Preparing Young Children for Success: Guideposts for Achieving Our First National Goal. An America 2000 Education Strategy.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Department of Education, Washington, DC. Office of Planning, Budget, and Evaluation.

This paper discusses major issues having to do with definition of terms and implementation strategies implicit in the first national education goal, which states: "By the year 2000, all children in America will start school ready to learn." The principles articulated in the paper by a collaboration of agencies and the private sector are…

Serotonergic neurosecretory synapse targeting is controlled by Netrin-releasing guidepost neurons in C. elegans

PubMed Central

Nelson, Jessica C.; Colón-Ramos, Daniel A.

2013-01-01

Neurosecretory release sites lack distinct post-synaptic partners, yet target to specific circuits. This targeting specificity regulates local release of neurotransmitters and modulation of adjacent circuits. How neurosecretory release sites target to specific regions is not understood. Here we identify a molecular mechanism that governs the spatial specificity of extrasynaptic neurosecretory terminal formation in the serotonergic NSM neurons of C. elegans. We show that post-embryonic arborization and neurosecretory terminal targeting of the C. elegans NSM neuron is dependent on the Netrin receptor UNC-40/DCC. We observe that UNC-40 localizes to specific neurosecretory terminals at the time of axon arbor formation. This localization is dependent on UNC-6/Netrin, which is expressed by nerve ring neurons that act as guideposts to instruct local arbor and release site formation. We find that both UNC-34/Enabled and MIG-10/Lamellipodin are required downstream of UNC-40 to link the sites of ENT formation to nascent axon arbor extensions. Our findings provide a molecular link between release site development and axon arborization, and introduce a novel mechanism that governs the spatial specificity of serotonergic extrasynaptic neurosecretory terminals in vivo. PMID:23345213

Lend Me Your Ears: The Truth in the Fiction of The Glass Bees by Ernst Junger

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Goudreau, Kim

2010-01-01

"The Glass Bees" by Ernst Junger was first published in Germany in 1957. It is a speculative fictional work that foretells much of what today is the reality of life in a technological society. Of particular import is his portrayal of the ambiguity of human character and moral guideposts that leave only power to mediate human relationships. These…

Achievements in the utilization of poplarwood : guideposts for the future

Treesearch

John J. Balatinecz; David E. Kretschmann; Andre Leclercq

2001-01-01

From an early status as a “weed tree,” poplar has become an important commercial genus in North America during the past 20 years. The many and varied uses of poplar wood now include pulp and paper, lumber, veneer, plywood, composite panels, structural composite lumber, containers, pallets, furniture components, match splints and chopsticks.The high cellulose and...

Guideposts for the U.S. Military in the Twenty-first Century

DTIC Science & Technology

2000-01-01

emphasizes cost over value , administration over output, and the separation of operators from engineers. To defeat complacency and regain superiority...teaching military values and culture. Increasingly, the lure of attractive, non-military careers poses a serious challenge to military retention. If we are...future conflicts-the vision that air power would be primarily of strategic value , carrying the war quickly and decisively to the heart of the enemy’s

THE DETERMINATION OF LEGAL FACTS AND ECONOMIC GUIDEPOSTS WITH RESPECT TO THE DISSEMINATION OF SCIENTIFIC AND EDUCATIONAL INFORMATION AS IT IS AFFECTED BY COPYRIGHT--A STATUS REPORT. FINAL REPORT.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

HEILPRIN, LAURENCE B.; SOPHAR, GERALD J.

THE RESEARCH IN THIS REPORT IS CONCERNED WITH TWO AREAS--(1) STUDY OF THE COPYRIGHT PRACTICES OF LIBRARY ADMINISTRATORS RESPONSIBLE FOR PHOTODUPLICATION SERVICES AND THEIR INTERPRETATIONS OF THE "FAIR USE" ASPECT OF COPYRIGHT LAW IN PROVIDING SERVICE TO THEIR CLIENTS, AS WELL AS A STUDY OF WHAT FEDERAL STATUTE AND CASE LAW ACTUALLY…

Guideposts and Roadblocks to the Career-Long Scholarly Engagement of Physical Education Teacher Education Faculty.

PubMed

Berei, Catherine P; Pratt, Erica; Parker, Melissa; Shephard, Kevin; Liang, Tanjian; Nampai, Udon; Neamphoka, Guntima

2017-12-01

Scholarship is essential for the growth and development of the physical education field. Over time, scholarship expectations have changed, forcing faculty members to alter time spent for research, teaching, and service. Social-cognitive career theory (SCCT) presents a model for understanding performance and persistence in an occupational environment. The interconnected aspects of SCCT have different emphasis related to self-efficacy, outcome expectations, or personal goals pursuit. This study explored physical education teacher education (PETE) faculty members' continuing engagement in scholarly activity through SCCT. Data collection included interviews with 9 senior PETE faculty members who met the criteria for "productive scholars over time." Curriculum vitae were collected to verify productivity. Data analysis revealed guidepost themes that included collaborating, finding balance, defining a research process, and maintaining a strong work ethic. Roadblocks encountered included other obligations and lack of support for research. Participants demonstrated strong self-efficacy; held high, positive expectations for success; and set very specific, clear, and deliberate goals. Participant behavior was moderated by their personal attributes (capacity to build relationships, set goals, and maintain interest and passion) and was tempered by the environments in which they worked. Fostering similar behaviors has the potential to guide future and current PETE faculty members in creating supportive and encouraging atmospheres for sustained productivity. The lack of literature relating to this topic warrants the need for more research exploring the influential factors and benefits gained from sustained scholarly productivity over time for PETE faculty members.

The value and pitfalls of speculation about science and technology in bioethics: the case of cognitive enhancement.

PubMed

Racine, Eric; Martin Rubio, Tristana; Chandler, Jennifer; Forlini, Cynthia; Lucke, Jayne

2014-08-01

In the debate on the ethics of the non-medical use of pharmaceuticals for cognitive performance enhancement in healthy individuals there is a clear division between those who view "cognitive enhancement" as ethically unproblematic and those who see such practices as fraught with ethical problems. Yet another, more subtle issue, relates to the relevance and quality of the contribution of scholarly bioethics to this debate. More specifically, how have various forms of speculation, anticipatory ethics, and methods to predict scientific trends and societal responses augmented or diminished this contribution? In this paper, we use the discussion of the ethics of cognitive enhancement to explore the positive and negative contribution of speculation in bioethics scholarship. First, we review and discuss how speculation has relied on different sets of assumptions regarding the non-medical use of stimulants, namely: (1) terminology and framing; (2) scientific aspects such as efficacy and safety; (3) estimates of prevalence and consequent normalization; and (4) the need for normative reflection and regulatory guidelines. Second, three methodological guideposts are proposed to alleviate some of the pitfalls of speculation: (1) acknowledge assumptions more explicitly and identify the value attributed to assumptions; (2) validate assumptions with interdisciplinary literature; and (3) adopt a broad perspective to promote more comprehensive reflection. We conclude that, through the examination of the controversy about cognitive enhancement, we can employ these methodological guideposts to enhance the value of contributions from bioethics and minimize potential epistemic and practical pitfalls in this case and perhaps in other areas of bioethical debate.

Through the microcirculatory maze with machete, molecule, and minicomputer (1986 Alza lecture).

PubMed

Bassingthwaighte, J B

1987-01-01

This is a personal historical essay on meanderings through the jungle of the microcirculatory swamp. Because one pretends that the wandering was purposefully exploratory, a few guideposts are placed at positions where one could discern blaze-marks from earlier wanderers, and the path cut a little wider along some of the routes that may be enjoyed by investigators wanting to put their blazes along more distant paths. Naturally, one starts by coming up the broad rivers, then branching into the little streams. Each of us chooses to seek a different "mother lode," up a different stream.

Democracy, individual rights and the regulation of science.

PubMed

Weinstein, J

2009-09-01

Whether the US Constitution guarantees a right to conduct scientific research is a question that has never been squarely addressed by the United States Supreme Court. Similarly, the extent to which the First Amendment protects the right to communicate the results of scientific research is an issue about which there is scant judicial authority. This article suggests that a crucial guidepost for exploring both these uncharted areas of constitutional law should be whether restrictions on scientific research or communication truly implicate fundamental individual rights or instead primarily concern issues of general social welfare-issues that in a democracy are properly decided by the representative branches of government or their delegates, not by the judiciary.

Considerations for implementing an organizational lessons learned process.

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

Fosshage, Erik D

2013-05-01

This report examines the lessons learned process by a review of the literature in a variety of disciplines, and is intended as a guidepost for organizations that are considering the implementation of their own closed-loop learning process. Lessons learned definitions are provided within the broader context of knowledge management and the framework of a learning organization. Shortcomings of existing practices are summarized in an attempt to identify common pitfalls that can be avoided by organizations with fledgling experiences of their own. Lessons learned are then examined through a dual construct of both process and mechanism, with emphasis on integrating intomore » organizational processes and promoting lesson reuse through data attributes that contribute toward changed behaviors. The report concludes with recommended steps for follow-on efforts.« less

Neutrino-nucleus interactions at the LBNF near detector

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

Mosel, Ulrich

2015-10-15

The reaction mechanisms for neutrino interactions with an {sup 40}Ar nucleus with the LBNF flux are calculated with the Giessen-Boltzmann-Uehling-Uhlenbeck (GiBUU) transport-theoretical implementation of these interactions. Quasielastic scattering, many-body effects, pion production and absorption and Deep Inelastic Scattering are discussed; they all play a role at the LBNF energies and are experimentally entangled with each other. Quasielastic scattering makes up for only about 1/3 of the total cross section whereas pion production channels make up about 2/3 of the total. This underlines the need for a consistent description of the neutrino-nucleus reaction that treats all channels on an equal, consistentmore » footing. The results discussed here can also serve as useful guideposts for the Intermediate Neutrino Program.« less

Culture in Asian American community psychology: beyond the East-West binary.

PubMed

Okazaki, Sumie; Saw, Anne

2011-03-01

In response to a call to better integrate culture in community psychology (O'Donnell in American Journal of Community Psychology 37:1-7 2006), we offer a cultural-community framework to facilitate a collaborative engagement between community psychologists and ethnic minority communities, focusing on Asian American communities as illustrations. Extending Hays' (Addressing cultural complexities in practice: Assessment, diagnosis, and therapy, American Psychological Association, Washington, DC, 2008) ADDRESSING framework for considering cultural influences on a counseling relationship, the proposed framework provides a broad but systematic guidepost for considering three major cultural-ecological influences on Asian American communities: Race and Ethnicity (R), Culture (C), and Immigration and Transnational Ties (I). We provide a sequence of steps that incorporate the ADDRESSING and the RCI frameworks to facilitate the collaborative community-based research or social action.

Vulnerable Subjects: Why Does Informed Consent Matter?

PubMed

Goodwin, Michele

2016-09-01

This special issue of the Journal Law, Medicine & Ethics takes up the concern of informed consent, particularly in times of controversy. The dominant moral dilemmas that frame traditional bioethical concerns address medical experimentation on vulnerable subjects; physicians assisting their patients in suicide or euthanasia; scarce resource allocation and medical futility; human trials to develop drugs; organ and tissue donation; cloning; xenotransplantation; abortion; human enhancement; mandatory vaccination; and much more. The term "bioethics" provides a lens, language, and guideposts to the study of medical ethics. It is worth noting, however, that medical experimentation is neither new nor exclusive to one country. Authors in this issue address thorny subjects that span borders and patients: from matters dealing with children and vaccination to the language and perception of consent. © 2016 American Society of Law, Medicine & Ethics.

Massage for Cancer Pain: A Study with University and Hospice Collaboration

PubMed Central

Gorman, Geraldine; Forest, Jeannine; Stapleton, Stephen J.; Hoenig, Noreen A.; Marschke, Michael; Durham, Jan; Suarez, Marie L.

2009-01-01

Conducting scientific research within a clinical practice area presents a variety of challenges. When the specialty area is hospice and palliative care, the collaborative task is particularly daunting. In this paper, we describe an ongoing study being conducted as a partnership between the University of Illinois at Chicago and a large metropolitan hospice organization. Our research is focused on engaging patients and their caregivers in a study measuring the effects of massage on cancer pain. The purpose of this paper is to describe both the lessons learned and the benefits accrued from collaboration between hospice practitioners and academic researchers. We present these process findings as guideposts for others considering end-of-life or palliative care research. Upon completion of the study in 2009, we will disseminate outcome findings in future papers. PMID:19337585

Phospholipid Bilayers: Stability and Encapsulation of Nanoparticles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alipour, Elnaz; Halverson, Duncan; McWhirter, Samantha; Walker, Gilbert C.

2017-05-01

Nanoparticles are widely studied for their potential medical uses in diagnostics and therapeutics. The interface between a nanoparticle and its target has been a focus of research, both to guide the nanoparticle and to prevent it from deactivating. Given nature's frequent use of phospholipid vesicles as carriers, much attention has been paid to phospholipids as a vehicle for drug delivery. The physical chemistry of bilayer formation and nanoparticle encapsulation is complex, touching on fundamental properties of hydrophobicity. Understanding the design rules for particle synthesis and encapsulation is an active area of research. The aim of this review is to provide a perspective on what preparative guideposts have been empirically discovered and how these are related to theoretical understanding. In addition, we aim to summarize how modern theory is beginning to help guide the design of functional particles that can effectively cross biological membranes.

The role of the Department of Defense in PACS and telemedicine research and development.

PubMed

Mogel, Greg T

2003-01-01

The United States Department of Defense (DOD) has played a leading role in the movement of digital imaging, picture archiving and communications systems, and more recently telemedicine with its associated technologies into the mainstream of healthcare. Beginning in the 1980s with domestic implementations, and followed in the 1990s by both small and large-scale military deployments, these technologies have been put into action with varying degrees of success. These efforts however, have always served as a guidepost for similar civilian efforts and the establishment of a marketplace for the technologies. This paper examines the history of the DOD's role in these areas, the projects and programs established, assessing their current state of development and identifying the future direction of the DOD's research and implementation efforts in telemedicine and advanced medical technologies. Copyright 2002 Published by Elsevier Science Ltd.

Regulation of radial glial survival by signals from the meninges

PubMed Central

Radakovits, Randor; Barros, Claudia S.; Belvindrah, Richard; Patton, Bruce; Müller, Ulrich

2009-01-01

Summary Radial glial cells (RGCs) in the developing cerebral cortex are progenitors for neurons and glia and their processes serve as guideposts for migrating neurons. So far, it has remained unclear whether RGC processes also control the function of RGCs more directly. Here we show that RGC numbers and cortical size are reduced in mice lacking β1 integrins in RGCs. TUNEL stainings and time-lapse video recordings demonstrate that β1-deficient RGCs processes detach from the meningeal BM followed by apoptotic death of RGCs. Apoptosis is also induced by surgical removal of the meninges. Finally, mice lacking the BM components laminin α2 and α4 show defects in the attachment of RGC processes at the meninges, a reduction in cortical size, and enhanced apoptosis of RGC cells. Our findings demonstrate that attachment of RGC processes at the meninges is important for RGC survival and the control of cortical size. PMID:19535581

Regulation of radial glial survival by signals from the meninges.

PubMed

Radakovits, Randor; Barros, Claudia S; Belvindrah, Richard; Patton, Bruce; Müller, Ulrich

2009-06-17

Radial glial cells (RGCs) in the developing cerebral cortex are progenitors for neurons and glia, and their processes serve as guideposts for migrating neurons. So far, it has remained unclear whether RGC processes also control the function of RGCs more directly. Here, we show that RGC numbers and cortical size are reduced in mice lacking beta1 integrins in RGCs. TUNEL stainings and time-lapse video recordings demonstrate that beta1-deficient RGCs processes detach from the meningeal basement membrane (BM) followed by apoptotic death of RGCs. Apoptosis is also induced by surgical removal of the meninges. Finally, mice lacking the BM components laminin alpha2 and alpha4 show defects in the attachment of RGC processes at the meninges, a reduction in cortical size, and enhanced apoptosis of RGC cells. Our findings demonstrate that attachment of RGC processes at the meninges is important for RGC survival and the control of cortical size.

Public financing of IVF: a review of policy rationales.

PubMed

Mladovsky, Philipa; Sorenson, Corinna

2010-06-01

There is great diversity in in vitro fertilization (IVF) funding and reimbursement policies and practice throughout Europe and the rest of the world. While many existing reimbursement and regulatory frameworks address safety and legal concerns, economic factors also assume a central role. However, there are several problems with the evidence that is available on the economics of IVF. This suggests there is a need for more robust cost-effectiveness studies. It also indicates the need for alternative rationales to justify the reimbursement of IVF, which might more fully account for the social, political, ethical, and philosophical considerations embedded in notions of infertility and technology-driven reproductive treatments. The merits and limitations of five alternative rationales are discussed. The review suggests that while no existing single rationale provides a complete framework with which to support funding decisions, taken together they provide guideposts which signal important issues for consideration and highlight where further research, action, and debate are needed.

The role for public funding of faith-based organizations delivering behavioral health services: guideposts for monitoring and evaluation.

PubMed

Kramer, Fredrica D

2010-12-01

The paper reviews policies promoting faith-based organizations' (FBO) participation in publicly-funded programs since the Charitable Choice statute was enacted during the Clinton administration and then additional faith-based initiatives were implemented by the Bush administration. The paper focuses on research findings on FBO participation in publicly-funded human service programs under these policies. It then proposes a framework for evaluation to assess the appropriateness of public funding for behavioral health services delivered by FBOs, in order to address: (1) the programmatic and systemic effects resulting from the infusion of new players from the faith community, and the consequences to the profile of services and who gets served; and (2) the content and effectiveness of faith-infused services as a basis for identifying interventions appropriate for public funding. The analysis considers classification issues, theoretical bases of measured effects of faith-infused services, and the transferability of faith-based interventions across religious and secular applications in order to satisfy constitutional issues and client choice.

An evaluation of the current state of genomic data privacy protection technology and a roadmap for the future.

PubMed

Malin, Bradley A

2005-01-01

The incorporation of genomic data into personal medical records poses many challenges to patient privacy. In response, various systems for preserving patient privacy in shared genomic data have been developed and deployed. Although these systems de-identify the data by removing explicit identifiers (e.g., name, address, or Social Security number) and incorporate sound security design principles, they suffer from a lack of formal modeling of inferences learnable from shared data. This report evaluates the extent to which current protection systems are capable of withstanding a range of re-identification methods, including genotype-phenotype inferences, location-visit patterns, family structures, and dictionary attacks. For a comparative re-identification analysis, the systems are mapped to a common formalism. Although there is variation in susceptibility, each system is deficient in its protection capacity. The author discovers patterns of protection failure and discusses several of the reasons why these systems are susceptible. The analyses and discussion within provide guideposts for the development of next-generation protection methods amenable to formal proofs.

An Evaluation of the Current State of Genomic Data Privacy Protection Technology and a Roadmap for the Future

PubMed Central

Malin, Bradley A.

2005-01-01

The incorporation of genomic data into personal medical records poses many challenges to patient privacy. In response, various systems for preserving patient privacy in shared genomic data have been developed and deployed. Although these systems de-identify the data by removing explicit identifiers (e.g., name, address, or Social Security number) and incorporate sound security design principles, they suffer from a lack of formal modeling of inferences learnable from shared data. This report evaluates the extent to which current protection systems are capable of withstanding a range of re-identification methods, including genotype–phenotype inferences, location–visit patterns, family structures, and dictionary attacks. For a comparative re-identification analysis, the systems are mapped to a common formalism. Although there is variation in susceptibility, each system is deficient in its protection capacity. The author discovers patterns of protection failure and discusses several of the reasons why these systems are susceptible. The analyses and discussion within provide guideposts for the development of next-generation protection methods amenable to formal proofs. PMID:15492030

Nkx2.1-derived astrocytes and neurons together with Slit2 are indispensable for anterior commissure formation

PubMed Central

Minocha, Shilpi; Valloton, Delphine; Ypsilanti, Athena R.; Fiumelli, Hubert; Allen, Elizabeth A.; Yanagawa, Yuchio; Marin, Oscar; Chédotal, Alain; Hornung, Jean-Pierre; Lebrand, Cécile

2015-01-01

Guidepost cells present at and surrounding the midline provide guidance cues that orient the growing axons through commissures. Here we show that the transcription factor Nkx2.1 known to control the specification of GABAergic interneurons also regulates the differentiation of astroglia and polydendrocytes within the mouse anterior commissure (AC). Nkx2.1-positive glia were found to originate from three germinal regions of the ventral telencephalon. Nkx2.1-derived glia were observed in and around the AC region by E14.5. Thereafter, a selective cell ablation strategy showed a synergistic role of Nkx2.1-derived cells, both GABAergic interneurons and astroglia, towards the proper formation of the AC. Finally, our results reveal that the Nkx2.1-regulated cells mediate AC axon guidance through the expression of the repellent cue, Slit2. These results bring forth interesting insights about the spatial and temporal origin of midline telencephalic glia, and highlight the importance of neurons and astroglia towards the formation of midline commissures. PMID:25904499

Local Institutional Development and Organizational Change for Advancing Sustainable Urban Water Futures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brown, Rebekah R.

2008-02-01

This paper presents the local institutional and organizational development insights from a five-year ongoing interdisciplinary research project focused on advancing the implementation of sustainable urban water management. While it is broadly acknowledged that the inertia associated with administrative systems is possibly the most significant obstacle to advancing sustainable urban water management, contemporary research still largely prioritizes investigations at the technological level. This research is explicitly concerned with critically informing the design of methodologies for mobilizing and overcoming the administrative inertia of traditional urban water management practice. The results of fourteen in-depth case studies of local government organizations across Metropolitan Sydney primarily reveal that (i) the political institutionalization of environmental concern and (ii) the commitment to local leadership and organizational learning are key corporate attributes for enabling sustainable management. A typology of five organizational development phases has been proposed as both a heuristic and capacity benchmarking tool for urban water strategists, policy makers, and decision makers that are focused on improving the level of local implementation of sustainable urban water management activity. While this investigation has focused on local government, these findings do provide guideposts for assessing the development needs of future capacity building programs across a range of different institutional contexts.

Local institutional development and organizational change for advancing sustainable urban water futures.

PubMed

Brown, Rebekah R

2008-02-01

This paper presents the local institutional and organizational development insights from a five-year ongoing interdisciplinary research project focused on advancing the implementation of sustainable urban water management. While it is broadly acknowledged that the inertia associated with administrative systems is possibly the most significant obstacle to advancing sustainable urban water management, contemporary research still largely prioritizes investigations at the technological level. This research is explicitly concerned with critically informing the design of methodologies for mobilizing and overcoming the administrative inertia of traditional urban water management practice. The results of fourteen in-depth case studies of local government organizations across Metropolitan Sydney primarily reveal that (i) the political institutionalization of environmental concern and (ii) the commitment to local leadership and organizational learning are key corporate attributes for enabling sustainable management. A typology of five organizational development phases has been proposed as both a heuristic and capacity benchmarking tool for urban water strategists, policy makers, and decision makers that are focused on improving the level of local implementation of sustainable urban water management activity. While this investigation has focused on local government, these findings do provide guideposts for assessing the development needs of future capacity building programs across a range of different institutional contexts.

A solution for exposure tool optimization at the 65-nm node and beyond

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Itai, Daisuke

2007-03-01

As device geometries shrink, tolerances for critical dimension, focus, and overlay control decrease. For the stable manufacture of semiconductor devices at (and beyond) the 65nm node, both performance variability and drift in exposure tools are no longer negligible factors. With EES (Equipment Engineering System) as a guidepost, hopes of improving productivity of semiconductor manufacturing are growing. We are developing a system, EESP (Equipment Engineering Support Program), based on the concept of EES. The EESP system collects and stores large volumes of detailed data generated from Canon lithographic equipment while product is being manufactured. It uses that data to monitor both equipment characteristics and process characteristics, which cannot be examined without this system. The goal of EESP is to maximize equipment capabilities, by feeding the result back to APC/FDC and the equipment maintenance list. This was a collaborative study of the system's effectiveness at the device maker's factories. We analyzed the performance variability of exposure tools by using focus residual data. We also attempted to optimize tool performance using the analyzed results. The EESP system can make the optimum performance of exposure tools available to the device maker.

Building the field of population health intervention research: The development and use of an initial set of competencies.

PubMed

Riley, Barbara; Harvey, Jean; Di Ruggiero, Erica; Potvin, Louise

2015-01-01

Population health intervention research (PHIR) is a relatively new research field that studies interventions that can improve health and health equity at a population level. Competencies are one way to give legitimacy and definition to a field. An initial set of PHIR competencies was developed with leadership from a multi-sector group in Canada. This paper describes the development process for these competencies and their possible uses. Methods to develop the competencies included key informant interviews; a targeted review of scientific and gray literature; a 2-round, online adapted Delphi study with a 24-member panel; and a focus group with 9 international PHIR experts. The resulting competencies consist of 25 items grouped into 6 categories. They include principles of good science applicable though not exclusive to PHIR, and more suitable for PHIR teams rather than individuals. This initial set of competencies, released in 2013, may be used to develop graduate student curriculum, recruit trainees and faculty to academic institutions, plan non-degree professional development, and develop job descriptions for PHIR-related research and professional positions. The competencies provide some initial guideposts for the field and will need to be adapted as the PHIR field matures and to meet unique needs of different jurisdictions.

Building the field of population health intervention research: The development and use of an initial set of competencies

PubMed Central

Riley, Barbara; Harvey, Jean; Di Ruggiero, Erica; Potvin, Louise

2015-01-01

Population health intervention research (PHIR) is a relatively new research field that studies interventions that can improve health and health equity at a population level. Competencies are one way to give legitimacy and definition to a field. An initial set of PHIR competencies was developed with leadership from a multi-sector group in Canada. This paper describes the development process for these competencies and their possible uses. Methods to develop the competencies included key informant interviews; a targeted review of scientific and gray literature; a 2-round, online adapted Delphi study with a 24-member panel; and a focus group with 9 international PHIR experts. The resulting competencies consist of 25 items grouped into 6 categories. They include principles of good science applicable though not exclusive to PHIR, and more suitable for PHIR teams rather than individuals. This initial set of competencies, released in 2013, may be used to develop graduate student curriculum, recruit trainees and faculty to academic institutions, plan non-degree professional development, and develop job descriptions for PHIR-related research and professional positions. The competencies provide some initial guideposts for the field and will need to be adapted as the PHIR field matures and to meet unique needs of different jurisdictions. PMID:26844160

Native Skywatchers: The Astronomer and Artist

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Annette S.

2007-05-01

Most people are taught at a young age that Art and Science are two opposing subjects. My culture (Dakota-Sioux), teaches that every human being contains both male and female. The goal is to embrace the two opposing tendencies and live in balance. I am both a scientist (MS WashU 2008) and an artist (MFA Yale 2000). In my ambition to embrace both talents I have found very fertile ground. I will present a collection of "Four Direction Star Paintings". My ideas revolve around the four cardinal directions: North, East, South and West in relation to the four seasons and the stars as "teachers" or at least old friends. These ideas reflect everyday living as well as more intense Lakota ceremonies. The Star Paintings are sparkling, celestial guideposts. Amazingly, some of these ideas are embedded in both Western Science and Native American culture. This connection is golden. Indigenous peoples throughout the world have always had connections with the celestial skies. It is my goal to tap into this ancient connection and use it to establish new methodology for teaching science. Currently, I am painting a sixteen foot medicine teepee while working on my graduate degree in physics. I am funded by a Graduate Research Grant from the National Science Foundation.

Relationship-centred care: antidote, guidepost or blind alley? The epistemology of 21st century health care.

PubMed

Wyer, Peter C; Alves Silva, Suzana; Post, Stephen G; Quinlan, Patricia

2014-12-01

Contemporary health care is increasing in complexity and lacks a unifying understanding of epistemology, methodology and goals. Lack of conceptual consistency in concepts such as 'patient-centred care' (PCC) typifies system-wide discordance. We contrast the fragmented descriptions of PCC and related tools to its own origins in the writings of Balint and to a subsequent construct, relationship-centred care (RCC). We identify the explicit and elaborated connection between RCC and a defined epistemological foundation as a distinguishing feature of the construct and we demonstrate that this makes possible the recognition of alignments between RCC and independently developed constructs. Among these, we emphasize Schon's reflective practice, Nonaka's theory of organizational knowledge creation and the research methodology of realist synthesis. We highlight the relational principles common to these domains and to their common epistemologies and illustrate unsatisfying consequences of adherence to less adequate epistemological frameworks such as positivism. We offer RCC not as an 'antidote' to the dilemmas identified at the outset but as an example that illuminates the value and importance of explicit identification of the premises and assumptions underlying approaches to improvement of the health care system. We stress the potential value of identifying epistemological affinities across otherwise disparate fields and disciplines. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Assessing climate change-robustness of protected area management plans-The case of Germany.

PubMed

Geyer, Juliane; Kreft, Stefan; Jeltsch, Florian; Ibisch, Pierre L

2017-01-01

Protected areas are arguably the most important instrument of biodiversity conservation. To keep them fit under climate change, their management needs to be adapted to address related direct and indirect changes. In our study we focus on the adaptation of conservation management planning, evaluating management plans of 60 protected areas throughout Germany with regard to their climate change-robustness. First, climate change-robust conservation management was defined using 11 principles and 44 criteria, which followed an approach similar to sustainability standards. We then evaluated the performance of individual management plans concerning the climate change-robustness framework. We found that climate change-robustness of protected areas hardly exceeded 50 percent of the potential performance, with most plans ranking in the lower quarter. Most Natura 2000 protected areas, established under conservation legislation of the European Union, belong to the sites with especially poor performance, with lower values in smaller areas. In general, the individual principles showed very different rates of accordance with our principles, but similarly low intensity. Principles with generally higher performance values included holistic knowledge management, public accountability and acceptance as well as systemic and strategic coherence. Deficiencies were connected to dealing with the future and uncertainty. Lastly, we recommended the presented principles and criteria as essential guideposts that can be used as a checklist for working towards more climate change-robust planning.

Sustainable Energy Solutions for Rural Alaska

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

Allen, Riley; Brutkoski, Donna; Farnsworth, David

2016-04-22

The state of Alaska recognizes the challenges these rural communities face and provides financial support via the Power Cost Equalization (PCE) program. The PCE subsidizes the electricity prices paid by customers of these high-cost utilities. The PCE program is designed to spread the benefits of Alaska’s natural resources more evenly throughout the state. Yet even with this subsidy, electricity is still much more expensive for these rural customers. And beyond the PCE, other forms of assistance to rural utilities are becoming scarce given the state’s current fiscal environment. Nearly 90 percent of Alaska’s unrestricted budget funds in recent years havemore » been tied to oil royalties—a sector experiencing significant declines in production and oil prices. Consequently, as Alaska looks to tighten budgets, the challenge of lowering rural utility costs, while encouraging self-sufficiency, has become more urgent.This study examines reliability, capital and strategic planning, management, workforce development, governance, financial performance and system efficiency in the various communities visited by the research team. Using those attributes, a tier system was developed to categorize rural Alaska utilities into Leading and Innovating Systems (Tier I), Advanced Diesel Systems (Tier II), Basic Systems (Tier III), and Underperforming Systems (Tier IV). The tier approach is not meant to label specific utilities, but rather to provide a general set of benchmarks and guideposts for improvement.« less

Feature co-localization landscape of the human genome

PubMed Central

Ng, Siu-Kin; Hu, Taobo; Long, Xi; Chan, Cheuk-Hin; Tsang, Shui-Ying; Xue, Hong

2016-01-01

Although feature co-localizations could serve as useful guide-posts to genome architecture, a comprehensive and quantitative feature co-localization map of the human genome has been lacking. Herein we show that, in contrast to the conventional bipartite division of genomic sequences into genic and inter-genic regions, pairwise co-localizations of forty-two genomic features in the twenty-two autosomes based on 50-kb to 2,000-kb sequence windows indicate a tripartite zonal architecture comprising Genic zones enriched with gene-related features and Alu-elements; Proximal zones enriched with MIR- and L2-elements, transcription-factor-binding-sites (TFBSs), and conserved-indels (CIDs); and Distal zones enriched with L1-elements. Co-localizations between single-nucleotide-polymorphisms (SNPs) and copy-number-variations (CNVs) reveal a fraction of sequence windows displaying steeply enhanced levels of SNPs, CNVs and recombination rates that point to active adaptive evolution in such pathways as immune response, sensory perceptions, and cognition. The strongest positive co-localization observed between TFBSs and CIDs suggests a regulatory role of CIDs in cooperation with TFBSs. The positive co-localizations of cancer somatic CNVs (CNVT) with all Proximal zone and most Genic zone features, in contrast to the distinctly more restricted co-localizations exhibited by germline CNVs (CNVG), reveal disparate distributions of CNVTs and CNVGs indicative of dissimilarity in their underlying mechanisms. PMID:26854351

Assessing climate change-robustness of protected area management plans—The case of Germany

PubMed Central

Geyer, Juliane; Kreft, Stefan; Jeltsch, Florian; Ibisch, Pierre L.

2017-01-01

Protected areas are arguably the most important instrument of biodiversity conservation. To keep them fit under climate change, their management needs to be adapted to address related direct and indirect changes. In our study we focus on the adaptation of conservation management planning, evaluating management plans of 60 protected areas throughout Germany with regard to their climate change-robustness. First, climate change-robust conservation management was defined using 11 principles and 44 criteria, which followed an approach similar to sustainability standards. We then evaluated the performance of individual management plans concerning the climate change-robustness framework. We found that climate change-robustness of protected areas hardly exceeded 50 percent of the potential performance, with most plans ranking in the lower quarter. Most Natura 2000 protected areas, established under conservation legislation of the European Union, belong to the sites with especially poor performance, with lower values in smaller areas. In general, the individual principles showed very different rates of accordance with our principles, but similarly low intensity. Principles with generally higher performance values included holistic knowledge management, public accountability and acceptance as well as systemic and strategic coherence. Deficiencies were connected to dealing with the future and uncertainty. Lastly, we recommended the presented principles and criteria as essential guideposts that can be used as a checklist for working towards more climate change-robust planning. PMID:28982187

Impediments to integrated urban stormwater management: the need for institutional reform.

PubMed

Brown, Rebekah R

2005-09-01

It is now well established that the traditional practice of urban stormwater management contributes to the degradation of receiving waterways, and this practice was more recently critiqued for facilitating the wastage of a valuable water resource. However, despite significant advances in alternative "integrated urban stormwater management" techniques and processes over the last 20 years, wide-scale implementation has been limited. This problem is indicative of broader institutional impediments that are beyond current concerns of strengthening technological and planning process expertise. Presented here is an analysis of the institutionalization of urban stormwater management across Sydney with the objective of scoping institutional impediments to more sustainable management approaches. The analysis reveals that the inertia with the public administration of urban stormwater inherently privileges and perpetuates traditional stormwater management practices at implementation. This inertia is characterized by historically entrained forms of technocratic institutional power and expertise, values and leadership, and structure and jurisdiction posing significant impediments to change and the realization of integrated urban stormwater management. These insights strongly point to the need for institutional change specifically directed at fostering horizontal integration of the various functions of the existing administrative regime. This would need to be underpinned with capacity-building interventions targeted at enabling a learning culture that values integration and participatory decision making. These insights also provide guideposts for assessing the institutional and capacity development needs for improving urban water management practices in other contexts.

Emotional voices in context: A neurobiological model of multimodal affective information processing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brück, Carolin; Kreifelts, Benjamin; Wildgruber, Dirk

2011-12-01

Just as eyes are often considered a gateway to the soul, the human voice offers a window through which we gain access to our fellow human beings' minds - their attitudes, intentions and feelings. Whether in talking or singing, crying or laughing, sighing or screaming, the sheer sound of a voice communicates a wealth of information that, in turn, may serve the observant listener as valuable guidepost in social interaction. But how do human beings extract information from the tone of a voice? In an attempt to answer this question, the present article reviews empirical evidence detailing the cerebral processes that underlie our ability to decode emotional information from vocal signals. The review will focus primarily on two prominent classes of vocal emotion cues: laughter and speech prosody (i.e. the tone of voice while speaking). Following a brief introduction, behavioral as well as neuroimaging data will be summarized that allows to outline cerebral mechanisms associated with the decoding of emotional voice cues, as well as the influence of various context variables (e.g. co-occurring facial and verbal emotional signals, attention focus, person-specific parameters such as gender and personality) on the respective processes. Building on the presented evidence, a cerebral network model will be introduced that proposes a differential contribution of various cortical and subcortical brain structures to the processing of emotional voice signals both in isolation and in context of accompanying (facial and verbal) emotional cues.

Emotional voices in context: a neurobiological model of multimodal affective information processing.

PubMed

Brück, Carolin; Kreifelts, Benjamin; Wildgruber, Dirk

2011-12-01

Just as eyes are often considered a gateway to the soul, the human voice offers a window through which we gain access to our fellow human beings' minds - their attitudes, intentions and feelings. Whether in talking or singing, crying or laughing, sighing or screaming, the sheer sound of a voice communicates a wealth of information that, in turn, may serve the observant listener as valuable guidepost in social interaction. But how do human beings extract information from the tone of a voice? In an attempt to answer this question, the present article reviews empirical evidence detailing the cerebral processes that underlie our ability to decode emotional information from vocal signals. The review will focus primarily on two prominent classes of vocal emotion cues: laughter and speech prosody (i.e. the tone of voice while speaking). Following a brief introduction, behavioral as well as neuroimaging data will be summarized that allows to outline cerebral mechanisms associated with the decoding of emotional voice cues, as well as the influence of various context variables (e.g. co-occurring facial and verbal emotional signals, attention focus, person-specific parameters such as gender and personality) on the respective processes. Building on the presented evidence, a cerebral network model will be introduced that proposes a differential contribution of various cortical and subcortical brain structures to the processing of emotional voice signals both in isolation and in context of accompanying (facial and verbal) emotional cues. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Perspective: adopting an asset bundles model to support and advance minority students' careers in academic medicine and the scientific pipeline.

PubMed

Johnson, Japera; Bozeman, Barry

2012-11-01

The authors contend that increasing diversity in academic medicine, science, technology, engineering, and mathematics requires the adoption of a systematic approach to retain minority high school and college students as they navigate the scientific pipeline. Such an approach should focus on the interrelated and multilayered challenges that these students face. The authors fuse an alternative conceptualization of the scientific and technical human capital theoretical framework and the theory of social identity contingencies to offer a conceptual model for targeting the critical areas in which minority students may need additional support to continue toward careers in science. Their proposed asset bundles model is grounded in the central premise that making greater progress in recruiting and retaining minorities likely requires institutions to respond simultaneously to various social cues that signal devaluation of certain identities (e.g., gender, race, socioeconomic status). The authors define "asset bundles" as the specific sets of abilities and resources individuals develop that help them succeed in educational and professional tasks, including but not limited to science and research. The model consists of five asset bundles, each of which is supported in the research literature as a factor relevant to educational achievement and, the authors contend, may lead to improved and sustained diversity: educational endowments, science socialization, network development, family expectations, and material resources. Using this framework, they suggest possible ways of thinking about the task of achieving diversity as well as guideposts for next steps. Finally, they discuss the feasibility of implementing such an approach.

KEAP1 and Done? Targeting the NRF2 Pathway with Sulforaphane.

PubMed

Dinkova-Kostova, Albena T; Fahey, Jed W; Kostov, Rumen V; Kensler, Thomas W

2017-11-01

Since the re-discovery of sulforaphane in 1992 and the recognition of the bioactivity of this phytochemical, many studies have examined its mode of action in cells, animals and humans. Broccoli, especially as young sprouts, is a rich source of sulforaphane and broccoli-based preparations are now used in clinical studies probing efficacy in health preservation and disease mitigation. Many putative cellular targets are affected by sulforaphane although only one, KEAP1-NRF2 signaling, can be considered a validated target at this time. The transcription factor NRF2 is a master regulator of cell survival responses to endogenous and exogenous stressors. This review summarizes the chemical biology of sulforaphane as an inducer of NRF2 signaling and efficacy as an inhibitor of carcinogenesis. It also provides a summary of the current findings from clinical trials using a suite of broccoli sprout preparations on a series of short-term endpoints reflecting a diversity of molecular actions. Sulforaphane, as a pure chemical, protects against chemical-induced skin, oral, stomach, colon, lung and bladder carcinogenesis and in genetic models of colon and prostate carcinogenesis. In many of these settings the antitumorigenic efficacy of sulforaphane is dampened in Nrf2 -disrupted animals. Broccoli preparations rich in glucoraphanin or sulforaphane exert demonstrable pharmacodynamic action in over a score of clinical trials. Measures of NRF2 pathway response and function are serving as guideposts for the optimization of dose, schedule and formulation as clinical trials with broccoli-based preparations become more commonplace and more rigorous in design and implementation.

Cluster decomposition of full configuration interaction wave functions: A tool for chemical interpretation of systems with strong correlation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lehtola, Susi; Tubman, Norm M.; Whaley, K. Birgitta; Head-Gordon, Martin

2017-10-01

Approximate full configuration interaction (FCI) calculations have recently become tractable for systems of unforeseen size, thanks to stochastic and adaptive approximations to the exponentially scaling FCI problem. The result of an FCI calculation is a weighted set of electronic configurations, which can also be expressed in terms of excitations from a reference configuration. The excitation amplitudes contain information on the complexity of the electronic wave function, but this information is contaminated by contributions from disconnected excitations, i.e., those excitations that are just products of independent lower-level excitations. The unwanted contributions can be removed via a cluster decomposition procedure, making it possible to examine the importance of connected excitations in complicated multireference molecules which are outside the reach of conventional algorithms. We present an implementation of the cluster decomposition analysis and apply it to both true FCI wave functions, as well as wave functions generated from the adaptive sampling CI algorithm. The cluster decomposition is useful for interpreting calculations in chemical studies, as a diagnostic for the convergence of various excitation manifolds, as well as as a guidepost for polynomially scaling electronic structure models. Applications are presented for (i) the double dissociation of water, (ii) the carbon dimer, (iii) the π space of polyacenes, and (iv) the chromium dimer. While the cluster amplitudes exhibit rapid decay with an increasing rank for the first three systems, even connected octuple excitations still appear important in Cr2, suggesting that spin-restricted single-reference coupled-cluster approaches may not be tractable for some problems in transition metal chemistry.

Perspective: Adopting an Asset Bundle Model to Support and Advance Minority Students’ Careers in Academic Medicine and the Scientific Pipeline

PubMed Central

Johnson, Japera; Bozeman, Barry

2012-01-01

The authors contend that increasing diversity in the scientific pipeline (e.g., academic medicine, science, technology, engineering and mathematics) requires a systematic approach to retain minority high school and college students. Such an approach should focus on the interrelated and multilayered challenges that these students face. The authors fuse an alternative conceptualization of the scientific and technical human capital theoretical framework and the theory of social identity contingencies to offer a conceptual model for targeting the critical areas in which minority students may need additional support in order to continue toward a career in science. Their proposed asset bundles model is grounded in the central premise that making greater progress in recruiting and retaining minorities likely requires institutions to respond simultaneously to various social cues that signal devaluation of certain identities (e.g., gender, race, or socioeconomic status). The authors define “asset bundles” as the specific sets of abilities and resources individuals develop that help them succeed in educational and professional tasks, including but not limited to science and research. The model consists of five asset bundles, each of which is supported in the research literature as a factor relevant to educational achievement and, the authors contend, may lead to improved and sustained diversity: educational endowments, science socialization, network development, family expectations, and material resources. Using this framework, they suggest possible ways of thinking about the task of achieving diversity as well as guideposts for next steps. Finally, they discuss the feasibility of implementing such an approach. PMID:23018329

Adventures in main group chemistry: From molecules to materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Findlater, Michael

Three synthetic methods have been explored for the preparation of several novel boron-substituted amidinates and guanidinates. The extension of heterocumulene insertion chemistries to boron-aryl, boron-metallocene and boron-transition metal moieties has also been achieved and the mechanism of such insertions is addressed via density functional theory modeling techniques. The reactivity of these complexes is also explored, mainly through halide abstraction methodologies to generate boron cations, which are potent Lewis Acids and may be useful in promoting organic transformations or in the polymerization of ethylene. The synthesis and characterization of the elusive monomeric low valent carbenoid boron(I), a compound with a formal lone pair located upon the boron center, has been lacking. The suitability of the guanidinate ligand system to support such a species is also discussed and a combined experimental and theoretical approach to this highly topical problem is also presented. Thirdly, the use of photovoltaics (devices which convert solar energy directly into electricity) as an alternative source of energy outwith fossil fuel technologies is a rapidly growing area of interest. Initial efforts to use a novel approach, which incorporates inorganic nanocrystals wired into a conducting polymer matrix, are also presented. Successful synthetic approaches to the gallium, aluminum and indium monomeric precursors suitable for electropolymerization were developed. These compounds proved to be effective starting points for the generation of conducting polymers with embedded III/VI (Ga2S 3) nanocrystals with further studies currently underway as to their III/V (InP, GaAs) compatriots. Finally, a retrospective of projects that may best be described in terms of the moniker "Loose Ends and Future Directions" will be presented. The aim of which will be to serve as a useful guidepost for further studies in the fields and topics discussed.

Heat-Killed Yeast as a Pan-Fungal Vaccine.

PubMed

Martinez, Marife; Clemons, Karl V; Stevens, David A

2017-01-01

Fungal infections continue to rise worldwide. Antifungal therapy has long been a mainstay for the treatment of these infections, but often can fail for a number of reasons. These include acquired or innate drug resistance of the causative agent, poor drug penetration into the affected tissues, lack of cidal activity of the drug and drug toxicities that limit therapy. In some instances, such as coccidioidal meningitis, therapy is life-long. In addition, few new antifungal drugs are under development. In light of this information a preventative vaccine is highly desirable. Although numerous investigators have worked toward the development of fungal vaccines, none have become commercially available for use in humans. In the course of our studies, we have discovered that heat-killed yeast (HKY) of Saccharomyces cerevisiae can be used as a vaccine and have shown that it has efficacy in the prevention and reduction of five different fungal infections when used experimentally in mice, which raises the possibility of a pan-fungal vaccine preparation. In our studies we grow S. cerevisiae in broth and heat-kill the organism at 70 ° C for 3 h. The number of dead yeast cells is adjusted and mice are vaccinated subcutaneously beginning 3-7 weeks prior to infection. After infection, efficacy is assessed on the basis of survival and residual burden of the fungus in the target organs. Alternatively, efficacy can be assessed solely on fungal burden at a predetermined time postinfection. Although itself it is unlikely to be moved toward commercialization, HKY can be used a positive control vaccine for studies on specific molecular entities as vaccines, and as a guidepost for the key elements of potential, more purified, pan-fungal vaccine preparations.

Science Shaping Sustainable Finance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rodriguez Osuna, V.; Vorosmarty, C. J.; Koehler, D.; Klop, P.; Spengler, J.; Buonocore, J.; Cak, A. D.; Tessler, Z. D.; Corsi, F.; Green, P. A.; Sánchez, R.

2017-12-01

Sustainable investment is confronting a period of rapid growth and fundamental change. However, the methods used to evaluate corporate sustainability are failing to keep pace with this new reality. In contrast to the 1990s when corporate data on pollution or occupational health were not available in the public domain, today's investors can take advantage of rich data streams, owing to voluntary corporate disclosures of their business practices. Yet, the data companies declare are hardly standardized, difficult to verify, and thus run the risk of creating unreliable assertions, a form of "green-washing". A partnership comprising a pension fund, an asset manager and two research universities has created a science-based approach to quantify context and place it into a decision-making framework for investors. We have tested this framework on US$2.5 billion of assets held by a large European pension fund with an initial focus on four domains—water, climate change, human health and food security. Our standardized metrics enable coherent comparison of individual company and portfolios over time. To place a company's impact on water systems or climate change into context requires geographically co-locating company operations, combining these with estimates of industrial emissions or mitigation potential, baseline Earth system science data and geopolitical and demographic statistics. Recent developments regarding the Paris Accord are a warning that progress toward a sustainable future requires rethinking the roles that the public and private sectors can play in effecting meaningful change. The finance sector, if given the proper guideposts, could rapidly transform fraught public policy challenges like climate adaptation or the global loss of biodiversity into business opportunities. By utilizing a science-based yardstick to evaluate and compare companies on the basis of their impacts, attention could be drawn to companies that are verifiably contributing to sustainability.

Crisis communication. Lessons from 9/11.

PubMed

Argenti, Paul

2002-12-01

The sheer enormity of last year's terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon gave new meaning to the term "crisis management." Suddenly, companies near Ground Zero, as well as those more than a thousand miles away, needed a plan. Because the disasters disrupted established channels not only between businesses and customers but between businesses and employees, internal crisis-communications strategies that could be quickly implemented became a key responsibility of top management. Without these strategies, employees' trauma and confusion might have immobilized their firms and set their customers adrift. In this article, executives from a range of industries talk about how their companies, including Morgan Stanley, Oppenheimer Funds, American Airlines, Verizon, the New York Times, Dell, and Starbucks, went about restoring operations and morale. From his interviews with these individuals, author and management professor Paul Argenti was able to distill a number of lessons, each of which, he says, may "serve as guideposts for any company facing a crisis that undermines its employees' composure, confidence, or concentration." His advice to senior executives includes: Maintain high levels of visibility, so that employees are certain of top management's command of the situation and concern; establish contingency communication channels and work sites; strive to keep employees focused on the business itself, because a sense of usefulness enhances morale and good morale enhances usefulness; and ensure that employees have absorbed the firm's values, which will guide them as they cope with the unpredictable. The most forward-thinking leaders realize that managing a crisis-communications program requires the same dedication and resources they give to other dimensions of their business. More important, they realize that their employees always come first.

Small Satellite Constellations for Geospace Sciences

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Spence, H. E.

2016-12-01

The recent National Academy of Sciences Solar and Space Physics Decadal Survey (DS) identified community-consensus science priorities for the decade spanning 2013 - 2022. In this talk, we discuss the ways by which small satellite constellations are already and may soon accelerate progress toward achieving many of these science targets. The DS outlined four overarching science goals: (1) determine the origins of the Sun's activity and predict the variations in the space environment; (2) determine the dynamics and coupling of Earth's magnetosphere, ionosphere, and atmosphere and their response to solar and terrestrial inputs; (3) determine the interaction of the Sun with the solar system and the interstellar medium; and, (4) discover and characterize fundamental processes that occur both within the heliosphere and throughout the universe. These DS science goals provide the context for key science challenges in the three connected parts of the system that encompass all of solar and space physics, herein referred to as geospace: the Sun and heliosphere; the coupled solar wind-magnetosphere system; and, the coupled atmosphere-ionosphere-magnetosphere system. The DS further presented the role that small satellites play in resolving many of these science challenges, with a particular emphasis on the role that constellations of small satellites will play. While once considered by many as being "futuristic" or even "unrealizable", constellations of small satellites are already making important contributions to geospace science and with the promise for more to come. Using the DS as a guidepost, in this presentation, we outline representative small satellite constellation missions alread underway, some in development, and others notionally proposed over the next several years that employ small satellite constellations to tackle large science imperatives. Finally, we give examples of key small satellite technologies in development that will potentially enable great scientific return with comparatively low investments in small satellite missions.

Vitamin D and Cardiovascular Disease: An Appraisal of the Evidence

PubMed Central

Schnatz, Peter F.; Manson, JoAnn E.

2013-01-01

Background Supplementation with vitamin D (VitD) has received attention as a potential cardioprotective strategy. Biologically plausible mechanisms have been proposed to link VitD to coronary heart disease (CHD) prevention and observational studies suggest an inverse association between serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25OHD) concentrations and CHD. Few randomized clinical trials of VitD supplementation and CHD have been conducted, however, and no completed trial has been done with CHD as the primary pre-specified outcome. Content A search was conducted in PubMed to find prospective studies on the use of vitamin D supplementation and cardiovascular risk factors (RFs) and/or cardiovascular disease. The exact search query was ((vitamin D supplement*[Title/Abstract]) AND cardiovascular [Title/Abstract]) AND prospective [Title/Abstract]. This query yielded 42 results. Randomized Controlled Trial (article type) was employed as a filter in a subsequent query with the same search terms. We review the evidence that VitD supplementation modifies coronary RFs, such as blood pressure, lipids, and glucose tolerance, and/or affects the development of clinical CHD events. We address potential sources of confounding in observational epidemiologic studies of the relationship between serum 25OHD and CHD. We also address laboratory assay issues relevant to the reliable measurement of 25OHD. Summary Most VitD supplementation trials have not demonstrated improvement in cardiovascular disease, but have tested relatively low doses of VitD. Thus, the evidence remains inconclusive, highlighting the need for rigorous randomized trials of higher VitD doses, with cardiovascular events as prespecified outcomes. While awaiting ongoing trial results, the recommended dietary allowances from the Institute of Medicine remain the best guidepost for nutritional requirements. PMID:24193116

Four States, Four Projects, One Mission: Collectively Enhancing Mental and Behavioral Health Capacity Throughout the Gulf Coast.

PubMed

Langhinrichsen-Rohling, Jennifer; Osofsky, Howard; Osofsky, Joy; Rohrer, Glenn; Rehner, Timothy

The 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill triggered numerous concerns regarding the health and well-being of citizens within the already vulnerable Gulf Coast region. Four Mental and Behavioral Health Capacity Projects (MBHCPs) united to form the Quad-State MBHCP component of the Gulf Region Health Outreach Program (GRHOP). Their shared mission was to increase mental and behavioral health (MBH) capacity within coastal counties of Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and the Florida Panhandle. To describe strategies used to collectively enhance the impact of the 4 state-specific MBHCPs and to share lessons learned from a multistate collaborative flexibly designed to meet a shared mission. Archival materials were assessed. They included attendance sheets/notes from regularly scheduled group meetings, GRHOP quarterly and annual reports, and state-specific MBHCP logic models. Nationally available data on MBH services provided in project-relevant primary care sites were also examined. Three strategies were found to be effective facilitators of collective success: (i) reciprocal participation in the backbone organization (GRHOP); (ii) creation and comparison of state-specific MBHCP logic models and activities; and (iii) cross-fertilization among the MBHCP state-specific logic models, a unified Quad-State, and the GRHOP-wide logic model to generate additional synergistic endeavors and measureable outcomes. Examples of region-wide MBHCP success, such as uptake in integrated health services in health care clinics across the jurisdiction of investment, are presented. Isolated approaches to complex issues are, at times, ineffective. The Collective Impact (CI) model, with an emphasis on coordination among existing organizations, stakeholders, and the public, can serve as a guidepost to facilitate sustainable change even when used in a modified form. Strategies discussed herein for maximizing the 5 prescribed CI conditions provide an important roadmap for how to interface among multidisciplinary projects seeking to address the same, large-scale public health problem.

Assessing localized skin-to-fat water in arms of women with breast cancer via tissue dielectric constant measurements in pre- and post-surgery patients.

PubMed

Mayrovitz, Harvey N; Weingrad, Daniel N; Lopez, Lidice

2015-05-01

Skin-to-fat tissue dielectric constant (TDC) values at 300 MHz largely depend on tissue water and provide a rapid way to assess skin water by touching skin with a probe for approximately 10 s. This method has been used to investigate lymphedema features accompanying breast cancer (BC), but relationships between TDC and nodes removed or symptoms is unclear. Our goals were: (1) to compare TDC values in BC patients prior to surgery (group A) and in patients who had BC-related surgery (group B) to determine if TDC of group B were related to nodes removed and reported symptoms and (2) to develop tentative lymphedema-detection thresholds. Arm volumes and TDC values of at-risk and contralateral forearms and biceps were determined in 103 women awaiting surgery for BC and 104 women who had BC-related surgery 26.3 ± 17.5 months prior to evaluation. Inter-arm ratios (at-risk/contralateral) were determined and patients answered questions about lymphedema-related symptoms. Inter-arm TDC ratios for group A forearm and biceps were respectively 1.003 ± 0.096 and 1.012 ± 0.143. Group B forearm ratios were significantly greater, and among group B patients who reported at least one symptom there was a significant correlation between TDC ratios and symptom burden and nodes removed. Inter-arm TDC ratios are significantly related to symptoms and nodes removed. Ratios increase with increasing symptom score and might be used to detect pre-clinical unilateral lymphedema using TDC ratio thresholds of 1.30 for forearm and 1.45 for biceps. Threshold confirmation awaits targeted prospective studies but can serve as guideposts to provide quantitative and easily done tracking assessments during follow-up visits.

Global Warming’s Six Americas: An Audience Segmentation Analysis (Invited)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Roser-Renouf, C.; Maibach, E.; Leiserowitz, A.

2009-12-01

One of the first rules of effective communication is to “know thy audience.” People have different psychological, cultural and political reasons for acting - or not acting - to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and climate change educators can increase their impact by taking these differences into account. In this presentation we will describe six unique audience segments within the American public that each responds to the issue in its own distinct way, and we will discuss methods of engaging each. The six audiences were identified using a nationally representative survey of American adults conducted in the fall of 2008 (N=2,164). In two waves of online data collection, the public’s climate change beliefs, attitudes, risk perceptions, values, policy preferences, conservation, and energy-efficiency behaviors were assessed. The data were subjected to latent class analysis, yielding six groups distinguishable on all the above dimensions. The Alarmed (18%) are fully convinced of the reality and seriousness of climate change and are already taking individual, consumer, and political action to address it. The Concerned (33%) - the largest of the Six Americas - are also convinced that global warming is happening and a serious problem, but have not yet engaged with the issue personally. Three other Americas - the Cautious (19%), the Disengaged (12%) and the Doubtful (11%) - represent different stages of understanding and acceptance of the problem, and none are actively involved. The final America - the Dismissive (7%) - are very sure it is not happening and are actively involved as opponents of a national effort to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Mitigating climate change will require a diversity of messages, messengers and methods that take into account these differences within the American public. The findings from this research can serve as guideposts for educators on the optimal choices for reaching and influencing target groups with varied informational needs, values and beliefs.

Theoretical Analysis of Cobalt Hangman Porphyrins: Ligand Dearomatization and Mechanistic Implications for Hydrogen Evolution

DOE PAGES

Solis, Brian H.; Maher, Andrew G.; Honda, Tatsuhiko; ...

2014-11-06

The design of molecular electrocatalysts for hydrogen evolution has been targeted as a strategy for the conversion of solar energy to chemical fuels. In cobalt hangman porphyrins, a carboxylic acid group on a xanthene backbone is positioned over a metalloporphyrin to serve as a proton relay. A key proton-coupled electron transfer (PCET) step along the hydrogen evolution pathway occurs via a sequential ET-PT mechanism in which electron transfer (ET) is followed by proton transfer (PT). Herein theoretical calculations are employed to investigate the mechanistic pathways of these hangman metalloporphyrins. The calculations confirm the ET-PT mechanism by illustrating that the calculatedmore » reduction potentials for this mechanism are consistent with experimental data. Under strong-acid conditions, the calculations indicate that this catalyst evolves H 2 by protonation of a formally Co(II) hydride intermediate, as suggested by previous experiments. Under weak-acid conditions, however, the calculations reveal a mechanism that proceeds via a phlorin intermediate, in which the meso carbon of the porphyrin is protonated. In the first electrochemical reduction, the neutral Co(II) species is reduced to a monoanionic singlet Co(I) species. Subsequent reduction leads to a dianionic doublet, formally a Co(0) complex in which substantial mixing of Co and porphyrin orbitals indicates ligand redox noninnocence. The partial reduction of the ligand disrupts the aromaticity in the porphyrin ring. As a result of this ligand dearomatization, protonation of the dianionic species is significantly more thermodynamically favorable at the meso carbon than at the metal center, and the ET-PT mechanism leads to a dianionic phlorin species. According to the proposed mechanism, the carboxylate group of this dianionic phlorin species is reprotonated, the species is reduced again, and H 2 is evolved from the protonated carboxylate and the protonated carbon. This proposed mechanism is a guidepost for future experimental studies of proton relays involving noninnocent ligand platforms.« less

EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE, MORAL, ETHICS, BIO-ETHICS AND WHAT IS IN BETWEEN.

PubMed

Keidar, Daniella; Yagoda, Arie

2014-10-01

In recent years, the study of emotions has broadened its scope and established its standing as a new scientific discipline. Humanity has become increasingly conscious of the seminal role played by the emotional components in both intrapersonal and interpersonal behavior. A deeply rooted and inherent correlation exists between emotional intelligence (E.I. - Emotional Intelligence) and positive social results: social adaptation, quality social relationships, the capacity for healthy social behaviors, caring, altruism, empathy, enlightened communication and the efficacy and personal coherence essential to moral and ethical behavior, including its manifestation in the sphere of bio-ethics. The importance of the personal relationship between the doctor and the patient is especially fundamental in the current era of immense and accelerated scientific-technological development, forcing doctors to cope with an increasingly complicated technical environment. Precisely because of this reality, it is essential that a doctor's actions and interpersonal relationship with the patient proceed from an ethical base, grounded in both professional and emotional responsibility. Emotional responsibility is one of the central elements underlying bioethical conduct and is the element that provides the guideposts for the treatment of others. The symbiotic connection between emotional intelligence and the sphere of ethics and morals is what delineates human beings. Human beings, by definition and in essence, bear responsibility for their actions. The beginning of ethics is in the human being's consciousness of choice in relation to self and to others. An individual's choices integrate emotion and cognition. That ability to integrate alongside the capacity for choice enables the human race to act in accordance with ethical and moral codes. At work, on a daily basis, a doctor is positioned opposite to the physical, emotional, cognitive and ethical entirety of the patient. Beyond the doctor's technical ability to heal, there also exists his capacity to create within the patient the desire to heal.

Connecting the sustainable development goals by their energy inter-linkages

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McCollum, David L.; Gomez Echeverri, Luis; Busch, Sebastian; Pachauri, Shonali; Parkinson, Simon; Rogelj, Joeri; Krey, Volker; Minx, Jan C.; Nilsson, Måns; Stevance, Anne-Sophie; Riahi, Keywan

2018-03-01

The United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) provide guide-posts to society as it attempts to respond to an array of pressing challenges. One of these challenges is energy; thus, the SDGs have become paramount for energy policy-making. Yet, while governments throughout the world have already declared the SDGs to be ‘integrated and indivisible’, there are still knowledge gaps surrounding how the interactions between the energy SDG targets and those of the non-energy-focused SDGs might play out in different contexts. In this review, we report on a large-scale assessment of the relevant energy literature, which we conducted to better our understanding of key energy-related interactions between SDGs, as well as their context-dependencies (relating to time, geography, governance, technology, and directionality). By (i) evaluating the nature and strength of the interactions identified, (ii) indicating the robustness of the evidence base, the agreement of that evidence, and our confidence in it, and (iii) highlighting critical areas where better understanding is needed or context dependencies should be considered, our review points to potential ways forward for both the policy making and scientific communities. First, we find that positive interactions between the SDGs outweigh the negative ones, both in number and magnitude. Second, of relevance for the scientific community, in order to fill knowledge gaps in critical areas, there is an urgent need for interdisciplinary research geared toward developing new data, scientific tools, and fresh perspectives. Third, of relevance for policy-making, wider efforts to promote policy coherence and integrated assessments are required to address potential policy spillovers across sectors, sustainability domains, and geographic and temporal boundaries. The task of conducting comprehensive science-to-policy assessments covering all SDGs, such as for the UN’s Global Sustainable Development Report, remains manageable pending the availability of systematic reviews focusing on a limited number of SDG dimensions in each case.

Single and Compound Knock-outs of MicroRNA (miRNA)-155 and Its Angiogenic Gene Target CCN1 in Mice Alter Vascular and Neovascular Growth in the Retina via Resident Microglia.

PubMed

Yan, Lulu; Lee, Sangmi; Lazzaro, Douglas R; Aranda, Jacob; Grant, Maria B; Chaqour, Brahim

2015-09-18

The response of the retina to ischemic insult typically leads to aberrant retinal neovascularization, a major cause of blindness. The epigenetic regulation of angiogenic gene expression by miRNAs provides new prospects for their therapeutic utility in retinal neovascularization. Here, we focus on miR-155, a microRNA functionally important in inflammation, which is of paramount importance in the pathogenesis of retinal neovascularization. Whereas constitutive miR-155-deficiency in mice results in mild vascular defects, forced expression of miR-155 causes endothelial hyperplasia and increases microglia count and activation. The mouse model of oxygen-induced retinopathy, which recapitulates ischemia-induced aberrant neovessel growth, is characterized by increased expression of miR-155 and localized areas of microglia activation. Interestingly, miR-155 deficiency in mice reduces microglial activation, curtails abnormal vessel growth, and allows for rapid normalization of the retinal vasculature following ischemic insult. miR-155 binds to the 3'-UTR and represses the expression of the CCN1 gene, which encodes an extracellular matrix-associated integrin-binding protein that both promotes physiological angiogenesis and harnesses growth factor-induced abnormal angiogenic responses. Single CCN1 deficiency or double CCN1 and miR-155 knock-out in mice causes retinal vascular malformations typical of faulty maturation, mimicking the vascular alterations of miR-155 gain of function. During development, the miR-155/CCN1 regulatory axis balances the proangiogenic and proinflammatory activities of microglia to allow for their function as guideposts for sprout fusion and anastomosis. Under ischemic conditions, dysregulated miR-155 and CCN1 expression increases the inflammatory load and microglial activation, prompting aberrant angiogenic responses. Thus, miR-155 functions in tandem with CCN1 to modulate inflammation-induced vascular homeostasis and repair. © 2015 by The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.

Single and Compound Knock-outs of MicroRNA (miRNA)-155 and Its Angiogenic Gene Target CCN1 in Mice Alter Vascular and Neovascular Growth in the Retina via Resident Microglia*

PubMed Central

Yan, Lulu; Lee, Sangmi; Lazzaro, Douglas R.; Aranda, Jacob; Grant, Maria B.; Chaqour, Brahim

2015-01-01

The response of the retina to ischemic insult typically leads to aberrant retinal neovascularization, a major cause of blindness. The epigenetic regulation of angiogenic gene expression by miRNAs provides new prospects for their therapeutic utility in retinal neovascularization. Here, we focus on miR-155, a microRNA functionally important in inflammation, which is of paramount importance in the pathogenesis of retinal neovascularization. Whereas constitutive miR-155-deficiency in mice results in mild vascular defects, forced expression of miR-155 causes endothelial hyperplasia and increases microglia count and activation. The mouse model of oxygen-induced retinopathy, which recapitulates ischemia-induced aberrant neovessel growth, is characterized by increased expression of miR-155 and localized areas of microglia activation. Interestingly, miR-155 deficiency in mice reduces microglial activation, curtails abnormal vessel growth, and allows for rapid normalization of the retinal vasculature following ischemic insult. miR-155 binds to the 3′-UTR and represses the expression of the CCN1 gene, which encodes an extracellular matrix-associated integrin-binding protein that both promotes physiological angiogenesis and harnesses growth factor-induced abnormal angiogenic responses. Single CCN1 deficiency or double CCN1 and miR-155 knock-out in mice causes retinal vascular malformations typical of faulty maturation, mimicking the vascular alterations of miR-155 gain of function. During development, the miR-155/CCN1 regulatory axis balances the proangiogenic and proinflammatory activities of microglia to allow for their function as guideposts for sprout fusion and anastomosis. Under ischemic conditions, dysregulated miR-155 and CCN1 expression increases the inflammatory load and microglial activation, prompting aberrant angiogenic responses. Thus, miR-155 functions in tandem with CCN1 to modulate inflammation-induced vascular homeostasis and repair. PMID:26242736

The Impact of Discovering Life beyond Earth

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dick, Steven J.

2016-01-01

Introduction: astrobiology and society Steven J. Dick; Part I. Motivations and Approaches. How Do We Frame the Problems of Discovery and Impact?: Introduction; 1. Current approaches to finding life beyond earth, and what happens if we do Seth Shostak; 2. The philosophy of astrobiology: the Copernican and Darwinian presuppositions Iris Fry; 3. History, discovery, analogy: three approaches to the impact of discovering life beyond earth Steven J. Dick; 4. Silent impact: why the discovery of extraterrestrial life should be silent Clément Vidal; Part II. Transcending Anthropocentrism. How Do We Move beyond our Own Preconceptions of Life, Intelligence and Culture?: Introduction; 5. The landscape of life Dirk Schulze-Makuch; 6. The landscape of intelligence Lori Marino; 7. Universal biology: assessing universality from a single example Carlos Mariscal; 8. Equating culture, civilization, and moral development in imagining extraterrestrial intelligence: anthropocentric assumptions? John Traphagan; 9. Communicating with the other: infinity, geometry, and universal math and science Douglas Vakoch; Part III. Philosophical, Theological, and Moral Impact. How Do We Comprehend the Cultural Challenges Raised by Discovery?: Introduction; 10. Life, intelligence and the pursuit of value in cosmic evolution Mark Lupisella; 11. 'Klaatu barada nikto' - or, do they really think like us? Michael Ruse; 12. Alien minds Susan Schneider; 13. The moral subject of astrobiology: guideposts for exploring our ethical and political responsibilities towards extraterrestrial life Elspeth Wilson and Carol Cleland; 14. Astrobiology and theology Robin Lovin; 15. Would you baptize an extraterrestrial? Guy Consolmagno, SJ; Part IV. Practical Considerations: How Should Society Prepare for Discovery - and Non-Discovery?: Introduction; 16. Is there anything new about astrobiology and society? Jane Maienschein; 17. Evaluating preparedness for the discovery of extraterrestrial life: considering potential risks, impacts and plans Margaret Race; 18. Searching for extraterrestrial intelligence: preparing for an expected paradigm break Michael A. G. Michaud; 19. SETI in non-western perspective John Traphagan and Julian W. Traphagan; 20. The allure of alien life: public and media framings of extraterrestrial life Linda Billings; 21. Internalizing null extraterrestrial 'signals': an astrobiological app for a technological society Eric Chaisson; Index.

Indoor localization using magnetic fields

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pathapati Subbu, Kalyan Sasidhar

Indoor localization consists of locating oneself inside new buildings. GPS does not work indoors due to multipath reflection and signal blockage. WiFi based systems assume ubiquitous availability and infrastructure based systems require expensive installations, hence making indoor localization an open problem. This dissertation consists of solving the problem of indoor localization by thoroughly exploiting the indoor ambient magnetic fields comprising mainly of disturbances termed as anomalies in the Earth's magnetic field caused by pillars, doors and elevators in hallways which are ferromagnetic in nature. By observing uniqueness in magnetic signatures collected from different campus buildings, the work presents the identification of landmarks and guideposts from these signatures and further develops magnetic maps of buildings - all of which can be used to locate and navigate people indoors. To understand the reason behind these anomalies, first a comparison between the measured and model generated Earth's magnetic field is made, verifying the presence of a constant field without any disturbances. Then by modeling the magnetic field behavior of different pillars such as steel reinforced concrete, solid steel, and other structures like doors and elevators, the interaction of the Earth's field with the ferromagnetic fields is described thereby explaining the causes of the uniqueness in the signatures that comprise these disturbances. Next, by employing the dynamic time warping algorithm to account for time differences in signatures obtained from users walking at different speeds, an indoor localization application capable of classifying locations using the magnetic signatures is developed solely on the smart phone. The application required users to walk short distances of 3-6 m anywhere in hallway to be located with accuracies of 80-99%. The classification framework was further validated with over 90% accuracies using model generated magnetic signatures representing hallways with different kinds of pillars, doors and elevators. All in all, this dissertation contributes the following: 1) provides a framework for understanding the presence of ambient magnetic fields indoors and utilizing them to solve the indoor localization problem; 2) develops an application that is independent of the user and the smart phones and 3) requires no other infrastructure since it is deployed on a device that encapsulates the sensing, computing and inferring functionalities, thereby making it a novel contribution to the mobile and pervasive computing domain.

Integrated care as a means to improve primary care delivery for adults and adolescents in the developing world: a critical analysis of Integrated Management of Adolescent and Adult Illness (IMAI).

PubMed

Vasan, Ashwin; Ellner, Andrew; Lawn, Stephen D; Gove, Sandy; Anatole, Manzi; Gupta, Neil; Drobac, Peter; Nicholson, Tom; Seung, Kwonjune; Mabey, David C; Farmer, Paul E

2014-01-14

More than three decades after the 1978 Declaration of Alma-Ata enshrined the goal of 'health for all', high-quality primary care services remain undelivered to the great majority of the world's poor. This failure to effectively reach the most vulnerable populations has been, in part, a failure to develop and implement appropriate and effective primary care delivery models. This paper examines a root cause of these failures, namely that the inability to achieve clear and practical consensus around the scope and aims of primary care may be contributing to ongoing operational inertia. The present work also examines integrated models of care as a strategy to move beyond conceptual dissonance in primary care and toward implementation. Finally, this paper examines the strengths and weaknesses of a particular model, the World Health Organization's Integrated Management of Adolescent and Adult Illness (IMAI), and its potential as a guidepost toward improving the quality of primary care delivery in poor settings. Integration and integrated care may be an important approach in establishing a new paradigm of primary care delivery, though overall, current evidence is mixed. However, a number of successful specific examples illustrate the potential for clinical and service integration to positively impact patient care in primary care settings. One example deserving of further examination is the IMAI, developed by the World Health Organization as an operational model that integrates discrete vertical interventions into a comprehensive delivery system encompassing triage and screening, basic acute and chronic disease care, basic prevention and treatment services, and follow-up and referral guidelines. IMAI is an integrated model delivered at a single point-of-care using a standard approach to each patient based on the universal patient history and physical examination. The evidence base on IMAI is currently weak, but whether or not IMAI itself ultimately proves useful in advancing primary care delivery, it is these principles that should serve as the basis for developing a standard of integrated primary care delivery for adults and adolescents that can serve as the foundation for ongoing quality improvement. As integrated primary care is the standard of care in the developed world, so too must we move toward implementing integrated models of primary care delivery in poorer settings. Models such as IMAI are an important first step in this evolution. A robust and sustained commitment to innovation, research and quality improvement will be required if integrated primary care delivery is to become a reality in developing world.

Development and Application of Ontologies in Support of Earth and Space Science Education

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fox, S. P.; Manduca, C. A.; Iverson, E.

2007-12-01

Through its work in supporting improved science education the Science Education Resource Center (SERC) has developed and applied a set of Earth and Space Science vocabularies. These controlled vocabularies play a central role in supporting user exploration of our educational materials. The set of over 50 vocabularies run the gamut from small vocabularies with a narrowly targeted use, to broader vocabularies that span multiple disciplines and are applied across multiple projects and collections. Typical specialized vocabularies cover disciplinary themes such as tectonic setting (with terms such as mid-ocean ridge, passive margin, and craton) as well as interdisciplinary work such as geology and human health (with terms such as radionuclides and airborne transport processes). To support project-specific customization of vocabularies while retaining the benefits of cross-project reuse our systems allow for dynamic mapping of terms among multiple vocabularies based on semantic equivalencies. The end result is a weaving of related vocabularies into an ontological network that is exposed as specific vocabularies that employ the natural language of the collections and communities that use them. Our process for vocabulary development is community driven and reflects our experiences in aligning terminology with disciplinary-specific expectations. These experiences include rectifying language differences across disciplines in building a Geoscience Quantitative Skills vocabulary through work with both the Mathematics and Geoscience communities, as well as the iterative development of a vocabulary spanning Earth and Space science through the aggregation of smaller vocabularies, each developed by scientists for use within their own discipline. The vocabularies are exposed as key navigational features in over 100 faceted search interfaces within the web sites of a dozen Earth and Space Science Education projects. Within these faceted search interfaces the terms in the vocabularies act as guideposts and browsing links for the users. Only terms relevant to the current collection, or search return, are exposed to the users giving them an immediate sense of the scope and focus of the collection. In using vocabularies to drive these sorts of discovery processes it is critical that vocabularies not only have clear semantics so they can be applied consistently, but also have appropriate evocative meaning for the users of the search interface. It is this immediate evocative meaning, rather than the precisely defined semantics that will end up driving user search behavior and in the end determine the efficacy of the vocabulary as an applied tool. We will outline our experiences in developing and applying these vocabularies within the context of geoscience education and explore how the broader themes that emerge can inform the development and use of ontologies throughout Earth and space science.

Direct Comparison of Brookhaven Reflectivity Measurements with Free-Electron Theory

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

Bane, Karl L.F.

2010-12-13

The reflectivity at normal incidence of copper and aluminum samples was recently measured over a large frequency range at Brookhaven by one of us (JT). Then using the Kramers-Kroning integrals, and assuming the free-electron model of conductivity, the dependence of conductivity on frequency was obtained. The results seemed to suggest, for example, that the dc conductivities of the copper and evaporated aluminum samples are a factor of 3 lower than expected. We propose in this report, instead, directly fitting the free-electron model to the low frequency end of the reflectivity data. This fitting does not depend on the higher frequencymore » results and on Kramers-Kronig integrations, but it does assume that the data at the low frequency end is sufficiently accurate. Note that for our LCLS wakefield studies, it is only over these (relatively) low frequencies that we need to know the electrical properties of the metals. The equations that relate reflectivity R with the free electron parameters dc conductivity {sigma} and relaxation time {tau} are: (1) {tilde {sigma}} = {sigma}/1-ikc{tau}; (2) {tilde n} = {radical} {tilde {epsilon}} = {radical}(1+4{pi}i{tilde k}c/{omega}); and (3) R = |{tilde n}-1/{tilde n} + 1|{sup 2}. The parameters are ac conductivity {tilde {sigma}}, index of refraction {tilde n}, dielectric constant {tilde {epsilon}}, and wave number k = {omega}/c, with {omega} frequency and c the speed of light. In Fig. 1 we show the ideal behavior of R for a reasonably good conducting metal, where {sigma} = 0.12 x 10{sup 17}/s and {tau} = 0.55 x 10{sup -14} s (solid line); these parameters are, respectively, 2% ({sigma}) and 20% ({tau}) of the nominal values for copper. The parameters were chosen so that the important features of R(k) could be seen easily in one plot. We see 3 distinct regions: (1) for low frequencies, k {approx}< 1/c{tau}, R continually decreases, with positive curvature, and with a low frequency asymptote of (1 - {radical}2kc/{pi}{sigma}); (2) for intermediate frequencies the reflectivity is nearly constant, R {approx} (1 - {radical}1/{pi}{sigma}{tau}); (3) for k {approx}> k{sub p} = {radical}4{pi}{sigma}/c{sup 2}{tau}, the plasma frequency of the metal, R quickly drops to zero. The dashed lines in Fig. 1 give the analytic guideposts for the 3 regions. Note that it is only in the first and part of the second region that we can expect the free electron model to have validity in real metals; at higher frequencies the effects of absorption bands and other physics will distort the R(k) curve. In principle, knowing R accurately in the entire 1st region suffices for obtaining the free-electron parameters {sigma} and {tau}; in practice, however, knowing it also in the 2nd region gives us more confidence in the model and especially in the value of {tau}.« less