisha

2005-11-01

For a variety of historical and social reasons, research has become increasingly formalized and regulated. This change has potential benefits (reduction in fraud and misconduct, protection of vulnerable groups, financial probity) but also disadvantages (increased paperwork, time delays, constraints on research freedom). The terms 'research' and 'governance' mean different things in different contexts. Even with explicit guidance, ambiguities must be resolved by human judgement. Variation in the nature and outcome of approval decisions is therefore a fact of life. The type of approval needed for a research study depends on the official remit of the approval body, the question to be addressed; the methods to be used; the context in which the work will take place; the level of analysis and interpretation; and the plans for how the findings will be presented and used.

The Other Side of Stage Fright.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hamann, Donald L.

1985-01-01

Anxiety assessment research based on the trait-state anxiety theory suggests that musicians should not reduce anxiety in performance. A reduction in anxiety levels, especially for musicians with extensive formal training, may actually diminish performance quality. Musicians with low task-mastery skills might consider taking more formal training.…

A New Patient Record System Using the Laser Card

PubMed Central

Brown, J.H.U.; Vallbona, Carlos

1988-01-01

A method of handling medical data in the form of patient records including physical findings such as x-rays has been devised using a laser card coupled to a p.c. for data input and output. A satisfactory software system which encompasses a formalized medical record system dealing with events rather than chronological order of entry has been devised and is now under test in a community health clinic. Future directions of the card research are discussed and expanded upon. ImagesFig. 7

Increasing the Practical Impact of Formal Methods for Computer-Aided Software Development: Software Slicing, Merging and Integration

DTIC Science & Technology

1993-10-15

Chairs: Luqi Dave Dampier Workshop Chairman: Valdis Berzins Program Committee Chairs: Luqi Dave Dampier Program Committee: Joseph Goguen David Hislop ...Monterey, CA 93943 9500 Gilman Drive (408) 656-2461 La Jolla, CA 92093 berzins@cs.nps.navy.mil (619) 534-6898 wgg@cs.ucsd.edu A. Berztiss David Hislop ...Research Triangle Park, NC 27709-2211 Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15260 (919) 549-4255 (412) 624-8401 hislop @aro-emh 1 .army.mil alpha@cs.pitt.edu Jim

Addition of CF3 across unsaturated moieties: a powerful functionalization tool

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

In the last few years, the efficient introduction of trifluoromethyl groups in organic molecules has become a major research focus. This review highlights the recent developments enabling the incorporation of CF3 groups across unsaturated moieties, preferentially alkenes, and the mechanistic scenarios governing these transformations. We have specially focused on methods involving the simultaneous formation of C–CF3 and C–C or C–heteroatom bonds by formal addition reactions across π-systems, as such difunctionalization processes hold valuable synthetic potential. PMID:24789472

Unpacking (In)formal Learning in an Academic Development Programme: A Mixed-Method Social Network Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rienties, Bart; Hosein, Anesa

2015-01-01

How and with whom academics develop and maintain formal and informal networks for reflecting on their teaching practice has received limited attention even though academic development (AD) programmes have become an almost ubiquitous feature of higher education. The primary goal of this mixed-method study is to unpack how 114 academics in an AD…

Clinical and translational scientist career success: metrics for evaluation.

PubMed

Lee, Linda S; Pusek, Susan N; McCormack, Wayne T; Helitzer, Deborah L; Martina, Camille A; Dozier, Ann M; Ahluwalia, Jasjit S; Schwartz, Lisa S; McManus, Linda M; Reynolds, Brian D; Haynes, Erin N; Rubio, Doris M

2012-10-01

Despite the increased emphasis on formal training in clinical and translational research and the growth in the number and scope of training programs over the past decade, the impact of training on research productivity and career success has yet to be fully evaluated at the institutional level. In this article, the Education Evaluation Working Group of the Clinical and Translational Science Award Consortium introduces selected metrics and methods associated with the assessment of key factors that affect research career success. The goals in providing this information are to encourage more consistent data collection across training sites, to foster more rigorous and systematic exploration of factors associated with career success, and to help address previously identified difficulties in program evaluation. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

On the simulation of indistinguishable fermions in the many-body Wigner formalism

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

Sellier, J.M., E-mail: jeanmichel.sellier@gmail.com; Dimov, I.

2015-01-01

The simulation of quantum systems consisting of interacting, indistinguishable fermions is an incredible mathematical problem which poses formidable numerical challenges. Many sophisticated methods addressing this problem are available which are based on the many-body Schrödinger formalism. Recently a Monte Carlo technique for the resolution of the many-body Wigner equation has been introduced and successfully applied to the simulation of distinguishable, spinless particles. This numerical approach presents several advantages over other methods. Indeed, it is based on an intuitive formalism in which quantum systems are described in terms of a quasi-distribution function, and highly scalable due to its Monte Carlo nature.more » In this work, we extend the many-body Wigner Monte Carlo method to the simulation of indistinguishable fermions. To this end, we first show how fermions are incorporated into the Wigner formalism. Then we demonstrate that the Pauli exclusion principle is intrinsic to the formalism. As a matter of fact, a numerical simulation of two strongly interacting fermions (electrons) is performed which clearly shows the appearance of a Fermi (or exchange–correlation) hole in the phase-space, a clear signature of the presence of the Pauli principle. To conclude, we simulate 4, 8 and 16 non-interacting fermions, isolated in a closed box, and show that, as the number of fermions increases, we gradually recover the Fermi–Dirac statistics, a clear proof of the reliability of our proposed method for the treatment of indistinguishable particles.« less

Energy/dissipation-preserving Birkhoffian multi-symplectic methods for Maxwell's equations with dissipation terms

DOE PAGES

Su, Hongling; Li, Shengtai

2016-02-03

In this study, we propose two new energy/dissipation-preserving Birkhoffian multi-symplectic methods (Birkhoffian and Birkhoffian box) for Maxwell's equations with dissipation terms. After investigating the non-autonomous and autonomous Birkhoffian formalism for Maxwell's equations with dissipation terms, we first apply a novel generating functional theory to the non-autonomous Birkhoffian formalism to propose our Birkhoffian scheme, and then implement a central box method to the autonomous Birkhoffian formalism to derive the Birkhoffian box scheme. We have obtained four formal local conservation laws and three formal energy global conservation laws. We have also proved that both of our derived schemes preserve the discrete versionmore » of the global/local conservation laws. Furthermore, the stability, dissipation and dispersion relations are also investigated for the schemes. Theoretical analysis shows that the schemes are unconditionally stable, dissipation-preserving for Maxwell's equations in a perfectly matched layer (PML) medium and have second order accuracy in both time and space. Numerical experiments for problems with exact theoretical results are given to demonstrate that the Birkhoffian multi-symplectic schemes are much more accurate in preserving energy than both the exponential finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) method and traditional Hamiltonian scheme. Finally, we also solve the electromagnetic pulse (EMP) propagation problem and the numerical results show that the Birkhoffian scheme recovers the magnitude of the current source and reaction history very well even after long time propagation.« less

Energy/dissipation-preserving Birkhoffian multi-symplectic methods for Maxwell's equations with dissipation terms

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

Su, Hongling; Li, Shengtai

In this study, we propose two new energy/dissipation-preserving Birkhoffian multi-symplectic methods (Birkhoffian and Birkhoffian box) for Maxwell's equations with dissipation terms. After investigating the non-autonomous and autonomous Birkhoffian formalism for Maxwell's equations with dissipation terms, we first apply a novel generating functional theory to the non-autonomous Birkhoffian formalism to propose our Birkhoffian scheme, and then implement a central box method to the autonomous Birkhoffian formalism to derive the Birkhoffian box scheme. We have obtained four formal local conservation laws and three formal energy global conservation laws. We have also proved that both of our derived schemes preserve the discrete versionmore » of the global/local conservation laws. Furthermore, the stability, dissipation and dispersion relations are also investigated for the schemes. Theoretical analysis shows that the schemes are unconditionally stable, dissipation-preserving for Maxwell's equations in a perfectly matched layer (PML) medium and have second order accuracy in both time and space. Numerical experiments for problems with exact theoretical results are given to demonstrate that the Birkhoffian multi-symplectic schemes are much more accurate in preserving energy than both the exponential finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) method and traditional Hamiltonian scheme. Finally, we also solve the electromagnetic pulse (EMP) propagation problem and the numerical results show that the Birkhoffian scheme recovers the magnitude of the current source and reaction history very well even after long time propagation.« less

A Benchmark for Comparing Different Approaches for Specifying and Verifying Real-Time Systems

DTIC Science & Technology

1993-01-01

To be considered correct or useful, real - time systems must deliver results within specified time intervals, either without exception or with high...probability. Recently, a large number of formal methods have been invented for specifying and verifying real - time systems . It has been suggested that...these formal methods need to be tested out on actual real - time systems . Such testing will allow the scalability of the methods to be assessed and also

Model Checking Artificial Intelligence Based Planners: Even the Best Laid Plans Must Be Verified

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Smith, Margaret H.; Holzmann, Gerard J.; Cucullu, Gordon C., III; Smith, Benjamin D.

2005-01-01

Automated planning systems (APS) are gaining acceptance for use on NASA missions as evidenced by APS flown On missions such as Orbiter and Deep Space 1 both of which were commanded by onboard planning systems. The planning system takes high level goals and expands them onboard into a detailed of action fiat the spacecraft executes. The system must be verified to ensure that the automatically generated plans achieve the goals as expected and do not generate actions that would harm the spacecraft or mission. These systems are typically tested using empirical methods. Formal methods, such as model checking, offer exhaustive or measurable test coverage which leads to much greater confidence in correctness. This paper describes a formal method based on the SPIN model checker. This method guarantees that possible plans meet certain desirable properties. We express the input model in Promela, the language of SPIN and express the properties of desirable plans formally.

The changing landscape of astrostatistics and astroinformatics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Feigelson, Eric D.

2017-06-01

The history and current status of the cross-disciplinary fields of astrostatistics and astroinformatics are reviewed. Astronomers need a wide range of statistical methods for both data reduction and science analysis. With the proliferation of high-throughput telescopes, efficient large scale computational methods are also becoming essential. However, astronomers receive only weak training in these fields during their formal education. Interest in the fields is rapidly growing with conferences organized by scholarly societies, textbooks and tutorial workshops, and research studies pushing the frontiers of methodology. R, the premier language of statistical computing, can provide an important software environment for the incorporation of advanced statistical and computational methodology into the astronomical community.

Hamiltonian description of closed configurations of the vacuum magnetic field

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Skovoroda, A. A.

2015-05-01

Methods of obtaining and using the Hamiltonians of closed vacuum magnetic configurations of fusion research systems are reviewed. Various approaches to calculate the flux functions determining the Hamiltonian are discussed. It is shown that the Hamiltonian description allows one not only to reproduce all traditional results, but also to study the behavior of magnetic field lines by using the theory of dynamic systems. The potentialities of the Hamiltonian formalism and its close relation to traditional methods are demonstrated using a large number of classical examples adopted from the fundamental works by A.I. Morozov, L.S. Solov'ev, and V.D. Shafranov.

Variability of ethics education in laboratory medicine training programs: results of an international survey.

PubMed

Bruns, David E; Burtis, Carl A; Gronowski, Ann M; McQueen, Matthew J; Newman, Anthony; Jonsson, Jon J

2015-03-10

Ethical considerations are increasingly important in medicine. We aimed to determine the mode and extent of teaching of ethics in training programs in clinical chemistry and laboratory medicine. We developed an on-line survey of teaching in areas of ethics relevant to laboratory medicine. Reponses were invited from directors of training programs who were recruited via email to leaders of national organizations. The survey was completed by 80 directors from 24 countries who directed 113 programs. The largest numbers of respondents directed postdoctoral training of scientists (42%) or physicians (33%), post-masters degree programs (33%), and PhD programs (29%). Most programs (82%) were 2years or longer in duration. Formal training was offered in research ethics by 39%, medical ethics by 31%, professional ethics by 24% and business ethics by 9%. The number of reported hours of formal training varied widely, e.g., from 0 to >15h/year for research ethics and from 0 to >15h for medical ethics. Ethics training was required and/or tested in 75% of programs that offered training. A majority (54%) of respondents reported plans to add or enhance training in ethics; many indicated a desire for online resources related to ethics, especially resources with self-assessment tools. Formal teaching of ethics is absent from many training programs in clinical chemistry and laboratory medicine, with heterogeneity in the extent and methods of ethics training among the programs that provide the training. A perceived need exists for online training tools, especially tools with self-assessment components. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

How Learners Perceive They Construct Knowledge as Participants in Outreach Programs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yelich Biniecki, Susan

2010-01-01

The purpose of this interpretive qualitative research study was to explore how adult learners perceive they construct knowledge in connection to their participation in educational outreach programs, encompassing a continuum of formal, non-formal, and informal learning experiences. The study context involved three world affairs outreach education…

Formal Versus Informal Interventions for Challenging Behaviour in Persons with Intellectual Disabilities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Feldman, M. A.; Atkinson, L.; Foti-Gervais, L.; Condillac, R.

2004-01-01

Although effective, humane treatments exist for persons with intellectual disabilities (ID) who have challenging behaviour, little research has examined the extent to which clients receive formal, documented vs. undocumented interventions. Caregivers (of 625 persons with ID living in community and institutional residences in Ontario, Canada) were…

The 2 Es

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kroog, Heidi; Hess, Kristin King; Ruiz-Primo, Maria Araceli

2016-01-01

What are the characteristics of formal formative assessments that are both effective in improving student learning and an efficient use of a teacher's time and efforts? That's the question that the authors explore in this article drawing on a five-year research study. First, formal formative assessment is defined as being planned in advance,…

Combining Formal and Functional Approaches to Topic Structure

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zellers, Margaret; Post, Brechtje

2012-01-01

Fragmentation between formal and functional approaches to prosodic variation is an ongoing problem in linguistic research. In particular, the frameworks of the Phonetics of Talk-in-Interaction (PTI) and Empirical Phonology (EP) take very different theoretical and methodological approaches to this kind of variation. We argue that it is fruitful to…

Practitioner Perspectives on Learning for Social Change through Non-Formal Global Citizenship Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brown, Eleanor J.

2018-01-01

This article engages with debates about transformative learning and social change, exploring practitioner perspectives on non-formal education activities run by non-governmental organisations. The research looked at how global citizenship education practitioners met their organisation's goals of change for social justice through educational…

Educating Voters: Political Education in Norwegian Upper-Secondary Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Borhaug, Kjetil

2008-01-01

Research on political education in schools suggests that an emphasis on formal structure, constitutional principles, formal citizen rights, and debates on current issues is common. The Norwegian national curriculum on political education envisions a different political education emphasizing that students should be critical of political life and…

Transitioning from Introductory Calculus to Formal Limit Conceptions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nagle, Courtney

2013-01-01

The limit concept is a fundamental mathematical notion both for its practical applications and its importance as a prerequisite for later calculus topics. Past research suggests that limit conceptualizations promoted in introductory calculus are far removed from the formal epsilon-delta definition of limit. In this article, I provide an overview…

The Relative Contribution of Formal and Informal Organizational Work-Family Support

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Behson, Scott J.

2005-01-01

Recent work-family research has proposed that informal means of organizational work-family support (e.g., managerial support) are more useful than formal means of organizational work-family support (e.g., work-family benefit availability) in explaining variance in employee affective, intentional, and behavioral outcomes. However, the relative…

Spatial Proportional Reasoning Is Associated with Formal Knowledge about Fractions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Möhring, Wenke; Newcombe, Nora S.; Levine, Susan C.; Frick, Andrea

2016-01-01

Proportional reasoning involves thinking about parts and wholes (i.e., about fractional quantities). Yet, research on proportional reasoning and fraction learning has proceeded separately. This study assessed proportional reasoning and formal fraction knowledge in 8- to 10-year-olds. Participants (N = 52) saw combinations of cherry juice and water…

Quasi-Communities: Rethinking Learning in Formal Adult and Vocational Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Emad, Gholam Reza; Roth, Wolff-Michael

2016-01-01

Situated learning theories such as communities of practice provide a rich conceptual framework for analyzing the processes by which newcomers become full participants in the communities they enter. However, some research shows that these concepts have shortcomings for theorizing learning in formal educational settings especially when it comes to…

Recreational and Developmental Youth Coach Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rocchi, Meredith; Couture, A. Lauren

2018-01-01

Background: Within the field of coach development, previous research has ascertained that elite coaches learn through a variety of formal, non-formal, and informal sources. Little is known, however, about how coaches from different coaching contexts such as recreational and developmental learn to coach. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to…

Social Argumentation in Online Synchronous Communication

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alagoz, Esra

2013-01-01

The ability to argue well is a valuable skill for students in both formal and informal learning environments. While many studies have explored the argumentative practices in formal environments and some researchers have developed tools to enhance the argumentative skills, the social argumentation that is occurring in informal spaces has yet to be…

Leading the Teacher Team--Balancing between Formal and Informal Power in Program Leadership

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Högfeldt, Anna-Karin; Malmi, Lauri; Kinnunen, Päivi; Jerbrant, Anna; Strömberg, Emma; Berglund, Anders; Villadsen, Jørgen

2018-01-01

This continuous research within Nordic engineering institutions targets the contexts and possibilities for leadership among engineering education program directors. The IFP-model, developed based on analysis of interviews with program leaders in these institutions, visualizes the program director's informal and formal power. The model is presented…

OER Perspectives: Emerging Issues for Universities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Olcott, Don

2012-01-01

This reflection examines some of the continuing and emerging issues in the open educational resources (OER) field. These include blending OER with university management structures; formal and non-formal OER; the need for sustainable OER business models; and expanding awareness, adoption, and use of OER. In the future, research will need to examine…

Piagetian Research as Applied to Teaching Science to Secondary and College Students.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gabel, Dorothy L.

1979-01-01

Piaget's formal operational stage is related to the teaching of science by focusing on the development of paper and pencil tests for determining students' cognitive level of development and on procedures for helping concrete operational students improve achievement and become more formal in their thinking. (JMF)

Combining Archetypes, Ontologies and Formalization Enables Automated Computation of Quality Indicators.

PubMed

Legaz-García, María Del Carmen; Dentler, Kathrin; Fernández-Breis, Jesualdo Tomás; Cornet, Ronald

2017-01-01

ArchMS is a framework that represents clinical information and knowledge using ontologies in OWL, which facilitates semantic interoperability and thereby the exploitation and secondary use of clinical data. However, it does not yet support the automated assessment of quality of care. CLIF is a stepwise method to formalize quality indicators. The method has been implemented in the CLIF tool which supports its users in generating computable queries based on a patient data model which can be based on archetypes. To enable the automated computation of quality indicators using ontologies and archetypes, we tested whether ArchMS and the CLIF tool can be integrated. We successfully automated the process of generating SPARQL queries from quality indicators that have been formalized with CLIF and integrated them into ArchMS. Hence, ontologies and archetypes can be combined for the execution of formalized quality indicators.

Involving service users in trials: developing a standard operating procedure

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Many funding bodies require researchers to actively involve service users in research to improve relevance, accountability and quality. Current guidance to researchers mainly discusses general principles. Formal guidance about how to involve service users operationally in the conduct of trials is lacking. We aimed to develop a standard operating procedure (SOP) to support researchers to involve service users in trials and rigorous studies. Methods Researchers with experience of involving service users and service users who were contributing to trials collaborated with the West Wales Organisation for Rigorous Trials in Health, a registered clinical trials unit, to develop the SOP. Drafts were prepared in a Task and Finish Group, reviewed by all co-authors and amendments made. Results We articulated core principles, which defined equality of service users with all other research team members and collaborative processes underpinning the SOP, plus guidance on how to achieve these. We developed a framework for involving service users in research that defined minimum levels of collaboration plus additional consultation and decision-making opportunities. We recommended service users be involved throughout the life of a trial, including planning and development, data collection, analysis and dissemination, and listed tasks for collaboration. We listed people responsible for involving service users in studies and promoting an inclusive culture. We advocate actively involving service users as early as possible in the research process, with a minimum of two on all formal trial groups and committees. We propose that researchers protect at least 1% of their total research budget as a minimum resource to involve service users and allow enough time to facilitate active involvement. Conclusions This SOP provides guidance to researchers to involve service users successfully in developing and conducting clinical trials and creating a culture of actively involving service users in research at all stages. The UK Clinical Research Collaboration should encourage clinical trials units actively to involve service users and research funders should provide sufficient funds and time for this in research grants. PMID:23866730

Contemporary Test Validity in Theory and Practice: A Primer for Discipline-Based Education Researchers

PubMed Central

Reeves, Todd D.; Marbach-Ad, Gili

2016-01-01

Most discipline-based education researchers (DBERs) were formally trained in the methods of scientific disciplines such as biology, chemistry, and physics, rather than social science disciplines such as psychology and education. As a result, DBERs may have never taken specific courses in the social science research methodology—either quantitative or qualitative—on which their scholarship often relies so heavily. One particular aspect of (quantitative) social science research that differs markedly from disciplines such as biology and chemistry is the instrumentation used to quantify phenomena. In response, this Research Methods essay offers a contemporary social science perspective on test validity and the validation process. The instructional piece explores the concepts of test validity, the validation process, validity evidence, and key threats to validity. The essay also includes an in-depth example of a validity argument and validation approach for a test of student argument analysis. In addition to DBERs, this essay should benefit practitioners (e.g., lab directors, faculty members) in the development, evaluation, and/or selection of instruments for their work assessing students or evaluating pedagogical innovations. PMID:26903498

Formal and Informal Learning and First-Year Psychology Students’ Development of Scientific Thinking: A Two-Wave Panel Study

PubMed Central

Soyyılmaz, Demet; Griffin, Laura M.; Martín, Miguel H.; Kucharský, Šimon; Peycheva, Ekaterina D.; Vaupotič, Nina; Edelsbrunner, Peter A.

2017-01-01

Scientific thinking is a predicate for scientific inquiry, and thus important to develop early in psychology students as potential future researchers. The present research is aimed at fathoming the contributions of formal and informal learning experiences to psychology students’ development of scientific thinking during their 1st-year of study. We hypothesize that informal experiences are relevant beyond formal experiences. First-year psychology student cohorts from various European countries will be assessed at the beginning and again at the end of the second semester. Assessments of scientific thinking will include scientific reasoning skills, the understanding of basic statistics concepts, and epistemic cognition. Formal learning experiences will include engagement in academic activities which are guided by university authorities. Informal learning experiences will include non-compulsory, self-guided learning experiences. Formal and informal experiences will be assessed with a newly developed survey. As dispositional predictors, students’ need for cognition and self-efficacy in psychological science will be assessed. In a structural equation model, students’ learning experiences and personal dispositions will be examined as predictors of their development of scientific thinking. Commonalities and differences in predictive weights across universities will be tested. The project is aimed at contributing information for designing university environments to optimize the development of students’ scientific thinking. PMID:28239363

Formal and Informal Learning and First-Year Psychology Students' Development of Scientific Thinking: A Two-Wave Panel Study.

PubMed

Soyyılmaz, Demet; Griffin, Laura M; Martín, Miguel H; Kucharský, Šimon; Peycheva, Ekaterina D; Vaupotič, Nina; Edelsbrunner, Peter A

2017-01-01

Scientific thinking is a predicate for scientific inquiry, and thus important to develop early in psychology students as potential future researchers. The present research is aimed at fathoming the contributions of formal and informal learning experiences to psychology students' development of scientific thinking during their 1st-year of study. We hypothesize that informal experiences are relevant beyond formal experiences. First-year psychology student cohorts from various European countries will be assessed at the beginning and again at the end of the second semester. Assessments of scientific thinking will include scientific reasoning skills, the understanding of basic statistics concepts, and epistemic cognition. Formal learning experiences will include engagement in academic activities which are guided by university authorities. Informal learning experiences will include non-compulsory, self-guided learning experiences. Formal and informal experiences will be assessed with a newly developed survey. As dispositional predictors, students' need for cognition and self-efficacy in psychological science will be assessed. In a structural equation model, students' learning experiences and personal dispositions will be examined as predictors of their development of scientific thinking. Commonalities and differences in predictive weights across universities will be tested. The project is aimed at contributing information for designing university environments to optimize the development of students' scientific thinking.

Polynomial mixture method of solving ordinary differential equations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shahrir, Mohammad Shazri; Nallasamy, Kumaresan; Ratnavelu, Kuru; Kamali, M. Z. M.

2017-11-01

In this paper, a numerical solution of fuzzy quadratic Riccati differential equation is estimated using a proposed new approach that provides mixture of polynomials where iteratively the right mixture will be generated. This mixture provide a generalized formalism of traditional Neural Networks (NN). Previous works have shown reliable results using Runge-Kutta 4th order (RK4). This can be achieved by solving the 1st Order Non-linear Differential Equation (ODE) that is found commonly in Riccati differential equation. Research has shown improved results relatively to the RK4 method. It can be said that Polynomial Mixture Method (PMM) shows promising results with the advantage of continuous estimation and improved accuracy that can be produced over Mabood et al, RK-4, Multi-Agent NN and Neuro Method (NM).

Refinement for fault-tolerance: An aircraft hand-off protocol

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Marzullo, Keith; Schneider, Fred B.; Dehn, Jon

1994-01-01

Part of the Advanced Automation System (AAS) for air-traffic control is a protocol to permit flight hand-off from one air-traffic controller to another. The protocol must be fault-tolerant and, therefore, is subtle -- an ideal candidate for the application of formal methods. This paper describes a formal method for deriving fault-tolerant protocols that is based on refinement and proof outlines. The AAS hand-off protocol was actually derived using this method; that derivation is given.

Integration Toolkit and Methods (ITKM) Corporate Data Integration Tools (CDIT). Review of the State-of-the-Art with Respect to Integration Toolkits and Methods (ITKM)

DTIC Science & Technology

1992-06-01

system capabilities \\Jch as memory management and network communications are provided by a virtual machine-type operating environment. Various human ...thinking. The elements of this substrate include representational formality, genericity, a method of formal analysis, and augmentation of human analytical...the form of identifying: the data entity itself; its aliases (including how the data is presented th programs or human users in the form of copy

Creating a Cadre of Fellowship-Trained Medical Educators, Part II: A Formal Needs Assessment to Structure Postgraduate Fellowships in Medical Education Scholarship and Leadership.

PubMed

Jordan, Jaime; Yarris, Lalena M; Santen, Sally A; Guth, Todd A; Rougas, Steven; Runde, Daniel P; Coates, Wendy C

2017-08-01

Education leaders at the 2012 Academic Emergency Medicine Consensus Conference on education research proposed that dedicated postgraduate education scholarship fellowships (ESFs) might provide an effective model for developing future faculty as scholars. A formal needs assessment was performed to understand the training gap and inform the development of ESFs. A mixed-methods needs assessment was conducted of four emergency medicine national stakeholder groups in 2013: department chairs; faculty education/research leaders; existing education fellowship directors; and current education fellows/graduates. Descriptive statistics were reported for quantitative data. Qualitative data from semistructured interviews and free-text responses were analyzed using a thematic approach. Participants were 11/15 (73%) education fellowship directors, 13/20 (65%) fellows/graduates, 106/239 (44%) faculty education/research leaders, and a convenience sample of 26 department chairs. Department chairs expected new education faculty to design didactics (85%) and teach clinically (96%). Faculty education/research leaders thought new faculty were inadequately prepared for job tasks (83.7%) and that ESFs would improve the overall quality of education research (91.1%). Fellowship directors noted that ESFs provide skills, mentorship, and protected time for graduates to become productive academicians. Current fellows/graduates reported pursing an ESF to develop skills in teaching and research methodology. Stakeholder groups uniformly perceived a need for training in education theory, clinical teaching, and education research. These findings support dedicated, deliberate training in these areas. Establishment of a structure for scholarly pursuits prior to assuming a full-time position will effectively prepare new faculty. These findings may inform the development, implementation, and curricula of ESFs.

The formal electronic recycling industry: Challenges and opportunities in occupational and environmental health research.

PubMed

Ceballos, Diana Maria; Dong, Zhao

2016-10-01

E-waste includes electrical and electronic equipment discarded as waste without intent of reuse. Informal e-waste recycling, typically done in smaller, unorganized businesses, can expose workers and communities to serious chemical health hazards. It is unclear if formalization into larger, better-controlled electronics recycling (e-recycling) facilities solves environmental and occupational health problems. To systematically review the literature on occupational and environmental health hazards of formal e-recycling facilities and discuss challenges and opportunities to strengthen research in this area. We identified 37 publications from 4 electronic databases (PubMed, Web of Science, Environmental Index, NIOSHTIC-2) specific to chemical exposures in formal e-recycling facilities. Environmental and occupational exposures depend on the degree of formalization of the facilities but further reduction is needed. Reported worker exposures to metals were often higher than recommended occupational guidelines. Levels of brominated flame-retardants in worker's inhaled air and biological samples were higher than those from reference groups. Air, dust, and soil concentrations of metals, brominated flame-retardants, dioxins, furans, polycyclic-aromatic hydrocarbons, or polychlorinated biphenyls found inside or near the facilities were generally higher than reference locations, suggesting transport into the environment. Children of a recycler had blood lead levels higher than public health recommended guidelines. With mounting e-waste, more workers, their family members, and communities could experience unhealthful exposures to metals and other chemicals. We identified research needs to further assess exposures, health, and improve controls. The long-term solution is manufacturing of electronics without harmful substances and easy-to-disassemble components. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Design of environmental education module towards the needs of aboriginal community learning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dasman, Siti Mariam; Yasin, Ruhizan Mohammad

2017-05-01

Non-formal education (NFE) refers to a program that is designed for personal and social education for learners to improve the level of skills and competencies outside formal educational curriculum. Issues related to geography and environment of different Aboriginal communities with other communities play an important role in determining the types and methods that should be made available to the minority community groups. Thus, this concept paper is intended to cater for educational environment through the design and development of learning modules based on non-formal education to the learning of Aboriginal community. Methods and techniques in the design and construction of the modules is based on the Design and Development Research (DDR) that was based on instructional design model of Morrison, Kemp and Ross which is more flexible and prioritizes the needs and characteristics of learners who were involved in the learning modules of the future. The discussion is related to the module development which is suitable to the learning needs of the community and there are several recommendations which may be applied in the implementation of this approach. In conclusion, the community of Orang Asli should be offered the same education as other communities but it is important to distinguish acceptance of learning techniques or approaches used in the education system to meet their standards. The implications of this concept paper is to meet the educational needs of the environment which includes a few aspects of science and some learning activities using effective approaches such as playing and building their own knowledge of meaning.

The influence of organizational characteristics on employee solidarity in the long-term care sector

PubMed Central

Cramm, Jane M; Strating, Mathilde MH; Nieboer, Anna P

2013-01-01

Aim This article is a report of a study that identifies organizational characteristics explaining employee solidarity in the long-term care sector. Background Employee solidarity reportedly improves organizations’ effectiveness and efficiency. Although general research on solidarity in organizations is available, the impact of the organizational context on solidarity in long-term care settings is lacking. Design Cross-sectional survey. Method The study was carried out in Dutch long-term care. A total of 313 nurses, managers and other care professionals in 23 organizations were involved. Organizational characteristics studied were centralization, hierarchical culture, formal and informal exchange of information and leadership style. The study was carried out in 2009. Findings All organizational characteristics significantly correlated with employee solidarity in the univariate analyses. In the multivariate analyses hierarchical culture, centralization, exchange of formal and informal information and transformational leadership appears to be important for solidarity among nurses, managers and other professionals in long-term care organizations, but not transactional and passive leadership styles. Conclusion The study increased our knowledge of solidarity among nurses, managers and other professionals in the long-term care settings. Organizational characteristics that enhance solidarity are high levels of formal and informal information exchange, less hierarchical authority, decentralization and transformational leadership styles. PMID:22551056

Formalization of the Integral Calculus in the PVS Theorem Prover

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Butler, Ricky W.

2004-01-01

The PVS Theorem prover is a widely used formal verification tool used for the analysis of safety-critical systems. The PVS prover, though fully equipped to support deduction in a very general logic framework, namely higher-order logic, it must nevertheless, be augmented with the definitions and associated theorems for every branch of mathematics and Computer Science that is used in a verification. This is a formidable task, ultimately requiring the contributions of researchers and developers all over the world. This paper reports on the formalization of the integral calculus in the PVS theorem prover. All of the basic definitions and theorems covered in a first course on integral calculus have been completed.The theory and proofs were based on Rosenlicht's classic text on real analysis and follow the traditional epsilon-delta method. The goal of this work was to provide a practical set of PVS theories that could be used for verification of hybrid systems that arise in air traffic management systems and other aerospace applications. All of the basic linearity, integrability, boundedness, and continuity properties of the integral calculus were proved. The work culminated in the proof of the Fundamental Theorem Of Calculus. There is a brief discussion about why mechanically checked proofs are so much longer than standard mathematics textbook proofs.

Integrating Research and Education at the National Center for Atmospheric Research at the Interface of Formal and Informal Education

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Johnson, R.; Foster, S.

2005-12-01

The National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) in Boulder, Colorado, is a leading institution in scientific research, education and service associated with exploring and understanding our atmosphere and its interactions with the Sun, the oceans, the biosphere, and human society. NCAR draws thousands of public and scientific visitors from around the world to its Mesa Laboratory facility annually for educational as well as research purposes. Public visitors include adult visitors, clubs, and families on an informal visit to NCAR and its exhibits, as well as classroom and summer camp groups. Additionally, NCAR provides extensive computational and visualization services, which can be used not only for scientific, but also public informational purposes. As such, NCAR's audience provides an opportunity to address both formal and informal education through the programs that we offer. The University Corporation for Atmospheric Research (UCAR) Office of Education and Outreach works with NCAR to develop and implement a highly-integrated strategy for reaching both formal and informal audiences through programs that range from events and exhibits to professional development (for scientists and educators) and bilingual distance learning. The hallmarks of our program include close collaboration with scientists, multi-purposing resources where appropriate for maximum efficiency, and a commitment to engage populations historically underrepresented in science in the geosciences.

Visitor spending effects: assessing and showcasing America's investment in national parks

USGS Publications Warehouse

Koontz, Lynne; Cullinane Thomas, Catherine; Ziesler, Pamela; Olson, Jeffrey; Meldrum, Bret

2017-01-01

This paper provides an overview of the evolution, future, and global applicability of the U.S. National Park Service's (NPS) visitor spending effects framework and discusses the methods used to effectively communicate the economic return on investment in America's national parks. The 417 parks represent many of America's most iconic destinations: in 2016, they received a record 331 million visits. Competing federal budgetary demands necessitate that, in addition to meeting their mission to preserve unimpaired natural and cultural resources for the enjoyment of the people, parks also assess and showcase their contributions to the economic vitality of their regions and the nation. Key approaches explained include the original Money Generation Model (MGM) from 1990, MGM2 used from 2001, and the visitor spending effects model which replaced MGM2 in 2012. Detailed discussion explains the NPS's visitor use statistics system, the formal program for collecting, compiling, and reporting visitor use data. The NPS is now establishing a formal socioeconomic monitoring (SEM) program to provide a standard visitor survey instrument and a long-term, systematic sampling design for in-park visitor surveys. The pilot SEM survey is discussed, along with the need for international standardization of research methods.

A calibration rig for multi-component internal strain gauge balance using the new design-of-experiment (DOE) approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nouri, N. M.; Mostafapour, K.; Kamran, M.

2018-02-01

In a closed water-tunnel circuit, the multi-component strain gauge force and moment sensor (also known as balance) are generally used to measure hydrodynamic forces and moments acting on scaled models. These balances are periodically calibrated by static loading. Their performance and accuracy depend significantly on the rig and the method of calibration. In this research, a new calibration rig was designed and constructed to calibrate multi-component internal strain gauge balances. The calibration rig has six degrees of freedom and six different component-loading structures that can be applied separately and synchronously. The system was designed based on the applicability of formal experimental design techniques, using gravity for balance loading and balance positioning and alignment relative to gravity. To evaluate the calibration rig, a six-component internal balance developed by Iran University of Science and Technology was calibrated using response surface methodology. According to the results, calibration rig met all design criteria. This rig provides the means by which various methods of formal experimental design techniques can be implemented. The simplicity of the rig saves time and money in the design of experiments and in balance calibration while simultaneously increasing the accuracy of these activities.

Construction of a clinical decision support system for undergoing surgery based on domain ontology and rules reasoning.

PubMed

Bau, Cho-Tsan; Chen, Rung-Ching; Huang, Chung-Yi

2014-05-01

To construct a clinical decision support system (CDSS) for undergoing surgery based on domain ontology and rules reasoning in the setting of hospitalized diabetic patients. The ontology was created with a modified ontology development method, including specification and conceptualization, formalization, implementation, and evaluation and maintenance. The Protégé-Web Ontology Language editor was used to implement the ontology. Embedded clinical knowledge was elicited to complement the domain ontology with formal concept analysis. The decision rules were translated into JENA format, which JENA can use to infer recommendations based on patient clinical situations. The ontology includes 31 classes and 13 properties, plus 38 JENA rules that were built to generate recommendations. The evaluation studies confirmed the correctness of the ontology, acceptance of recommendations, satisfaction with the system, and usefulness of the ontology for glycemic management of diabetic patients undergoing surgery, especially for domain experts. The contribution of this research is to set up an evidence-based hybrid ontology and an evaluation method for CDSS. The system can help clinicians to achieve inpatient glycemic control in diabetic patients undergoing surgery while avoiding hypoglycemia.

Non-Formal Education in International Comparison: Patterns of Participation and Investment in Selected European Countries

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kaufmann, Katrin

2015-01-01

This investigation focuses on participation and related investment patterns in job related non-formal education (NFE) in selected European countries. Broadening previous research formats of NFE are distinguished by investment including financial and time investments by employers, employees and public authorities. By this, company-sponsored and…

The mathematical bases for qualitative reasoning

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kalagnanam, Jayant; Simon, Herbert A.; Iwasaki, Yumi

1991-01-01

The practices of researchers in many fields who use qualitative reasoning are summarized and explained. The goal is to gain an understanding of the formal assumptions and mechanisms that underlie this kind of analysis. The explanations given are based on standard mathematical formalisms, particularly on ordinal properties, continuous differentiable functions, and the mathematics of nonlinear dynamic systems.

An Investigation of the Relationships Between Formal Thinking and Teaching Ability. Research Bulletin Number 2.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nelson, Miles A.; Ankney, Paul H.

It is hypothesized that certain mental structures are related to certain teaching skills. These structures are identified as combinatorial logic, essential to planning lessons, and hypothetical reasoning, an important aid in analyzing lessons. These formal thinking abilities should result in greater improvement during practice and later teaching.…

Learning Conditions for Non-Formal and Informal Workplace Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kyndt, Eva; Dochy, Filip; Nijs, Hanne

2009-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this research paper is to investigate the presence of learning conditions for non-formal and informal workplace learning in relation to the characteristics of the employee and the organisation he or she works for. Design/methodology/approach: The questionnaire developed by Clauwaert and Van Bree on learning conditions was…

Situationally Embodied Curriculum: Relating Formalisms and Contexts

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Barab, Sasha; Zuiker, Steve; Warren, Scott; Hickey, Dan; Ingram-Goble, Adam; Kwon, Eun-Ju; Kouper, Inna; Herring, Susan C.

2007-01-01

This study describes an example of design-based research in which we make theoretical improvements in our understanding, in part based on empirical work, and use these to revise our curriculum and, simultaneously, our evolving theory of the relations between contexts and disciplinary formalisms. Prior to this study, we completed a first cycle of…

Using Formal and Informal Curricula to Improve Interactions between Home and International Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Leask, Betty

2009-01-01

This article argues that improved interactions between home and international students are dependant on the way we use both the formal and the informal curricula to encourage and reward intercultural engagement. It draws on the results of several research studies to present some strategies for facilitating meaningful interaction between students…

Formal and Informal CALL Preparation and Teacher Attitude toward Technology

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kessler, Greg

2007-01-01

Recent research suggests that there is a general lack of a computer-assisted language learning (CALL) presence in teacher preparation programs. There is also evidence that teachers obtain a majority of their CALL knowledge from informal sources and personal experience rather than through formalized preparation. Further, graduates of these programs…

Assessing, Recognising and Certifying Informal and Non-Formal Learning (ARCNIL): Evolution and Challenges

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Svetlik, Ivan

2009-01-01

Certifying non-formal and informal knowledge may be a consequence of separating education and training from other social and economic activities. Specialisation and formalisation of education and training both aim to increase learning efficiency. In the emerging knowledge society, this has attracted particular attention among researchers and…

Transcultural Digital Literacies: Cross-Border Connections and Self-Representations in an Online Forum

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kim, Grace MyHyun

2016-01-01

Research on multicultural learning has focused on formal and local settings, such as schools, but young people are interacting with, and therefore learning from, informal settings and nonlocal contexts, including online platforms. That is, multicultural education is no longer limited to formal institutions, local contexts, or the printed word.…

The Factors That Influence an Entrepreneur's Decision to Seek Formal Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Griffith, Ralph

2013-01-01

The purpose of this study was to understand the factors that lead entrepreneurs to seek formal education. The evidence shows that entrepreneurs are playing an increasingly important role in producing economic growth in the United States. This researcher examined the theoretical foundations of entrepreneurship based on economic, psychological, and…

On the Formal Induction of the Press into the Scientific Process.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bausell, R. Barker

1990-01-01

Current policies concerning popular dissemination of research results are critiqued, and the formal induction of the press into the scientific process is discussed. Repercussions of a "New England Journal of Medicine" article on the effects of oat bran and low-fiber wheat on health are used to illustrate the issues. (TJH)

Space and Consequences: The Impact of Different Formal Learning Spaces on Instructor and Student Behavior

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brooks, D. Christopher

2012-01-01

This article presents the results of a quasi-experimental research project investigating the impact of two different formal learning spaces--a traditional classroom and a technologically enhanced active learning classroom--on instructor behavior, classroom activities, and levels of on-task student behavior at the University of Minnesota. Using…

An Exploration of the Formal Agricultural Education System in Trinidad and Tobago

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hurst, Sara D.; Conner, Nathan W.; Stripling, Christopher T.; Blythe, Jessica; Giorgi, Aaron; Rubenstein, Eric D.; Futrell, Angel; Jenkins, Jenny; Roberts, T. Grady

2015-01-01

A team of nine researchers from the United States spent 10 days exploring the formal agricultural education system in Trinidad and Tobago from primary education through postgraduate education. Data were collected from interviews and observations from students, teachers/instructors, and agricultural producers. The team concluded that (a) the people…

Using Informal Inferential Reasoning to Develop Formal Concepts: Analyzing an Activity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Weinberg, Aaron; Wiesner, Emilie; Pfaff, Thomas J.

2010-01-01

Inferential reasoning is a central component of statistics. Researchers have suggested that students should develop an informal understanding of the ideas that underlie inference before learning the concepts formally. This paper presents a hands-on activity that is designed to help students in an introductory statistics course draw informal…

Formal Schema Theory and Teaching EFL Reading

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Young, Barbara N; Man, Zhou

2005-01-01

Inquirers designed and conducted a study investigating whether or not results derived from previous research focusing on teaching and learning English as a native or foreign language would be replicated in a learning environment in which English is taught as a foreign language as in China. Because activation of formal schemata plays an important…

Linking communities to formal health care providers through village health teams in rural Uganda: lessons from linking social capital.

PubMed

Musinguzi, Laban Kashaija; Turinawe, Emmanueil Benon; Rwemisisi, Jude T; de Vries, Daniel H; Mafigiri, David K; Muhangi, Denis; de Groot, Marije; Katamba, Achilles; Pool, Robert

2017-01-11

Community-based programmes, particularly community health workers (CHWs), have been portrayed as a cost-effective alternative to the shortage of health workers in low-income countries. Usually, literature emphasises how easily CHWs link and connect communities to formal health care services. There is little evidence in Uganda to support or dispute such claims. Drawing from linking social capital framework, this paper examines the claim that village health teams (VHTs), as an example of CHWs, link and connect communities with formal health care services. Data were collected through ethnographic fieldwork undertaken as part of a larger research program in Luwero District, Uganda, between 2012 and 2014. The main methods of data collection were participant observation in events organised by VHTs. In addition, a total of 91 in-depth interviews and 42 focus group discussions (FGD) were conducted with adult community members as part of the larger project. After preliminary analysis of the data, we conducted an additional six in-depth interviews and three FGD with VHTs and four FGD with community members on the role of VHTs. Key informant interviews were conducted with local government staff, health workers, local leaders, and NGO staff with health programs in Luwero. Thematic analysis was used during data analysis. The ability of VHTs to link communities with formal health care was affected by the stakeholders' perception of their roles. Community members perceive VHTs as working for and under instructions of "others", which makes them powerless in the formal health care system. One of the challenges associated with VHTs' linking roles is support from the government and formal health care providers. Formal health care providers perceived VHTs as interested in special recognition for their services yet they are not "experts". For some health workers, the introduction of VHTs is seen as a ploy by the government to control people and hide its inability to provide health services. Having received training and initial support from an NGO, VHTs suffered transition failure from NGO to the formal public health care structure. As a result, VHTs are entangled in power relations that affect their role of linking community members with formal health care services. We also found that factors such as lack of money for treatment, poor transport networks, the attitudes of health workers and the existence of multiple health care systems, all factors that hinder access to formal health care, cannot be addressed by the VHTs. As linking social capital framework shows, for VHTs to effectively act as links between the community and formal health care and harness the resources that exist in institutions beyond the community, it is important to take into account the power relationships embedded in vertical relationships and forge a partnership between public health providers and the communities they serve. This will ensure strengthened partnerships and the improved capacity of local people to leverage resources embedded in vertical power networks.

A 3D generic inverse dynamic method using wrench notation and quaternion algebra.

PubMed

Dumas, R; Aissaoui, R; de Guise, J A

2004-06-01

In the literature, conventional 3D inverse dynamic models are limited in three aspects related to inverse dynamic notation, body segment parameters and kinematic formalism. First, conventional notation yields separate computations of the forces and moments with successive coordinate system transformations. Secondly, the way conventional body segment parameters are defined is based on the assumption that the inertia tensor is principal and the centre of mass is located between the proximal and distal ends. Thirdly, the conventional kinematic formalism uses Euler or Cardanic angles that are sequence-dependent and suffer from singularities. In order to overcome these limitations, this paper presents a new generic method for inverse dynamics. This generic method is based on wrench notation for inverse dynamics, a general definition of body segment parameters and quaternion algebra for the kinematic formalism.

Research governance: where did it come from, what does it mean?

PubMed Central

Shaw, Sara; Boynton, Petra M; Greenhalgh, Trisha

2005-01-01

For a variety of historical and social reasons, research has become increasingly formalized and regulated. This change has potential benefits (reduction in fraud and misconduct, protection of vulnerable groups, financial probity) but also disadvantages (increased paperwork, time delays, constraints on research freedom). The terms ‘research’ and ‘governance’ mean different things in different contexts. Even with explicit guidance, ambiguities must be resolved by human judgement. Variation in the nature and outcome of approval decisions is therefore a fact of life. The type of approval needed for a research study depends on the official remit of the approval body, the question to be addressed; the methods to be used; the context in which the work will take place; the level of analysis and interpretation; and the plans for how the findings will be presented and used. PMID:16260798

REESTABLISHING "THE SOCIAL" IN RESEARCH ON DEMOCRATIC PROCESSES: MID-CENTURY VOTER STUDIES AND PAUL F. LAZARSFELD'S ALTERNATIVE VISION.

PubMed

Christensen, Michael

2015-01-01

Voter studies conducted in the United States during the first decades after World War II transformed social scientific research on democracy. Especially important were the rapid innovations in survey research methods developed by two prominent research centers at Columbia University and the University of Michigan. This article argues that the Columbia and Michigan voter studies presented two visions for research on democracy. Where the Michigan research produced quantitative measures expressing the 'political behavior' of the electorate, the Columbia studies, and especially Paul F. Lazarsfeld, presented an alternative vision for qualitative research on political choice. Largely ignored by later voter studies, this vision prefigured much contemporary research on democracy that embraces a qualitative or interpretive approach. This article reconstructs Lazarsfeld's alternative vision, describes the institutional context in which scholars disregarded it in favor of formal quantitative models, and argues for its recognition as a forerunner to qualitative research on democratic processes. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Systems of career influences: a conceptual model for evaluating the professional development of women in academic medicine.

PubMed

Magrane, Diane; Helitzer, Deborah; Morahan, Page; Chang, Shine; Gleason, Katharine; Cardinali, Gina; Wu, Chih-Chieh

2012-12-01

Surprisingly little research is available to explain the well-documented organizational and societal influences on persistent inequities in advancement of women faculty. The Systems of Career Influences Model is a framework for exploring factors influencing women's progression to advanced academic rank, executive positions, and informal leadership roles in academic medicine. The model situates faculty as agents within a complex adaptive system consisting of a trajectory of career advancement with opportunities for formal professional development programming; a dynamic system of influences of organizational policies, practices, and culture; and a dynamic system of individual choices and decisions. These systems of influence may promote or inhibit career advancement. Within this system, women weigh competing influences to make career advancement decisions, and leaders of academic health centers prioritize limited resources to support the school's mission. The Systems of Career Influences Model proved useful to identify key research questions. We used the model to probe how research in academic career development might be applied to content and methods of formal professional development programs. We generated a series of questions and hypotheses about how professional development programs might influence professional development of health science faculty members. Using the model as a guide, we developed a study using a quantitative and qualitative design. These analyses should provide insight into what works in recruiting and supporting productive men and women faculty in academic medical centers.

[Formal sample size calculation and its limited validity in animal studies of medical basic research].

PubMed

Mayer, B; Muche, R

2013-01-01

Animal studies are highly relevant for basic medical research, although their usage is discussed controversially in public. Thus, an optimal sample size for these projects should be aimed at from a biometrical point of view. Statistical sample size calculation is usually the appropriate methodology in planning medical research projects. However, required information is often not valid or only available during the course of an animal experiment. This article critically discusses the validity of formal sample size calculation for animal studies. Within the discussion, some requirements are formulated to fundamentally regulate the process of sample size determination for animal experiments.

Qualitative Research Practice in Adult Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Willis, Peter, Ed.; Neville, Bernie, Ed.

This collection of 20 papers is aimed at researchers, research students, and research supervisors interested in qualitative research into facilitated adult learning in the workplace, formal education programs, professional development, and community settings. "Introduction" (Willis) provides a summary of the papers. "Qualitative…

Products of composite operators in the exact renormalization group formalism

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pagani, C.; Sonoda, H.

2018-02-01

We discuss a general method of constructing the products of composite operators using the exact renormalization group formalism. Considering mainly the Wilson action at a generic fixed point of the renormalization group, we give an argument for the validity of short-distance expansions of operator products. We show how to compute the expansion coefficients by solving differential equations, and test our method with some simple examples.

The equivalence of Darmois-Israel and distributional method for thin shells in general relativity

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

Mansouri, R.; Khorrami, M.

1996-11-01

A distributional method to solve the Einstein{close_quote}s field equations for thin shells is formulated. The familiar field equations and jump conditions of Darmois-Israel formalism are derived. A careful analysis of the Bianchi identities shows that, for cases under consideration, they make sense as distributions and lead to jump conditions of Darmois-Israel formalism. {copyright} {ital 1996 American Institute of Physics.}

Discrete mathematics, formal methods, the Z schema and the software life cycle

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bown, Rodney L.

1991-01-01

The proper role and scope for the use of discrete mathematics and formal methods in support of engineering the security and integrity of components within deployed computer systems are discussed. It is proposed that the Z schema can be used as the specification language to capture the precise definition of system and component interfaces. This can be accomplished with an object oriented development paradigm.

Mapping of Primary Instructional Methods and Teaching Techniques for Regularly Scheduled, Formal Teaching Sessions in an Anesthesia Residency Program.

PubMed

Vested Madsen, Matias; Macario, Alex; Yamamoto, Satoshi; Tanaka, Pedro

2016-06-01

In this study, we examined the regularly scheduled, formal teaching sessions in a single anesthesiology residency program to (1) map the most common primary instructional methods, (2) map the use of 10 known teaching techniques, and (3) assess if residents scored sessions that incorporated active learning as higher quality than sessions with little or no verbal interaction between teacher and learner. A modified Delphi process was used to identify useful teaching techniques. A representative sample of each of the formal teaching session types was mapped, and residents anonymously completed a 5-question written survey rating the session. The most common primary instructional methods were computer slides-based classroom lectures (66%), workshops (15%), simulations (5%), and journal club (5%). The number of teaching techniques used per formal teaching session averaged 5.31 (SD, 1.92; median, 5; range, 0-9). Clinical applicability (85%) and attention grabbers (85%) were the 2 most common teaching techniques. Thirty-eight percent of the sessions defined learning objectives, and one-third of sessions engaged in active learning. The overall survey response rate equaled 42%, and passive sessions had a mean score of 8.44 (range, 5-10; median, 9; SD, 1.2) compared with a mean score of 8.63 (range, 5-10; median, 9; SD, 1.1) for active sessions (P = 0.63). Slides-based classroom lectures were the most common instructional method, and faculty used an average of 5 known teaching techniques per formal teaching session. The overall education scores of the sessions as rated by the residents were high.

A formal protocol test procedure for the Survivable Adaptable Fiber Optic Embedded Network (SAFENET)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

High, Wayne

1993-03-01

This thesis focuses upon a new method for verifying the correct operation of a complex, high speed fiber optic communication network. These networks are of growing importance to the military because of their increased connectivity, survivability, and reconfigurability. With the introduction and increased dependence on sophisticated software and protocols, it is essential that their operation be correct. Because of the speed and complexity of fiber optic networks being designed today, they are becoming increasingly difficult to test. Previously, testing was accomplished by application of conformance test methods which had little connection with an implementation's specification. The major goal of conformance testing is to ensure that the implementation of a profile is consistent with its specification. Formal specification is needed to ensure that the implementation performs its intended operations while exhibiting desirable behaviors. The new conformance test method presented is based upon the System of Communicating Machine model which uses a formal protocol specification to generate a test sequence. The major contribution of this thesis is the application of the System of Communicating Machine model to formal profile specifications of the Survivable Adaptable Fiber Optic Embedded Network (SAFENET) standard which results in the derivation of test sequences for a SAFENET profile. The results applying this new method to SAFENET's OSI and Lightweight profiles are presented.

Formalization of treatment guidelines using Fuzzy Cognitive Maps and semantic web tools.

PubMed

Papageorgiou, Elpiniki I; Roo, Jos De; Huszka, Csaba; Colaert, Dirk

2012-02-01

Therapy decision making and support in medicine deals with uncertainty and needs to take into account the patient's clinical parameters, the context of illness and the medical knowledge of the physician and guidelines to recommend a treatment therapy. This research study is focused on the formalization of medical knowledge using a cognitive process, called Fuzzy Cognitive Maps (FCMs) and semantic web approach. The FCM technique is capable of dealing with situations including uncertain descriptions using similar procedure such as human reasoning does. Thus, it was selected for the case of modeling and knowledge integration of clinical practice guidelines. The semantic web tools were established to implement the FCM approach. The knowledge base was constructed from the clinical guidelines as the form of if-then fuzzy rules. These fuzzy rules were transferred to FCM modeling technique and, through the semantic web tools, the whole formalization was accomplished. The problem of urinary tract infection (UTI) in adult community was examined for the proposed approach. Forty-seven clinical concepts and eight therapy concepts were identified for the antibiotic treatment therapy problem of UTIs. A preliminary pilot-evaluation study with 55 patient cases showed interesting findings; 91% of the antibiotic treatments proposed by the implemented approach were in fully agreement with the guidelines and physicians' opinions. The results have shown that the suggested approach formalizes medical knowledge efficiently and gives a front-end decision on antibiotics' suggestion for cystitis. Concluding, modeling medical knowledge/therapeutic guidelines using cognitive methods and web semantic tools is both reliable and useful. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Nurses' attitudes toward continuing formal education: a comparison by level of education and geography.

PubMed

Altmann, Tanya K

2012-01-01

The education of nurses has an influence on patient safety and outcomes, the nursing shortage, the faculty shortage, and nurses' attitudes and actions. This article reports on a dissertation study designed to examine the attitudes of nurses, initially registered with an associate degree or diploma in nursing, toward continuing formal education. Actively licensed registered nurses in the eastern and western United States (n=535) participated. The main finding of this study was that, although nurses held positive attitudes overall, attitudes ranked barely above neutral. The findings suggest that work needs to be done to improve nurses' attitudes toward continuing formal education and research needs to be undertaken to understand what would entice nurses back to school. Implications for nursing practice and education are discussed along with suggestions for future research.

RImmPort: an R/Bioconductor package that enables ready-for-analysis immunology research data.

PubMed

Shankar, Ravi D; Bhattacharya, Sanchita; Jujjavarapu, Chethan; Andorf, Sandra; Wiser, Jeffery A; Butte, Atul J

2017-04-01

: Open access to raw clinical and molecular data related to immunological studies has created a tremendous opportunity for data-driven science. We have developed RImmPort that prepares NIAID-funded research study datasets in ImmPort (immport.org) for analysis in R. RImmPort comprises of three main components: (i) a specification of R classes that encapsulate study data, (ii) foundational methods to load data of a specific study and (iii) generic methods to slice and dice data across different dimensions in one or more studies. Furthermore, RImmPort supports open formalisms, such as CDISC standards on the open source bioinformatics platform Bioconductor, to ensure that ImmPort curated study datasets are seamlessly accessible and ready for analysis, thus enabling innovative bioinformatics research in immunology. RImmPort is available as part of Bioconductor (bioconductor.org/packages/RImmPort). rshankar@stanford.edu. Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com

Lab notebooks as scientific communication: Investigating development from undergraduate courses to graduate research

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stanley, Jacob T.; Lewandowski, H. J.

2016-12-01

In experimental physics, lab notebooks play an essential role in the research process. For all of the ubiquity of lab notebooks, little formal attention has been paid to addressing what is considered "best practice" for scientific documentation and how researchers come to learn these practices in experimental physics. Using interviews with practicing researchers, namely, physics graduate students, we explore the different experiences researchers had in learning how to effectively use a notebook for scientific documentation. We find that very few of those interviewed thought that their undergraduate lab classes successfully taught them the benefit of maintaining a lab notebook. Most described training in lab notebook use as either ineffective or outright missing from their undergraduate lab course experience. Furthermore, a large majority of those interviewed explained that they did not receive any formal training in maintaining a lab notebook during their graduate school experience and received little to no feedback from their advisors on these records. Many of the interviewees describe learning the purpose of, and how to maintain, these kinds of lab records only after having a period of trial and error, having already started doing research in their graduate program. Despite the central role of scientific documentation in the research enterprise, these physics graduate students did not gain skills in documentation through formal instruction, but rather through informal hands-on practice.

Exploring Assessment Tools for Research and Evaluation in Astronomy Education and Outreach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Buxner, S. R.; Wenger, M. C.; Dokter, E. F. C.

2011-09-01

The ability to effectively measure knowledge, attitudes, and skills in formal and informal educational settings is an important aspect of astronomy education research and evaluation. Assessments may take the form of interviews, observations, surveys, exams, or other probes to help unpack people's understandings or beliefs. In this workshop, we discussed characteristics of a variety of tools that exist to assess understandings of different concepts in astronomy as well as attitudes towards science and science teaching; these include concept inventories, surveys, interview protocols, observation protocols, card sorting, reflection videos, and other methods currently being used in astronomy education research and EPO program evaluations. In addition, we discussed common questions in the selection of assessment tools including issues of reliability and validity, time to administer, format of implementation, analysis, and human subject concerns.

[The language disorders in schizophrenia in neurolinguistic and psycholinguistic perspectives].

PubMed

Piovan, Cristiano

2012-01-01

The descriptive psychopathology has classically equated the language with the formal aspects of thought. Recent developments in experimental and clinical research have emphasized the study of the language as a specific communicative ability. Within the framework of cognitive neuropsychology, the development of innovative research models, such as those based on the mentalizing ability, has allowed to formulate new hypotheses on the pathogenetic aspects of schizophrenia. Furthermore, mentalizing ability appears to be a basic skill for the pragmatic dimension of language. The author, after a brief description of the methods of investigation of neurolinguistics and psycholinguistics, presents a review of recent studies obtained by consulting the PubMed and PsycINFO databases. Finally, he focuses on the relationship between research findings and issues related to clinical practice.

The LARI Experience - Young Stellar Light Curves

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cook, Michael J.; Coveyl, Kevin; Heiland, Leo; Steffens, Gary W.

2015-05-01

The Lowell Observatory has had a long and rich history of professional-amateur (Pro-Am) collaborations beginning with the observatory's founder, Percival Lowell. The Lowell Amateur Research Initiative (LARI) was launched in 2012 to formally involve amateur astronomers in scientific research by bringing them to the attention of and helping professional astronomers with their research endeavours. One of the LARI projects is the BVRI photometric monitoring of Young Stellar Objects (YSOs), wherein amateurs obtain observations to search for new outburst events and characterize the colour evolution of previously identified outbursters. We summarize the scientific and organizational aspects of this LARI program, including its goals and science motivation, the process for getting involved with the project, the current team members and their equipment, our unique methods of collaboration, programme stars, preliminary findings, and lessons learned.

Clinical and Translational Scientist Career Success: Metrics for Evaluation

PubMed Central

Lee, Linda S.; Pusek, Susan N.; McCormack, Wayne T.; Helitzer, Deborah L.; Martina, Camille A.; Dozier, Ann M.; Ahluwalia, Jasjit S.; Schwartz, Lisa S.; McManus, Linda M.; Reynolds, Brian D.; Haynes, Erin N.; Rubio, Doris M.

2012-01-01

Abstract Despite the increased emphasis on formal training in clinical and translational research and the growth in the number and scope of training programs over the past decade, the impact of training on research productivity and career success has yet to be fully evaluated at the institutional level. In this article, the Education Evaluation Working Group of the Clinical and Translational Science Award Consortium introduces selected metrics and methods associated with the assessment of key factors that affect research career success. The goals in providing this information are to encourage more consistent data collection across training sites, to foster more rigorous and systematic exploration of factors associated with career success, and to help address previously identified difficulties in program evaluation. Clin Trans Sci 2012; Volume 5: 400–407 PMID:23067352

Decontamination & decommissioning focus area

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

NONE

1996-08-01

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

Utility of learning plans in general practice vocational training: a mixed-methods national study of registrar, supervisor, and educator perspectives.

PubMed

Garth, Belinda; Kirby, Catherine; Silberberg, Peter; Brown, James

2016-08-19

Learning plans are a compulsory component of the training and assessment requirements of general practice (GP) registrars in Australia. There is a small but growing number of studies reporting that learning plans are not well accepted or utilised in general practice training. There is a lack of research examining this apparent contradiction. The aim of this study was to examine use and perceived utility of formal learning plans in GP vocational training. This mixed-method Australian national research project utilised online learning plan usage data from 208 GP registrars and semi-structured focus groups and telephone interviews with 35 GP registrars, 12 recently fellowed GPs, 16 supervisors and 17 medical educators across three Regional Training Providers (RTPs). Qualitative data were analysed thematically using template analysis. Learning plans were used mostly as a log of activities rather than as a planning tool. Most learning needs were entered and ticked off as complete on the same day. Learning plans were perceived as having little value for registrars in their journey to becoming a competent GP, and as a bureaucratic hurdle serving as a distraction rather than an aid to learning. The process of learning planning was valued more so than the documentation of learning planning. This study provides creditable evidence that mandated learning plans are broadly considered by users to be a bureaucratic impediment with little value as a learning tool. It is more important to support registrars in planning their learning than to enforce documentation of this process in a learning plan. If learning planning is to be an assessed competence, methods of assessment other than the submission of a formal learning plan should be explored.

On decentralized design: Rationale, dynamics, and effects on decision-making

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chanron, Vincent

The focus of this dissertation is the design of complex systems, including engineering systems such as cars, airplanes, and satellites. Companies who design these systems are under constant pressure to design better products that meet customer expectations, and competition forces them to develop them faster. One of the responses of the industry to these conflicting challenges has been the decentralization of the design responsibilities. The current lack of understanding of the dynamics of decentralized design processes is the main motivation for this research, and places value on the descriptive base. It identifies the main reasons and the true benefits for companies to decentralize the design of their products. It also demonstrates the limitations of this approach by listing the relevant issues and problems created by the decentralization of decisions. Based on these observations, a game-theoretic approach to decentralized design is proposed to model the decisions made during the design process. The dynamics are modeled using mathematical formulations inspired from control theory. Building upon this formalism, the issue of convergence in decentralized design is analyzed: the equilibrium points of the design space are identified and convergent and divergent patterns are recognized. This rigorous investigation of the design process provides motivation and support for proposing new approaches to decentralized design problems. Two methods are developed, which aim at improving the design process in two ways: decreasing the product development time, and increasing the optimality of the final design. The frame of these methods are inspired by eigenstructure decomposition and set-based design, respectively. The value of the research detailed within this dissertation is in the proposed methods which are built upon the sound mathematical formalism developed. The contribution of this work is two fold: rigorous investigation of the design process, and practical support to decision-making in decentralized environments.

Multi-objective calibration and uncertainty analysis of hydrologic models; A comparative study between formal and informal methods

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shafii, M.; Tolson, B.; Matott, L. S.

2012-04-01

Hydrologic modeling has benefited from significant developments over the past two decades. This has resulted in building of higher levels of complexity into hydrologic models, which eventually makes the model evaluation process (parameter estimation via calibration and uncertainty analysis) more challenging. In order to avoid unreasonable parameter estimates, many researchers have suggested implementation of multi-criteria calibration schemes. Furthermore, for predictive hydrologic models to be useful, proper consideration of uncertainty is essential. Consequently, recent research has emphasized comprehensive model assessment procedures in which multi-criteria parameter estimation is combined with statistically-based uncertainty analysis routines such as Bayesian inference using Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) sampling. Such a procedure relies on the use of formal likelihood functions based on statistical assumptions, and moreover, the Bayesian inference structured on MCMC samplers requires a considerably large number of simulations. Due to these issues, especially in complex non-linear hydrological models, a variety of alternative informal approaches have been proposed for uncertainty analysis in the multi-criteria context. This study aims at exploring a number of such informal uncertainty analysis techniques in multi-criteria calibration of hydrological models. The informal methods addressed in this study are (i) Pareto optimality which quantifies the parameter uncertainty using the Pareto solutions, (ii) DDS-AU which uses the weighted sum of objective functions to derive the prediction limits, and (iii) GLUE which describes the total uncertainty through identification of behavioral solutions. The main objective is to compare such methods with MCMC-based Bayesian inference with respect to factors such as computational burden, and predictive capacity, which are evaluated based on multiple comparative measures. The measures for comparison are calculated both for calibration and evaluation periods. The uncertainty analysis methodologies are applied to a simple 5-parameter rainfall-runoff model, called HYMOD.

Acquisition of Formal Operations: The Effects of Two Training Procedures.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rosenthal, Doreen A.

1979-01-01

A study of 11- and 12-year-old girls indicates that either of two training procedures, method training or dimension training, can aid in the transition from concrete operational to formal operational thought by promoting a hypothesis-testing attitude. (BH)

Towards Formal Implementation of PUS Standard

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ilić, D.

2009-05-01

As an effort to promote the reuse of on-board and ground systems ESA developed a standard for packet telemetry and telecommand - PUS. It defines a set of standard service models with the corresponding structures of the associated telemetry and telecommand packets. Various missions then can choose to implement those standard PUS services that best conform to their specific requirements. In this paper we propose a formal development (based on the Event-B method) of reusable service patterns, which can be instantiated for concrete application. Our formal models allow us to formally express and verify specific service properties including various telecommand and telemetry packet structure validation.

Mentoring health researchers globally: Diverse experiences, programmes, challenges and responses.

PubMed

Cole, Donald C; Johnson, Nancy; Mejia, Raul; McCullough, Hazel; Turcotte-Tremblay, Anne-Marie; Barnoya, Joaquin; Falabella Luco, María Soledad

2016-10-01

Mentoring experiences and programmes are becoming increasingly recognised as important by those engaged in capacity strengthening in global health research. Using a primarily qualitative study design, we studied three experiences of mentorship and eight mentorship programmes for early career global health researchers based in high-income and low- and middle-income countries. For the latter, we drew upon programme materials, existing unpublished data and more formal mixed-method evaluations, supplemented by individual email questionnaire responses. Research team members wrote stories, and the team assembled and analysed them for key themes. Across the diverse experiences and programmes, key emergent themes included: great mentors inspire others in an inter-generational cascade, mentorship is transformative in personal and professional development and involves reciprocity, and finding the right balance in mentoring relationships and programmes includes responding creatively to failure. Among the challenges encountered were: struggling for more level playing fields for new health researchers globally, changing mindsets in institutions that do not have a culture of mentorship and building collaboration not competition. Mentoring networks spanning institutions and countries using multiple virtual and face-to-face methods are a potential avenue for fostering organisational cultures supporting quality mentorship in global health research.

Mentoring health researchers globally: Diverse experiences, programmes, challenges and responses

PubMed Central

Cole, Donald C.; Johnson, Nancy; Mejia, Raul; McCullough, Hazel; Turcotte-Tremblay, Anne-Marie; Barnoya, Joaquin; Falabella Luco, (María) Soledad

2016-01-01

ABSTRACT Mentoring experiences and programmes are becoming increasingly recognised as important by those engaged in capacity strengthening in global health research. Using a primarily qualitative study design, we studied three experiences of mentorship and eight mentorship programmes for early career global health researchers based in high-income and low- and middle-income countries. For the latter, we drew upon programme materials, existing unpublished data and more formal mixed-method evaluations, supplemented by individual email questionnaire responses. Research team members wrote stories, and the team assembled and analysed them for key themes. Across the diverse experiences and programmes, key emergent themes included: great mentors inspire others in an inter-generational cascade, mentorship is transformative in personal and professional development and involves reciprocity, and finding the right balance in mentoring relationships and programmes includes responding creatively to failure. Among the challenges encountered were: struggling for more level playing fields for new health researchers globally, changing mindsets in institutions that do not have a culture of mentorship and building collaboration not competition. Mentoring networks spanning institutions and countries using multiple virtual and face-to-face methods are a potential avenue for fostering organisational cultures supporting quality mentorship in global health research. PMID:26234691

Development of a Software Safety Process and a Case Study of Its Use

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Knight, J. C.

1996-01-01

Research in the year covered by this reporting period has been primarily directed toward: continued development of mock-ups of computer screens for operator of a digital reactor control system; development of a reactor simulation to permit testing of various elements of the control system; formal specification of user interfaces; fault-tree analysis including software; evaluation of formal verification techniques; and continued development of a software documentation system. Technical results relating to this grant and the remainder of the principal investigator's research program are contained in various reports and papers.

Exploring the nature of resilience in paramedic practice: A psycho-social study.

PubMed

Clompus, S R; Albarran, J W

2016-09-01

Previous research has identified that paramedics experience high levels of stress and sickness rates which have escalated in recent years due to changes to workforce restructuring. While a number of studies have investigated resilience among healthcare professionals, there is little research exploring how paramedics address work challenges and how they become resilient. Using psycho-social methodology, seven paramedics participated in Free Association Narrative interviewing; all were based at one regional centre. In line with the study design, data analysis adopted a psycho-social approach that generated four themes and 10 sub-themes which, characterised participants' experiences. Coping and resilience was impacted upon via formal methods of support including management, debriefing and referral to outside agencies. Alongside this, more informal methods aided resilience. Informal methods included peer support, support from family and friends and the use of humour. Uniquely, this study uncovered how detachment is used to manage emotions. The study has implications for the services need to support the emotional needs of paramedics. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Exploring the Use of Computer Simulations in Unraveling Research and Development Governance Problems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Balaban, Mariusz A.; Hester, Patrick T.

2012-01-01

Understanding Research and Development (R&D) enterprise relationships and processes at a governance level is not a simple task, but valuable decision-making insight and evaluation capabilities can be gained from their exploration through computer simulations. This paper discusses current Modeling and Simulation (M&S) methods, addressing their applicability to R&D enterprise governance. Specifically, the authors analyze advantages and disadvantages of the four methodologies used most often by M&S practitioners: System Dynamics (SO), Discrete Event Simulation (DES), Agent Based Modeling (ABM), and formal Analytic Methods (AM) for modeling systems at the governance level. Moreover, the paper describes nesting models using a multi-method approach. Guidance is provided to those seeking to employ modeling techniques in an R&D enterprise for the purposes of understanding enterprise governance. Further, an example is modeled and explored for potential insight. The paper concludes with recommendations regarding opportunities for concentration of future work in modeling and simulating R&D governance relationships and processes.

Perspectives on the prevalence and treatment of personality disorder.

PubMed

Winship, G; Hardy, S

2007-04-01

Personality disorder (PD) is the most prevalent psychiatric disorder. A methodical literature search identified that PD is under researched compared with other mental health problems such as depression or schizophrenia. Social and psychotherapeutic approaches emerge as dominant treatment approaches with PD where there is good evidence of efficacy. Collaborative group-based therapeutic approaches appear to offer a therapeutic counterpoise to the anti-social traits often prevalent in PD. A retrospective analysis of formal group therapy on acute inpatient units (treating PD patients among other mental health disorders) reveals only one violent incident in over 40,000 treatment hours of formal group therapy. It is argued that group-based and social therapy should be the recommended treatment approach because these approaches have been shown to create a safe and contained milieu, establishing a good base for therapeutic gain with PD patients. The case for widening the scope of collaborative group and community-based therapies is considered and the merits and shortcomings of a key worker system with PD patients are critiqued.

Structured decision making: Chapter 5

USGS Publications Warehouse

Runge, Michael C.; Grand, James B.; Mitchell, Michael S.; Krausman, Paul R.; Cain, James W. III

2013-01-01

Wildlife management is a decision-focused discipline. It needs to integrate traditional wildlife science and social science to identify actions that are most likely to achieve the array of desires society has surrounding wildlife populations. Decision science, a vast field with roots in economics, operations research, and psychology, offers a rich set of tools to help wildlife managers frame, decompose, analyze, and synthesize their decisions. The nature of wildlife management as a decision science has been recognized since the inception of the field, but formal methods of decision analysis have been underused. There is tremendous potential for wildlife management to grow further through the use of formal decision analysis. First, the wildlife science and human dimensions of wildlife disciplines can be readily integrated. Second, decisions can become more efficient. Third, decisions makers can communicate more clearly with stakeholders and the public. Fourth, good, intuitive wildlife managers, by explicitly examining how they make decisions, can translate their art into a science that is readily used by the next generation.

Research on presentation and query service of geo-spatial data based on ontology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Hong-wei; Li, Qin-chao; Cai, Chang

2008-10-01

The paper analyzed the deficiency on presentation and query of geo-spatial data existed in current GIS, discussed the advantages that ontology possessed in formalization of geo-spatial data and the presentation of semantic granularity, taken land-use classification system as an example to construct domain ontology, and described it by OWL; realized the grade level and category presentation of land-use data benefited from the thoughts of vertical and horizontal navigation; and then discussed query mode of geo-spatial data based on ontology, including data query based on types and grade levels, instances and spatial relation, and synthetic query based on types and instances; these methods enriched query mode of current GIS, and is a useful attempt; point out that the key point of the presentation and query of spatial data based on ontology is to construct domain ontology that can correctly reflect geo-concept and its spatial relation and realize its fine formalization description.

Theorem Proving In Higher Order Logics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Carreno, Victor A. (Editor); Munoz, Cesar A.; Tahar, Sofiene

2002-01-01

The TPHOLs International Conference serves as a venue for the presentation of work in theorem proving in higher-order logics and related areas in deduction, formal specification, software and hardware verification, and other applications. Fourteen papers were submitted to Track B (Work in Progress), which are included in this volume. Authors of Track B papers gave short introductory talks that were followed by an open poster session. The FCM 2002 Workshop aimed to bring together researchers working on the formalisation of continuous mathematics in theorem proving systems with those needing such libraries for their applications. Many of the major higher order theorem proving systems now have a formalisation of the real numbers and various levels of real analysis support. This work is of interest in a number of application areas, such as formal methods development for hardware and software application and computer supported mathematics. The FCM 2002 consisted of three papers, presented by their authors at the workshop venue, and one invited talk.

Formal Classroom Observations: Factors That Affect Their Success

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zaidi, Zeba

2017-01-01

Formal class room observation is a very delicate topic in any educational institution. It involves a series of emotions and sentiments that come with the package. In this paper, the researcher will attempt to analyze the factors that affect the process in a relatively significant manner and thereby contribute greatly to the success or failure of…

Context-Aware Writing Support for SNS: Connecting Formal and Informal Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Waragai, Ikumi; Kurabayashi, Shuichi; Ohta, Tatsuya; Raindl, Marco; Kiyoki, Yasushi; Tokuda, Hideyuki

2014-01-01

This paper presents another stage in a series of research efforts by the authors to develop an experience-connected mobile language learning environment, bridging formal and informal learning. Building on a study in which the authors tried to connect classroom learning (of German in Japan) with learners' real life experiences abroad by having…

On the Adequacy of Current Empirical Evaluations of Formal Models of Categorization

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wills, Andy J.; Pothos, Emmanuel M.

2012-01-01

Categorization is one of the fundamental building blocks of cognition, and the study of categorization is notable for the extent to which formal modeling has been a central and influential component of research. However, the field has seen a proliferation of noncomplementary models with little consensus on the relative adequacy of these accounts.…

What Challenges and Benefits Can Non-Formal Law and Language Integrated Learning Bring to University Students?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Atabekova, Atabekova; Gorbatenko, Rimma; Belousov, Aleksandr; Grebnev, Ruslan; Sheremetieva, Olga

2016-01-01

The paper explores the ways in which non-formal content and language integrated learning within university studies can affect students' academic progress. The research has included theoretical and empirical studies. The article focuses on the observation of students' learning process, draws attention to challenges and benefits students experienced…

A Preliminary Investigation of Self-Directed Learning Activities in a Non-Formal Blended Learning Environment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schwier, Richard A.; Morrison, Dirk; Daniel, Ben K.

2009-01-01

This research considers how professional participants in a non-formal self-directed learning environment (NFSDL) made use of self-directed learning activities in a blended face-to-face and on line learning professional development course. The learning environment for the study was a professional development seminar on teaching in higher education…

From Source to Sink: Mechanistic Reasoning Using the Electron-Pushing Formalism

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bhattacharyya, Gautam

2013-01-01

Since the introduction of Morrison and Boyd's textbook in organic chemistry over 50 years ago, reaction mechanisms and mechanistic reasoning using the electron-pushing formalism (EPF) have become a mainstay of organic chemistry courses. In recent years there have even been several papers in this Journal and others detailing research on how…

Evangelizing Eugenics: A Brief Historiography of Popular and Formal American Eugenics Education (1908-1948)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kohlman, Michael J.

2012-01-01

This article examines the history of the American Eugenics movement's penetration into the formal and popular educational milieu during the first half of the 20th Century, and includes a review of some recent scholarly research on eugenic themes in education and popular culture. Apologists have dismissed the American Eugenics movement as a…

NRH Neuroscience Research Center

DTIC Science & Technology

2005-06-01

Gait Educationtf E Advanced gait 20-Patient * Community mobility Patient Assessmentt 21-Family/ caregiver ~( Formal assessment) 22-Staff Home Evaluation...interventions used. client diagnostic groups, which are termed practice patterns. Time for formal assessments, home evaluation, and work site The practice...18. Visual training 19. Sensory training Gait Education Interventions: 20. Patient 21. Family/ Caregiver Advanced Gait 22. Staff 23. Prescription

International Engagement Strategy

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-06-14

agreements and issue legal guidance on international law and intellectual property issues. ICPO will play an important role in realizing this vision and...through international cooperation under the auspices of its formal international agreements with partner states and the European Commission, as well...International Engagement Opportunities for Homeland Security Research 11 S&T maintains formal bilateral agreements that provide a framework for cooperative

A Research and Development Approach to the Delivery of Comprehensive Functional Education and Literacy in the Philippines.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Doronila, Maria Luisa C.

In the Philippines, introduction of a formal education system, new written language, and the knowledge encoded in it have been part of a colonization process and not the result of direct evolution from informal education. The discontinuities between formal and informal education--abstraction, systematization, and specialization--are greater and…

Online Social Networks as Formal Learning Environments: Learner Experiences and Activities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Veletsianos, George; Navarrete, Cesar C.

2012-01-01

While the potential of social networking sites to contribute to educational endeavors is highlighted by researchers and practitioners alike, empirical evidence on the use of such sites for formal online learning is scant. To fill this gap in the literature, we present a case study of learners' perspectives and experiences in an online course…

Crisis Management for Secondary Education: A Survey of Secondary Education Directors in Greece

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Savelides, Socrates; Mihiotis, Athanassios; Koutsoukis, Nikitas-Spiros

2015-01-01

Purpose: The Greek secondary education system lacks a formal crisis management system. The purpose of this paper is to address this problem as follows: elicit current crisis management practices, outline features for designing a formal crisis management system in Greece. Design/methodology/approach: The research is based on a survey conducted with…

Museums and Planetariums: Bridging the Gap between Hawaiian Culture and Astronomy through Informal Education--A Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ciotti, Joseph E.

2010-01-01

Behavioral research supports informal education as fundamental to lifelong learning and responsible for much of what we know. Such learning occurs outside of formal schooling through venues such as the Internet, libraries, museums and planetariums. Unrestricted by the regulations of formal institutions, informal education can respond more quickly,…

The Effects of Formal Learning and Informal Learning on Job Performance: The Mediating Role of the Value of Learning at Work

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Park, Yoonhee; Choi, Woojae

2016-01-01

Although research has widely recognized the relationships between formal and informal learning and job performance, empirical studies have not paid sufficient attention to these relationships. In addition, there is little understanding how individual perceptions toward learning influence the relationships between the aforementioned two types of…

Tracing Sustainability: An International Comparison of ESD Implementation into Lower Secondary Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bagoly-Simó, Péter

2013-01-01

With the progress of the DESD, increasing numbers of researchers have been developing indicators to effectively measure the implementation of ESD in formal, informal and non-formal education. This paper aims to measure the implementation of ESD in secondary school curricula in three countries carrying the fingerprints of a developed (Germany),…