Converting Municipal Waste into Automobile Fuel: Ethanol from Newspaper

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mascal, Mark; Scown, Richard

2008-01-01

Waste newspaper is pulped with acid and its cellulose is hydrolyzed. The resulting glucose syrup is fermented with yeast and distilled to give ethanol. The experiment highlights the potential of applied chemistry to confront problems of economic importance, that is, the effective utilization of biomass to reduce dependence on non-renewable…

Violence exposure as a predictor of internalizing and externalizing problems among children of substance abusers.

PubMed

Conners-Burrow, Nicola; McKelvey, Lorraine; Kyzer, Angela; Swindle, Taren; Cheerla, Rajalakshmi; Kraleti, Shashank

2013-01-01

We explore the associations between exposure to conflict and crime in the home and community, and child anxiety and self-control problems among 60 children whose mothers were in treatment for substance abuse problems. Experiences with violence and crime were widespread, with many children exposed to multiple incidents. Approximately one-third (35.5%) of children exhibited clinically elevated anxiety. Controlling for other potential predictors, both children's exposure to violence and the number of years the mother had been using substances predicted higher anxiety in children, while only exposure to violence predicted problems in self-control. Results highlight the importance of screening for violence exposure. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Different neurodevelopmental symptoms have a common genetic etiology.

PubMed

Pettersson, Erik; Anckarsäter, Henrik; Gillberg, Christopher; Lichtenstein, Paul

2013-12-01

Although neurodevelopmental disorders are demarcated as discrete entities in the Diagnostic Statistical Manual of mental disorders, empirical evidence indicates that there is a high degree of overlap among them. The first aim of this investigation was to explore if a single general factor could account for the large degree of observed overlap among neurodevelopmental problems, and explore whether this potential factor was primarily genetic or environmental in origin. The second aim was to explore whether there was systematic covariation, either genetic or environmental, over and above that contributed by the potential general factor, unique to each syndrome. Parents of all Swedish 9- and 12-year-old twin pairs born between 1992 and 2002 were targeted for interview regarding problems typical of autism spectrum disorders, ADHD and other neurodevelopmental conditions (response rate: 80 percent). Structural equation modeling was conducted on 6,595 pairs to examine the genetic and environmental structure of 53 neurodevelopmental problems. One general genetic factor accounted for a large proportion of the phenotypic covariation among the 53 symptoms. Three specific genetic subfactors identified 'impulsivity,' 'learning problems,' and 'tics and autism,' respectively. Three unique environment factors identified 'autism,' 'hyperactivity and impulsivity,' and 'inattention and learning problems,' respectively. One general genetic factor was responsible for the wide-spread phenotypic overlap among all neurodevelopmental symptoms, highlighting the importance of addressing broad patient needs rather than specific diagnoses. The unique genetic factors may help guide diagnostic nomenclature, whereas the unique environmental factors may highlight that neurodevelopmental symptoms are responsive to change at the individual level and may provide clues into different mechanisms and treatments. Future research would benefit from assessing the general factor separately from specific factors to better understand observed overlap among neurodevelopmental problems. © 2013 The Authors. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry © 2013 Association for Child and Adolescent Mental Health.

Transfer of knowledge and skills: some implications for nursing and nurse education.

PubMed

Lauder, W; Reynolds, W; Angus, N

1999-08-01

The construct of transfer has enormous importance to nursing as it begins to highlight potential problems in the transfer of knowledge and skills from the campus to the clinical area, from one part of the clinical area to another (e.g. surgical to medical), and from community to the clinical area. Thus, any adequate conceptualization of transfer must account for problems of practice-practice transfer as well as theory-practice transfer. These potential problems are the concern of educators, students and managers who have a responsibility for agency nurses and bank nurses who may find themselves in different specialities on a regular basis. Transfer has relevance to a whole raft of other issues ranging from the application of theories to nursing practice, through to the validity of claims that courses which develop intellectual skills prepare nurses for lifelong learning.

Application of a Chimera Full Potential Algorithm for Solving Aerodynamic Problems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Holst, Terry L.; Kwak, Dochan (Technical Monitor)

1997-01-01

A numerical scheme utilizing a chimera zonal grid approach for solving the three dimensional full potential equation is described. Special emphasis is placed on describing the spatial differencing algorithm around the chimera interface. Results from two spatial discretization variations are presented; one using a hybrid first-order/second-order-accurate scheme and the second using a fully second-order-accurate scheme. The presentation is highlighted with a number of transonic wing flow field computations.

Imaging in the assessment and management of athletic pubalgia.

PubMed

Robinson, Philip; Bhat, Vineet; English, Bryan

2011-02-01

This article reviews the clinical, anatomical, and biomechanical basis of pubalgia and relates it to the potential imaging findings and subsequent management. Although the magnetic resonance imaging features typically seen in symptomatic athletes are emphasized, this condition remains a complex clinical problem, and treatment addressing the functional rehabilitation of the entire region is highlighted. © Thieme Medical Publishers.

Key issues in diagnosing and treating hepatitis C infection.

PubMed

Hainsworth, Terry

A strategy and action plan is in place for the management of hepatitis C. However, recent evidence suggests that this is not being implemented and hepatitis C remains a significant public health concern. This article summarises the condition and potential problems, highlights data from the recent audit of practice and outlines the latest recommendations for managing hepatitis C.

Microplastics: No Small Problem for Filter-Feeding Megafauna.

PubMed

Germanov, Elitza S; Marshall, Andrea D; Bejder, Lars; Fossi, Maria Cristina; Loneragan, Neil R

2018-04-01

Microplastic pollution can impact filter-feeding marine megafauna, namely mobulid rays, filter-feeding sharks, and baleen whales. Emerging research on these flagship species highlights potential exposure to microplastic contamination and plastic-associated toxins. Research and its wide communication are needed to understand the magnitude of the issue and improve marine stewardship. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Separability and dynamical symmetry of Quantum Dots

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

Zhang, P.-M., E-mail: zhpm@impcas.ac.cn; Zou, L.-P., E-mail: zoulp@impcas.ac.cn; Horvathy, P.A., E-mail: horvathy@lmpt.univ-tours.fr

2014-02-15

The separability and Runge–Lenz-type dynamical symmetry of the internal dynamics of certain two-electron Quantum Dots, found by Simonović et al. (2003), are traced back to that of the perturbed Kepler problem. A large class of axially symmetric perturbing potentials which allow for separation in parabolic coordinates can easily be found. Apart from the 2:1 anisotropic harmonic trapping potential considered in Simonović and Nazmitdinov (2013), they include a constant electric field parallel to the magnetic field (Stark effect), the ring-shaped Hartmann potential, etc. The harmonic case is studied in detail. -- Highlights: • The separability of Quantum Dots is derived frommore » that of the perturbed Kepler problem. • Harmonic perturbation with 2:1 anisotropy is separable in parabolic coordinates. • The system has a conserved Runge–Lenz type quantity.« less

Novel strategies for controlling Streptococcus pyogenes infection and associated diseases: from potential peptide vaccines to antibody immunotherapy.

PubMed

Pandey, Manisha; Sekuloski, Silvana; Batzloff, Michael R

2009-07-01

Infections caused by group A streptococcus (GAS) represent a public health problem in both developing and developed countries. The current available methods of prevention are either inadequate or ineffective, which is highlighted by the resurgence in invasive GAS infections over the past two decades. The management of GAS and associated diseases requires new and improved approaches. This review discusses various potential approaches in controlling GAS infections, ranging from prophylactic vaccines to antibody immunotherapy.

The Role of Functional Foods, Nutraceuticals, and Food Supplements in Intestinal Health

PubMed Central

Cencic, Avrelija; Chingwaru, Walter

2010-01-01

New eating habits, actual trends in production and consumption have a health, environmental and social impact. The European Union is fighting diseases characteristic of a modern age, such as obesity, osteoporosis, cancer, diabetes, allergies and dental problems. Developed countries are also faced with problems relating to aging populations, high energy foods, and unbalanced diets. The potential of nutraceuticals/functional foods/food supplements in mitigating health problems, especially in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, is discussed. Certain members of gut microflora (e.g., probiotic/protective strains) play a role in the host health due to its involvement in nutritional, immunologic and physiological functions. The potential mechanisms by which nutraceuticals/functional foods/food supplements may alter a host’s health are also highlighted in this paper. The establishment of novel functional cell models of the GI and analytical tools that allow tests in controlled experiments are highly desired for gut research. PMID:22254045

Preschool hyperactivity specifically elevates long-term mental health risks more strongly in males than females: a prospective longitudinal study through to young adulthood.

PubMed

Smith, Elizabeth; Meyer, Brenda J; Koerting, Johanna; Laver-Bradbury, Cathy; Lee, Louise; Jefferson, Harriet; Sayal, Kapil; Treglown, Luke; Thompson, Margaret; Sonuga-Barke, Edmund J S

2017-01-01

Evidence of continuities between preschool hyperactivity and adult mental health problems highlights the potential value of targeting early identification and intervention strategies. However, specific risk factors are currently unclear. This large-scale prospective longitudinal study aimed to identify which hyperactive preschoolers are at the greatest long-term risk of poor mental health. One hundred and seventy children (89 females) rated as hyperactive by their parents, and 88 non-hyperactive controls (48 females) were identified from a community sample of 4215 3-year-olds. Baseline data relating to behavioral/emotional problems and background characteristics were collected. Follow-up mental health and functional impairment outcomes were collected between 14 and 25 years of age. At age 3 years, males and females in the hyperactive group had similarly raised levels of hyperactivity and other behavior problems. In adolescence/young adulthood, these individuals showed elevated symptoms of ADHD, conduct disorder, mood disorder, anxiety and autism, as well as functional impairment. Preschool hyperactivity was strongly predictive of poor adolescent/adult outcomes for males across domains with effects being specifically driven by hyperactivity. For females, the effects of preschool hyperactivity were smaller and dropped to non-significant levels when other preschool problems were taken into account. Environmental risk factors also differed between the sexes, although these may also have been mediated by genetic risk. In conclusion, these results demonstrate marked sex differences in preschool predictors of later adolescent/adult mental health problems. Future research should include a measure of preschool inattention as well as hyperactivity. The findings highlight the potential value of tailored approaches to early identification strategies.

Potential impact of antimicrobial resistance in wildlife, environment and human health

PubMed Central

Radhouani, Hajer; Silva, Nuno; Poeta, Patrícia; Torres, Carmen; Correia, Susana; Igrejas, Gilberto

2014-01-01

Given the significant spatial and temporal heterogeneity in antimicrobial resistance distribution and the factors that affect its evolution, dissemination, and persistence, it is important to highlight that antimicrobial resistance must be viewed as an ecological problem. Monitoring the resistance prevalence of indicator bacteria such as Escherichia coli and enterococci in wild animals makes it possible to show that wildlife has the potential to serve as an environmental reservoir and melting pot of bacterial resistance. These researchers address the issue of antimicrobial-resistant microorganism proliferation in the environment and the related potential human health and environmental impact. PMID:24550896

How Americans Can Help Children with Mental Illness, and Their Families, Help Themselves. Connect for Kids: Guidance for Grown-Ups.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Louv, Richard

This article highlights the untended mental health needs of children across the United States. Citing troubling mental health statistics, the author suggests creating a community culture that does not stigmatize or ignore mental health problems, specifically by making prevention and treatment the rule. One of the potential stumbling blocks…

Management of toxic cyanobacteria for drinking water production of Ain Zada Dam.

PubMed

Saoudi, Amel; Brient, Luc; Boucetta, Sabrine; Ouzrout, Rachid; Bormans, Myriam; Bensouilah, Mourad

2017-07-01

Blooms of toxic cyanobacteria in Algerian reservoirs represent a potential health problem, mainly from drinking water that supplies the local population of Ain Zada (Bordj Bou Arreridj). The objective of this study is to monitor, detect, and identify the existence of cyanobacteria and microcystins during blooming times. Samples were taken in 2013 from eight stations. The results show that three potentially toxic cyanobacterial genera with the species Planktothrix agardhii were dominant. Cyanobacterial biomass, phycocyanin (PC) concentrations, and microcystin (MC) concentrations were high in the surface layer and at 14 m depth; these values were also high in the treated water. On 11 May 2013, MC concentrations were 6.3 μg/L in MC-LR equivalent in the drinking water. This study shows for the first time the presence of cyanotoxins in raw and treated waters, highlighting that regular monitoring of cyanobacteria and cyanotoxins must be undertaken to avoid potential health problems.

Pediatric Traumatic Brain Injury and Autism: Elucidating Shared Mechanisms

PubMed Central

Singh, Rahul; Nguyen, Linda; Motwani, Kartik; Swatek, Michelle

2016-01-01

Pediatric traumatic brain injury (TBI) and autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are two serious conditions that affect youth. Recent data, both preclinical and clinical, show that pediatric TBI and ASD share not only similar symptoms but also some of the same biologic mechanisms that cause these symptoms. Prominent symptoms for both disorders include gastrointestinal problems, learning difficulties, seizures, and sensory processing disruption. In this review, we highlight some of these shared mechanisms in order to discuss potential treatment options that might be applied for each condition. We discuss potential therapeutic and pharmacologic options as well as potential novel drug targets. Furthermore, we highlight advances in understanding of brain circuitry that is being propelled by improved imaging modalities. Going forward, advanced imaging will help in diagnosis and treatment planning strategies for pediatric patients. Lessons from each field can be applied to design better and more rigorous trials that can be used to improve guidelines for pediatric patients suffering from TBI or ASD. PMID:28074078

The intergenerational transmission of problem gambling: The mediating role of offspring gambling expectancies and motives.

PubMed

Dowling, N A; Oldenhof, E; Shandley, K; Youssef, G J; Vasiliadis, S; Thomas, S A; Frydenberg, E; Jackson, A C

2018-02-01

The risk for developing a gambling problem is greater among offspring who have a problem gambling parent, yet little research has directly examined the mechanisms by which this transmission of problem gambling occurs. For this reason, the present study sought to examine the degree to which children's expectancies and motives relating to gambling explain, at least in part, the intergenerational transmission of problem gambling. Participants (N=524; 56.5% male) were recruited from educational institutions, and retrospectively reported on parental problem gambling. Problem gambling was measured using the Problem Gambling Severity Index and a range of positive and negative expectancies and gambling motives were explored as potential mediators of the relationship between parent-and-participant problem gambling. The relationship between parent-and-participant problem gambling was significant, and remained so after controlling for sociodemographic factors and administration method. Significant mediators of this relationship included self-enhancement expectancies (feeling in control), money expectancies (financial gain), over-involvement (preoccupation with gambling) and emotional impact expectancies (guilt, shame, and loss), as well as enhancement motives (gambling to increase positive feelings) and coping motives (gambling to reduce or avoid negative emotions). All mediators remained significant when entered into the same model. The findings highlight that gambling expectancies and motives present unique pathways to the development of problem gambling in the offspring of problem gambling parents, and suggest that gambling cognitions may be potential candidates for targeted interventions for the offspring of problem gamblers. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Air National Guard Fighters the Total Force (Maxwell Paper, Number 1)

DTIC Science & Technology

1996-05-01

child abuse cases, 9 percent rise in spousal abuse reports, and an 11 percent rise in alcohol abuse. While these figures represent only one fighter wing, they highlight some of the potential problems that may be encountered by other active duty units as they too struggle under an ever increasing workload. These problems and a growing belief that long-term readiness may soon suffer if the workload is not reduced, convinced Defense Secretary William Perry to direct a greater role for the Air National Guard in peacetime contingency operations. The Air National Guard is no

The name of the game: a review of sexual exploitation of females in sport.

PubMed

Bringer, J D; Brackenridge, C H; Johnston, L H

2001-12-01

Sexual harassment and abuse has been a recognized problem in the workplace, schools, and residential homes for more than three decades. Many professional policies highlight the potential for abusing positions of trust, and therefore forbid intimate relationships between, for example, doctors and patients, and psychologists and clients. Yet, abuse of power in the coach-athlete relationship has only recently been acknowledged. This paper discusses definitions of sexual exploitation, prevalence figures, methods used for entrapping athletes, potential risk factors, signs of abuse and harassment, and the consequences for survivors.

Finite element modeling of electromagnetic fields and waves using NASTRAN

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Moyer, E. Thomas, Jr.; Schroeder, Erwin

1989-01-01

The various formulations of Maxwell's equations are reviewed with emphasis on those formulations which most readily form analogies with Navier's equations. Analogies involving scalar and vector potentials and electric and magnetic field components are presented. Formulations allowing for media with dielectric and conducting properties are emphasized. It is demonstrated that many problems in electromagnetism can be solved using the NASTRAN finite element code. Several fundamental problems involving time harmonic solutions of Maxwell's equations with known analytic solutions are solved using NASTRAN to demonstrate convergence and mesh requirements. Mesh requirements are studied as a function of frequency, conductivity, and dielectric properties. Applications in both low frequency and high frequency are highlighted. The low frequency problems demonstrate the ability to solve problems involving media inhomogeneity and unbounded domains. The high frequency applications demonstrate the ability to handle problems with large boundary to wavelength ratios.

Solving optimization problems by the public goods game

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Javarone, Marco Alberto

2017-09-01

We introduce a method based on the Public Goods Game for solving optimization tasks. In particular, we focus on the Traveling Salesman Problem, i.e. a NP-hard problem whose search space exponentially grows increasing the number of cities. The proposed method considers a population whose agents are provided with a random solution to the given problem. In doing so, agents interact by playing the Public Goods Game using the fitness of their solution as currency of the game. Notably, agents with better solutions provide higher contributions, while those with lower ones tend to imitate the solution of richer agents for increasing their fitness. Numerical simulations show that the proposed method allows to compute exact solutions, and suboptimal ones, in the considered search spaces. As result, beyond to propose a new heuristic for combinatorial optimization problems, our work aims to highlight the potentiality of evolutionary game theory beyond its current horizons.

Effects of early nightmares on the development of sleep disturbances in motor vehicle accident victims.

PubMed

Kobayashi, Ihori; Sledjeski, Eve M; Spoonster, Eileen; Fallon, William F; Delahanty, Douglas L

2008-12-01

The present study prospectively examined the extent to which trauma-related nightmares affected the subsequent development of insomnia symptoms in 314 motor vehicle accident (MVA) victims. Participants were assessed in-hospital and at 2 weeks, 6 weeks, 3 months, and 1 year post-MVA. Hierarchical linear regression analyses showed that 6-week PTSD symptoms (PTSS) and 3-month nightmares, but not 2-week nightmares were positively associated with sleep onset and maintenance problems reported at 3-month post-MVA. Nightmares reported at 3-months post-MVA were positively associated with 1-year sleep maintenance problems. These findings highlight the dynamic relationship between PTSS and sleep problems as well as the potential importance of early intervention for trauma-related nightmares as a means to prevent sleep problems after a traumatic experience.

Protecting software agents from malicious hosts using quantum computing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Reisner, John; Donkor, Eric

2000-07-01

We evaluate how quantum computing can be applied to security problems for software agents. Agent-based computing, which merges technological advances in artificial intelligence and mobile computing, is a rapidly growing domain, especially in applications such as electronic commerce, network management, information retrieval, and mission planning. System security is one of the more eminent research areas in agent-based computing, and the specific problem of protecting a mobile agent from a potentially hostile host is one of the most difficult of these challenges. In this work, we describe our agent model, and discuss the capabilities and limitations of classical solutions to the malicious host problem. Quantum computing may be extremely helpful in addressing the limitations of classical solutions to this problem. This paper highlights some of the areas where quantum computing could be applied to agent security.

Performance Metrics for Monitoring Parallel Program Executions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sarukkai, Sekkar R.; Gotwais, Jacob K.; Yan, Jerry; Lum, Henry, Jr. (Technical Monitor)

1994-01-01

Existing tools for debugging performance of parallel programs either provide graphical representations of program execution or profiles of program executions. However, for performance debugging tools to be useful, such information has to be augmented with information that highlights the cause of poor program performance. Identifying the cause of poor performance necessitates the need for not only determining the significance of various performance problems on the execution time of the program, but also needs to consider the effect of interprocessor communications of individual source level data structures. In this paper, we present a suite of normalized indices which provide a convenient mechanism for focusing on a region of code with poor performance and highlights the cause of the problem in terms of processors, procedures and data structure interactions. All the indices are generated from trace files augmented with data structure information.. Further, we show with the help of examples from the NAS benchmark suite that the indices help in detecting potential cause of poor performance, based on augmented execution traces obtained by monitoring the program.

Reciprocal relationships between parent and adolescent internalizing symptoms.

PubMed

Hughes, Elizabeth K; Gullone, Eleonora

2010-04-01

Previous investigations of the association between parent and adolescent internalizing problems have been largely restricted to the unidirectional effect of parent symptoms on their children. This study therefore aimed to investigate potential reciprocal relationships between parent and adolescent internalizing symptoms. One-hundred and seventy-seven adolescents ages 14 to 18 years and their parents (172 mothers, 124 fathers) completed measures of depressive and anxiety symptoms at two time points, 6 months apart. Results supported reciprocity between maternal and adolescent internalizing symptoms but not between paternal and adolescent internalizing symptoms. In addition, the relationship between maternal symptoms and later adolescent symptoms was found to be partially mediated by maternal parenting self-esteem. The study highlights the potential impact of adolescent internalizing problems on maternal well-being, a phenomenon previously neglected in the literature. 2010 APA, all rights reserved

Cervical Epidural Abscess Mimicking as Stroke - Report of Two Cases

PubMed Central

Velpula, Jagan Mohana Reddy; Gakhar, Harinder; Sigamoney, Kohilavani; Bommireddy, Rajendra

2014-01-01

Background: Stroke is a common provisional diagnosis in patients presenting to the emergency department (ED) with unilateral neurological deficit. Cervical epidural abscess (CEA) may also present clinically with a unilateral neurological deficit. Objects: To highlight the inherent problems with diagnosing cervical epidural abscess and possible consequences of delay in diagnosis. Case Report: We would like to highlight two cases provisionally diagnosed as stroke. Both cases turned out to be cervical epidural abscesses. The delay in diagnosis and treatment led to suboptimal outcome in both cases. Summary: Cases with suspected stroke who deteriorate while under treatment or whose diagnosis is doubtful should have MRI whole spine in order to avoid potential complications. PMID:24551026

Quantum dynamics of relativistic bosons through nonminimal vector square potentials

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

Oliveira, Luiz P. de, E-mail: oliveira.phys@gmail.com

The dynamics of relativistic bosons (scalar and vectorial) through nonminimal vector square (well and barrier) potentials is studied in the Duffin–Kemmer–Petiau (DKP) formalism. We show that the problem can be mapped in effective Schrödinger equations for a component of the DKP spinor. An oscillatory transmission coefficient is found and there is total reflection. Additionally, the energy spectrum of bound states is obtained and reveals the Schiff–Snyder–Weinberg effect, for specific conditions the potential lodges bound states of particles and antiparticles. - Highlights: • DKP bosons in a nonminimal vector square potential are studied. • Spin zero and spin one bosons havemore » the same results. • The Schiff–Snyder–Weinberg effect is observed.« less

Intergenerational Transmission of Maladaptive Parenting Strategies in Families of Adolescent Mothers: Effects from Grandmothers to Young Children

PubMed Central

Seay, Danielle M.; Jahromi, Laudan B.; Umaña-Taylor, Adriana J.; Updegraff, Kimberly A.

2015-01-01

The current longitudinal study examined the effect of the transmission of maladaptive parenting strategies from grandmothers to adolescent mothers on children’s subsequent development. Mexican-origin adolescent mothers (N = 204) participated in home interviews when the adolescent’s child (89 boys, 60 girls) was 2, 3, 4, and 5 years old. Grandmothers’ psychological control toward the adolescent mother was positively related to adolescents’ potential for abuse 1 year later, which was subsequently positively related to adolescents’ punitive discipline toward their young child. In addition, adolescent mothers’ punitive discipline subsequently predicted greater externalizing problems and less committed compliance among their children. Adolescent mothers’ potential for abuse and punitive discipline mediated the effects of grandmothers’ psychological control on children’s externalizing problems. Finally, adolescent mothers’ potential for abuse mediated the effect of grandmothers’ psychological control on adolescent mothers’ punitive discipline. Results highlight the salience of long-term intergenerational effects of maladaptive parenting on children’s behavior. PMID:26521948

Power Line Communication (PLC) in Space - Current Status and Outlook

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wolf, J.

2012-05-01

The Power Line Communication (PLC) technology as known from various terrestrial applications, e.g. in building automation, in the automotive sector and on aircraft, appears to be a promising technology for the use on spacecraft. Starting from a critical overview on existing terrestrial PLC applications with their pros and cons, the paper gives a motivation for the introduction of the PLC technology on spacecraft, discusses the potential areas where it can be applied and is highlighting the potential problem areas. A short overview of on-going ESA PLC activities is provided and an outlook is given.

Introduction for the special issue on recent advances in drug delivery across tissue barriers.

PubMed

Mrsny, Randall J; Brayden, David J

2016-01-01

This special issue of Tissue Barriers contains a series of reviews with the common theme of how biological barriers established at epithelial tissues limit the uptake of macromolecular therapeutics. By improving our functional understanding of these barriers, the majority of the authors have highlighted potential strategies that might be applied to the non-invasive delivery of biopharmaceuticals that would otherwise require an injection format for administration. Half of the articles focus on the potential of particular technologies to assist oral delivery of peptides, proteins and other macromolecules. These include use of prodrug chemistry to improve molecule stability and permeability, and the related potential for oral delivery of poorly permeable agents by cell-penetrating peptides and dendrimers. Safety aspects of intestinal permeation enhancers are discussed, along with the more recent foray into drug-device combinations as represented by intestinal microneedles and externally-applied ultrasound. Other articles highlight the crossover between food research and oral delivery based on nanoparticle technology, while the final one provides a fascinating interpretation of the physiological problems associated with subcutaneous insulin delivery and how inefficient it is at targeting the liver.

Commentary: The Development of Creativity--Ability, Motivation, and Potential.

PubMed

Silvia, Paul J; Christensen, Alexander P; Cotter, Katherine N

2016-01-01

A major question for research on the development of creativity is whether it is interested in creative potential (a prospective approach that uses measures early in life to predict adult creativity) or in children's creativity for its own sake. We suggest that a focus on potential for future creativity diminishes the fascinating creative world of childhood. The contributions to this issue can be organized in light of an ability × motivation framework, which offers a fruitful way for thinking about the many factors that foster and impede creativity. The contributions reflect a renewed interest in the development of creativity and highlight how this area can illuminate broader problems in creativity studies. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Disease-Induced Skeletal Muscle Atrophy and Fatigue

PubMed Central

Powers, Scott K.; Lynch, Gordon S.; Murphy, Kate T.; Reid, Michael B.; Zijdewind, Inge

2016-01-01

Numerous health problems including acute critical illness, cancer, diseases associated with chronic inflammation, and neurological disorders often result in skeletal muscle weakness and fatigue. Disease-related muscle atrophy and fatigue is an important clinical problem because acquired skeletal muscle weakness can increase the duration of hospitalization, result in exercise limitation, and contribute to a poor quality of life. Importantly, skeletal muscle atrophy is also associated with increased morbidity and mortality of patients. Therefore, improving our understanding of the mechanism(s) responsible for skeletal muscle weakness and fatigue in patients is a required first step to develop clinical protocols to prevent these skeletal muscle problems. This review will highlight the consequences and potential mechanisms responsible for skeletal muscle atrophy and fatigue in patients suffering from acute critical illness, cancer, chronic inflammatory diseases, and neurological disorders. PMID:27128663

Integrated Multivariate Health Monitoring System for Helicopters Main Rotor Drives: Development and Validation with In-Service Data

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-10-02

potential advantages of using multi- variate classification/discrimination/ anomaly detection meth- ods on real world accelerometric condition monitoring ...case of false anomaly reports. A possible explanation of this phenomenon could be given 8 ANNUAL CONFERENCE OF THE PROGNOSTICS AND HEALTH MANAGEMENT...of those helicopters. 1. Anomaly detection by means of a self-learning Shewhart control chart. A problem highlighted by the experts of Agusta- Westland

Pastoral care of mental illness and the accommodation of African Christian beliefs and practices by UK clergy.

PubMed

Leavey, Gerard; Loewenthal, Kate; King, Michael

2017-02-01

Faith-based organisations, especially those related to specific ethnic or migrant groups, are increasingly viewed by secular Western government agencies as potential collaborators in community health and welfare programmes. Although clergy are often called upon to provide mental health pastoral care, their response to such problems remains relatively unexamined. This paper examines how clergy working in multiethnic settings do not always have the answers that people want, or perhaps need, to problems of misfortune and suffering. In the UK these barriers can be attributed, generally, to a lack of training on mental health problems and minimal collaboration with health services. The current paper attempts to highlight the dilemmas of the established churches' involvement in mental health care in the context of diversity. We explore the inability of established churches to accommodate African and other spiritual beliefs and practices related to the etiology and treatment of mental health problems.

A position-dependent mass model for the Thomas–Fermi potential: Exact solvability and relation to δ-doped semiconductors

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

Schulze-Halberg, Axel, E-mail: xbataxel@gmail.com; García-Ravelo, Jesús; Pacheco-García, Christian

We consider the Schrödinger equation in the Thomas–Fermi field, a model that has been used for describing electron systems in δ-doped semiconductors. It is shown that the problem becomes exactly-solvable if a particular effective (position-dependent) mass distribution is incorporated. Orthogonal sets of normalizable bound state solutions are constructed in explicit form, and the associated energies are determined. We compare our results with the corresponding findings on the constant-mass problem discussed by Ioriatti (1990) [13]. -- Highlights: ► We introduce an exactly solvable, position-dependent mass model for the Thomas–Fermi potential. ► Orthogonal sets of solutions to our model are constructed inmore » closed form. ► Relation to delta-doped semiconductors is discussed. ► Explicit subband bottom energies are calculated and compared to results obtained in a previous study.« less

The Potential and Limitations of Cross-Context Comparative Research on Migration

PubMed Central

Riosmena, Fernando

2017-01-01

This article is an overview of household survey approaches for the comparative study of international migration dynamics. Focusing on differences in the drivers of international mobility at different times and places, I highlight the problems of obtaining data with adequate representation across time periods and geographies, and discuss a broad constellation of prospective and retrospective approaches, paying particular attention to the migration ethnosurvey. I place this methodology within a broader constellation of prospective and retrospective data collection techniques, briefly describing the advantages and disadvantages of each and summarizing the commonalities and differences of ethnosurvey approaches adopted around the world. In particular, I discuss the potential and limitations of cross-context research and suggest post hoc case selection and other adjustments to ameliorate problems. I conclude with ideas about how case and sample selection can help to bolster migration studies in the future. PMID:29093598

Obesity prevention: Comparison of techniques and potential solution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zulkepli, Jafri; Abidin, Norhaslinda Zainal; Zaibidi, Nerda Zura

2014-12-01

Over the years, obesity prevention has been a broadly studied subject by both academicians and practitioners. It is one of the most serious public health issue as it can cause numerous chronic health and psychosocial problems. Research is needed to suggest a population-based strategy for obesity prevention. In the academic environment, the importance of obesity prevention has triggered various problem solving approaches. A good obesity prevention model, should comprehend and cater all complex and dynamics issues. Hence, the main purpose of this paper is to discuss the qualitative and quantitative approaches on obesity prevention study and to provide an extensive literature review on various recent modelling techniques for obesity prevention. Based on these literatures, the comparison of both quantitative and qualitative approahes are highlighted and the justification on the used of system dynamics technique to solve the population of obesity is discussed. Lastly, a potential framework solution based on system dynamics modelling is proposed.

Gambling and problem gambling among recently sentenced women in new zealand prisons.

PubMed

Abbott, Max W; McKenna, Brian G

2005-01-01

Ninety-four recently sentenced women prisoners were interviewed to assess aspects of their gambling involvement, problem gambling and relationships between gambling and criminal offending. A third of the women, on the basis of their SOGS-R scores, were assessed as lifetime probable pathological gamblers and just under a quarter were assessed as probable pathological gamblers during the 6 months prior to imprisonment. For women prisoners, a preference for non-casino gaming machines and housie were predictive of problem gambling. Relative to non-problem gamblers, problem gamblers experienced higher rates of childhood conduct disorder and current non-psychotic mental disorder. Just over a quarter of prisoners and a half of the problem gamblers had committed a crime to obtain money to gamble. Few women said their early offending or convictions related to gambling. It was concluded that most women were "criminals first and problem gamblers second" rather than people whose offending careers commenced as a consequence of problem gambling. However, the extent of problem gambling-related offending among the women prisoners highlights the potential for comprehensive assessment and treatment programs in prison to reduce recidivism and other adverse impacts of problem gambling and gambling-related offending.

Parent training for young Norwegian children with ODD and CD problems: predictors and mediators of treatment outcome.

PubMed

Fossum, Sturla; Mørch, Willy-Tore; Handegård, Bjørn H; Drugli, May B; Larsson, Bo

2009-04-01

Participants were 121 children, aged 4-8 years referred for conduct problems, and their mothers. A parent training intervention was implemented in two outpatient clinics in Norway. Treatment responders were defined as children scoring below a cut-off on the Eyberg Child Behavior Inventory, a score below an optimal cut-off for children in day-care and school as reported by teachers, in addition to a 30% reduction or greater in observed negative parenting. Self-reported parenting practices were explored as potential mediators. The results of logistic regression analyses showed that high levels of maternal stress, clinical levels of ADHD, and being a girl predicted a poorer outcome in conduct problems at home, while pretreatment clinical levels of ADHD predicted a poorer outcome as perceived by the teachers. Harsh and inconsistent parental disciplining emerged as significant partial mediators of changes in conduct problems, highlighting the importance of altering parenting practices to modify young children's conduct problems.

Interpersonal violence as social construction: the potentially undermining role of claims making and advocacy statistics.

PubMed

Perrin, Robin D; Miller-Perrin, Cindy L

2011-10-01

The relationship between empirical research inquiry and advocacy efforts is complex and seldom addressed in the interpersonal violence literature. In this article, we first examine how social conditions come to be seen as social problems, using a social constructionist perspective. Next, we focus specifically on the problem of interpersonal violence as viewed through a social constructionist lens, highlighting the many ways in which advocacy has influenced public perceptions of interpersonal violence as a social problem. Finally, this article considers some of the consequences that may result from exaggerated or misleading claims, especially when they are made by social scientists who are presumably engaged in an objective discussion of a problem. These consequences include generating skepticism toward the social sciences, feeding a backlash movement, and diverting attention away from the most severe forms of interpersonal violence. Contrary to the goals of many advocates, some of these consequences may be detrimental to the very social problems they hope to alleviate.

[Impact of potentially inappropriate drug usage on health insurance business results].

PubMed

Kirschke, Malin; Böhme, Jacqueline

2014-09-01

In Germany a list was drawn up that included 83 potentially inappropriate drugs. The PRISCUS list published in 2010 was intended to highlight certain problems in the pharmakotherapy of elderly patients and serve as a support for improved medicine safety. Almost a third of the insurance portfolio of the HALLESCHE Krankenversicherung aged over 75 years takes drugs that are on the PRISCUS list. Benzodiazepine and Z-drugs are taken most frequently. The costs per insurant with potentially inappropriate medication are on average higher than for policyholders who do not take drugs on the PRISCUS list. The costs per insurant are rising, with an increase in the number of PRISCUS agents being taken as well. However, there is still no scientific proof that potentially inappropriate drugs lead to adverse drug events.

A new Ellipsoidal Gravimetric-Satellite Altimetry Boundary Value Problem; Case study: High Resolution Geoid of Iran

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ardalan, A.; Safari, A.; Grafarend, E.

2003-04-01

A new ellipsoidal gravimetric-satellite altimetry boundary value problem has been developed and successfully tested. This boundary value problem has been constructed for gravity observables of the type (i) gravity potential (ii) gravity intensity (iii) deflection of vertical and (iv) satellite altimetry data. The developed boundary value problem is enjoying the ellipsoidal nature and as such can take advantage of high precision GPS observations in the set-up of the problem. The highlights of the solution are as follows: begin{itemize} Application of ellipsoidal harmonic expansion up to degree/order and ellipsoidal centrifugal field for the reduction of global gravity and isostasy effects from the gravity observable at the surface of the Earth. Application of ellipsoidal Newton integral on the equal area map projection surface for the reduction of residual mass effects within a radius of 55 km around the computational point. Ellipsoidal harmonic downward continuation of the residual observables from the surface of the earth down to the surface of reference ellipsoid using the ellipsoidal height of the observation points derived from GPS. Restore of the removed effects at the application points on the surface of reference ellipsoid. Conversion of the satellite altimetry derived heights of the water bodies into potential. Combination of the downward continued gravity information with the potential equivalent of the satellite altimetry derived heights of the water bodies. Application of ellipsoidal Bruns formula for converting the potential values on the surface of the reference ellipsoid into the geoidal heights (i.e. ellipsoidal heights of the geoid) with respect to the reference ellipsoid. Computation of the high-resolution geoid of Iran has successfully tested this new methodology!

Random functions via Dyson Brownian Motion: progress and problems

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

Wang, Gaoyuan; Battefeld, Thorsten

2016-09-05

We develope a computationally efficient extension of the Dyson Brownian Motion (DBM) algorithm to generate random function in C{sup 2} locally. We further explain that random functions generated via DBM show an unstable growth as the traversed distance increases. This feature restricts the use of such functions considerably if they are to be used to model globally defined ones. The latter is the case if one uses random functions to model landscapes in string theory. We provide a concrete example, based on a simple axionic potential often used in cosmology, to highlight this problem and also offer an ad hocmore » modification of DBM that suppresses this growth to some degree.« less

Lessons in financial literacy task design: authentic, imaginable, useful

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sawatzki, Carly

2017-03-01

As part of ongoing design-based research exploring financial literacy teaching and learning, 10 tasks termed "financial dilemmas" were trialled by 14 teachers and more than 300 year 5 and 6 students in four government primary schools in urban Darwin. Drawing on data related to three tasks— Catching the bus, Laser Tag and Buying bread—this article explores insights into problem context and task design principles. The findings highlight that fit to circumstance, challenge yet accessibility and pedagogical architecture are important task design principles. Further, tasks involving unfamiliar, novel and imaginable problem contexts, while pedagogically demanding for teachers, can be considered useful by students and have the potential to broaden their horizons.

Big data processing in the cloud - Challenges and platforms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhelev, Svetoslav; Rozeva, Anna

2017-12-01

Choosing the appropriate architecture and technologies for a big data project is a difficult task, which requires extensive knowledge in both the problem domain and in the big data landscape. The paper analyzes the main big data architectures and the most widely implemented technologies used for processing and persisting big data. Clouds provide for dynamic resource scaling, which makes them a natural fit for big data applications. Basic cloud computing service models are presented. Two architectures for processing big data are discussed, Lambda and Kappa architectures. Technologies for big data persistence are presented and analyzed. Stream processing as the most important and difficult to manage is outlined. The paper highlights main advantages of cloud and potential problems.

Cardiovascular and other dynamic systems in long-term space flight

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tipton, David A.

1987-01-01

The paper examines the physiology of the cardiovascular system, and to a lesser extent the endocrine, renal, and hematopoietic systems. The paper highlights the aspects of these areas that are most pertinent to space manufacturing, i.e., working in space. Areas covered include the physiological costs of working in microgravity and partial gravity (e.g., the moon or Mars), countermeasures to potentially adverse physiological adaptations, and problems associated with return to earth after long periods of weightlessness.

Combining usability evaluations to highlight the chain that leads from usability flaws to usage problems and then negative outcomes.

PubMed

Watbled, Ludivine; Marcilly, Romaric; Guerlinger, Sandra; Bastien, J-M Christian; Beuscart-Zéphir, Marie-Catherine; Beuscart, Régis

2018-02-01

Poor usability of health technology is thought to diminish work system performance, increase error rates and, potentially, harm patients. The present study (i) used a combination of usability evaluation methods to highlight the chain that leads from usability flaws to usage problems experienced by users and, ultimately, to negative patient outcomes, and (ii) validated this approach by studying two different discharge summary production systems. To comply with quality guidelines, the process of drafting and sending discharge summaries is increasingly being automated. However, the usability of these systems may modify their impact (or the absence thereof) in terms of production times and quality, and must therefore be evaluated. Here, we applied three successive techniques for usability evaluation (heuristic evaluation, user testing and field observation) to two discharge summary production systems (underpinned by different technologies). The systems' main usability flaws led respectively to an increase in the time need to produce a discharge summary and the risk of patient misidentification. Our results are discussed with regard to the possibility of linking the usability flaws, usage problems and the negative outcomes by successively applying three methods for evaluating usability (heuristic evaluation, user testing and in situ observations) throughout the system development life cycle. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Nanobiotechnology and its applications in drug delivery system: a review.

PubMed

Khan, Imran; Khan, Momin; Umar, Muhammad Naveed; Oh, Deog-Hwan

2015-12-01

Nanobiotechnology holds great potential in various regimes of life sciences. In this review, the potential applications of nanobiotechnology in various sectors of nanotechnologies, including nanomedicine and nanobiopharmaceuticals, are highlighted. To overcome the problems associated with drug delivery, nanotechnology has gained increasing interest in recent years. Nanosystems with different biological properties and compositions have been extensively investigated for drug delivery applications. Nanoparticles fabricated through various techniques have elevated therapeutic efficacy, provided stability to the drugs and proved capable of targeting the cells and controlled release inside the cell. Polymeric nanoparticles have shown increased development and usage in drug delivery as well as in diagnostics in recent decades.

Biomimicry in textiles: past, present and potential. An overview

PubMed Central

Eadie, Leslie; Ghosh, Tushar K.

2011-01-01

The natural world around us provides excellent examples of functional systems built with a handful of materials. Throughout the millennia, nature has evolved to adapt and develop highly sophisticated methods to solve problems. There are numerous examples of functional surfaces, fibrous structures, structural colours, self-healing, thermal insulation, etc., which offer important lessons for the textile products of the future. This paper provides a general overview of the potential of bioinspired textile structures by highlighting a few specific examples of pertinent, inherently sustainable biological systems. Biomimetic research is a rapidly growing field and its true potential in the development of new and sustainable textiles can only be realized through interdisciplinary research rooted in a holistic understanding of nature. PMID:21325320

Biomimicry in textiles: past, present and potential. An overview.

PubMed

Eadie, Leslie; Ghosh, Tushar K

2011-06-06

The natural world around us provides excellent examples of functional systems built with a handful of materials. Throughout the millennia, nature has evolved to adapt and develop highly sophisticated methods to solve problems. There are numerous examples of functional surfaces, fibrous structures, structural colours, self-healing, thermal insulation, etc., which offer important lessons for the textile products of the future. This paper provides a general overview of the potential of bioinspired textile structures by highlighting a few specific examples of pertinent, inherently sustainable biological systems. Biomimetic research is a rapidly growing field and its true potential in the development of new and sustainable textiles can only be realized through interdisciplinary research rooted in a holistic understanding of nature. © 2011 The Royal Society

Pharmacist review and its impact on Singapore nursing homes

PubMed Central

Chia, Hui Shan; Ho, John Aik Hui; Lim, Bernadette Daolin

2015-01-01

INTRODUCTION There is a high prevalence of polypharmacy and inappropriate medication use in Singapore nursing homes. This study primarily explored the benefits of pharmacist reviews in local nursing homes. The secondary aims were to review the potential cost savings gained from following the pharmacists’ recommendations and to identify the possible risks associated with polypharmacy and inappropriate medication use. METHODS A retrospective period prevalence study was performed. We analysed the pharmacotherapy problems highlighted by pharmacists in three nursing homes and the rate of acceptance of pharmacists’ recommendations. Data was collected in two phases: (a) a one-month pre-setup period, during which 480 patients were reviewed (i.e. one-time review before weekly pharmacist visits); and (b) a six-month post-setup period, during which the 480 patients were reviewed again. Pharmacotherapy problems were classified according to a clinical pharmacist recommendation taxonomy and potential risks were identified. Monthly cost savings were calculated and compared with the monthly costs of pharmacist reviews. RESULTS A total of 392 pharmacotherapy problems were identified, with pharmacist recommendations noted for each problem. Among the 392 recommendations, 236 (60.2%) were accepted. The pharmacotherapy problems were analysed for potential risks, including falls (16.0%) and constipation (13.1%). The acceptance rates were higher during the post-setup period compared to the pre-setup period (p < 0.0001). Total direct acquisition cost savings during the pre- and post-setup periods were SGD 388.30 and SGD 876.69, respectively. CONCLUSION The provision of pharmaceutical care to nursing home residents resulted in improved medication safety and quality of care. PMID:26451051

Punica granatum (Pomegranate) activity in health promotion and cancer prevention

PubMed Central

2018-01-01

Cancer has become one of the most fatal diseases in most countries. In spite of the medical care developing, cancer still remains a significant problem. The majority of the cancers are resistant to treatment. Thus, the research for novel, more efficient and less side effect treatment methods continues. Pomegranate contains strong antioxidant activity, with potential health interests. Research concern in pomegranate is increasing because of their anticancer potential due to possess rich in polyphenols. We highlight the pomegranate potential health benefits and mechanism of cancer progression inhibition. Pomegranate has indicated antiproliferative, anti-metastatic and anti-invasive effects on different cancer cell line in vitro, in vivo and clinical trial. The aim of this review is to evaluate functional properties and the medical benifits of pomegranate against various cancer diseases. In addition, pomegranate properties in in vitro and in vivo experimental human and animal clinical trials and its future use are explored. The available data suggest that Punica granatum (pomegranate) might be used in the control and potential therapeutic for some disease conditions and benefits human health status. This review summarizes in vitro, in vivo and clinical trial studies highlighting the pomegranate role in prevent and treatment of breast, prostate, lung, colon, skin and hepatocellular cell cancers. PMID:29441150

Why Is It Difficult to Predict Language Impairment and Outcome in Patients with Aphasia after Stroke?

PubMed Central

Kasselimis, Dimitrios; Varkanitsa, Maria; Selai, Caroline; Potagas, Constantin; Evdokimidis, Ioannis

2014-01-01

One of the most devastating consequences of stroke is aphasia. Communication problems after stroke can severely impair the patient's quality of life and make even simple everyday tasks challenging. Despite intense research in the field of aphasiology, the type of language impairment has not yet been localized and correlated with brain damage, making it difficult to predict the language outcome for stroke patients with aphasia. Our primary objective is to present the available evidence that highlights the difficulties of predicting language impairment after stroke. The different levels of complexity involved in predicting the lesion site from language impairment and ultimately predicting the long-term outcome in stroke patients with aphasia were explored. Future directions and potential implications for research and clinical practice are highlighted. PMID:24829592

Strategic foresight: how planning for the unpredictable can improve environmental decision-making.

PubMed

Cook, Carly N; Inayatullah, Sohail; Burgman, Mark A; Sutherland, William J; Wintle, Brendan A

2014-09-01

Advanced warning of potential new opportunities and threats related to biodiversity allows decision-makers to act strategically to maximize benefits or minimize costs. Strategic foresight explores possible futures, their consequences for decisions, and the actions that promote more desirable futures. Foresight tools, such as horizon scanning and scenario planning, are increasingly used by governments and business for long-term strategic planning and capacity building. These tools are now being applied in ecology, although generally not as part of a comprehensive foresight strategy. We highlight several ways foresight could play a more significant role in environmental decisions by: monitoring existing problems, highlighting emerging threats, identifying promising new opportunities, testing the resilience of policies, and defining a research agenda. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Titanium dioxide in fuel cell technology: An overview

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abdullah, N.; Kamarudin, S. K.

2015-03-01

Fuel cell technology is one of the alternative energy sources for the next generation. Although this technology has proven to be one of the main methods for producing new energy sources, fuel cell technology still has some problems that hinder fuel cell commercialization. Recently, new ideas on titanium dioxide are introduced as potential solution in several applications in fuel cell technology. Thus, this article presents an overview on the applications of titanium dioxide and highlights the unique properties and benefits of titanium dioxide in fuel cell technology.

First Year Projects and Activities of the Environmental Remote Sensing Applications Laboratory (ERSAL)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Poulton, C. E.; Faulkner, D. P.

1973-01-01

Activities, pilot projects, and research that will effectively close the gap between state-of-the-art remote sensing technology and the potential users and beneficiaries of this technological and scientific progress are discussed in light of the first year of activity. A broad spectrum of resource and man-environment problems are described in terms of the central thrust of the first-year program to support land use planning decisions with information derived from the interpretation of NASA highlight and satellite imagery.

Impact of the threat of war on children in military families.

PubMed

Ryan-Wenger, N A

2001-04-01

The potential for war is a pervasive threat to the security and family structure of children in military families. This study compared children of active-duty, reserve, and civilian families with respect to their perceptions of war, origin of fears related to war, levels of manifest anxiety, coping strategies, and projection of emotional problems in human figure drawings. Findings regarding the adaptation of children in military families are discussed, and the need for further research from children's perspectives is highlighted.

Cell Source and Mechanism of Hair Cell Regeneration in the Neonatal Mouse Cochlea

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-09-30

indicating that the neonatal mouse cochlea can, to a limited ex tent. pro liferate in response to HC loss and th at some of these RESEARCH ARTICLE Atoh1...cations for other tetracycline-inducible mouse models used in inner ear research . Our studies also highlight potential problems with long term expression... studies for the 10% HC death model are underway. Further research is in progress to obtain a tamoxifen induction paradigm that will target 25% ofHCs

Health behaviour and body mass index among problem gamblers: results from a nationwide survey.

PubMed

Algren, Maria H; Ekholm, Ola; Davidsen, Michael; Larsen, Christina V L; Juel, Knud

2015-06-01

Problem gambling is a serious public health issue. The objective of this study was to investigate whether past year problem gamblers differed from non-problem gamblers with regard to health behaviour and body mass index (BMI) among Danes aged 16 years or older. Data were derived from the Danish Health and Morbidity Surveys in 2005 and 2010. Past year problem gambling was defined using the lie/bet questionnaire. Logistic regression analyses were used to examine the association between past year problem gambling and health behaviour and BMI. Problem gambling was associated with unhealthy behaviour and obesity. The odds of smoking was significantly higher among problem gamblers than among non-problem gamblers. Further, the odds of high-risk alcohol drinking and illicit drug use were significantly higher among problem gamblers. The prevalence of sedentary leisure activity, unhealthy diet pattern and obesity was higher among problem gamblers than among non-problem gamblers. The associations found in this study remained significant after adjustment for sex, age, educational and cohabiting status as well as other risk factors. Our findings highlight the presence of a potential, public health challenge and elucidate the need for health promotion initiatives targeted at problem gamblers. Furthermore, more research is needed in order to understand the underlying social mechanism of the association between problem gamblers and unhealthy behaviour.

Old wine in new bottles: decanting systemic family process research in the era of evidence-based practice.

PubMed

Rohrbaugh, Michael J

2014-09-01

Social cybernetic (systemic) ideas from the early Family Process era, though emanating from qualitative clinical observation, have underappreciated heuristic potential for guiding quantitative empirical research on problem maintenance and change. The old conceptual wines we have attempted to repackage in new, science-friendly bottles include ironic processes (when "solutions" maintain problems), symptom-system fit (when problems stabilize relationships), and communal coping (when we-ness helps people change). Both self-report and observational quantitative methods have been useful in tracking these phenomena, and together the three constructs inform a team-based family consultation approach to working with difficult health and behavior problems. In addition, a large-scale, quantitatively focused effectiveness trial of family therapy for adolescent drug abuse highlights the importance of treatment fidelity and qualitative approaches to examining it. In this sense, echoing the history of family therapy research, our experience with juxtaposing quantitative and qualitative methods has gone full circle-from qualitative to quantitative observation and back again. © 2014 FPI, Inc.

Old Wine in New Bottles: Decanting Systemic Family Process Research in the Era of Evidence-Based Practice†

PubMed Central

Rohrbaugh, Michael J.

2015-01-01

Social cybernetic (systemic) ideas from the early Family Process era, though emanating from qualitative clinical observation, have underappreciated heuristic potential for guiding quantitative empirical research on problem maintenance and change. The old conceptual wines we have attempted to repackage in new, science-friendly bottles include ironic processes (when “solutions” maintain problems), symptom-system fit (when problems stabilize relationships), and communal coping (when we-ness helps people change). Both self-report and observational quantitative methods have been useful in tracking these phenomena, and together the three constructs inform a team-based family consultation (FAMCON) approach to working with difficult health and behavior problems. In addition, a large-scale, quantitatively focused effectiveness trial of family therapy for adolescent drug abuse highlights the importance of treatment fidelity and qualitative approaches to examining it. In this sense, echoing the history of family therapy research, our experience with juxtaposing quantitative and qualitative methods has gone full circle – from qualitative to quantitative observation and back again. PMID:24905101

The Cumulative Effect of Hyperactivity and Peer Relationships on Reading Comprehension

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Johnson, Kaprea F.

2014-01-01

The impact of hyperactivity and peer relationships on academic achievement has long been highlighted in the professional literature. This study highlights how much variation in reading comprehension scores, an indicator of academic achievement, are accounted for by hyperactivity, conduct problems, and peer problems. The participants included 129…

Effectiveness of a pragmatic school-based universal intervention targeting student resilience protective factors in reducing mental health problems in adolescents.

PubMed

Dray, Julia; Bowman, Jenny; Campbell, Elizabeth; Freund, Megan; Hodder, Rebecca; Wolfenden, Luke; Richards, Jody; Leane, Catherine; Green, Sue; Lecathelinais, Christophe; Oldmeadow, Christopher; Attia, John; Gillham, Karen; Wiggers, John

2017-06-01

Worldwide, 10-20% of adolescents experience mental health problems. Strategies aimed at strengthening resilience protective factors provide a potential approach for reducing mental health problems in adolescents. This study evaluated the effectiveness of a universal, school-based intervention targeting resilience protective factors in reducing mental health problems in adolescents. A cluster randomised controlled trial was conducted in 20 intervention and 12 control secondary schools located in socio-economically disadvantaged areas of NSW, Australia. Data were collected from 3115 students at baseline (Grade 7, 2011), of whom 2149 provided data at follow up (Grade 10, 2014; enrolments in Grades 7 to 10 typically aged 12-16 years; 50% male; 69.0% retention). There were no significant differences between groups at follow-up for three mental health outcomes: total SDQ, internalising problems, and prosocial behaviour. A small statistically significant difference in favour of the control group was found for externalising problems. Findings highlight the continued difficulties in developing effective, school-based prevention programs for mental health problems in adolescents. ANZCTR (Ref no: ACTRN12611000606987). Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Gambling and problem gambling among recently sentenced male prisoners in four New Zealand prisons.

PubMed

Abbott, Max W; McKenna, Brian G; Giles, Lynne C

2005-01-01

Recently sentenced inmates in four New Zealand male prisons (N = 357) were interviewed to assess their gambling involvement, problem gambling and criminal offending. Frequent participation in and high expenditure on continuous forms of gambling prior to imprisonment were reported. Nineteen percent said they had been in prison for a gambling-related offence and most of this offending was property-related and non-violent. On the basis of their SOGS-R scores, 21% were lifetime probable pathological gamblers and 16% were probable pathological gamblers during the six months prior to imprisonment. Of the "current" problem gamblers, 51% reported gambling-related offending and 35% had been imprisoned for a crime of this type. Gambling-related offending increased with problem gambling severity. However, only five percent of problem gamblers said their early offending was gambling-related. The large majority reported other types of offending at this time. Few men had sought or received help for gambling problems prior to imprisonment or during their present incarceration. This highlights the potential for assessment and treatment programs in prison to reduce recidivism and adverse effects of problem gambling and gambling-related offending.

Sleep disordered breathing in children with achondroplasia.

PubMed

Zaffanello, Marco; Cantalupo, Gaetano; Piacentini, Giorgio; Gasperi, Emma; Nosetti, Luana; Cavarzere, Paolo; Ramaroli, Diego Alberto; Mittal, Aliza; Antoniazzi, Franco

2017-02-01

Children with achondroplasia often have breathing problems, especially during sleep. The most important treatments are adenotonsillectomy (for treating upper obstruction) and/or neurosurgery (for resolving cervicomedullar junction stenosis). We reviewed the scientific literature on polysomnographic investigations which assessed the severity of respiratory disorders during sleep. Recent findings have highlighted the importance of clinical investigations in patients with achondroplasia, differentiating between those that look for neurological patterns and those that look for respiratory problems during sleep. In particular, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and somatosensory evoked potentials are the main tools to evaluate necessary neurosurgery and over myelopathy, respectively. The use of polysomnography enables clinicians to identify children with upper airway obstruction and to quantify disease severity; it is not suitable for MRI and/or neurosurgery considerations.

Fermionic edge states and new physics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Govindarajan, T. R.; Tibrewala, Rakesh

2015-08-01

We investigate the properties of the Dirac operator on manifolds with boundaries in the presence of the Atiyah-Patodi-Singer boundary condition. An exact counting of the number of edge states for boundaries with isometry of a sphere is given. We show that the problem with the above boundary condition can be mapped to one where the manifold is extended beyond the boundary and the boundary condition is replaced by a delta function potential of suitable strength. We also briefly highlight how the problem of the self-adjointness of the operators in the presence of moving boundaries can be simplified by suitable transformations which render the boundary fixed and modify the Hamiltonian and the boundary condition to reflect the effect of moving boundary.

Can Limiting Choice Increase Social Welfare? The Elderly and Health Insurance

PubMed Central

Hanoch, Yaniv; Rice, Thomas

2006-01-01

Herbert Simon's work on bounded rationality has had little impact on health policy discourse, despite numerous supportive findings. This is particularly surprising in regard to the elderly, a group marked by a decline in higher cognitive functions. Elders' cognitive capacity to make decisions will be challenged even further with the introduction of the new Medicare prescription drug benefit program, mainly because of the many options available. At the same time, a growing body of evidence points to the perils of having too many choices. By combining research from decision science, economics, and psychology, we highlight the potential problems with the expanding health insurance choices facing the elderly and conclude with some policy suggestions to alleviate the problem. PMID:16529568

The orthodontic-periodontic interrelationship in integrated treatment challenges: a systematic review.

PubMed

Gkantidis, N; Christou, P; Topouzelis, N

2010-05-01

Orthodontic treatment aims at providing an acceptable functional and aesthetic occlusion with appropriate tooth movements. These movements are strongly related to interactions of teeth with their supportive periodontal tissues. In recent years, because of the increased number of adult patients seeking orthodontic treatment, orthodontists frequently face patients with periodontal problems. Aesthetic considerations, like uneven gingival margins or functional problems resulting from inflammatory periodontal diseases should be considered in orthodontic treatment planning. Furthermore, in cases with severe periodontitis, orthodontics may improve the possibilities of saving and restoring a deteriorated dentition. In modern clinical practice, the contribution of the orthodontist, the periodontist and the general dentist is essential for optimized treatment outcomes. The purpose of this systematic review is to highlight the relationship between orthodontics and periodontics in clinical practice and to improve the level of cooperation between dental practitioners. Potentials and limitations that derive from the interdisciplinary approach of complex orthodontic-periodontal clinical problems are discussed.

STR-validator: an open source platform for validation and process control.

PubMed

Hansson, Oskar; Gill, Peter; Egeland, Thore

2014-11-01

This paper addresses two problems faced when short tandem repeat (STR) systems are validated for forensic purposes: (1) validation is extremely time consuming and expensive, and (2) there is strong consensus about what to validate but not how. The first problem is solved by powerful data processing functions to automate calculations. Utilising an easy-to-use graphical user interface, strvalidator (hereafter referred to as STR-validator) can greatly increase the speed of validation. The second problem is exemplified by a series of analyses, and subsequent comparison with published material, highlighting the need for a common validation platform. If adopted by the forensic community STR-validator has the potential to standardise the analysis of validation data. This would not only facilitate information exchange but also increase the pace at which laboratories are able to switch to new technology. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

E-Cigarettes and Potential Implications for Plastic Surgery.

PubMed

Taub, Peter J; Matarasso, Alan

2016-12-01

The use of tobacco-based products, most notably cigarettes, is related directly to wound healing problems and poorer outcomes in plastic surgery. Current abstracts have highlighted the potential complications from nicotine, specifically following plastic surgery in patients who choose to smoke. Recently, products that use electricity to vaporize liquid nitrogen have been gaining popularity. New rules were recently proposed that would give the federal government authority over electronic cigarettes. However, the health-related issues surrounding e-cigarettes are still largely unknown or misunderstood. These issues also extend to their impact on surgical procedures, notably their effect on plastic surgical procedures that rely heavily on the vascularity of either the host wound bed or the replacement tissue.

Neglected fungal zoonoses: hidden threats to man and animals.

PubMed

Seyedmousavi, S; Guillot, J; Tolooe, A; Verweij, P E; de Hoog, G S

2015-05-01

Zoonotic fungi can be naturally transmitted between animals and humans, and in some cases cause significant public health problems. A number of mycoses associated with zoonotic transmission are among the group of the most common fungal diseases, worldwide. It is, however, notable that some fungal diseases with zoonotic potential have lacked adequate attention in international public health efforts, leading to insufficient attention on their preventive strategies. This review aims to highlight some mycoses whose zoonotic potential received less attention, including infections caused by Talaromyces (Penicillium) marneffei, Lacazia loboi, Emmonsia spp., Basidiobolus ranarum, Conidiobolus spp. and Paracoccidioides brasiliensis. Copyright © 2015 European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Harnessing Innovative Technologies to Advance Children’s Mental Health: Behavioral Parent Training As an Example

PubMed Central

Jones, Deborah J.; Forehand, Rex; Cuellar, Jessica; Kincaid, Carlye; Parent, Justin; Fenton, Nicole; Goodrum, Nada

2012-01-01

Disruptive behaviors of childhood are among the most common reasons for referral of children to mental health professionals. Behavioral parent training (BPT) is the most efficacious intervention for these problem behaviors, yet BPT is substantially underutilized beyond university research and clinic settings. With the aim of addressing this research-to-practice gap, this article highlights the considerable, but largely unrealized, potential for technology to overcome the two most pressing challenges hindering the diffusion of BPT: (1). The dearth of BPT training and supervision opportunities for therapists who work with families of children with disruptive behaviors and; (2). The failure to engage and retain families in BPT services when services are available. To this end, this review presents a theoretical framework to guide technological innovations in BPT and highlights examples of how technology is currently being harnessed to overcome these challenges. This review also discusses recommendations for using technology as a delivery vehicle to further advance the field of BPT and the potential implications of technological innovations in BPT for other areas of children’s mental health are discussed. PMID:23313761

In Search of a Cure for Sepsis: Taming the Monster in Critical Care Medicine.

PubMed

Okeke, Emeka B; Uzonna, Jude E

2016-01-01

In spite of over half a century of research, sepsis still constitutes a major problem in health care delivery. Although advances in research have significantly increased our knowledge of the pathogenesis of sepsis and resulted in better prognosis and improved survival outcome, sepsis still remains a major challenge in modern medicine with an increase in occurrence predicted and a huge socioeconomic burden. It is generally accepted that sepsis is due to an initial hyperinflammatory response. However, numerous efforts aimed at targeting the proinflammatory cytokine network have been largely unsuccessful and the search for novel potential therapeutic targets continues. Recent studies provide compelling evidence that dysregulated anti-inflammatory responses may also contribute to sepsis mortality. Our previous studies on the role of regulatory T cells and phosphoinositide 3-kinases in sepsis highlight immunological approaches that could be explored for sepsis therapy. In this article, we review the current and emerging concepts in sepsis, highlight novel potential therapeutic targets and immunological approaches for sepsis treatment and propose a biphasic treatment approach for management of the condition. © 2016 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Material property analytical relations for the case of an AFM probe tapping a viscoelastic surface containing multiple characteristic times

PubMed Central

López-Guerra, Enrique A

2017-01-01

We explore the contact problem of a flat-end indenter penetrating intermittently a generalized viscoelastic surface, containing multiple characteristic times. This problem is especially relevant for nanoprobing of viscoelastic surfaces with the highly popular tapping-mode AFM imaging technique. By focusing on the material perspective and employing a rigorous rheological approach, we deliver analytical closed-form solutions that provide physical insight into the viscoelastic sources of repulsive forces, tip–sample dissipation and virial of the interaction. We also offer a systematic comparison to the well-established standard harmonic excitation, which is the case relevant for dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) and for AFM techniques where tip–sample sinusoidal interaction is permanent. This comparison highlights the substantial complexity added by the intermittent-contact nature of the interaction, which precludes the derivation of straightforward equations as is the case for the well-known harmonic excitations. The derivations offered have been thoroughly validated through numerical simulations. Despite the complexities inherent to the intermittent-contact nature of the technique, the analytical findings highlight the potential feasibility of extracting meaningful viscoelastic properties with this imaging method. PMID:29114450

Numerical solution of the full potential equation using a chimera grid approach

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Holst, Terry L.

1995-01-01

A numerical scheme utilizing a chimera zonal grid approach for solving the full potential equation in two spatial dimensions is described. Within each grid zone a fully-implicit approximate factorization scheme is used to advance the solution one interaction. This is followed by the explicit advance of all common zonal grid boundaries using a bilinear interpolation of the velocity potential. The presentation is highlighted with numerical results simulating the flow about a two-dimensional, nonlifting, circular cylinder. For this problem, the flow domain is divided into two parts: an inner portion covered by a polar grid and an outer portion covered by a Cartesian grid. Both incompressible and compressible (transonic) flow solutions are included. Comparisons made with an analytic solution as well as single grid results indicate that the chimera zonal grid approach is a viable technique for solving the full potential equation.

The Challenge of Promoting Interventions to Prevent Disease in Impoverished Populations in Rural Western Kenya

PubMed Central

Person, Bobbie; Faith, Sitnah H.; Otieno, Ronald; Quick, Robert

2013-01-01

Poverty is a critical social determinant of health. A particular approach toward mitigating inequitable access to health services in Kenya has been through a community-based distribution program implemented by the Safe Water and AIDS Project (SWAP) that has achieved modest uptake of public health interventions. To explore reasons for modest uptake, we asked program participants about child health problems, daily tasks, household expenditures, and services needed by their communities. Respondents identified child health problems consistent with health data and reported daily tasks, expenses, and needed services that were more related to basic needs of life other than health. These findings highlight the challenges of implementing potentially self-sustaining preventive interventions at scale in poor populations in the developing world. PMID:24188638

Infinite derivative gravity: non-singular cosmology & blackhole solutions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mazumdar, A.

Both Einstein’s theory of General Relativity and Newton’s theory of gravity possess a short distance and small time scale catastrophe. The blackhole singularity and cosmological Big Bang singularity problems highlight that current theories of gravity are incomplete description at early times and small distances. I will discuss how one can potentially resolve these fundamental problems at a classical level and quantum level. In particular, I will discuss infinite derivative theories of gravity, where gravitational interactions become weaker in the ultraviolet, and therefore resolving some of the classical singularities, such as Big Bang and Schwarzschild singularity for compact non-singular objects with mass up to 1025 grams. In this lecture, I will discuss quantum aspects of infinite derivative gravity and discuss few aspects which can make the theory asymptotically free in the UV.

Indonesian heath care and the economic crisis: is managed care the needed reform?

PubMed

Hotchkiss, D R; Jacobalis, S

1999-03-01

The ramifications of the current economic crisis are being felt throughout Asia, but problems are particularly acute in Indonesia; in the midst of high inflation and unemployment the government is considering expanding managed care reform. In this paper, we discuss the impact of the recent economic crisis on the health sector in Indonesia, and analyze the potential for implementing effective reform following the managed care model. The health sector is discussed, highlighting pre-existing problems in the health care supply environment. The determinants of the economic crisis are summarized, and the broad impacts of the crisis to date on the health sector are assessed. Next the prospects for success of current managed-care reform proposals are examined in some detail: viability of expanded managed care reform measures are assessed in light of the continuing crisis and its likely impacts on the consumers and suppliers of health care. Analysis of the potential impact of the continuing crisis focuses on key participants in health care reform: households, the government, and private health care providers. In conclusion the potential viability of managed care appears poor, given the current economic, political, and institutional conditions and likely future impacts, and suggest some alternative reform measures.

Adverse trajectories of mental health problems predict subsequent burnout and work-family conflict - a longitudinal study of employed women with children followed over 18 years.

PubMed

Nilsen, Wendy; Skipstein, Anni; Demerouti, Evangelia

2016-11-08

The long-term consequence of experiencing mental health problems may lead to several adverse outcomes. The current study aims to validate previous identified trajectories of mental health problems from 1993 to 2006 in women by examining their implications on subsequent work and family-related outcomes in 2011. Employed women (n = 439) with children were drawn from the Tracking Opportunities and Problems-Study (TOPP), a community-based longitudinal study following Norwegian families across 18 years. Previous identified latent profiles of mental health trajectories (i.e., High; Moderate; Low-rising and Low levels of mental health problems over time) measured at six time points between 1993 and 2006 were examined as predictors of burnout (e.g., exhaustion and disengagement from work) and work-family conflict in 2011 in univariate and multivariate analyses of variance adjusted for potential confounders (age, job demands, and negative emotionality). We found that having consistently High and Moderate symptoms as well as Low-Rising symptoms from 1993 to 2006 predicted higher levels of exhaustion, disengagement from work and work-family conflict in 2011. Findings remained unchanged when adjusting for several potential confounders, but when adjusting for current mental health problems only levels of exhaustion were predicted by the mental health trajectories. The study expands upon previous studies on the field by using a longer time span and by focusing on employed women with children who experience different patterns of mental health trajectories. The long-term effect of these trajectories highlight and validate the importance of early identification and prevention in women experiencing adverse patterns of mental health problems with regards to subsequent work and family-related outcomes.

Life after critical illness: an overview.

PubMed

Rattray, Janice

2014-03-01

To illustrate the potential physical and psychological problems faced by patients after an episode of critical illness, highlight some of the interventions that have been tested and identify areas for future research. Recovery from critical illness is an international problem and as an issue is likely to increase. For some, recovery from critical illness is prolonged, subject to physical and psychological problems that may negatively impact upon health-related quality of life. The literature accessed for this review includes the work of a number of key researchers in the field of critical care research. These were identified from a number of sources include (1) personal knowledge of the research field accumulated over the last decade and (2) using the search engine 'The Knowledge Network Scotland'. Fatigue and weakness are significant problems for critical care survivors and are common in patients who have been in ICU for more than one week. Psychological problems include anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress, delirium and cognitive impairment. Prevalence of these problems is difficult to establish for a number of methodological reasons that include the use of self-report questionnaires, the number of different questionnaires used and the variation in administration and timing. Certain subgroups of ICU survivors especially those at the more severe end of the illness severity spectrum are more at risk and this has been demonstrated for both physical and psychological problems. Findings from international studies of a range of potential interventions are presented. However, establishing effectiveness for most of these still has to be empirically demonstrated. What seems clear is the need for a co-ordinated, multidisciplinary, designated recovery and rehabilitation pathway that begins as soon as the patient is admitted into an intensive care unit. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Factors influencing stethoscope cleanliness among clinical medical students.

PubMed

Saunders, C; Hryhorskyj, L; Skinner, J

2013-07-01

This study aims to identify current stethoscope hygiene habits and attitudes in a UK medical school setting. Students completed a questionnaire using Likert-scale questions and free-text answers. A total of 308 questionnaires were completed from a potential 750 students (41%); 22.4% of respondents had never cleaned their stethoscope and only 3.9% cleaned their stethoscope after every patient. Significant correlations were identified between cleaning frequency and: others acting as role models (P = 0.001), students having confidence in how to clean stethoscopes (P = 0.001), and students thinking cleaning was important (P = 0.01), thereby highlighting inadequate education and role models as potential problems. Copyright © 2013 The Healthcare Infection Society. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Application of CFD codes to the design and development of propulsion systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lord, W. K.; Pickett, G. F.; Sturgess, G. J.; Weingold, H. D.

1987-01-01

The internal flows of aerospace propulsion engines have certain common features that are amenable to analysis through Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) computer codes. Although the application of CFD to engineering problems in engines was delayed by the complexities associated with internal flows, many codes with different capabilities are now being used as routine design tools. This is illustrated by examples taken from the aircraft gas turbine engine of flows calculated with potential flow, Euler flow, parabolized Navier-Stokes, and Navier-Stokes codes. Likely future directions of CFD applied to engine flows are described, and current barriers to continued progress are highlighted. The potential importance of the Numerical Aerodynamic Simulator (NAS) to resolution of these difficulties is suggested.

Discovery of naturally occurring ESR1 mutations in breast cancer cell lines modelling endocrine resistance.

PubMed

Martin, Lesley-Ann; Ribas, Ricardo; Simigdala, Nikiana; Schuster, Eugene; Pancholi, Sunil; Tenev, Tencho; Gellert, Pascal; Buluwela, Laki; Harrod, Alison; Thornhill, Allan; Nikitorowicz-Buniak, Joanna; Bhamra, Amandeep; Turgeon, Marc-Olivier; Poulogiannis, George; Gao, Qiong; Martins, Vera; Hills, Margaret; Garcia-Murillas, Isaac; Fribbens, Charlotte; Patani, Neill; Li, Zheqi; Sikora, Matthew J; Turner, Nicholas; Zwart, Wilbert; Oesterreich, Steffi; Carroll, Jason; Ali, Simak; Dowsett, Mitch

2017-11-30

Resistance to endocrine therapy remains a major clinical problem in breast cancer. Genetic studies highlight the potential role of estrogen receptor-α (ESR1) mutations, which show increased prevalence in the metastatic, endocrine-resistant setting. No naturally occurring ESR1 mutations have been reported in in vitro models of BC either before or after the acquisition of endocrine resistance making functional consequences difficult to study. We report the first discovery of naturally occurring ESR1 Y537C and ESR1 Y537S mutations in MCF7 and SUM44 ESR1-positive cell lines after acquisition of resistance to long-term-estrogen-deprivation (LTED) and subsequent resistance to fulvestrant (ICIR). Mutations were enriched with time, impacted on ESR1 binding to the genome and altered the ESR1 interactome. The results highlight the importance and functional consequence of these mutations and provide an important resource for studying endocrine resistance.

Measuring CAMD technique performance. 2. How "druglike" are drugs? Implications of Random test set selection exemplified using druglikeness classification models.

PubMed

Good, Andrew C; Hermsmeier, Mark A

2007-01-01

Research into the advancement of computer-aided molecular design (CAMD) has a tendency to focus on the discipline of algorithm development. Such efforts are often wrought to the detriment of the data set selection and analysis used in said algorithm validation. Here we highlight the potential problems this can cause in the context of druglikeness classification. More rigorous efforts are applied to the selection of decoy (nondruglike) molecules from the ACD. Comparisons are made between model performance using the standard technique of random test set creation with test sets derived from explicit ontological separation by drug class. The dangers of viewing druglike space as sufficiently coherent to permit simple classification are highlighted. In addition the issues inherent in applying unfiltered data and random test set selection to (Q)SAR models utilizing large and supposedly heterogeneous databases are discussed.

Language Measurement Equivalence of the Ethnic Identity Scale With Mexican American Early Adolescents

PubMed Central

White, Rebecca M. B.; Umaña-Taylor, Adriana J.; Knight, George P.; Zeiders, Katharine H.

2011-01-01

The current study considers methodological challenges in developmental research with linguistically diverse samples of young adolescents. By empirically examining the cross-language measurement equivalence of a measure assessing three components of ethnic identity development (i.e., exploration, resolution, and affirmation) among Mexican American adolescents, the study both assesses the cross-language measurement equivalence of a common measure of ethnic identity and provides an appropriate conceptual and analytical model for researchers needing to evaluate measurement scales translated into multiple languages. Participants are 678 Mexican-origin early adolescents and their mothers. Measures of exploration and resolution achieve the highest levels of equivalence across language versions. The measure of affirmation achieves high levels of equivalence. Results highlight potential ways to correct for any problems of nonequivalence across language versions of the affirmation measure. Suggestions are made for how researchers working with linguistically diverse samples can use the highlighted techniques to evaluate their own translated measures. PMID:22116736

Problem Solving with Combinations.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

English, Lyn

1992-01-01

Highlights combinatorial problems appropriate for students aged 4 to 12 years that utilize manipulatives in a hands-on approach. Examines and identifies students' strategies and self-monitoring techniques that produce effective problem solving. (MDH)

An observational study of bullying as a contributing factor in youth suicide in Toronto.

PubMed

Sinyor, Mark; Schaffer, Ayal; Cheung, Amy H

2014-12-01

Bullying has been identified as a potential contributing factor in youth suicide. This issue has been highlighted in recent widely publicized media reports, worldwide, in which deceased youth were bullied. We report on an observational study conducted to determine the frequency of bullying as a contributing factor to youth suicide. Coroner records were reviewed for all suicide deaths in youth aged between 10 and 19 in the city of Toronto from 1998 to 2011. Data abstracted were recent stressors (including bullying), clinical variables, such as the presence of mental illness, demographics, and methods of suicide. Ninety-four youth suicides were included in the study. The mean age was 16.8 years, and 70.2% were male. Bullying was present in 6 deaths (6.4%), and there were no deaths where online or cyberbullying was detected. Bullying was the only identified contributing factor in fewer than 5 deaths. The most common stressors identified were conflict with parents (21.3%), romantic partner problems (17.0%), academic problems (10.6%), and criminal and (or) legal problems (10.6%). Any stressor or mental and (or) physical illness was detected in 78.7% of cases. Depression was detected in 40.4% of cases. Our study highlights the need to view suicide in youth as arising from a complex interplay of various biological, psychological, and social factors of which bullying is only one. It challenges simple cause-and-effect models that may suggest that suicide arises from anyone factor, such as bullying.

The intergenerational transmission of problem gambling: The mediating role of parental psychopathology.

PubMed

Dowling, N A; Shandley, K; Oldenhof, E; Youssef, G J; Thomas, S A; Frydenberg, E; Jackson, A C

2016-08-01

The present study investigated the intergenerational transmission of problem gambling and the potential mediating role of parental psychopathology (problem drinking, drug use problems, and mental health issues). The study comprised 3953 participants (1938 males, 2015 females) recruited from a large-scale Australian community telephone survey of adults retrospectively reporting on parental problem gambling and psychopathology during their childhood. Overall, 4.0% [95%CI 3.0, 5.0] (n=157) of participants reported paternal problem gambling and 1.7% [95%CI 1.0, 2.0] (n=68) reported maternal problem gambling. Compared to their peers, participants reporting paternal problem gambling were 5.1 times more likely to be moderate risk gamblers and 10.7 times more likely to be problem gamblers. Participants reporting maternal problem gambling were 1.7 times more likely to be moderate risk gamblers and 10.6 times more likely to be problem gamblers. The results revealed that the relationships between paternal-and-participant and maternal-and-participant problem gambling were significant, but that only the relationship between paternal-and-participant problem gambling remained statistically significant after controlling for maternal problem gambling and sociodemographic factors. Paternal problem drinking and maternal drug use problems partially mediated the relationship between paternal-and-participant problem gambling, and fully mediated the relationship between maternal-and-participant problem gambling. In contrast, parental mental health issues failed to significantly mediate the transmission of gambling problems by either parent. When parental problem gambling was the mediator, there was full mediation of the effect between parental psychopathology and offspring problem gambling for fathers but not mothers. Overall, the study highlights the vulnerability of children from problem gambling households and suggests that it would be of value to target prevention and intervention efforts towards this cohort. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Hear, Hear!

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rittner-Heir, Robbin

2000-01-01

Examines the problem of acoustics in school classrooms; the problems it creates for student learning, particularly for students with hearing problems; and the impediments to achieving acceptable acoustical levels for school classrooms. Acoustic guidelines are explored and some remedies for fixing sound problems are highlighted. (GR)

Animal models of post-ischemic forced use rehabilitation: methods, considerations, and limitations

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Many survivors of stroke experience arm impairments, which can severely impact their quality of life. Forcing use of the impaired arm appears to improve functional recovery in post-stroke hemiplegic patients, however the mechanisms underlying improved recovery remain unclear. Animal models of post-stroke rehabilitation could prove critical to investigating such mechanisms, however modeling forced use in animals has proven challenging. Potential problems associated with reported experimental models include variability between stroke methods, rehabilitation paradigms, and reported outcome measures. Herein, we provide an overview of commonly used stroke models, including advantages and disadvantages of each with respect to studying rehabilitation. We then review various forced use rehabilitation paradigms, and highlight potential difficulties and translational problems. Lastly, we discuss the variety of functional outcome measures described by experimental researchers. To conclude, we outline ongoing challenges faced by researchers, and the importance of translational communication. Many stroke patients rely critically on rehabilitation of post-stroke impairments, and continued effort toward progression of rehabilitative techniques is warranted to ensure best possible treatment of the devastating effects of stroke. PMID:23343500

Physical Assault Victimization and Coping Among Adults in Residential Substance Use Disorder Treatment

PubMed Central

Bonar, Erin E.; Bohnert, Amy S. B.; Ilgen, Mark A.; Sanborn, Michelle L.; Chermack, Stephen T.

2014-01-01

Many individuals with Substance Use Disorders (SUDs) have been the victims of violence and individuals with SUDs often exhibit coping skills deficits. The extent to which coping skills relate to victimization is unknown. This study evaluated the relationships between physical assault victimization types (i.e., only partner victimization, only non-partner victimization, or both partner and non-partner victimization) and emotion-focused, problem-focused, and avoidant coping among individuals in residential SUD treatment. More frequent use of problem-focused coping was associated with reduced odds of being victimized by partners and non-partners and more frequent use of avoidant coping was associated with increased odds of victimization across both partners and non-partners. These results highlight the potential value of assessing violence across relationship types and bolstering adaptive coping among individuals with SUDs. PMID:24364127

On the spin- 1/2 Aharonov–Bohm problem in conical space: Bound states, scattering and helicity nonconservation

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

Andrade, F.M., E-mail: fmandrade@uepg.br; Silva, E.O., E-mail: edilbertoo@gmail.com; Pereira, M., E-mail: marciano@uepg.br

2013-12-15

In this work the bound state and scattering problems for a spin- 1/2 particle undergone to an Aharonov–Bohm potential in a conical space in the nonrelativistic limit are considered. The presence of a δ-function singularity, which comes from the Zeeman spin interaction with the magnetic flux tube, is addressed by the self-adjoint extension method. One of the advantages of the present approach is the determination of the self-adjoint extension parameter in terms of physics of the problem. Expressions for the energy bound states, phase-shift and S matrix are determined in terms of the self-adjoint extension parameter, which is explicitly determinedmore » in terms of the parameters of the problem. The relation between the bound state and zero modes and the failure of helicity conservation in the scattering problem and its relation with the gyromagnetic ratio g are discussed. Also, as an application, we consider the spin- 1/2 Aharonov–Bohm problem in conical space plus a two-dimensional isotropic harmonic oscillator. -- Highlights: •Planar dynamics of a spin- 1/2 neutral particle. •Bound state for Aharonov–Bohm systems. •Aharonov–Bohm scattering. •Helicity nonconservation. •Determination of the self-adjoint extension parameter.« less

Recruiting for success--the potential for using occupational personality questionnaires for the assessment of doctors.

PubMed

Chambers, R; Wright, D; Taylor, H

1995-05-01

to evaluate the Saville and Holdsworth Occupational Personality Questionnaire (OPQ) to assess its potential and validity as a tool in the recruitment of doctors. To determine the range of personality characteristics in a group of general practitioners. an administered commercially available questionnaire. general practitioners in North and Mid. Stafftordshire. 133 general practitioners or trainees. 44% of general practitioners agreed to participate. The majority found it useful and recognised its potential to increase self-awareness, highlight weaknesses that might be improved and for future recruitment of others to their teams. Doctors' personality traits were similar to those of managerial/professional norms. The validity of the OPQ was supported by (a) significant associations with subjects' previously reported mental health problems and (b) 83% of respondents confirming that their reports correctly described their personalities at work. OPQs have a place in the recruitment of doctors by identifying appropriate people to strengthen the team.

A severe hypersensitivity reaction to abacavir following re-challenge.

PubMed

Todd, Sej; Emerson, C R

2017-03-01

We report this case to highlight the possibility of a severe hypersensitivity reaction as an important potential consequence of couples, living with HIV, sharing anti-retroviral treatment. An HIV-1 positive and carrier of HLA-B*57:01 allele, treatment experienced man was commenced one pill Regimen Stribild (tenofovir, emtricitabine, elvitegravir and cobicistat) in July 2015. On running short of medication, he admitted to sharing his partner's treatment (Triumeq; abacavir, lamivudine and dolutegravir). On the second occasion, re-introduction resulted in whole body rash 4 h post dose and was associated with fever, respiratory symptoms, headache and vomiting. On examination, he was pyrexic, tachyponeic, tachycardiac and hypotensive. Hypersensitivity to abacavir can cause significant morbidity. Re-challenge can result in a more rapid, severe and potentially life-threatening reaction. This potentially could become an increasing problem with more couples, living with HIV, sharing medication.

Comparison of different interpolation operators including nonlinear subdivision schemes in the simulation of particle trajectories

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bensiali, Bouchra; Bodi, Kowsik; Ciraolo, Guido; Ghendrih, Philippe; Liandrat, Jacques

2013-03-01

In this work, we compare different interpolation operators in the context of particle tracking with an emphasis on situations involving velocity field with steep gradients. Since, in this case, most classical methods give rise to the Gibbs phenomenon (generation of oscillations near discontinuities), we present new methods for particle tracking based on subdivision schemes and especially on the Piecewise Parabolic Harmonic (PPH) scheme which has shown its advantage in image processing in presence of strong contrasts. First an analytic univariate case with a discontinuous velocity field is considered in order to highlight the effect of the Gibbs phenomenon on trajectory calculation. Theoretical results are provided. Then, we show, regardless of the interpolation method, the need to use a conservative approach when integrating a conservative problem with a velocity field deriving from a potential. Finally, the PPH scheme is applied in a more realistic case of a time-dependent potential encountered in the edge turbulence of magnetically confined plasmas, to compare the propagation of density structures (turbulence bursts) with the dynamics of test particles. This study highlights the difference between particle transport and density transport in turbulent fields.

Biomimetic and bio-inspired uses of mollusc shells.

PubMed

Morris, J P; Wang, Y; Backeljau, T; Chapelle, G

2016-06-01

Climate change and ocean acidification are likely to have a profound effect on marine molluscs, which are of great ecological and economic importance. One process particularly sensitive to climate change is the formation of biominerals in mollusc shells. Fundamental research is broadening our understanding of the biomineralization process, as well as providing more informed predictions on the effects of climate change on marine molluscs. Such studies are important in their own right, but their value also extends to applied sciences. Biominerals, organic/inorganic hybrid materials with many remarkable physical and chemical properties, have been studied for decades, and the possibilities for future improved use of such materials for society are widely recognised. This article highlights the potential use of our understanding of the shell biomineralization process in novel bio-inspired and biomimetic applications. It also highlights the potential for the valorisation of shells produced as a by-product of the aquaculture industry. Studying shells and the formation of biominerals will inspire novel functional hybrid materials. It may also provide sustainable, ecologically- and economically-viable solutions to some of the problems created by current human resource exploitation. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Parents' Role in Teenage Health Problems: Allies or Adversaries?. Meeting Highlights and Background Briefing Report. Report of a Family Impact Seminar (Washington, D.C., September 21, 1990).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ooms, Theodora; Owen, Todd

This report contains highlights from a seminar on the role of parents in helping adolescents with their health problems. Comments by these panelists is summarized: Judy Areen, dean, Georgetown University Law Center; Barbara Popper, founder and board member of Children in Hospitals, Inc. and resource specialist at the Federation for Children with…

Minimum energy efficiency standards for appliances: Old and new economic rationales

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

Houde, Sebastien; Spurlock, C. Anna

In this study, we revisit Hausman and Joskow (1982)'s economic rationales for appliance minimum energy efficiency standards. In addition to the four market failures they argued could justify appliance standards--energy prices below marginal social cost, consumers underestimating energy prices, consumer discount rates above social discount rates, or principal agent problems--we discuss two additional market failures that are relevant and potentially economically important in this context: market power and innovation market failures. We highlight puzzles uncovered by recent empirical results, and suggest directions future research should take to better understand the normative implications of appliance standards.

Cancer of the cervix - from bleak past to bright future; a review, with an emphasis on cancer of the cervix in malaysia.

PubMed

Nor Hayati, Othman

2003-01-01

Cancer of the cervix has the potential to be eradicated since the initiating cause is known. There was not much known about this cancer until the time of the Renaissance. In Malaysia, it is the second most common cancer among females after breast cancer. The strategies on prevention in this country are still not optimal. This article highlights the problems and also discusses the pathogenesis of this disease. The key to prevention is screening and the future is the era of molecular pap smear.

Usability Evaluation Survey for Identifying Design Issues in Civil Flight Deck

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ozve Aminian, Negin; Izzuddin Romli, Fairuz; Wiriadidjaja, Surjatin

2016-02-01

Ergonomics assessment for cockpit in civil aircraft is important as the pilots spend most of their time during flight on the seating posture imposed by its design. The improper seat design can cause discomfort and pain, which will disturb the pilot's concentration in flight. From a conducted survey, it is found that there are some issues regarding the current cockpit design. This study aims to highlight potential mismatches between the current cockpit design and the ergonomic design recommendations for anthropometric dimensions and seat design, which could be the roots of the problems faced by the pilots in the cockpit.

Sleep Applications to Assess Sleep Quality.

PubMed

Fietze, Ingo

2016-12-01

This article highlights the potential uses that smartphone applications may have for helping those with sleep problems. Applications in smartphones offer the promised possibility of detection of sleep. From the author's own experience, one can also conclude that sleep applications are approximately as good as polysomnography in detection of sleep time, similar to the conventional wearable actimeters. In the future, sleep applications will help to further enhance awareness of sleep health and to distinguish those who actually poorly and only briefly sleep from those who suffer more likely from paradox insomnia. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Minimum energy efficiency standards for appliances: Old and new economic rationales

DOE PAGES

Houde, Sebastien; Spurlock, C. Anna

2016-09-01

In this study, we revisit Hausman and Joskow (1982)'s economic rationales for appliance minimum energy efficiency standards. In addition to the four market failures they argued could justify appliance standards--energy prices below marginal social cost, consumers underestimating energy prices, consumer discount rates above social discount rates, or principal agent problems--we discuss two additional market failures that are relevant and potentially economically important in this context: market power and innovation market failures. We highlight puzzles uncovered by recent empirical results, and suggest directions future research should take to better understand the normative implications of appliance standards.

Disappearing Polymorphs Revisited

PubMed Central

Bučar, Dejan-Krešimir; Lancaster, Robert W; Bernstein, Joel

2015-01-01

Nearly twenty years ago, Dunitz and Bernstein described a selection of intriguing cases of polymorphs that disappear. The inability to obtain a crystal form that has previously been prepared is indeed a frustrating and potentially serious problem for solid-state scientists. This Review discusses recent occurrences and examples of disappearing polymorphs (as well as the emergence of elusive crystal forms) to demonstrate the enduring relevance of this troublesome, but always captivating, phenomenon in solid-state research. A number of these instances have been central issues in patent litigations. This Review, therefore, also highlights the complex relationship between crystal chemistry and the law. PMID:26031248

Heparin Induced Thrombocytopenia and Re-Thrombosis Associated with Warfarin and Fondaparinux in a Child

PubMed Central

Maurer, Scott H.; Wilimas, Judith A.; Wang, Winfred C.; Reiss, Ulrike M.

2016-01-01

An 11 year-old female developed heparin induced thrombocytopenia (HIT) with thrombosis during therapy for lower extremity deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism. Transition from bivalirudin, a direct thrombin inhibitor (DTI), to warfarin resulted in extensive re-thrombosis, and fondaparinux therapy similarly failed. She was then treated with argatroban, and transitioned successfully to warfarin after nine weeks. The risk of re-thrombosis was ultimately reduced by allowing time for the thrombogenic potential to abate. The argatroban/warfarin transition was monitored with chromogenic factor X levels. This case highlights several difficult problems in pediatric thrombosis. PMID:19415734

Girls' and boys' problem talk: Implications for emotional closeness in friendships.

PubMed

Rose, Amanda J; Smith, Rhiannon L; Glick, Gary C; Schwartz-Mette, Rebecca A

2016-04-01

This research highlights the critical role of gender in the context of problem talk and social support in adolescents' friendships. Early- and middle-adolescents' (N = 314 friend dyads; Ms = 13.01 and 16.03 years) conversations about problems were studied using observation and a short-term longitudinal design. Mean-level gender differences emerged in that girls participated in problem talk more than boys and responded in a more positive and engaged manner to friends' statements about problems (e.g., by saying something supportive, asking a question) than did boys. Interestingly, boys used humor during problem talk more than girls. Despite mean-level differences, there were not gender differences in the functional significance of participating in problem talk and positive engaged responses in that these behaviors predicted increased friendship closeness for both boys and girls. In contrast, humor during problem talk predicted increased closeness only for boys, highlighting an understudied pathway to closeness in boys' friendships. (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

Girls’ and Boys’ Problem Talk: Implications for Emotional Closeness in Friendships

PubMed Central

Rose, Amanda J.; Smith, Rhiannon L.; Glick, Gary C.; Schwartz-Mette, Rebecca A.

2016-01-01

This research highlights the critical role of gender in the context of problem talk and social support in adolescents’ friendships. Early- and middle-adolescents’ (N = 314 friend dyads; Ms = 13.01 and 16.03 years) conversations about problems were studied using observation and a short-term longitudinal design. Mean-level gender differences emerged in that girls participated in problem talk more than boys and responded in a more positive and engaged manner to friends’ statements about problems (e.g., by saying something supportive, asking a question) than did boys. Interestingly, boys used humor during problem talk more than girls. Despite mean-level differences, there were not gender differences in the functional significance of participating in problem talk and positive engaged responses in that these behaviors predicted increased friendship closeness for both boys and girls. In contrast, humor during problem talk predicted increased closeness only for boys, highlighting an understudied pathway to closeness in boys’ friendships. PMID:26866726

2015 SHC BOSC Poster on the EPA/NIMHD Centers of ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

EPA supports research that will help in the understanding and prevention of health disparities from environmental conditions and pollution. Racial/ethnic and economic disparities cause many health problems and are very costly to our society. EPA seeks to ensure that no community bears a disproportionate burden, especially those which are susceptible, vulnerable, or socioeconomically disadvantaged. The 2015 SHC BOSC Poster on the EPA/NIMHD Centers of Excellence on Environmental Health Disparities Research provides a summary of the EPA/NIMHD joint Centers. It discusses the purpose and utility of the research, its connection to the SHC portfolio, research highlights, as well as potential application and translation of the results. The poster also includes a list of intended users for the research, potential lessons learned, and provides a snapshot of future health disparities research.

The Clinical Presentation of Oral Potentially Malignant Disorders.

PubMed

Mccormick, Neal J; Thomson, Peter J; Carrozzo, Marco

2016-02-01

Early detection of oral cancer improves survival rates significantly, however, the incidence of oral cancer has continued to rise in the UK - between 2002-2012, it increased by more than 30%. There is currently no national screening programme for oral cancer, so undertaking a full examination of the oral mucosa during routine dental appointments is vital. Although strong evidence is still lacking, oral cancer is thought to be preceded by oral potential malignant disorders (OPMDs) or oral precancerous diseases. These mainly present as white/red lesions within the mouth and their clinical appearance can be challenging to diagnose accurately, which can lead to them being misdiagnosed as negligible problems. Dentists must keep up to date with OPMDs detection and ensure they are capable of correctly recognising lesions that carry a potential risk. This paper aims to provide a brief overview on OPMDs, highlighting potentially malignant disorders as they may present to the practitioner, showing their typical clinical appearance, and suggesting differential diagnosis and clinical management in dental practice.

Cell culture purity issues and DFAT cells

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

Wei, Shengjuan; Department of Animal Sciences, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164; Bergen, Werner G.

2013-04-12

Highlights: •DFAT cells are progeny cells derived from dedifferentiated mature adipocytes. •Common problems in this research is potential cell contamination of initial cultures. •The initial cell culture purity is crucial in DFAT cell research field. -- Abstract: Dedifferentiation of mature adipocytes, in vitro, has been pursued/documented for over forty years. The subsequent progeny cells are named dedifferentiated adipocyte-derived progeny cells (DFAT cells). DFAT cells are proliferative and likely to possess mutilineage potential. As a consequence, DFAT cells and their progeny/daughter cells may be useful as a potential tool for various aspects of tissue engineering and as potential vectors for themore » alleviation of several disease states. Publications in this area have been increasing annually, but the purity of the initial culture of mature adipocytes has seldom been documented. Consequently, it is not always clear whether DFAT cells are derived from dedifferentiated mature (lipid filled) adipocytes or from contaminating cells that reside in an impure culture.« less

A nuclear ribosomal DNA pseudogene in triatomines opens a new research field of fundamental and applied implications in Chagas disease.

PubMed

Zuriaga, María Angeles; Mas-Coma, Santiago; Bargues, María Dolores

2015-05-01

A pseudogene, designated as "ps(5.8S+ITS-2)", paralogous to the 5.8S gene and internal transcribed spacer (ITS)-2 of the nuclear ribosomal DNA (rDNA), has been recently found in many triatomine species distributed throughout North America, Central America and northern South America. Among characteristics used as criteria for pseudogene verification, secondary structures and free energy are highlighted, showing a lower fit between minimum free energy, partition function and centroid structures, although in given cases the fit only appeared to be slightly lower. The unique characteristics of "ps(5.8S+ITS-2)" as a processed or retrotransposed pseudogenic unit of the ghost type are reviewed, with emphasis on its potential functionality compared to the functionality of genes and spacers of the normal rDNA operon. Besides the technical problem of the risk for erroneous sequence results, the usefulness of "ps(5.8S+ITS-2)" for specimen classification, phylogenetic analyses and systematic/taxonomic studies should be highlighted, based on consistence and retention index values, which in pseudogenic sequence trees were higher than in functional sequence trees. Additionally, intraindividual, interpopulational and interspecific differences in pseudogene amount and the fact that it is a pseudogene in the nuclear rDNA suggests a potential relationships with fitness, behaviour and adaptability of triatomine vectors and consequently its potential utility in Chagas disease epidemiology and control.

Boredom in the Workplace: A New Look at an Old Problem.

PubMed

Cummings, Mary L; Gao, Fei; Thornburg, Kris M

2016-03-01

We review historical and more recent efforts in boredom research and related fields. A framework is presented that organizes the various facets of boredom, particularly in supervisory control settings, and research gaps and future potential areas for study are highlighted. Given the ubiquity of boredom across a wide spectrum of work environments--exacerbated by increasingly automated systems that remove humans from direct, physical system interaction and possibly increasing tedium in the workplace--there is a need not only to better understand the multiple facets of boredom in work environments but to develop targeted mitigation strategies. To better understand the relationships between the various influences and outcomes of boredom, a systems-based framework, called the Boredom Influence Diagram, is proposed that describes various elements of boredom and their interrelationships. Boredom is closely related to vigilance, attention management, and task performance. This review highlights the need to develop more naturalistic experiments that reflect the characteristics of a boring work environment. With the increase in automation, boredom in the workplace will likely become a more prevalent issue for motivation and retention. In addition, developing continuous measures of boredom based on physiological signals is critical. Personnel selection and improvements in system and task design can potentially mitigate boredom. However, more work is needed to develop and evaluate other potential interventions. © 2015, Human Factors and Ergonomics Society.

Treatment, alcoholics anonymous, and 16-year changes in impulsivity and legal problems among men and women with alcohol use disorders.

PubMed

Blonigen, Daniel M; Timko, Christine; Moos, Bernice S; Moos, Rudolf H

2009-09-01

The link between impulsive personality traits and alcohol use disorders (AUDs) is well established. No studies, however, have investigated whether receipt of help for AUDs predicts change in impulsivity or whether such change is associated with relevant outcomes such as legal problems. The present study examined predictive associations between the duration of help for AUDs (Alcoholics Anonymous [AA], professional treatment) and impulsivity and legal problems over 16 years in men and women with AUDs. Participants who were initially untreated for their AUDs (n(men) = 332, n(women) = 296) completed follow-up telephone interviews at 1 and 16 years after their baseline assessment. Impulsivity and legal problems declined between baseline and the 1-year and 16-year follow-ups among both women and men. A longer duration of participation in AA predicted a decline in impulsivity at both follow-up assessments, and, in turn, a decline in impulsivity predicted a decline in legal problems at Years 1 and 16. In addition, a longer duration of participation in AA predicted fewer legal problems at Year 1, and this association was moderated by gender (significant in men) and impulsivity (significant for individuals with higher baseline scores). The results highlight the potential for AA and professional treatment to reduce the expression of impulsivity and related disinhibitory traits and legal problems in individuals with AUDs.

Risk Selection, Risk Adjustment and Choice: Concepts and Lessons from the Americas

PubMed Central

Ellis, Randall P.; Fernandez, Juan Gabriel

2013-01-01

Interest has grown worldwide in risk adjustment and risk sharing due to their potential to contain costs, improve fairness, and reduce selection problems in health care markets. Significant steps have been made in the empirical development of risk adjustment models, and in the theoretical foundations of risk adjustment and risk sharing. This literature has often modeled the effects of risk adjustment without highlighting the institutional setting, regulations, and diverse selection problems that risk adjustment is intended to fix. Perhaps because of this, the existing literature and their recommendations for optimal risk adjustment or optimal payment systems are sometimes confusing. In this paper, we present a unified way of thinking about the organizational structure of health care systems, which enables us to focus on two key dimensions of markets that have received less attention: what choices are available that may lead to selection problems, and what financial or regulatory tools other than risk adjustment are used to influence these choices. We specifically examine the health care systems, choices, and problems in four countries: the US, Canada, Chile, and Colombia, and examine the relationship between selection-related efficiency and fairness problems and the choices that are allowed in each country, and discuss recent regulatory reforms that affect choices and selection problems. In this sample, countries and insurance programs with more choices have more selection problems. PMID:24284351

Impacts and managerial implications for sewer systems due to recent changes to inputs in domestic wastewater - A review.

PubMed

Mattsson, Jonathan; Hedström, Annelie; Ashley, Richard M; Viklander, Maria

2015-09-15

Ever since the advent of major sewer construction in the 1850s, the issue of increased solids deposition in sewers due to changes in domestic wastewater inputs has been frequently debated. Three recent changes considered here are the introduction of kitchen sink food waste disposers (FWDs); rising levels of inputs of fat, oil and grease (FOG); and the installation of low-flush toilets (LFTs). In this review these changes have been examined with regard to potential solids depositional impacts on sewer systems and the managerial implications. The review indicates that each of the changes has the potential to cause an increase in solids deposition in sewers and this is likely to be more pronounced for the upstream reaches of networks that serve fewer households than the downstream parts and for specific sewer features such as sags. The review has highlighted the importance of educational campaigns directed to the public to mitigate deposition as many of the observed problems have been linked to domestic behaviour in regard to FOGs, FWDs and toilet flushing. A standardized monitoring procedure of repeat sewer blockage locations can also be a means to identify depositional hot-spots. Interactions between the various changes in inputs in the studies reviewed here indicated an increased potential for blockage formation, but this would need to be further substantiated. As the precise nature of these changes in inputs have been found to be variable, depending on lifestyles and type of installation, the additional problems that may arise pose particular challenges to sewer operators and managers because of the difficulty in generalizing the nature of the changes, particularly where retrofitting projects in households are being considered. The three types of changes to inputs reviewed here highlight the need to consider whether or not more or less solid waste from households should be diverted into sewers. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

UAS Detection Classification and Neutralization: Market Survey 2015

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

Birch, Gabriel Carisle; Griffin, John Clark; Erdman, Matthew Kelly

The purpose of this document is to briefly frame the challenges of detecting low, slow, and small (LSS) unmanned aerial systems (UAS). The conclusion drawn from internal discussions and external reports is the following; detection of LSS UAS is a challenging problem that can- not be achieved with a single detection modality for all potential targets. Classification of LSS UAS, especially classification in the presence of background clutter (e.g., urban environment) or other non-threating targets (e.g., birds), is under-explored. Though information of avail- able technologies is sparse, many of the existing options for UAS detection appear to be in theirmore » infancy (when compared to more established ground-based air defense systems for larger and/or faster threats). Companies currently providing or developing technologies to combat the UAS safety and security problem are certainly worth investigating, however, no company has provided the statistical evidence necessary to support robust detection, identification, and/or neutralization of LSS UAS targets. The results of a market survey are included that highlights potential commercial entities that could contribute some technology that assists in the detection, classification, and neutral- ization of a LSS UAS. This survey found no clear and obvious commercial solution, though recommendations are given for further investigation of several potential systems.« less

Control problems in armored face conveyors for longwall mines

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

Broadfoot, A.R.; Betz, R.E.

1998-03-01

This paper is a tutorial discussion of the current difficulties being experienced with the performance of armored face conveyor (AFC) drive systems, as used in longwall mining. It presents the traditional approaches to the design of the drive system and highlights the inadequacies. The final part of the paper presents a possible solution approach using variable-speed drive systems, emphasizing the advantages of this approach. The paper is significant, in that it discusses, in one document, a number of problems related to the operation of longwall AFC`s. Furthermore, it presents a solution path for these problems. The details of the controlmore » strategies to solve the problems highlighted are left to a companion paper.« less

A Natural Fit: Problem-based Learning and Technology Standards.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sage, Sara M.

2000-01-01

Discusses the use of problem-based learning to meet technology standards. Highlights include technology as a tool for locating and organizing information; the Wolf Wars problem for elementary and secondary school students that provides resources, including Web sites, for information; Web-based problems; and technology as assessment and as a…

The Problem Patron: Is There One in Your Library?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chattoo, Calmer D.

2002-01-01

Discusses the history of problem patrons in libraries and explains various types of problem patrons and their identifying behavior. Highlights include senior citizens; technology-created problems, such as users with cell phones; eccentric behavior; non-compliance with library rules; harassment; intentional bad behavior such as theft; and problems…

No Parent Left Behind: Strengthening Ties between Educators and African American Parents/Guardians.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thompson, Gail L.

2003-01-01

Used regression analyses to identify variables predicting the six most frequently cited problems that concerned African American parents and guardians of children enrolled in urban schools. Data from parent/guardian surveys highlighted six problems: school district racial climate; math problems; suspension; writing problems; reading comprehension…

The Influence of Framing on Risky Decisions: A Meta-analysis.

PubMed

Kühberger

1998-07-01

In framing studies, logically equivalent choice situations are differently described and the resulting preferences are studied. A meta-analysis of framing effects is presented for risky choice problems which are framed either as gains or as losses. This evaluates the finding that highlighting the positive aspects of formally identical problems does lead to risk aversion and that highlighting their equivalent negative aspects does lead to risk seeking. Based on a data pool of 136 empirical papers that reported framing experiments with nearly 30,000 participants, we calculated 230 effect sizes. Results show that the overall framing effect between conditions is of small to moderate size and that profound differences exist between research designs. Potentially relevant characteristics were coded for each study. The most important characteristics were whether framing is manipulated by changing reference points or by manipulating outcome salience, and response mode (choice vs. rating/judgment). Further important characteristics were whether options differ qualitatively or quantitatively in risk, whether there is one or multiple risky events, whether framing is manipulated by gain/loss or by task-responsive wording, whether dependent variables are measured between- or within- subjects, and problem domains. Sample (students vs. target populations) and unit of analysis (individual vs. group) was not influential. It is concluded that framing is a reliable phenomenon, but that outcome salience manipulations, which constitute a considerable amount of work, have to be distinguished from reference point manipulations and that procedural features of experimental settings have a considerable effect on effect sizes in framing experiments. Copyright 1998 Academic Press.

An Observational Study of Bullying as a Contributing Factor in Youth Suicide in Toronto

PubMed Central

Sinyor, Mark; Schaffer, Ayal; Cheung, Amy H

2014-01-01

Objective Bullying has been identified as a potential contributing factor in youth suicide. This issue has been highlighted in recent widely publicized media reports, worldwide, in which deceased youth were bullied. We report on an observational study conducted to determine the frequency of bullying as a contributing factor to youth suicide. Method: Coroner records were reviewed for all suicide deaths in youth aged between 10 and 19 in the city of Toronto from 1998 to 2011. Data abstracted were recent stressors (including bullying), clinical variables, such as the presence of mental illness, demographics, and methods of suicide. Results: Ninety-four youth suicides were included in the study. The mean age was 16.8 years, and 70.2% were male. Bullying was present in 6 deaths (6.4%), and there were no deaths where online or cyberbullying was detected. Bullying was the only identified contributing factor in fewer than 5 deaths. The most common stressors identified were conflict with parents (21.3%), romantic partner problems (17.0%), academic problems (10.6%), and criminal and (or) legal problems (10.6%). Any stressor or mental and (or) physical illness was detected in 78.7% of cases. Depression was detected in 40.4% of cases. Conclusions: Our study highlights the need to view suicide in youth as arising from a complex interplay of various biological, psychological, and social factors of which bullying is only one. It challenges simple cause-and-effect models that may suggest that suicide arises from any one factor, such as bullying. PMID:25702362

Organizing vertical layout environments: a forward-looking development strategy for high-rise building projects

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Magay, A. A.; Bulgakova, E. A.; Zabelina, S. A.

2018-03-01

The article highlights issues surrounding development of high rise buildings. With the rapid increase of the global population there has been a trend for people to migrate into megacities and has caused the expansion of big city territories. This trend, coupled with the desire for a comfortable living environment, has resulted in numerous problems plaguing the megacity. This article proposes that a viable solution to the problems facing megacities is to create vertical layout environments. Potential options for creating vertical layout environments are set out below including the construction of buildings with atriums. Further, the article puts forth suggested spatial organization of the environment as well as optimal landscaping of high-rise buildings and constructions for the creation of vertical layout environments. Finally, the persuasive reasons for the adoption of vertical layout environments is that it will decrease the amount of developed urban areas, decrease traffic and increase environmental sustainability.

Leveraging Neuroscience to Inform Adolescent Health: The Need for an Innovative Transdisciplinary Developmental Science of Adolescence.

PubMed

Suleiman, Ahna Ballonoff; Dahl, Ronald E

2017-03-01

In this article, we consider how to leverage some of the rapid advances in developmental neuroscience in ways that can improve adolescent health. We provide a brief overview of several key areas of scientific progress relevant to these issues. We then focus on two examples of important health problems that increase sharply during adolescence: sleep problems and affective disorders. These examples illustrate how an integrative, developmental science approach provides new insights into treatment and intervention. They also highlight a cornerstone principle: how a deeper understanding of potentially modifiable factors-at key developmental inflection points along the trajectory toward clinical disorders-is beginning to inform, and may eventually transform, a broad range of innovative early intervention strategies to improve adolescent health. Copyright © 2016 Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Challenges faced in the clinical application of artificial anal sphincters.

PubMed

Wang, Ming-hui; Zhou, Ying; Zhao, Shuang; Luo, Yun

2015-09-01

Fecal incontinence is an unresolved problem, which has a serious effect on patients, both physically and psychologically. For patients with severe symptoms, treatment with an artificial anal sphincter could be a potential option to restore continence. Currently, the Acticon Neosphincter is the only device certified by the US Food and Drug Administration. In this paper, the clinical safety and efficacy of the Acticon Neosphincter are evaluated and discussed. Furthermore, some other key studies on artificial anal sphincters are presented and summarized. In particular, this paper highlights that the crucial problem in this technology is to maintain long-term biomechanical compatibility between implants and surrounding tissues. Compatibility is affected by changes in both the morphology and mechanical properties of the tissues surrounding the implants. A new approach for enhancing the long-term biomechanical compatibility of implantable artificial sphincters is proposed based on the use of smart materials.

Financing mental health services for adolescents: a background paper.

PubMed

Kapphahn, Cynthia; Morreale, Madlyn; Rickert, Vaughn I; Walker, Leslie

2006-09-01

Good mental health provides an essential foundation for normal growth and development through adolescence and into adulthood. Many adolescents, however, experience mental health problems that significantly impede the attainment of their full potential. The majority of these adolescents do not receive needed mental health services, in part because of financial obstacles to care. This article reviews the magnitude and impact of mental health problems during adolescence and highlights the importance of insurance coverage in assuring access to mental health services for adolescents. Significant limitations in private health insurance coverage of mental health services are outlined. Recent federal and state efforts to move toward parity in private insurance coverage between mental and physical health services are discussed, including an explanation of the role of Medicaid and the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) in providing access to mental health services for adolescents. Finally, other elements that would facilitate financial access to essential mental health services for adolescents are presented.

Anxiety Mediates Perceived Discrimination and Health in African-American Women.

PubMed

Carter, Sierra E; Walker, Rheeda L; Cutrona, Carolyn E; Simons, Ronald L; Beach, Steven R H

2016-11-01

We examined the mediational role of symptoms of anxiety in accounting for the association of discrimination and chronic health conditions among African-American women. Participants were 646 African-American women who completed self-report measures of perceived racial discrimination, symptoms of anxiety, and diagnosed chronic health problems. We examined the mediation hypothesis using a path analytic procedure. Mediational analyses indicated that, above and beyond symptoms of depression, age, and education status, anxiety symptoms were associated with both racial discrimination (β = .03, SE = .01, p < .001) and chronic health problems (β = .33, SE = .09, p < .001) and significantly mediated the discrimination-health association (β = -.01, SE = .01, p = .16). These findings highlight the potentially vital role of symptoms of anxiety in the process that occurs from an individual's perception of discrimination to reported chronic health outcomes. Future research expanding our understanding of the interconnection of psychosocial stressors, discrimination, and their biological sequelae is needed.

Does the "new philosophy" in predictive, preventive and personalised medicine require new ethics?

PubMed

Gefenas, Eugenijus; Cekanauskaite, Asta; Tuzaite, Egle; Dranseika, Vilius; Characiejus, Dainius

2011-06-01

This paper maps the ethical issues that arise in the context of personalised medicine. First, it highlights the ethical problems related to increased predictive power of modern diagnostic interventions. Such problems emerge because the ability to identify individuals or groups of individuals that can potentially benefit from a particular therapeutic intervention also raises a question of personal responsibility for health-related behaviour and lifestyle. The second major area of ethical concern is related to health prevention and distributive justice. The paper discusses the ethical challenges brought by the personalised medicine in the context of the Additional Protocol to the Convention on Human Rights and Biomedicine concerning Genetic Testing for Health Purposes. Finally, it notes that the issue of consent in the context of biobanks, the need to rethink the prevalent models of research designs and to communicate relevant findings to the donors of biological materials deserve further discussion.

Early life trauma exposure and stress sensitivity in young children.

PubMed

Grasso, Damion J; Ford, Julian D; Briggs-Gowan, Margaret J

2013-01-01

The current study replicates and extends work with adults that highlights the relationship between trauma exposure and distress in response to subsequent, nontraumatic life stressors. The sample included 213 2-4-year-old children in which 64.3% had a history of potential trauma exposure. Children were categorized into 4 groups based on trauma history and current life stress. In a multivariate analysis of variance, trauma-exposed children with current life stressors had elevated internalizing and externalizing problems compared with trauma-exposed children without current stress and nontrauma-exposed children with and without current stressors. The trauma-exposed groups with or without current stressors did not differ on posttraumatic stress disorder symptom severity. Accounting for number of traumatic events did not change these results. These findings suggest that early life trauma exposure may sensitize young children and place them at risk for internalizing or externalizing problems when exposed to subsequent, nontraumatic life stressors.

Effective degrees of freedom of a random walk on a fractal

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Balankin, Alexander S.

2015-12-01

We argue that a non-Markovian random walk on a fractal can be treated as a Markovian process in a fractional dimensional space with a suitable metric. This allows us to define the fractional dimensional space allied to the fractal as the ν -dimensional space Fν equipped with the metric induced by the fractal topology. The relation between the number of effective spatial degrees of freedom of walkers on the fractal (ν ) and fractal dimensionalities is deduced. The intrinsic time of random walk in Fν is inferred. The Laplacian operator in Fν is constructed. This allows us to map physical problems on fractals into the corresponding problems in Fν. In this way, essential features of physics on fractals are revealed. Particularly, subdiffusion on path-connected fractals is elucidated. The Coulomb potential of a point charge on a fractal embedded in the Euclidean space is derived. Intriguing attributes of some types of fractals are highlighted.

Motor activity as a way of preventing musculoskeletal problems in string musicians.

PubMed

Wilke, Christiane; Priebus, Julian; Biallas, Bianca; Froböse, Ingo

2011-03-01

The health status of performing artists, especially musicians, was not an issue for medical research until the 1980s. Musicians tend to suffer from health-related problems, as playing an instrument demands long and intensive practice. This paper provides a literature review of health problems of string players in particular. It analyzes whether their problems are playing-related or if various parameters potentially influence their health state, and it subsequently presents a concept of efficient training. Health disorders and diseases are individual. In order to ensure efficient prevention, a profile of qualification, including physical and psychological aspects as well as key skills, allows developing an individual training schedule and thus should be included in the process of prevention. Physical performance plays a decisive role and is more important than commonly thought. Strength, endurance, and flexibility in particular have an immense influence on the musician's performance. Playing an instrument requires both physical and mental skills, and all too often this leads to excessive demands. It is necessary to highlight the possible causes and provide the musician with a therapeutic intervention and educational work. As the demand for preventative work in this field grows steadily, this paper draws a detailed concept of a therapeutic intervention.

Health sector reform in Argentina: a cautionary tale.

PubMed

Lloyd-Sherlock, Peter

2005-04-01

In November 2002 the World Bank published a report on the Argentine health sector. The report accurately portrays the complexity and severity of the problems facing the health care system. It stresses that these problems are not purely a product of the country's economic collapse, noting that the system has suffered from long-standing structural problems and inefficiencies. Curiously, the report makes no mention of the leading role played by the World Bank in health reform efforts during the 1990s. This paper demonstrates that these reforms did much to worsen pre-existing weaknesses of the sector. The paper criticises the content of the reform agenda and the manner in which it was produced, arguing that these were reforms in which considerations of public health were less significant than conformity to the wider model of neo-liberal social and economic development prevailing at the time. It also highlights problems of implementing the reform agenda, which reduced the coherency of the reforms. The paper goes on to examine the impact of the crisis, noting links with the preceding reforms. It identifies a number of insights and lessons of potential value to other countries which are pursuing similar policies.

Adults' strategies for simple addition and multiplication: verbal self-reports and the operand recognition paradigm.

PubMed

Metcalfe, Arron W S; Campbell, Jamie I D

2011-05-01

Accurate measurement of cognitive strategies is important in diverse areas of psychological research. Strategy self-reports are a common measure, but C. Thevenot, M. Fanget, and M. Fayol (2007) proposed a more objective method to distinguish different strategies in the context of mental arithmetic. In their operand recognition paradigm, speed of recognition memory for problem operands after solving a problem indexes strategy (e.g., direct memory retrieval vs. a procedural strategy). Here, in 2 experiments, operand recognition time was the same following simple addition or multiplication, but, consistent with a wide variety of previous research, strategy reports indicated much greater use of procedures (e.g., counting) for addition than multiplication. Operation, problem size (e.g., 2 + 3 vs. 8 + 9), and operand format (digits vs. words) had interactive effects on reported procedure use that were not reflected in recognition performance. Regression analyses suggested that recognition time was influenced at least as much by the relative difficulty of the preceding problem as by the strategy used. The findings indicate that the operand recognition paradigm is not a reliable substitute for strategy reports and highlight the potential impact of difficulty-related carryover effects in sequential cognitive tasks.

Development of an integrated BEM approach for hot fluid structure interaction

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dargush, G. F.; Banerjee, P. K.; Shi, Y.

1991-01-01

The development of a comprehensive fluid-structure interaction capability within a boundary element computer code is described. This new capability is implemented in a completely general manner, so that quite arbitrary geometry, material properties and boundary conditions may be specified. Thus, a single analysis code can be used to run structures-only problems, fluids-only problems, or the combined fluid-structure problem. In all three cases, steady or transient conditions can be selected, with or without thermal effects. Nonlinear analyses can be solved via direct iteration or by employing a modified Newton-Raphson approach. A number of detailed numerical examples are included at the end of these two sections to validate the formulations and to emphasize both the accuracy and generality of the computer code. A brief review of the recent applicable boundary element literature is included for completeness. The fluid-structure interaction facility is discussed. Once again, several examples are provided to highlight this unique capability. A collection of potential boundary element applications that have been uncovered as a result of work related to the present grant is given. For most of those problems, satisfactory analysis techniques do not currently exist.

Hypersomnolence and Sleep-related Complaints in Metropolitan, Urban, and Rural Georgia

PubMed Central

Decker, Michael J.; Lin, Jin-Mann S.; Tabassum, Humyra

2009-01-01

Persistent daytime hypersomnolence is associated with significant morbidity and mortality, but its prevalence in the population has been poorly documented. This study sought to characterize the prevalence of persistent daytime hypersomnolence, difficulties initiating and maintaining sleep, unrefreshing sleep, snoring, and the presence of physician-diagnosed sleep disorders in metropolitan, urban, and rural US Georgia populations. Between September 2004 and July 2005, a total of 6,530 randomly selected well and unwell adults, identified by screening interviews of 10,837 households (contacted by random digit dialing), completed a detailed phone interview. Sixteen percent reported persistent problems staying awake during the day; 26% reported persistent problems falling asleep at night; 31% experienced problems sleeping through the night; 34% were bothered by unrefreshing sleep; and 33% reported that they snored. In spite of the high occurrence of reported persistent sleep problems, only 10% of the survey participants reported having been diagnosed with a sleep disorder. These study findings highlight the need for increased public and clinician awareness with respect to proactively indentifying signs and symptoms of sleep disorders, a better understanding of their adverse impact upon morbidity and mortality, and their negative impact upon socioeconomic and academic potential. PMID:19066308

Gender differences in caregiver-child relationship mediation of the association between violence exposure severity and adolescent behavior problems.

PubMed

Yoon, Susan; Kobulsky, Julia M; Voith, Laura A; Steigerwald, Stacey; Holmes, Megan R

2015-12-01

The main objectives of this study were to investigate (1) the relationship between mild, moderate, and severe violence exposure in the home and behavior problems in adolescents; (2) the caregiver-child relationship as a potential mediator in this relationship; and (3) gender differences. A series of path analyses were conducted using a sample drawn from the National Survey of Child and Adolescent Well-Being (NCSAW-I) of 848 adolescents (ages 11-15) who had been reported to Child Protective Services for maltreatment and who remained in their homes. Exposure to violence and the caregiver-child relationship were reported by adolescents. Both caregiver ratings and adolescent self-reports were used to assess adolescents' behavior problems. Path analysis indicated that exposure to mild and severe violence was directly associated with higher levels of child-reported behavior problems. However, exposure to violence was not directly associated with caregiver ratings of adolescent behavior problems. The caregiver-child relationship mediated the relationship between mild and moderate violence on both caregiver and child-reported adolescent behavior problems. Gender differences also emerged; for girls, the caregiver-child relationship mediated the effects of mild and moderate violence, whereas for boys, it mediated the effects of severe violence on behavior problems. Study findings suggest caregiver-child relationships as a critical underlying mechanism in the association between violence exposure and adolescent behavior problems, highlighting the importance of adding the caregiver-child relationship factor to intervention efforts. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Has the world really survived the population bomb? (Commentary on "how the world survived the population bomb: lessons from 50 years of extraordinary demographic history").

PubMed

Becker, Stan

2013-12-01

In his PAA presidential address and corresponding article in Demography, David Lam (Demography 48:1231-1262, 2011) documented the extraordinary progress of humankind-vis-à-vis poverty alleviation, increased schooling, and reductions in mortality and fertility-since 1960 and noted that he expects further improvements by 2050. However, although Lam briefly covered the problems of global warming and pollution, he did not address several other major environmental problems that are closely related to the rapid human population growth in recent decades and to the progress he described. This commentary highlights some of these problems to provide a more balanced perspective on the situation of the world. Specifically, humans currently are using resources at an unsustainable level. Groundwater depletion and overuse of river water are major problems on multiple continents. Fossil fuel resources and several minerals are being depleted. Other major problems include deforestation, with the annual forest clearing globally estimated to be an area the size of New York State; and species extinction, with rates estimated to be 100 to 1,000 times higher than background rates. Principles of ecological economics are presented that allow an integration of ecology and economic development and better potential for preservation of the world for future generations.

Interpersonal Problem-Solving Skills, Executive Function and Learning Potential in Preadolescents with High/Low Family Risk.

PubMed

Mata, Sara; Gómez-Pérez, M Mar; Molinero, Clara; Calero, M Dolores

2017-10-30

Situations generated by high family risk have a negative effect on personal development, especially during preadolescence. Growing up in the presence of risk factors can lead to negative consequences on mental health or on school performance. The objective of this study focuses on individual factors related to this phenomenon during preadolescence. Specifically, we seek to establish whether level of family risk (high vs. low risk) is related to interpersonal problem-solving skills, executive function and learning potential in a sample of preadolescents controlling age, sex, total IQ, verbal comprehension ability and the classroom influences. The participants were 40 children, 23 boys and 17 girls between the ages of 7 and 12, twenty of which had a record on file with the Social and Childhood Protection Services of Information deleted to maintain the integrity of the review process, and therefore, a high family risk situation. The other 20 participants had a low family risk situation. Results show that the preadolescents from high family risk performed worse on interpersonal solving-problem skills and executive function (p < .05, b from -119,201.81 to 132,199.43, confidence interval from -162,589.78/-75,813.8 to 84,403.05/179,995.8). Nevertheless, they showed the same ability to learn as the participants from low family risk. These results highlight the negative effects of high family risk situation in preadolescents and give value of taking into account protective factors such as learning potential when assessing preadolescents from high family risk.

Big 6 Tips: Teaching Information Problem Solving. #1 Task Definition: What Needs To Be Done.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Eisenberg, Michael

1997-01-01

Explains task definition which is the first stage in the Big 6, an approach to information and technology skills instruction. Highlights include defining the problem; identifying the information requirements of the problem; transferability from curriculum-based problems to everyday tasks; and task definition logs kept by students. (LRW)

Problem severity, technology adoption, and intent to seek online counseling among overseas Filipino workers.

PubMed

Hechanova, Ma Regina M; Tuliao, Antover P; Teh, Lota A; Alianan, Arsenio S; Acosta, Avegale

2013-08-01

This study examined the factors that influence the intent to seek online counseling among overseas Filipino workers (OFWs). A survey among 365 OFWs revealed that problem severity and technology adoption predict intent to use online counseling. Among the three factors of technology adoption, perceived ease in the use of technology and perceived presence of organization and technological infrastructure to support use predicted intent to use online counseling. Our hypothesis about the presence of interaction between problem severity and facilitating conditions was supported. Among individuals with low problem severity, those who perceive the presence of organization and technological infrastructure to support use have a higher intent to use online counseling. However, at higher levels of problem severity, the effect of facilitating conditions seems to disappear. These findings highlight the crucial role of preventive online mental health services. The study contributes to theory by integrating the stage model of help-seeking behaviors and technology adoption theory in predicting intent to use online counseling. Specifically, that intent to seek online counseling is affected by the existence and perceived gravity of a problem, moderated by technology adoption factors, particularly facilitating conditions. These have implications on the need to educate potential users on the advantages of counseling and ensure that migrant workers have access to technology and that the technology is easy to use.

Warm Parenting and Effortful Control in Toddlerhood: Independent and Interactive Predictors of School-Age Externalizing Behavior.

PubMed

Reuben, Julia D; Shaw, Daniel S; Neiderhiser, Jenae M; Natsuaki, Misaki N; Reiss, David; Leve, Leslie D

2016-08-01

Externalizing symptoms, such as aggression, impulsivity, and inattention, represent the most common forms of childhood maladjustment (Campbell et al. Development and Psychopathology, 12, 467-488, 2000). Several dimensions of parenting behavior, including overreactive and warm parenting, have been linked to children's conduct problems. However, the majority of these studies involve biologically-related family members, thereby limiting understanding of the role of genetic and/or environmental underpinnings of parenting on child psychopathology. This study extends previous research by exploring associations between overreactive and warm parenting during toddlerhood and school-age externalizing problems, as well as the potential moderating effects of child effortful control (EC) on such associations using a longitudinal adoption design. The sample consisted of 225 adoption-linked families (adoptive parents, adopted child [124 male and 101 female] and birth parent[s]), thereby allowing for a more precise estimate of environmental influences on the association between parenting and child externalizing problems. Adoptive mothers' warm parenting at 27 months predicted lower levels of child externalizing problems at ages 6 and 7. Child EC moderated this association in relation to teacher reports of school-age externalizing problems. Findings corroborate prior research with biological families that was not designed to unpack genetic and environmental influences on associations between parenting and child externalizing problems during childhood, highlighting the important role of parental warmth as an environmental influence.

Warm Parenting and Effortful Control in Toddlerhood: Independent and Interactive Predictors of School-Age Externalizing Behavior

PubMed Central

Reuben, Julia D.; Shaw, Daniel S.; Neiderhiser, Jenae M.; Natsuaki, Misaki N.; Reiss, David; Leve, Leslie D.

2016-01-01

Externalizing symptoms, such as aggression, impulsivity, and inattention, represent the most common forms of childhood maladjustment (Campbell, Shaw, & Gilliom, 2000). Several dimensions of parenting behavior, including overreactive and warm parenting, have been linked to children’s conduct problems. However, the majority of these studies involve biologically-related family members, thereby limiting understanding of the role of genetic and/or environmental underpinnings of parenting on child psychopathology. This study extends previous research by exploring associations between overreactive and warm parenting during toddlerhood and school-age externalizing problems, as well as the potential moderating effects of child effortful control (EC) on such associations using a longitudinal adoption design. The sample consisted of 225 adoption-linked families (adoptive parents, adopted child [124 male and 101 female] and birth parent[s]), thereby allowing for a more precise estimate of environmental influences on the association between parenting and child externalizing problems. Adoptive mothers’ warm parenting at 27 months predicted lower levels of child externalizing problems at ages 6 and 7. Child EC moderated this association in relation to teacher reports of school-age externalizing problems. Findings corroborate prior research with biological families that was not designed to unpack genetic and environmental influences on associations between parenting and child externalizing problems during childhood, highlighting the important role of parental warmth as an environmental influence. PMID:26496906

Impulsivity moderates the association between racial discrimination and alcohol problems.

PubMed

Latzman, Robert D; Chan, Wing Yi; Shishido, Yuri

2013-12-01

Alcohol use among university students is a serious public health concern, particularly among minority students who may use alcohol to cope with experiences of racial discrimination. Although the impact of racial discrimination on alcohol use has been well-established, individual differences in factors that may act to either attenuate or exacerbate the negative effects of racial discrimination are largely unknown. One potentially fruitful individual differences trait that has repeatedly been found to predict alcohol problems is the multidimensional personality trait of impulsivity. Nonetheless, the ways in which various aspects of impulsivity interact with racial discrimination is yet unknown. The current study, therefore, examined the joint and interactive contribution of racial discrimination and impulsivity in the prediction of alcohol consumption among racial minority university students. Participants included 336 Black/African-American and Asian/Asian-American university students. Results revealed both racial discrimination and impulsivity to be significantly associated with alcohol problems. Further, individuals' responses to racial discrimination were not uniform. Specifically, the association between racial discrimination and alcohol problems was moderated by lack of Premeditation; racial discrimination was most strongly predictive of alcohol problems for those who reported low level of premeditation. Findings from the present study highlight the importance of investigating risk factors for alcohol problems across multiple levels of the ecology as individual personality traits appear to relate to how one might respond to the experience of racial discrimination. © 2013.

Asynchronous Gossip for Averaging and Spectral Ranking

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Borkar, Vivek S.; Makhijani, Rahul; Sundaresan, Rajesh

2014-08-01

We consider two variants of the classical gossip algorithm. The first variant is a version of asynchronous stochastic approximation. We highlight a fundamental difficulty associated with the classical asynchronous gossip scheme, viz., that it may not converge to a desired average, and suggest an alternative scheme based on reinforcement learning that has guaranteed convergence to the desired average. We then discuss a potential application to a wireless network setting with simultaneous link activation constraints. The second variant is a gossip algorithm for distributed computation of the Perron-Frobenius eigenvector of a nonnegative matrix. While the first variant draws upon a reinforcement learning algorithm for an average cost controlled Markov decision problem, the second variant draws upon a reinforcement learning algorithm for risk-sensitive control. We then discuss potential applications of the second variant to ranking schemes, reputation networks, and principal component analysis.

The magnetic universe through vector potential SPMHD simulations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stasyszyn, F. A.

2017-10-01

The use of Smoothed Particle Magneto Hydrodynamics (SPMHD) is getting nowadays more and more common in Astrophysics. From galaxy clusters to neutron starts, there are multiple applications already existing in the literature. I will review some of the common methods used and highlight the successful approach of using vector potentials to describe the evolution of the magnetic fields. The latter have some interesting advantages, and their results challenge previous findings, being the magnetic divergence problem naturally vanished. We select a few examples to discuss some areas of interest. First, we show some Galaxy Clusters from the MUSIC project. These cosmological simulations are done with the usual sub-grid recipes, as radiative cooling and star formation, being the first ones obtained with an SPH code in a self consistent way. This demonstrates the robustness of the new method in a variety of astrophysical scenarios.

Expanding patient access to quality medication-related information: the potential of medication hotlines to improve patient adherence in schizophrenia.

PubMed

Pettit, Amy R; Marcus, Steven C

2015-05-01

Medication nonadherence is a widespread problem that compromises treatment outcomes, particularly in schizophrenia. Weersink et al. (Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol, 2015) describe telephone calls to a national medicines information line, with a focus on queries related to antipsychotic medications. Their analysis of callers' questions and concerns offers a valuable window into patient and caregiver perspectives. Given that many callers reported that they had not shared these concerns with a health care provider, this study also highlights the capacity of medication hotlines to address unmet needs. Establishing and maintaining long-term treatment regimens is a complex task, and truly patient-centered care requires a variety of creative and accessible support resources. Medication lines have the potential to serve as a resource and to provide proactive and timely adherence support.

Non-localization of eigenfunctions for Sturm-Liouville operators and applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liard, Thibault; Lissy, Pierre; Privat, Yannick

2018-02-01

In this article, we investigate a non-localization property of the eigenfunctions of Sturm-Liouville operators Aa = -∂xx + a (ṡ) Id with Dirichlet boundary conditions, where a (ṡ) runs over the bounded nonnegative potential functions on the interval (0 , L) with L > 0. More precisely, we address the extremal spectral problem of minimizing the L2-norm of a function e (ṡ) on a measurable subset ω of (0 , L), where e (ṡ) runs over all eigenfunctions of Aa, at the same time with respect to all subsets ω having a prescribed measure and all L∞ potential functions a (ṡ) having a prescribed essentially upper bound. We provide some existence and qualitative properties of the minimizers, as well as precise lower and upper estimates on the optimal value. Several consequences in control and stabilization theory are then highlighted.

An African Perspective on Peace Education: Ubuntu Lessons in Reconciliation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Murithi, Tim

2009-05-01

This essay examines the value of educating for peace. It does this through a consideration of the African cultural world-view known as ubuntu, which highlights the essential unity of humanity and emphasises the importance of constantly referring to the principles of empathy, sharing and cooperation in efforts to resolve our common problems. The essay is not based on field research, but rather on a discussion of the issues pertaining to ubuntu and peace education. The discussion focuses on how Desmond Tutu utilised the principles of ubuntu during his leadership of the South African Truth and Reconciliation Commission. It also outlines the five stages of the peacemaking process found among ubuntu societies: acknowledging guilt; showing remorse and repenting; asking for and giving forgiveness; and paying compensation or reparations as a prelude to reconciliation. Potential lessons for educating for peace and reconciliation are highlighted based on the premise that the ubuntu approach to human relationship-building can offer an example to the world.

A Forward Glimpse into Inverse Problems through a Geology Example

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Winkel, Brian J.

2012-01-01

This paper describes a forward approach to an inverse problem related to detecting the nature of geological substrata which makes use of optimization techniques in a multivariable calculus setting. The true nature of the related inverse problem is highlighted. (Contains 2 figures.)

International Students: A Vulnerable Student Population

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sherry, Mark; Thomas, Peter; Chui, Wing Hong

2010-01-01

This study examines the experiences of international students at The University of Toledo, where international students comprise approximately 10% of the student population. It highlights problems international students experience such as adapting to a new culture, English language problems, financial problems and lack of understanding from the…

Impact of disease, cognitive and behavioural factors on caregiver outcome in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

PubMed

Watermeyer, Tamlyn J; Brown, Richard G; Sidle, Katie C L; Oliver, David J; Allen, Christopher; Karlsson, Joanna; Ellis, Cathy; Shaw, Christopher E; Al-Chalabi, Ammar; Goldstein, Laura H

2015-01-01

Up to 50% of patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) show mild to moderate cognitive-behavioural change alongside their progressive functional impairment. This study examines the relative impact of patients' disease symptoms, behavioural change and current executive function and social cognition abilities on psychosocial outcomes in spouse caregivers of people with ALS. Thirty-five spouse caregivers rated their own levels of depression and anxiety, subjective burden and marital satisfaction. Caregivers also rated their partner's everyday behaviour. The patients were assessed for disease severity and cognitive function, with composite scores derived for executive function and social cognition. Regression analyses revealed that caregiver burden was predicted by the severity of patients' limb involvement and behavioural problems. Depression was predicted by patients' limb involvement, while behavioural problems and patient age predicted caregiver anxiety. Current marital satisfaction was predicted by patient behavioural problems beyond the level of pre-illness marital satisfaction. In conclusion, the study highlights the potential impact of ALS patients' functional impairment and behavioural change on ALS caregivers' psychosocial functioning. Clinical communication with ALS families should emphasise both physical and psychological challenges presented by the disease.

Some linguistic and pragmatic considerations affecting science reporting in English by non-native speakers of the language

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Approximately 50% of publications in English peer reviewed journals are contributed by non-native speakers (NNS) of the language. Basic thought processes are considered to be universal yet there are differences in thought patterns and particularly in discourse management of writers with different linguistic and cultural backgrounds. The study highlights some areas of potential incompatibility in native and NNS processing of English scientific papers. Principles and conventions in generating academic discourse are considered in terms of frequently occurring failures of NNS to meet expectations of editors, reviewers, and readers. Major problem areas concern organization and flow of information, principles of cohesion and clarity, cultural constraints, especially those of politeness and negotiability of ideas, and the complicated area of English modality pragmatics. The aim of the paper is to sensitize NN authors of English academic reports to problem areas of discourse processing which are stumbling blocks, often affecting acceptance of manuscripts. The problems discussed are essential for acquiring pragmalinguistic and sociocultural competence in producing effective communication. PMID:23118596

Adolescent gambling and impulsivity: Does employment during high school moderate the association?

PubMed

Canale, Natale; Scacchi, Luca; Griffiths, Mark D

2016-09-01

The aim of the present study was to examine the potential moderating relationships between adolescent gambling and impulsivity traits (negative urgency, positive urgency, lack of premeditation, lack of perseverance and sensation seeking) with employment status. High-school students (N=400; 69% male; mean age=18.35years; SD=1.16; past year gamblers) were surveyed to provide data on impulsivity and employment. Multiple linear regression analysis was applied to examine associations with gambling and related problems. Positive urgency was associated with stronger scores of both gambling frequency and problem gambling. Students in employment had substantially higher frequency of gambling and greater problem gambling. Moreover, the combination of having a job and low perseverance was associated with a particularly high frequency on gambling. These findings further support the importance of positive urgency and employment status in adolescent gambling. The study highlights unique moderating relationship between gambling and lack of perseverance with employment status. Youth with a low perseverance and having a job may have particular need for interventions to reduce gambling. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Subscale Ship Airwake Studies Using Novel Vortex Flow Devices with Smoke, Laser-Vapor-Screen and Particle Image Velocimetry

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lamar, John E.; Landman, Drew; Swift, Russell S.; Parikh, Paresh C.

2007-01-01

Ships produce vortices and air-wakes while either underway or stationary in a wind. These flow fields can be detrimental to the conduction of air operations in that they can adversely impact the air vehicles and flight crews. There are potential solutions to these problems for both frigates/destroyers and carriers through the use of novel vortex flow or flow control devices. This appendix highlights several devices which may have application and points out that traditional wind-tunnel testing using smoke, laser-vapor screen, and Particle Image Velocimetry can be useful in sorting out the effectiveness of different devices.

Plastic debris straps on threatened blue shark Prionace glauca.

PubMed

Colmenero, Ana I; Barría, Claudio; Broglio, Elisabetta; García-Barcelona, Salvador

2017-02-15

Juveniles of blue shark Prionace glauca caught in pelagic longlines targeting tuna and swordfish in the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea were found entangled with plastic straps around their gill region. The plastic debris were identified as strapping bands and caused several degrees of injuries on the dorsal musculature and pectoral fins. They were also obstructing the gill slits probably causing breathing issues. These records were uploaded in the web site seawatchers.org, and highlight the potential of citizen science in revealing the occurrence of such problems which could help to measure the effects of plastic debris on marine life. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Intelligent Systems For Aerospace Engineering: An Overview

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

KrishnaKumar, K.

2003-01-01

Intelligent systems are nature-inspired, mathematically sound, computationally intensive problem solving tools and methodologies that have become extremely important for advancing the current trends in information technology. Artificially intelligent systems currently utilize computers to emulate various faculties of human intelligence and biological metaphors. They use a combination of symbolic and sub-symbolic systems capable of evolving human cognitive skills and intelligence, not just systems capable of doing things humans do not do well. Intelligent systems are ideally suited for tasks such as search and optimization, pattern recognition and matching, planning, uncertainty management, control, and adaptation. In this paper, the intelligent system technologies and their application potential are highlighted via several examples.

Improving the Aircraft Design Process Using Web-Based Modeling and Simulation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Reed, John A.; Follen, Gregory J.; Afjeh, Abdollah A.; Follen, Gregory J. (Technical Monitor)

2000-01-01

Designing and developing new aircraft systems is time-consuming and expensive. Computational simulation is a promising means for reducing design cycle times, but requires a flexible software environment capable of integrating advanced multidisciplinary and multifidelity analysis methods, dynamically managing data across heterogeneous computing platforms, and distributing computationally complex tasks. Web-based simulation, with its emphasis on collaborative composition of simulation models, distributed heterogeneous execution, and dynamic multimedia documentation, has the potential to meet these requirements. This paper outlines the current aircraft design process, highlighting its problems and complexities, and presents our vision of an aircraft design process using Web-based modeling and simulation.

Improving the Aircraft Design Process Using Web-based Modeling and Simulation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Reed, John A.; Follen, Gregory J.; Afjeh, Abdollah A.

2003-01-01

Designing and developing new aircraft systems is time-consuming and expensive. Computational simulation is a promising means for reducing design cycle times, but requires a flexible software environment capable of integrating advanced multidisciplinary and muitifidelity analysis methods, dynamically managing data across heterogeneous computing platforms, and distributing computationally complex tasks. Web-based simulation, with its emphasis on collaborative composition of simulation models, distributed heterogeneous execution, and dynamic multimedia documentation, has the potential to meet these requirements. This paper outlines the current aircraft design process, highlighting its problems and complexities, and presents our vision of an aircraft design process using Web-based modeling and simulation.

Transformation of the nitrogen cycle: recent trends, questions, and potential solutions.

PubMed

Galloway, James N; Townsend, Alan R; Erisman, Jan Willem; Bekunda, Mateete; Cai, Zucong; Freney, John R; Martinelli, Luiz A; Seitzinger, Sybil P; Sutton, Mark A

2008-05-16

Humans continue to transform the global nitrogen cycle at a record pace, reflecting an increased combustion of fossil fuels, growing demand for nitrogen in agriculture and industry, and pervasive inefficiencies in its use. Much anthropogenic nitrogen is lost to air, water, and land to cause a cascade of environmental and human health problems. Simultaneously, food production in some parts of the world is nitrogen-deficient, highlighting inequities in the distribution of nitrogen-containing fertilizers. Optimizing the need for a key human resource while minimizing its negative consequences requires an integrated interdisciplinary approach and the development of strategies to decrease nitrogen-containing waste.

Antiprotozoal activity of proton-pump inhibitors.

PubMed

Pérez-Villanueva, Jaime; Romo-Mancillas, Antonio; Hernández-Campos, Alicia; Yépez-Mulia, Lilián; Hernández-Luis, Francisco; Castillo, Rafael

2011-12-15

Parasitic diseases are still a major health problem in developing countries. In our effort to find new antiparasitic agents, in this Letter we report the in vitro antiprotozoal activity of omeprazole, lansoprazole, rabeprazole and pantoprazole against Trichomonas vaginalis, Giardia intestinalis and Entamoeba histolytica. Molecular modeling studies were an important tool to highlight the potential antiprotozoal activity of these drugs. Experimental evaluations revealed a strong activity for all compounds tested. Rabeprazole and pantoprazole were the most active compounds, having IC(50) values in the nanomolar range, which were even better than metronidazole, the drug of choice for these parasites. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Intelligent Systems for Aerospace Engineering: An Overview

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Krishnakumar, Kalmanje

2002-01-01

Intelligent systems are nature-inspired, mathematically sound, computationally intensive problem solving tools and methodologies that have become extremely important for advancing the current trends in information technology. Artificially intelligent systems currently utilize computers to emulate various faculties of human intelligence and biological metaphors. They use a combination of symbolic and sub-symbolic systems capable of evolving human cognitive skills and intelligence, not just systems capable of doing things humans do not do well. Intelligent systems are ideally suited for tasks such as search and optimization, pattern recognition and matching, planning, uncertainty management, control, and adaptation. In this paper, the intelligent system technologies and their application potential are highlighted via several examples.

Nanotechnology-Driven Therapeutic Interventions in Wound Healing: Potential Uses and Applications

PubMed Central

2017-01-01

The chronic nature and associated complications of nonhealing wounds have led to the emergence of nanotechnology-based therapies that aim at facilitating the healing process and ultimately repairing the injured tissue. A number of engineered nanotechnologies have been proposed demonstrating unique properties and multiple functions that address specific problems associated with wound repair mechanisms. In this outlook, we highlight the most recently developed nanotechnology-based therapeutic agents and assess the viability and efficacy of each treatment, with emphasis on chronic cutaneous wounds. Herein we explore the unmet needs and future directions of current technologies, while discussing promising strategies that can advance the wound-healing field. PMID:28386594

Episodic and Binge Gambling: An Exploration and Preliminary Quantitative Study.

PubMed

Cowlishaw, S; Nespoli, E; Jebadurai, J K; Smith, N; Bowden-Jones, H

2018-03-01

The DSM-5 includes provisions for episodic forms of gambling disorder, with such changes aligned with earlier accounts of potential binge gambling behaviours. However, there is little research that indicates the utility of these classifications of episodic or binge gambling, and this study considered their characteristics in a clinical sample. It involved administration of a new binge gambling screening tool, along with routine measures, to n = 214 patients entering a specialist treatment clinic for gambling problems. Results indicated that episodic gambling was common in this clinical context, with 28 and 32% of patients reporting gambling episodes that were (a) regular and alternating, and (b) irregular and intermittent, respectively. These patterns were distinguished by factors including associations with covariates that indicated differences from continuous gamblers. For example, the irregular episodic gamblers, but not the regular pattern, demonstrated lower levels of problem gambling severity and comorbidity. Rates of potential binge gambling, which was defined in terms of additional criteria, were around 4% and numbers were insufficient for comparable analyses. The findings support inclusion of episodic forms of gambling disorder in the DSM-5, but highlight the need for improved recognition and research on heterogeneous forms of episodic gambling.

Health economics in drug development: efficient research to inform healthcare funding decisions.

PubMed

Hall, Peter S; McCabe, Christopher; Brown, Julia M; Cameron, David A

2010-10-01

In order to decide whether a new treatment should be used in patients, a robust estimate of efficacy and toxicity is no longer sufficient. As a result of increasing healthcare costs across the globe healthcare payers and providers now seek estimates of cost-effectiveness as well. Most trials currently being designed still only consider the need for prospective efficacy and toxicity data during the development life-cycle of a new intervention. Hence the cost-effectiveness estimates are inevitably less precise than the clinical data on which they are based. Methods based on decision theory are being developed by health economists that can contribute to the design of clinical trials in such a way that they can more effectively lead to better informed drug funding decisions on the basis of cost-effectiveness in addition to clinical outcomes. There is an opportunity to apply these techniques prospectively in the design of future clinical trials. This article describes the problems encountered by those responsible for drug reimbursement decisions as a consequence of the current drug development pathway. The potential for decision theoretic methods to help overcome these problems is introduced and potential obstacles in implementation are highlighted. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Lower catecholamine activity is associated with greater levels of anger in adults.

PubMed

Schwartz, Joseph A; Portnoy, Jill

2017-10-01

Previous research has revealed a consistent association between heart rate at rest and during stress and behavioral problems, potentially implicating autonomic nervous system (ANS) functioning in the etiological development of antisocial behavior. A complementary line of research has focused on the potential independent and interactive role of the two subsystems that comprise the ANS, the parasympathetic nervous system (PNS) and the sympathetic nervous system (SNS), on behavioral problems. The current study aims to contribute to the existing literature by examining the influence of heart rate (HR) reactivity, high-frequency heart rate variability (HF-HRV) reactivity, and catecholamine activity on a comprehensive measure of anger in a large, nationally-representative sample of adults from the United States. Results from a series of structural equation models (SEMs) revealed that catecholamine activity was most consistently linked to anger, while associations involving HR and HF-HRV reactivity were nonsignificant. Additional analyses revealed that HF-HRV did not significantly moderate the association between catecholamine activity and anger. These findings highlight the importance of SNS activity in the development of more reactive forms of aggression such as anger. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Alcohol and Other Drugs on Campus: The Scope of the Problem. Infofacts/Resources

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kapner, Daniel Ari

2008-01-01

The most widespread health problem on college and university campuses in the United States is high-risk alcohol and other drug (AOD) use. Recent reports confirm that the nation's campuses continue to encounter significant consequences as a result of this problem. This "Infofacts/Resources" offers an overview of the problem and highlights effective…

On understanding the relationship between structure in the potential surface and observables in classical dynamics: A functional sensitivity analysis approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Judson, Richard S.; Rabitz, Herschel

1987-04-01

The relationship between structure in the potential surface and classical mechanical observables is examined by means of functional sensitivity analysis. Functional sensitivities provide maps of the potential surface, highlighting those regions that play the greatest role in determining the behavior of observables. A set of differential equations for the sensitivities of the trajectory components are derived. These are then solved using a Green's function method. It is found that the sensitivities become singular at the trajectory turning points with the singularities going as η-3/2, with η being the distance from the nearest turning point. The sensitivities are zero outside of the energetically and dynamically allowed region of phase space. A second set of equations is derived from which the sensitivities of observables can be directly calculated. An adjoint Green's function technique is employed, providing an efficient method for numerically calculating these quantities. Sensitivity maps are presented for a simple collinear atom-diatom inelastic scattering problem and for two Henon-Heiles type Hamiltonians modeling intramolecular processes. It is found that the positions of the trajectory caustics in the bound state problem determine regions of the highest potential surface sensitivities. In the scattering problem (which is impulsive, so that ``sticky'' collisions did not occur), the positions of the turning points of the individual trajectory components determine the regions of high sensitivity. In both cases, these lines of singularities are superimposed on a rich background structure. Most interesting is the appearance of classical interference effects. The interference features in the sensitivity maps occur most noticeably where two or more lines of turning points cross. The important practical motivation for calculating the sensitivities derives from the fact that the potential is a function, implying that any direct attempt to understand how local potential regions affect the behavior of the observables by repeatedly and systematically altering the potential will be prohibitively expensive. The functional sensitivity method enables one to perform this analysis at a fraction of the computational labor required for the direct method.

Perioperative hair removal: A review of best practice and a practice improvement opportunity.

PubMed

Spencer, Maureen; Barnden, Marsha; Johnson, Helen Boehm; Fauerbach, Loretta Litz; Graham, Denise; Edmiston, Charles E

2018-06-01

The current practice of perioperative hair removal reflects research-driven changes designed to minimize the risk of surgical wound infection. An aspect of the practice which has received less scrutiny is the clean-up of the clipped hair. This process is critical. The loose fibers represent a potential infection risk because of the micro-organisms they can carry, but their clean-up can pose a logistical problem because of the time required to remove them. Research has demonstrated that the most commonly employed means of clean-up, the use of adhesive tape or sticky mitts, can be both ineffective and time-consuming in addition to posing an infection risk from cross-contamination. Recently published research evaluating surgical clippers fitted with a vacuum-assisted hair collection device highlights the potential for significant practice improvement in the perioperative hair removal clean-up process. These improvements include not only further mitigation of potential infection risk but also substantial OR time and cost savings.

Postmenopausal virilization after spousal use of topical androgens.

PubMed

Merhi, Zaher O; Santoro, Nanette

2007-04-01

To increase awareness of the potential to cause virilization in postmenopausal woman secondary to a spouse's use of topical androgen. Case report. University-affiliated teaching hospital. A 63-year-old postmenopausal woman with virilization. Removal of the source of androgen exposure. Regression of the biochemical and physical signs of androgen excess in a woman after cessation of T gel use by her partner, and reinitiation of use with precautions against potential methods of transfer. This case highlights the unintentional transdermal absorption of testosterone sufficient to induce virilization in a couple who were aware of this potential problem. The apparent source of androgen absorption was a washcloth that the couple shared. The diagnosis can be established with a detailed history and a few blood tests (total and free T, and DHEAS) to exclude other sources of androgens. This report reinforces the need to consider exogenous androgen exposure in the differential diagnosis of virilization in adults when the more common causes have been excluded.

A Condition Based Maintenance Approach to Forecasting B-1 Aircraft Parts

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-03-23

1 Problem Statement...aimed at making the USAF aware of CBM methods, and recommending which techniques to consider for implementation. Problem Statement The USAF relies on... problem , this research will seek to highlight common CBM forecasting methods that are well established and evaluate its suitability with current USAF

Using the Relational Paradigm: Effects on Pupils' Reasoning in Solving Additive Word Problems

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Polotskaia, Elena; Savard, Annie

2018-01-01

Pupils' difficulties in solving word problems continue to attract attention: while researchers highlight the importance of relational reasoning and modelling, school curricula typically use short word problems to develop pupils' knowledge of arithmetic operations and calculation strategies. The Relational Paradigm attributes the leading role in…

Teacher Performance Appraisal in Thailand: Poison or Panacea?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pimpa, Nattavud

2005-01-01

This research focuses on the examination of problems related to the national teacher performance appraisal system by the Thai Ministry of Education. It highlights major problems of the current performance appraisal system by delineating the weaknesses and pitfalls of the current appraisal system. The findings indicate problems to three major…

Computer Applications for Alternative Assessment: An Instructional and Organization Dilemma.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mills, Ed; Brown, John A.

1997-01-01

Describes the possibilities and problems that computer-generated portfolios will soon present to instructors across America. Highlights include the history of portfolio assessment, logistical problems of handling portfolios in the traditional three-ring binder format, use of the zip drive for storage, and software/hardware compatibility problems.…

Kleinberg Complex Networks

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-10-21

linear combinations of paths. This project featured research on two classes of routing problems , namely traveling salesman problems and multicommodity...flows. One highlight of this research was our discovery of a polynomial-time algorithm for the metric traveling salesman s-t path problem whose...metric TSP would resolve one of the most venerable open problems in the theory of approximation algorithms. Our research on traveling salesman

The Relationship between Mathematical Problem-Solving Skills and Self-Regulated Learning through Homework Behaviours, Motivation, and Metacognition

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Özcan, Zeynep Çigdem

2016-01-01

Studies highlight that using appropriate strategies during problem solving is important to improve problem-solving skills and draw attention to the fact that using these skills is an important part of students' self-regulated learning ability. Studies on this matter view the self-regulated learning ability as key to improving problem-solving…

Identification and assessment of endocrine disruptors: limitations of in vivo and in vitro assays.

PubMed Central

Zacharewski, T

1998-01-01

It has been suggested that chemicals and complex mixtures capable of modulating the endocrine system may contribute to adverse health, reproduction, and developmental effects in humans and wildlife. These effects include increased incidence of hormone-dependent cancers, compromised reproductive fitness, and abnormal reproductive system development. In response to public concern, regulatory agencies in North America and Europe are formulating potential strategies to systematically test chemicals and complex mixtures for their endocrine-disrupting activities. Because of the complexity of the endocrine system and the number of potential endocrine disruptor targets, a tiered approach involving a complementary battery of short- and long-term in vivo and in vitro assays that assesses both receptor and nonreceptor-mediated mechanisms of action is being considered. However, the available established assays use a limited number of end points, and significant information gaps exist for other potential targets in the endocrine system. In addition to discussing the merits and limitations of the assays that may be adopted, this paper also highlights potential problems associated with the use of a tiered testing strategy. PMID:9599705

Betel Quid and Oral Potentially Malignant Disorders in a Periurban Township in Myanmar.

PubMed

Zaw, Ko-Ko; Ohnmar, Mya; Hlaing, Moh-Moh; Oo, Yin-Thet-Nu; Win, Swe-Swe; Htike, Maung-Maung-Than; Aye, Phyu-Phyu; Shwe, Sein; Htwe, Moe-Thida; Thein, Zaw-Moe

2016-01-01

This study aims to describe betel quid chewing practice and compare oral potentially malignant disorders between chewers and non-chewers of betel quid among residents in Dagon Myothit (East) Township, Myanmar. The study used a cross-sectional design conducted with a representative sample of 542 adults aged 18 years and above in the township. The trained interviewers collected data using a pretested structured questionnaire. On-site oral examination was done for suspected oral lesions. The mean age of the respondents was 45 years and 59% were women. Fifty-two percent of the respondents were currently in the habit of chewing betel quids (72% of men and 39% of women). Among 284 current betel quid chewers, 240 (85%) chewed betel quids together with tobacco. Out of 284 current betel quid chewers, 24 (8.5%) were found to have oral potentially malignant disorders; out of 258 betel quid non-chewers, only 1 (0.4%) was found to have oral potentially malignant disorders. This highlights the growing importance of smokeless tobacco use as public health problem.

Betel Quid and Oral Potentially Malignant Disorders in a Periurban Township in Myanmar

PubMed Central

Zaw, Ko-Ko; Ohnmar, Mya; Hlaing, Moh-Moh; Oo, Yin-Thet-Nu; Win, Swe-Swe; Htike, Maung-Maung-Than; Aye, Phyu-Phyu; Shwe, Sein; Htwe, Moe-Thida; Thein, Zaw-Moe

2016-01-01

This study aims to describe betel quid chewing practice and compare oral potentially malignant disorders between chewers and non-chewers of betel quid among residents in Dagon Myothit (East) Township, Myanmar. The study used a cross-sectional design conducted with a representative sample of 542 adults aged 18 years and above in the township. The trained interviewers collected data using a pretested structured questionnaire. On-site oral examination was done for suspected oral lesions. The mean age of the respondents was 45 years and 59% were women. Fifty-two percent of the respondents were currently in the habit of chewing betel quids (72% of men and 39% of women). Among 284 current betel quid chewers, 240 (85%) chewed betel quids together with tobacco. Out of 284 current betel quid chewers, 24 (8.5%) were found to have oral potentially malignant disorders; out of 258 betel quid non-chewers, only 1 (0.4%) was found to have oral potentially malignant disorders. This highlights the growing importance of smokeless tobacco use as public health problem. PMID:27611195

The role of hypoxia in oral cancer and potentially malignant disorders: a review.

PubMed

Kujan, Omar; Shearston, Kate; Farah, Camile S

2017-04-01

Oral and oropharyngeal cancer are major health problems globally with over 500 000 new cases diagnosed annually. Despite the fact that oral cancer is a preventable disease and has the potential for early detection, the overall survival rate remains at around 50%. Most oral cancer cases are preceded by a group of clinical lesions designated 'potentially malignant disorders'. It is difficult to predict if and when these lesions may transform to malignancy, and in turn it is difficult to agree on appropriate management strategies. Understanding underlying molecular pathways would help in predicting the malignant transformation of oral potentially malignant disorders and ultimately identifying effective methods for early detection and prevention of oral cancer. Reprogramming energy metabolism is an emerging hallmark of cancer that is predominantly controlled by hypoxia-induced genes regulating angiogenesis, tumour vascularization, invasion, drug resistance and metastasis. This review aims to highlight the role of hypoxia in oral carcinogenesis and to suggest future research implications in this arena. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

The Third International Congress on Child Abuse and Neglect: Conference Highlights.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Besharov, Douglas J.

1981-01-01

Presents highlights from the Third International Congress on Child Abuse and Neglect. The topic of child sexual abuse dominated the Congress; other topics included malnutrition, research problems, and concerns of Third World countries. Recommendations of the Congress are summarized.

The Effects of Sleep Problems on the Trajectory of Antisocial Behavior from Adolescence through Early Adulthood in Taiwan: Family Functioning as a Moderator.

PubMed

Chang, Ling-Yin; Wu, Chi-Chen; Lin, Linen Nymphas; Yen, Lee-Lan; Chang, Hsing-Yi

2016-07-01

To examine the longitudinal relationship between sleep problems and development of antisocial behavior from adolescence through young adulthood, and to investigate whether family functioning moderates the association being examined. Potential sex differences were also explored. A total of 2,491 adolescents participated in a prospective study spanning 2009 through 2014 in northern Taiwan. Measures included sleep problems, family functioning (parental support, family interaction, and family conflict), antisocial behavior, and other individual characteristics (sex, age, parental education, family economic stress, depressive symptoms, and stressful life events). Random coefficient growth models were used to test study hypotheses. Sleep problems were significantly and positively associated with antisocial behavior (B = 0.088 and 0.038 for males and females, respectively). Sex differences further emerged in the moderating effects of family functioning. Among males, those with high family interaction had a weaker association between sleep problems and antisocial behavior; among females, the examined association was weaker in those with high parental support. For both sexes, the association between sleep problems and antisocial behavior was stronger for those with high family conflict. Our findings highlight the robust link between sleep problems and adolescent antisocial behavior over time. We also show for the first time that the association depends on family functioning. Prevention methods and treatment of sleep problems in youths that incorporate family functioning may yield significant benefits for decreasing antisocial behavior. Sex-specific intervention and prevention approaches should also be considered. © 2016 Associated Professional Sleep Societies, LLC.

Toward a Biology of Menopause.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Goodman, Madeleine

1980-01-01

Discusses research dealing with the study of menopause. Underscores the problems with the case study method. Discusses two population-based studies and the problems of age adjustment and measurement in menopause research. Highlights alternate research strategies. (MK)

Podiatry services for patients with arthritis: an unmet need.

PubMed

Rome, Keith; Chapman, Jonathan; Williams, Anita E; Gow, Peter; Dalbeth, Nicola

2010-03-05

Foot problems are extremely common in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). There is ample evidence that foot pain, either alone or as a comorbidity, contributes significantly to disability. Despite the high prevalence of foot disease in RA, this problem is often trivialised or underappreciated. The inequity in foot health provision for patients with rheumatic disorders in New Zealand has recently been highlighted. Expertise in dealing with foot problems is often limited among healthcare professionals, and it has been argued that better integration of podiatric services into rheumatology services would be beneficial. The aim of this paper is to highlight the major issues related to foot care for patients with arthritis and provide key recommendations that should implemented to improve access to podiatric services in New Zealand.

Is comprehension of problem solutions resistant to misleading heuristic cues?

PubMed

Ackerman, Rakefet; Leiser, David; Shpigelman, Maya

2013-05-01

Previous studies in the domain of metacomprehension judgments have primarily used expository texts. When these texts include illustrations, even uninformative ones, people were found to judge that they understand their content better. The present study aimed to delineate the metacognitive processes involved in understanding problem solutions - a text type often perceived as allowing reliable judgments regarding understanding, and was not previously considered from a metacognitive perspective. Undergraduate students faced difficult problems. They then studied solution explanations with or without uninformative illustrations and provided judgments of comprehension (JCOMPs). Learning was assessed by application to near-transfer problems in an open-book test format. As expected, JCOMPs were polarized - they tended to reflect good or poor understanding. Yet, JCOMPs were higher for the illustrated solutions and even high certainty did not ensure resistance to this effect. Moreover, success in the transfer problems was lower in the presence of illustrations, demonstrating a bias stronger than that found with expository texts. Previous studies have suggested that weak learners are especially prone to being misled by superficial cues. In the present study, matching the difficulty of the task to the ability of the target population revealed that even highly able participants were not immune to misleading cues. The study extends previous findings regarding potential detrimental effects of illustrations and highlights aspects of the metacomprehension process that have not been considered before. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

EEG-guided meditation: A personalized approach.

PubMed

Fingelkurts, Andrew A; Fingelkurts, Alexander A; Kallio-Tamminen, Tarja

2015-12-01

The therapeutic potential of meditation for physical and mental well-being is well documented, however the possibility of adverse effects warrants further discussion of the suitability of any particular meditation practice for every given participant. This concern highlights the need for a personalized approach in the meditation practice adjusted for a concrete individual. This can be done by using an objective screening procedure that detects the weak and strong cognitive skills in brain function, thus helping design a tailored meditation training protocol. Quantitative electroencephalogram (qEEG) is a suitable tool that allows identification of individual neurophysiological types. Using qEEG screening can aid developing a meditation training program that maximizes results and minimizes risk of potential negative effects. This brief theoretical-conceptual review provides a discussion of the problem and presents some illustrative results on the usage of qEEG screening for the guidance of mediation personalization. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Optimizing Cognitive Function in Persons With Chronic Pain.

PubMed

Baker, Katharine S; Georgiou-Karistianis, Nellie; Gibson, Stephen J; Giummarra, Melita J

2017-05-01

Cognitive functioning is commonly disrupted in people living with chronic pain, yet it is an aspect of pain that is often not routinely assessed in pain management settings, and there is a paucity of research on treatments or strategies to alleviate the problem. The purpose of this review is to outline recent research on cognitive deficits seen in chronic pain, to give an overview of the mechanisms involved, advocate cognitive functioning as an important target for treatment in pain populations, and discuss ways in which it may be assessed and potentially remediated. A narrative review. There are several options for remediation, including compensatory, restorative, and neuromodulatory approaches to directly modify cognitive functioning, as well as physical, psychological, and medication optimization methods to target secondary factors (mood, sleep, and medications) that may interfere with cognition. We highlight the potential to enhance cognitive functions and identify the major gaps in the research literature.

Teaching Biochemistry at a Medical Faculty with a Problem-Based Learning System.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rosing, Jan

1997-01-01

Highlights the differences between classical teaching methods and problem-based learning. Describes the curriculum and problem-based approach of the Faculty of Medicine at the Maastricht University and gives an overview of the implementation of biochemistry in the medical curriculum. Discusses the procedure for student assessment and presents…

The Controversial Classroom: Institutional Resources and Pedagogical Strategies for a Race Relations Course.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wahl, Ana-Maria; Perez, Eduardo T.; Deegan, Mary Jo; Sanchez, Thomas W.; Applegate, Cheryl

2000-01-01

Offers a model for a collective strategy that can be used to deal more effectively with problems associated with race relations courses. Presents a multidimensional analysis of the constraints that create problems for race relations instructors and highlights a multidimensional approach to minimizing these problems. Includes references. (CMK)

Substance Use, Abuse, and Dependency in Adolescence

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lasser, Jon; Schmidt, Eric

2009-01-01

This article highlights the problem of substance use and abuse among adolescents and discusses the important role of school leaders in addressing this problem. Drug and alcohol use among adolescents is a significant and serious problem. In fact, an alarmingly high number of students report that they have used drugs or alcohol. Substance use and…

Nonfiction Literature that Highlights Inquiry: How "Real" People Solve "Real" Problems

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zarnowski, Myra; Turkel, Susan

2011-01-01

In this article, the authors explain how nonfiction literature can demonstrate the nature of problem solving within disciplines such as math, science, and social studies. This literature illustrates what it means to puzzle over problems, to apply disciplinary thinking, and to develop creative solutions. The authors look closely at three examples…

Family Planning, Population Problems and the Secondary School Curriculum.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Millstone, Dorothy L.

In this booklet, specialists in varied academic disciplines seek to determine how the classroom can function to sharpen man's understanding of the population problems and to prod him to the application of reason. Demographer and sociologist Philip Hauser places the problem in the framework of explosive world population growth, and highlights the…

Alcohol-related problems and life satisfaction predict motivation to change among mandated college students.

PubMed

Diulio, Andrea R; Cero, Ian; Witte, Tracy K; Correia, Christopher J

2014-04-01

The present study investigated the role specific types of alcohol-related problems and life satisfaction play in predicting motivation to change alcohol use. Participants were 548 college students mandated to complete a brief intervention following an alcohol-related policy violation. Using hierarchical multiple regression, we tested for the presence of interaction and quadratic effects on baseline data collected prior to the intervention. A significant interaction indicated that the relationship between a respondent's personal consequences and his/her motivation to change differs depending upon the level of concurrent social consequences. Additionally quadratic effects for abuse/dependence symptoms and life satisfaction were found. The quadratic probes suggest that abuse/dependence symptoms and poor life satisfaction are both positively associated with motivation to change for a majority of the sample; however, the nature of these relationships changes for participants with more extreme scores. Results support the utility of using a multidimensional measure of alcohol related problems and assessing non-linear relationships when assessing predictors of motivation to change. The results also suggest that the best strategies for increasing motivation may vary depending on the types of alcohol-related problems and level of life satisfaction the student is experiencing and highlight potential directions for future research. Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Design and performance frameworks for constructing problem-solving simulations.

PubMed

Stevens, Ron; Palacio-Cayetano, Joycelin

2003-01-01

Rapid advancements in hardware, software, and connectivity are helping to shorten the times needed to develop computer simulations for science education. These advancements, however, have not been accompanied by corresponding theories of how best to design and use these technologies for teaching, learning, and testing. Such design frameworks ideally would be guided less by the strengths/limitations of the presentation media and more by cognitive analyses detailing the goals of the tasks, the needs and abilities of students, and the resulting decision outcomes needed by different audiences. This article describes a problem-solving environment and associated theoretical framework for investigating how students select and use strategies as they solve complex science problems. A framework is first described for designing on-line problem spaces that highlights issues of content, scale, cognitive complexity, and constraints. While this framework was originally designed for medical education, it has proven robust and has been successfully applied to learning environments from elementary school through medical school. Next, a similar framework is detailed for collecting student performance and progress data that can provide evidence of students' strategic thinking and that could potentially be used to accelerate student progress. Finally, experimental validation data are presented that link strategy selection and use with other metrics of scientific reasoning and student achievement.

Design and Performance Frameworks for Constructing Problem-Solving Simulations

PubMed Central

Stevens, Ron; Palacio-Cayetano, Joycelin

2003-01-01

Rapid advancements in hardware, software, and connectivity are helping to shorten the times needed to develop computer simulations for science education. These advancements, however, have not been accompanied by corresponding theories of how best to design and use these technologies for teaching, learning, and testing. Such design frameworks ideally would be guided less by the strengths/limitations of the presentation media and more by cognitive analyses detailing the goals of the tasks, the needs and abilities of students, and the resulting decision outcomes needed by different audiences. This article describes a problem-solving environment and associated theoretical framework for investigating how students select and use strategies as they solve complex science problems. A framework is first described for designing on-line problem spaces that highlights issues of content, scale, cognitive complexity, and constraints. While this framework was originally designed for medical education, it has proven robust and has been successfully applied to learning environments from elementary school through medical school. Next, a similar framework is detailed for collecting student performance and progress data that can provide evidence of students' strategic thinking and that could potentially be used to accelerate student progress. Finally, experimental validation data are presented that link strategy selection and use with other metrics of scientific reasoning and student achievement. PMID:14506505

Traffic congestion and reliability : linking solutions to problems.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2004-07-19

The Traffic Congestion and Reliability: Linking Solutions to Problems Report provides : a snapshot of congestion in the United States by summarizing recent trends in : congestion, highlighting the role of unreliable travel times in the effects of con...

Prevention and early intervention for behaviour problems in children with developmental disabilities.

PubMed

Einfeld, Stewart L; Tonge, Bruce J; Clarke, Kristina S

2013-05-01

To review the recent evidence regarding early intervention and prevention studies for children with developmental disabilities and behaviour problems from 2011 to 2013. Recent advances in the field are discussed and important areas for future research are highlighted. Recent reviews and studies highlight the utility of antecedent interventions and skills training interventions for reducing behaviour problems. There is preliminary evidence for the effectiveness of parent training interventions when delivered in minimally sufficient formats or in clinical settings. Two recent studies have demonstrated the utility of behavioural interventions for children with genetic causes of disability. Various forms of behavioural and parent training interventions are effective at reducing the behaviour problems in children with developmental disabilities. However, research on prevention and early intervention continues to be relatively scarce. Further large-scale dissemination studies and effectiveness studies in clinical or applied settings are needed.

Computational pan-genomics: status, promises and challenges.

PubMed

2018-01-01

Many disciplines, from human genetics and oncology to plant breeding, microbiology and virology, commonly face the challenge of analyzing rapidly increasing numbers of genomes. In case of Homo sapiens, the number of sequenced genomes will approach hundreds of thousands in the next few years. Simply scaling up established bioinformatics pipelines will not be sufficient for leveraging the full potential of such rich genomic data sets. Instead, novel, qualitatively different computational methods and paradigms are needed. We will witness the rapid extension of computational pan-genomics, a new sub-area of research in computational biology. In this article, we generalize existing definitions and understand a pan-genome as any collection of genomic sequences to be analyzed jointly or to be used as a reference. We examine already available approaches to construct and use pan-genomes, discuss the potential benefits of future technologies and methodologies and review open challenges from the vantage point of the above-mentioned biological disciplines. As a prominent example for a computational paradigm shift, we particularly highlight the transition from the representation of reference genomes as strings to representations as graphs. We outline how this and other challenges from different application domains translate into common computational problems, point out relevant bioinformatics techniques and identify open problems in computer science. With this review, we aim to increase awareness that a joint approach to computational pan-genomics can help address many of the problems currently faced in various domains. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press.

Nonlinear Inference in Partially Observed Physical Systems and Deep Neural Networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rozdeba, Paul J.

The problem of model state and parameter estimation is a significant challenge in nonlinear systems. Due to practical considerations of experimental design, it is often the case that physical systems are partially observed, meaning that data is only available for a subset of the degrees of freedom required to fully model the observed system's behaviors and, ultimately, predict future observations. Estimation in this context is highly complicated by the presence of chaos, stochasticity, and measurement noise in dynamical systems. One of the aims of this dissertation is to simultaneously analyze state and parameter estimation in as a regularized inverse problem, where the introduction of a model makes it possible to reverse the forward problem of partial, noisy observation; and as a statistical inference problem using data assimilation to transfer information from measurements to the model states and parameters. Ultimately these two formulations achieve the same goal. Similar aspects that appear in both are highlighted as a means for better understanding the structure of the nonlinear inference problem. An alternative approach to data assimilation that uses model reduction is then examined as a way to eliminate unresolved nonlinear gating variables from neuron models. In this formulation, only measured variables enter into the model, and the resulting errors are themselves modeled by nonlinear stochastic processes with memory. Finally, variational annealing, a data assimilation method previously applied to dynamical systems, is introduced as a potentially useful tool for understanding deep neural network training in machine learning by exploiting similarities between the two problems.

Therapeutic and nutraceutical potential of bioactive compounds extracted from fruit residues.

PubMed

Babbar, Neha; Oberoi, Harinder Singh; Sandhu, Simranjeet Kaur

2015-01-01

The growing interest in the substitution of synthetic food antioxidants by natural ones has fostered research in identifying new low-cost antioxidants having commercial potential. Fruits such as mango, banana, and those belonging to the citrus family leave behind a substantial amount of residues in the form of peels, pulp, seeds, and stones. Due to lack of infrastructure to handle a huge quantity of available biomass, lack of processing facilities, and high processing cost, these residues represent a major disposal problem, especially in developing countries. Because of the presence of phenolic compounds, which impart nutraceutical properties to fruit residues, such residues hold tremendous potential in food, pharmaceutical, and cosmetic industries. The biological properties such as anticarcinogenicity, antimutagenicity, antiallergenicity, and antiageing activity have been reported for both natural as well as synthetic antioxidants. Special attention is focused on extraction of bioactive compounds from inexpensive or residual sources. The purpose of this review is to characterize different phenolics present in the fruit residues, discuss the antioxidant potential of such residues and the assays used in determination of antioxidant properties, discuss various methods for efficient extraction of the bioactive compounds, and highlight the importance of fruit residues as potential nutraceutical resources and biopreservatives.

Static metrics of impact for a dynamic problem: The need for smarter tools to guide suicide prevention planning and investment.

PubMed

Page, Andrew; Atkinson, Jo-An; Heffernan, Mark; McDonnell, Geoff; Prodan, Ante; Osgood, Nathaniel; Hickie, Ian

2018-01-01

This study investigates two approaches to estimate the potential impact of a population-level intervention on Australian suicide, to highlight the importance of selecting appropriate analytic approaches for informing evidence-based strategies for suicide prevention. The potential impact of a psychosocial therapy intervention on the incidence of suicide in Australia over the next 10 years was used as a case study to compare the potential impact on suicides averted using: (1) a traditional epidemiological measure of population attributable risk and (2) a dynamic measure of population impact based on a systems science model of suicide that incorporates changes over time. Based on the population preventive fraction, findings suggest that the psychosocial therapy intervention if implemented among all eligible individuals in the Australian population would prevent 5.4% of suicides (or 1936 suicides) over the next 10 years. In comparison, estimates from the dynamic simulation model which accounts for changes in the effect size of the intervention over time, the time taken for the intervention to have an impact in the population, and likely barriers to the uptake and availability of services suggest that the intervention would avert a lower proportion of suicides (between 0.4% and 0.5%) over the same follow-up period. Traditional epidemiological measures used to estimate population health burden have several limitations that are often understated and can lead to unrealistic expectations of the potential impact of evidence-based interventions in real-world settings. This study highlights these limitations and proposes an alternative analytic approach to guide policy and practice decisions to achieve reductions in Australian suicide.

The Effects of Sleep Problems on the Trajectory of Antisocial Behavior from Adolescence through Early Adulthood in Taiwan: Family Functioning as a Moderator

PubMed Central

Chang, Ling-Yin; Wu, Chi-Chen; Lin, Linen Nymphas; Yen, Lee-Lan; Chang, Hsing-Yi

2016-01-01

Study Objectives: To examine the longitudinal relationship between sleep problems and development of antisocial behavior from adolescence through young adulthood, and to investigate whether family functioning moderates the association being examined. Potential sex differences were also explored. Methods: A total of 2,491 adolescents participated in a prospective study spanning 2009 through 2014 in northern Taiwan. Measures included sleep problems, family functioning (parental support, family interaction, and family conflict), antisocial behavior, and other individual characteristics (sex, age, parental education, family economic stress, depressive symptoms, and stressful life events). Random coefficient growth models were used to test study hypotheses. Results: Sleep problems were significantly and positively associated with antisocial behavior (B = 0.088 and 0.038 for males and females, respectively). Sex differences further emerged in the moderating effects of family functioning. Among males, those with high family interaction had a weaker association between sleep problems and antisocial behavior; among females, the examined association was weaker in those with high parental support. For both sexes, the association between sleep problems and antisocial behavior was stronger for those with high family conflict. Conclusions: Our findings highlight the robust link between sleep problems and adolescent antisocial behavior over time. We also show for the first time that the association depends on family functioning. Prevention methods and treatment of sleep problems in youths that incorporate family functioning may yield significant benefits for decreasing antisocial behavior. Sex-specific intervention and prevention approaches should also be considered. Citation: Chang LY, Wu CC, Lin LN, Yen LL, Chang HY. The effects of sleep problems on the trajectory of antisocial behavior from adolescence through early adulthood in Taiwan: family functioning as a moderator. SLEEP 2016;39(7):1441–1449. PMID:27166239

The relationship between motor skills and psychosocial factors in young children: A test of the elaborated environmental stress hypothesis.

PubMed

Mancini, Vincent O; Rigoli, Daniela; Roberts, Lynne D; Heritage, Brody; Piek, Jan P

2017-09-08

The elaborated environmental stress hypothesis (EESH) provides a framework that describes how motor skills may indirectly cause internalizing problems through various mediating psychosocial factors. While there is evidence to support this framework, little is known about how the proposed relationships may vary across different stages of development. This study aimed to investigate whether peer problems and perceived self-competence mediated the relationship between motor skills and internalizing problems in pre-primary children, and at 18-month follow up. A community sample of 197 pre-primary school children (M = 5.40 years, SD = 0.30 years; 102 males, 95 females) participated at Time 1, with 107 completing the Time 2 follow-up. Standardized instruments were used to measure motor skills and verbal IQ. Perceived self-competence was measured using a self-report measure. Participant peer problems and internalizing problems were measured using teacher report. Age, gender, and verbal IQ were included as covariates. Mediation analysis using PROCESS showed that the relationship between motor skills and internalizing problems was mediated by peer problems at Time 1. At Time 2, the relationship was mediated by peer problems and perceived physical competence. The current results indicate the EESH may function differently across different periods of development. The transition from pre-primary to Grade 1 represents a time of important cognitive and psychosocial development, which has implications for how the relationship between motor skills and internalizing problems can be understood. These findings highlight potential age-appropriate targets for psychomotor interventions aiming to improve the emotional well-being of young children. © 2017 The British Psychological Society.

Left ventricular fluid mechanics: the long way from theoretical models to clinical applications.

PubMed

Pedrizzetti, Gianni; Domenichini, Federico

2015-01-01

The flow inside the left ventricle is characterized by the formation of vortices that smoothly accompany blood from the mitral inlet to the aortic outlet. Computational fluid dynamics permitted to shed some light on the fundamental processes involved with vortex motion. More recently, patient-specific numerical simulations are becoming an increasingly feasible tool that can be integrated with the developing imaging technologies. The existing computational methods are reviewed in the perspective of their potential role as a novel aid for advanced clinical analysis. The current results obtained by simulation methods either alone or in combination with medical imaging are summarized. Open problems are highlighted and perspective clinical applications are discussed.

X-ray ptychography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pfeiffer, Franz

2018-01-01

X-ray ptychographic microscopy combines the advantages of raster scanning X-ray microscopy with the more recently developed techniques of coherent diffraction imaging. It is limited neither by the fabricational challenges associated with X-ray optics nor by the requirements of isolated specimen preparation, and offers in principle wavelength-limited resolution, as well as stable access and solution to the phase problem. In this Review, we discuss the basic principles of X-ray ptychography and summarize the main milestones in the evolution of X-ray ptychographic microscopy and tomography over the past ten years, since its first demonstration with X-rays. We also highlight the potential for applications in the life and materials sciences, and discuss the latest advanced concepts and probable future developments.

Catheter-based intervention for symptomatic patient with severe mitral regurgitation and very poor left ventricular systolic function - Safe but no room for complacency.

PubMed

Loh, Poay Huan; Bourantas, Christos V; Chan, Pak Hei; Ihlemann, Nikolaj; Gustafsson, Fin; Clark, Andrew L; Price, Susanna; Mario, Carlo Di; Moat, Neil; Alamgir, Farqad; Estevez-Loureiro, Rodrigo; Søndergaard, Lars; Franzen, Olaf

2015-11-26

Many patients with left ventricular systolic dysfunction have concomitant mitral regurgitation (MR). Their symptoms and prognosis worsen with increasing severity of MR. Percutaneous MitraClip(®) can be used safely to reduce the severity of MR even in patients with advanced heart failure and is associated with improved symptoms, quality of life and exercise tolerance. However, a few patients with very poor left ventricular systolic function may experience significant haemodynamic disturbance in the peri-procedural period. We present three such patients, highlighting some of the potential problems encountered and discuss their possible pathophysiological mechanisms and safety measures.

Ethical and legal issues related to the donation and use of nonstandard organs for transplants.

PubMed

Cronin, Antonia J

2013-12-01

Transplantation of nonstandard or expanded criteria donor organs creates several potential ethical and legal problems in terms of consent and liability, and new challenges for research and service development; it highlights the need for a system of organ donation that responds to an evolving ethical landscape and incorporates scientific innovation to meet the needs of recipients, but which also safeguards the interests and autonomy of the donor. In this article, the use of deceased donor organs for transplants that fail to meet standard donor criteria and the legitimacy of interventions and research aimed at optimizing their successful donation are discussed. Copyright © 2013. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Catheter-based intervention for symptomatic patient with severe mitral regurgitation and very poor left ventricular systolic function - Safe but no room for complacency

PubMed Central

Loh, Poay Huan; Bourantas, Christos V; Chan, Pak Hei; Ihlemann, Nikolaj; Gustafsson, Fin; Clark, Andrew L; Price, Susanna; Mario, Carlo Di; Moat, Neil; Alamgir, Farqad; Estevez-Loureiro, Rodrigo; Søndergaard, Lars; Franzen, Olaf

2015-01-01

Many patients with left ventricular systolic dysfunction have concomitant mitral regurgitation (MR). Their symptoms and prognosis worsen with increasing severity of MR. Percutaneous MitraClip® can be used safely to reduce the severity of MR even in patients with advanced heart failure and is associated with improved symptoms, quality of life and exercise tolerance. However, a few patients with very poor left ventricular systolic function may experience significant haemodynamic disturbance in the peri-procedural period. We present three such patients, highlighting some of the potential problems encountered and discuss their possible pathophysiological mechanisms and safety measures. PMID:26635930

Cognitive and behavioral deficits in premature graduates of intensive care.

PubMed

Perlman, Jeffrey M

2002-12-01

A substantial number of VLBW graduates of intensive care develop cognitive and behavioral problems, even in the absence of neuroimaging abnormalities. Although this article has highlighted the potential, important, contributing role of medical and stressful, neonatal, environmental conditions to the development of these deficits, it is not all-encompassing, and there are additional prenatal (ie, in utero stress, drug exposure) and neonatal (ie, infectious) contributing factors. The long-term, outcome data presented in this article are pertinent to the more mature, VLBW infant, and it remains unclear and critically important to delineate the long-term, neurobehavioral outcome of those extremely low birth-weight survivors born at the cutting limit of viability.

Understanding, preventing and eradicating Klebsiella pneumoniae biofilms.

PubMed

Ribeiro, Suzana Meira; Cardoso, Marlon Henrique; Cândido, Elizabete de Souza; Franco, Octávio Luiz

2016-01-01

The ability of pathogenic bacteria to aggregate and form biofilm represents a great problem for public health, since they present extracellular components that encase these micro-organisms, making them more resistant to antibiotics and host immune attack. This may become worse when antibiotic-resistant bacterial strains form biofilms. However, antibiofilm screens with different compounds may reveal potential therapies to prevent/treat biofilm infections. Here, we focused on Klebsiella pneumoniae, an opportunistic bacterium that causes different types of infections, including in the bloodstream, meninges, lungs, urinary system and at surgical sites. We also highlight aspects involved in the formation and maintenance of K. pneumoniae biofilms, as well as resistance and the emergence of new trends to combat this health challenge.

Big Data and Neuroimaging.

PubMed

Webb-Vargas, Yenny; Chen, Shaojie; Fisher, Aaron; Mejia, Amanda; Xu, Yuting; Crainiceanu, Ciprian; Caffo, Brian; Lindquist, Martin A

2017-12-01

Big Data are of increasing importance in a variety of areas, especially in the biosciences. There is an emerging critical need for Big Data tools and methods, because of the potential impact of advancements in these areas. Importantly, statisticians and statistical thinking have a major role to play in creating meaningful progress in this arena. We would like to emphasize this point in this special issue, as it highlights both the dramatic need for statistical input for Big Data analysis and for a greater number of statisticians working on Big Data problems. We use the field of statistical neuroimaging to demonstrate these points. As such, this paper covers several applications and novel methodological developments of Big Data tools applied to neuroimaging data.

Searching for extraterrestrial intelligence - The ultimate exploration

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Black, D.; Tarter, J.; Cuzzi, J. N.; Conners, M.; Clark, T. A.

1977-01-01

A survey highlighting the central issues of the SETI program (Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence), including its rationale, scope, search problems, and goals is presented. Electromagnetic radiation is suggested as the most likely means via which knowledge of extraterrestrial intelligence will be obtained, and the variables governing these signals are discussed, including: signal frequency and polarization, state, possible coordinates, and signal duration. The modern history of SETI and NASA's involvement is briefly reviewed, and the search strategies used by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory and the Ames Research Center are discussed and compared. Some of the potential scientific and cultural impacts of the SETI program are mentioned, noting advancements in technological, biological, and chemical research.

Bridging the Gaps: Children in a Changing Society.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Frost, Joe L.

2003-01-01

Notes societal weaknesses in children's care/education and highlights ways to reach children's hearts and minds. Highlights problems, including childhood obesity, high stakes testing, increasing use of psychiatric drugs for children, exposure to crime and violence, increasing child aggression, and increasing willingness to cheat and lie. Urges…

"You can't believe a word they say": the presence, problems and risks of employing deficit models of understanding in geoscience and energy policy.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Phillips, Martin P., ,, Prof.; Napier, Hazel J.; Dickie, Jennifer A., ,, Dr.

2016-04-01

This paper explores public understanding of geoscience and geoscientists with respect to energy issues in the UK. It highlights how across a range of renewable energies and new geologic related energy developments such as carbon capture and storage, radioactive waste disposal and unconventional hydrocarbon extraction, there has emerged widespread resistances that could be characterised as a shift from NIMBYism to NIAMYism (Not-in-my-back-yard to Not-in-anyone's-back-yard) or a failure to generate a social licence to operate. Such resistances are often characterised by geoscientists through some variant of a deficit model of public understanding; the assumption being that concern and disengagement reflects lack of knowledge or understanding and hence can be addressed by the provision of more or more appropriately packaged scientifically based information. Williams et al. (2015) have argued that this model has become an important ingredient in the UK Government's strategies concerning unconventional gas and oil development, highlighting the emphasis it places on the provision of information to the public. In the paper we outline some of the criticisms levelled at this conceptualisation of public understanding, drawing on research conducted in rural communities in the UK, as well as highlighting how it places major, but highly problematic, demands on geoscientists and geoscientific institutions. It is argued that deficit models not only deliver poor understandings of people's concerns over specific forms of energy developments but also pay insufficient attention to how these connect into a range of other discursive formations, including those related to social and environmental governance, capitalistic self-interest, trust and neo-liberal subjectivities. A key issue highlighted is how geoscience and geoscientific institutions are themselves positioned within these interpretations, it being clear that the provision of information relating to these developments and associated environmental conditions is frequently interpreted as a far from disinterested, apolitical activity. The paper ends by exploring the potential of a Living Lab approach to address some of the problems associated with deficit focused interpretations of public understanding.

Semicompeting risks in aging research: methods, issues and needs

PubMed Central

Varadhan, Ravi; Xue, Qian-Li; Bandeen-Roche, Karen

2015-01-01

A semicompeting risks problem involves two-types of events: a nonterminal and a terminal event (death). Typically, the nonterminal event is the focus of the study, but the terminal event can preclude the occurrence of the nonterminal event. Semicompeting risks are ubiquitous in studies of aging. Examples of semicompeting risk dyads include: dementia and death, frailty syndrome and death, disability and death, and nursing home placement and death. Semicompeting risk models can be divided into two broad classes: models based only on observables quantities (class O) and those based on potential (latent) failure times (class L). The classical illness-death model belongs to class O. This model is a special case of the multistate models, which has been an active area of methodology development. During the past decade and a half, there has also been a flurry of methodological activity on semicompeting risks based on latent failure times (L models). These advances notwithstanding, the semi-competing risks methodology has not penetrated biomedical research, in general, and gerontological research, in particular. Some possible reasons for this lack of uptake are: the methods are relatively new and sophisticated, conceptual problems associated with potential failure time models are difficult to overcome, paucity of expository articles aimed at educating practitioners, and non-availability of readily usable software. The main goals of this review article are: (i) to describe the major types of semicompeting risks problems arising in aging research, (ii) to provide a brief survey of the semicompeting risks methods, (iii) to suggest appropriate methods for addressing the problems in aging research, (iv) to highlight areas where more work is needed, and (v) to suggest ways to facilitate the uptake of the semicompeting risks methodology by the broader biomedical research community. PMID:24729136

Potential for small-scale, decentralized energy sources and the Federal role in their development

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

Hayes, D.

1978-02-01

The idea that the solution to our energy problems is to be found in an expanded role for small-scale, decentralized energy sources, particularly solar energy, has gained considerable attention and increasing respectability in recent years. One of the most articulate spokesmen for this point of view is Denis Hayes. Mr. Hayes explained his perspective on the energy problem to an invited audience of about 85 professionals and students in the energy policy field. This paper is an edited version of Mr. Hayes' presentation. In his presentation, Mr. Hayes discussed the prospects for fossil and nuclear energy, stressing the potential limitationsmore » on coal use due to the problem of CO/sub 2/ and the greenhouse effect, and highlighting the hazards of the plutonium economy. He described the role conservation can play in dealing with the energy problem, but declared that conservation alone is not enough. There is still a need, he indicated, to replace declining energy sources with some alternative. In his view, the most promising alternative is solar energy, and Mr. Hayes discussed the various ways in which it can be utilized. The presentation concluded with a number of suggestions regarding Federal actions and policy initiatives that Mr. Hayes feels are needed to encourage solar energy development. These ideas served as the focus for the question and answer session which followed the presentation. Questions dealt with many issues, including priorities in solar R and D, the role of the Federal government vis a vis the private sector, the timing of solar energy implementation, and the strategy and tactics of the solar movement.« less

[Problem-solving approach in the training of healthcare professionals].

PubMed

Batista, Nildo; Batista, Sylvia Helena; Goldenberg, Paulete; Seiffert, Otília; Sonzogno, Maria Cecília

2005-04-01

To discuss the problem-solving approach in the training of healthcare professionals who would be able to act both in academic life and in educational practices in services and communities. This is an analytical description of an experience of problem-based learning in specialization-level training that was developed within a university-level healthcare education institution. The analysis focuses on three perspectives: course design, student-centered learning and the teacher's role. The problem-solving approach provided impetus to the learning experience for these postgraduate students. There was increased motivation, leadership development and teamworking. This was translated through their written work, seminars and portfolio preparation. The evaluation process for these experiences presupposes well-founded practices that express the views of the subjects involved: self-assessment and observer assessment. The impact of this methodology on teaching practices is that there is a need for greater knowledge of the educational theories behind the principles of significant learning, teachers as intermediaries and research as an educational axiom. The problem-solving approach is an innovative response to the challenges of training healthcare professionals. Its potential is recognized, while it is noted that educational innovations are characterized by causing ruptures in consolidated methods and by establishing different ways of responding to demands presented at specific moments. The critical problems were identified, while highlighting the risk of considering this approach to be a technical tool that is unconnected with the design of the teaching policy. Experiences and analyses based on the problem-solving assumptions need to be shared, thus enabling the production of knowledge that strengthens the transformation of educational practices within healthcare.

Reproducibility in science: improving the standard for basic and preclinical research.

PubMed

Begley, C Glenn; Ioannidis, John P A

2015-01-02

Medical and scientific advances are predicated on new knowledge that is robust and reliable and that serves as a solid foundation on which further advances can be built. In biomedical research, we are in the midst of a revolution with the generation of new data and scientific publications at a previously unprecedented rate. However, unfortunately, there is compelling evidence that the majority of these discoveries will not stand the test of time. To a large extent, this reproducibility crisis in basic and preclinical research may be as a result of failure to adhere to good scientific practice and the desperation to publish or perish. This is a multifaceted, multistakeholder problem. No single party is solely responsible, and no single solution will suffice. Here we review the reproducibility problems in basic and preclinical biomedical research, highlight some of the complexities, and discuss potential solutions that may help improve research quality and reproducibility. © 2015 American Heart Association, Inc.

Measuring Time Costs in Interventions Designed to Reduce Behavior Problems Among Children and Youth

PubMed Central

Foster, E. Michael; Johnson‐Shelton, Deborah; Taylor, Ted K.

2007-01-01

The economic evaluation of psychosocial interventions is a growing area of research. Though time costs are central to the economist’s understanding of social costs, these costs generally have been ignored by prevention scientists. This article highlights the need to measure such costs and then reviews the principles economists use in valuing time. It then considers the specific time costs that often arise in interventions designed to reduce behavior problems among children and youth. These include classroom time devoted to program activities, the time of parents or other caregivers, the time of teachers (outside of the classroom), and the time of volunteers. We consider the economic principles that govern how economists value these inputs and then apply these principles to data from an evaluation of a prominent intervention in the field, the Incredible Years Program. We find that the time costs are potentially rather large and consider the implications for public policy of ignoring them. PMID:17592769

Emotional intelligence and psychological maladjustment in adolescence: a systematic review.

PubMed

Resurrección, D M; Salguero, J M; Ruiz-Aranda, D

2014-06-01

The study of emotional intelligence (EI) and its association with psychological maladjustment in adolescence is a new and active area of research. However, the diverse range of EI measurements and aspects of psychological maladjustment examined make it difficult to synthesize the findings and apply them to practice. Therefore, we conducted a systematic review to summarize the relationship between EI and adolescents' emotional problems, eating disorder symptoms, addictions, and maladaptive coping. Using English and Spanish keywords, we identified 32 studies that found a negative association between EI and internalizing problems, depression, and anxiety. EI was also associated with less substance abuse and with better coping strategies. These associations differed slightly depending on whether EI was evaluated based on self-reporting or by testing maximum performance. We highlight methodological limitations in the literature on EI and adolescence, and we discuss potentially important areas for future research. Copyright © 2014 The Foundation for Professionals in Services for Adolescents. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Musca domestica laboratory susceptibility to three ethnobotanical culinary plants.

PubMed

El Zayyat, Elham A; Soliman, Mohammed I; Elleboudy, Noha A; Ofaa, Shaimaa E

2015-10-01

Throughout history, synanthropic Musca domestica had remained a worldwide problem whenever poor sanitation and bad hygienic conditions exists. Houseflies growing resistance to chemical insecticides are a rising environmental problem that necessitates search for alternatives. Mentha cervina, Ocimum basilicum, and Coriandrum sativum were tested for bioactivity on M. domestica adults and larvae. They are culinary Mediterranean plants. In adulticidal bioassay, using both CDC bottles and fumigation techniques, basil was the most effective extract with LC50 1.074 and 34.996 g/L, respectively. Concerning larvicidal bioassay by fumigation technique, coriander had the highest toxicity index with LC50 29.521 g/L. In both dipping and feeding technique, basil had the highest toxicity with LC50 32.643 and 0.749 g/L, respectively. Basil showed the highest toxicity results in four out of the five models tested followed by coriander then mint; this result highlights the potentiality of basil as a green insecticide in management of flies and opens new insight in the industrialization of basil-based fly control products.

Diagnostic orphans: comparing self-report lifetime course to groups with DSM-IV alcohol abuse and dependence.

PubMed

McBride, Orla; Adamson, Gary; Bunting, Brendan; McCann, Siobhan

2009-01-01

Research has highlighted the significant alcohol symptoms and mental health problems experienced by diagnostic orphans - individuals who experience 1-2 criteria of DSM-IV alcohol dependence but do not meet the criteria for a DSM-IV alcohol use disorder. This study used a sub-sample (n=34827) from the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions (NESARC), and formed mutually exclusive groups to compare the self-report retrospective course of diagnostic orphans to individuals with DSM-IV abuse and dependence. Multinomial logistic regressions were conducted to examine the associations between the groups and a range of demographic and clinical variables. Collectively, the findings demonstrate that diagnostic orphans shared similar characteristics to the abuse and dependence groups, but appeared to experience specific comorbid mental health problems. Orphan status has the potential to be a persistent condition and may result in significant dysfunction. In conclusion, diagnostic orphans represent a distinct group that may benefit from cost-effective treatment or intervention, designed to prevent the escalation of alcohol symptoms.

Tinbergen on mirror neurons.

PubMed

Heyes, Cecilia

2014-01-01

Fifty years ago, Niko Tinbergen defined the scope of behavioural biology with his four problems: causation, ontogeny, survival value and evolution. About 20 years ago, there was another highly significant development in behavioural biology-the discovery of mirror neurons (MNs). Here, I use Tinbergen's original four problems (rather than the list that appears in textbooks) to highlight the differences between two prominent accounts of MNs, the genetic and associative accounts; to suggest that the latter provides the defeasible 'best explanation' for current data on the causation and ontogeny of MNs; and to argue that functional analysis, of the kind that Tinbergen identified somewhat misleadingly with studies of 'survival value', should be a high priority for future research. In this kind of functional analysis, system-level theories would assign MNs a small, but potentially important, role in the achievement of action understanding-or another social cognitive function-by a production line of interacting component processes. These theories would be tested by experimental intervention in human and non-human animal samples with carefully documented and controlled developmental histories.

Environmental management of construction and demolition waste in Kuwait.

PubMed

Kartam, Nabil; Al-Mutairi, Nayef; Al-Ghusain, Ibrahim; Al-Humoud, Jasem

2004-01-01

There is an increasing pressure on the construction industry to reduce costs and improve the quality of our environment. The fact is that both of these goals can be achieved at the same time. Although construction and demolition (C&D) constitutes a major source of waste in terms of volume and weight, its management and recycling efforts have not yet seen the light in Kuwait. This study focuses on recycling efforts leading to the minimization of the total C&D waste that is currently landfilled in Kuwait. This paper presents the current status of C&D waste disposal system in Kuwait and identifies the potential problems to the environment, people and economy. Then, it investigates alternative solutions to manage and control this major type of waste in an economically efficient and environmentally safe manner. Next, the paper describes the feasibility of establishing a C&D waste recycling facility in Kuwait. It concludes by highlighting the major benefits and bottleneck problems with such a recycling facility.

Making connections: Where STEM learning and Earth science data services meet

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bugbee, K.; Ramachandran, R.; Maskey, M.; Gatlin, P. N.; Weigel, A. M.

2016-12-01

STEM learning is most effective when students are encouraged to see the connections between science, technology and real world problems. Helping to make these connections has become an increasingly important aspect of Earth science data research. The Global Hydrology Resource Center (GHRC), one of NASA's 12 EOSDIS data centers, has developed a new type of documentation called the micro article to facilitate making connections between data and Earth science research problems. Micro articles are short academic texts that enable a reader to quickly understand a scientific phenomena, a case study, or an instrument used to collect data. While originally designed to increase data discovery and usability, micro articles also serve as a reliable starting point for project-based learning, an educational approach in STEM education, for high school and higher education environments. This presentation will highlight micro articles at the Global Hydrology Resource Center data center and will demonstrate the potential applications of micro articles in project-based learning.

Procrastination as a Self-Regulation Failure: The Role of Impulsivity and Intrusive Thoughts.

PubMed

Rebetez, Marie My Lien; Rochat, Lucien; Barsics, Catherine; Van der Linden, Martial

2018-02-01

Procrastination has been described as the quintessence of self-regulatory failure. This study examines the relationships between this self-regulatory failure and other manifestations of self-regulation problems, namely impulsivity and intrusive thoughts. One hundred and forty-one participants completed questionnaires assessing procrastination, impulsivity (in particular, the urgency and lack of perseverance dimensions), and intrusive thoughts (i.e., rumination and daydreaming). Main results show that urgency mediated the association between rumination and procrastination, whereas rumination did not mediate the relation between urgency and procrastination. Lack of perseverance mediated the association between daydreaming and procrastination, and daydreaming mediated the relation between lack of perseverance and procrastination. This study highlights the role of impulsivity and intrusive thoughts in procrastination, specifies the links between these self-regulation problems, and provides insights into their (potential) underlying mechanisms. It also opens interesting prospects for management strategies for implementing targeted psychological interventions to reduce impulsive manifestations and/or thought control difficulties accompanying procrastination.

Spacetime encodings. II. Pictures of integrability

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

Brink, Jeandrew

I visually explore the features of geodesic orbits in arbitrary stationary axisymmetric vacuum (SAV) spacetimes that are constructed from a complex Ernst potential. Some of the geometric features of integrable and chaotic orbits are highlighted. The geodesic problem for these SAV spacetimes is rewritten as a 2 degree of freedom problem and the connection between current ideas in dynamical systems and the study of two manifolds sought. The relationship between the Hamilton-Jacobi equations, canonical transformations, constants of motion, and Killing tensors are commented on. Wherever possible I illustrate the concepts by means of examples from general relativity. This investigation ismore » designed to build the readers' intuition about how integrability arises, and to summarize some of the known facts about 2 degree of freedom systems. Evidence is given, in the form of an orbit-crossing structure, that geodesics in SAV spacetimes might admit a fourth constant of motion that is quartic in momentum (by contrast with Kerr spacetime, where Carter's fourth constant is quadratic)« less

Effective degrees of freedom of a random walk on a fractal.

PubMed

Balankin, Alexander S

2015-12-01

We argue that a non-Markovian random walk on a fractal can be treated as a Markovian process in a fractional dimensional space with a suitable metric. This allows us to define the fractional dimensional space allied to the fractal as the ν-dimensional space F(ν) equipped with the metric induced by the fractal topology. The relation between the number of effective spatial degrees of freedom of walkers on the fractal (ν) and fractal dimensionalities is deduced. The intrinsic time of random walk in F(ν) is inferred. The Laplacian operator in F(ν) is constructed. This allows us to map physical problems on fractals into the corresponding problems in F(ν). In this way, essential features of physics on fractals are revealed. Particularly, subdiffusion on path-connected fractals is elucidated. The Coulomb potential of a point charge on a fractal embedded in the Euclidean space is derived. Intriguing attributes of some types of fractals are highlighted.

The impact of serious mental illness on health and healthcare.

PubMed

Viron, Mark J; Stern, Theodore A

2010-01-01

Patients with serious mental illness (SMI; e.g., psychotic disorders and major mood disorders) die earlier, have more medical illnesses, and receive worse medical care than those in the general population. The aims of this article are to review the data on medical morbidity and mortality in those with SMI, to highlight the factors that lead to such disparities, and to discuss potential solutions to the problem. The authors reviewed the literature on medical morbidity and mortality in those with SMI. Adults with SMI in the United States die 25 years earlier than those in the general population; cardiovascular disease is responsible for the majority of this excess mortality, accounting for roughly 50%-60% of the deaths due to medical illness. Patient, provider, and system-level factors interact to contribute to poor health outcomes in people with SMI. Patients with SMI are losing many years of life to preventable and treatable medical illnesses. Solutions to the problem will require attention to patient, provider, and system-level factors.

Development and Application of the Collaborative Optimization Architecture in a Multidisciplinary Design Environment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Braun, R. D.; Kroo, I. M.

1995-01-01

Collaborative optimization is a design architecture applicable in any multidisciplinary analysis environment but specifically intended for large-scale distributed analysis applications. In this approach, a complex problem is hierarchically de- composed along disciplinary boundaries into a number of subproblems which are brought into multidisciplinary agreement by a system-level coordination process. When applied to problems in a multidisciplinary design environment, this scheme has several advantages over traditional solution strategies. These advantageous features include reducing the amount of information transferred between disciplines, the removal of large iteration-loops, allowing the use of different subspace optimizers among the various analysis groups, an analysis framework which is easily parallelized and can operate on heterogenous equipment, and a structural framework that is well-suited for conventional disciplinary organizations. In this article, the collaborative architecture is developed and its mathematical foundation is presented. An example application is also presented which highlights the potential of this method for use in large-scale design applications.

Girls' and Boys' Problem Talk: Implications for Emotional Closeness in Friendships

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rose, Amanda J.; Smith, Rhiannon L.; Glick, Gary C.; Schwartz-Mette, Rebecca A.

2016-01-01

This research highlights the critical role of gender in the context of problem talk and social support in adolescents' friendships. Early- and middle-adolescents' (N = 314 friend dyads; Ms = 13.01 and 16.03 years) conversations about problems were studied using observation and a short-term longitudinal design. Mean-level gender differences emerged…

Making the Case for Policy--Persuasiveness in Higher Education, Science and Technology Policy Discourse

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nokkala, Terhi

2016-01-01

Policy texts present problems, propose solutions to those problems and persuade multiple audiences of the legitimacy of the proposed problems and solutions. The rhetorical analysis of two decades of higher education and science and technology discourse in Finland, Germany, UK, Portugal and USA highlights the discursive elements that contribute to…

Integrating Problem-Based Learning with Community-Engaged Learning in Teaching Program Development and Implementation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hou, Su-I

2014-01-01

Purpose: Problem-based learning (PBL) challenges students to learn and work in groups to seek solutions to real world problems. Connecting academic study with community-engaged learning (CEL) experience can deeper learning and thinking. This paper highlights the integration of PBL with CEL in the Implementation Course to engage graduate students…

Understanding Problem-Solving Errors by Students with Learning Disabilities in Standards-Based and Traditional Curricula

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bouck, Emily C.; Bouck, Mary K.; Joshi, Gauri S.; Johnson, Linley

2016-01-01

Students with learning disabilities struggle with word problems in mathematics classes. Understanding the type of errors students make when working through such mathematical problems can further describe student performance and highlight student difficulties. Through the use of error codes, researchers analyzed the type of errors made by 14 sixth…

Imagining Wittgenstein's Adolescent: The Educational Significance of Expression

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Frank, Jeff

2012-01-01

This paper highlights the philosophical and educational significance of expression in Ludwig Wittgenstein's Philosophical Investigations. When the role of expression is highlighted, we will be better able to appreciate Stanley Cavell's insistence that: (i) Wittgenstein offers ways of responding to, though not a refutation of, the problem of…

Analysis of Connected and Automated Vehicle Technologies Highlights

Science.gov Websites

Uncertainty in Potential Effects on Fuel Use, Miles Traveled | News | NREL Analysis of Connected and Automated Vehicle Technologies Highlights Uncertainty in Potential Effects on Fuel Use, Miles Potential Effects on Fuel Use, Miles Traveled December 13, 2016 A joint study from the U.S. Department of

Osteoporosis – a current view of pharmacological prevention and treatment

PubMed Central

Das, Subhajit; Crockett, Julie C

2013-01-01

Postmenopausal osteoporosis is the most common bone disease, associated with low bone mineral density (BMD) and pathological fractures which lead to significant morbidity. It is defined clinically by a BMD of 2.5 standard deviations or more below the young female adult mean (T-score =−2.5). Osteoporosis was a huge global problem both socially and economically – in the UK alone, in 2011 £6 million per day was spent on treatment and social care of the 230,000 osteoporotic fracture patients – and therefore viable preventative and therapeutic approaches are key to managing this problem within the aging population of today. One of the main issues surrounding the potential of osteoporosis management is diagnosing patients at risk before they develop a fracture. We discuss the current and future possibilities for identifying susceptible patients, from fracture risk assessment to shape modeling and in relation to the high heritability of osteoporosis now that a plethora of genes have been associated with low BMD and osteoporotic fracture. This review highlights the current therapeutics in clinical use (including bisphosphonates, anti-RANKL [receptor activator of NF-κB ligand], intermittent low dose parathyroid hormone, and strontium ranelate) and some of those in development (anti-sclerostin antibodies and cathepsin K inhibitors). By highlighting the intimate relationship between the activities of bone forming (osteoblasts) and bone-resorbing (osteoclasts) cells, we include an overview and comparison of the molecular mechanisms exploited in each therapy. PMID:23807838

MDMA and the "ecstasy paradigm".

PubMed

Cole, Jon C

2014-01-01

For nearly 30 years, there has been a steady flow of research papers highlighting the dangers of MDMA and the implications for ecstasy users. After such a long time, it would be reasonable to expect that these dangers would be obvious due to the large number of ecstasy users. The available evidence does not indicate that there are millions of ecstasy users experiencing any problems linked to their ecstasy use. The "precautionary principle" suggests that, in the absence of knowing for certain, "experts" should argue that MDMA be avoided. However, this may have been taken too far, as the dire warnings do not seem to be reducing with the lack of epidemiological evidence of clinically relevant problems. The "ecstasy paradigm" is one way of articulating this situation, in that the needs of research funders and publication bias lead to a specific set of subcultural norms around what information is acceptable in the public domain. By digging a little deeper, it is easy to find problems with the evidence base that informs the public debate around MDMA. The key question is whether it is acceptable to maintain this status quo given the therapeutic potential of MDMA.

Applying mixed methods to pretest the Pressure Ulcer Quality of Life (PU-QOL) instrument.

PubMed

Gorecki, C; Lamping, D L; Nixon, J; Brown, J M; Cano, S

2012-04-01

Pretesting is key in the development of patient-reported outcome (PRO) instruments. We describe a mixed-methods approach based on interviews and Rasch measurement methods in the pretesting of the Pressure Ulcer Quality of Life (PU-QOL) instrument. We used cognitive interviews to pretest the PU-QOL in 35 patients with pressure ulcers with the view to identifying problematic items, followed by Rasch analysis to examine response options, appropriateness of the item series and biases due to question ordering (item fit). We then compared findings in an interactive and iterative process to identify potential strengths and weaknesses of PU-QOL items, and guide decision-making about further revisions to items and design/layout. Although cognitive interviews largely supported items, they highlighted problems with layout, response options and comprehension. Findings from the Rasch analysis identified problems with response options through reversed thresholds. The use of a mixed-methods approach in pretesting the PU-QOL instrument proved beneficial for identifying problems with scale layout, response options and framing/wording of items. Rasch measurement methods are a useful addition to standard qualitative pretesting for evaluating strengths and weaknesses of early stage PRO instruments.

Use of multicriteria analysis (MCA) for sustainable hydropower planning and management.

PubMed

Vassoney, Erica; Mammoliti Mochet, Andrea; Comoglio, Claudio

2017-07-01

Multicriteria analysis (MCA) is a decision-making tool applied to a wide range of environmental management problems, including renewable energy planning and management. An interesting field of application of MCA is the evaluation and analysis of the conflicting aspects of hydropower (HP) exploitation, affecting the three pillars of sustainability and involving several different stakeholders. The present study was aimed at reviewing the state of the art of MCA applications to sustainable hydropower production and related decision-making problems, based on a detailed analysis of the scientific papers published over the last 15 years on this topic. The papers were analysed and compared, focusing on the specific features of the MCA methods applied in the described case studies, highlighting the general aspects of the MCA application (purpose, spatial scale, software used, stakeholders, etc.) and the specific operational/technical features of the selected MCA technique (methodology, criteria, evaluation, approach, sensitivity, etc.). Some specific limitations of the analysed case studies were identified and a set of "quality indexes" of an exhaustive MCA application were suggested as potential improvements for more effectively support decision-making processes in sustainable HP planning and management problems. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Nanotechnology research: applications in nutritional sciences.

PubMed

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

2010-01-01

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

Nanotechnology Research: Applications in Nutritional Sciences12

PubMed Central

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

2010-01-01

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

Retrofitting the Low Impact Development Practices into Developed Urban areas Including Barriers and Potential Solution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shafique, Muhammad; Kim, Reeho

2017-06-01

Low impact development (LID)/green infrastructure (GI) practices have been identified as the sustainable practices of managing the stormwater in urban areas. Due to the increasing population, most of the cities are more developing which results in the change of natural area into impervious areas (roads, buildings etc.). Moreover, urbanization and climate change are causing many water-related problems and making over cities unsafe and insecure. Under these circumstances, there is a need to introduce new stormwater management practices into developed cities to reduce the adverse impacts of urbanization. For this purpose, retrofitting low impact development practices demands more attention to reduce these water-related problems and trying to make our cities sustainable. In developed areas, there is a little space is available for the retrofitting of LID practices for the stormwater management. Therefore, the selection of an appropriate place to retrofitting LID practices needs more concern. This paper describes the successfully applied retrofitting LID practices around the globe. It also includes the process of applying retrofitting LID practices at the suitable place with the suitable combination. Optimal places for the retrofitting of different LID practices are also mentioned. This paper also highlights the barriers and potential solutions of retrofitting LID practices in urban areas.

Modeling of TREX1-Dependent Autoimmune Disease using Human Stem Cells Highlights L1 Accumulation as a Source of Neuroinflammation.

PubMed

Thomas, Charles A; Tejwani, Leon; Trujillo, Cleber A; Negraes, Priscilla D; Herai, Roberto H; Mesci, Pinar; Macia, Angela; Crow, Yanick J; Muotri, Alysson R

2017-09-07

Three-prime repair exonuclease 1 (TREX1) is an anti-viral enzyme that cleaves nucleic acids in the cytosol, preventing accumulation and a subsequent type I interferon-associated inflammatory response. Autoimmune diseases, including Aicardi-Goutières syndrome (AGS) and systemic lupus erythematosus, can arise when TREX1 function is compromised. AGS is a neuroinflammatory disorder with severe and persistent intellectual and physical problems. Here we generated a human AGS model that recapitulates disease-relevant phenotypes using pluripotent stem cells lacking TREX1. We observed abundant extrachromosomal DNA in TREX1-deficient neural cells, of which endogenous Long Interspersed Element-1 retrotransposons were a major source. TREX1-deficient neurons also exhibited increased apoptosis and formed three-dimensional cortical organoids of reduced size. TREX1-deficient astrocytes further contributed to the observed neurotoxicity through increased type I interferon secretion. In this model, reverse-transcriptase inhibitors rescued the neurotoxicity of AGS neurons and organoids, highlighting their potential utility in therapeutic regimens for AGS and related disorders. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Earth Observation, Geographic Information Systems and Plasmodium falciparum Malaria in Sub-Saharan Africa

PubMed Central

Hay, S.I.; Omumbo, J.A.; Craig, M.H.; Snow, R. W.

2011-01-01

This review highlights the progress and current status of remote sensing (RS) and geographical information systems (GIS) as currently applied to the problem of Plasmodium falciparum malaria in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). The burden of P. falciparum malaria in SSA is first summarized and then contrasted with the paucity of accurate and recent information on the nature and extent of the disease. This provides perspective on both the global importance of the pathogen and the potential for contribution of RS and GIS techniques. The ecology of P. falciparum malaria and its major anopheline vectors in SSA is then outlined, to provide the epidemiological background for considering disease transmission processes and their environmental correlates. Because RS and GIS are recent techniques in epidemiology, all mosquito-borne diseases are considered in this review in order to convey the range of ideas, insights and innovation provided. To conclude, the impact of these initial studies is assessed and suggestions provided on how these advances could be best used for malaria control in an appropriate and sustainable manner, with key areas for future research highlighted. PMID:10997207

Simulating carbon capture by enhanced weathering with croplands: an overview of key processes highlighting areas of future model development

PubMed Central

Quegan, Shaun; Banwart, Steven A.

2017-01-01

Enhanced weathering (EW) aims to amplify a natural sink for CO2 by incorporating powdered silicate rock with high reactive surface area into agricultural soils. The goal is to achieve rapid dissolution of minerals and release of alkalinity with accompanying dissolution of CO2 into soils and drainage waters. EW could counteract phosphorus limitation and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in tropical soils, and soil acidification, a common agricultural problem studied with numerical process models over several decades. Here, we review the processes leading to soil acidification in croplands and how the soil weathering CO2 sink is represented in models. Mathematical models capturing the dominant processes and human interventions governing cropland soil chemistry and GHG emissions neglect weathering, while most weathering models neglect agricultural processes. We discuss current approaches to modelling EW and highlight several classes of model having the potential to simulate EW in croplands. Finally, we argue for further integration of process knowledge in mathematical models to capture feedbacks affecting both longer-term CO2 consumption and crop growth and yields. PMID:28381633

Laboratory space physics: Investigating the physics of space plasmas in the laboratory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Howes, Gregory G.

2018-05-01

Laboratory experiments provide a valuable complement to explore the fundamental physics of space plasmas without the limitations inherent to spacecraft measurements. Specifically, experiments overcome the restriction that spacecraft measurements are made at only one (or a few) points in space, enable greater control of the plasma conditions and applied perturbations, can be reproducible, and are orders of magnitude less expensive than launching spacecraft. Here, I highlight key open questions about the physics of space plasmas and identify the aspects of these problems that can potentially be tackled in laboratory experiments. Several past successes in laboratory space physics provide concrete examples of how complementary experiments can contribute to our understanding of physical processes at play in the solar corona, solar wind, planetary magnetospheres, and the outer boundary of the heliosphere. I present developments on the horizon of laboratory space physics, identifying velocity space as a key new frontier, highlighting new and enhanced experimental facilities, and showcasing anticipated developments to produce improved diagnostics and innovative analysis methods. A strategy for future laboratory space physics investigations will be outlined, with explicit connections to specific fundamental plasma phenomena of interest.

[Modern-day slavery as a public health issue].

PubMed

Leão, Luís Henrique da Costa

2016-12-01

Modern-day slave labor is one of the most pernicious and persistent social problems in Brazil. In the light of the need to implement a national occupational health policy, this paper discusses slave labor as a public health concern, highlighting possibilities for broadening strategies for vigilance and comprehensive care for this specific working population. Exploratory qualitative research was carried out based on the "social construction of reality" proposed by Lenoir, Berger and Luckmann. The investigation consisted of a theoretical review of modern-day slave labor on the national and international scene within the scope of the human, social and public health sciences and an analysis of social and political practices to tackle modern-day slave labor was conducted in the State of Rio de Janeiro. Semi-structured individual and group interviews with workers and representatives of social movements and public institutions were organized. The results reveal the theoretical and practical dimensions of slave labor and its relations with the health field and highlight the role and potential of public health in the enhancing of vigilance practices and health care of workers subjected to these chronic social conditions.

Challenging Aerospace Problems for Intelligent Systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Krishnakumar, Kalmanje; Kanashige, John; Satyadas, A.; Clancy, Daniel (Technical Monitor)

2002-01-01

In this paper we highlight four problem domains that are well suited and challenging for intelligent system technologies. The problems are defined and an outline of a probable approach is presented. No attempt is made to define the problems as test cases. In other words, no data or set of equations that a user can code and get results are provided. The main idea behind this paper is to motivate intelligent system researchers to examine problems that will elevate intelligent system technologies and applications to a higher level.

Challenging Aerospace Problems for Intelligent Systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

KrishnaKumar, K.; Kanashige, J.; Satyadas, A.

2003-01-01

In this paper we highlight four problem domains that are well suited and challenging for intelligent system technologies. The problems are defined and an outline of a probable approach is presented. No attempt is made to define the problems as test cases. In other words, no data or set of equations that a user can code and get results are provided. The main idea behind this paper is to motivate intelligent system researchers to examine problems that will elevate intelligent system technologies and applications to a higher level.

Seeing around a Ball: Complex, Technology-Based Problems in Calculus with Applications in Science and Engineering-Redux

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Winkel, Brian

2008-01-01

A complex technology-based problem in visualization and computation for students in calculus is presented. Strategies are shown for its solution and the opportunities for students to put together sequences of concepts and skills to build for success are highlighted. The problem itself involves placing an object under water in order to actually see…

Methods for finding transition states on reduced potential energy surfaces

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Burger, Steven K.; Ayers, Paul W.

2010-06-01

Three new algorithms are presented for determining transition state (TS) structures on the reduced potential energy surface, that is, for problems in which a few important degrees of freedom can be isolated. All three methods use constrained optimization to rapidly find the TS without an initial Hessian evaluation. The algorithms highlight how efficiently the TS can be located on a reduced surface, where the rest of the degrees of freedom are minimized. The first method uses a nonpositive definite quasi-Newton update for the reduced degrees of freedom. The second uses Shepard interpolation to fit the Hessian and starts from a set of points that bound the TS. The third directly uses a finite difference scheme to calculate the reduced degrees of freedom of the Hessian of the entire system, and searches for the TS on the full potential energy surface. All three methods are tested on an epoxide hydrolase cluster, and the ring formations of cyclohexane and cyclobutenone. The results indicate that all the methods are able to converge quite rapidly to the correct TS, but that the finite difference approach is the most efficient.

Methods for finding transition states on reduced potential energy surfaces.

PubMed

Burger, Steven K; Ayers, Paul W

2010-06-21

Three new algorithms are presented for determining transition state (TS) structures on the reduced potential energy surface, that is, for problems in which a few important degrees of freedom can be isolated. All three methods use constrained optimization to rapidly find the TS without an initial Hessian evaluation. The algorithms highlight how efficiently the TS can be located on a reduced surface, where the rest of the degrees of freedom are minimized. The first method uses a nonpositive definite quasi-Newton update for the reduced degrees of freedom. The second uses Shepard interpolation to fit the Hessian and starts from a set of points that bound the TS. The third directly uses a finite difference scheme to calculate the reduced degrees of freedom of the Hessian of the entire system, and searches for the TS on the full potential energy surface. All three methods are tested on an epoxide hydrolase cluster, and the ring formations of cyclohexane and cyclobutenone. The results indicate that all the methods are able to converge quite rapidly to the correct TS, but that the finite difference approach is the most efficient.

Productivity losses from road traffic deaths in Turkey.

PubMed

Naci, Huseyin; Baker, Timothy D

2008-03-01

The importance of road traffic injuries in Turkey is not generally appreciated, in part due to lack of knowledge of its economic burden and in part due to major underestimation in official statistics. The total years of potential life lost and potentially productive years of life lost from mortality were calculated in order to estimate the cost of productivity losses from road traffic deaths in Turkey. More years of potentially productive life are lost due to road traffic deaths than to respiratory tract illnesses or diabetes mellitus, two other serious health problems in Turkey. Road traffic deaths cost Turkey an estimated USD 2.6 billion every year in productivity losses alone, more than the World Bank estimate of the indirect costs from the 1999 Marmara earthquake (USD 1.2-2 billion), Turkey's worst earthquake since 1939 (World Bank Turkey Country Office, 1999). This study highlights the importance of accurate information in ameliorating the burden of road traffic safety in Turkey. Turkey has great opportunities to implement cost-effective interventions to reduce the economic burden of fatal and non-fatal road traffic injuries.

Musical Instrument-Associated Health Issues and Their Management.

PubMed

Okoshi, Kae; Minami, Taro; Kikuchi, Masahiro; Tomizawa, Yasuko

2017-09-01

Playing musical instruments can bring joy to people, but can also cause a wide variety of health issues that range from mild disorders to potentially fatal conditions. Although sports medicine is an established medical subspecialty, relatively few studies have investigated the health issues associated with musical instruments. Here we present an overview of these health issues. These include infections due to microorganisms, allergic reactions, as well as mechanical injuries from sustained high pressures within the oral, mediastinal, thoracic, and abdominal cavities. For example, wind instruments can potentially harbor thousands of pathogenic organisms. If several players share the same instrument, these instruments present potential hazards in the spread of infections. A fatal case of hypersensitivity pneumonitis in a bagpiper is particularly noteworthy. Similarly, a case of gastrointestinal anthrax in an animal-hide drummer is a reminder of this rare but highly fatal disease. Although not fatal, hearing-related disorders, neuromuscular issues, musculoskeletal problems, and contact dermatitis are also very common among instrumentalists. This review aims to illuminate these under-recognized health issues by highlighting both the common conditions and the rare but fatal cases.

Some imminent but overlooked preanalytical and analytical challenges currently facing biomarkers and companion diagnostics.

PubMed

Halim, Abdel-Baset

2015-06-01

An incredibly high failure rate in the pharmaceutical industry has positioned personalized medicine with its prerequisite drug-diagnostic codevelopment, commonly known as companion diagnostics (CDx), in the frontline as an potential rescuer. This hopefulness is potentiated by the recent major advances and competitiveness in molecular diagnostics, making laboratory tests widely accessible at affordable prices. If executed correctly, biomarkers and CDx can potentially help the drug industry by enhancing the probability of success and possibly accelerating time to market; help the diagnostics industry develop tests utilizing precious, clinically annotated human samples; and, more importantly, benefit patients by supporting accurate diagnosis and selection of the most efficacious and least toxic therapies. However, this spectacular road is not yet paved, and it faces an enormous number of challenges. This paper will list these challenges and highlight some critical problems with representative examples of imminent but still overlooked preanalytical and analytical variables that can defeat the whole purpose of biomarkers and CDx and mislead drug developers and clinicians. The paper will provide some suggestions for mitigation. © 2015 New York Academy of Sciences.

Fluid Mechanics.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Drazin, Philip

1987-01-01

Outlines the contents of Volume II of "Principia" by Sir Isaac Newton. Reviews the contributions of subsequent scientists to the physics of fluid dynamics. Discusses the treatment of fluid mechanics in physics curricula. Highlights a few of the problems of modern research in fluid dynamics. Shows that problems still remain. (CW)

Inclusion of peers in a school-based obesity intervention

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The increasing prevalence of childhood obesity and the comorbid health problems highlight a pressing need to identify effective treatments that address this public health problem during the childhood years. The current study evaluated a school-based pediatric obesity program for middle-school childr...

Acing the Exam.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Margolis, Rick

2002-01-01

Discusses improving student test scores based on an interview with Bob Berkowitz, co-developer of the Big6 approach to problem solving. Highlights include experiences at Wayne Central High School (Ontario Center, NY); cooperation between library media specialists and classroom teachers; viewing instruction as a series of information problems; and…

School based obesity intervention: Inclusion of peers

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The increasing prevalence of childhood obesity and the comorbid physical and psychological health problems highlight a pressing need to identify effective treatments that address this public health problem during the childhood years. The purpose of the current study was to evaluate a school-based pe...

Problem Patrons: Reviewing Your Options.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shuman, Bruce A.

2002-01-01

Considers possible options for public librarians dealing with problem patrons. Highlights include considering the safety of the patrons and staff; general considerations of library security, including security guards, legal responsibility for patrons and staff safety; and working through possible options ahead of time to be more prepared. (LRW)

Relief for Academic Lab Equipment Problems.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chemical and Engineering News, 1985

1985-01-01

Highlights findings, conclusions, and recommendations from a 3-year study of academic laboratory equipment conducted by three university associations. Although ultimately the problem's solution will require increases in funding, several actions (which are described) could be taken to improve the efficiency of acquisition, management, and use of…

Common Problems of Documentary Information Transfer, Storage and Retrieval in Industrial Organizations.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vickers, P. H.

1983-01-01

Examination of management information systems of three manufacturing firms highlights principal characteristics, document types and functions, main information flows, storage and retrieval systems, and common problems (corporate memory failure, records management, management information systems, general management). A literature review and…

Are Microsoft's Animated Interface Agents Helpful?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Head, Allison J.

1998-01-01

Discusses interface agents and online help systems, focusing on Microsoft's animated office assistants. Highlights include intermediaries such as librarians in off-line reference problems; user complaints about online help systems; navigation problems; evaluation of the online office assistants; and categories of user queries to online help…

Parent Training for Children With or at Risk for Developmental Delay: The Role of Parental Homework Completion

PubMed Central

Ros, Rosmary; Hernandez, Jennifer; Graziano, Paulo A.; Bagner, Daniel M.

2015-01-01

This study investigated the extent to which parental homework completion during behavioral parent training (BPT) for children with or at risk for developmental delay contributed to parenting and child outcomes. Parents of 48 children (Mage = 44.17 months, SD = 14.29; 73% male; 72% White) with developmental delay (IQ < 75) or at risk for developmental delay (due to premature birth) with co-occurring clinically elevated externalizing behavior problems received Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT) as part of two previously completed randomized controlled trials. Parental homework completion was measured using parental report of home practice of treatment skills collected weekly by therapists. Parents also reported on child externalizing behavior problems and levels of parenting stress, while parenting skills were observed during a 5-min child directed play and child compliance was observed during a 5-min cleanup situation. Results indicated that higher rates of parental homework completion predicted parenting outcomes (i.e., increased positive parenting skills and decreased levels of parenting stress) and child outcomes (i.e., lower levels of externalizing behavior problems). Additionally, although limited by temporal precedence, there was an indirect effect of reductions in parenting stress on the negative association between parental homework completion and child externalizing behavior problems. These findings highlight the importance of parents practicing skills learned during BPT for optimizing treatment outcome. Parenting stress was also identified as a potential mechanism by which high levels of parental homework completion contributed to reductions in child externalizing behavior problems. PMID:26763493

Sensory-motor problems in Autism

PubMed Central

Whyatt, Caroline; Craig, Cathy

2013-01-01

Despite being largely characterized as a social and cognitive disorder, strong evidence indicates the presence of significant sensory-motor problems in Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). This paper outlines our progression from initial, broad assessment using the Movement Assessment Battery for Children (M-ABC2) to subsequent targeted kinematic assessment. In particular, pronounced ASD impairment seen in the broad categories of manual dexterity and ball skills was found to be routed in specific difficulties on isolated tasks, which were translated into focused experimental assessment. Kinematic results from both subsequent studies highlight impaired use of perception-action coupling to guide, adapt and tailor movement to task demands, resulting in inflexible and rigid motor profiles. In particular difficulties with the use of temporal adaption are shown, with “hyperdexterity” witnessed in ballistic movement profiles, often at the cost of spatial accuracy and task performance. By linearly progressing from the use of a standardized assessment tool to targeted kinematic assessment, clear and defined links are drawn between measureable difficulties and underlying sensory-motor assessment. Results are specifically viewed in-light of perception-action coupling and its role in early infant development suggesting that rather than being “secondary” level impairment, sensory-motor problems may be fundamental in the progression of ASD. This logical and systematic process thus allows a further understanding into the potential root of observable motor problems in ASD; a vital step if underlying motor problems are to be considered a fundamental aspect of autism and allow a route of non-invasive preliminary diagnosis. PMID:23882194

Managing Small Spacecraft Projects: Less is Not Easier

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Barley, Bryan; Newhouse, Marilyn

2012-01-01

Managing small, low cost missions (class C or D) is not necessarily easier than managing a full flagship mission. Yet, small missions are typically considered easier to manage and used as a training ground for developing the next generation of project managers. While limited resources can be a problem for small missions, in reality most of the issues inherent in managing small projects are not the direct result of limited resources. Instead, problems encountered by managers of small spacecraft missions often derive from 1) the perception that managing small projects is easier if something is easier it needs less rigor and formality in execution, 2) the perception that limited resources necessitate or validate omitting standard management practices, 3) less stringent or unclear guidelines or policies for small projects, and 4) stakeholder expectations that are not consistent with the size and nature of the project. For example, the size of a project is sometimes used to justify not building a full, detailed integrated master schedule. However, while a small schedule slip may not be a problem for a large mission, it can indicate a serious problem for a small mission with a short development phase, highlighting the importance of the schedule for early identification of potential issues. Likewise, stakeholders may accept a higher risk posture early in the definition of a low-cost mission, but as launch approaches this acceptance may change. This presentation discusses these common misconceptions about managing small, low cost missions, the problems that can result, and possible solutions.

Quantum motion of a point particle in the presence of the Aharonov–Bohm potential in curved space

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

Silva, Edilberto O., E-mail: edilbertoo@gmail.com; Ulhoa, Sérgio C., E-mail: sc.ulhoa@gmail.com; Andrade, Fabiano M., E-mail: f.andrade@ucl.ac.uk

The nonrelativistic quantum dynamics of a spinless charged particle in the presence of the Aharonov–Bohm potential in curved space is considered. We chose the surface as being a cone defined by a line element in polar coordinates. The geometry of this line element establishes that the motion of the particle can occur on the surface of a cone or an anti-cone. As a consequence of the nontrivial topology of the cone and also because of two-dimensional confinement, the geometric potential should be taken into account. At first, we establish the conditions for the particle describing a circular path in suchmore » a context. Because of the presence of the geometric potential, which contains a singular term, we use the self-adjoint extension method in order to describe the dynamics in all space including the singularity. Expressions are obtained for the bound state energies and wave functions. -- Highlights: •Motion of particle under the influence of magnetic field in curved space. •Bound state for Aharonov–Bohm problem. •Particle describing a circular path. •Determination of the self-adjoint extension parameter.« less

Cavity Born-Oppenheimer Approximation for Correlated Electron-Nuclear-Photon Systems.

PubMed

Flick, Johannes; Appel, Heiko; Ruggenthaler, Michael; Rubio, Angel

2017-04-11

In this work, we illustrate the recently introduced concept of the cavity Born-Oppenheimer approximation [ Flick et al. PNAS 2017 , 10.1073/pnas.1615509114 ] for correlated electron-nuclear-photon problems in detail. We demonstrate how an expansion in terms of conditional electronic and photon-nuclear wave functions accurately describes eigenstates of strongly correlated light-matter systems. For a GaAs quantum ring model in resonance with a photon mode we highlight how the ground-state electronic potential-energy surface changes the usual harmonic potential of the free photon mode to a dressed mode with a double-well structure. This change is accompanied by a splitting of the electronic ground-state density. For a model where the photon mode is in resonance with a vibrational transition, we observe in the excited-state electronic potential-energy surface a splitting from a single minimum to a double minimum. Furthermore, for a time-dependent setup, we show how the dynamics in correlated light-matter systems can be understood in terms of population transfer between potential energy surfaces. This work at the interface of quantum chemistry and quantum optics paves the way for the full ab initio description of matter-photon systems.

Children's understanding of the addition/subtraction complement principle.

PubMed

Torbeyns, Joke; Peters, Greet; De Smedt, Bert; Ghesquière, Pol; Verschaffel, Lieven

2016-09-01

In the last decades, children's understanding of mathematical principles has become an important research topic. Different from the commutativity and inversion principles, only few studies have focused on children's understanding of the addition/subtraction complement principle (if a - b = c, then c + b = a), mainly relying on verbal techniques. This contribution aimed at deepening our understanding of children's knowledge of the addition/subtraction complement principle, combining verbal and non-verbal techniques. Participants were 67 third and fourth graders (9- to 10-year-olds). Children solved two tasks in which verbal reports as well as accuracy and speed data were collected. These two tasks differed only in the order of the problems and the instructions. In the looking-back task, children were told that sometimes the preceding problem might help to answer the next problem. In the baseline task, no helpful preceding items were offered. The looking-back task included 10 trigger-target problem pairs on the complement relation. Children verbally reported looking back on about 40% of all target problems in the looking-back task; the target problems were also solved faster and more accurately than in the baseline task. These results suggest that children used their understanding of the complement principle. The verbal and non-verbal data were highly correlated. This study complements previous work on children's understanding of mathematical principles by highlighting interindividual differences in 9- to 10-year-olds' understanding of the complement principle and indicating the potential of combining verbal and non-verbal techniques to investigate (the acquisition of) this understanding. © 2016 The British Psychological Society.

Successful hazard analysis critical control point implementation in the United Kingdom: understanding the barriers through the use of a behavioral adherence model.

PubMed

Gilling, S J; Taylor, E A; Kane, K; Taylor, J Z

2001-05-01

Hazard analysis critical control point (HACCP), a system of risk management designed to control food safety, has emerged over the last decade as the primary approach to securing the safety of the food supply. It is thus an important tool in combatting the worldwide escalation of foodborne disease. Yet despite wide dissemination and scientific support of its principles, successful HACCP implementation has been limited. This report takes a psychological approach to this problem by examining processes and factors that could impede adherence to the internationally accepted HACCP Guidelines and subsequent successful implementation of HACCP. Utilizing knowledge of medical clinical guideline adherence models and practical experience of HACCP implementation problems, the potential advantages of applying a behavioral model to food safety management are highlighted. The models' applicability was investigated using telephone interviews from over 200 businesses in the United Kingdom. Eleven key barriers to HACCP guideline adherence were identified. In-depth narrative interviews with food business proprietors then confirmed these findings and demonstrated the subsequent negative effect(s) on HACCP implementation. A resultant HACCP awareness to adherence model is proposed that demonstrates the complex range of potential knowledge, attitude, and behavior-related barriers involved in failures of HACCP guideline adherence. The model's specificity and detail provide a tool whereby problems can be identified and located and in this way facilitate tailored and constructive intervention. It is suggested that further investigation into the barriers involved and how to overcome them would be of substantial benefit to successful HACCP implementation and thereby contribute to an overall improvement in public health.

Suicide behavior and associated psychosocial factors among adolescents in Campeche, Mexico.

PubMed

González-Forteza, Catalina; Juárez-López, Carlos E; Jiménez, Alberto; Montejo-León, Liliana; Rodríguez-Santisbón, Ulises R; Wagner, Fernando A

2017-12-01

Suicide is an important public health problem that requires a preventive approach. The present study aimed at assessing suicidal behaviors and their relations with other psychosocial factors in Campeche, Mexico, in order to inform the design of potential preventive interventions. A multistage probability sample of 2386 students representative of all middle schools of the state of Campeche, Mexico, took a standardized, paper-and-pencil survey covering selected psychosocial constructs including suicide behavior, depression, drug use, familial relationships, locus of control, impulsivity, and self-esteem, among others. Latent classes were identified and multinomial logistic regression was used to analyze associations between class membership and psychosocial covariates. An estimated 8% of the middle school population in Campeche had three or more psychosocial problems in the past month including drug use, major depression episode symptoms, as well as suicidal problems like attempts and self-inflicted injuries. Four latent classes were identified, one with lowest risk and three with varying characteristics in terms of binge alcohol and other drug use, depression, and suicide behaviors. Associations between psychosocial covariates and latent class were observed, as predicted based on a multi-dimensional theoretical framework. Heterogeneity across "High-Risk" groups and their potential determinants highlight the need for differentiated, specialized efforts ranging from universal to indicated interventions. Given the high level of risk factors in this population, universal preventive interventions should aim at building resiliency among youth by helping them develop an array of coping resources, as well as by creating a more nurturing psychosocial environment. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Common skin problems in children.

PubMed

Sethuraman, Gomathy; Bhari, Neetu

2014-04-01

Childhood dermatological problems contribute about one-third of all consultations in the setting of both pediatrics and dermatology outpatient services. Skin disorders in children may cause anxiety to parents. General Practitioners should be familiar with the common prevalent skin problems as immediate pediatric dermatology consultation may not be possible. Infections, infestations and dermatitis are the most prevalent diseases among Indian children. The scope of this review is to briefly highlight these common and other important dermatological problems in children.

[Current status and future perspectives of hepatocyte transplantation].

PubMed

Pareja, Eugenia; Cortés, Miriam; Gómez-Lechón, M José; Maupoey, Javier; San Juan, Fernando; López, Rafael; Mir, Jose

2014-02-01

The imbalance between the number of potential beneficiaries and available organs, originates the search for new therapeutic alternatives, such as Hepatocyte transplantation (HT).Even though this is a treatment option for these patients, the lack of unanimity of criteria regarding indications and technique, different cryopreservation protocols, as well as the different methodology to assess the response to this therapy, highlights the need of a Consensus Conference to standardize criteria and consider future strategies to improve the technique and optimize the results.Our aim is to review and update the current state of hepatocyte transplantation, emphasizing the future research attempting to solve the problems and improve the results of this treatment. Copyright © 2013 AEC. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.

Group cognitive behaviour therapy for adults with Asperger syndrome and anxiety or mood disorder: a case series.

PubMed

Weiss, Jonathan A; Lunsky, Yona

2010-01-01

Individuals with Asperger syndrome are at increased risk for mental health problems compared with the general population, especially with regard to mood and anxiety disorders. Generic mental health services are often ill-equipped to offer psychotherapeutic treatments to this population, and specialized supports are difficult to find. This case series used a manualized cognitive behaviour therapy group programme (Mind Over Mood) with three adults diagnosed with Asperger syndrome, who were each unable to access psychotherapy through mainstream mental health services. This review highlights the benefits of a cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) group approach for adults with Asperger syndrome and suggests some potential modifications to traditional CBT provision.  © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Tick, Tock, Tick, Tock...

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Evans, N. W.; Molloy, M.

2014-07-01

The Gaia dataset will require a huge leap forward in terms of modelling of the Milky Way. Two problems are highlighted here. First, models of the Galactic Bar remain primitive as compared to the Galactic Disk and Stellar Halo. Although Schwarzschild and N-body methods are useful, the future belongs to Made-to-Measure (M2M) models which have significant advantages in terms of storage and flexibility. Second, the Milky Way potential will need much better representation than hitherto. Most models still use very simple building blocks (Miyamoto-Nagai disks or Hernquist bulges) and these will not be fit for purpose in the Gaia Era. Expansions in terms of basis functions offer the possibility of incorporating cosmological information as priors, as well as mych greater adaptability.

Is It Time for Synthetic Biodiversity Conservation?

PubMed

Piaggio, Antoinette J; Segelbacher, Gernot; Seddon, Philip J; Alphey, Luke; Bennett, Elizabeth L; Carlson, Robert H; Friedman, Robert M; Kanavy, Dona; Phelan, Ryan; Redford, Kent H; Rosales, Marina; Slobodian, Lydia; Wheeler, Keith

2017-02-01

Evidence indicates that, despite some critical successes, current conservation approaches are not slowing the overall rate of biodiversity loss. The field of synthetic biology, which is capable of altering natural genomes with extremely precise editing, might offer the potential to resolve some intractable conservation problems (e.g., invasive species or pathogens). However, it is our opinion that there has been insufficient engagement by the conservation community with practitioners of synthetic biology. We contend that rapid, large-scale engagement of these two communities is urgently needed to avoid unintended and deleterious ecological consequences. To this point we describe case studies where synthetic biology is currently being applied to conservation, and we highlight the benefits to conservation biologists from engaging with this emerging technology. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

CD-ROM: towards a strategy for teaching and learning.

PubMed

Aarvold, J; Walton, G

1992-12-01

Compact Disc Read Only Memory (CD-ROM) represents an exciting innovation in nurse education yet paradoxically has a potential to induce disillusionment and frustration. Purchasers of systems may well find that their investment does not bring the benefits they had been lead to expect. CD-ROM systems have the capacity to generate huge quantities of data on an equally large number of nursing topics. Arguably this very capability ensures certain 'built-in' problems. The purpose of this articles is to provide nurse teachers with information about CD-ROM, to highlight the resource implications of CD-ROM use and to consider the relative merits of various teaching and learning methods. To be worthwhile, strategies developed must be part of an information retrieval skills programme.

Microbial threat lists: obstacles in the quest for biosecurity?

PubMed

Casadevall, Arturo; Relman, David A

2010-02-01

Anxiety about threats from the microbial world and about the deliberate misuse of microorganisms has led to efforts to define and control these dangers using lists and regulations. One list with tremendous legal implications and a potentially huge impact on research is the Select Agents and Toxins List, which was created by the US Government to limit the possession of and access to particular microorganisms and toxins. In this article, in addition to highlighting general problems with taxonomy-based, microorganism-centric lists, we discuss our view that such lists may have the paradoxical effect of increasing the societal vulnerability to biological attack and natural epidemics by interfering with the sharing of microbial samples and hindering research on vaccines and therapeutics.

A tool for simulating collision probabilities of animals with marine renewable energy devices.

PubMed

Schmitt, Pál; Culloch, Ross; Lieber, Lilian; Molander, Sverker; Hammar, Linus; Kregting, Louise

2017-01-01

The mathematical problem of establishing a collision probability distribution is often not trivial. The shape and motion of the animal as well as of the the device must be evaluated in a four-dimensional space (3D motion over time). Earlier work on wind and tidal turbines was limited to a simplified two-dimensional representation, which cannot be applied to many new structures. We present a numerical algorithm to obtain such probability distributions using transient, three-dimensional numerical simulations. The method is demonstrated using a sub-surface tidal kite as an example. Necessary pre- and post-processing of the data created by the model is explained, numerical details and potential issues and limitations in the application of resulting probability distributions are highlighted.

Envisioning migration: Mathematics in both experimental analysis and modeling of cell behavior

PubMed Central

Zhang, Elizabeth R.; Wu, Lani F.; Altschuler, Steven J.

2013-01-01

The complex nature of cell migration highlights the power and challenges of applying mathematics to biological studies. Mathematics may be used to create model equations that recapitulate migration, which can predict phenomena not easily uncovered by experiments or intuition alone. Alternatively, mathematics may be applied to interpreting complex data sets with better resolution—potentially empowering scientists to discern subtle patterns amid the noise and heterogeneity typical of migrating cells. Iteration between these two methods is necessary in order to reveal connections within the cell migration signaling network, as well as to understand the behavior that arises from those connections. Here, we review recent quantitative analysis and mathematical modeling approaches to the cell migration problem. PMID:23660413

Principal components analysis in clinical studies.

PubMed

Zhang, Zhongheng; Castelló, Adela

2017-09-01

In multivariate analysis, independent variables are usually correlated to each other which can introduce multicollinearity in the regression models. One approach to solve this problem is to apply principal components analysis (PCA) over these variables. This method uses orthogonal transformation to represent sets of potentially correlated variables with principal components (PC) that are linearly uncorrelated. PCs are ordered so that the first PC has the largest possible variance and only some components are selected to represent the correlated variables. As a result, the dimension of the variable space is reduced. This tutorial illustrates how to perform PCA in R environment, the example is a simulated dataset in which two PCs are responsible for the majority of the variance in the data. Furthermore, the visualization of PCA is highlighted.

Games as Tools to Address Conservation Conflicts.

PubMed

Redpath, Steve M; Keane, Aidan; Andrén, Henrik; Baynham-Herd, Zachary; Bunnefeld, Nils; Duthie, A Bradley; Frank, Jens; Garcia, Claude A; Månsson, Johan; Nilsson, Lovisa; Pollard, Chris R J; Rakotonarivo, O Sarobidy; Salk, Carl F; Travers, Henry

2018-06-01

Conservation conflicts represent complex multilayered problems that are challenging to study. We explore the utility of theoretical, experimental, and constructivist approaches to games to help to understand and manage these challenges. We show how these approaches can help to develop theory, understand patterns in conflict, and highlight potentially effective management solutions. The choice of approach should be guided by the research question and by whether the focus is on testing hypotheses, predicting behaviour, or engaging stakeholders. Games provide an exciting opportunity to help to unravel the complexity in conflicts, while researchers need an awareness of the limitations and ethical constraints involved. Given the opportunities, this field will benefit from greater investment and development. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Development of paper-based electrochemical sensors for water quality monitoring

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Smith, Suzanne; Bezuidenhout, Petroné; Mbanjwa, Mesuli; Zheng, Haitao; Conning, Mariette; Palaniyandy, Nithyadharseni; Ozoemena, Kenneth; Land, Kevin

2016-02-01

We present a method for the development of paper-based electrochemical sensors for detection of heavy metals in water samples. Contaminated water leads to serious health problems and environmental issues. Paper is ideally suited for point-of-care testing, as it is low cost, disposable, and multi-functional. Initial sensor designs were manufactured on paper substrates using combinations of inkjet printing and screen printing technologies using silver and carbon inks. Bismuth onion-like carbon nanoparticle ink was manufactured and used as the active material of the sensor for both commercial and paper-based sensors, which were compared using standard electrochemical analysis techniques. The results highlight the potential of paper-based sensors to be used effectively for rapid water quality monitoring at the point-of-need.

Envisioning migration: mathematics in both experimental analysis and modeling of cell behavior.

PubMed

Zhang, Elizabeth R; Wu, Lani F; Altschuler, Steven J

2013-10-01

The complex nature of cell migration highlights the power and challenges of applying mathematics to biological studies. Mathematics may be used to create model equations that recapitulate migration, which can predict phenomena not easily uncovered by experiments or intuition alone. Alternatively, mathematics may be applied to interpreting complex data sets with better resolution--potentially empowering scientists to discern subtle patterns amid the noise and heterogeneity typical of migrating cells. Iteration between these two methods is necessary in order to reveal connections within the cell migration signaling network, as well as to understand the behavior that arises from those connections. Here, we review recent quantitative analysis and mathematical modeling approaches to the cell migration problem. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Single-parent family structure and sleep problems in black and white adolescents.

PubMed

Troxel, Wendy M; Lee, Laisze; Hall, Martica; Matthews, Karen A

2014-02-01

Sleep is critical for adolescent health and is influenced by the family environment. In our study, we examined if family structure defined as single- vs. two-parent households affected adolescent sleep. Participants were 242 (57% black; 47% boys) healthy adolescents (mean age, 15.7 years). Sleep was measured using self-report and wrist actigraphy over seven consecutive nights. Outcomes were actigraphy-assessed sleep duration and sleep efficiency (SE) for the full week and weekends and weekdays separately, as well as self-reported sleep-wake problems and variability in bedtimes. Linear regression examined the relationship between family structure and sleep, after adjusting for age, sex, race, body mass index, and depressive symptoms, parental education, family conflict, and financial strain. Race and sex were examined as potential moderators. After adjusting for covariates, adolescents from single-parent households had poorer SE across the week and shorter sleep duration on weekends. White adolescents from two-parent households had fewer sleep-wake problems and lower bedtime variability, whereas black adolescents from single-parent households had the lowest weekend SE. There were no significant differences in family structure-sex interactions. Our findings are the first to demonstrate that single-parent family structure is an independent correlate of sleep problems in adolescents and they highlight the moderating role of race. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Childhood constipation as an emerging public health problem

PubMed Central

Rajindrajith, Shaman; Devanarayana, Niranga Manjuri; Crispus Perera, Bonaventure Jayasiri; Benninga, Marc Alexander

2016-01-01

Functional constipation (FC) is a significant health problem in children and contrary to common belief, has serious ramifications on the lives of children and their families. It is defined by the Rome criteria which encourage the use of multiple clinical features for diagnosis. FC in children has a high prevalence (0.7%-29%) worldwide, both in developed and developing countries. Biopsychosocial risk factors such as psychological stress, poor dietary habits, obesity and child maltreatment are commonly identified predisposing factors for FC. FC poses a significant healthcare burden on the already overstretched health budgets of many countries in terms of out-patient care, in-patient care, expenditure for investigations and prescriptions. Complications are common and range from minor psychological disturbances, to lower health-related quality of life. FC in children also has a significant impact on families. Many paediatric clinical trials have poor methodological quality, and drugs proved to be useful in adults, are not effective in relieving symptoms in children. A significant proportion of inadequately treated children have similar symptoms as adults. These factors show that constipation is an increasing public health problem across the world with a significant medical, social and economic impact. This article highlights the potential public health impact of FC and the possibility of overcoming this problem by concentrating on modifiable risk factors rather than expending resources on high cost investigations and therapeutic modalities. PMID:27570423

Childhood constipation as an emerging public health problem.

PubMed

Rajindrajith, Shaman; Devanarayana, Niranga Manjuri; Crispus Perera, Bonaventure Jayasiri; Benninga, Marc Alexander

2016-08-14

Functional constipation (FC) is a significant health problem in children and contrary to common belief, has serious ramifications on the lives of children and their families. It is defined by the Rome criteria which encourage the use of multiple clinical features for diagnosis. FC in children has a high prevalence (0.7%-29%) worldwide, both in developed and developing countries. Biopsychosocial risk factors such as psychological stress, poor dietary habits, obesity and child maltreatment are commonly identified predisposing factors for FC. FC poses a significant healthcare burden on the already overstretched health budgets of many countries in terms of out-patient care, in-patient care, expenditure for investigations and prescriptions. Complications are common and range from minor psychological disturbances, to lower health-related quality of life. FC in children also has a significant impact on families. Many paediatric clinical trials have poor methodological quality, and drugs proved to be useful in adults, are not effective in relieving symptoms in children. A significant proportion of inadequately treated children have similar symptoms as adults. These factors show that constipation is an increasing public health problem across the world with a significant medical, social and economic impact. This article highlights the potential public health impact of FC and the possibility of overcoming this problem by concentrating on modifiable risk factors rather than expending resources on high cost investigations and therapeutic modalities.

Attentional Cuing in Math Word Problems for Girls At-Risk for ADHD and Their Peers in General Education Settings

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kercood, Suneeta; Zentall, Sydney S.; Vinh, Megan; Tom-Wright, Kinsey

2012-01-01

The purpose of this theoretically-based study was to examine the effects of yellow-highlighting "relevant" words and units within math word problems. Initial differences were documented between 10 girls at-risk for ADHD and 10 comparisons on the performance of group and individual assessments of math computations and word problems, as had…

Sexual Problems of Counselees.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Heritage, Jeannette G.; West, W. Beryl

Approximately 50% of American marriages have some sexual dysfunction. Because sexuality is an important part of a person's life, counselors should be sensitive to sexual concerns of their clients. Taking an adequate sex history and highlighting problem areas may increase counseling efficiency. When counselors teach courses on human sexuality, they…

Theoretical Analysis of Canadian Lifelong Education Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mukan, Natalia; Barabash, Olena; Busko, Maria

2014-01-01

In the article, the problem of Canadian lifelong education development has been studied. The main objectives of the article are defined as theoretical analysis of scientific and pedagogical literature which highlights different aspects of the research problem; periods of lifelong education development; and determination of lifelong learning role…

Wildland Fire Prevention: Today, Intuition--Tomorrow, Management

Treesearch

Albert J. Simard; Linda R. Donoghue

1987-01-01

Describes, from a historical perspective, methods used to characterize fire prevention problems and evaluate prevention programs and discusses past research efforts to bolster these analytical and management efforts. Highlights research on the sociological perspectives of the wildfire problem and on quantitative fire occurrence prediction and program evaluation systems...

Math in a Can

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cupillari, Antonella

2015-01-01

Practical problems that use mathematical concepts are among the highlights of any mathematics class, for better and for worse. Teachers are thrilled to show applications of new theoretical ideas, whereas most students dread "word problems." This article presents a sequence of three activities designed to get students to think about…

The Characteristics, Benefits, and Problems Associated with Implementing DBAE.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Day, Michael D.

1989-01-01

To investigate the characteristics, benefits, and problems associated with implementing Discipline-Based Art Education, the author accompanies two hypothetical secondary school principals on a visit to a high school involved in DBAE. The tour highlights state graduation requirements, instructional materials, and student evaluation methods related…

EPA RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS -- MODELS-3/CMAQ OFFERS COMPREHENSIVE APPROACH TO AIR QUALITY MODELING

EPA Science Inventory

Regional and global coordinated efforts are needed to address air quality problems that are growing in complexity and scope. Models-3 CMAQ contains a community multi-scale air quality modeling system for simulating urban to regional scale pollution problems relating to troposphe...

How chemical pollution becomes a social problem. Risk communication and assessment through regional newspapers during the management of PCB pollutions of the Rhône River (France).

PubMed

Comby, Emeline; Le Lay, Yves-François; Piégay, Hervé

2014-06-01

The case study of the polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) pollutions of the Rhône River (France) offers the possibility of studying criteria for the construction of social problems that result from chemical pollution (2005-2010). We investigated the dynamics of competition that create and define pollution as a social problem and entail its decline. News outlets are crucial for determining how an environmental issue emerges locally or nationally; this study used newspapers to highlight the potential of new outlets as a data source to analyze discourse variability, science-policy-media connections and the hydrosphere. Media coverage was based on a content analysis and textual data analysis of 75 articles. Analytical frameworks such as the Downs Model and the Public Arena Model (Hilgartner and Bosk, 1988) that consider time and stakeholders were tested to determine how human alteration of the hydrosphere can become a social problem and to analyze different communication strategies held by stakeholders. In terms of management, we described the temporal dynamics of the social problem based on the case study and considered an explanation of the selections. We considered the organization of particular stakeholders who define the social problem from its beginning to end by focusing on their discourses, relationships, decision-making and political choices, and scientific studies. Despite some biases, newspapers are useful for retrospectively evaluating the emergence of a social problem in the public arena by describing it through discourse and then understanding the temporal patterns of information. Despite uncertainties and information flow, decisions are made and science is translated to the public. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Burnout, anxiety, depression, and social skills in medical residents.

PubMed

Pereira-Lima, K; Loureiro, S R

2015-01-01

The medical residency is recognized as a risk period for the development of burnout and mental health problems, such as anxiety and depression, which have impact on the physician and clientele alike. There is a need for studies that address conditions of risk and protection for the development of such problems. This study aimed to verify the rates of burnout, anxiety, and depression presented by resident physicians, as well as the associations of these problems with social skills, as potential protective factors. The hypothesis was defined that the problems (burnout, anxiety, and depression) would be negatively associated with social skills. A total of 305 medical residents, of both genders, of different specialties, from clinical and surgical areas of a Brazilian university hospital were evaluated using the following standardized self-report instruments: Burnout Syndrome Inventory, Social Skills Inventory, and the Patient Health Questionnaire-4. High rates of burnout and mental health problems were verified and social skills were negatively associated with burnout dimensions such as emotional exhaustion, emotional detachment, and dehumanization, but positively associated with personal accomplishment. Furthermore, residents with indicators of problems presented significantly lower social skills means than those of residents without indicators of burnout, anxiety, or depression. More studies are needed, which include other types of instruments in addition to self-report ones and evaluate not only social skills but also social competence in the professional practice. These should adopt intervention and longitudinal designs that allow the continuity or overcoming of the problems to be verified. Since social skills can be learned, the results of the study highlight the importance of developing the interpersonal skills of the professionals during the training of resident physicians in order to improve their practice.

Future Directions for Teacher Education in Wisconsin Public Higher Education. Centennial Conference Proceedings.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Purcell, Edna Jean, Ed.

This is a report of the centennial conference of the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh. Included are details of centennial activities, topics of discussions, the highlights of a speech by Karl Massanari on performance-based teacher education, and highlights of discussions, even down to transcripts of group discussions. Topics and problems covered in…

Organisational Problem Based Learning and Social Communities for SMEs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

O'Brien, Emma; Hamburg, Ileana

2013-01-01

This paper highlights reasons for SMEs low uptake of training and argues that current offerings are not suitable for their needs. It highlights the need to leverage the benefits of work based learning through the use of technology. Social media and web 2.0 has significantly changed the way people learn and access knowledge. The body of knowledge…

The making of a public health problem: multi-drug resistant tuberculosis in India.

PubMed

Engel, Nora C

2013-07-01

This paper examines how actors construct the public problem of multi-drug resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) in India. MDR-TB has been framed by the World Health Organization as a pressing, global public health problem. The responses to MDR-TB are complicated as treatment takes longer and is more expensive than routine TB treatment. This is particularly problematic in countries, such as India, with high patient loads, a large and unregulated private sector, weak health systems and potentially high numbers of MDR-TB cases. This paper analyses how actors struggle for control over ownership, causal theories and political responsibility of the public problem of MDR-TB in India. It combines Gusfield's theory on the construction of public problems with insights from literature on the social construction of diseases and on medical social control. It highlights that there are flexible definitions of public problems, which are negotiated among actor groups and which shift over time. The Indian government has shifted its policy in recent years and acknowledged that MDR-TB needs to be dealt with within the TB programme. The study results reveal how the policy shift happened, why debates on the construction of MDR-TB as a public problem in India continue, and why actors with alternative theories than the government do not succeed in their lobbying efforts. Two main arguments are put forward. First, the construction of the public problem of MDR-TB in India is a social and political process. The need for representative data, international influence and politics define what is controllable. Second, the government seems to be anxious to control the definition of India's MDR-TB problem. This impedes an open, critical and transparent discussion on the definition of the public problem of MDR-TB, which is important in responding flexibly to emerging public health challenges.

Cross-syndrome comparison of real-world executive functioning and problem solving using a new problem-solving questionnaire.

PubMed

Camp, Joanne S; Karmiloff-Smith, Annette; Thomas, Michael S C; Farran, Emily K

2016-12-01

Individuals with neurodevelopmental disorders like Williams syndrome and Down syndrome exhibit executive function impairments on experimental tasks (Lanfranchi, Jerman, Dal Pont, Alberti, & Vianello, 2010; Menghini, Addona, Costanzo, & Vicari, 2010), but the way that they use executive functioning for problem solving in everyday life has not hitherto been explored. The study aim is to understand cross-syndrome characteristics of everyday executive functioning and problem solving. Parents/carers of individuals with Williams syndrome (n=47) or Down syndrome (n=31) of a similar chronological age (m=17 years 4 months and 18 years respectively) as well as those of a group of younger typically developing children (n=34; m=8years 3 months) completed two questionnaires: the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function (BRIEF; Gioia, Isquith, Guy, & Kenworthy, 2000) and a novel Problem-Solving Questionnaire. The rated likelihood of reaching a solution in a problem solving situation was lower for both syndromic groups than the typical group, and lower still for the Williams syndrome group than the Down syndrome group. The proportion of group members meeting the criterion for clinical significance on the BRIEF was also highest for the Williams syndrome group. While changing response, avoiding losing focus and maintaining perseverance were important for problem-solving success in all groups, asking for help and avoiding becoming emotional were also important for the Down syndrome and Williams syndrome groups respectively. Keeping possessions in order was a relative strength amongst BRIEF scales for the Down syndrome group. Results suggest that individuals with Down syndrome tend to use compensatory strategies for problem solving (asking for help and potentially, keeping items well ordered), while for individuals with Williams syndrome, emotional reactions disrupt their problem-solving skills. This paper highlights the importance of identifying syndrome-specific problem-solving strengths and difficulties to improve effective functioning in everyday life. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Enhancing insight in scientific problem solving by highlighting the functional features of prototypes: an fMRI study.

PubMed

Hao, Xin; Cui, Shuai; Li, Wenfu; Yang, Wenjing; Qiu, Jiang; Zhang, Qinglin

2013-10-09

Insight can be the first step toward creating a groundbreaking product. As evident in anecdotes and major inventions in history, heuristic events (heuristic prototypes) prompted inventors to acquire insight when solving problems. Bionic imitation in scientific innovation is an example of this kind of problem solving. In particular, heuristic prototypes (e.g., the lotus effect; the very high water repellence exhibited by lotus leaves) help solve insight problems (e.g., non-stick surfaces). We speculated that the biological functional feature of prototypes is a critical factor in inducing insightful scientific problem solving. In this functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) study, we selected scientific innovation problems and utilized "learning prototypes-solving problems" two-phase paradigm to test the supposition. We also explored its neural mechanisms. Functional MRI data showed that the activation of the middle temporal gyrus (MTG, BA 37) and the middle occipital gyrus (MOG, BA 19) were associated with the highlighted functional feature condition. fMRI data also indicated that the MTG (BA 37) could be responsible for the semantic processing of functional features and for the formation of novel associations based on related functions. In addition, the MOG (BA 19) could be involved in the visual imagery of formation and application of function association between the heuristic prototype and problem. Our findings suggest that both semantic processing and visual imagery could be crucial components underlying scientific problem solving. © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Sexual Behaviors in Autism: Problems of Definition and Management.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Realmuto, George M.; Ruble, Lisa A.

1999-01-01

Explores the problems of definition of sexual behaviors in individuals with autism and describes a case that highlights the difficulties of management. After failure of behavioral and educational programs, a testosterone-suppressing medication was used resulting in suppression of public masturbation behaviors and retention of the participant's…

The Benefits of Mixed Flow Technology: Roof Exhaust Fans.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tetley, Paul A.

2001-01-01

Explores the problems associated with laboratory workstation exhaust faced by most colleges and universities and explains how the selection of a proper fume hood exhaust system can prevent or eliminate these problems and provide a clean and safe lab environment. Also highlighted are indoor air quality legal implications. (GR)

Family Psychoeducation: Giving Caregivers What They Want and Need.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Goldberg-Arnold, Jill S.; Fristad, Mary A.; Gavazzi, Stephen M.

1999-01-01

Childhood onset mood disorders can lead to stress and parenting burden as well as problems within family, peer, and school settings. Article highlights research related to caretaker burden among parents, and describes a multifamily psychoeducation group intervention designed to alleviate some of these problems. Parental reports of intervention…

The Challenge of Educational Technology for Students with Multiple Impairments in the Classroom.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Molloy, Paul; Baskin, Barbara

1995-01-01

Discussion of assistive technologies that help students with multiple impairments focuses on procedures and equipment used by a college student with Usher's Syndrome, involving vision and hearing impairments. Highlights include federal legislation; problems and possible solutions at various educational levels; specific learning problems; and…

The Development of Teacher Education in Malaysia: Problems and Challenges.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lee, Molly N. N.

2000-01-01

Reviews patterns of teacher education in Malaysia, highlighting current problems and challenges, discussing recent reforms and policy initiatives in the domain of teacher education, and introducing three articles that focus on: teacher education for Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages in Malaysia, training of school counselors in…

CD-ROM Based Multimedia Homework Solutions and Self Test Generator.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rhodes, Jeffrey M.; Bell, Christopher C.

1998-01-01

Discusses a prototype multimedia application that was designed to help college students solve problems and generate practice tests for an economics textbook. Highlights include step-by-step problem solving; a friendly interface; student tracking; inexpensive development costs; examples of screen displays; and generating random, scored tests on…

Making Information Available to Partially Sighted and Blind Clients.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Long, C. A.

1993-01-01

Provides an empirical review of problems facing library users with visual impairments using computers, and reviews some of the technology that can help alleviate these problems. Highlights include software; GUI (Graphical User Interfaces); advising and training; library automation; and appendices that list further sources of relevant information.…

Collaborative Learning Utilizing Case-Based Problems

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hilvano, Nestor T.; Mathis, Karen M.; Schauer, Daniel P.

2014-01-01

Engaging students in discussion and creating high impact teaching and learning practices are a challenge in every classroom. Small group discussion and poster presentations were used to solve case-based problems to highlight issues for the learner and to allow each student to demonstrate understanding and application of theory to real life…

Problem Solving Techniques for the Design of Algorithms.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kant, Elaine; Newell, Allen

1984-01-01

Presents model of algorithm design (activity in software development) based on analysis of protocols of two subjects designing three convex hull algorithms. Automation methods, methods for studying algorithm design, role of discovery in problem solving, and comparison of different designs of case study according to model are highlighted.…

The Homeless in the Public Library: Implications for Access to Libraries.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Simmons, Randall C.

1985-01-01

Discussion of the homeless in American public libraries focuses on harmless individuals who may be considered nuisance by library staff/patrons. Highlights include literature about problem library patrons, national problem, social issues, major themes (offense to others and library staff, balancing rights, and elitism), and implications for…

Kansas Profile: Alcohol, Tobacco & Other Drugs.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Drug Strategies, Washington, DC.

One of a series of state profiles, this report describes the dimensions of the problems caused by alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs in Kansas and the public and private initiatives to reduce these problems. It highlights positive developments and identifies areas to be strengthened. Demographic characteristics, state agency organization, and state…

Scaffolding the Science: Problem Based Strategies for Teaching Interdisciplinary Undergraduate Research Methods

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Keebaugh, Alaine; Darrow, Lyndsey; Tan, David; Jamerson, Heather

2009-01-01

Previous research has highlighted the effectiveness of Problem-Based Learning (PBL) in multiple disciplinary settings, including medicine, teacher education, business, allied health, and the social sciences. Yet interdisciplinary educators have very little information about how to implement PBL in classrooms where multiple disciplines are…

An Evaluation of Environmental Responsibility and Its Associated Factors: Reflections from PISA 2006

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Erbas, Ayhan Kürsat; Tuncer Teksoz, Gaye; Tekkaya, Ceren

2012-01-01

Problem statement: Contemporary global environmental problems have highlighted the importance of acting responsibly towards natural resources and the environment. The role of science education in shaping how people interact with the environment, therefore, has gained importance. The science education community has responded to this challenge by…

Aspects of the Cognitive Model of Physics Problem Solving.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brekke, Stewart E.

Various aspects of the cognitive model of physics problem solving are discussed in detail including relevant cues, encoding, memory, and input stimuli. The learning process involved in the recognition of familiar and non-familiar sensory stimuli is highlighted. Its four components include selection, acquisition, construction, and integration. The…

Reflections on Graduate Student PBL Experiences

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McDonald, Betty

2008-01-01

The study designed to contribute to existing research on Problem-Based Learning (PBL) chose a focus group comprising 16 MSc. Petroleum Engineering students (six females). Using PBL as the method of instruction, students examined a real-life petroleum engineering problem that highlighted numerous areas of their existing curriculum. They worked in…

Population Growth and Global Security: Toward an American Strategic Commitment.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mumford, Steven

1981-01-01

Addresses the world population problem by highlighting three crucial areas: the relationship between population growth control and national security issues, the role of American leadership in resolving the problem, and the barriers to effective action. One barrier discussed in detail is the Roman Catholic Church's stand on abortion and…

Physical Activity and Hip Fracture Disability: A Review

PubMed Central

Marks, Ray

2011-01-01

Objective. The present paper examines pertinent literature sources published in the peer-reviewed English language between 1980 and November 1, 2010 concerning hip fractures. The aim was to highlight potential intervention points to offset the risk of incurring a hip fracture and its attendant disability. Methods. An in-depth search of the literature using the key terms: disability, epidemiology, hip fracture, prevention, and risk factors was conducted, along with data from the author's research base detailing the disability associated with selected hip fracture cases. All articles that dealt with these key topics were reviewed, and relevant data were tabulated and analyzed. Results. Hip fractures remain an important but potentially preventable public health problem. Among the many related remediable risk factors, low physical activity levels are especially important. Related determinants of suboptimal neuromuscular function also contribute significantly to hip fracture disability. Conclusion. Physical activity participation can help to reduce the prevalence and excess disability of hip fractures and should be encouraged. PMID:21584248

The potential for emerging therapeutic options for Clostridium difficile infection

PubMed Central

Mathur, Harsh; Rea, Mary C; Cotter, Paul D; Ross, R Paul; Hill, Colin

2014-01-01

Clostridium difficile is mainly a nosocomial pathogen and is a significant cause of antibiotic-associated diarrhea. It is also implicated in the majority of cases of pseudomembranous colitis. Recently, advancements in next generation sequencing technology (NGS) have highlighted the extent of damage to the gut microbiota caused by broad-spectrum antibiotics, often resulting in C. difficile infection (CDI). Currently the treatment of choice for CDI involves the use of metronidazole and vancomycin. However, recurrence and relapse of CDI, even after rounds of metronidazole/vancomycin administration is a problem that must be addressed. The efficacy of alternative antibiotics such as fidaxomicin, rifaximin, nitazoxanide, ramoplanin and tigecycline, as well as faecal microbiota transplantation has been assessed and some have yielded positive outcomes against C. difficile. Some bacteriocins have also shown promising effects against C. difficile in recent years. In light of this, the potential for emerging treatment options and efficacy of anti-C. difficile vaccines are discussed in this review. PMID:25564777

Impacts on groundwater recharge areas of megacity pumping: analysis of potential contamination of Kolkata, India, water supply

USGS Publications Warehouse

Sahu, Paulami; Michael, Holly A.; Voss, Clifford I.; Sikdar, Pradip K.

2013-01-01

Water supply to the world's megacities is a problem of quantity and quality that will be a priority in the coming decades. Heavy pumping of groundwater beneath these urban centres, particularly in regions with low natural topographic gradients, such as deltas and floodplains, can fundamentally alter the hydrological system. These changes affect recharge area locations, which may shift closer to the city centre than before development, thereby increasing the potential for contamination. Hydrogeological simulation analysis allows evaluation of the impact on past, present and future pumping for the region of Kolkata, India, on recharge area locations in an aquifer that supplies water to over 13 million people. Relocated recharge areas are compared with known surface contamination sources, with a focus on sustainable management of this urban groundwater resource. The study highlights the impacts of pumping on water sources for long-term development of stressed city aquifers and for future water supply in deltaic and floodplain regions of the world.

I feel disconnected: learning technologies in resident education.

PubMed

Armstrong, April D; Jarvis-Selinger, Sandra

2013-01-01

With the rapid development of technology in medical education, orthopaedic educators are recognizing that the way residents learn and access information is profoundly changing. Residency programs are faced with the challenging problem that current educational methods are not designed to take full advantage of the information explosion and rapid technologic changes. This disconnection is often seen in the potentially separate approaches to education preferred by residents and orthopaedic educators. Becoming connected with residents requires understanding the possible learning technologies available and the learners' abilities, needs, and expectations. It is often assumed that approaches to strategic lifelong learning are developed by residents during their training; however, without the incorporation of technology into the learning environment, residents will not be taught the digital literacy and information management strategies that will be needed in the future. To improve learning, it is important to highlight and discuss current technologic trends in education, the possible technologic disconnection between educators and learners, the types of learning technologies available, and the potential opportunities for getting connected.

Noninvasive optical monitoring multiple physiological parameters response to cytokine storm

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Zebin; Li, Ting

2018-02-01

Cancer and other disease originated by immune or genetic problems have become a main cause of death. Gene/cell therapy is a highlighted potential method for the treatment of these diseases. However, during the treatment, it always causes cytokine storm, which probably trigger acute respiratory distress syndrome and multiple organ failure. Here we developed a point-of-care device for noninvasive monitoring cytokine storm induced multiple physiological parameters simultaneously. Oxy-hemoglobin, deoxy-hemoglobin, water concentration and deep-tissue/tumor temperature variations were simultaneously measured by extended near infrared spectroscopy. Detection algorithms of symptoms such as shock, edema, deep-tissue fever and tissue fibrosis were developed and included. Based on these measurements, modeling of patient tolerance and cytokine storm intensity were carried out. This custom device was tested on patients experiencing cytokine storm in intensive care unit. The preliminary data indicated the potential of our device in popular and milestone gene/cell therapy, especially, chimeric antigen receptor T-cell immunotherapy (CAR-T).

The promises and pitfalls of applying computational models to neurological and psychiatric disorders.

PubMed

Teufel, Christoph; Fletcher, Paul C

2016-10-01

Computational models have become an integral part of basic neuroscience and have facilitated some of the major advances in the field. More recently, such models have also been applied to the understanding of disruptions in brain function. In this review, using examples and a simple analogy, we discuss the potential for computational models to inform our understanding of brain function and dysfunction. We argue that they may provide, in unprecedented detail, an understanding of the neurobiological and mental basis of brain disorders and that such insights will be key to progress in diagnosis and treatment. However, there are also potential problems attending this approach. We highlight these and identify simple principles that should always govern the use of computational models in clinical neuroscience, noting especially the importance of a clear specification of a model's purpose and of the mapping between mathematical concepts and reality. © The Author (2016). Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Guarantors of Brain.

CRISPR/Cas9-based tools for targeted genome editing and replication control of HBV.

PubMed

Peng, Cheng; Lu, Mengji; Yang, Dongliang

2015-10-01

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection remains a major global health problem because current therapies rarely eliminate HBV infections to achieve a complete cure. A different treatment paradigm to effectively clear HBV infection and eradicate latent viral reservoirs is urgently required. In recent years, the development of a new RNA-guided gene-editing tool, the CRISPR/Cas9 (clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats/CRISPR-associated nuclease 9) system, has greatly facilitated site-specific mutagenesis and represents a very promising potential therapeutic tool for diseases, including for eradication of invasive pathogens such as HBV. Here, we review recent advances in the use of CRISPR/Cas9, which is designed to target HBV specific DNA sequences to inhibit HBV replication and to induce viral genome mutation, in cell lines or animal models. Advantages, limitations and possible solutions, and proposed directions for future research are discussed to highlight the opportunities and challenges of CRISPR/Cas9 as a new, potentially curative therapy for chronic hepatitis B infection.

Understanding Undergraduates’ Problem-Solving Processes †

PubMed Central

Nehm, Ross H.

2010-01-01

Fostering effective problem-solving skills is one of the most longstanding and widely agreed upon goals of biology education. Nevertheless, undergraduate biology educators have yet to leverage many major findings about problem-solving processes from the educational and cognitive science research literatures. This article highlights key facets of problem-solving processes and introduces methodologies that may be used to reveal how undergraduate students perceive and represent biological problems. Overall, successful problem-solving entails a keen sensitivity to problem contexts, disciplined internal representation or modeling of the problem, and the principled management and deployment of cognitive resources. Context recognition tasks, problem representation practice, and cognitive resource management receive remarkably little emphasis in the biology curriculum, despite their central roles in problem-solving success. PMID:23653710

Clinical review: insulin pump-associated adverse events in adults and children.

PubMed

Ross, P L; Milburn, J; Reith, D M; Wiltshire, E; Wheeler, B J

2015-12-01

Insulin pumps are a vital and rapidly developing tool in the treatment of type 1 diabetes mellitus in both adults and children. Many studies have highlighted outcomes and assessed their potential advantages, but much of the data on adverse outcomes are limited and often based on outdated technology. We aimed to review and summarize the available literature on insulin pump-associated adverse events in adults and children. A literature search was undertaken using PubMed, EMBASE, and the Cochrane library. Articles were then screened by title, followed by abstract, and full text as needed. A by-hand search of reference lists in identified papers was also utilised. All searches were limited to English language material, but no time limits were used. Current and past literature regarding insulin pump-associated adverse events is discussed, including potential metabolic and non-metabolic adverse events, in particular: pump malfunction; infusion set/site issues; and cutaneous problems. We show that even with modern technology, adverse events are common, occurring in over 40 % of users per year, with a minority, particularly in children, requiring hospital management. Hyperglycaemia and ketosis are now the most common consequences of adverse events and are usually associated with infusion set failure. This differs from older technology where infected infusion sites predominated. This timely review covers all potential insulin pump-associated adverse events, including their incidence, features, impacts, and contributory factors such as the pump user. The importance of ongoing anticipatory education and support for patients and families using this intensive insulin technology is highlighted, which if done well should improve the overall experience of pump therapy for users, and hopefully reduce the incidence and impact of severe adverse events.

Synaptic Plasticity in the Bed Nucleus of the Stria Terminalis: Underlying Mechanisms and Potential Ramifications for Reinstatement of Drug- and Alcohol-Seeking Behaviors.

PubMed

Harris, Nicholas A; Winder, Danny G

2018-06-13

The bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNST) is a component of the extended amygdala that shows significant changes in activity and plasticity through chronic exposure to drugs and stress. The region is critical for stress- and cue-induced reinstatement of drug-seeking behaviors and is thus a candidate region for the plastic changes that occur in abstinence that prime addicted patients for reinstatement behaviors. Here, we discuss the various forms of long-term potentiation (LTP) and long-term depression (LTD) in the rodent BNST and highlight the way that these changes in excitatory transmission interact with exposure to alcohol and other drugs of abuse, as well as other stressors. In addition, we highlight potential areas for future research in this area, including investigating input- and cell-specific bidirectional changes in activity. As we continue to accrue foundational knowledge in the mechanisms and effects of plasticity in the BNST, molecular targets and treatment strategies that are relevant to reinstatement behaviors will also begin to emerge. Here, we briefly discuss the effects of catecholamine receptor modulators on synaptic plasticity in the BNST due to the role of norepinephrine in LTD and dopamine on the short-term component of LTP as well as the role that signaling at these receptors plays in reinstatement of drug- and alcohol-seeking behaviors. We hope that insights gained on the specific changes in plasticity that occur within the BNST during abstinence from alcohol and other drugs of abuse will provide insight into the biological underpinnings of relapse behavior in human addicts and inform future treatment modalities for addiction that tackle this complex biological problem.

Exposure of children with developmental delay to social determinants of poor health: cross-sectional case record review study.

PubMed

Emerson, E; Brigham, P

2015-03-01

Research on child development in general has highlighted the importance that the family environment plays in mediating the pathway between exposure to low socio-economic position (SEP) and child well-being. While child developmental models in intellectual disability have highlighted the interplay between social context, family environment and child development, little empirical work has attempted to formally evaluate the evidence in support of specific mediating pathways between low SEP and child outcomes. Secondary analysis of cross-sectional confidentialized needs analysis data collected in three Primary Care Trusts in England covering a total population of 1.25 million people. Case record reviews were undertaken for 46 023 households, 2236 (4.9%) of which contained a child in the target age range with developmental delay. Children with developmental delay, when compared with their non-disabled peers, were at significantly increased risk of poorer health outcomes and of being exposed to a wide range of social determinants of poor health. Controlling for between-group differences in exposure to social determinants of poor health reduced the risk of developmental delay being associated with poorer health outcomes by 45% for behaviour problems and 89% for risk of significant harm. For children with developmental delay, parenting difficulties appears to play a particularly significant role in partially mediating the effects of low SEP. The findings of the present study point to the potential effectiveness of family-focused early intervention to prevent the emergence and escalation of behavioural difficulties and health problems in children with developmental delay. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

A review of the Australian healthcare system: A policy perspective

PubMed Central

Sambasivan, Murali

2018-01-01

This article seeks to review the Australian healthcare system and compare it to similar systems in other countries to highlight the main issues and problems. A literature search for articles relating to the Australian and other developed countries’ healthcare systems was conducted by using Google and the library of Victoria University, Melbourne. Data from the websites of the Commonwealth of Australia, the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, the Australian Productivity Commission, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development and the World Bank have also been used. Although care within the Australian healthcare system is among the best in the world, there is a need to change the paradigm currently being used to measure the outcomes and allocate resources. The Australian healthcare system is potentially dealing with two main problems: (a) resource allocation, and (b) performance and patient outcomes improvements. An interdisciplinary research approach in the areas of performance measurement, quality and patient outcomes improvement could be adopted to discover new insights, by using the policy implementation error/efficiency and bureaucratic capacity. Hospital managers, executives and healthcare management practitioners could use an interdisciplinary approach to design new performance measurement models, in which financial performance, quality, healthcare and patient outcomes are blended in, for resource allocation and performance improvement. This article recommends that public policy implementation error and the bureaucratic capacity models be applied to healthcare to optimise the outcomes for the healthcare system in Australia. In addition, it highlights the need for evaluation of the current reimbursement method, freedom of choice to patients and a regular scrutiny of the appropriateness of care. PMID:29686869

A review of the Australian healthcare system: A policy perspective.

PubMed

Dixit, Sunil K; Sambasivan, Murali

2018-01-01

This article seeks to review the Australian healthcare system and compare it to similar systems in other countries to highlight the main issues and problems. A literature search for articles relating to the Australian and other developed countries' healthcare systems was conducted by using Google and the library of Victoria University, Melbourne. Data from the websites of the Commonwealth of Australia, the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, the Australian Productivity Commission, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development and the World Bank have also been used. Although care within the Australian healthcare system is among the best in the world, there is a need to change the paradigm currently being used to measure the outcomes and allocate resources. The Australian healthcare system is potentially dealing with two main problems: (a) resource allocation, and (b) performance and patient outcomes improvements. An interdisciplinary research approach in the areas of performance measurement, quality and patient outcomes improvement could be adopted to discover new insights, by using the policy implementation error/efficiency and bureaucratic capacity. Hospital managers, executives and healthcare management practitioners could use an interdisciplinary approach to design new performance measurement models, in which financial performance, quality, healthcare and patient outcomes are blended in, for resource allocation and performance improvement. This article recommends that public policy implementation error and the bureaucratic capacity models be applied to healthcare to optimise the outcomes for the healthcare system in Australia. In addition, it highlights the need for evaluation of the current reimbursement method, freedom of choice to patients and a regular scrutiny of the appropriateness of care.

Battered Children and Child Abuse. Highlights and Recommendations of the CIOMS/WHO Conference (Berne, Switzerland, December 1985).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bankowski, Z., Ed.; Carballo, M., Ed.

This document provides highlights and recommendations of a conference on battered children and child abuse sponsored by the Council for International Organizations of Medical Sciences (CIOMS) and the World Health Organization (WHO). In a discussion of the nature of the child abuse problem, the history of child maltreatment is briefly reviewed and…

News and Views: Plain English? Government report highlights management and communication failures at STFC

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

2008-06-01

The report of the Innovation, Universities, Science and Skills Select Committee sets out in robust, plain language, a damning summary of the Science and Technology Facilities Council's handling of its funding problems over the past few months, highlighting ``a poorly conceived delivery plan, lamentable communication and poor leadership, as well as major senior management misjudgements''.

Contextuality of Young People's Attitudes and Its Implications for Research on Religion: A Response to Julia Ipgrave

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schihalejev, Olga

2012-01-01

This is a response to Julia Ipgrave's contribution on the contextuality of young people's views on religion and religious diversity in this collection of essays on "Religion in Education". First I will highlight and reflect on methodological issues raised by Ipgrave's observations in the light of my own research. The first problem highlighted is…

Slum inhabitants' perceptions and decision-making processes related to an innovative sanitation service: evaluating the Blue Diversion Toilet in Kampala (Uganda).

PubMed

O'Keefe, Mark; Messmer, Ulrike; Lüthi, Christoph; Tobias, Robert

2015-01-01

The inadequate provision of sanitation in informal urban settlements, also known as slums, continues to be an important issue. New technologies and services are being designed to solve this problem. However, the history of failed sanitation programmes and projects highlights a lack of understanding of how slum inhabitants decide on investing in such products and services. In this paper, we gather perspectives from potential clients and investigate how slum inhabitants (1) perceive the current situation and whether they desire improvements of sanitation, (2) how they evaluate a new toilet that is still in development, and how (3) social processes and (4) constraints affect decisions. Data were collected through interviewing 1538 people within a general household survey. People using shared and public latrines desire an improvement of their sanitation facilities. The lack of water for washing is perceived by residents as a the biggest problem when accessing current latrines. The new toilet was mostly evaluated positively: people like it, expect large health benefits from it and it complies with cultural norms. However, people also expect some problems with the functioning of the toilet and expect opposition to pay for the service, due to the high costs and a lack of space to set up new toilets.

Real-time Feynman path integral with Picard–Lefschetz theory and its applications to quantum tunneling

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

Tanizaki, Yuya, E-mail: yuya.tanizaki@riken.jp; Theoretical Research Division, Nishina Center, RIKEN, Wako 351-0198; Koike, Takayuki, E-mail: tkoike@ms.u-tokyo.ac.jp

Picard–Lefschetz theory is applied to path integrals of quantum mechanics, in order to compute real-time dynamics directly. After discussing basic properties of real-time path integrals on Lefschetz thimbles, we demonstrate its computational method in a concrete way by solving three simple examples of quantum mechanics. It is applied to quantum mechanics of a double-well potential, and quantum tunneling is discussed. We identify all of the complex saddle points of the classical action, and their properties are discussed in detail. However a big theoretical difficulty turns out to appear in rewriting the original path integral into a sum of path integralsmore » on Lefschetz thimbles. We discuss generality of that problem and mention its importance. Real-time tunneling processes are shown to be described by those complex saddle points, and thus semi-classical description of real-time quantum tunneling becomes possible on solid ground if we could solve that problem. - Highlights: • Real-time path integral is studied based on Picard–Lefschetz theory. • Lucid demonstration is given through simple examples of quantum mechanics. • This technique is applied to quantum mechanics of the double-well potential. • Difficulty for practical applications is revealed, and we discuss its generality. • Quantum tunneling is shown to be closely related to complex classical solutions.« less

PTSD in the military: special considerations for understanding prevalence, pathophysiology and treatment following deployment

PubMed Central

Yehuda, Rachel; Vermetten, Eric; McFarlane, Alexander C.; Lehrner, Amy

2014-01-01

Given the unique context of warzone engagement, which may include chronic threat, multiple and lengthy deployments, and loss, there is a need to understand whether and to what extent knowledge about PTSD derived from studies of civilian trauma exposure is generalizeable to the military. This special issue on PTSD in the military addresses a range of issues and debates related to mental health in military personnel and combat veterans. This article provides an overview of the issues covered in selected contributions that have been assembled for a special volume to consider issues unique to the military. Several leading scholars and military experts have contributed papers regarding: 1) prevalence rates of PTSD and other post-deployment mental health problems in different NATO countries, 2) the search for biomarkers of PTSD and the potential applications of such findings, and 3) prevention and intervention approaches for service members and veterans. The volume includes studies that highlight the divergence in prevalence rates of PTSD and other post-deployment mental health problems across nations and that discuss potential causes and implications. Included studies also provide an overview of research conducted in military or Veteran's Affairs settings, and overarching reviews of military-wide approaches to research, promotion of resilience, and mental health interventions in the Unites States and across NATO and allied ISAF partners. PMID:25206950

Integrating Social-Contextual and Intrapersonal Mechanisms of "Maturing Out": Joint Influences of Familial-Role Transitions and Personality Maturation on Problem-Drinking Reductions.

PubMed

Lee, Matthew R; Ellingson, Jarrod M; Sher, Kenneth J

2015-09-01

"Maturing out" of problem drinking is associated with both role transitions (e.g., getting married) and personality development. However, little is known concerning how these 2 mechanisms jointly influence problem-drinking desistance. This study investigated whether salutary effects of role transitions and personality occur at different points in young-adult development and whether they mediate one another's effects. Participants were initially recruited as first-year undergraduates, with family history of alcoholism overrepresented by design (N = 489). Using 4 waves of data at roughly ages 21, 25, 29, and 34, cross-lagged panel models estimated prospective relations among familial-role transitions (marriage or parenthood), personality (disinhibition, conscientiousness, and neuroticism), and problem drinking. Mixed support was found for the prediction of roles being more strongly associated with earlier maturing out of problem drinking and personality being more strongly associated with later maturing out. Regarding mediation, no evidence was found for the expectation that role effects would be mediated by personality. However, results did support mediation of personality effects by role transitions. Specifically, lower disinhibition and higher conscientiousness in emerging adulthood predicted role adoption, which, in turn, predicted later problem-drinking reductions. Family history of alcoholism also distally influenced these mediation processes. The differential timing of role and personality effects is consistent with the notion of decreasing contextual influences and increasing intrapersonal influences across development. In light of role incompatibility theory, results suggest that, over the course of development, the association of familial roles with problem drinking may increasingly reflect problem-drinking effects on role entry (i.e., role selection) and decreasingly reflect role entry effects on problem drinking (i.e., role socialization). As emerging-adult disinhibition and conscientiousness were associated with an apparent developmental cascade of both direct and indirect effects, findings highlight their potential importance as etiologic mechanisms and intervention targets. Copyright © 2015 by the Research Society on Alcoholism.

Integrating Social-Contextual and Intrapersonal Mechanisms of “Maturing Out”: Joint Influences of Familial-Role Transitions and Personality Maturation on Problem-Drinking Reductions

PubMed Central

Lee, Matthew R.; Ellingson, Jarrod M.; Sher, Kenneth J.

2015-01-01

Background “Maturing out” of problem drinking is associated with both role transitions (e.g., getting married) and personality development. However, little is known concerning how these two mechanisms jointly influence problem-drinking desistance. This study investigated whether salutary effects of role transitions and personality occur at different points in young-adult development and whether they mediate one another’s effects. Methods Participants were initially recruited as first-year undergraduates, with family history of alcoholism overrepresented by design (N=489; Sher et al., 1991). Using four waves of data at roughly ages 21, 25, 29, and 34, cross-lagged panel models estimated prospective relations among familial-role transitions (marriage or parenthood), personality (disinhibition, conscientiousness, and neuroticism), and problem drinking. Results Mixed support was found for the prediction of roles being more strongly associated with earlier maturing out of problem drinking and personality being more strongly associated with later maturing out. Regarding mediation, no evidence was found for the expectation that role effects would be mediated by personality. However, results did support mediation of personality effects by role transitions. Specifically, lower disinhibition and higher conscientiousness in emerging adulthood predicted role adoption, which, in turn, predicted later problem-drinking reductions. Family history of alcoholism also distally influenced these mediation processes. Conclusions The differential timing of role and personality effects is consistent with the notion of decreasing contextual influences and increasing intrapersonal influences across development. In light of role incompatibility theory, results suggest that, over the course of development, the association of familial roles with problem drinking may increasingly reflect problem-drinking effects on role entry (i.e., role selection) and decreasingly reflect role entry effects on problem drinking (i.e., role socialization). As emerging-adult disinhibition and conscientiousness were associated with an apparent developmental cascade of both direct and indirect effects, findings highlight their potential importance as etiologic mechanisms and intervention targets. PMID:26247314

Binge Drinking and Alcohol-Related Problems among U.S-Born Asian Americans

PubMed Central

Iwamoto, Derek; Takamatsu, Stephanie; Castellanos, Jeanett

2012-01-01

Binge drinking (five drinks or more in a 2-hour sitting for men, or four or more drinks in a 2-hour sitting for women) and alcohol-related problems are a growing problem among Asian American young adults. The current study examines the socio-cultural (i.e., generational status and ethnic identity) determinants of binge drinking and alcohol-related problems across U.S.-born, young adult, Asian American ethnic groups. Data were collected from 1,575 Asian American undergraduates from a public university in Southern California. Chinese Americans consisted of the largest Asian ethnicity in the study followed by Vietnamese, Filipino, Korean, South Asian, Japanese, Multi-Asian, and “other Asian American”. Participants completed a web-based assessment of binge drinking, alcohol-related problems, ethnic identity, descriptive norms (i.e., perceived peer drinking norms) and demographic information. An analysis of variance was used to determine potential gender and ethnic differences in binge drinking and alcohol-related problems. Negative binomial regression was selected to examine the relationship between the predictors and outcomes in our model. There were no gender differences between Asian American men and women in regards to binge drinking, however men reported more alcohol-related problems. Japanese Americans reported the highest number of binge drinking episodes and alcohol-related problems, followed by Filipino, and Multi-Asian Americans (e.g., Chinese and Korean). Living off-campus, higher scores in descriptive norms, Greek status, and belonging to the ethnic groups Japanese, Filipino, Multi-Asian, Korean, and South Asian increased the risk of engaging in binge drinking. Quantity of alcohol consumed, Greek status, gender, Filipino, South Asian “Other” Asian, and lower ethnic identity scores were related to alcohol-related problems. Using one of the largest samples collected to date on socio-cultural determinants and drinking among U.S.-born Asian American young adults, the findings highlight the significant variability in drinking patterns between Asian American ethnic groups. PMID:22686146

Binge drinking and alcohol-related problems among U.S.-born Asian Americans.

PubMed

Iwamoto, Derek; Takamatsu, Stephanie; Castellanos, Jeanett

2012-07-01

Binge drinking (five drinks or more in a 2-h sitting for men or four or more drinks in a 2-h sitting for women) and alcohol-related problems are a growing problem among Asian American young adults. The current study examines the sociocultural (i.e., generational status and ethnic identity) determinants of binge drinking and alcohol-related problems across U.S.-born, young-adult, Asian American ethnic groups. Data were collected from 1,575 Asian American undergraduates from a public university in Southern California. Chinese Americans consisted of the largest Asian ethnicity in the study, followed by Vietnamese, Filipino, Korean, South Asian, Japanese, Multi-Asian, and "other Asian American." Participants completed a web-based assessment of binge drinking, alcohol-related problems, ethnic identity, descriptive norms (i.e., perceived peer drinking norms), and demographic information. An analysis of variance was used to determine potential gender and ethnic differences in binge drinking and alcohol-related problems. Negative binomial regression was selected to examine the relationship between the predictors and outcomes in our model. There were no gender differences between Asian American men and women in regards to binge drinking; however, men reported more alcohol-related problems. Japanese Americans reported the highest number of binge-drinking episodes and alcohol-related problems, followed by Filipino and Multi-Asian Americans (e.g., Chinese and Korean). Living off-campus; higher scores in descriptive norms; Greek status; and belonging to the ethnic groups Japanese, Filipino, Multi-Asian, Korean, and South Asian increased the risk of engaging in binge drinking. Quantity of alcohol consumed, Greek status, gender, Filipino, South Asian, other Asian, and lower ethnic identity scores were related to alcohol-related problems. Using one of the largest samples collected to date on sociocultural determinants and drinking among U.S.-born Asian American young adults, the findings highlight the significant variability in drinking patterns among Asian American ethnic groups.

The role of potential agents in making spatial perspective taking social

PubMed Central

Clements-Stephens, Amy M.; Vasiljevic, Katarina; Murray, Alexandra J.; Shelton, Amy L.

2013-01-01

A striking relationship between visual spatial perspective taking (VSPT) and social skills has been demonstrated for perspective-taking tasks in which the target of the imagined or inferred perspective is a potential agent, suggesting that the presence of a potential agent may create a social context for the seemingly spatial task of imagining a novel visual perspective. In a series of studies, we set out to investigate how and when a target might be viewed as sufficiently agent-like to incur a social influence on VSPT performance. By varying the perceptual and conceptual features that defined the targets as potential agents, we find that even something as simple as suggesting animacy for a simple wooden block may be sufficient. More critically, we found that experience with one potential agent influenced the performance with subsequent targets, either by inducing or eliminating the influence of social skills on VSPT performance. These carryover effects suggest that the relationship between social skills and VSPT performance is mediated by a complex relationship that includes the task, the target, and the context in which that target is perceived. These findings highlight potential problems that arise when identifying a task as belonging exclusively to a single cognitive domain and stress instead the highly interactive nature of cognitive domains and their susceptibility to cross-domain individual differences. PMID:24046735

Metagenomic Functional Potential Predicts Degradation Rates of a Model Organophosphorus Xenobiotic in Pesticide Contaminated Soils

PubMed Central

Jeffries, Thomas C.; Rayu, Smriti; Nielsen, Uffe N.; Lai, Kaitao; Ijaz, Ali; Nazaries, Loic; Singh, Brajesh K.

2018-01-01

Chemical contamination of natural and agricultural habitats is an increasing global problem and a major threat to sustainability and human health. Organophosphorus (OP) compounds are one major class of contaminant and can undergo microbial degradation, however, no studies have applied system-wide ecogenomic tools to investigate OP degradation or use metagenomics to understand the underlying mechanisms of biodegradation in situ and predict degradation potential. Thus, there is a lack of knowledge regarding the functional genes and genomic potential underpinning degradation and community responses to contamination. Here we address this knowledge gap by performing shotgun sequencing of community DNA from agricultural soils with a history of pesticide usage and profiling shifts in functional genes and microbial taxa abundance. Our results showed two distinct groups of soils defined by differing functional and taxonomic profiles. Degradation assays suggested that these groups corresponded to the organophosphorus degradation potential of soils, with the fastest degrading community being defined by increases in transport and nutrient cycling pathways and enzymes potentially involved in phosphorus metabolism. This was against a backdrop of taxonomic community shifts potentially related to contamination adaptation and reflecting the legacy of exposure. Overall our results highlight the value of using holistic system-wide metagenomic approaches as a tool to predict microbial degradation in the context of the ecology of contaminated habitats. PMID:29515526

Physical and emotional health problems experienced by youth engaged in physical fighting and weapon carrying.

PubMed

Walsh, Sophie D; Molcho, Michal; Craig, Wendy; Harel-Fisch, Yossi; Huynh, Quynh; Kukaswadia, Atif; Aasvee, Katrin; Várnai, Dora; Ottova, Veronika; Ravens-Sieberer, Ulrike; Pickett, William

2013-01-01

Then aims of the current study were 1) to provide cross-national estimates of the prevalence of physical fighting and weapon carrying among adolescents aged 11-15 years; (2) To examine the possible effects of physical fighting and weapon carrying on the occurrence of physical (medically treated injuries) and emotional health outcomes (multiple health complaints) among adolescents within the theoretical framework of Problem Behaviour Theory. 20,125 adolescents aged 11-15 in five countries (Belgium, Israel, USA, Canada, FYR Macedonia) were surveyed via the 2006 Health Behaviour in School Aged Children survey. Prevalence was calculated for physical fighting and weapon carrying along with physical and emotional measures that potentially result from violence. Regression analyses were used to quantify associations between violence/weapon carrying and the potential health consequences within each country. Large variations in fighting and weapon carrying were observed across countries. Boys reported more frequent episodes of fighting/weapon carrying and medically attended injuries in every country, while girls reported more emotional symptoms. Although there were some notable variations in findings between different participating countries, increased weapon carrying and physical fighting were both independently and consistently associated with more frequent reports of the potential health outcomes. Adolescents engaging in fighting and weapon carrying are also at risk for physical and emotional health outcomes. Involvement in fighting and weapon carrying can be seen as part of a constellation of risk behaviours with obvious health implications. Our findings also highlight the importance of the cultural context when examining the nature of violent behaviour for adolescents.

Physical and Emotional Health Problems Experienced by Youth Engaged in Physical Fighting and Weapon Carrying

PubMed Central

Walsh, Sophie D.; Molcho, Michal; Craig, Wendy; Harel-Fisch, Yossi; Huynh, Quynh; Kukaswadia, Atif; Aasvee, Katrin; Várnai, Dora; Ottova, Veronika; Ravens-Sieberer, Ulrike; Pickett, William

2013-01-01

Then aims of the current study were 1) to provide cross-national estimates of the prevalence of physical fighting and weapon carrying among adolescents aged 11–15 years; (2) To examine the possible effects of physical fighting and weapon carrying on the occurrence of physical (medically treated injuries) and emotional health outcomes (multiple health complaints) among adolescents within the theoretical framework of Problem Behaviour Theory. 20,125 adolescents aged 11–15 in five countries (Belgium, Israel, USA, Canada, FYR Macedonia) were surveyed via the 2006 Health Behaviour in School Aged Children survey. Prevalence was calculated for physical fighting and weapon carrying along with physical and emotional measures that potentially result from violence. Regression analyses were used to quantify associations between violence/weapon carrying and the potential health consequences within each country. Large variations in fighting and weapon carrying were observed across countries. Boys reported more frequent episodes of fighting/weapon carrying and medically attended injuries in every country, while girls reported more emotional symptoms. Although there were some notable variations in findings between different participating countries, increased weapon carrying and physical fighting were both independently and consistently associated with more frequent reports of the potential health outcomes. Adolescents engaging in fighting and weapon carrying are also at risk for physical and emotional health outcomes. Involvement in fighting and weapon carrying can be seen as part of a constellation of risk behaviours with obvious health implications. Our findings also highlight the importance of the cultural context when examining the nature of violent behaviour for adolescents. PMID:23437126

How Research on Charitable Giving Can Inform Strategies to Promote Human Milk Donations to Milk Banks.

PubMed

Stevens, Jack; Keim, Sarah A

2015-08-01

Many hospitalized preterm infants do not exclusively receive mother's own milk, so milk from another mother may be sought. Previous research indicated that just 1% of US women who express breast milk actually donate it for another family. Therefore, strategies to boost donation rates should be identified. We draw upon the experimental literature on charitable giving of monetary donations to offer 6 strategies to promote breast milk donations to milk banks in North America. These strategies include (1) highlighting a potential identifiable recipient of donated breast milk as opposed to highlighting groups of potential recipients; (2) emphasizing similarities between the potential donor and potential beneficiaries; (3) emphasizing similarities between the potential donor and previous donors; (4) using negative arousal to promote donations; (5) emphasizing the self-interest of those asking for breast milk donations; and (6) highlighting the specific effect of breast milk donations. Potential limitations of these strategies are discussed. © The Author(s) 2015.

Experiences Using a Meta-Data Based Integration Infrastructure

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

Critchlow, T.; Masick, R.; Slezak, T.

1999-07-08

A data warehouse that presents data from many of the genomics community data sources in a consistent, intuitive fashion has long been a goal of bioinformatics. Unfortunately, it is one of the goals that has not yet been achieved. One of the major problems encountered by previous attempts has been the high cost of creating and maintaining a warehouse in a dynamic environment. In this abstract we have outlined a meta-data based approach to integrating data sources that begins to address this problem. We have used this infrastructure to successfully integrate new sources into an existing warehouse in substantially lessmore » time than would have traditionally been required--and the resulting mediators are more maintainable than the traditionally defined ones would have been. In the final paper, we will describe in greater detail both our architecture and our experiences using this framework. In particular, we will outline the new, XML based representation of the meta-data, describe how the mediator generator works, and highlight other potential uses for the meta-data.« less

Assessment of Crop Damage by Protected Wild Mammalian Herbivores on the Western Boundary of Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve (TATR), Central India

PubMed Central

Bayani, Abhijeet; Tiwade, Dilip; Dongre, Ashok; Dongre, Aravind P.; Phatak, Rasika; Watve, Milind

2016-01-01

Crop raiding by wild herbivores close to an area of protected wildlife is a serious problem that can potentially undermine conservation efforts. Since there is orders of magnitude difference between farmers’ perception of damage and the compensation given by the government, an objective and realistic estimate of damage was found essential. We employed four different approaches to estimate the extent of and patterns in crop damage by wild herbivores along the western boundary of Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve in the state of Maharashtra, central India. These approaches highlight different aspects of the problem but converge on an estimated damage of over 50% for the fields adjacent to the forest, gradually reducing in intensity with distance. We found that the visual damage assessment method currently employed by the government for paying compensation to farmers was uncorrelated to and grossly underestimated actual damage. The findings necessitate a radical rethinking of policies to assess, mitigate as well as compensate for crop damage caused by protected wildlife species. PMID:27093293

Bioethics and the Framing of Climate Change's Health Risks.

PubMed

Valles, Sean A

2015-06-01

Cheryl Cox Macpherson recently argued, in an article for this journal, that 'Climate Change is a Bioethics Problem'. This article elaborates on that position, particularly highlighting bioethicists' potential ability to help reframe the current climate change discourse to give more attention to its health risks. This reframing process is especially important because of the looming problem of climate change skepticism. Recent empirical evidence from science framing experiments indicates that the public reacts especially positively to climate change messages framed in public health terms, and bioethicists are particularly well positioned to contribute their expertise to the process of carefully developing and communicating such messages. Additionally, as climate framing research and practice continue, it will be important for bioethicists to contribute to the creation of that project's nascent ethical standards. The discourse surrounding antibiotic resistance is posited as an example that can lend insight into how communicating a public health-framed message, including the participation of bioethicists, can help to override public skepticism about the findings of politically contentious scientific fields. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Harnessing Insect-Microbe Chemical Communications To Control Insect Pests of Agricultural Systems.

PubMed

Beck, John J; Vannette, Rachel L

2017-01-11

Insect pests cause serious economic, yield, and food safety problems to managed crops worldwide. Compounding these problems, insect pests often vector pathogenic or toxigenic microbes to plants. Previous work has considered plant-insect and plant-microbe interactions separately. Although insects are well-understood to use plant volatiles to locate hosts, microorganisms can produce distinct and abundant volatile compounds that in some cases strongly attract insects. In this paper, we focus on the microbial contribution to plant volatile blends, highlighting the compounds emitted and the potential for variation in microbial emission. We suggest that these aspects of microbial volatile emission may make these compounds ideal for use in agricultural applications, as they may be more specific or enhance methods currently used in insect control or monitoring. Our survey of microbial volatiles in insect-plant interactions suggests that these emissions not only signal host suitability but may indicate a distinctive time frame for optimal conditions for both insect and microbe. Exploitation of these host-specific microbe semiochemicals may provide important microbe- and host-based attractants and a basis for future plant-insect-microbe chemical ecology investigations.

Bayesian sensitivity analysis of bifurcating nonlinear models

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Becker, W.; Worden, K.; Rowson, J.

2013-01-01

Sensitivity analysis allows one to investigate how changes in input parameters to a system affect the output. When computational expense is a concern, metamodels such as Gaussian processes can offer considerable computational savings over Monte Carlo methods, albeit at the expense of introducing a data modelling problem. In particular, Gaussian processes assume a smooth, non-bifurcating response surface. This work highlights a recent extension to Gaussian processes which uses a decision tree to partition the input space into homogeneous regions, and then fits separate Gaussian processes to each region. In this way, bifurcations can be modelled at region boundaries and different regions can have different covariance properties. To test this method, both the treed and standard methods were applied to the bifurcating response of a Duffing oscillator and a bifurcating FE model of a heart valve. It was found that the treed Gaussian process provides a practical way of performing uncertainty and sensitivity analysis on large, potentially-bifurcating models, which cannot be dealt with by using a single GP, although an open problem remains how to manage bifurcation boundaries that are not parallel to coordinate axes.

The intergenerational transfer of psychosocial risk: mediators of vulnerability and resilience.

PubMed

Serbin, Lisa A; Karp, Jennifer

2004-01-01

The recurrence of social, behavioral, and health problems in successive generations of families is a prevalent theme in both the scientific and popular literatures. This review discusses recent conceptual models and findings from longitudinal studies concerning the intergenerational transfer of psychosocial risk, including intergenerational continuity, and the processes whereby a generation of parents may place their offspring at elevated risk for social, behavioral, and health problems. Key findings include the mediational effects of parenting and environmental factors in the transfer of risk. In both girls and boys, childhood aggression and antisocial behavior appear to predict long-term trajectories that place offspring at risk. Sequelae of childhood aggression that may threaten the well-being of offspring include school failure, adolescent risk-taking behavior, early and single parenthood, and family poverty. These childhood and adolescent behavioral styles also predict harsh, aggressive, neglectful, and unstimulating parenting behavior toward offspring. Buffering factors within at-risk families include maternal educational attainment and constructive parenting practices (e.g., emotional warmth, consistent disciplinary practices, and cognitive scaffolding). These findings highlight the potential application and relevance of intergenerational studies for social, educational, and health policy.

Sexual and dating violence among adolescents and young adults in Chile: a review of findings from a survey of university students.

PubMed

Lehrer, Jocelyn A; Lehrer, Evelyn L; Koss, Mary P

2013-01-01

This paper synthesises and discusses results from the 2005 Survey of Student Well-Being, a closed-ended questionnaire administered to students attending general education courses at a major public university in Santiago (n = 484 women, 466 men). The survey included questions on sexual violence (SV) and dating violence (DV), public health problems that have received little attention in Chile and other Latin-American countries. This paper highlights key findings from a series of papers based on these data, noting lessons learned in the Chilean context that may be useful for other Latin-American countries. Important gaps in the international literature on SV and DV are also discussed. A central finding is the high prevalence of SV and DV in this sample of university students, warranting further public health attention to these problems. Potentially, the findings will contribute to changes in awareness, policy and practice along similar lines to efforts that transformed the US landscape regarding SV and DV on college campuses in the 1980s.

Reviewing the quality of strategic environmental assessment reports for English spatial plan core strategies

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

Fischer, Thomas B., E-mail: fischer@liverpool.ac.u

This paper summarises the results of a research project from early 2008, involving the author of this paper, as well as 18 post-graduate University of Liverpool students, in which the quality of European Directive based strategic environmental assessment (SEA) reports of English spatial plan core strategies (conducted within the context of the spatial planning sustainability appraisal-SA-regime) was reviewed. The project aimed at establishing the extensiveness of emerging spatial plan related SEA practice, as well as highlighting shortcomings and problems. Overall, it was found that whilst some aspects of assessment were done well, others were not of a satisfactory quality. Shortcomingsmore » were connected particularly with the practice of listing potentially relevant baseline documents and data without distinguishing sufficiently between those that are important in terms of significant impacts and those that are not. Problems were also found to exist with the evaluation of options and impacts, the consideration of substantive aspects, such as health, as well as regarding the formulation of final recommendations and monitoring.« less

Tinbergen on mirror neurons

PubMed Central

Heyes, Cecilia

2014-01-01

Fifty years ago, Niko Tinbergen defined the scope of behavioural biology with his four problems: causation, ontogeny, survival value and evolution. About 20 years ago, there was another highly significant development in behavioural biology—the discovery of mirror neurons (MNs). Here, I use Tinbergen's original four problems (rather than the list that appears in textbooks) to highlight the differences between two prominent accounts of MNs, the genetic and associative accounts; to suggest that the latter provides the defeasible ‘best explanation’ for current data on the causation and ontogeny of MNs; and to argue that functional analysis, of the kind that Tinbergen identified somewhat misleadingly with studies of ‘survival value’, should be a high priority for future research. In this kind of functional analysis, system-level theories would assign MNs a small, but potentially important, role in the achievement of action understanding—or another social cognitive function—by a production line of interacting component processes. These theories would be tested by experimental intervention in human and non-human animal samples with carefully documented and controlled developmental histories. PMID:24778376

Abnormal uterine bleeding: advantages of formal classification to patients, clinicians and researchers.

PubMed

Madhra, Mayank; Fraser, Ian S; Munro, Malcolm G; Critchley, Hilary O D

2014-07-01

To highlight the advantages of formal classification of causes of abnormal uterine bleeding from a clinical and scientific perspective. Review and recommendations for local implementation. In the past, research in the field of menstrual disorders has not been funded adequately with respect to the impact of symptoms on individuals, healthcare systems and society. This was confounded by a diverse terminology, which lead to confusion between clinical and scientific groups, ultimately harming the underlying evidence base. To address this, a formal classification system (PALM-COEIN) for the causes of abnormal uterine bleeding has been published for worldwide use by FIGO (International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics). This commentary explains problems created by the prior absence of such a system, the potential advantages stemming from its use, and practical suggestions for local implementation. The PALM-COEIN classification is applicable globally and, as momentum gathers, will ameliorate recurrence of historic problems, and harmonise reporting of clinical and scientific research to facilitate future progress in women's health. © 2014 Nordic Federation of Societies of Obstetrics and Gynecology.

Aedes Mosquitoes and Aedes-Borne Arboviruses in Africa: Current and Future Threats

PubMed Central

Weetman, David; Shearer, Freya M.; Coulibaly, Mamadou

2018-01-01

The Zika crisis drew attention to the long-overlooked problem of arboviruses transmitted by Aedes mosquitoes in Africa. Yellow fever, dengue, chikungunya and Zika are poorly controlled in Africa and often go unrecognized. However, to combat these diseases, both in Africa and worldwide, it is crucial that this situation changes. Here, we review available data on the distribution of each disease in Africa, their Aedes vectors, transmission potential, and challenges and opportunities for Aedes control. Data on disease and vector ranges are sparse, and consequently maps of risk are uncertain. Issues such as genetic and ecological diversity, and opportunities for integration with malaria control, are primarily African; others such as ever-increasing urbanization, insecticide resistance and lack of evidence for most control-interventions reflect problems throughout the tropics. We identify key knowledge gaps and future research areas, and in particular, highlight the need to improve knowledge of the distributions of disease and major vectors, insecticide resistance, and to develop specific plans and capacity for arboviral disease surveillance, prevention and outbreak responses. PMID:29382107

Why are dunkels sticky? Preschoolers infer functionality and intentional creation for artifact properties learned from generic language.

PubMed

Cimpian, Andrei; Cadena, Cristina

2010-10-01

Artifacts pose a potential learning problem for children because the mapping between their features and their functions is often not transparent. In solving this problem, children are likely to rely on a number of information sources (e.g., others' actions, affordances). We argue that children's sensitivity to nuances in the language used to describe artifacts is an important, but so far unacknowledged, piece of this puzzle. Specifically, we hypothesize that children are sensitive to whether an unfamiliar artifact's features are highlighted using generic (e.g., "Dunkels are sticky") or non-generic (e.g., "This dunkel is sticky") language. Across two studies, older-but not younger-preschoolers who heard such features introduced via generic statements inferred that they are a functional part of the artifact's design more often than children who heard the same features introduced via non-generic statements. The ability to pick up on this linguistic cue may expand considerably the amount of conceptual information about artifacts that children derive from conversations with adults. Copyright 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Problems with the Use of Terminology in Genetics Education: 1, A Literature Review and Classification Scheme.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pearson, J. T.; Hughes, W. J.

1988-01-01

Examines the technical vocabulary of genetics as a source of error and confusion. Suggests that it is necessary to identify different types of problems associated with terminology and to organize them into logical classes to deal effectively with the difficulties. Highlights terms misused in textbooks. (RT)

The Indochinese in America: Who Are They and How Are They Doing?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thuy, Vuong G.

This paper examines various aspects of Indochinese immigration and resettlement patterns and problems with respect to the ethnic, cultural, and educational characteristics of refugees, and the effects of Federal, State, and local assistance programs. Highlighted among the problems are the high concentrations of refugees in urban areas, their…

The aetiology and management of localized anterior tooth wear in the young adult.

PubMed

Bishop, K; Briggs, P; Kelleher, M

1994-05-01

This article reviews the aetiology and clinical features of the increasingly common problem of localized loss of anterior tooth tissue in the young adult. The management of the problem is highlighted, with emphasis placed on preservation of the tooth structure and the use of modern materials and techniques.

Random Forest as a Predictive Analytics Alternative to Regression in Institutional Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

He, Lingjun; Levine, Richard A.; Fan, Juanjuan; Beemer, Joshua; Stronach, Jeanne

2018-01-01

In institutional research, modern data mining approaches are seldom considered to address predictive analytics problems. The goal of this paper is to highlight the advantages of tree-based machine learning algorithms over classic (logistic) regression methods for data-informed decision making in higher education problems, and stress the success of…

The Analysis of Adult Immigrants' Learning System in Canada

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mukan, Nataliya; Barabash, Olena; Busko, Maria

2015-01-01

In the article the problem of adult immigrants' learning in Canada has been studied. The main objectives of the article are defined as: analysis of scientific and pedagogical literature which highlights different aspects of the research problem; analysis of the adult immigrants' learning system in Canada; and the perspectives for creative…

Assessment of Knowledge Transfer in the Context of Biomechanics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hutchison, Randolph E.

2011-01-01

The dynamic act of knowledge transfer, or the connection of a student's prior knowledge to features of a new problem, could be considered one of the primary goals of education. Yet studies highlight more instances of failure than success. This dissertation focuses on how knowledge transfer takes place during individual problem solving, in…

The Third Wave. . . America's New Conservation, Conservation Yearbook No. 3.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Department of the Interior, Washington, DC.

Concerned first with the definition of conservation and its problems, and then with specific actions by the Department of the Interior in response to these problems, this 1966 yearbook provides highlights of work done by the 26 bureaus, offices, and/or administrations within the Department. Coverage is broad, relating to many aspects of…

Michael Eisenberg and Robert Berkowitz's Big6[TM] Information Problem-Solving Model.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carey, James O.

2003-01-01

Reviews the Big6 information problem-solving model. Highlights include benefits and dangers of the simplicity of the model; theories of instruction; testing of the model; the model as a process for completing research projects; and advice for school library media specialists considering use of the model. (LRW)

World Percussion Approaches in Collegiate Percussion Programs: A Mixed-Methods Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hernly, Patrick

2012-01-01

As world percussion has grown in popularity in American colleges and universities, two main problems have emerged. The first problem is that no known source exists detailing how percussion instructors have incorporated world percussion into their collegiate teaching. A review of the literature has highlighted four main approaches to incorporating…

Rationale for Students Preparation and Entrepreneurship Education in the Face of Global Economic Crisis in Nigeria

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Onuma, Nwite

2016-01-01

The rationale for students preparation in job creation through entrepreneurship education was examined. Problems of unemployment among Nigerian university graduates and challenges to entrepreneurship in the face of global economic crisis were also highlighted. The persistent problem of unemployment among University graduates and its attendant…

Capacity Building for School Development: Current Problems and Future Challenges

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ho, Dora; Lee, Moosung

2016-01-01

This article offers a theoretical discussion on the current problems and future challenges of school capacity building in early childhood education (ECE), aiming to highlight some key areas for future research. In recent years, there has been a notable policy shift from monitoring quality through inspection to improving quality through school…

Research Journal Prices--Trends and Problems. Update. CRS Report for Congress.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rowberg, Richard E.

This report highlights the trends and problems associated with rapid price increases of foreign-published journals, especially science and technology journals. It is observed that a combination of effects--e.g., discriminatory pricing on the part of some foreign publishers, the sharp decline of the U.S. dollar--have resulted in subscription…

Planning That Matters: Helping Schools Engage in Collaborative, Strategic Problem Solving. Policy Brief

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jerald, Craig

2005-01-01

Earlier this year, the Prichard Committee for Academic Excellence released a report highlighting practices in Kentucky's high-performing, high-poverty schools. Researchers collected information using the same audit tool that the Kentucky Department of Education uses to diagnose problems in schools identified for improvement, then compared those…

Use of an Automatic Problem Generator to Teach Basic Skills in a First Course in Assembly Language.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Benander, Alan; And Others

1989-01-01

Discussion of the use of computer aided instruction (CAI) and instructional software in college level courses highlights an automatic problem generator, AUTOGEN, that was written for computer science students learning assembly language. Design of the software is explained, and student responses are reported. (nine references) (LRW)

Biofuel from biomass via photo-electrochemical reactions: An overview

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ibrahim, N.; Kamarudin, S. K.; Minggu, L. J.

2014-08-01

Biomass is attracting a great deal of attention as a renewable energy resource to reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. Converting biomass from municipal, agricultural and livestock into biofuel and electrical power has significant environmental and economic advantages. The conversion of biomass into practical energy requires elegant designs and further investigation. Thus, biomass is a promising renewable energy source due to its low production cost and simple manufacturing processes. Biofuel (hydrogen and methanol) from biomass will be possible to be used for transportation with near-zero air pollution, involves efficient uses of land and major contribution to reduce dependence on insecure source of petroleum. Photoelectrochemical (PEC) reactions study has potential pathway for producing fuel from biomass and bio-related compound in the near future. This review highlights recent work related to the PEC conversion of biomass and bio-related compounds into useful biofuels and electricity. This review covers different types of photochemical reaction cells utilizing various types of organic and inorganic waste. It also presents recent developments in photoelectrodes, photocatalysts and electrolytes as well as the production of different types of fuel from PEC cells and highlights current developments and problems in PEC reactions.

A strategic value management approach for energy and maintenance management in a building

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nawi, Mohd Nasrun Mohd; Dahlan, Nofri Yenita; Nadarajan, Santhirasegaran

2015-05-01

Fragmentation process is always been highlighted by the stakeholders in the construction industry as one of the `critical' issue that diminishing the opportunity for stakeholders that involved during the operation and maintenance stage to influence design decisions. Failure of design professionals to consider how a maintenance contractor or facility manager will construct the design thus results in higher operating cost, wastage, defects during the maintenance and operation process. Moving towards team integration is considered a significant strategy for overcoming the issue. Value Management is a style of management dedicated to guiding people and promoting innovation with the aim to improve overall building performance through structured, team-oriented exercises which make explicit, and appraise subsequent decisions, by reference to the value requirements of the clients. Accordingly, this paper discusses the fragmentation issue in more detail including the definition, causes and effects to the maintenance and operation of building and at the same time will highlighted the potential of VM integrated team approach as a strategic management approach for overcoming that issue. It also explores that the team integration strategy alleviates scheduling problems, delays and disputes during the construction process, and, hence, prevent harming the overall building performance.

Urban and rural groundwater use in Zhengzhou, China: challenges in joint management

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sun, Ronglin; Jin, Menggui; Giordano, Mark; Villholth, Karen G.

2009-09-01

Groundwater plays an important role in the total water supply of much of China, particularly in the north. It has contributed substantially to both agricultural growth and urban and industrial expansion. However, overexploitation and poor management have contributed to infamous groundwater depletion problems and less publicized groundwater quality deterioration. One of the key challenges for China will be how to make groundwater use sustainable while still meeting increased food needs as well as the industrial and domestic demands of a rapidly urbanizing society. Zhengzhou City, one of China’s test cities for building a “water saving society” highlights both the difficulties and potential solutions to northern China’s joint rural and urban groundwater challenges. Based on secondary data and a primary survey of groundwater management in the region, this report provides an overview of Zhengzhou’s groundwater development and use as well as the ongoing institutional and policy reform processes within the water sector. The results highlight how a deepening of ongoing reforms, which simultaneously consider groundwater as an integral rural and urban issue and a fundamental economic and social asset, may improve groundwater outcomes, not only in Zhengzhou but in China, as the country’s economy and demography continue to change.

Ballet and stress. A pilot study.

PubMed

Tomei, G; Casale, T; Rosati, M V; Melcarne, R; Sinibaldi, F; Capozzella, A; Di Giorgio, V; Giubilati, R; Sacco, C; Tomei, F; Sancini, A

2015-01-01

Work-related stress is a complex problem requiring a work environment-based assessment. Artists like dancers represent a category of atypical workers potentially at high risk for work-related stress. Aim of our pilot study is to evaluate organizational stress in a population of professional dancers, using the HSE Indicator Tool for Work Related Stress. We administered the Italian version of the HSE Indicator Tool to 38 ballet dancers, males and females. The questionnaire evaluates 7 key organizational dimensions: demand, control, managers' support, peer support, relationships, role and change. The standards required-ideal conditions are achieved in none of the above-mentioned dimensions. Change is the only dimension for which results fall between the 20th and the 50th percentile, while for other dimensions results fall below the 20th percentile suggesting the need for immediate corrective action. In male dancers an acceptable situation is highlighted for the dimension "change" compared to female dancers. In both sexes there is a high frequency of subjects complaining of verbal abuse, bullying and harassment. Despite the small sample size, our pilot study highlights the presence of heightened levels of organizational stress. Preventive measures targeted towards improving communication between managers and dancers and aimed at team building should be implemented.

Multipole Algorithms for Molecular Dynamics Simulation on High Performance Computers.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Elliott, William Dewey

1995-01-01

A fundamental problem in modeling large molecular systems with molecular dynamics (MD) simulations is the underlying N-body problem of computing the interactions between all pairs of N atoms. The simplest algorithm to compute pair-wise atomic interactions scales in runtime {cal O}(N^2), making it impractical for interesting biomolecular systems, which can contain millions of atoms. Recently, several algorithms have become available that solve the N-body problem by computing the effects of all pair-wise interactions while scaling in runtime less than {cal O}(N^2). One algorithm, which scales {cal O}(N) for a uniform distribution of particles, is called the Greengard-Rokhlin Fast Multipole Algorithm (FMA). This work describes an FMA-like algorithm called the Molecular Dynamics Multipole Algorithm (MDMA). The algorithm contains several features that are new to N-body algorithms. MDMA uses new, efficient series expansion equations to compute general 1/r^{n } potentials to arbitrary accuracy. In particular, the 1/r Coulomb potential and the 1/r^6 portion of the Lennard-Jones potential are implemented. The new equations are based on multivariate Taylor series expansions. In addition, MDMA uses a cell-to-cell interaction region of cells that is closely tied to worst case error bounds. The worst case error bounds for MDMA are derived in this work also. These bounds apply to other multipole algorithms as well. Several implementation enhancements are described which apply to MDMA as well as other N-body algorithms such as FMA and tree codes. The mathematics of the cell -to-cell interactions are converted to the Fourier domain for reduced operation count and faster computation. A relative indexing scheme was devised to locate cells in the interaction region which allows efficient pre-computation of redundant information and prestorage of much of the cell-to-cell interaction. Also, MDMA was integrated into the MD program SIgMA to demonstrate the performance of the program over several simulation timesteps. One MD application described here highlights the utility of including long range contributions to Lennard-Jones potential in constant pressure simulations. Another application shows the time dependence of long range forces in a multiple time step MD simulation.

Safety Analysis of FMS/CTAS Interactions During Aircraft Arrivals

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Leveson, Nancy G.

1998-01-01

This grant funded research on human-computer interaction design and analysis techniques, using future ATC environments as a testbed. The basic approach was to model the nominal behavior of both the automated and human procedures and then to apply safety analysis techniques to these models. Our previous modeling language, RSML, had been used to specify the system requirements for TCAS II for the FAA. Using the lessons learned from this experience, we designed a new modeling language that (among other things) incorporates features to assist in designing less error-prone human-computer interactions and interfaces and in detecting potential HCI problems, such as mode confusion. The new language, SpecTRM-RL, uses "intent" abstractions, based on Rasmussen's abstraction hierarchy, and includes both informal (English and graphical) specifications and formal, executable models for specifying various aspects of the system. One of the goals for our language was to highlight the system modes and mode changes to assist in identifying the potential for mode confusion. Three published papers resulted from this research. The first builds on the work of Degani on mode confusion to identify aspects of the system design that could lead to potential hazards. We defined and modeled modes differently than Degani and also defined design criteria for SpecTRM-RL models. Our design criteria include the Degani criteria but extend them to include more potential problems. In a second paper, Leveson and Palmer showed how the criteria for indirect mode transitions could be applied to a mode confusion problem found in several ASRS reports for the MD-88. In addition, we defined a visual task modeling language that can be used by system designers to model human-computer interaction. The visual models can be translated into SpecTRM-RL models, and then the SpecTRM-RL suite of analysis tools can be used to perform formal and informal safety analyses on the task model in isolation or integrated with the rest of the modeled system. We had hoped to be able to apply these modeling languages and analysis tools to a TAP air/ground trajectory negotiation scenario, but the development of the tools took more time than we anticipated.

Erectile dysfunction in the elderly male

PubMed Central

Gökçe, Mehmet İlker; Yaman, Önder

2017-01-01

Erectile dysfunction (ED) is a health problem which mainly effects elderly men and this problem has become a more important health problem with the increased life expectancy. The basic risk factors of ED are hypertension, dyslipidemia, diabetes mellitus, and atherosclerotic heart disease which also have a higher incidence in the elderly men. The aim of this review article is to highlight the age-related changes in ED together with recommendations for patient evaluation and treatment PMID:28861293

Parent Training for Children With or at Risk for Developmental Delay: The Role of Parental Homework Completion.

PubMed

Ros, Rosmary; Hernandez, Jennifer; Graziano, Paulo A; Bagner, Daniel M

2016-01-01

This study investigated the extent to which parental homework completion during behavioral parent training (BPT) for children with or at risk for developmental delay contributed to parenting and child outcomes. Parents of 48 children (Mage=44.17 months, SD=14.29; 73% male; 72% White) with developmental delay (IQ<75) or at risk for developmental delay (due to premature birth) with co-occurring clinically elevated externalizing behavior problems received Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT) as part of two previously completed randomized controlled trials. Parental homework completion was measured using parental report of home practice of treatment skills collected weekly by therapists. Parents also reported on child externalizing behavior problems and levels of parenting stress, while parenting skills were observed during a 5-min child directed play and child compliance was observed during a 5-min cleanup situation. Results indicated that higher rates of parental homework completion predicted parenting outcomes (i.e., increased positive parenting skills and decreased levels of parenting stress) and child outcomes (i.e., lower levels of externalizing behavior problems). Additionally, although limited by temporal precedence, there was an indirect effect of reductions in parenting stress on the negative association between parental homework completion and child externalizing behavior problems. These findings highlight the importance of parents practicing skills learned during BPT for optimizing treatment outcome. Parenting stress was also identified as a potential mechanism by which high levels of parental homework completion contributed to reductions in child externalizing behavior problems. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Mothers’ Power Assertion, Children’s Negative, Adversarial Orientation, and Future Behavior Problems in Low-Income Families: Early Maternal Responsiveness as a Moderator of the Developmental Cascade

PubMed Central

Kim, Sanghag; Kochanska, Grazyna

2014-01-01

Parental power assertion, a key dimension of family environment, generally sets in motion detrimental developmental cascades; however, evidence suggests that other qualities of parenting, such as responsiveness, can significantly moderate those processes. Mechanisms that account for such moderating effects are not fully understood. We propose a conceptual model of processes linking parental power assertion, parental responsiveness, children’s negative, adversarial, rejecting orientation toward the parent, and behavior problems. We test that model in a short-term longitudinal design involving 186 low-income, ethnically diverse mothers and their toddlers. When children were 30 months, the dyads were observed in multiple, lengthy, naturalistic laboratory interactions to assess behaviorally mothers’ responsiveness and their power-assertive control style. At 33 months, we observed behavioral indicators of children’s negative, adversarial, rejecting orientation toward the mothers in several naturalistic and standardized paradigms. At 40 months, mothers rated children’s behavior problems. The proposed moderated mediation sequence, tested using a new approach, PROCESS (Hayes, 2013), was supported. The indirect effect from maternal power assertion to children’s negative, adversarial orientation to future behavior problems was present when mothers’ responsiveness was either low or average but absent when mothers were highly responsive. This study elucidates a potential process that may link parental power assertion with behavior problems and highlights how positive aspects of parenting can moderate this process and defuse maladaptive developmental cascades. It also suggests possible targets for parenting intervention and prevention efforts. PMID:25401483

Mothers' power assertion; children's negative, adversarial orientation; and future behavior problems in low-income families: early maternal responsiveness as a moderator of the developmental cascade.

PubMed

Kim, Sanghag; Kochanska, Grazyna

2015-02-01

Parental power assertion, a key dimension of family environment, generally sets in motion detrimental developmental cascades; however, evidence suggests that other qualities of parenting, such as responsiveness, can significantly moderate those processes. Mechanisms that account for such moderating effects are not fully understood. We propose a conceptual model of processes linking parental power assertion, parental responsiveness, children's negative, adversarial, rejecting orientation toward the parent, and behavior problems. We test that model in a short-term longitudinal design involving 186 low-income, ethnically diverse mothers and their toddlers. When children were 30 months, the dyads were observed in multiple, lengthy, naturalistic laboratory interactions to assess behaviorally mothers' responsiveness and their power-assertive control style. At 33 months, we observed behavioral indicators of children's negative, adversarial, rejecting orientation toward the mothers in several naturalistic and standardized paradigms. At 40 months, mothers rated children's behavior problems. The proposed moderated mediation sequence, tested using a new approach, PROCESS (Hayes, 2013), was supported. The indirect effect from maternal power assertion to children's negative, adversarial orientation to future behavior problems was present when mothers' responsiveness was either low or average but absent when mothers were highly responsive. This study elucidates a potential process that may link parental power assertion with behavior problems and highlights how positive aspects of parenting can moderate this process and defuse maladaptive developmental cascades. It also suggests possible targets for parenting intervention and prevention efforts. PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved.

Early Childhood Environmental Education in Tropical and Coastal Areas: A Meta-Analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sawitri, D. R.

2017-02-01

Early childhood years are the period of the greatest and most significant developments in ones’ life, and are generally regarded as the basis upon which the rest of their life is constructed. However, these early years are those that traditionally have received the least attention from environmental education. This paper was aimed to summarize several day-to-day activities that can be conducted to educate children in their early years about environment. Environmental education is an educational process that deals with the human interrelationships with the environment, and that uses an interdisciplinary problem solving approach with value clarification. Environmental education is aimed at producing a community that is knowledgeable about the biophysical environment and its associated problems, aware of how to solve these problems, and enthusiastic to work toward their solution. It highlights the progress of knowledge, understanding, attitudes, skills, and commitment for environmental problems and considerations. Further, environmental education can help children expand their ecological worldview, promote active care to the environment, and explain the relationship between modern life style and current environmental problems. Several types of environmental education have been identified from the literature, such as outdoor activities in natural outdoor setting, school gardening, play-based learning, and drawing activities. Each of these activities has its own characteristics and effects on children’s environmental-related attitudes and behaviors. Through these activities, the unique characteristics of tropical and coastal areas can potentially be used to facilitate children to learn about nature and environment. Recommendations for childhood education practitioners and future researchers are discussed.

Discrimination and support from friends and family members experienced by people with mental health problems: findings from an Australian national survey.

PubMed

Morgan, Amy J; Reavley, N J; Jorm, A F; Beatson, R

2017-11-01

To investigate the scope and nature of discrimination and positive treatment experienced by adults with mental health problems from their friends and family in a population-based survey. An Australian telephone-survey of 5220 adults included 1381 individuals who reported a mental health problem or scored high on a screening questionnaire. Respondents were interviewed about their experience of discrimination and positive treatment from their friends, spouse and other family members. Descriptions of experiences were content-analysed to identify key characteristics. Mental health diagnoses were primarily depression or anxiety disorders, and just over half had received treatment in the last 12 months. Positive treatment from family and friends was far more common than discrimination, reported by 74.1% of respondents. This was primarily characterised by providing emotional support and maintaining contact, as well as checking on their mental health and being a good listener. Nevertheless, discriminatory behaviours from friends and family were reported by 25.8% of respondents, with reducing or cutting contact being by far the most common. Friends and family also commonly dismissed that mental illness was real or caused suffering and showed a lack of understanding about mental health problems or treatments and how they can impact behaviour and functioning. This nationally representative study of real life experiences highlights the potential for harm or benefit from a person's social support network. Despite positive experiences being common, there is an ongoing need to reduce mental illness stigma and improve understanding of how to support a loved one with a mental health problem.

A Review of Adverse Effects of Road Traffic Noise on Human Health

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Singh, Devi; Kumari, Neeraj; Sharma, Pooja

Noise pollution due to road traffic is a potential threat to human health. Since it is a global hazard, the rapid urbanization and exponential traffic growth have aggravated the problem. Population residing along the busy traffic lanes is continuously exposed to the sound levels which are above the permissible limits. This constant exposure to noise pollution is a cause of concern as it leads to several adverse impacts on human health. Traffic noise causes irritation and annoyance, sleep disturbances, cardiovascular disease, risk of stroke, diabetes, hypertension and loss of hearing. It results in decreased work performance. The present review highlights the serious health hazards of road traffic noise (RTN) which needs to be curbed. Preventive measures of noise pollution can help in combating noise-induced health hazards and increased work performance.

Groundwater arsenic contamination throughout China.

PubMed

Rodríguez-Lado, Luis; Sun, Guifan; Berg, Michael; Zhang, Qiang; Xue, Hanbin; Zheng, Quanmei; Johnson, C Annette

2013-08-23

Arsenic-contaminated groundwater used for drinking in China is a health threat that was first recognized in the 1960s. However, because of the sheer size of the country, millions of groundwater wells remain to be tested in order to determine the magnitude of the problem. We developed a statistical risk model that classifies safe and unsafe areas with respect to geogenic arsenic contamination in China, using the threshold of 10 micrograms per liter, the World Health Organization guideline and current Chinese standard for drinking water. We estimate that 19.6 million people are at risk of being affected by the consumption of arsenic-contaminated groundwater. Although the results must be confirmed with additional field measurements, our risk model identifies numerous arsenic-affected areas and highlights the potential magnitude of this health threat in China.

Molecular Pathogenesis of NASH

PubMed Central

Caligiuri, Alessandra; Gentilini, Alessandra; Marra, Fabio

2016-01-01

Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is the main cause of chronic liver disease in the Western world and a major health problem, owing to its close association with obesity, diabetes, and the metabolic syndrome. NASH progression results from numerous events originating within the liver, as well as from signals derived from the adipose tissue and the gastrointestinal tract. In a fraction of NASH patients, disease may progress, eventually leading to advanced fibrosis, cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. Understanding the mechanisms leading to NASH and its evolution to cirrhosis is critical to identifying effective approaches for the treatment of this condition. In this review, we focus on some of the most recent data reported on the pathogenesis of NASH and its fibrogenic progression, highlighting potential targets for treatment or identification of biomarkers of disease progression. PMID:27657051

Evaluation of bacteriophage therapy to control Clostridium difficile and toxin production in an in vitro human colon model system.

PubMed

Meader, Emma; Mayer, Melinda J; Steverding, Dietmar; Carding, Simon R; Narbad, Arjan

2013-08-01

Clostridium difficile is a leading cause of hospital-acquired diarrhoea and represents a major challenge for healthcare providers. Due to the decreasing efficacy and associated problems of antibiotic therapy there is a need for synergistic and alternative treatments. In this study we investigated the use of a specific bacteriophage, ΦCD27, in a human colon model of C. difficile infection. Our findings demonstrate a significant reduction in the burden of C. difficile cells and toxin production with phage treatment relative to an untreated control, with no detrimental effect on commensal bacterial populations. The results demonstrate the potential of phage therapy, and highlight the limitations of using phages that have lysogenic capacity. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Platinum, palladium, gold and ruthenium complexes as anticancer agents: Current clinical uses, cytotoxicity studies and future perspectives.

PubMed

Lazarević, Tatjana; Rilak, Ana; Bugarčić, Živadin D

2017-12-15

Metallodrugs offer potential for unique mechanism of drug action based on the choice of the metal, its oxidation state, the types and number of coordinated ligands and the coordination geometry. This review illustrates notable recent progress in the field of medicinal bioinorganic chemistry as many new approaches to the design of innovative metal-based anticancer drugs are emerging. Current research addressing the problems associated with platinum drugs has focused on other metal-based therapeutics that have different modes of action and on prodrug and targeting strategies in an effort to diminish the side-effects of cisplatin chemotherapy. Examples of metal compounds and chelating agents currently in clinical use, clinical trials or preclinical development are highlighted. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

An Overview of Links Between Obesity and Mental Health.

PubMed

Avila, Christian; Holloway, Alison C; Hahn, Margaret K; Morrison, Katherine M; Restivo, Maria; Anglin, Rebecca; Taylor, Valerie H

2015-09-01

The American Medical Association recently recognized obesity as both an illness and a leading cause of preventable death and chronic disease. This association is not only linked to physical health outcomes, however, as obesity has also been extensively associated with mental illness as well. Both obesity and severe mental illness decrease quality of life and are associated with an increase in disability, morbidity, and mortality, and when they occur together, these adverse health outcomes are magnified. Despite educational campaigns, increased awareness, and improved treatment options, the high prevalence of mental illness and comorbid obesity remains a serious problem. This review examines this overlap, highlighting clinical and biological factors that have been linked to this association in order to improve our understanding and help elucidate potential therapeutic avenues.

Gas and liquid chromatography with inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry detection for environmental speciation analysis — advances and limitations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Szpunar, Joanna; McSheehy, Shona; Połeć, Kasia; Vacchina, Véronique; Mounicou, Sandra; Rodriguez, Isaac; Łobiński, Ryszard

2000-07-01

Recent advances in the coupling of gas chromatography (GC) and high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP MS) and their role in trace element speciation analysis of environmental materials are presented. The discussion is illustrated with three research examples concerning the following topics: (i) development and coupling of multicapillary microcolumn GC with ICP MS for speciation of organotin in sediment and biological tissue samples; (ii) speciation of arsenic in marine algae by size-exclusion-anion-exchange HPLC-ICP MS; and (iii) speciation of cadmium in plant cell cultures by size-exclusion HPLC-ICP MS. Particular attention is paid to the problem of signal identification in ICP MS chromatograms; the potential of electrospray MS/MS for this purpose is highlighted.

Analytical methodologies for aluminium speciation in environmental and biological samples--a review.

PubMed

Bi, S P; Yang, X D; Zhang, F P; Wang, X L; Zou, G W

2001-08-01

It is recognized that aluminium (Al) is a potential environmental hazard. Acidic deposition has been linked to increased Al concentrations in natural waters. Elevated levels of Al might have serious consequences for biological communities. Of particular interest is the speciation of Al in aquatic environments, because Al toxicity depends on its forms and concentrations. In this paper, advances in analytical methodologies for Al speciation in environmental and biological samples during the past five years are reviewed. Concerns about the specific problems of Al speciation and highlights of some important methods are elucidated in sections devoted to hybrid techniques (HPLC or FPLC coupled with ET-AAS, ICP-AES, or ICP-MS), flow-injection analysis (FIA), nuclear magnetic resonance (27Al NMR), electrochemical analysis, and computer simulation. More than 130 references are cited.

Analysis of Aluminum-Nitride SOI for High-Temperature Electronics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Biegel, Bryan A.; Osman, Mohamed A.; Yu, Zhiping

2000-01-01

We use numerical simulation to investigate the high-temperature (up to 500K) operation of SOI MOSFETs with Aluminum-Nitride (AIN) buried insulators, rather than the conventional silicon-dioxide (SiO2). Because the thermal conductivity of AIN is about 100 times that of SiO2, AIN SOI should greatly reduce the often severe self-heating problem of conventional SOI, making SOI potentially suitable for high-temperature applications. A detailed electrothermal transport model is used in the simulations, and solved with a PDE solver called PROPHET In this work, we compare the performance of AIN-based SOI with that of SiO2-based SOI and conventional MOSFETs. We find that AIN SOI does indeed remove the self-heating penalty of SOL However, several device design trade-offs remain, which our simulations highlight.

CLINICAL CHARACTERISTICS AND ANTIBIOTIC RESISTANCE PATTERN OF PATHOGENS IN PEDIATRIC URINARY TRACT INFECTION.

PubMed

Amornchaicharoensuk, Yupaporn

2016-09-01

Medical records of children less than 15-years of age admitted to hospital for urinary tract infection (UTI) from January 2010 to December 2014 were reviewed. Among 100 children (59% males and 41% females) with upper UTI, the most common pathogen (88%) was Escherichia coli, of which 69% were nonextended spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL) and 19 % ESBL producers. Resistance to ampicillin and trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole was 90% and 60%, respectively. All ESBL-producing E. coli were resistant to ampicillin and third generation cephalosporins (cefotaxime and ceftriaxone), while 87% and 1.5% of non ESBL-producing E. coli were resistant to ampicillin and the two third generation cephalosporins, respectively. These data highlight the high prevalence of ESBL-producing E. coli in pediatric UTI and the potential problem in treating such infections.

Committed dating relationships and mental health among college students.

PubMed

Whitton, Sarah W; Weitbrecht, Eliza M; Kuryluk, Amanda D; Bruner, Michael R

2013-01-01

To examine whether involvement in committed dating relationships is associated with university students' mental health (depressive symptoms and problem alcohol use, including binge drinking), and whether these associations differ by gender. A sample of 889 undergraduate students aged 18 to 25. Self-report measures of dating relationship status, depression, and problematic alcohol use were collected via an online survey from August to December 2010. Involvement in a committed relationship, compared with being single, was associated with fewer depressive symptoms for college women but not for men. Committed relationship involvement was also associated with less problematic alcohol use for both genders. Findings suggest that involvement in committed relationships may be protective to college student mental health, and highlight the potential of healthy relationship programming to benefit student well-being.

Food potentials of some unconventional oilseeds grown in Nigeria--a brief review.

PubMed

Badifu, G I

1993-05-01

A brief review of literature on kernels of Citrullus and Cucumeropsis ('egusi' melon) species, Telfairia occidentalis (fluted pumpkin), Lagenaria (gourd) species of all of Cucurbitaceae family and other oilseeds such as Pentaclethra macrophylla (African oil bean), Parkia spp. (African locust bean) both of Mimosaceae family and Butyrospermum paradoxum (shea butter) of Sapotaceae family which are grown and widely used as food in Nigeria is presented. The kernels of species of Cucurbitaceae form the bulk of unconventional oilseeds used for food in Nigeria. The nutritional value of some of the kernels and the physicochemical properties and storage stability of the oils obtained from them are discussed. The various consumable forms in which they exist are also described. The problems and prospects of these neglected oilseeds in Nigeria are highlighted.

Research Priorities from Animal Behaviour for Maximising Conservation Progress.

PubMed

Greggor, Alison L; Berger-Tal, Oded; Blumstein, Daniel T; Angeloni, Lisa; Bessa-Gomes, Carmen; Blackwell, Bradley F; St Clair, Colleen Cassady; Crooks, Kevin; de Silva, Shermin; Fernández-Juricic, Esteban; Goldenberg, Shifra Z; Mesnick, Sarah L; Owen, Megan; Price, Catherine J; Saltz, David; Schell, Christopher J; Suarez, Andrew V; Swaisgood, Ronald R; Winchell, Clark S; Sutherland, William J

2016-12-01

Poor communication between academic researchers and wildlife managers limits conservation progress and innovation. As a result, input from overlapping fields, such as animal behaviour, is underused in conservation management despite its demonstrated utility as a conservation tool and countless papers advocating its use. Communication and collaboration across these two disciplines are unlikely to improve without clearly identified management needs and demonstrable impacts of behavioural-based conservation management. To facilitate this process, a team of wildlife managers and animal behaviour researchers conducted a research prioritisation exercise, identifying 50 key questions that have great potential to resolve critical conservation and management problems. The resulting agenda highlights the diversity and extent of advances that both fields could achieve through collaboration. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Psychical research in the history and philosophy of science. An introduction and review.

PubMed

Sommer, Andreas

2014-12-01

As a prelude to articles published in this special issue, I sketch changing historiographical conventions regarding the 'occult' in recent history of science and medicine scholarship. Next, a review of standard claims regarding psychical research and parapsychology in philosophical discussions of the demarcation problem reveals that these have tended to disregard basic primary sources and instead rely heavily on problematic popular accounts, simplistic notions of scientific practice, and outdated teleological historiographies of progress. I conclude by suggesting that rigorous and sensitively contextualized case studies of past elite heterodox scientists may be potentially useful to enrich historical and philosophical scholarship by highlighting epistemologies that have fallen through the crude meshes of triumphalist and postmodernist historiographical generalizations alike. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

How do accountability problems lead to maternal health inequities? A review of qualitative literature from Indian public sector.

PubMed

Hamal, Mukesh; Dieleman, Marjolein; De Brouwere, Vincent; de Cock Buning, Tjard

2018-01-01

There are several studies from different geographical settings and levels on maternal health, but none analyzes how accountability problems may contribute to the maternal health outcomes. This study aimed to analyze how accountability problems in public health system lead to maternal deaths and inequities in India. A conceptual framework was developed bringing together accountability process (in terms of standard setting, performance assessment, accountability (or answerability, and enforceability) -an ongoing cyclical feedback process at different levels of health system) and determinants of maternal health to analyze the influence of the process on the determinant leading to maternal health outcomes . A scoping review of qualitative and mixed-methods studies from public health sector in India was conducted. A narrative and interpretive synthesis approach was applied to analyze data. An overarching influence of health system-related factors over non-health system-related factors leading to maternal deaths and inequities was observed. A potential link among such factors was identified with gaps in accountability functions at all levels of health system pertaining to policy gaps or conflicting/discriminatory policies and political commitment. A large number of gaps were also observed concerning performance or implementation of existing standards. Inherent to these issues was potentially a lack of proper monitoring and accountability functions. A critical role of power was observed influencing the accountability functions. The narrative and interpretive synthesis approach allowed to integrate and reframe the relevant comparable information from the limited empirical studies to identify the hot spots of systemic flaws from an accountability perspective. The framework highlighted problems in health system beyond health service delivery to wider areas such as policy or politics justifying their relevance and importance in such analysis. A crucial message from the study pertains to a need to move away from the traditional concept of viewing accountability as a blame-game approach and a concern of limited frontline health workers towards a constructive and systemic approach.

9th International Symposium on the Biosafety of Genetically Modified Organisms. Session II: Identifying and defining hazards and potential consequences I: Concepts for problem formulation and non-target risk assessment.

PubMed

Bigler, Franz

2006-01-01

The scientific organizers of the symposium put much emphasis on the identification and definition of hazard and the potential consequences thereof and three full sessions with a total of 13 presentations encompassing a wide range of related themes were planned for this topic. Unfortunately, one talk had to be cancelled because of illness of the speaker (BM Khadi, India). Some presentations covered conceptual approaches for environmental risk assessment (ERA) of GM plants (problem formulation in the risk assessment framework, familiarity approach, tiered and methodological frameworks, non-target risk assessment) and the use of models in assessing invasiveness and weediness of GM plants. Other presentations highlighted the lessons learned for future ERA from case studies and commercialized GM crops, and from monitoring of unintended releases to the environment. When the moderators of the three sessions came together after the presentations to align their summaries, there was an obvious need to restructure the 12 presentations in a way that allowed for a consistent summarizing discussion. The following new organization of the 12 talks was chosen: (1) Concepts for problem formulation and non-target risk assessment, (2) Modeling as a tool for predicting invasiveness of GM plants, (3) Case-studies of ERA of large-scale release, (4) Lessons learned for ERA from a commercialized GM plant, (5) Monitoring of unintended release of Bt maize in Mexico. The new thematic structure facilitates a more in-depth discussion of the presentations related to a specific topic, and the conclusions to be drawn are thus more consistent. Each moderator agreed to take responsibility for summarizing one or more themes and to prepare the respective report.

A robust optimisation approach to the problem of supplier selection and allocation in outsourcing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fu, Yelin; Keung Lai, Kin; Liang, Liang

2016-03-01

We formulate the supplier selection and allocation problem in outsourcing under an uncertain environment as a stochastic programming problem. Both the decision-maker's attitude towards risk and the penalty parameters for demand deviation are considered in the objective function. A service level agreement, upper bound for each selected supplier's allocation and the number of selected suppliers are considered as constraints. A novel robust optimisation approach is employed to solve this problem under different economic situations. Illustrative examples are presented with managerial implications highlighted to support decision-making.

Alkali activated solidification/stabilisation of air pollution control residues and co-fired pulverised fuel ash.

PubMed

Shirley, Robin; Black, Leon

2011-10-30

This paper examines the potential treatment by solidification/stabilisation (S/S) of air pollution control (APC) residues using only waste materials otherwise bound for disposal, namely a pulverised fuel ash (PFA) from a co-fired power station and a waste caustic solution. The use of waste materials to stabilise hazardous wastes in order to meet waste acceptance criteria (WAC) would offer an economical and efficient method for reducing the environmental impact of the hazardous waste. The potential is examined against leach limits for chlorides, sulphates and total dissolved solids, and compressive strength performance described in the WAC for stable non-reactive (SNR) hazardous waste landfill cells in England and Wales. The work demonstrates some potential for the treatment, including suitable compressive strengths to meet regulatory limits. Monolithic leach results showed good encapsulation compared to previous work using a more traditional cement binder. However, consistent with previous work, SNR WAC for chlorides was not met, suggesting the need for a washing stage. The potential problems of using a non-EN450 PFA for S/S applications were also highlighted, as well as experimental results which demonstrate the effect of ionic interactions on the mobility of phases during regulatory leach testing. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Criteria for opiate identification using liquid chromatography linked to tandem mass spectrometry: problems in routine practice.

PubMed

Fox, Elizabeth J; Twigger, Shirley; Allen, Keith R

2009-01-01

Liquid chromatography linked to tandem mass spectrometry (LC/MS/MS) is being increasingly used for drug confirmation. At present, no official criteria exist for drug identification using this technique although the European Union (EU) criteria for compound identification have been adopted. These criteria are evaluated with respect to opiate confirmation by LC/MS/MS and problems highlighted. Urine samples screened positive for opiates by immunoassay were subjected to confirmation by LC/MS/MS using multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) and two separate buffer systems of pH 6.8 and 8.0, respectively. The EU criteria for compound identification were applied for confirmation of morphine, 6-monoacetylmorphine (6MAM), codeine and dihydrocodeine (DHC). Using the pH 6.8 buffer, confirmation could be achieved for 84%, 94%, 96% and 95%, respectively, for samples demonstrating MRM chromatographic peaks at retention times for morphine, 6MAM, codeine and DHC. Failure to meet the EU criteria was mainly attributed to low signal-to-noise (S:N) ratios or excessively high drug concentrations. Isobaric interferences and poor chromatography were also contributing factors. The identification of morphine was considerably improved with chromatography at pH 8.0 owing to resolution of interferences. Oxycodone metabolites were a potential problem for the identification of DHC. Isobaric interferences can pose a problem with drug identification using LC/MS/MS. Optimizing chromatographic conditions is important to overcome these interferences. Consideration needs to be given to investigating drug metabolites as well as parent drugs in method development.

Testing specificity among parents' depressive symptoms, parenting, and child internalizing and externalizing symptoms.

PubMed

Gruhn, Meredith A; Dunbar, Jennifer P; Watson, Kelly H; Reising, Michelle M; McKee, Laura; Forehand, Rex; Cole, David A; Compas, Bruce E

2016-04-01

The present study examined the specificity in relations between observed withdrawn and intrusive parenting behaviors and children's internalizing and externalizing symptoms in an at-risk sample of children (ages 9 to 15 years old) of parents with a history of depression (N = 180). Given past findings that parental depression and parenting behaviors may differentially impact boys and girls, gender was examined as a moderator of the relations between these factors and child adjustment. Correlation and linear regression analyses showed that parental depressive symptoms were significantly related to withdrawn parenting for parents of boys and girls and to intrusive parenting for parents of boys only. When controlling for intrusive parenting, preliminary analyses demonstrated that parental depressive symptoms were significantly related to withdrawn parenting for parents of boys, and this association approached significance for parents of girls. Specificity analyses yielded that, when controlling for the other type of problem (i.e., internalizing or externalizing), withdrawn parenting specifically predicted externalizing problems but not internalizing problems in girls. No evidence of specificity was found for boys in this sample, suggesting that impaired parenting behaviors are diffusely related to both internalizing and externalizing symptoms for boys. Overall, results highlight the importance of accounting for child gender and suggest that targeting improvement in parenting behaviors and the reduction of depressive symptoms in interventions with parents with a history of depression may have potential to reduce internalizing and externalizing problems in this high-risk population. (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

Mental health, substance use and intimate partner problems among pregnant and postpartum suicide victims in the National Violent Death Reporting System.

PubMed

Gold, Katherine J; Singh, Vijay; Marcus, Sheila M; Palladino, Christie Lancaster

2012-01-01

Suicide during pregnancy and postpartum is a tragic event for the victim and profoundly impacts the baby, the family and the community. Prior efforts to study risks for pregnancy-associated suicide have been hampered by the lack of data sources which capture pregnancy and delivery status of victims. Introduction of the United States National Violent Death Reporting System (NVDRS) offers new insights into violent deaths by linking multiple data sources and allowing better examination of psychosocial risk factors. The analysis used data from 17 states reporting to the NVDRS from 2003 to 2007 to evaluate suicide patterns among pregnant, postpartum, and nonpregnant or postpartum women. Demographic factors, mental health status, substance use, precipitating circumstances, intimate partner problems and suicide methods were compared among groups. The 2083 female suicide victims of reproductive age demonstrated high prevalence of existing mental health diagnosis and current depressed mood, with depressed mood significantly higher among postpartum women. Substance use and presence of other precipitating factors were high and similar among groups. Intimate partner problems were higher among pregnant and postpartum victims. Postpartum women were more likely to die via asphyxia as cause of death compared to poisoning or firearms. These findings describe important mental health, substance use and intimate partner problems seen with pregnancy-associated suicide. The study highlights mental health risk factors which could potentially be targeted for intervention in this vulnerable population. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Risk of maltreatment for siblings: Factors associated with similar and different childhood experiences in a dyadic sample of adult siblings.

PubMed

Witte, Susanne; Fegert, Jörg M; Walper, Sabine

2018-02-01

Siblings share the same environment and thus potentially a substantial number of risk factors for child maltreatment. Furthermore, the number of siblings and the sibling constellation itself might pose a risk for child maltreatment. Little is known about the likelihood that more than one child in a family is maltreated and which factors increase the risk. This study sought to investigate similarities and differences in maltreatment in siblings and risk factors associated with the maltreatment of more than one child from the same family. Data on maltreatment during childhood and adolescence, family background, and sibling constellation were collected from 870 pairs of siblings. In the dyadic analyses, siblings reported similar maltreatment experiences, especially when any type of maltreatment was considered. Parents' mental health problems were significant predictors for maltreatment of at least one sibling. Father's mental health problems were predictive of maltreatment of both or only the younger sibling, mother's mental health problems of both or only the older sibling. Closeness in age and same gender of siblings did not emerge as a consistent predictor. The increasing number of siblings was a risk factor for any type of maltreatment of both siblings. The results highlight the need for preventive measures for families with a large number of children and with parents with mental health problems as well as a repeated risk assessment of all siblings in a family when one sibling was maltreated. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Testing Specificity Among Parents’ Depressive Symptoms, Parenting, and Child Internalizing and Externalizing Symptoms

PubMed Central

Gruhn, Meredith A.; Dunbar, Jennifer P.; Watson, Kelly H.; Reising, Michelle M.; McKee, Laura; Forehand, Rex; Cole, David A.; Compas, Bruce E.

2016-01-01

The present study examined the specificity in relations between observed withdrawn and intrusive parenting behaviors and children's internalizing and externalizing symptoms in an at risk sample of children (ages 9 to 15-years-old) of parents with a history of depression (N = 180). Given past findings that parental depression and parenting behaviors may differentially impact boys and girls, gender was examined as a moderator of the relations between these factors and child adjustment. Correlation and linear regression analyses showed that parental depressive symptoms were significantly related to withdrawn parenting for parents of boys and girls and to intrusive parenting for parents of boys only. When controlling for intrusive parenting, preliminary analyses demonstrated that parental depressive symptoms were significantly related to withdrawn parenting for parents of boys, and this association approached significance for parents of girls. Specificity analyses yielded that, when controlling for the other type of problem (i.e., internalizing or externalizing), withdrawn parenting specifically predicted externalizing problems but not internalizing problems in girls. No evidence of specificity was found for boys in this sample, suggesting that impaired parenting behaviors are diffusely related to both internalizing and externalizing symptoms for boys. Overall, results highlight the importance of accounting for child gender and suggest that targeting improvement in parenting behaviors and the reduction of depressive symptoms in interventions with parents with a history of depression may have potential to reduce internalizing and externalizing problems in this high-risk population. PMID:26882467

Female adolescent elite handball players are more susceptible to shoulder problems than their male counterparts.

PubMed

Asker, Martin; Holm, Lena W; Källberg, Henrik; Waldén, Markus; Skillgate, Eva

2018-02-10

Shoulder problems are frequent among senior elite handball players. The objective of this study was to assess the prevalence of shoulder problems among adolescent elite handball players and to investigate potential differences in gender, school grade, playing position and playing level. During the 2014 and 2015 pre-season periods, 471 players (age 15-18 years, 54% female) completed a comprehensive baseline questionnaire regarding history of any shoulder pain and shoulder problems experienced during the past season. The players were monitored weekly for one competition season (September-April) regarding shoulder problems and the amount of match and training. Generalised linear models with a binomial link function were used to calculate a prevalence ratio (PR) with 95% confidence interval (CI) to compare the subgroups of players. In total, 110 players (23%) reported having substantial shoulder problems (defined as moderate/severe reduction in training volume, or moderate/severe reduction in performance, or complete inability to participate) at some point during the follow-up season, of which almost half reported complete inability to participate. Of those players reporting substantial problems, 43% (95% CI 39-48) did so for at least 3 consecutive weeks during the season. The prevalence was significantly higher in female players (PR 1.46, 95% 1.04-2.06) and in backcourt players (PR 1.58, 95% CI 1.08-2.32), but no differences were found for school grade (PR 1.21 95% CI 0.88-1.67) or playing level (PR 1.09 95% CI 0.76-1.56). The prevalence of substantial shoulder problems in adolescent elite handball players is high, especially among females, and this warrants further studies on risk factors for shoulder injury and the development of prevention strategies in handball players already before the age of 15. These findings also highlight the importance of introducing a clinical monitoring programme on a routine basis and improving the medical support, taking gender-related aspects into consideration, at handball-profiled secondary schools. II.

Extending substructure based iterative solvers to multiple load and repeated analyses

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Farhat, Charbel

1993-01-01

Direct solvers currently dominate commercial finite element structural software, but do not scale well in the fine granularity regime targeted by emerging parallel processors. Substructure based iterative solvers--often called also domain decomposition algorithms--lend themselves better to parallel processing, but must overcome several obstacles before earning their place in general purpose structural analysis programs. One such obstacle is the solution of systems with many or repeated right hand sides. Such systems arise, for example, in multiple load static analyses and in implicit linear dynamics computations. Direct solvers are well-suited for these problems because after the system matrix has been factored, the multiple or repeated solutions can be obtained through relatively inexpensive forward and backward substitutions. On the other hand, iterative solvers in general are ill-suited for these problems because they often must restart from scratch for every different right hand side. In this paper, we present a methodology for extending the range of applications of domain decomposition methods to problems with multiple or repeated right hand sides. Basically, we formulate the overall problem as a series of minimization problems over K-orthogonal and supplementary subspaces, and tailor the preconditioned conjugate gradient algorithm to solve them efficiently. The resulting solution method is scalable, whereas direct factorization schemes and forward and backward substitution algorithms are not. We illustrate the proposed methodology with the solution of static and dynamic structural problems, and highlight its potential to outperform forward and backward substitutions on parallel computers. As an example, we show that for a linear structural dynamics problem with 11640 degrees of freedom, every time-step beyond time-step 15 is solved in a single iteration and consumes 1.0 second on a 32 processor iPSC-860 system; for the same problem and the same parallel processor, a pair of forward/backward substitutions at each step consumes 15.0 seconds.

Trait urgency and gambling problems in young people by age: the mediating role of decision-making processes.

PubMed

Canale, Natale; Vieno, Alessio; Griffiths, Mark D; Rubaltelli, Enrico; Santinello, Massimo

2015-07-01

Although the personality trait of urgency has been linked to problem gambling, less is known about psychological mechanisms that mediate the relationship between urgency and problem gambling. One individual variable of potential relevance to impulsivity and addictive disorders is age. The aims of this study were to examine: (i) a theoretical model associating urgency and gambling problems, (ii) the mediating effects of decision-making processes (operationalized as preference for small/immediate rewards and lower levels of deliberative decision-making); and (iii) age differences in these relationships. Participants comprised 986 students (64% male; mean age=19.51 years; SD=2.30) divided into three groups: 16-17 years, 18-21 years, and 22-25 years. All participants completed measures of urgency, problem gambling, and a delay-discounting questionnaire involving choices between a smaller amount of money received immediately and a larger amount of money received later. Participants were also asked to reflect on their decision-making process. Compared to those aged 16-17 years and 22-25 years, participants aged 18-21 years had a higher level of gambling problems and decreased scores on lower levels of deliberative decision-making. Higher levels of urgency were associated with higher levels of gambling problems. The association was mediated by a lower level of deliberative decision-making and preference for an immediate/small reward. A distinct pathway was observed for lower levels of deliberative decision-making. Young people who tend to act rashly in response to extreme moods, had lower levels of deliberative decision-making, that in turn were positively related to gambling problems. This study highlights unique decision-making pathways through which urgency trait may operate, suggesting that those developing prevention and/or treatment strategies may want to consider the model's variables, including urgency, delay discounting, and deliberative decision-making. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Behind the cycle of violence, beyond abuse history: a brief report on the association of parental attachment to physical child abuse potential.

PubMed

Rodriguez, Christina M; Tucker, Meagan C

2011-01-01

Although the concept of a cycle of violence presumes that the transmission of violence is expressed directly across generations, the role of the overall quality of the parent-child relationship may ultimately be more influential in later parenting behavior. This study investigated whether mothers' poorer attachment to their parents was associated with their current increased child abuse potential and dysfunctional disciplinary style independent of a personal history of child abuse. A sample of 73 at-risk mothers raising children with behavior problems reported on their parental attachment, abuse potential, dysfunctional parenting style, and personal abuse history. An at-risk sample, rather than a sample of identified abuse victims or perpetrators, was studied to better examine the potential continuity or discontinuity from history of abuse to current abuse risk, allowing consideration of those who may break the cycle versus those who potentially initiate abuse in the absence of a personal history. Findings indicate that poor attachment significantly predicted both dysfunctional parenting practices and elevated child abuse potential, controlling for personal child abuse history. Such results highlight the importance of the overall quality of the relationship between the parent and child in potentially shaping future abuse risk. Findings are discussed in terms of continuity or discontinuity in the cycle of violence and future directions for research on attachment in relation to the development of later child abuse risk.

Mathematical Geology.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jones, Thomas A.

1983-01-01

Mathematical techniques used to solve geological problems are briefly discussed (including comments on use of geostatistics). Highlights of conferences/meetings and conference papers in mathematical geology are also provided. (JN)

The Future of Teaching Research in the Social Sciences

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wagner, C.

2009-01-01

Current literature on teaching research methodology in the social sciences highlights the changing nature of our world in terms of its complexity and diversity, and points to how this affects the way in which we search for answers to related problems (Brew 2003, 3; Tashakkori and Teddlie 2003, 74). New ways of approaching research problems that…

Discovering New Hope through ABE: A Program for Kidney Dialysis Patients.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Amonette, Linda M.

1984-01-01

Kidney dialysis patients often suffer emotional problems and face life adjustment problems. Adult basic education can be a useful tool to address these and to make positive use of idle time during dialysis. This article describes such a program, emphasizes the self-concept gain for students, and highlights the critical role of the understanding…

Restructuring as a Panacea for the Sustainable Development of the Nigerian University System

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Arikewuyo, M. Olalekan

2009-01-01

The Nigerian university system, in spite of its astronomical growth in size, has been beset by a barrage of problems, which are threatening its ability to perform the traditional roles of teaching, research and services. Such problems as highlighted in this paper include: unplanned expansion leading to proliferation of both private and public…

Technology for a Purpose: Technology for Information Problem-Solving with the Big6[R].

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Eisenberg, Mike B

2003-01-01

Explains the Big6 model of information problem solving as a conceptual framework for learning and teaching information and technology skills. Highlights include information skills; examples of integrating technology in Big6 contexts; and the Big6 and the Internet, including email, listservs, chat, Web browsers, search engines, portals, Web…

Employment-Related Problems of Older Workers: A Research Strategy. R&D Monograph 73.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sheppard, Harold L.

Based on an extensive search of the available literature on older workers and their problems, this monograph provides a careful assessment of this literature and highlights some areas where additional research is needed. This report examines demographic changes likely to influence the size and characteristics of the older worker population in the…

The Persistence of Violence in South Africa's Schools: In Search of Solutions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Le Roux, C. S.; Mokhele, P. R.

2011-01-01

Crime, abuse and violence against school children are grave problems in South African schools and are undisputedly on the increase. This article highlights aspects of hostile and violent behaviour in South Africa that contribute to the persistence of school violence. The problem is complex and there are no simple solutions. The article puts…

Scientific Paradigms and Falsification: Kuhn, Popper, and Problems in Education Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hyslop-Margison, Emery James

2010-01-01

By examining the respective contributions of Karl Popper and Thomas Kuhn to the philosophy of science, the author highlights some prevailing problems in this article with the methods of so-called scientific research in education. The author enumerates a number of reasons why such research, in spite of its limited tangible return, continues to gain…

A Practical Study of Mathematics Education Using Gamification

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sakai, Kyohei; Shiota, Shingo

2016-01-01

This paper explores the use of gamification in math lessons for children in order to highlight the relationship between math education and its application to society. In school education, there is an existing problem about how to relate concepts learned in math to everyday life. One of the reasons for this problem is that it is difficult for…

The Journey to Develop Educated Entrepreneurs: Prospects and Problems of Afghan Businessmen

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Muhammad, Ali; Akbar, Saeed; Dalziel, Murray

2011-01-01

Purpose: This study seeks to examine self-perceived entrepreneurial problems and prospects in a post-war scenario. It aims to present a holistic and historical account of Afghan graduates and their ability to transform into educated entrepreneurs. The study further aims to highlight entrepreneurial characteristics of the Afghans and link them to…

A Proposition to Engineer a Bridge: Reconnecting with the Industry-Based Educators

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rigler, Kenny

2017-01-01

The first steps in the engineering design process are to identify and define the problem (Eide, Jenison, Mashaw, & Northup, 2001). The primary purpose of this article is to highlight the problem that has existed for the past three decades (a disconnect between industrial educators and proponents of technological literacy) and to make a…

Have Lifelong Learning and Emancipation Still Something to Say to Each Other?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Biesta, Gert

2012-01-01

In this paper I explore the relationships between lifelong learning and emancipation. On the one hand I raise critical questions about the idea of lifelong learning, particularly highlighting the tendency to turn social and political problems into learning problems and thus into issues that need to be resolved by individuals and their learning,…

Medical and Psychosocial Problems in the Classroom: The Teacher's Role in Diagnosis and Management. Fifth Edition

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Haslam, Robert H. A., Ed.; Valletutti, Peter J., Ed.

2016-01-01

Now in its fifth edition, this outstanding resource for teachers and school professionals has been retitled "Medical and Psychosocial Problems in the Classroom" to more accurately reflect what teachers encounter during the course of their careers. Each chapter highlights the important role teachers play when interacting with health-care…

Causal Inference and Omitted Variable Bias in Financial Aid Research: Assessing Solutions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Riegg, Stephanie K.

2008-01-01

This article highlights the problem of omitted variable bias in research on the causal effect of financial aid on college-going. I first describe the problem of self-selection and the resulting bias from omitted variables. I then assess and explore the strengths and weaknesses of random assignment, multivariate regression, proxy variables, fixed…

Planning pitfalls

Treesearch

James H. Freeman

1977-01-01

The subject this morning is planning and the problems peculiar to planning for management on public lands. As I am sure you know, we could devote entire seminars to problems encountered in planning. However, within the scope of the program today, we have the opportunity to touch briefly on some of the more important highlights of planning with the focus on major...

The Development and Piloting of the ISPCAN Child Abuse Screening Tool-Parent Version (ICAST-P)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Runyan, Desmond K.; Dunne, Michael P.; Zolotor, Adam J.; Madrid, Bernadette; Jain, Dipty; Gerbaka, Bernard; Menick, Daniel Mbassa; Andreva-Miller, Inna; Kasim, Mohammed Sham; Choo, Wan Yuen; Isaeva, Oksana; Macfarlane, Bonnie; Ramirez, Clemencia; Volkova, Elena; Youssef, Randa M.

2009-01-01

Objective: Child maltreatment is a problem that has longer recognition in the northern hemisphere and in high-income countries. Recent work has highlighted the nearly universal nature of the problem in other countries but demonstrated the lack of comparability of studies because of the variations in definitions and measures used. The International…

The interactive effect of paternal problem drinking and maternal problem drinking on adolescent internalizing problems.

PubMed

Ohannessian, Christine McCauley

2015-11-01

This study examined the effects of both paternal problem drinking and maternal problem drinking on adolescent internalizing problems (depression and anxiety symptomatology). Surveys were administered to 566 10th and 11th grade students from the Mid-Atlantic region of the U.S. in the spring of 2007 and again in the spring of 2008. Although significant main effects were not observed, significant interactions were found between paternal problem drinking and maternal problem drinking for internalizing problems, especially for boys. In general, these interactions indicated that when paternal problem drinking was high, depression symptomatology and anxiety symptomatology were lower if maternal problem drinking was low. Findings from this study highlight the need to consider both paternal and maternal problem drinking when examining the effects that parental problem drinking may have on adolescent adjustment. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The Disposal of Hazardous Wastes.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Barnhart, Benjamin J.

1978-01-01

The highlights of a symposium held in October, 1977 spotlight some problems and solutions. Topics include wastes from coal technologies, radioactive wastes, and industrial and agricultural wastes. (BB)

Child mental health in Jordanian orphanages: effect of placement change on behavior and caregiving.

PubMed

MacKenzie, Michael J; Gearing, Robin E; Schwalbe, Craig S; Ibrahim, Rawan W; Brewer, Kathryne B; Al-Sharaihah, Rasha

2014-12-21

To assess the mental health and behavioral problems of children in institutional placements in Jordan to inform understanding of current needs, and to explore the effects of placement change on functioning and staff perceptions of goodness-of-fit. An assessment was completed of 134 children between 1.5-12 years-of-age residing in Jordanian orphanages. The Child Behavior Checklist was used to assess prevalence rates of problems across externalizing and internalizing behavior and DSM-IV oriented subscales. Also included was caregiver perceived goodness-of-fit with each child, caregiving behavior, and two placement change-clock variables; an adjustment clock measuring time since last move, and an anticipation clock measuring time to next move. 28% were in the clinical range for the internalizing domain on the CBCL, and 22% for the externalizing domain. The children also exhibited high levels of clinical range social problems, affective disorder, pervasive developmental disorder, and conduct problems. Internalizing problems were found to decrease with time in placement as children adjust to a prior move, whereas externalizing problems increased as the time to their next age-triggered move drew closer, highlighting the anticipatory effects of change. Both behavioral problems and the change clocks were predictive of staff perceptions of goodness-of-fit with the children under their care. These findings add to the evidence demonstrating the negative effects of orphanage rearing, and highlight the importance of the association between behavioral problems and child-caregiver relationship pathways including the timing of placement disruptions and staff perceptions of goodness-of-fit.

Nonlinear ship waves and computational fluid dynamics

PubMed Central

MIYATA, Hideaki; ORIHARA, Hideo; SATO, Yohei

2014-01-01

Research works undertaken in the first author’s laboratory at the University of Tokyo over the past 30 years are highlighted. Finding of the occurrence of nonlinear waves (named Free-Surface Shock Waves) in the vicinity of a ship advancing at constant speed provided the start-line for the progress of innovative technologies in the ship hull-form design. Based on these findings, a multitude of the Computational Fluid Dynamic (CFD) techniques have been developed over this period, and are highlighted in this paper. The TUMMAC code has been developed for wave problems, based on a rectangular grid system, while the WISDAM code treats both wave and viscous flow problems in the framework of a boundary-fitted grid system. These two techniques are able to cope with almost all fluid dynamical problems relating to ships, including the resistance, ship’s motion and ride-comfort issues. Consequently, the two codes have contributed significantly to the progress in the technology of ship design, and now form an integral part of the ship-designing process. PMID:25311139

Proposal for a unified selection to medical residency programs.

PubMed

Toffoli, Sônia Ferreira Lopes; Ferreira Filho, Olavo Franco; Andrade, Dalton Francisco de

2013-01-01

This paper proposes the unification of entrance exams to medical residency programs (MRP) in Brazil. Problems related to MRP and its interface with public health problems in Brazil are highlighted and how this proposal are able to help solving these problems. The proposal is to create a database to be applied in MRP unified exams. Some advantages of using the Item Response Theory (IRT) in this database are highlighted. The MRP entrance exams are developed and applied decentralized where each school is responsible for its examination. These exams quality are questionable. Reviews about items quality, validity and reliability of appliances are not common disclosed. Evaluation is important in every education system bringing on required changes and control of teaching and learning. The proposal of MRP entrance exams unification, besides offering high quality exams to institutions participants, could be as an extra source to rate medical school and cause improvements, provide studies with a database and allow a regional mobility. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Editora Ltda. All rights reserved.

The impact of Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever virus on public health.

PubMed

Mertens, Marc; Schmidt, Katja; Ozkul, Aykut; Groschup, Martin H

2013-05-01

Climatic, environmental and economic changes, as well as the steadily increasing global trade and personal mobility provide ample opportunities for emerging pathogens with zoonotic potential to spread to previously unaffected countries. Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever virus (CCHFV) is considered to be one of the major emerging disease threats spreading to and within the European Union following an expanding distribution of its main vector, ticks of the genus Hyalomma. Every year more than 1000 human CCHF cases are reported from countries of southeastern Europe and Turkey. CCHFV can cause high case fatality rates and can be transmitted from human to human. There are no vaccine prophylaxis and therapeutic interventions available at present. Several EU-funded research projects focus currently on CCHFV which highlights the awareness for this problem at the European level. As public health deals with questions of prevention on a population level rather than healing and health on an individual level, the analysis of existing data plays a fundamental role to minimize its epidemic potential, by reducing infection risks, and to manage disease outbreaks. This review gives a summary of the current knowledge and data with focus at the interface between public health and CCHFV. Based on this knowledge, guidelines for the risk classification of a region and for outbreak prevention are given. This review will assist decision makers and public health authorities in understanding risk scenarios and in deciding on effective countermeasures, as well as human and veterinary scientists by highlighting existing gaps in knowledge. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Spontaneous gestures influence strategy choices in problem solving.

PubMed

Alibali, Martha W; Spencer, Robert C; Knox, Lucy; Kita, Sotaro

2011-09-01

Do gestures merely reflect problem-solving processes, or do they play a functional role in problem solving? We hypothesized that gestures highlight and structure perceptual-motor information, and thereby make such information more likely to be used in problem solving. Participants in two experiments solved problems requiring the prediction of gear movement, either with gesture allowed or with gesture prohibited. Such problems can be correctly solved using either a perceptual-motor strategy (simulation of gear movements) or an abstract strategy (the parity strategy). Participants in the gesture-allowed condition were more likely to use perceptual-motor strategies than were participants in the gesture-prohibited condition. Gesture promoted use of perceptual-motor strategies both for participants who talked aloud while solving the problems (Experiment 1) and for participants who solved the problems silently (Experiment 2). Thus, spontaneous gestures influence strategy choices in problem solving.

Selected Core Thinking Skills and Cognitive Strategy of an Expert and Novice Engineer

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dixon, Raymond A.

2011-01-01

This exploratory study highlights certain differences in the way an expert and a novice engineer used their analyzing and generating skills while solving a fairly ill-structured design problem. The expert tends to use more inferences and elaboration when solving the design problem and the novice tend to use analysis that is focused on the…

Reading and the Emotionally Handicapped Child. Highlights of a Special Study Institute (Poughkeepsie, New York, October 5-7, 1970).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Duchess County Board of Cooperative Educational Services, NY.

The conference proceedings include seven papers dealing with reading problems of emotionally disturbed children. Emotional resistance to reading is discussed by Jules Abrams, a psychiatrist. The purposes of testing and the problem of labeling are touched upon by Clifford Kolson. Some practical suggestions of classroom techniques for combining a…

Inequality and Redistribution Policy Issues: Principles and Swedish Experience; Comment on Lindbeck's Paper [and] Discussion Paper.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lindbeck, Assar

Alternative methods of redistribution policy in mixed economies are compared in this paper. The paper deals with the objectives, methods, and problems in redistribution policy. The chief objective is to highlight principles and general problems, drawing heavily on the experiences of Sweden. This country is chosen as a case study since attempts to…

The State of the World's Children, 2013: Children with Disabilities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

UNICEF, 2013

2013-01-01

Reports such as this typically begin with a statistic designed to highlight a problem. The girls and boys to whom this edition of "The State of the World's Children" is dedicated are not problems. Rather, each is a sister, brother or friend who has a favourite dish, song or game; a daughter or son with dreams and the desire to fulfil…

New Developments in Wood-Destroying Organisms from the International Research Group on Wood Preservation \\t

Treesearch

Elmer L. Schmidt

1991-01-01

New developments in wood-destroying organisms and in wood protection from the 20th annual meeting (May 1989 at Lappeenranta, Finland) of the International Research Group on Wood Preservation (IRG) are highlighted in the areas of biological control of fungi, dry rot, decay mechanisms and product problems, new techniques, insect problems and control, and developments in...

"This Is My Truth, Tell Me Yours". Deconstructive Pragmatism as a Philosophy for Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Biesta, Gert

2010-01-01

One way to characterise pragmatism is to see it as a philosophy that placed communication at the heart of philosophical, educational and political thinking. Whereas the shift from consciousness to communication can be seen as a major innovation in modern philosophy, it is not without problems. This article highlights some of these problems and…

Do clients' problem-solving appraisals predict career counseling outcomes or vice versa? A reanalysis of Heppner, et al.

PubMed

Lee, Dong-Gwi; Park, Hyun-Joo; Heppner, Mary J

2009-12-01

Using Heppner, et al.'s data from 2004, this study tested career counseling clients in the United States on problem-solving appraisal scores and career-related variables. A cross-lagged panel design with structural equation modeling was used. Results supported the link between clients' precounseling problem-solving appraisal scores and career outcome. This finding held for career decision-making, but not for vocational identity. The study provided further support for Heppner, et al.'s findings, highlighting the influential role of clients' problem-solving appraisals in advancing their career decision-making processes.

Strontium (Sr) and silver (Ag) loaded nanotubular structures with combined osteoinductive and antimicrobial activities.

PubMed

Cheng, Hao; Xiong, Wei; Fang, Zhong; Guan, Hanfeng; Wu, Wei; Li, Yong; Zhang, Yong; Alvarez, Mario Moisés; Gao, Biao; Huo, Kaifu; Xu, Jiangwen; Xu, Na; Zhang, Chengcheng; Fu, Jijiang; Khademhosseini, Ali; Li, Feng

2016-02-01

Two frequent problems are associated with the titanium surfaces of bone/dental implants: lack of native tissue integration and associated infection. These problems have prompted a significant body of research regarding the modification of these surfaces. The present study describes a hydrothermal treatment for the fabrication of strontium (Sr) and silver (Ag) loaded nanotubular structures with different tube diameters on titanium surfaces. The Sr loading from a Sr(OH)2 solution was regulated by the size of the inner diameter of the titanium nanotubes (NT) (30nm or 80nm, formed at 10V or 40V, respectively). The quantity of Ag was adjusted by immersing the samples in 1.5 or 2.0M AgNO3 solutions. Sr and Ag were released in a controllable and prolonged matter from the NT-Ag.Sr samples, with negligible cytotoxicity. Prominent antibacterial activity was observed due to the release of Ag. Sr incorporation enhanced the initial cell adhesion, migration, and proliferation of preosteoblast MC3T3-E1 cells. Sr release also up-regulated the expression of osteogenic genes and induced mineralization, as suggested by the presence of more mineralized calcium nodules in cells cultured on NT-Ag.Sr surfaces. In vivo experiments showed that the Sr-loaded samples accelerated the formation of new bone in both osteoporosis and bone defect models, as confirmed by X-ray, Micro-CT evaluation, and histomorphometric analysis of rats implanted with NT-Ag.Sr samples. The antibacterial activity and outstanding osteogenic properties of NT-Ag.Sr samples highlight their excellent potential for use in clinical applications. Two frequent problems associated with Ti surfaces, widely used in orthopedic and dental arenas, are their lack of native tissue integration and risk of infection. We describe a novel approach for the fabrication of strontium (Sr) and silver (Ag) loaded nanotubular structures on titanium surfaces. A relevant aspect of this work is the demonstration of long-lasting and controllable Ag release, leading to excellent antibacterial and anti-adherent properties against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), and Gram-negative bacteria such as Escherichia coli. The extended release of Sr accelerates the filling of bone defects by improving the repair of damaged cortical bone and increasing trabecular bone microarchitecture. Our results highlight the potential of Sr and Ag loaded nanotubular structures for use in clinical applications. Copyright © 2015 Acta Materialia Inc. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Improving access to medicines via the Health Impact Fund in India: a stakeholder analysis.

PubMed

McMullan, Patrick; Ajay, Vamadevan S; Srinivas, Ravi; Bhalla, Sandeep; Prabhakaran, Dorairaj; Banerjee, Amitava

2018-01-01

In India, 50-65% of the population face difficulties in accessing medicines. The Health Impact Fund (HIF) is a novel proposal whereby pharmaceutical companies would be paid based on the measured global health impact of their drugs. We conducted a key stakeholder analysis to explore access to medicines in India, acceptability of the HIF and potential barriers and facilitators at policy level. To conduct a stakeholder analysis of the HIF in India: to determine key stakeholder views regarding access to medicines in India; to evaluate acceptability of the HIF; and to assess potential barriers and facilitators to the HIF as a policy. In New Delhi, we conducted semi-structured interviews. There was purposive recruitment of participants with snowball sampling. Transcribed data were analysed using stakeholder analysis frameworks and directed content analysis. Participation rate was 29% (14/49). 14 semi-structured interviews were conducted among stakeholders in New Delhi. All participants highlighted access to medicines as a problem in India. There were mixed views about the HIF in terms of relevance and scaleability. Stakeholders felt it should focus on diseases with limited or no market and potentially incorporate direct investment in research. First, access to medicines is perceived to be a major problem in India by all stakeholders, but affordability is just one factor. Second, stakeholders despite considerable support for the idea of the HIF, there are major concerns about scaleability, generalisability and impact on access to medicines. Third, the HIF and other novel drug-related health policies can afford to be more radical, e.g. working outside the existing intellectual property rights regime, targeting generic as well as branded drugs, or extending to research and development. Further innovations in access to medicines must involve country-specific key stakeholders in order to increase the likelihood of their success.

Animal Study Registries: Results from a Stakeholder Analysis on Potential Strengths, Weaknesses, Facilitators, and Barriers.

PubMed

Wieschowski, Susanne; Silva, Diego S; Strech, Daniel

2016-11-01

Publication bias in animal research, its extent, its predictors, and its potential countermeasures are increasingly discussed. Recent reports and conferences highlight the potential strengths of animal study registries (ASRs) in this regard. Others have warned that prospective registration of animal studies could diminish creativity, add administrative burdens, and complicate intellectual property issues in translational research. A literature review and 21 international key-informant interviews were conducted and thematically analyzed to develop a comprehensive matrix of main- and subcategories for potential ASR-related strengths, weaknesses, facilitators, and barriers (SWFBs). We identified 130 potential SWFBs. All stakeholder groups agreed that ASRs could in various ways improve the quality and refinement of animal studies while allowing their number to be reduced, as well as supporting meta-research on animal studies. However, all stakeholder groups also highlighted the potential for theft of ideas, higher administrative burdens, and reduced creativity and serendipity in animal studies. Much more detailed reasoning was captured in the interviews than is currently found in the literature, providing a comprehensive account of the issues and arguments around ASRs. All stakeholder groups highlighted compelling potential strengths of ASRs. Although substantial weaknesses and implementation barriers were highlighted as well, different governance measures might help to minimize or even eliminate their impact. Such measures might include confidentiality time frames for accessing prospectively registered protocols, harmonized reporting requirements across ASRs, ethics reviews, lab notebooks, and journal submissions. The comprehensive information gathered in this study could help to guide a more evidence-based debate and to design pilot tests for ASRs.

Age of First Use and Delay to First Intoxication in Relation to Trajectories of Heavy Drinking and Alcohol-Related Problems During Emerging Adulthood

PubMed Central

Morean, Meghan E.; Corbin, William R.; Fromme, Kim

2018-01-01

Background Using alcohol at an early age is a well-documented risk factor for heavy drinking and the experience of a range of negative social and health consequences. However, it remains unclear if early consumption of any alcohol or early drinking to intoxication confers the greatest risk. Methods Age of onset (AO) and delay to first intoxication (delay) were examined as independent predictors of heavy drinking and the experience of alcohol-related problems (problems) in a sample of incoming college freshmen (n = 1,160) who completed biannual assessments from the summer following senior year of high school through senior year of college. The sample included more women (66%) than men and a majority were Caucasian (59%). We employed latent growth curve modeling to examine self-reported AO and delay to self-defined first intoxication as predictors of the frequency of heavy drinking and problems during year 4 of college, as well as changes in these alcohol-related outcomes from high school through college. Results An earlier AO and/or a shorter delay was associated with increased frequency of heavy drinking and problems during senior year of college. Although individuals with a later AO and/or a longer delay were at lower risk overall, they showed larger increases in heavy drinking and problems over time. Conclusions The findings highlight the importance of distinguishing between AO and delay to first intoxication. Delay accounted for unique variance in drinking outcomes relative to AO, and the effects of AO were stronger when delay was included as a predictor variable. Results are discussed with regard to potential mechanisms through which an early age of intoxication may confer unique risk relative to AO. The implications for cross-cultural differences in risk for problems attributable to early drinking are also discussed. PMID:22897715

Reducing Youth Access to Alcohol: Findings from a Community-Based Randomized Trial*

PubMed Central

Flewelling, Robert L.; Grube, Joel W.; Paschall, M.J.; Biglan, Anthony; Kraft, Anne; Black, Carol; Hanley, Sean; Ringwalt, Christopher; Wiesen, Chris; Ruscoe, Jeff

2012-01-01

Underage drinking continues to be an important public health problem and a challenge to the substance abuse prevention field. Community-based interventions designed to more rigorously control underage access to alcohol through retailer education and greater enforcement of underage drinking laws have been advocated as potentially effective strategies to help address this problem, but studies designed to evaluate such interventions are sparse. To address this issue we conducted a randomized trial involving 36 communities to test the combined effectiveness of five interrelated intervention components designed to reduce underage access to alcohol. The intervention was found to be effective in reducing the likelihood that retail clerks would sell alcohol to underage-looking buyers, but did not reduce underage drinking or the perceived availability of alcohol among high school students. Post hoc analyses, however, revealed significant associations between the level of underage drinking law enforcement in the intervention communities and reductions in both 30-day use of alcohol and binge drinking. The findings highlight the difficulty in reducing youth drinking even when efforts to curtail retail access are successful. Study findings also suggest that high intensity implementation of underage drinking law enforcement can reduce underage drinking. Any such effects of enhanced enforcement on underage drinking appear to be more directly attributable to an increase in perceived likelihood of enforcement and the resultant perceived inconveniences and/or sanctions to potential drinkers, than to a reduction in access to alcohol per se. PMID:22688848

Hospital-acquired listeriosis associated with sandwiches in the UK: a cause for concern.

PubMed

Little, C L; Amar, C F L; Awofisayo, A; Grant, K A

2012-09-01

Hospital-acquired outbreaks of listeriosis are not commonly reported but remain a significant public health problem. To raise awareness of listeriosis outbreaks that have occurred in hospitals and describe actions that can be taken to minimize the risk of foodborne listeriosis to vulnerable patients. Foodborne outbreaks and incidents of Listeria monocytogenes reported to the Health Protection Agency national surveillance systems were investigated and those linked to hospitals were extracted. The data were analysed to identify the outbreak/incident setting, the food vehicle, outbreak contributory factors and origin of problem. Most (8/11, 73%) foodborne outbreaks of listeriosis that occurred in the UK between 1999 and 2011 were associated with sandwiches purchased from or provided in hospitals. Recurrently in the outbreaks the infecting subtype of L. monocytogenes was detected in supplied prepacked sandwiches and sandwich manufacturing environments. In five of the outbreaks breaches in cold chain controls of food also occurred at hospital level. The outbreaks highlight the potential for sandwiches contaminated with L. monocytogenes to cause severe infection in vulnerable people. Control of L. monocytogenes in sandwich manufacturing and within hospitals is essential to minimize the potential for consumption of this bacterium at levels hazardous to health. Manufacturers supplying sandwiches to hospitals should aim to ensure absence of L. monocytogenes in sandwiches at the point of production and hospital-documented food safety management systems should ensure the integrity of the food cold chain. Crown Copyright © 2012. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

How restudy decisions affect overall comprehension for seventh-grade students.

PubMed

Thiede, Keith W; Redford, Joshua S; Wiley, Jennifer; Griffin, Thomas D

2017-12-01

Self-regulated learning requires accurate monitoring and effective regulation of study. Little is known about how effectively younger readers regulate their study. We examined how decisions about which text to restudy affect overall comprehension for seventh-grade students. In addition to a Participant's Choice condition where students were allowed to pick texts for restudy on their own, we compared learning gains in two other conditions in which texts were selected for them. The Test-Based Restudy condition determined text selection using initial test performance - presenting the text with the lowest initial test performance for restudy, thereby circumventing potential problems associated with inaccurate monitoring and ineffective regulation. The Judgement-Based Restudy condition determined text selection using metacognitive judgements of comprehension - presenting the text with the lowest judgement of comprehension, thereby circumventing potential problems associated with ineffective regulation. Four hundred and eighty seventh-grade students participated. Students were randomly assigned to conditions in an experimental design. Gains in comprehension following restudy were larger for the Test-Based Restudy condition than for the Judgement-Based Restudy condition or the Participant's Choice condition. No differences in comprehension were seen between the Judgement-Based Restudy and Participant's Choice conditions. These results suggest seventh graders can systematically use their monitoring to make decisions about what to restudy. However, the results highlight how inaccurate monitoring is one reason why younger students fail to benefit from self-regulated study opportunities. © 2017 The British Psychological Society.

Reducing youth access to alcohol: findings from a community-based randomized trial.

PubMed

Flewelling, Robert L; Grube, Joel W; Paschall, M J; Biglan, Anthony; Kraft, Anne; Black, Carol; Hanley, Sean M; Ringwalt, Christopher; Wiesen, Chris; Ruscoe, Jeff

2013-03-01

Underage drinking continues to be an important public health problem and a challenge to the substance abuse prevention field. Community-based interventions designed to more rigorously control underage access to alcohol through retailer education and greater enforcement of underage drinking laws have been advocated as potentially effective strategies to help address this problem, but studies designed to evaluate such interventions are sparse. To address this issue we conducted a randomized trial involving 36 communities to test the combined effectiveness of five interrelated intervention components designed to reduce underage access to alcohol. The intervention was found to be effective in reducing the likelihood that retail clerks would sell alcohol to underage-looking buyers, but did not reduce underage drinking or the perceived availability of alcohol among high school students. Post hoc analyses, however, revealed significant associations between the level of underage drinking law enforcement in the intervention communities and reductions in both 30-day use of alcohol and binge drinking. The findings highlight the difficulty in reducing youth drinking even when efforts to curtail retail access are successful. Study findings also suggest that high intensity implementation of underage drinking law enforcement can reduce underage drinking. Any such effects of enhanced enforcement on underage drinking appear to be more directly attributable to an increase in perceived likelihood of enforcement and the resultant perceived inconveniences and/or sanctions to potential drinkers, than to a reduction in access to alcohol per se.

An overview of the genetic dissection of complex traits.

PubMed

Rao, D C

2008-01-01

Thanks to the recent revolutionary genomic advances such as the International HapMap consortium, resolution of the genetic architecture of common complex traits is beginning to look hopeful. While demonstrating the feasibility of genome-wide association (GWA) studies, the pathbreaking Wellcome Trust Case Control Consortium (WTCCC) study also serves to underscore the critical importance of very large sample sizes and draws attention to potential problems, which need to be addressed as part of the study design. Even the large WTCCC study had vastly inadequate power for several of the associations reported (and confirmed) and, therefore, most of the regions harboring relevant associations may not be identified anytime soon. This chapter provides an overview of some of the key developments in the methodological approaches to genetic dissection of common complex traits. Constrained Bayesian networks are suggested as especially useful for analysis of pathway-based SNPs. Likewise, composite likelihood is suggested as a promising method for modeling complex systems. It discusses the key steps in a study design, with an emphasis on GWA studies. Potential limitations highlighted by the WTCCC GWA study are discussed, including problems associated with massive genotype imputation, analysis of pooled national samples, shared controls, and the critical role of interactions. GWA studies clearly need massive sample sizes that are only possible through genuine collaborations. After all, for common complex traits, the question is not whether we can find some pieces of the puzzle, but how large and what kind of a sample we need to (nearly) solve the genetic puzzle.

How US institutional review boards decide when researchers need to translate studies

PubMed Central

Klitzman, Robert

2013-01-01

Informed consent is crucial in research, but potential participants may not all speak the same language, posing questions that have not been examined concerning decisions by institutional review boards (IRBs) and research ethics committees’ (RECs) about the need for researchers to translate consent forms and other study materials. Sixty US IRBs (every fourth one in the list of the top 240 institutions by The National Institutes of Health funding) were contacted, and leaders (eg, chairs) from 34 (response rate=57%) and an additional 12 members and administrators were interviewed. IRBs face a range of problems about translation of informed consent documents, questionnaires and manuals—what, when and how to translate (eg, for how many or what proportion of potential subjects), why to do so and how to decide. Difficulties can arise about translation of specific words and of broader cultural concepts regarding processes of informed consent and research, especially in the developing world. In these decisions, IRBs weigh the need for autonomy (through informed consent) and justice (to ensure fair distribution of benefits and burdens of research) against practical concerns about costs to researchers. At times IRBs may have to compromise between these competing goals. These data, the first to examine when and how IRBs/RECs require researchers to translate materials, thus highlight a range of problems with which these committees struggle, suggesting a need for further normative and empirical investigation of these domains, and consideration of guidelines to help IRBs deal with these tensions. PMID:23475805

How US institutional review boards decide when researchers need to translate studies.

PubMed

Klitzman, Robert

2014-03-01

Informed consent is crucial in research, but potential participants may not all speak the same language, posing questions that have not been examined concerning decisions by institutional review boards (IRBs) and research ethics committees' (RECs) about the need for researchers to translate consent forms and other study materials. Sixty US IRBs (every fourth one in the list of the top 240 institutions by The National Institutes of Health funding) were contacted, and leaders (eg, chairs) from 34 (response rate=57%) and an additional 12 members and administrators were interviewed. IRBs face a range of problems about translation of informed consent documents, questionnaires and manuals-what, when and how to translate (eg, for how many or what proportion of potential subjects), why to do so and how to decide. Difficulties can arise about translation of specific words and of broader cultural concepts regarding processes of informed consent and research, especially in the developing world. In these decisions, IRBs weigh the need for autonomy (through informed consent) and justice (to ensure fair distribution of benefits and burdens of research) against practical concerns about costs to researchers. At times IRBs may have to compromise between these competing goals. These data, the first to examine when and how IRBs/RECs require researchers to translate materials, thus highlight a range of problems with which these committees struggle, suggesting a need for further normative and empirical investigation of these domains, and consideration of guidelines to help IRBs deal with these tensions.

Improving the experiences and health of people with multimorbidity: exploratory research with policymakers and information providers on comorbid arthritis.

PubMed

Ryan, Rebecca E; Hill, Sophie J

2014-01-01

Multimorbidity has emerged as a complex health issue with the burden falling predominantly on patients, families and the primary health care sector. Evidence-informed communication and participation, activities informed by evidence and people's views and experiences, has the potential to improve health outcomes for people with multimorbidity. In recognition of their role in shaping future actions, we conducted focus groups with policymakers and information providers. The aim of this article is to report on the range and impacts of communication problems in multimorbidity, and identify points of intervention. To facilitate and focus dialogue, comorbid arthritis was selected as the case example. Two focus groups were held: one with policymakers and the other with health information providers. Participants were asked to discuss communication problems and possibilities relevant to multimorbidity, using examples from comorbid arthritis where relevant. Participants highlighted three main areas on which to focus future efforts to improve the health outcomes and experiences of people with multimorbidity: (1) make explicit the problems of multimorbidity and communication; (2) recognise that both multimorbidity and communication issues are compounding factors; and (3) consider actions at policy, service, community and individual levels. Examining multimorbidity through the lens of communication issues identified the significant burden across different domains of the health system. The focus on communication may facilitate a cross-disease perspective to emerge and assist with policy development.

Solving Word Problems using Schemas: A Review of the Literature

PubMed Central

Powell, Sarah R.

2011-01-01

Solving word problems is a difficult task for students at-risk for or with learning disabilities (LD). One instructional approach that has emerged as a valid method for helping students at-risk for or with LD to become more proficient at word-problem solving is using schemas. A schema is a framework for solving a problem. With a schema, students are taught to recognize problems as falling within word-problem types and to apply a problem solution method that matches that problem type. This review highlights two schema approaches for 2nd- and 3rd-grade students at-risk for or with LD: schema-based instruction and schema-broadening instruction. A total of 12 schema studies were reviewed and synthesized. Both types of schema approaches enhanced the word-problem skill of students at-risk for or with LD. Based on the review, suggestions are provided for incorporating word-problem instruction using schemas. PMID:21643477

SHARP: Automated monitoring of spacecraft health and status

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Atkinson, David J.; James, Mark L.; Martin, R. Gaius

1991-01-01

Briefly discussed here are the spacecraft and ground systems monitoring process at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL). Some of the difficulties associated with the existing technology used in mission operations are highlighted. A new automated system based on artificial intelligence technology is described which seeks to overcome many of these limitations. The system, called the Spacecraft Health Automated Reasoning Prototype (SHARP), is designed to automate health and status analysis for multi-mission spacecraft and ground data systems operations. The system has proved to be effective for detecting and analyzing potential spacecraft and ground systems problems by performing real-time analysis of spacecraft and ground data systems engineering telemetry. Telecommunications link analysis of the Voyager 2 spacecraft was the initial focus for evaluation of the system in real-time operations during the Voyager spacecraft encounter with Neptune in August 1989.

NASA Risk-Informed Decision Making Handbook

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dezfuli, Homayoon; Stamatelatos, Michael; Maggio, Gaspare; Everett, Christopher; Youngblood, Robert; Rutledge, Peter; Benjamin, Allan; Williams, Rodney; Smith, Curtis; Guarro, Sergio

2010-01-01

This handbook provides guidance for conducting risk-informed decision making in the context of NASA risk management (RM), with a focus on the types of direction-setting key decisions that are characteristic of the NASA program and project life cycles, and which produce derived requirements in accordance with existing systems engineering practices that flow down through the NASA organizational hierarchy. The guidance in this handbook is not meant to be prescriptive. Instead, it is meant to be general enough, and contain a sufficient diversity of examples, to enable the reader to adapt the methods as needed to the particular decision problems that he or she faces. The handbook highlights major issues to consider when making decisions in the presence of potentially significant uncertainty, so that the user is better able to recognize and avoid pitfalls that might otherwise be experienced.

ViSTREET: An Educational Virtual Environment for the Teaching of Road Safety Skills to School Students

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chuah, Kee Man; Chen, Chwen Jen; Teh, Chee Siong

Virtual reality (VR) has been prevalently used as a tool to help students learn and to simulate situations that are too hazardous to practice in real life. The present study aims to explore the capability of VR to achieve these two purposes and demonstrate a novel application of the result, using VR to help school students learn about road safety skills, which are impractical to be carried out in real-life situations. This paper describes the system design of the VR-based learning environment known as Virtual Simulated Traffics for Road Safety Education (ViSTREET) and its various features. An overview of the technical procedures for its development is also included. Ultimately, this paper highlights the potential use of VR in addressing the learning problem concerning road safety education programme in Malaysia.

Varieties of preschool hyperactivity: multiple pathways from risk to disorder.

PubMed

Sonuga-Barke, Edmund J S; Auerbach, Judith; Campbell, Susan B; Daley, David; Thompson, Margaret

2005-03-01

In this paper we examine the characteristics of preschool attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) from both mental disorder and developmental psychopathology points of view. The equivalence of preschool and school-aged hyperactivity as a behavioral dimension is highlighted together with the potential value of extending the use of the ADHD diagnostic category to the preschool period where these behaviours take an extreme and impairing form (assuming age appropriate diagnostic items and thresholds can be developed). At the same time, the importance of identifying pathways between risk and later ADHD is emphasized. Developmental discontinuity and heterogeneity are identified as major characteristics of these pathways. We argue that models that distinguish among different developmental types of early-emerging problems are needed. An illustrative taxonomy of four developmental pathways implicating preschool hyperactivity is presented to provide a framework for future research.

MATERNAL INFECTION AND IMMUNE INVOLVEMENT IN AUTISM

PubMed Central

Patterson, Paul H.

2011-01-01

Recent studies have highlighted a connection between infection during pregnancy and increased risk for autism in the offspring. Parallel studies of cerebral spinal fluid, blood, and postmortem brains reveal an ongoing, hyper-responsive inflammatory-like state in many young as well as adult autism subjects. There are also indications of gastrointestinal problems in at least a subset of autistic children. Work with animal models of the maternal infection risk factor indicate that aspects of brain and peripheral immune dysregulation can be begin during fetal development and be maintained through adulthood. The offspring of infected, or immune-activated dams also display cardinal behavioral features of autism, as well as neuropathology consistent with that seen in human autism. These rodent models are proving useful for the study of pathogenesis and gene-environment interaction, as well as for the exploration of potential therapeutic strategies. PMID:21482187

Removal of mercury by adsorption: a review.

PubMed

Yu, Jin-Gang; Yue, Bao-Yu; Wu, Xiong-Wei; Liu, Qi; Jiao, Fei-Peng; Jiang, Xin-Yu; Chen, Xiao-Qing

2016-03-01

Due to natural and production activities, mercury contamination has become one of the major environmental problems over the world. Mercury contamination is a serious threat to human health. Among the existing technologies available for mercury pollution control, the adsorption process can get excellent separation effects and has been further studied. This review is attempted to cover a wide range of adsorbents that were developed for the removal of mercury from the year 2011. Various adsorbents, including the latest adsorbents, are presented along with highlighting and discussing the key advancements on their preparation, modification technologies, and strategies. By comparing their adsorption capacities, it is evident from the literature survey that some adsorbents have shown excellent potential for the removal of mercury. However, there is still a need to develop novel, efficient adsorbents with low cost, high stability, and easy production and manufacture for practical utility.

Early identification and interventions for students with mathematics difficulties.

PubMed

Gersten, Russell; Jordan, Nancy C; Flojo, Jonathan R

2005-01-01

This article highlights key findings from the small body of research on mathematics difficulties (MD) relevant to early identification and early intervention. The research demonstrates that (a) for many children, mathematics difficulties are not stable over time; (b) the presence of reading difficulties seems related to slower progress in many aspects of mathematics; (c) almost all students with MD demonstrate problems with accurate and automatic retrieval of basic arithmetic combinations, such as 6 + 3. The following measures appear to be valid and reliable indicators of potential MD in kindergartners: (a) magnitude comparison (i.e., knowing which digit in a pair is larger), (b) sophistication of counting strategies, (c) fluent identification of numbers, and (d) working memory (as evidenced by reverse digit span). These are discussed in terms of the components of number sense. Implications for early intervention strategies are explored.

Platelet gel: a new therapeutic tool with great potential

PubMed Central

Piccin, Andrea; Di Pierro, Angela M.; Canzian, Lucia; Primerano, Marco; Corvetta, Daisy; Negri, Giovanni; Mazzoleni, Guido; Gastl, Günther; Steurer, Michael; Gentilini, Ivo; Eisendle, Klaus; Fontanella, Fabrizio

2017-01-01

Chronic wounds, such as diabetic foot ulcers, represent a serious clinical problem for patients and clinicians. Management of these wounds has a strong economic impact worldwide. Complications resulting from injuries are a frequent cause of morbidity and mortality. Chronic wounds lead to infections, painful dressings and prolonged hospitalisation. This results in poor patient Quality of Life and in high healthcare costs. Platelet concentrates (PC) are defined as autologous or allogeneic platelet derivatives with a platelet concentration higher than baseline. PC are widely used in different areas of Regenerative Medicine in order to enhance wound healing processes; they include platelet-rich plasma (PRP), platelet gel (PG), platelet-rich fibrin (PRF), serum eye drops (E-S), and PRP eye drops (E-PRP). This review highlights the use of platelet-rich plasma (PRP) and platelet gel (PG) preparation for clinical use. PMID:27483482

Towards ab initio Calculations with the Dynamical Vertex Approximation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Galler, Anna; Kaufmann, Josef; Gunacker, Patrik; Pickem, Matthias; Thunström, Patrik; Tomczak, Jan M.; Held, Karsten

2018-04-01

While key effects of the many-body problem — such as Kondo and Mott physics — can be understood in terms of on-site correlations, non-local fluctuations of charge, spin, and pairing amplitudes are at the heart of the most fascinating and unresolved phenomena in condensed matter physics. Here, we review recent progress in diagrammatic extensions to dynamical mean-field theory for ab initio materials calculations. We first recapitulate the quantum field theoretical background behind the two-particle vertex. Next we discuss latest algorithmic advances in quantum Monte Carlo simulations for calculating such two-particle quantities using worm sampling and vertex asymptotics, before giving an introduction to the ab initio dynamical vertex approximation (AbinitioDΓA). Finally, we highlight the potential of AbinitioDΓA by detailing results for the prototypical correlated metal SrVO3.

The Mid-Term Changes of Pulmonary Function Tests After Phrenic Nerve Transfer.

PubMed

Yavari, Masoud; Hassanpour, Seyed Esmail; Khodayari, Mohammad

2016-03-01

In the restoration of elbow flexion, the phrenic nerve has proven to be a good donor, but considering the role of the phrenic nerve in respiratory function, we cannot disregard the potential dangers of this method. In the current study, we reviewed the results of pulmonary function tests (PFT) in four patients who underwent phrenic nerve transfer. We reviewed the results of serial spirometry tests, which were performed before and after phrenic nerve transfer surgery. All patients regained Biceps power to M3 strength or above. None of our patients experienced pulmonary problems or respiratory complaints, but a significant reduction of spirometric parameters occurred after surgery. This study highlights the close link between the role of the phrenic nerve and pulmonary function, such that the use of this nerve as a transfer donor leads to spirometric impairments.

Migrant women farm workers in the occupational health literature.

PubMed

Habib, Rima R; Fathallah, Fadi A

2012-01-01

Little attention has been given to the vulnerable populations of migrant women agricultural workers. A systemic review in PubMed was carried out (1990-2008) using terms related to migrant agricultural workers, with specific focus on women. Case studies from Lebanon and California are presented to highlight key physical, psychosocial, and cultural risk factors among these working populations. The review revealed a host of potential problems that span from pesticide exposure and musculoskeletal disorders to socio-cultural barriers. Comprehensive exposure-outcome and intervention studies focusing specifically on migrant women in agriculture are lacking. In depth studies focusing on the work environment of migrant women workers in the agricultural sector are needed. Personal and environmental factors that influence health should be considered in any effective intervention aiming to influence policy making and have a positive impact on these vulnerable working populations.

Global Antimicrobial Stewardship: A Closer Look at the Formidable Implementation Challenges

PubMed Central

Tiong, John J. L.; Loo, Jason S. E.; Mai, Chun-Wai

2016-01-01

Antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) has been touted as one of the key strategies required in tackling worldwide escalation of antibiotic resistance. Although AMS has optimized antibiotic usage and reduced the incidence of resistance development in some regions, its full global potential has been curtailed by various AMS-impeding factors. This article seeks to highlight in a detailed perspective, the key challenges that hamper global AMS endeavors, some of which include the paucity of effective implementation strategies that cater for the challenging settings of developing nations, the slow response of governments, uncoordinated AMS activities as well as implementation fragmentation across different sectors and countries. The authors of this article call upon all stakeholders to pay attention to these seemingly obvious but often under-addressed problems. If left unresolved, this may render all current and future AMS initiatives pointless. PMID:27899924

In Vitro Sensitivity of Cutaneous Leishmania Promastigote Isolates Circulating in French Guiana to a Set of Drugs

PubMed Central

Ginouvès, Marine; Simon, Stéphane; Nacher, Mathieu; Demar, Magalie; Carme, Bernard; Couppié, Pierre; Prévot, Ghislaine

2017-01-01

Anti-leishmaniasis drug resistance is a common problem worldwide. The aim of this study was to inventory the general in vitro level of sensitivity of Leishmania isolates circulating in French Guiana and to highlight potential in vitro pentamidine-resistant isolates. This sensitivity study was conducted on 36 patient-promastigote isolates for seven drugs (amphotericin B, azithromycin, fluconazole, meglumine antimoniate, miltefosine, paromomycin, and pentamidine) using the Cell Counting Kit-8 viability test. The IC50 values obtained were heterogeneous. One isolate exhibited high IC50 values for almost all drugs tested. Pentamidine, which is the first-line treatment in French Guiana, showed efficacy at very low doses (mean of 0.0038 μg/mL). The concordance of the in vitro pentamidine results with the patients' clinical outcomes was 94% (K = 0.82). PMID:28167598

[Mondor's disease of penis: A case report].

PubMed

Marsaudon, E; Legal, C; Gayoux, D; Weber, O

2016-09-01

Mondor's disease is a rare superficial thrombophlebitis, historically involving the thoracic venous system of women. However, it can occur in both gender and all over the skin. We report a 40-year-old man with type one diabetes who presented with a thrombosis of the superficial dorsal vein of the penis that he treated as a fungal infection. Treatment with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and low molecular weight heparin contributed to a favorable outcome in 2 weeks. Pathogenesis and treatment of Mondor's disease remain incompletely dominated. Some predisposing factors have been highlighted in the literature. It might be interesting to add diabetes, due to its frequent pelvic problems leading to a potential venous inflammatory trigger. Copyright © 2015 Société Nationale Française de Médecine Interne (SNFMI). Published by Elsevier SAS. All rights reserved.

Recent advances in the molecular design of synthetic vaccines

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jones, Lyn H.

2015-12-01

Vaccines have typically been prepared using whole organisms. These are normally either attenuated bacteria or viruses that are live but have been altered to reduce their virulence, or pathogens that have been inactivated and effectively killed through exposure to heat or formaldehyde. However, using whole organisms to elicit an immune response introduces the potential for infections arising from a reversion to a virulent form in live pathogens, unproductive reactions to vaccine components or batch-to-batch variability. Synthetic vaccines, in which a molecular antigen is conjugated to a carrier protein, offer the opportunity to circumvent these problems. This Perspective will highlight the progress that has been achieved in developing synthetic vaccines using a variety of molecular antigens. In particular, the different approaches used to develop conjugate vaccines using peptide/proteins, carbohydrates and other small molecule haptens as antigens are compared.

SMART SKINS - A Development Roadmap

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lochocki, Joseph M.

1990-02-01

The Air Force Project Forecast II identified a number of key technology initiatives for development. This paper addresses one such initiative, PT-16, Smart Skins. The concept of the Smart Skin is introduced by briefly highlighting its attributes and potential advantages over standard avionics packaging and maintenance, and then goes on to describe some of the key ingredients necessary for its development. Problem areas are brought out along with some of the required trades that must be made. Finally, a time phased development roadmap is introduced which shows Calspan's proposed sequence of technology development programs that can, in combination, lead to first functional Smart Skins implementations in narrowband form in the late 1990's and in wideband form in first decade of the twenty - first century. A Smart Skins implementation in integral aircraft skin structure form will take at least until 2010.

Privacy enhancing techniques - the key to secure communication and management of clinical and genomic data.

PubMed

De Moor, G J E; Claerhout, B; De Meyer, F

2003-01-01

To introduce some of the privacy protection problems related to genomics based medicine and to highlight the relevance of Trusted Third Parties (TTPs) and of Privacy Enhancing Techniques (PETs) in the restricted context of clinical research and statistics. Practical approaches based on two different pseudonymisation models, both for batch and interactive data collection and exchange, are described and analysed. The growing need of managing both clinical and genetic data raises important legal and ethical challenges. Protecting human rights in the realm of privacy, while optimising research potential and other statistical activities is a challenge that can easily be overcome with the assistance of a trust service provider offering advanced privacy enabling/enhancing solutions. As such, the use of pseudonymisation and other innovative Privacy Enhancing Techniques can unlock valuable data sources.

Rational use of oral contraceptives in the perimenopausal woman.

PubMed

Connell, E B

1993-12-01

Oral contraceptives have undergone extensive revision in their labeling over the past 10 years to remove warnings about cardiovascular and other risks and to highlight their noncontraceptive benefits. While these changes are becoming better known, the potential bone-sparing effects of oral contraceptives in the premenopausal and perimenopausal woman remain under-appreciated. Osteoporosis is a major health care problem worldwide in terms of both its associated morbidity and mortality and its economic impact. Although the benefits of postmenopausal hormone replacement therapy for the prevention and treatment of osteoporosis are generally recognized, little attention has been paid to strategies that might be used to maintain bone mass up to the time of menopause, at which time bone loss accelerates. An additional noncontraceptive benefit of oral contraceptives may be to maintain and build bone mass up to the time of menopause.

Computer Aided Diagnostic Support System for Skin Cancer: A Review of Techniques and Algorithms

PubMed Central

Masood, Ammara; Al-Jumaily, Adel Ali

2013-01-01

Image-based computer aided diagnosis systems have significant potential for screening and early detection of malignant melanoma. We review the state of the art in these systems and examine current practices, problems, and prospects of image acquisition, pre-processing, segmentation, feature extraction and selection, and classification of dermoscopic images. This paper reports statistics and results from the most important implementations reported to date. We compared the performance of several classifiers specifically developed for skin lesion diagnosis and discussed the corresponding findings. Whenever available, indication of various conditions that affect the technique's performance is reported. We suggest a framework for comparative assessment of skin cancer diagnostic models and review the results based on these models. The deficiencies in some of the existing studies are highlighted and suggestions for future research are provided. PMID:24575126

The Problem with Big Data: Operating on Smaller Datasets to Bridge the Implementation Gap.

PubMed

Mann, Richard P; Mushtaq, Faisal; White, Alan D; Mata-Cervantes, Gabriel; Pike, Tom; Coker, Dalton; Murdoch, Stuart; Hiles, Tim; Smith, Clare; Berridge, David; Hinchliffe, Suzanne; Hall, Geoff; Smye, Stephen; Wilkie, Richard M; Lodge, J Peter A; Mon-Williams, Mark

2016-01-01

Big datasets have the potential to revolutionize public health. However, there is a mismatch between the political and scientific optimism surrounding big data and the public's perception of its benefit. We suggest a systematic and concerted emphasis on developing models derived from smaller datasets to illustrate to the public how big data can produce tangible benefits in the long term. In order to highlight the immediate value of a small data approach, we produced a proof-of-concept model predicting hospital length of stay. The results demonstrate that existing small datasets can be used to create models that generate a reasonable prediction, facilitating health-care delivery. We propose that greater attention (and funding) needs to be directed toward the utilization of existing information resources in parallel with current efforts to create and exploit "big data."

Involvement of secondary metabolites in the pathogenesis of the American foulbrood of honey bees caused by Paenibacillus larvae.

PubMed

Müller, Sebastian; Garcia-Gonzalez, Eva; Genersch, Elke; Süssmuth, Roderich D

2015-06-01

The Gram-positive, spore-forming bacterium Paenibacillus larvae (P. larvae) is the causative agent of the epizootic American Foulbrood (AFB), a fatal brood disease of the western honey bee (Apis mellifera). AFB is one of the most destructive honey bee diseases since it is not only lethal for infected larvae but also for the diseased colonies. Due to the high impact of honey bees on ecology and economy this epizootic is a severe and pressing problem. Knowledge about virulence mechanisms and the underlying molecular mechanisms remain largely elusive. Recent genome sequencing of P. larvae revealed its potential to produce unknown secondary metabolites, like nonribosomal peptides and peptide-polyketide hybrids. This article highlights recent findings on secondary metabolites synthesized by P. larvae and discusses their role in virulence and pathogenicity towards the bee larvae.

The Unique Scientific Assets of Multi-Wavelength Total Solar Eclipse Observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Habbal, S. R.; Druckmuller, M.; Ding, A.

2017-12-01

Total solar eclipses continue to yield new discoveries regarding the dynamics and thermodynamics of the corona, due to the radial span of the field of view available during totality, starting from the solar surface out to several solar radii, and due to the diagnostic potential provided by coronal emission lines. Scientific highlights from past eclipse observations as well as from the 21 August 2017 eclipse, now spanning a solar cycle, will be presented. These include white light and spectral line imaging as well as imaging spectrometry. Emphasis will be placed on the unique insights into the origin of dynamic structures captured in eclipse images, and the temperature distribution in the corona derived from these eclipse observations. Implications of these results for the general problem of coronal heating, as well as for the next generation of space instrumentation will be discussed.

The Evolution of the Intergalactic Medium

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McQuinn, Matthew

2016-09-01

The bulk of cosmic matter resides in a dilute reservoir that fills the space between galaxies, the intergalactic medium (IGM). The history of this reservoir is intimately tied to the cosmic histories of structure formation, star formation, and supermassive black hole accretion. Our models for the IGM at intermediate redshifts (2≲z≲5) are a tremendous success, quantitatively explaining the statistics of Lyα absorption of intergalactic hydrogen. However, at both lower and higher redshifts (and around galaxies) much is still unknown about the IGM. We review the theoretical models and measurements that form the basis for the modern understanding of the IGM, and we discuss unsolved puzzles (ranging from the largely unconstrained process of reionization at high z to the missing baryon problem at low z), highlighting the efforts that have the potential to solve them.

SHARP - Automated monitoring of spacecraft health and status

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Atkinson, David J.; James, Mark L.; Martin, R. G.

1990-01-01

Briefly discussed here are the spacecraft and ground systems monitoring process at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL). Some of the difficulties associated with the existing technology used in mission operations are highlighted. A new automated system based on artificial intelligence technology is described which seeks to overcome many of these limitations. The system, called the Spacecraft Health Automated Reasoning Prototype (SHARP), is designed to automate health and status analysis for multi-mission spacecraft and ground data systems operations. The system has proved to be effective for detecting and analyzing potential spacecraft and ground systems problems by performing real-time analysis of spacecraft and ground data systems engineering telemetry. Telecommunications link analysis of the Voyager 2 spacecraft was the initial focus for evaluation of the system in real-time operations during the Voyager spacecraft encounter with Neptune in August 1989.

Individual risk factors associated with premature discharge from military service.

PubMed

Larsson, Helena; Broman, Lisbet; Harms-Ringdahl, Karin

2009-01-01

Research on military populations indicates that failure to complete training is a significant problem for armed forces around the world. The present study estimated the prevalence of musculoskeletal complaints or injuries and potential individual risk factors leading to premature discharge from Swedish military service. Male conscripts, n=469 answered a questionnaire and performed physical tests at the start of their military service. A high prevalence of complaints or injuries in lower back and knee was shown. Logistic regression analyses showed an increased risk of discharge (odds ratio, OR) when reporting current complaints or injuries in any part of the body (OR 4.6), being physically inactive (OR 2.0), cigarette smoking (OR 2.7), or poor mental health (OR 3.6). The findings highlight the need for improved preenlistment examination and/or early preventive strategies addressing both physical and psychological interventions.

Direct and Indirect Psychosocial Outcomes for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder and their Parents Following a Parent-involved Social Skills Group Intervention.

PubMed

Weiss, Jonathan A; Viecili, Michelle A; Sloman, Leon; Lunsky, Yona

2013-11-01

This study examined the direct and indirect outcomes of a social skills group intervention for children with high functioning autism spectrum disorders and their parents. Thirty-five children and their parents participated in the program evaluation. Children and parents completed measures of child social skills and problem behaviors. Children reported on their self-concept, and parents reported on their psychological acceptance and empowerment. Results indicate significant increases in overall child social skills according to parent and child report, in child general self-worth, and in parent service empowerment and psychological acceptance. While past program evaluations of social skills groups highlight changes in social competence, taking a broader perspective on the types of positive outcomes suggests potential benefits for both child and parent.

Honey, Propolis, and Royal Jelly: A Comprehensive Review of Their Biological Actions and Health Benefits

PubMed Central

Sammugam, Lakhsmi; Ramesh, Nagesvari

2017-01-01

Background There are several health benefits that honeybee products such as honey, propolis, and royal jelly claim toward various types of diseases in addition to being food. Scope and Approach In this paper, the effects of honey, propolis, and royal jelly on different metabolic diseases, cancers, and other diseases have been reviewed. The modes of actions of these products have also been illustrated for purposes of better understanding. Key Findings and Conclusions An overview of honey, propolis, and royal jelly and their biological potentials was highlighted. The potential health benefits of honey, such as microbial inhibition, wound healing, and its effects on other diseases, are described. Propolis has been reported to have various health benefits related to gastrointestinal disorders, allergies, and gynecological, oral, and dermatological problems. Royal jelly is well known for its protective effects on reproductive health, neurodegenerative disorders, wound healing, and aging. Nevertheless, the exact mechanisms of action of honey, propolis, and royal jelly on the abovementioned diseases and activities have not been not fully elucidated, and further research is warranted to explain their exact contributions. PMID:28814983

Upper gastrointestinal bleeding in a patient with depression receiving selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor therapy.

PubMed

Kumar, Deepak; Saaraswat, Tanuj; Sengupta, S N; Mehrotra, Saurabh

2009-02-01

Serotonin plays an important role in the normal clotting phenomenon and is released by platelets. Platelets are dependent on a serotonin transporter for the uptake of serotonin, as they cannot synthesize it themselves. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) block the uptake of serotonin into platelets and can cause problems with clotting leading to bleeding. This case report highlights the occurrence of upper gastrointestinal bleeding in the index case on initiating SSRI therapy for depression and the prompt resolution of the same on its discontinuation on two separate occasions. SSRIs may cause upper gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding. Physicians should be aware of the same and should try to rule out previous episodes of upper GI bleed or the presence of other risk factors which might predispose to it before prescribing SSRIs; they should also warn the patients about this potential side effect. Also, the presence of thalassemia trait in the index patient deserves special attention and needs to be explored to see if it might in any way contribute in potentiating this side effect of SSRIs.